I used to be into reading about music, why music affected us as it does. And thinking about the lessons of John Cage's Silence regarding how all sound is, (or can be), music. I'm not as interested in looking for the whys and wherefores of musical science or philosophy anymore. I'm just interested in joy.

This crappy quality video shot of Eddie Palmieri in the 1970's is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. This song" Vamonos Pal Monte" was always a favorite of mine so it's hard to tell if you, dear reader, will feel the same way about it. However, not only is it my joy I'm interested in but the joy of the people making the music. Watch Jerry Gonzalez on conga, and his brother Andy on bass and then the camera pans to Eddie himself, head back, mouth open, soloing on top of his band, with his brother Charlie on organ(!), outside, in NYC, with a large crowd at one of those free summer concerts that is one of the joys, (again), of being in NYC in the summer.