PALINDROME: n. A word, phrase, verse, or sentence that
reads the same backward or forward. For example: "God! Nate bit a Tibetan dog!”

Check out Weird Al Yankovic's video called "Bob". It's a generous
serving of palindromes set to a Bob Dylan song called "Subterreanean
Homesick Blues". Even the title itself, "Bob", is a palindrome. Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nej4xJe4Tdg

Here are the palindromes used in “Bob”, plus more.

1. A man, a plan, a canal. Panama!
2. Tan gnat.
3. I, man, am regal. A German am I.
4. Never odd or even
5. If I had a Hi Fi
6. Madam I'm Adam
7. Too hot to hoot
8. No lemon no melon
9. Too bad I hid a boot
10. Lisa bonet ate no basil
11. Warsaw was raw
12. Was it a car or a cat I saw
13. Rise to vote sir
14. Do geese see god?
15. Do nine men interpret? Nine men I nod.
16. Rats live on no evil star
17. Won't lovers revolt now?
18. Race fast safe car
19. Pa's a sap
20. Ma is as selfless as I am
21. May a moody baby doom a yam?
22. Ah satan sees Natasha
23. No devil lived on
24. Lonely Tylenol
25. Not a banana baton
26. No x in Nixon
27. O stone be not so
28. O Geronimo no minor ego
29. Naomi I moan
30. A Toyota's a Toyota
31. A dog a panic in a pagoda
32. Oh no Don Ho!
33. Nurse, I spy gypsies, run!
34. Senile felines
35. Now I see bees I won
36. UFO tofu
37. We panic in a pew
38. Oozy rat in a sanitary zoo.
39. God! A red nugget! A fat egg! Under a dog!
40. Go hang a salami, I'm a lasagna hog.
41. Rag, ice, cigar.
42. Not now, wonton.
43. Sit on a potato pan, Otis.
44. Denim axes examined.
45. Amen enema.
46. Flee to me, remote elf.
47. I prefer Pi.
48. Drab bard
49. Sun at noon, tan us.
50. A pre war dresser drawer, pa.
51. No sir away. A papaya war is on!
52. Stab bats.
53. Evil olive.
54. Taco cat.
55. Yo banana boy!
56. Ma handed Eden ham.
57. Nail Lilian.
58. Marge, let’s send a sadness telegram.
59. Oh, cameras are macho!
60. Well let Dad tell Lew.
61. Face decaf.
62. Oh who was it I saw, oh who?
63. No garden one dragon.
64. God, a wasp saw a dog!
65. Goddamn mad dog gnaws wang! Goddamn mad dog!
66. K.C. it’s a stick!
67. And E.T. saw waste D.N.A.
68. Butt raft, fart tub.
69. Hell it’s a Toyota still, eh?
70. Barge Dave, evade grab.
71. Bacon no cab.
72. A nut for a jar of tuna.
73. Tuna nut!
74. Tulsa nightlife: filth, gin, a slut.
75. Tulsa slut.
76. Feeble Tom’s motel beef.
77. Borrow or rob.
78. Ned, I am a maiden.
79. Bob mixes sex, I’m Bob.
80. Gary knits a stinky rag.
81. Gateman sees name, garage man sees nametag.
82. Gateman nametag.
83. Laminate pet animal.
84. Norma, I am Ron.
85. No sign in evening is on.
86. Pull a bat, I hit a ball up.
87. Deep I wipe Ed.
88. Party boobytrap.
89. Deb, smash Sam’s bed!
90. O.J. nabs Bob’s banjo.
91. Mon’s dad & Dad’s mom.
92. I’m a bony nob, am i?
93. Was it eliot’s toilet I saw?

First off, let me begin with a formal definition from thefreedictionary.com

art·ist (ärtst)
n.
1. One, such as a painter, sculptor, or writer, who is able by virtue of imagination and talent or skill to create works of aesthetic value, especially in the fine arts.
2. A person whose work shows exceptional creative ability or skill, as in "You are an artist in the kitchen".

Take note of the key words here: SKILL and CREATE.

We’re all familiar with the way artists are stereotyped: deeply immersed in his/her craft, unconcerned with material wealth and barely making ends meet. Are the best love songs really “written with a broken heart”? Are timeless masterpieces really conceived on an empty stomach? Is inspiration really born out of desperation and despair? Is the definition of “artist” really “a poor person”. (Gosh, that last item is cruel!)

Over the years and in every place I have performed in, I have met and conversed with people who were formerly involved in the arts. It seems most of their stories have one thing in common: Over time, the artistic spark they once had was soon superseded by "immediate and realistic needs": gainful employment, financial stability, a means of supporting a family, lucrative business ventures, etc. Not that it's wrong to take on such opportunities.

Some may say I’m very lucky to be able to pursue my passion for music and get paid for it. I disagree. Luck has nothing to do with it. Passion, yes. I have been through tough times when the gigs were few and far in between; times when my batting average was one gig for every 10 or 15 auditions. I have dined on rejection for breakfast, frustration for lunch, and condescension for dinner. But it is my passion that keeps me going, that motivates me to stay focused on my craft and, most importantly, to never compromise my artistic integrity.

At the end of the day, just being able to pursue my artistic passion is it’s own sweet reward.
Vince

If your father is a poor man, it is your fate;
if your father-in-law is a poor man, it's your stupidity.
...........................................................................
I was born intelligent - education ruined me.
..........................................................................
Practice makes perfect.....
But nobody's perfect...... so why practice?
..........................................................................
If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?
..........................................................................
Since light travels faster than sound, people appear bright until you hear them speak.
...........................................................................
Money is not everything.
There's Mastercard & Visa.
..........................................................................
One should love animals.
They are so tasty.
.........................................................................
Behind every successful man, there is a woman
And behind every unsuccessful man, there are two.
...........................................................................
Every man should marry.
After all, happiness is not the only thing in life.
..........................................................................
The wise never marry, and when they marry they become otherwise.
...........................................................................
Success is relative;
The more your sucess, the more relatives you have.
..........................................................................
'Your future depends on your dreams'
So go to sleep
..........................................................................
There should be a better way to start a day
Than waking up every morning.
..........................................................................
'Hard work never killed anybody'
But why take the risk
..........................................................................
God made relatives;
Thank God we can choose our friends.
..........................................................................
The more you learn, the more you know,
The more you know, the more you forget
The more you forget, the less you know
So… Why learn.
..............................................................................
(After being offered a drink in a bar) "Thank you, but I only drink
when i'm drunk".
..............................................................................
When you use a person's idea, that's PLAGIARISM;
When you use ideas from a lot of people, it's called RESEARCH!
..............................................................................
Forgive your enemies - after getting even.
..............................................................................
Is the drunkard miserable because he drinks;
or does he drink because he's miserable?
..............................................................................
There is a single word that is a seemingly intelligent response to every question ever known to man: “WHY”? Go ahead, try it!
..............................................................................
Eat, drink, and be Merry;
for tomorrow, you will be Married!

"Talent is God-given, be grateful
Fame is man-given, be careful
Conceit is self-given, be humble.".

Growing up in the late 70's, i realize i've been listening to Mike Brecker way before i was aware of his name. Through his sax solos on records by James Taylor ("Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight"), Michael Franks ("The Lady Wants To Know") and many others, his sound has been indelibly etched into my memory. "Burned" into my consciousness, if you will.

And then, Chick Corea's "Three Quartets". I was lucky to buy a vinyl LP back in 1982, then a CD copy in 1993. To this day, this is my "desert island listening". It changed the way i experienced jazz. It elevated my expectations and criteria for jazz musicians and Brecker became my benchmark for saxophonists.

Over the years, Brecker's musical presence never fails to astound me. Whatever the context and whoever the personnel he performs with, he always has his own sound and ideas. Truly, he embodies what jazz is all about: deeply rooted in the tradition, yet forward-thinking and innovative. Truly influential.

RIP, Mike.

"Mistakes aren't meant to be repeated; they're meant to be learned from."

No hard feelings!

1. AMATEUR
(noun) - "A person who engages in an art, science, study, or athletic activity as a pastime rather than as a profession". Synonyms: hobbyist, beginner, student, rookie, newbie.
.
We all start here. No exceptions. Even the most accomplished and respected of professionals have to start somewhere. But only the most determined few will pass through the proverbial “eye of the needle” and become a "pro". Some will choose to remain lifelong amateurs for the genuine love of it. As for the others, they become a #2 below.

2. DILETTANTE
(noun) - "An amateur who engages in any number of activities without serious intentions and who pretends to have knowledge". Synonyms: dabbler, sciolist.
(adjective) – "Showing frivolous or superficial interest", as in "his dilettantish efforts at painting".

We've met this person at one time or another. Does the phrase "Jack of all trades, master of none" ring a bell?

3. POSEUR (POSER)
(noun) - "One who ostentatiously puts on a particular attribute, attitude, or identity to impress others in an attempt to belong to a particular group." Synonyms: pretender, wannabe, impostor, quack, charlatan, mountebank.

The key word here is Ostentatious.

Dead-ended in a creative rut, the dilettante over time transforms into a Poseur. The Poseur is an extremely annoying dabbler: he/she is a third-rate practitioner of whatever field he/she dabbles in. Poseurs habitually drop names, look, dress and speak like accomplished pros. Moreover, they even have the gall to pose as mentors to unsuspecting beginners.

Thankfully, truth always prevails because pretentiousness always draws attention to itself. People who live a life of lies eventually become revealed for the Poseurs that they really are.

Vince Lahorra, September 3, 2007

(Note: The intent of this article is to make the reader aware that we can always choose truth over lies, sincerity over pretense, and focus over fickleness. It is not intended to malign or cause slander. The subject is someone whom I have actually known for the past 7 years, well enough to base this article on. Believe it or not, the following is a partial list of careers the subject has attempted to pursue: Aikido Instructor, Pianist/Singer, English Language Instructor, Actor, Bodyguard, Gym Instructor, Restaurant Entertainment Manager, Airline Cabin Crew, and Events Coordinator. I may have missed some. Also, this list may continue to add up over time.)

(All definitions are from The Free Dictionary by Farlex, www.thefreedictionary.com)

John Vincent D. Lahorra, a.k.a. Vince Lahorra, has been a professional musician since 1995. He plays the tenor and soprano saxophones, and arranges music via MIDI sequencing. He has performed all over the Philippines as well as in India, Taiwan, Brunei, Hong Kong and Japan as part of different bands or as a solo artist.

Vince's musical training started at age 9 with classical piano lessons under a private tutor. During his teen years, he was drawn to the guitar and started playing "by ear". As an Electronics and Communications Engineering (ECE) student in college, he played guitar in a jazz band. He graduated in 1989 and passed the board exam the same year. One fateful day in 1990, while rummaging through the attic of a friend's house, he unearthed an old, mothballed saxophone. Thus started a passion that has grown through the years and continues to this day.

Influences (in no paticular order): John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Michael Brecker, Coleman Hawkins, Chick Corea, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Stan Getz, Miles Davis, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Benny Goodman, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Johann Sebastian Bach.