Brown Samana is a RADIO SHOW, a BLOG, an INDICTMENT of the prevailing global culture of oppressive greed and a METAPHOR representing the one possible road to the salvation of humanity. Which is of course the sober divination and incessant communication of TRUTH in service of freedom, equality, sustainability and joy. "Whew!" The truth? So what? What's the big deal? Well, the thing of it is, the big deal is, that the truth is something we almost never hear. We are often too caught up in the distractions incumbent upon our lives as citizens of a "free" society to notice or, more to the point and more profoundly to our own detriment, to care.
But let's take these one at a time. First the RADIO SHOW. It airs (or perhaps ethers) live every Friday evening from 7pm until 10pm on HomeGrownRadioNJ.com. HGRNJ is a streaming only, internet based radio station which features a line-up of nearly 50 weekly, self-produced shows. Brown Samana is one of these fortunate programs, all of which enjoy a unique play-whatchya-want, say-whatchya-want freedom that grows from the convergence of self-production, hands-off station management and an uncensored broadcast medium (the World Wide Web). As host of Brown Samana, Jojo Americano exercises this unique freedom by drawing his play list from an eclectic pool of musical genres, mixing bop and hard-bop jazz from the 1940's, 50's and 60's with traditional bluegrass, alt-country Americana, classic rock, rootsy blues, Cajun, Latin, ska and mountain music and 1970's AM radio pop in a way you won't hear anywhere else, especially on Clear Channel. In short the mix is a reflection of the man. And the man is of a mind to make some mischief, so in between the play-watchya-want you're gonna hear some say-watchya-want. A staunch anti-capitalist, Jojo believes in freedom, democracy and a Utopian ideal where social responsibility is balanced by social reward. Call him a humanist if you need to label it, a liberal if that's your preference, a pinko, a hippie, a tree hugger. These are all valid. Hell, call him an asshole if it makes you feel better. He's that too.
The BLOG supports the radio show, inviting listeners to peek behind the curtain. Also it calcifies certain aspects of the live webcast, fluid and ephemeral by nature, providing listener and host alike with an opportunity to reflect and even respond. These reflections are free to develop and evolve in longer thought out blog entries and listener/reader comment. It is within the blog format that the say-watchya-want element of Brown Samana can truly flower.
Which brings us to the INDICTMENT. The architects and stewards of our society are nothing more, NOTHING more than the soldiers and captains in a syndicate of organized crime who have sold and continue to sell out our life, our hope and our humanity for profit and power. That needs to be said out loud and often. The Brown Samana webcast is one of the places where that happens. Why? Because saying it, leads to accepting it, leads to wondering about the causality, leads to speculating about an alternative, leads to believing that change is possible; and there in lies our only chance. Learn the truth. Decide how you feel about it. Tell your neighbor, your brother, the UPS guy.
But how does one see the truth in a hurricane of lies? The answer is to step into the eye, to mentally unplug oneself from the consumer culture in order to take an objective look at our sacred cows of capitalism and growth. If one is willing and thorough, a truly honest assessment will have the most complacent among us reaching for the ax.
(to be continued)
But let's take these one at a time. First the RADIO SHOW. It airs (or perhaps ethers) live every Friday evening from 7pm until 10pm on HomeGrownRadioNJ.com. HGRNJ is a streaming only, internet based radio station which features a line-up of nearly 50 weekly, self-produced shows. Brown Samana is one of these fortunate programs, all of which enjoy a unique play-whatchya-want, say-whatchya-want freedom that grows from the convergence of self-production, hands-off station management and an uncensored broadcast medium (the World Wide Web). As host of Brown Samana, Jojo Americano exercises this unique freedom by drawing his play list from an eclectic pool of musical genres, mixing bop and hard-bop jazz from the 1940's, 50's and 60's with traditional bluegrass, alt-country Americana, classic rock, rootsy blues, Cajun, Latin, ska and mountain music and 1970's AM radio pop in a way you won't hear anywhere else, especially on Clear Channel. In short the mix is a reflection of the man. And the man is of a mind to make some mischief, so in between the play-watchya-want you're gonna hear some say-watchya-want. A staunch anti-capitalist, Jojo believes in freedom, democracy and a Utopian ideal where social responsibility is balanced by social reward. Call him a humanist if you need to label it, a liberal if that's your preference, a pinko, a hippie, a tree hugger. These are all valid. Hell, call him an asshole if it makes you feel better. He's that too.
The BLOG supports the radio show, inviting listeners to peek behind the curtain. Also it calcifies certain aspects of the live webcast, fluid and ephemeral by nature, providing listener and host alike with an opportunity to reflect and even respond. These reflections are free to develop and evolve in longer thought out blog entries and listener/reader comment. It is within the blog format that the say-watchya-want element of Brown Samana can truly flower.
Which brings us to the INDICTMENT. The architects and stewards of our society are nothing more, NOTHING more than the soldiers and captains in a syndicate of organized crime who have sold and continue to sell out our life, our hope and our humanity for profit and power. That needs to be said out loud and often. The Brown Samana webcast is one of the places where that happens. Why? Because saying it, leads to accepting it, leads to wondering about the causality, leads to speculating about an alternative, leads to believing that change is possible; and there in lies our only chance. Learn the truth. Decide how you feel about it. Tell your neighbor, your brother, the UPS guy.
But how does one see the truth in a hurricane of lies? The answer is to step into the eye, to mentally unplug oneself from the consumer culture in order to take an objective look at our sacred cows of capitalism and growth. If one is willing and thorough, a truly honest assessment will have the most complacent among us reaching for the ax.
(to be continued)
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