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Plain Ol' Paris (Jab's Theme)

from RESPECT THE BEARD: SPOKEN SOUL by Jabulani Leffall

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about

A spoken word piece, personal essay and and ode to Kansas City as a concept, place and idea,, "Plain Ol' Paris," is a play on words for Kansas City once being called the Paris of the Plains. The fourth cut off the album Respect the Beard: Spoken Soul, Plain Ol' Paris is a survey of Kansas City's rich history and triumph, potential and unique story from the perspective of Jabulani Leffall (first name Jabulani LOL:) who is the host of a regional NPR member station talk show called Central Standard. Central Standard is a live weekday show based at member station KCUR 89.3 FM. The music for Plain Ol' Paris is composed by Central Standard's former music curator Miles Bonny. A tribute to Jazz, Blues, Walt Bodine, Charlie Parker, Satchel Paige, the Nelson Atkins Museum, the MAX Bus and Loose Park can all be found here as can the harrowing story of personal loss in a town mid-American charm and hidden mystery under the shroud of historical precedent. Good Morning Kansas CITY!

lyrics

You I knew before as a young man, I must’ve seen you about 70 times west.
You hear stories, you see brown curves you see brown eyes, familiarity.
Affinity grows like the elms and birch and dogwood we sat next to and under.
Long stretches of picturesque, highway and bi-way, your way and my way
You insulated me at first with morning dew, catching my breath, sometimes you were behind, sometimes you were in front, sexy in any case.
We made beautiful music together, stillness, quiet, whether it was snow angles or mosquitoes feasting on supple damp, summer drenched skin.
You were a hub, once for lots of people, then you were my hub and I was your hub, frozen in time on majestic museum steps.
Moments that felt like forever.
I’m slippin’ in the prairie now.
Then it was with you, that I find out why the caged Bird played so well, why the Paige turned and how you would weigh down the Satchel I would have to carry.
What brings you up, brings you down, what makes you laugh also makes your shoulder shrug, shudder in bitter, bitter salt falling from the eyes, misery pronounced a different way.
Now I know all of you.
Boulevards grow wider and I get tanked at 7, then on til two in the morning bar patrons, cheering, screaming, devoted to Monarchy and Native Americans.
Blues is no longer just music, Jazz is no longer just the sound.
You appeared unto me at night and forced genre into my body and soul, made me live it, making me livid, made me traverse what the Dutch called the opposite of a lie, alone.
Crackling vinyl, dingy animation in black and white. I loved saying Good morning to you and only you, the first and last.
Now I was searing two sides of a candle, the real definition of burnt ends, I can see it on your faces, must be why it smells so good.
Must be that Be-Bop Blood, those leaves, witnesses to the navy knots on those branches, still swing, the freight snake still whistles at midnight, coming and going.
You are my sweetheart from the bottoms to the top, east to west, you will be that until I go to the Crossroads one last time, that last Friday.
That first Saturday, those weekends were never the same after the MKT track was decommissioned, a trail left in its wake, that I still try to find you on.
You made me more well-known than I was and as anonymous as I ever will be.
Huffing and puffing and blowing my house down, emaciated while stuffed in the city of food, fountains and found, lost,,.,forever.
Look Daddy, there goes the train, there’s the biggie biggie bus…I’m Maxed out now, loose in the park, forever running.
Why did you have to go and turn me into an artist, why did you build me up so quick and let me down so hard, why did I do the same to you.? What did we learn about each other?
Where’s Waldo? Probably off the trail, getting some Pizza, after a Quick Trip to the gas station.
I can’t throw a rock, take a breath, bat an eye, take a step, without hearing horns and smelling blue smoke and salty rub flakes…
I’m home, I’m gone.
I’m here, I left.
I went, I stayed.
This is my theme, you taught me, you teach me, who I was, am is…(2X)
Remind me to remind you to blame me for thanking you…
Kansas…. City, by the river
Kansas….City, Kansas City, Kansas………City, town…state of mine and mind, Hello and Goodbye, Night and Day…..No one will have to tell you don’t ever change.
You drew me here and there.
Now I draw you unto me, abstractly.
We’re on a plateau now, the music plays on all night, it’s the foundation and the feeling is mutual, the room is blue, the world is yours, which is why you, which is why you, which is why you….. gave it back.
Stay, leave, be…your plains, beautiful self, look up,… I said look up, someone’s…. coming… through.

credits

from RESPECT THE BEARD: SPOKEN SOUL, released January 1, 2013
Produced by Miles Bonny, Words and Vocals by Jabulani

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Jabulani Kansas City, Missouri

Jabulani is also an award-winning journalist, broadcaster and writer who attended Journalism School at the University of Missouri.

Currently he is the host of Central Standard, a general interest radio talk show on KCUR 89.3 FM, a super-regional National Public Radio member station based in Kansas City. The show reaches listeners in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Northern Arkansas.
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