Monthly Archives: January, 2014

JAN 13, 2014 - A campaign called "Sing Forward" to raise awareness about the Affordable Care Act has been launched out of Wisconsin by Musicians For Health, urging fellow musicians to enroll in a health insurance program at the HealthCare.gov website. One of the main musical-activists leading the way is Anna Vogelzang, and she is letting other musicians know one can get health insurance through the exchanges for as little as $25-$50 a month; a catastrophic plan can be as little as $10 a month. There is even a song they wrote for the campaign titled "Sing Forward!", and they have the lyric sheet and a video to sing along with. They have a REMIX contest where you can submit your remix of the song, and the prizes are cash, tickets and other cool stuff. I might submit one myself! Check out the video of "Sing Forward" below, and check out the Sing Forward! website here where you can even punch in your zip code and find an affordable health plan. If you ever drop your amp on your foot and break your toe you will need it.

Sing Forward Music Video from Kyle Pfister on Vimeo.

JAN 9, 2014 - Wu Fei, who specializes in traditional Chinese music, blends Chinese and American folk music with her two band mates of Wu Force, Abigail Washburn and Kai Welch. She plays the traditional Chinese instrument guzheng (similar to a zither), Abigail plays the banjo, and Kai plays keyboards and trumpet. Wu Fei resided in the US for years attending Mills College, and in a NashvilleScene interview she talks about her Chinese government back home and how they oppress musicians and will not let them play whatever they want. The Chinese government even criticized Wu Fei for taking part in a Chinese-European culture exchange. Read more about this fascinating musician and her band Wu Force on NashvilleScene.com here.  (photo credit: wufeimusic.com)

JAN 8, 2014 - Jon Leavitt, musician and longtime medical marijuana activist in Maine, has put his activism and his music together in a musical called "Somewhere Maine: The Marijuana Musical" that delves into the live of people living in a community of growers and patients in Maine. The play will have 8 acts, and will debut in Portland this spring. The play comes from real stories Leavitt had dealing with people in medical marijuana commerce. Leavitt says, "I think the story needs to be told and I think to put it into a format with song and dance and theater makes it accessible to people." The story centers around Johnny Crashed, a medical marijuana farmer who has his children taken away from him by the government as a result. Leavitt was executive director of the Maine Marijuana Policy Initiative, a group that helped shape and pass the 2009 law that stopped the government from infringing on the peoples' right to have access to medical marijuana. He is currently runs a small medical marijuana farm, and has formed  Medical Marijuana Caregivers of Maine, a trade organization for small scale cultivators. Watch Jon Leavitt and friends perform "Home School Christian Girl" below, and read more on SunJournal.com here.

JAN 6, 2014 - Musical-activist Henry Rollins wrote an Op Ed on LAWeekly.com about Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson exercising his free speech right with hateful and stupid comments, and Rollins makes some interesting points. For instance on Robertson's comments on how supposedly Jim Crow south was actually a paradise for blacks, Rollins asks, "Did what he said make you think, 'Oh that's good to know because I was under the impression that things were quite awful for African-American people in the southern states in those days. Well, it's a relief to be able to disabuse myself of that notion. Thanks o wisdomatic bearded duck stalker.' I didn't think so."  Well said Henry. To read the whole Op Ed go to LAWeekly.com here.  (photo credit: ceedub13/CC)

JAN 2, 2014 - The prohibition of the consumption of cannabis has ended in at least one part of America. As of January 1, 2014, Colorado becomes the first state to come "online" to sell and consume marijuana legally, and the sky didn't fall. There were long lines, and recreational marijuana users ranged from veterans with PTSD to Americans who just wanted to smoke a little weed, listen to some music in their basement and not bother anyone; and not be bothered. Doesn't the government have bigger worries to worry about? Anyways, I suggest buying stock in Doritos. JTMP urges our supporters to contact their local, state and federal elected representatives and tell them you want recreational marijuana prohibition to end. Watch a video below of the first legal marijuana transaction in Colorado by a vet who uses it to treat his PTSD.