THE DAY THE WORLD CAME TOGETHER 9/11/2001

9/11 The Day the World Came Together

(Background information concerning the writing of this song)
            Keith Williams and I were scheduled to leave for China the day after 9/11/2001 to perform in Shanghai but, as a result of the horrific events that took place in New York and elsewhere on the east coast, we were delayed and arrived in Shanghai on Sept 15th.

          To our surprise, there was still a buzz going around regarding that tragedy, even though we were thousands of miles away from the U.S.  And what was even more surprising was the reaction of the people we met when discussing that event.  Here we were....in a country that for years was considered to be, if not our enemy, at least our adversary....communist China...and they were saying how sympathetic they were to America. particularly the victims in New York, and how much disdain they had for the perpetrators.  It seemed as though China and its people were totally on our side. 

         At that time, we were performing at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Shanghai which, as you can imagine, catered to people from all over the world.  The subject of 9/11 was constantly brought up with us (probably because we were Americans) and there was virtually unanimous support for  America by folks of every nationality and area of the world including the Middle East.  This widespread sentiment of support for America overshadowed the negativity of the event itself.

  Although this spirit of world unity did not endure as long as we had hoped, as evidenced by the international conflicts that exist, it is our desire that a renewal of that spirit be rekindled and we have a more lasting unified environment reminiscent of:

  "THE DAY THE WORLD CAME TOGETHER"!  

                                                   music by: Keith Williams
                                                    words by: Phil Morrison
             
It's morning time in Georgia - time to start the day
It rained last night the ground was wet - the sky a cloudy grey
Glancing at the TV news - to see what's goin' on
That's when I first became aware - something was very wrong
            
The TV man was talking fast - excitement in his voice
His pitch was high and very loud - as if he had no choice
Describing scenes in disbelief - somewhere in New York City
When planes flew into buildings - by men who showed no pity

   THIS IS THE DAY WE'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER
   AMERICA ... STRUCK ... BY TERROR
   IT HAPPENED TUESDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER
   BUT.... THAT'S WHEN THE WORLD CAME TOGETHER

Grief and horror all around - how could they be so cruel
The planes were filled with passengers - and also filled with fuel
Suddenly the buildings fell; smoke was rising high
To carry those who were inside back to their home in the sky

Now that this tragedy's over - the question is "what should we do?"
We've tried that same old game before - "you hit me, then I'll hit you"
But what we need now is deeper - our spirit must be touched
To end this vicious cycle - which we all want so much

    THIS IS THE DAY WE'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER
    AMERICA.... STRUCK.... BY TERROR
    IT HAPPENED TUESDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER
    BUT THAT'S WHEN THE WORLD CAME TOGETHER

We spend so much for armaments - missiles, tanks and bombs
With all the hunger in the world - you know there's something wrong
 **We fight for our religion -'cause we claim it's right
 **While innocent people suffer and die - is this what God would really like?

We must be more objective- listen to every position
There are so many perspectives - within the human condition
Assemble leaders the world can trust - men and women who.....
Guided by their conscience - will show us what to do

    THIS IS THE DAY WE'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER
    AMERICA.... STRUCK ....BY TERROR
    IT HAPPENED TUESDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER
    BUT THAT'S WHEN THE WORLD CAME TOGETHER

                    (c)2001 keith williams/phil morrison

REMEMBERING DIZZY

words & music by 
Phil Morrison


Click here to listen


Afro Cuban rhythms groove - new harmonies are on the move
As sonic riffs dance on top - a classic music's born ....BEBOP!
With Bird he made this music grow - to heights where only giants go
Around the world this man got busy - with horn in hand they called him "Dizzy"

"Blowin' hard while cheeks inflate - from deep in his soul he'd create
Playin' notes fast and high - reachin' angels in the sky
Horn rim glasses he put in style - a french beret, a mischievous smile
With small goatee below his lip - no one can say he wasn't hip

But from the start he paid his dues - raised in the South where they lived the blues
He'd laugh and joke but Diz was tough - don't mess wit Diz, he'd take no stuff
Yet whenever you'd need a friend - Diz was there right to the end
Max, Moody, Mike Longo too - he was always there for you

In fact, he loved humanity - the planet earth was his country
Even in his band you'd find - people from all humankind
A master musician we can't deny - but don't forget Diz was a Baha'i
Which advocates WORLD UNITY - and Diz showed us how it should be!

                           c 1993 Phil Morrison 

PHILANTHROPY

 (160 Jazz Artists Mentioned)

                       words & music by   Phil Morrison 

Charlie Parker (Bird) & Dizzy Gillespis (Diz)

(1st Vocal Chorus-12 bar bebop blues tune)

 Here is a style of music that we offer you
 It was created by musicians who we are indebted to
 They were true pioneers....
 And the songs they played will last throughout the years....
 Even now they can be heard
Around the world they know the names of Dizzy and the Bird

(Rap/Verbal Verses)

1)Jazz! BeBop! -  more precious than gold
   Taste it! enjoy! - it's food for the soul
   The masters came and sang their song
   Armstrong, Duke...the list goes on
   Miles, Sarah, Bird & Diz
   Respect it people...tradition lives!

2)Race music, jazz, hip-hop, funk
   Check out Horace - groove on Monk
   Tatum, Blakey, Prez & 'Trane
   Creative giants fed the flame
   Wynton,Branford, the Brecker brothers
   The torch is now passed on to others

3)Ray Brown, Blanton, Pettiford, LaFarro
   Durham, Mitchell, Rodney, Navarro
   Congress says...a national treasure
   Dolphy, Moody....dig King Pleasure
   Clifford, Bud, Mingus, Max
   It's our culture...know the facts

4)Roots in Africa...feel that spirit
   Moves your heart when you hear it
   Dexter, Ammons...tenors talkin'
   Percy, Pederson...basses walkin'
   Movin', groovin' - what's in a name?
   Bebop, blues...the roots are the same

5)Oscar, Milt...just down home swingin'
   That eternal groove is what they're bringin'
   Payton, Redman, McBride & Green
   Burnin' young lions are new on the scene
   While Chick & Herbie contemporize
   Reachin' the young...opening eyes

6)Garner, Shearing, Wilson, Waller
   Bechet & Bix...who's to follow
   Strayhorn writes - Hodges plays
   An era gone...their spirit stays
   Whitfield, Scofield, Metheny, Malone
   But Wes Montgomery still holds the throne

                     (2nd Vocal Chorus)

                      Back in the forties when this music had begun
                      You never knew how great this music would eventually become
                      Very few would accept it....
                      New York City was the place where they would play
                      And even there some would reject it
                      This classic music Bebop that should always be respected
    

7)Elvin, Tony, Higgins, Haynes
   Webb, Jones, Rich & Payne
   Bishin', bashin' - snares & toms
   Brushin' with feathers...droppin' bombs
   Gomez, Sam, Buster, Ron
   Your BASSic bottom's goin' strong

8)Cedar, Barry, Bishop, Barron
   Evans, McCoy, Jarrett, McPherrin
   Garland, Flanagan, Kelly with Miles
   Ornette & Desmond...opposite styles
   Henderson, Lavano improvise....
   Phineas Newborn would mesmerize

9)Griffin, Konitz, - Rivers, Lateef
   Shorter, Woods, Byas & Heath
   Swingin', singin' saxophone
   Giant Steps...In A Mellow Tone
   Coleman Hawkins paved the way
   For Sonny Rollins to have his say

10)Benny Carter standing tall
   Stitt, Getz, Cannonball
   Basie's band - pure hard swing
   Dig Freddie Green do his thing
   Chambers, McClean, Philly Joe
   New York City was the place to go

                     (3rd Vocal Chorus)

                      Look at the kinds of music that they teach in school
                      And you will find that classic European seems to be the rule
                      We need Jazz to be taught there
                      It originated in the USA
                      So let's preserve this worthy art
                      Paying tribute to the ones who paid their dues right from the start
    

11)Cassandra, Diane, Tierney & Krall
   Nat and Ella ...the standard for all
   Hartman, Eckstine.... Nancy, Dinah
   Dee Dee, Betty...nothing finer
   Carmen, Christy, Connors, O`Day
   Check out Billie Holiday

12)Sun Ra, Cecil, Ayler, Shepp
   A peek OUTSIDE is what you get
   Shaw, Little, Rodney, Blue
   Donaldson, McPherson, Haig & Drew
   Al, Zoot, Hinton, Slam
   You say "let's"...they say "jam"

13)East coast groove - way out west
   Hampton Hawes passed the test
   Wardell, Edwards, Morgan, Land
   Criss, Clark and the Vinegar man
   Jamal, JJ and Mulligan too
   Brubeck, Baker and the MJQ

14)Can`t no-one say that jazz is dead
   Throughout the world this music spread
   Grappelli, Toots and Marian knew
   Airto, Flora and Zawinul too
   Brazil, Europe and even Japan
   Where Sadao and Toshiko had a band

15)BB and T-Bone ... singing the blues
   Brothers and sisters - payin' dues
   Here at home they faced rejection
   'Cause they wore the wrong complexion
   Who defines what music`s  "Legit"
   Is "jazz" a word that doesn't fit?

16)Remember those who came this way
   To move the hearts when they play
   We named a few - there's many more
   It's serious music we can't ignore
   Neglected in its land of birth
   But it's respected around the earth!!

                       (4th Vocal Chorus)

                       Now that you've heard this composition that we've played
                       Please remember who the masters were-the history they made
                       Let's expose them to others
                       It's our culture and we look at them with pride
                       They were sisters and our brothers
                       Deserving recognition that so long has been denied

                       .....PHILANTHROPY!  
                      (c) 2001 Phil Morrison

(Click below to hear song on youtube)

https://youtu.be/vSFCvRv6vAU?si=lKegv8MCVCr429Tt

(click below to hear song on broadjam)

https://www.broadjam.com/songs/philmorrison/philanthropy-jazz-bebop-spoken-word

HIS MESSAGE: A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

words:  Phil Morrison   music:  Ron Zack 

Click here to listen

We shall overcome... We shall overcome, someday...

  You wonder why with so much need there's not enough concern
   The problems of the world affect us all
   The poverty, the wars, the hate - will we ever learn
   Those barriers between us have to fall

    But every now and then you'll find that someone comes along
    Who reminds us of our moral obligation
    Humanity will not survive if we keep on doing wrong
    This goes for every person, every nation

(chorus)
              His Message was for love and peace
              And justice he would cry
             The racism and wars must cease
              His dream must never die

    People proud marched to the song "we shall overcome"
    Arm in arm in unity they'd sing (and)
    The voice behind this movement was known by everyone
    That special man - Martin Luther King

    "I have a dream" this man proclaimed as he rose to take a stand
     To bring about  some change in this great nation
     And when he spoke you'd always hear the voice of a fearless man
     His  words would give us hope and inspiration

 (chorus)     His Message was for love and peace
                  And justice he would cry
                  The racism & wars must  cease
                   His dream must never die

 (bridge)  Why can't the people of the world be unified forever
               Or do we have to share the pain before we come together
               The welfare of our children and their future are at stake
               So should we look for answers now or leave it up to fate?

  (chorus)    His Message was for love and peace
                   And justice he would cry
                   The racism and wars must cease
                   His dream must never die.....

                                (c)zack/morrison