Thursday, June 25, 2020

Taxi Driver



Live performance of Taxi Driver with the Rhythm Kings at Crossroads Café in Antwerp!


Taxi
Driver


Calcutta, India, summer 2011


A chauffeur from the school is waiting for me in the airport lobby.
As the sliding glass doors open to let us out of the airport, the hot
and damp air of the Indian summer hits me. I am welcomed by the soon
to be familiar sounds of honking from the streets. I climb into a
grey jeep along with a little group of Italian students also here for
a 6 months exchange program at the Indian Institute of Management in
Calcutta.


This is my first time in India, or any oriental country for that
matter. I am in for the ride of my life, as our driver takes on the
City of Joy's busy maze of restless streets. The airport is on the
opposite side of the city to the campus, so we have to go all the way
accross, and I couldn't have dreamt a better introduction tour to the
city's wonders.
There's so much happening it's overwhelming. Our driver swerves
through the jungle of stray dogs, herds of sheeps, chickens, pigs and
cows, pedestrians, dog carts and push carts,bikes, mopeds, rickshaws,
cars, yellow taxis, buses and lorries of all colours. It's total
chaos out there, and I feel a sense of relief to be safe inside the
car. A dare devil green a yellow rickshaw zooms by in between the
lorries and trucks, and I tell myself I'll never get into one of
those death traps on wheels. The next day of course I'll be taking
one from the campus to the center of town.


In front of us is a bus of yellow and red with the words « Danger,
Blow Horn » written in thick black and red letters on it's
bumper. A fair warning indeed. Here it seems there are no indicators
for turning left or right, or for overtaking. If there ever was they
stopped using them a long time ago. Honking is the way to go. It's
also hard to tell whether there are any trafic rules. We take a turn
out of a little street onto a boulevard. And all of sudden, just when
you think it can't get any more complicated, trams are added to the
equation. And they don't stop for anyone or anything. Our driver
blows his horn at a couple of kids crossing ahead.


On both sides of the road life is happening. I take in the various
scenes as they come before my eyes. An old man is washing himself on
the pavement from tap water coming out of a concrete block. A bit
further down a mother surrounded by two young kids is cooking rice
and chapati from steaming pots on the sidewalk. Improvised vending
stalls take over most of the sidewalk : on offer is anything
from fish to piles of books and pieces of clothing. Colourfull shop
banners of all sorts bring life the otherwise washed down and
dirty facades. It looks like the city could use a fresh coat of
paint. But Calcutta's architecture shows fantastic heritage and
diversity. Worn out dull looking buildings share ground with
victorian style palaces and mansions of great beauty and refinement.
No two houses are the same, and there's no telling what's coming
around the bend. In the corner of my eye, a splendid red building
with white frames and columns from the british era. A bit further
down another massive colonial building has trees and plants growing
all over it. Everynow and then hindu temples of a variety of shapes
and colours pop out of nowhere.


We come to an intersection where a policeman standing outside of a
little booth seems to have the impossible task of regulating the
crossings' trafic, hopelessly waving his arms around every which way.
Dressed in a white uniform with a white round helmet, he stands out
of the crowd, which is probably a good thing. Traffic lights haven't
made it here yet it seems. We are now back on a huge boulevard and
heading to the outskirts of town when our chauffeur slows down to
make a turn left towards what appears to be the entrance of the
Indian Institute of Management, with its white and green gates. A
couple of guards are posted at the entrance. I'll later learn that
you actually have to check in and out with them anytime you leave the
campus by writing your name down on a sheet of paper. But for now
this is it : home for the next couple of months ! And
judging by that first experience, it's going to be a hell of a ride.


*****
Taxi Driver on a one way street
He ain’t afraid of anyone he meets
He senses danger like a hawk
Oh taxi driver blow your horn now


Taxi driver now you take a chance
A twist of faith and luck changes hands
A centimeter to the left or right
Decides of the poor pedestrian’s plight


Taxi driver there’s a rickshaw ahead
A
cow to your right and a bus to your left

Two kids crossing and a tram on your trail
Now comes the time to push through ahead


Taxi driver blow your horn now


Taxi driver never look back
Just overtake them don’t cut them no slack
Your rearview mirror
is at the lost and found
Who cares about dead spots anyhow?


Taxi driver now the price ain’t right
Let’s cut to the chase and settle down
Just please take us for a frightful ride
Through the city of joy’s delights


Taxi driver blow your horn now

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

Juju Vagabond & Friends - Give me all your love (Original)



Music & Lyrics by Juju "Vagabond" Jeavons
Vocals & Guitar: Juju Vagabond
Bass: Marc Creten
Piano: Florence Sabeva
Harmonica & Vocals: Marc François
Violin: Melissa Schaak
Guitar: Attilio Rigutto
Vocals: Emanuele Bozzini, Cristina Daddys, Tiffany Daspect, Yveline Jeavons, Sophie Kroonen, Marie-Christine Maquestiaux
And a special thanks to our dancing queen!
Maelia

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Child of the Universe



Child of the Universe
Göteborg, Sweden, summer 2013
Sitting on a bench with my guitar Tanguie, I am putting the final touch to the lyrics of a new song, entitled Child of the Universe. Earlier that afternoon I played the song for the first time while busking in Haga Nygata street, even though it wasn't quite finished yet. Sometimes it helps find the missing parts of the lyrics. Because I need to come up with something on the spur of the moment, I say the first thing that comes to mind. And sometimes it works, I find the missing piece of the puzzle and write it down later. Nothing like working under pressure !

So today was this Child's first public appearance, and it got the best welcome I could have hoped for. I had been playing for a little while by the time I sang Child of the Universe. At the end of the song this lady stepped out of a little shop on the opposite side of the walking street and came up to me with a big smile : « I'm the owner of this shop, she said. I've been listening to you for the past half hour, and I loved every bit of it. But then I heard this song and I thought, I have to go out and tell her ! That song just has such a happy feel, there's something special about this one ». As a songwriter, I am always filled with doubt  when it comes to a new tune: is this song good enough ? Is anyone going to care ? Is it worth putting in the sweat and tears to see it through ? Because you never know if all those hours are going to add up to anything worthwhile. So today the lady from the little shop gave me the biggest boost of energy.

***

It was just a couple of days ago. I was cycling down the norwegian coast on my way back down from Oslo, and I'd just spent the previous night in a campground in Larkollen, right at the end of the peninsula. The place was managed by two amazing ladies who offered me accomodation in a cosy red and white chalet, for the same price as a tent spot! This kind gesture was more than welcome after a solid day of cycling. The setting of the camp at the edge of the peninsula was simply breathtakingly beautiful, so I gathered up what little energy I had left over from the day's effort and took a long walk through the pine forest and along the beach, as the sun set low on the horizon behind the clouds.
After a good night sleep I woke up early the next morning and headed for a wooden table in the middle of the rocks by the sea. I'd spotted it during my evening walk, and thought it would be the perfect spot to finish working on another new song, Travelling Around with Me. This was late in the season and most tourists were long gone already, so I felt like I was the only one there, alone in paradise.
Upon my departure that morning I received many gifts from my hosts, including food supplies, a blue and red scarf and a Norway cap.We took a souvenir pic of all three of us together before I left for Fredrikstadt.
There weren't many cars on the road as I rolled up and down the gentle green hills, home to the cattle of typical red and white farm houses. As I came to a road crossing under the grey skies I paused on the side of the road to take a look at my map. A this junction two options presented themselves to me: the more direct route sticking to the main road, or taking a turn to the right on a small winding road that ran in a loop along the coast. No doubt longer and hillier but also more scenic option. As I looked up from my map I saw a tall black guy coming my way from the bus stop accross the road. He asked me how I was doing with a great big smile, and whether I needed any help on some directions. So I told him about my dilemma, and of course, him not being the one who had to cycle up the hills, he said it's a no-brainer and advised me to take the nicer route along the coast. I would not regret it he said. We'll see. People are always very helpful that way. We ended up talking for a little while. He told me a bit about himself, how he came to Norway all the way from Togo when he was a student, and how he ended up spending the rest of his life here. When I asked him whether he ever felt homesick, especially given how different the two countries could be: « I am a child of the universe, everywhere is my home » he said. I thought that was nice. As I prepared to leave he added: « Take it easy, ok? You gotta take it easy ».
His words kept me company for the remainder of the trip, and I knew I finally had the right idea for the lyrics to that new song I had been working on. I was gonna take it easy now.

Wherever I go, wherever I am
Whether I am walking on ice
or standing on sand
Whatever I do, however I feel
Whether I am laying down
or standing still
I m gonna take it easy now,
taking it easy

Whether I go north,
whether I head south
Whether I just follow the word of mouth
Whether I go east, whether I head west
I'll follow my feet
for they sure know best
I'm gonna take it easy now,
taking it easy

Cause I'm a child of the universe, 
at peace on every corner of planet earth
There’s no better place I wanna be
When everything falls in it’s right place, 
whether down here on earth
or in out of space
There’s no better feeling I found,
I’m gonna take it easy now

Whether I live fast, whether I grow old
I’ll way out the bad
and let the good times roll
Good times or bad times,
high tide low tide
Whatever I know I ‘ll enjoy the ride
I ‘m gonna take it easy now,
taking it easy

Cause I'm a child of the universe, 
at peace on every corner of planet earth
There’s no better place I wanna be
When everything falls in it’s right place, 
whether down here on earth
or in out of space
There’s no better feeling I found, 
I’m gonna take it easy now