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