Filmed by Jonathan Gomwalk in Redwood Regional Park in Oakland, Ca

In the Colors by Ben Harper – Performed by Far I with New Lyrics

The Whole World is Uniting
Spirits Becoming Enlightened
So when You Have Awoken
Get All your Dreams in Focus

Dance with me
Dance with me
In the Colors of the Light

The Path we’re walking on
will inspire those behind us
shining lights of love
Joy and Abundance surround us

So as this world spins itself to love
I want to be with you in the colors

When you again start hoping
with your arms wide open
It will be right
dancing like water with the light

Dance with me
Human Beings Dance with me
In the colors of the Light

Filmed by Jonathan Gomwalk.

This song is like this moment in time for all of us, represents a journey that we have all been taking.  To me this journey is about Love.
I was raised a Catholic, went to Rasta, became a Muslim and then a Buddhist.  It was not until 2007 that I finally accepted my Life and realized that Love is my Savior.

Love is My Savior
Joy is my best friend
I use music – It comforts my soul
Want to see you smilin

Jump into the stream cause it rollin
It’s been rollin since the beginning of time
It’s gonna carry you over the boulders in your life
carry you strait into the light – well alright

Love is My Savior
Joy is my best friend
I use music – It comforts my soul
Want to see you smilin

If you wake up everyday and decide what you are going to  take from this life
You will have a life of misery and pain
When you rise and decide what you are going to give day by day – You’ll be eternally happy

Love is My Savior
Joy is my best friend
I use music – It comforts my soul
Want to see you smilin

It’s time for the Enlightened Age to begin yall
Humanity has finally discovered the beautiful world within
Once you have a glimpse of this glorious sunlight
It will make everything all right

Love is My Savior
Joy is my best friend
I use music – It comforts my soul
Want to see you smilin

Smile

Join me in a collective visualization
Feel the Love in your heart
Let it grow and glow – Send it around the world
across the US to Africa, Europe, India, China, Japan, Hawaii and returning to the US
Love – World Wide

Life is Given and Taken Away

We call forth all that is good in humanity, planet earth and the universe.  Surrounding and infusing the people of Japan with hope, inspiration, courage, love, perseverance and endurance – Peace within – Humanity we need each other right now!

Prayer Poem & Song “People of Japan”

People of Japan we are one
Together like the rising sun
We are one earth
We are one love
We are One Family

Sending our love
We send our light
Sending our prayers
To get you through the night

May you be warm
May you have peace
May you have our strength

Mother Earth is Calling, Father Sky Too – Humanity use wisdom in the things you do
It’s time to Love one another, Live with our heart and soul, All nations united for one common goal

People of Japan we are one
We are together like the rising sun
We are one earth
We are one love
We are One Family

Loved Ones we miss you so
So quickly you had to go
You have our best as you move on
On your Journey

Keep our smiles
Keep our joy
Your bright presence helps us to endure
You’re our hope, you have our love
forever more

Mother Earth is Calling, Father Sky Too – Humanity use wisdom in the things you do
It’s time to Love one another, Live with our heart and soul, All nations united for one common goal

People of Japan we are one
We are together like the rising sun
We are one earth
We are one love
We are One Family

Redemption Song by Bob Marley performed by Far I with new additions

This song I decided to cover on the guitar live.  I have performed it at several shows with great reviews.  Live performances have been a way that I test my music out.  When playing live it is as though I tap into other peoples consciousness and we are all sitting at some mystical meeting place.  I can feel the collective likes and dislikes and many times new ideas, call and responses, slight adjustments come up when I present my music to the world.

One day I was had my guitar out on a sunny day on Lakeshore a popular street in Oakland with a Trader Joes’ Grocery store, Pete’s Coffee, Starbucks etc.  you know a real happening place and a young man ask me to play redemption songs.  I played, he stayed and listened and he really enjoyed it.

Growing up Catholic in the 70’s the doom and gloom of “The End Of The World” always had me questioning how history would turn out for mankind.  My 11 year old asks me “Baba when the end of the world comes do you think it is going to blink out or will it happen slowly with much suffering”.  She is getting geared up for 2012.  One of her teachers really believes in it and has the children questioning.  Well 1999 was the big question year looming in my distant future when I was growing up.  As the time grew closer Y2K began being promoted.  All the global computers will shut down.  This was an added pressure to the end of the world that Prince sung about – 2000 party over oops out of time.

In the early 90’s there was a minister who was mentoring me.  He was real busy with plenty of demands and one day out of some chance of fate there he was and there I was.  He was waiting for something and I was waiting.  So I asked him the question burning in my soul.  Is the world going to end in the year 2,000.  His response was very clear and effective.  Well whether it does or doesn’t you should plans for the future.  Your duty is to set your goals and live your life.  Respond to life with your best effort.  Put all your focus there and plan as if you will be here and the rest of humanity will be here after the year 2,000.

In Bob Marley’s redemption song which he performed on guitar during his battle with cancer which ended up being his last days on planet earth also which he predicted that he would die at the age of 36 when he was a young man.  Point being that he says “Have No Fear For Atomic Energy No Of Them Can Stop The Time.”  This small phrase soothed my soul and guided me through moments of doubt about planet earth and human existence.  In the 1980’s with the cold war against Russia it seemed every moment we were just one push of a button away from Global Extinction and Nuclear War.

Doom and Gloom seem to work great with Capitalism.  Earthquake is coming – buy your earthquake kit for 19.99 available at all Walmart’s located in earth quake zones. For as long as they are selling.  Also you can purchase Earthquake insurance.  It is pretty expensive when your want to protect your family from natural disasters so “Brace Yourself”  2012 – the end of the world Now Playing in a theater near you.  If the end of the world is near you should come see the movie so you and your family can get some survival ideas.  Ah now I get it I see why Bob Marley named his last album Survivors and also wrote a song about it.  He is like come on humans make some plans.  Don’t believe the hype.  We will get through this and believe it or not you are a big part of the global change so “don’t bury your thoughts put your dreams to reality – All a together NOW – Wake up and LIVE”

I read some where that a minister in the late 1800’s preached the end of the world was going to happen on a specific day and time.  He preached for years that God told him through the bible and personal revelation’s that on this day in the year 18.. The world is going to end.  So on that day he had all of his friends, family and follower in an open field waiting for the end of the world.  Well guess what nothing happened.  I tell this story to my 11 year old and the running joke is the kids were getting hungry on that day in the late 1800’s and started needling their parents.  Mom, Dad, Uncle Joe while we are waiting for the end of the world can we have a bite to eat or something to drink at least.

Music is really powerful.  Thoughts and words are very powerful.  So when I sing a cover if I don’t like the mental concept behind the words I will adjust them to affirm what I want to happen in my life and the life of others.

Old Pirates yes the rob I
Sold I to the merchant ships
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit
But my hands were made strong
By the hands of the almighty
We forward in this Generation Triumphantly

Won’t you help me sing songs of Freedom
It’s all I ever had
Redemption Songs

Emancipate yourself from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our minds
Have no fear for negativity
None of them can stop the time

I am so grateful
Human Beings can finally see that it’s time to unite
Let’s move forward together as one people
With all of our strength, with all of our might

Won’t you help me sing songs of Freedom
It’s all I ever had
Redemption Songs

Note: Hey humans – makes some plans – think positive!

Zoom Lyrics and Description

Well Mama, will you please tell little sister, to run run run
Run and go tell Papa
Tell Malcolm X, Tell Marcus Garvey, Tell Muhatma Gandhi

Your Grandchildren say Zoom
We are singing songs of Freedom,

Your grandchildren say Zoom

Running and racing, where we going
Time keeps on spinning and no one is knowing
We got inward sunshine so face your time
Children without your problems how would you know the Divine
When your problems come you must relax and free your mind

What do you say Grandmama, Father, Mamma, Oh Sweet Grandfather
Children Say Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
Will you Tell Haile Sellassie, tell Bob Marley, Ooo Patrice Lamumba

Can you see us happy and free living in peace in harmony
We living as one like the rising sun
We saying Zoom, Zoom, Zoom

Running and racing, where we going
Time keeps on spinning and no one is knowing
We got inward sunshine so face your time
Children without your problems how would you know the Divine
When your problems come you must relax and free your mine

I personally love this recording.  I am facing so many challenges right now.  It reminds me to relax and free my mind.  Call on the ancestors and find the peace with in.  We are so much more than our individual lives
All of my songs are like messengers from the divine.  Its been about a year since this recording and I can hear me calling out the changes to Alvin and he like the incredible player he is just feels the music and feels the change.  It is such a great feeling to be in harmony with fellow humans when playing music.

My interpretation of Zoom is that we enlightened servants of divine energy can quickly access divine energy were we lose our personal identity and become one with the universe.  Tell all great spirits that their little babies say Zoom.  Their grandchildren did not forget them and what they meant to the world.  We thank you and honor you for your sacrifice.  We will face our challenges with our heads held high knowing that we have meaning and we represent the extension of the longing of our Grandmothers and Grandfathers for all of humanity to get along, live in peace, treat each other kindly and live in harmony.

Can you hear us, can you see us grandmother (Mother Teresa, Queen Ann Nzinga, and so many more) can you hear us grandfather (Gandhi, Garvey and Lamumba) we are living in accordance to the divine.

The song ends when someone knocks on the door.  Knock and the door shall be opened!

Play on Great Spirits, Play On

World Peace Lyrics & Description

Jonathan Gomwalk from Nigeria Film Production
Alvin from Belize on Bass
Far I  from the US on Guitar and Vocals

Welcome, It’s the awakening of spirit

Can you hear it, tell me can you feel it
Awakening of Spirit – My People you are it
Repeat

Only way we gonna make it through these days
We must meditate and pray
Repeat

Over in Trinidad been developing
And in the states we are networking
In Africa we are uniting
See the Golden Age is dawning, The Golden Age is Dawning, The Golden Age is Dawning

Harmony, Use your talent,
Create World Peace
We must live in Balance, live in balance, we must live in Balance

World Peace, World Peace, World Peace its not that far away
Peace of mind will come when you meditate and pray
Repeat
Muslims, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, every day they pray

Meditate on world peace and make a brighter day
Repeat
World Peace, World Peace, World Peace its not that far away
Peace of mind will come when you meditate and pray

Only way we gonna make it through these days
We must meditate and pray
Repeat

Feel the Muslims in Mecca Praying

And the People of Japan them Chanting

High Priest in Africa they drumming

Yogis in India meditating

See the Golden Age is dawning, The Golden Age is Dawning, The Golden Age is Dawning

Harmony, Use your talent,
Create World Peac
We must live in Balance, live in balance, we must live in Balance

Jonathan on video says Irie yes I Rastafari!  Beautiful Brotha.

This is a spur of the moment video opportunity that just happened.  No rehersal.  Alvin on the bass is fantastic and picked up the song quickly and we recorded it.  These were the last days that I lived in the house on 11th Ave. where I raised my children.  We were a victim of a combination of predatory lending and loss of income due to the collapse of the US Real Estate industry which I had put all my eggs in that one basket.  It was crazy good when it was happening and crazy bad when it was not.  Anyway it set the stage for this video because I had the PA system set up in the living room and was jamming my way through some tough times.  Wify had already moved out and I had the children half a week.  Lots a jamming.  Plenty of heartfelt jamming.

One cool thing is that we had the African Diaspora on this one of two recordings done on that day.  Jonathan Gomwalk’s father was the Nigerian Ambassador to Ethiopia.  He actually received a gift from His Imperial Majesty Haile Sellassie,  a ping pong set that he went on to represent his country in championship tournaments.  Wow, I am so honored to be in his presence it is like a reminder from the divine that we are truly serving divine energy on the planet.  Alvin I have know for years and is from Belize in Central America.  Funny thing is that about 20 years ago we played together and I was playing bass and he was playing guitar.  Now it’s the opposite.  He has a great family man feel when he plays the bass just steady.

We also recorded Zoom together the same day.  So check.  Make sure you find what you came here to planet earth to do, give it your all and enjoy the process.

One Love!
3/5/2011

Mama Sula

This song is about my fathers mother.  Her name was Ursula Shields born Ursula Adams. What a lady.  I remember her charm and style. Mama Sula was ruff yet she so had class.

From the south my father was a part of the Great Migration as African Americans escaped the rigors of racism and pains of sharecropping and moved west.  Above my Grandmother is pictured with her daughter who shared her name Ursula on a visit to her home town of Yazoo City Mississippi where she was born Ursula Adams.

The move to the west suited Mama Sula just fine.  Fine cars, beautiful homes and the good life.  She lived it up.  Mama Sula iondulged in all that was good about the big city life of Los Angeles, California. Before they information was present about the dangers of drinking and smoking Mama Sula was all in. She became an avid smoker and died of lung cancer in her early 50′s.  I remember before she died she had her lung removed. She had it placed in a jar next to her hospital bed for the whole family to see.  From that moment I vowed never to smoke cigarettes.

My grandmother was mean.  Se was so mean that I had a complex.  Other grandmothers that I saw seemed so nice and loving. Mine grandmother was a knock down drag out serious southern woman from Arkansas who you better be on your p’s and q’s or you were going to get a sharp reprimand with a quickness.  Grandmamma didn’t take no mess.

I also mention her brother Joseph Thomas Adams in the song Mama Sula.  He was very loving, wise and lived to the age of 84.  Much like his sister he battle alcoholism yet he always managed to be loving even when drinking heavily.   Uncle Joseph overcame his drinking habit and became an outstanding member of AA.  He touched many live with his love and encouragement.  Some of his favorite saying were.  “You reach a point where you get sick and tired of being sick and tired”  & “this to shall pass”

Above Uncle Joseph is pictured with is incredibly lovely wife Aunt Leora.  Together they nurtured me through many difficult times.

I longed for a sweet reassuring grandmother yet it just was not in the cards I was dealt.  I wanted a grandmother to say come here baby – you know grandma loves you.  As I entered my 30’s I began to realize that my grandmother loved her family through her cooking.  She was one of the best cooks I ever encountered.  It was like she had some magic in the kitchen and would sprinkle it in the pots.  Gumbo, salmon crockets, mashed potatoes, greens – all the great food the south has to offer.  Then she would follow it up with Sweet Potato Pie and Peach Cobbler.  The crust she made was worth walkin for miles and miles to taste.  Mama Sula past in 1978 and I still can taste her cookin.

The song Mama Sula is a way of me saying to my Grandmother – ok, I get it.  You did love us.  You loved us through your cookin and I still feel the love.

Mama Sula Lyrics

Hey Mama,  Mama Sula
Hey Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama
Mama Sula

Well Life is full of Love if we just see it right
Sunshine on your face and the groove is tight
Plenty of Love so why don’t ya come on in
We got hugs and kisses and good cookin
Gumbo on the stove and we got alot
we got crab on the bottom and shrimp on the top

Well now every time I see yall I don’t want to go
Oh Mama Sula I love you so

Hey Mama,  Mama Sula
Hey Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama
Mama Sula

Hey yall Uncle Joseph’s in the house
All yall babies come gather around
pull up a chair sit down I’m talking to you
stories of life and love and adventure too
well one thing that I know is right
Uncle Joseph is going to make you love your life

Hey Mama,  Mama Sula
Hey Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama
Mama Sula

Mama Sula Can burn she will cook you to life
She got seasonings from heaven make your soul take flight
House full of love that what it means to me
Every time I go there all the family I see
Grandmama your my rock, my sun shining smile
Peach Cobblah, Taata Pie Crust, Melt In My Mouth

Well now every time I see yall I don’t want to go
Oh Mama Sula I love you so

New Day – Lyrics and Description

I open my eyes – I’m surrounded by Love
I open my soul and I become Love
And life says son – What do you want
I say I want Joy, Peace, Love and Happiness for Everyone
Because it’s about Love, Sweet Love
It’s about Faith
It’s about a beautiful sunrise
And a warm embrace

New Day is dawning
Sun is on the rise
Jump in the rhythm
Enjoy your life

Get a call from a loved one
Who says you’re the one
You make life worth living
You make this life so fun

There is a message we want you to know
It’s very important so please listen close
Well we love you so
This you’ve got to know
Yeah we love you so
This you’ve got to know

It’s a New Day
Repeat

In 2007 this incredible woman named Sarah Bond was introduced to me by David Cook of Movizine.  The beautiful woman and connected instantly and David had been wanting us to perform together. We met at a Movizine meeting in San Francisco.  After the meeting Sarah, David and Myself played music together.  We played on song for 3 hours.  We went into a deep trance.  When we came out of the meditation Sarah whispered Namaste.  I was blown away because I did not think this young woman would know anything about ancient Sanskrit words and their mystical meanings.  When she whispered Namaste I had a vision of 3 traveling to the city.  The lady was riding a prayer elephant.  I eventually painted the scene that was so vividly shown to me in the vision that painting I entitled Namaste.

This was the beginning of our great friendship.  We went on to perform several shows together and even record one song Watah.   One day Sarah insisted that I drive up to Napa to watch this movie called the secret.  I felt her determination and I made the 1 hour voyage up north to watch the movie with her and a small group of friends.  The movie changed my life.  It freed me from the bondage of being something other than myself.  The sly and the Family stone sung “ Thank You for letting me be myself again.”  this is how I felt after watching the movie and then studying the concepts presented  in the movie over and over again until I could wrap my mind around the concept of the law of attraction.

The moment that I grasped the reality that we control our own destiny by what we think, say and do I began seriously pondering how I was going to channel my inner thoughts and what is it that I really want to happen.  The next thought came to me well narrow it down what would you like your dream day to look like.  Then I took it further how would your dream day start.  What would be on your mind when you first woke up.  From this thought came the song New Day.

May all of your every days be filled with love and excitement – remember It’s a New Day!
A special thanks to David Cook and Sarah Bond – thank you for enriching my life

Black Bird

April 4, 1968, at the age of 39 Martin Luther King was assassinated.

Shock waves riveted throughout the Black Community in the United States.  Many African Americans had decided to take Kings non-violent path to social.  When he was murdered it was as if they community said not our anointed one.

Kill the won who has weapons aimed at you and we will understand yet this is the one who has honored you as human – the one who told us not to fight physically, fight spiritual and he is murdered.  The population was out of control and many riots followed.

Paul McCartney was in Scotland at the time and used musical phrasings from Bach to compose his response to the African American unrest in the US.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Black bird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
all your life
you were only waiting for this moment to be free

Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.

Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise,

I feel him saying that although I know that you are in pain, keep looking, keep reaching, keep striving this is your moment.  The world is with you. We see you.  Now is your time although painful this is the moment you were waiting for to ARISE!

I personally was introduced to this song through the movie I AM SAM.  The movie was heartfelt.  Sean Penn played an outcast – a disabled man.  Society did not understand him nor think he was capable to care for his daughter.  His mother was a prostitute and did not want to care for the child.  The story touch my heart because I as an African American Man often feel misunderstood and labeled incapable of handling life.

Many times it is true.  Things such as marriage, raising children, finances, etc… are often upside down and unmanageable.  Yet like Sam in the movie I am still someone.  I am human and at least deserve the right to give it my best shot, even if I end up a little short of the mark.  When the song Blackbird accompanied the movie I said to myself I must learn to play that song.  It was inspirational.  A person born into an adverse situation yet with broken wings – learn to fly, with sunken eyes learn to see.

I added my own lyrics to the beginning.  In the fall of 2008 my family suffered a devastating loss.  Anna Monique Johnson died suddenly at the age of 45 at work.
She was in many was the corner stone of my immediate family.  When she passed it was so sudden and she was so young it was surreal.  There were two song I sung to get me through this tough time and one was Blackbird.  Here are the lyrics I added to the song I see her wonderful face and feel her comforting presence when I sing this song.

Walk into your night like a shining sun
Oh Blackbird you are the one
Push it to the limit reach for the sky
Blackbird – Fly

My the eternal comforting presence be with us all through our journey of life and after!