Memorial Day has come and gone which means the busking season is in full swing. The weather has been pretty unsettled thus far, especially on the weekends which has made things a bit tricky for the Professsor World Band. I got pretty soaked a couple of times already this year by a sudden unpredicted shower. Luckily things dried out pretty quickly without any real damage to my equipment.
There have also been some really nice days that have been lots of fun with lots of folks of all ages joining along on tambourines and shakers and all the hoola hoops going! The world desperately needs the peace waves these days and the Professor World Band is doing the best we can to provide them. I’ve been working on some pretty unique and crazy new sounds and a couple of new songs that make it fun for me to play. After more than forty one years as a one man band I’m still looking forward to every opportunity !
Last Sunday, playing in the Public Gardens I had the honor to meet Stephen Baird. Back in the early seventies he was arrested multiple times for playing street music in Boston. He went to the library and started reading up on law and decided to sue the city for violating his first amendment right of free speech. He did it and won! Street performing has been legal ever since in Boston. Since then he’s gone on to advocate for buskers in other cities and states around the country. I feel that I owe Stephan a big thank you for paving the way for street musicians in Boston to be able to express themselves and spread good vibes and also to be able to earn a living without worrying about interference from the police. He says he’s not busking much at the moment but is still occupied with helping out other buskers whose rights of freedom of speech have been violated. That’s him by the way in the photo with the giant camera. He’s also doing nature photography these days! http://www.stephenbaird.org/bairdteacherguide.html?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwKtrLtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHplXBGNBMG04xMn35oydJUGKatXB-L8yxuuNhCqhfmf0HP6umhOVR-ey902W_aem_ilOYVR1yDkTodJ-HXEQozw