Toshinori Kondo

Homage to Toshinori Kondo

Some call it noise. I call it beautiful.

Next time you hear a piece of music you think is noise or view a painting you think is ugly, ask yourself “Why do I think this is not beautiful?” If you think about it long enough, you will soon realize there is no reason.

Recorded on a 1/4-inch Tascam 4-track in 1987.

“Kondo” from Trolling for Olives by Wax. Released: 1987.
Wax: All trumpets, bass, drum and synth programming.

New CD in the Works

I’m working on another CD, calling it Substantia Nigra, at least for now. A few more tracks to put down and a lot of editing! Parkinson’s disease (PD) has made me into a post production editor as my hands listen less and less to my brain.

I feel so pressed for time given restraints PD places on me—I have a little less time every day. It’s difficult chiseling away, few minutes here and there. I don’t mean to be complaining. I am blessed, don’t get me wrong! My daily commute is just 100 paces to the barn – get the fire going, feed the birds, meditate, and start my day writing or recording or whatever. Time is valuable. That’s all I’m sayin’!

Anyhow, as tunes get close to done I’ll be posting them here on Re verb . I would love to hear what you think.

Pork Pie Cretin?

This little ditty is called Pork Pie Cretin and was recorded in 1987 on a 1/4-inch Tascam 4-track. (I maintain no trumpets were harmed in the making of this tune.)


“Pork Pie Cretin” from Trolling for Olives by Wax. Released: 1987.
Wax: All trumpets, guitars, bass, drum and synth programming.

Why Pork Pie Cretin?

There was a hand written sign in the window of a Hispanic deli.  It said We Have Pork Pie Cretins.

I stopped and read the sign again, several times. True, I was a bit hungover having had a couple of Belgian ales the night before. But I was not that foggy. These words made my head hurt.  I thought perhaps I needed to see the trees first. So I broke it down, one word at a time.

Pork. I like pork. Heck, I love pork!  Bacon, baby back ribs, pulled pork! What’s not to love about pork! Same holds true for pie. I love pie, apple, pumpkin,  pecan, coconut cream, you can’t go wrong.

And I’m not averse to savory pies like the comfort food classic chicken pot pie and one of my favorites, shepherd’s pie. I have never had a pork pie nor have I ever heard of such a thing. But, if they are anything like the  Lebanese meat pies my grandmother used to make then I’m sure to love them!

I actually own a pork pie hat, and although I’ve never said ‘goodbye’ to it (or any other hat for that matter) I love Mingus Uh Hum…

Still staring at the sign I realize the offending word, the word that throws you: cretin.

We Have Pork Pie Cretins?
We Have Pork Pie Idiots?
We Have Pork Pie people with a congenital disease due to absence or deficiency of normal thyroid secretion, characterized by physical deformity, dwarfism, and mental retardation, and often by goiter.

For years that sign haunted me. What could they have trying to say?

Some time later I was watching a cooking program on PBS. The chef, a French-Canadian, was making a pork spread containing onions and spices. It was called Cretons. I learned that Cretons are usually served on toast as part of a traditional Quebec breakfast.

Was it a simple typo that made me wonder?