Ric Masten: Windows


I had no idea who Ric Masten was when I found this a few months ago at some dank little Christain thrift shop. Brought it home with a big pile of Jesus folk records I bought that day and was completely impressed by it. Anyhow, I looked him up on the net (Ric has his own site) and it seems he’s alive and well. Fairly well know as a “stand up poet”, he’s been traveling the world entertaining since the 60’s and has recorded some 15 plus records of music and poetry – Windows being one of his earliest.

As for this record, the set of songs here are playful, but not to the point of being hokey. Mostly folky in sound with some occasional jazzy touches and psych tinges. One notable exception being the totally unhinged rocker “Are You Happy In Your Work”. Awesome, huh? There are even a few nice acoustic tracks by his daughter April. I’m now really curious to know how his others records are – so, if any of you out there have them, please feel free to comment…

8 Comments

  • cary grant says:

    “leave a dime? what the hell. she might just be the world’s oldest airline stewardess in disguise”

    genius.

  • Ric Masten says:

    Thanks for the good words. The least I can do is send you a few CDs that I have made from the old LPs. And are you happy in your work? I recorded WINDOWS when I was 40 and I just turned 77 June 20th, I have terminal cancer but have managed to fight the monster off for 7 and a half years. Still touring a bit> Here is a pom for you to chew on.

    ENDLINE

    I’ve always been
    a yin/yang — front /back — clear/blur
    up/down — life/death kind of guy
    my own peculiar duality being
    philosopher slash hypochondriac
    win win characteristics
    when you’ve been diagnosed
    with advanced prostate cancer

    finally the hypochondriac
    has more than windmills to tilt with
    the philosopher arming himself
    with exactly the proper petard
    an explosive statement
    found in an e-mail message
    beneath the signature
    of a cancer survivor’s name
    a perfect end line wily and wise
    quote: I ask God:
    “How much time do I have before I die?”
    “Enough to make a difference.”
    God replies
    +++

    dance in the NOW
    but only a third of the time
    yesterday and tomorrow
    are of equal importance

    Ric Masten
    SUNINK PRESENTATIONS
    37931 Palo Colorado Road
    Carmel, CA 93923
    tel: 831/625-0588
    fax: 831/625-3770
    cel: 831/233-4173 (when on road)
    Email: debard@earthlink.net
    web: http://www.ric-masten.net
    +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

  • hcrink says:

    WOW! Thanks, Ric!

  • Met Ric in tri-cities Oregon/Washington in 1968 or 1969 at a Unitarian Universalist church weekend – my four-year-old son (now 41 with a five year old son of his own and a two year old daughter) was totally entranced with his love-beads song and still has the string of beads Ric put around his neck – My kids consider some of Ric’s songs – I the Caterpillar, esp., theirs, as they’ve been lullabyes growing up – His music has been a gift in my life since I was 23 – now I’m nearly 65. What a long strange trip, indeed!

  • Lisa Casey says:

    Ric Masten is an awesome poet/singer/songwriter/philosopher. I too heard him in person at the Unitarian Church of Augusta, GA in the late 60’s / early 70’s. He’s an unique individual and his work is indeed a gift for my soul.

  • kidinquisitive says:

    I just picked this album up and was so blown away I decided I had to whip up a review of this. Only to discover that a review already exists and the man himself has made an appearance. April’s songs are amazing! Does anyone know if she recorded anything else?

  • ian says:

    Just found a copy of the Masten LP “Sunlight Shadow.” Love some of the songs on it. Some of the spoken word pieces may seem a little hokey now, but at the time they were definitely of a vital progressive importance, no doubt. Dig “Where Did Ya Come From?” and “Your Insane.” (sample lyric: “A happy man these days must be a nut.”) Also, I bet your kids will love “The Dirty Word Songs” (with little kid sing-along at the end.)

  • Steve Meek says:

    It has been a long time since I listened to any of Ric’s stuff. I grew up in an Unitarian Universalist minister’s house and Ric visited our church as well as our home several times. I must admit, I was a bit unapreciative of him at that time, but the more he was around and the more I really LISTENED to his music I figured him out a bit more. He was a very cerebrial man. Saying things that made you think. His words inspired thoughts and from thoughts he dug up topics for discussion. I always liked “rapping” with him. He was “rapping” before rap was a form of music. Although he never sang a rap song, we rapped plenty in those days.

    If you hve a chance, at least listen to some of his work, you will probably end up liking it.

    “Stand up in the boat and sing a song because we are going over the falls!” – Ric Masten

Leave a Reply