Caffe Vivaldi

Tonight is the night....

I'm playing at Caffe Vivaldi on their wonderful grand piano, with my trusty guitar player, Iakov Kremenskiy.

I'm excited :-)

Burlesque

Hung out in Boston today before coming back to NY, and went to see Burlesque. It was pretty good....very enjoyable.

Christina was awesome, and sexy, and great...

Newbury St.

Look at these cuties - Nephews Gus and Cal

Had a great day.

First up was lunch with Jeremy, Bridget, and the nephews at Symphony Sushi, one of our favorite spots. Delicious!

Met up with Claire Finley, good friend and bass player extraordinaire, who is still living in Boston, making a living here.

Then met up with a friend and fan from Facebook, and had coffee in the South End and walked around for a bit.

Then I took a nice stroll down Newbury Street, stopping at a bunch of stores to do some "shopping" (didn't really end up getting anything)

I was really into this store called Allsaints Spitalfields - awesome color palette (greys, blacks, browns) - good material, vintage t-shirts, leather jackets, cool sweatshirts & shoes/boots. Almost got this sweatshirt that was like $135.

Had some peanut butter oreo ice cream from J.P. Licks, even though it's so cold!!

Now nestled in bed. Goodnight world....

Thanksgiving

Having a great time here in Boston with the fam:

Brother Jeremy,
       Bridget,
           nephews Gus & Cal

and a niiiiiice Vegan Thanksgiving spread ---- WOOO!!!

Also got the flyer for my next full band show, which is with Taylor Greenwood at Bitter End... My buddy Ryan James did the flyer for us...

asfpgoiahwem

Can't think of a subject line!!!! Gaaaahhhh....

Many thoughts running through my head...

Good day tho!

I had rehearsal with Blake (Caitlin Blake) for her joint show with Anna Zoe tomorrow at Caffe Vivaldi (where I'm playing in one week).

And I went to see Mike Dooley tonight! He wrote a bunch of books including "Notes from the Universe," and his new book "Manifesting Change" is just out...He spoke and I picked up a copy of the book and got a signed copy and talked to him for a brief moment. It was great!

Harry Potter

My gig in Boston went really well!

I got to see a bunch of friends, including Stephen Buslovich, Evgenia, Dylan Bullard, Moira Horan...

A bunch of people I hadn't seen in a while!!

I had a nice set, and a few girls opened up with a songwriter's circle - Rebecca Muir, Tavonna Miller, Elise Hayes, and Jess Ross.

Today I had a coaching, kids music party, and then picked up TWO gigs last minute - one playing for a fundraiser, and the other playing for a musical improv group.

Then I went to see the new Harry Potter movie :-)

Boston!!!!

Boston excursion....

I must sleep - taking a bus tomorrow to Boston after work, doing a gig - songwriter's circle before my set with Rebecca Muir, Elise Hayes, and some others...

then hanging out with my bud Stephen Buslovich, and then taking a midnight bus back to NY....I'm excited!!!!! YAY!!!!

GIG!!!!! (God is good)

Iakov

Today I had a writing session with Iakov Kremenskiy - my guitar player for many gigs now for about a year and a half...

This was our first writing session, and I think we came up with a great song! So excited to do lyrics and get it finished....

Epic picture of Iakov at my Bowery Poetry Club gig 8/09

I feel like my creative juices are FLOWING.... have come up with some good material with co-writers in the last week, and can't wait to finish and have some new songs in the repertoire.

Woo-hoo!!!

Pointer Sisters

***I love my students. As I start to teach piano & voice I grow so much....

****I am obsessed with "Automatic" - a song by the Pointer Sisters .... Emily King sang it at her last show....Ugh such a good song!!

mind and body

THERAPY does a mind good... I have been in therapy nearly all my life, and it's done me wonders. I advocate therapy, people!

WORKING OUT feels so awesome - taking care of my body... I've found a solid gym partner in James (I'm giving him some music lessons in exchange), and I really like the Planet Fitness here in Harlem...

Also had a VOICE LESSON today..... gotta keep those vocal chords in shape :-)

Writing

Had a couple students today -

and then

WRITING sessions all dayyyyy........that's what I'm talking about.....it was awesome!!

First up was Amy Crawford, wonderful singer/songwriter and fellow keys player. We've been to a few of each other's shows, and we had been wanting to get together for awhile. It finally happened and we came up with a great song, discovering we blended nicely together....can't wait to finish it!

Next was Ryan James, who I knew in Boston back in the day and we've reconnected here in NYC. He's a great songwriter and producer, and I really like what we came up with as well...

In both cases we did a whole song structure - form, melody, and harmony....so now just have to plug in the lyrics.

I can't decide which song I like better, but I feel so grateful for the opportunity I have to use my gifts and create music with others.........So happy!!!

Beautiful girls & music

1. Recording session with Brooke Forman, for her new song "Benjamin."

     Really love bringing out her vulnerability. She is a young voice with lots of potential and I do enjoy working with her. She is such a cutie - look at her:

2. Went to see my girl Emily King at her spot - Rockwood Music Hall

WOWWW----- I've seen Emily LOTS of times, but this was the biggest group I've seen her with. She had drums, bass, guitar, piano, keyboard, and background vocalist, in addition to her of course. WOW.....and what a bandleader she is. Usually it's just her and guitar, or solo, or with one or two other pieces. She is wonderful, and I'm always so inspired by her performances.

SO tasty, delicious, subtle, sparse ----

and I was thinking, 

if my life boils down to moments, the moments I've spent at her shows have given my life meaning, because I know I've loved something so beautiful. 

Lyrics

Up to my neck in lyrics and mp3's as I learn some songs for wedding gigs.

Had some good lessons today. I love having students, and learning as I teach....Teaching and learning is really one and the same, right?

Kick me down

Early morning with The Story Pirates, performing stories by and for kids at an elementary school in

                 Jamaica, Queens




A kids party at a sick apartment on Park Avenue on the upper east side. Kids seemed a little spoiled, but the parents were nice, and we got a little tip. Always nice and appreciated.

And actually, I talked with a co-worker about rich kids, and really, there are pros and cons to growing up in any economic circumstance. You can't help where/how you were born. I heard once that happiness is measured by your capacity for delight.....or something like that...I like that.

    Had a session tonight with Ryan James, and we started working on a song. We are inspired by bullying and teen suicides. As a gay male, I remember being depressed, and feeling alone in high school. It can be really hard. And I was picked on ALOT in middle school...

Hopefully we can write a good song that's relevant. I look forward to working more with this crazy guy.

Grand pianos

I played piano
     once again
        for this voice teacher
    at       a      beautiful apartment on the upper west side
on
   an
      amaaaazing Steinway

and I thought.....isn't life grand?

Train hard!

I've started bartering with this guy James - I met him through a friend and he is interesting in taking piano/music lessons, and in exchange, helping me train at the gym...

We met today at Planet Fitness in Harlem and it was great!

So basically I look like this now:

Wedding bands / Fierce dance show

Last night, I had a gig / audition with Hank Lane wedding band.

It was super fancy, at the Plaza Hotel...

I was so nervous....I just came out and sang two songs. "Oh What a Night" was kinda a mess. Nobody could hear me because the sound system (also I wasn't holding the mic quite close enough)...

but then later I came out and sang Earth Wind And Fire "September" and it was kinda hot!! So I think it went well....It was cool to see the gig...I mean song after song, of top 40 and oldies.... really interesting.... Hopefully I can do some work like that.. it's good money.

Tonight, I went to see Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, and oh my god!!! 


It was so phenomal..... the whole company was amazing, but it was all about Ebony Williams.... I went to school with her at Boston Conservatory, and she is such a star dancer. She was in Beyonce's "Single Ladies" video... can it get any better than that for a female dancer? That video is one of the most famous dance videos of all time.

Anyway, this program was astounding, and I can't wait to go see more Cedar Lake. Fantastic!

Here is a photo of Ebony, and a picture with Beyonce in a live performance.

Numbness in my face

I went to the dentist today and got a cavity filled.

They had to give me local anesthetic a couple times, because it was painful.

My face was soo numb for a few hours.

I went to see the late late set at Rockwood Music Hall (1 AM)

It was my bud Jordan Scannella, with Josh Giunta and Romain Collins

They sounded amazing!

Acting

Today the great Emily Swanson (Boston Conservatory friend/alum)


came over


to do a monologue coaching


She picked out some great material for me.


Oh my god it was so fun working with her and reading these monologues....


What a great chick!!


Had to scratch that acting bug.


LOL at the picture at the top of this BLOG.

Co-writes / Sonicbids

Worked last night with my buddy Brooke Forman on a new song for her...She's such a cutie:

Right now I'm updating my Sonicbids EPK so I can submit to South by Southwest in Austin, TX. Woo-hoo!!

Indecision

Well it looks like I made the hard decision to cancel a gig. It was a Hamptons gig at a bowling alley, and I just don't think it was worth the time commitment and cost to go out there, especially since apparently business has been slow. (This IS the off-season for the Hamptons, after all)

Have some good things brewing though - writing projects, possible wedding band & jingle gigs, a new PR person (Lily O'Brien, woop)

Let's go November!!!!!

Perfection

I realized today that there is perfection in the imperfections of my life. I am fabulous and my life is fabulous, and I need to see it as such.

Paranormal Activity 2

I saw Paranormal Activity 2 today at the E. 72nd St. Cinema...

IT was scary!!

I like that theater. They only show one movie, and they have a balcony.

Creepy movie...