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.

Wandering Gypsy

Another long, full day today.....

Babies and music,

followed by rehearsal for "Faraway Bayou."

We are having rehearsals in the apartment of the woman who wrote the music.

She has such a lovely apartment down on Bank Street.

Then I worked in the studio today with my dear friend Brooke Forman.

We were recording a song called Wandering Gypsy that we wrote together.

I love working with her, because I see so much potential,

and I get excited to pull out her best!

Met and worked with awesome engineer Phil Fabrizio.

I really enjoyed helping to produce this song....

Just got off the phone with this fellow Jerome, who I've been chatting with for awhile

about personal management.

Good conversation....

And it continues....

Bedspread Monday

My parents spent the night last night on a new air mattress that I now have in my apartment.

And they met with my manager to go over some things today.

I went to work and then to rehearsal for a staged reading of a musical that I am singing in - "Faraway Bayou." The music is pretty good! I love just going in there and sightreading new material.

Then I played a kids party at Eli's Vinegar Factory. Cool place on the Upper East Side.

Tonight I took my friend's modern dance class. What made it even better is that it was free!

Woo-hoo!

New Music Seminar

Today was LONGGGGG........

Full morning of kids music class....

Audition for Hairspray at Paper Mill...where I got chopped....lol....

Gym....

Opening night of New Music Seminar.

I got a free pass to this 3 day music seminar....lots of panels and discussions on music business plus performances.

Tonight was comedy by Margaret Cho...awesome as always....talked alot about her pu*%y, & sex...
also comedy by Rob Cantrell, who was hilarious!!

Musical performances, including Naughty by Nature!! (AWESOME!) as well as a new hip-hop artist Mickey Factz, whose set I really enjoyed.

Kat DeLuna performed as well with a bunch of young dancers....Not trying to hate, but wasn't very impressed with her performance. Thought the choreography was sloppy and she didn't really seem to command the audience, though I do like some of her songs, and she has pretty good energy. I do have to say, it was a tough crowd - very skeptical industry folk. 

It was a really fun night though, and I look forward to 2 more days of the seminar!

Another picture from the park

Another picture of the cute little girl and her nanny from the day I played in Central Park for Make Music New York.

I love my crazy hair

LONG and productive day.

Kids music classes.

Lunch meeting with Ayhan (producer of album "Suitcases") & Janet (management/marketing) at Republic, a delicious Vietnamese restaurant in Union Square.

Awesome Bikram yoga class.

Printed out flyers for some upcoming gigs:

Went and got my hair touched up since I have a show at Googie's on Thursday and then this weekend at Out in the Adirondacks:

I like the beard design though it's kind of impossible to maintain. I may shave it off this weekend.

Put up a quick update/Red Light Special a cappella video on my YouTube. 

Over & out!

Updatessss

My blogger world:

This is the longest I've gone without writing a blog since I started, and I am sorry!!! eeek....

After my show last week I did a lot of sleeeping, and living life, and not blogging.

I did have a fun night on Friday going to Jordan Scannella's CD release show. He has played bass for me on 2 occasions. He does this white guy hip hop thing with some really clever/funny lyrics and SICK music & band. So proud of him!

Afterwards I headed out to BK to check out my girls Lucius at Sycamore. Though I missed their set, I got to hang out with them, Lucas Madrazzo, and some others. We went back to the famous Bromley House, where Jess & Holly (of Lucius) have lived for a couple years. It's an old music school, and they were the first tenants since it had finally closed a number of years ago. It has a rich history, and I loved hearing the stories.....There were definitely ghost stories!! And I was genuinely spooked. In other news, check out the music of Lucius. They are amazing!

Saturday and Sunday, I went out of town for 2 kids parties. The first was in Southampton, and was amazing. There were camel rides for the kids, and it had an arabian theme. Lavish. On the way back, we stopped at this random carnival for some rides and ice cream. HAHA..

                                 

The second was this lovely family who I have done many parties for. They have 3 beautiful girls and another little girl on the way!

Last night, I actually took the Long Island Rail Road out to this studio in...duh...Long Island, to record a song for this rapper. I did the vocals for the chorus & breakdown, and some ad libs. I think it actually came out great. They were all happy with it, and I was too, and excited to hear it! I will get a copy of the master and it will probably go on their mixtape. 

That's it for now.....over and out!!

Central Park

Today after I taught my music classes, I went into Central park, in the Northeast corner, to the Dana Discovery Center Plaza, to perform as part of Make Music New York, a festival in NY where people are performing outdoors all over the city.

It was sooo nice and there was a lake right nearby. Before me was a jazz group, and then I just played and sang. My friend Bryan Jarrett was there, and we did some taping, and I talked to a few people who were in the area.

Then my friend Mindee stopped by towards the end, as well as this cute little girl who was with her nanny.

Tonight I had a meeting at Denny Moe's celebrity barber shop.

I will be performing there this weekend as part of Cutting for a Cure, a 48-hour hair cutting marathon and fundraiser to raise awareness for cancer, etc. 

Tomorrow is another full band show at Bitter End!

Kids parties

Kids parties all day....

Scarborough, NY & then Staten Island. First time in Staten Island. It was kinda cool. We had some time to kill so we sat on the beach for a bit which was so nice. I took my pillow with me in the car so I did a bunch of sleeping.

Going to bed really early tonight because I'm going to Six Flags tomorrow. Woo-hoo!!

Rehearsals make me feel special

I love having my own rehearsals...

Started out the day on a great note with full band rehearsal. Nick & Jade, Jordan on bass, Evgeny on keys, and Kim Garey on drums.....such a great group, and a set list that I'm very excited about.

Then practice with dancers Yvonne-Marie Sain & Scott Nicholson at my apartment. Those are two of my FAVORITE dancers and people, and I love chillin/talking/rehearsing with them....

Now hoping to have an audience on Tuesday at Bitter End. Whatever happens though, we will put on a great show, and I will have fun! I'm getting better at letting go and just enjoying the music with my wonderful musicians/artists.

Took Bikram tonight but was so tired, got so lazy by the end of class, resting a lot, and almost falling asleep. Oops!! It's ok....

Two kids party road trips tomorrow. Hopefully I can sleep in the car! Woohoo!!!!

night!!!!

Me & U

Sooo........

had a great day starting with music class with cute babies,

then vocal rehearsal with Nick & Jade for my upcoming show.

Meeting with Chris Frasco to discuss a possible tour in late August-September,

meeting with Kim Garey to go over some things for the show (she's playing drums)

then watching music.

I saw Elise Hayes at Bitter End. She's living in Boston and is a freakin sweetheart. She let me borrow her keyboard for my last Boston show, and she's great! Writes good songs, grooves on the keyboard, and has an awesome voice! I was so glad to be there to support her, and picked up a CD.

Then saw my friend from work Eli Bolin with his fiance Allison Posner (together they are "Amazing Jellies") at Dixon Place. Fun show and good people!

Wheeeee! I love music!!!

6-year olds

Had a busy but great day!

Lots of kids music (class & parties) - There was a 6 year old who was doing an awesome job shaking his shaker to the music, making funny faces and dancing, and afterwards I complimented him, saying he was really good at shaking...and he said "I didn't know that." He said he just started, and I felt honored to be able to give a compliment to him. When interacting with someone much younger than you, it's clear that you have the opportunity to shape someone's life in a profound way, with simple words, actions, or energy.

Very cool!

Met with a talented film student who is interested in doing a video for "Suitcases." Not sure if it will work out with budget, but I'm hoping to go through with it. She had some great ideas!

Went to Bally,'s and then had a burger with some good friends.

Nice day! Another full one tomorrow.

Over & out!

Burnt Part Boys

I played at a kid's party in Eastchester (which is in Westchester) at a beautiful home on the lake, where they treated us nicely. Awesome food.

Went to see "Burnt Part Boys," a new musical presented at Playwrights Horizons. My friend, Nathan Tysen, wrote the lyrics, and it was a great show! I am so excited for him. He is living his dream of writing musicals, and things are going well for him. So proud!! Next up for him is "Tuck Everlasting," which sounds very promising!!

Longest day ever

Woke up a little before 6 am today to do a Story Pirates show....It was in this beautiful school in Connecticut, and the weather was so ideal.....SO nice to be around trees!

I love hanging out with the people in Story Pirates, and I had actually gotten in bed last night before 11pm. GASP!!!! LOL.....

Had kids music classes, and then Bikram....today I was dying in Bikram....kind of a struggle to stay in the room. I really took it easy for the last part of class, as I was feeling weak and overheated. Felt pretty good afterwards though.

Had a short rehearsal for another Story Pirates show, and then headed down to Crash Mansion to see Amy Crawford play. She was a Berklee student who I am just getting to know, and she sounded great! Full band, including Iakov Kremenskiy, who plays guitar for me. She is really talented, and super hot, tall girl.

I was also able to scope out the venue which was nice, since I just booked a show there for Monday, June 14 @ 10:45 pm. It's a great space, and I'm psyched for it!

Leave Right Now

Listening to Will Young's "Leave Right Now" on loop....You may know this as the exit song on American idol, haha....I really love it.

I'm getting super pumped for my release party on Tuesday. Woohoo!!

Today I had kids music classes, then I picked up a new pedal for my keyboard at First Flight Music, then I met with this girl Breanna at my apartment to go over some music with her. I'm trying to pick up extra work coaching/accompanying people.

So yeeeeea that was my day.....

Over and out!

P.S. I'm a little obsessed with Glozell on YouTube. She has almost 900 videos I think. She makes them daily obviously....She's really funny! Click here for her YouTube page

Less than a week till my CD release party

Yes, that's right!!

Click here for more information on my CD release party! I'm excited!

Today I did music for kids, got some pictures printed, went to therapy,

Took DANA FOGLIA at Broadway Dance Center. Oh my god, this girl is a beast and one of my favorite choreographers. She has danced for Beyonce, Rihanna, Janet, to name a few and is an amazing teacher.

Then I went to Bitter End to drop off some flyers & poster for the show next week, and caught Olamide's set. He is awesome, and he will also be playing there next week after my show. Yay!

Wonderland Robbers

First day of the summer semester for my kids music job...Good to be back with cute babies....

And had a great rehearsal with Nick and Jade for my CD release party. They are singing backups and they sounded fantastic! They do their own music which is really nice, and they go by the name "Wonderland Robbers." They have an AMAZING apartment on Riverside Dr. It was beautiful!!

Long days / early mornings

Long day today

Early mornings

Singing for babies

Rehearsing with the Story Pirates

Feeling like I'm getting a little sick

Tangerine Emergen-C

I have to get up around 6 am tomorrow. AAAHH!!!

Time to sleeeeep....

Bikram / sleep / so complete

Listening to "So Complete" by Diddy / Cheri Dennis. I love Cheri Dennis, and I feel like no one knows who she is! She's been on Bad Boy for years.

Did another kid's party out in Long Island....this time we got to have a little dessert from the dessert bar haha...I had to remove myself real quick or I would have eaten everything!

I went to Bikram tonight and it was a little ROUGH......maybe from all the bbq I had yesterday.....aaaaah!!!

Going to SLEEP tonight by 1 am.....amazing for me!!! Yay!! Here's to a good week!

Check out Cheri Dennis "Portrait of Love"

The Piano Table

Another day working at my kid's music job. Thankfully I WASN'T late this morning. (I had two days in a row of being late for class, and got written up).

It started snowing so hard during class on the Upper West Side. HUGE, BEAUTIFUL snow flakes!!

I met up again tonight with Ric Schnupp & met his partner Darien Shulman, and we did a listening session at Soundtrack Recording Studio. That place is so dope. I love going there!

While doing a search on google, I came across this:

It's called a piano table. How cool is that? Its supposed to be space efficient. It has a lid that closes, and built in to the table is an electric piano. I want one!

On the subway on the way home, I was listening to the song that made me fall in love with M.I.A. many years ago, "Pull Up The People." I think the beat is soooo sick!