Stu-stu-studio

Today, after baby music,

I went to the Engine Room Recording Studio

downtown near Wall Street

to record some songs for "The Bloodsugars"

We were the first band to record in their new studio

LOL, they were still building it, so there was stuff everywhere

But the space was really cool

Had a good time jamming with Jason Rabinowitz, Kenneth Salters, and Brendan O'Grady. 

Love those guys!

I think the tunes came out nice...We especially had a good time doing a new arrangement

for "Before the Accident"

They had a nice, bright (if slightly out of tune) Yamaha

I love playing real pianos!! 

Due to my lack of sleep, however,

I was stressing over many things,

trying to schedule rehearsals,

checking my email too much on my phone,

and being crazy.

Hopefully I can get some sleep tonight....yea yea!

Warning Shot

Rehearsed "Warning Shot" today with the fabulous Neil Schwartz (choreographer)

Worked today with Nekai & Yvonne...amazing! Love them!

Was getting a little discouraged today though.

Often I ask myself why am I doing this?

Why am I rehearsing for this show?

Paying for rehearsal spaces, etc. even though I'm not getting paid?

Money can be discouraging.

I want to make more of it.

That's all.... LOL.

Good Bikram class though.

And Westway Diner with one of my best friends, Todd.

Album is here!!!

Forgot to write in my blog yesterday......what was I thinking??

CD's have arrived!!!!

I have about 1,080 CD's in my apartment in boxes.....That's right, "Suitcases" has landed!

Today I did a show with "The Story Pirates" at the Drama Bookshop in midtown, including some songs such as "I Like to go alot to school" and "Killer Pineapples of Hawaii." HAHA.

Then I did a gig with "The Bloodsugars" in West Babylon (Long Island) at Looney Tunes record store, for Record Store Day. It was an acoustic set. There were a bunch of high school kids really into it which was cute.

I went to my friend's play tonight in Queens, "Vampire Lesbians of Sodom," a Charles Busch play. So funny!! I was "tee-hee"-ing a whole lot! Afterwards, we went to the diner and I got down with some pancakes, eggs, and sausage. Yeeeee-ah!!!!

Audition & Exhaustion

What a long week...

Played for day #2 of auditions for this Motown review...

Loved those girls!

Had a great meeting with Janet today of Redwood Entertainment

I get a great business yet motherly vibe from her.

Auditioned for a Michael Jackson revue that I was recommended for. 

They said it wasn't gonna work for this show.

Auditions can be so frustrating because you rarely get much feedback.

You have no idea sometimes what they are looking for,

and if you missed the mark, or don't have the right look, or what is going on in their heads.

But you have to keep your head up, and develop a thick skin.

But can that really be developed?

I will probably always be the sensitive artist / perfectionist that I am,

but will hopefully learn more and more how to deal with rejection, criticism, & hearing the word "No."

Played tonight at "Bowery Electric" with "The Bloodsugars." 

That place is freakin cool!

Man in the Mirror

Going over material for a "Bloodsugars" show tomorrow at Bowery Electric (8 pm)

Auditioning tomorrow for a Michael Jackson show

Singing "My Cherie Amour" and maybe "Man in the Mirror"

LONG DAY TODAY aaaagh

Woke up at 6:15 am!!!  What????

Went to Long Island with "The Story Pirates" to do a school show...

Rode the LIRR for the first time

Played for rehearsals for a motown show that my friend Melvin Bell is directing

These girls are pretty fierce....with their shoo-wop's

Songs like "Please Mr. Postman," "Baby Love," "Be My Baby" etc.....

So great!! I love Motown!

Someone scammed me today....I was carrying a keyboard back from the Story Pirates gig

Someone offered to help me through the security gate in the subway station

I assumed he was an MTA employee

He held the door, and took my card to run through the turnstyle

He gave it back to me through the gate

I had NO idea till later that he switched my unlimited monthly card for a bogus card

AAHHH, guess I learned my lesson

So be careful! Don't trust everyone.

I'm no dummy, he was pretty slick.

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....

Waterfalls & streams

Listening to the sounds of waterfalls and streams

Trying to relax before falling asleep

Amazing Bikram class today with Cara

Lots better than yesterday

It was Cara's first time and she did great!

Rehearsal with Story Pirates

Chicken & mushroom stir-fry

Large iced coffees

Vitamin Water

These are a few of my favorite things

Did some work tonight on my computer and now ready to crash

Haha, came across this picture of a piano house.....

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"

BBBBBQQQQQQ

Today I had BBQ twice....yes....its true.....don't be jealous.

First, I played for a kid's birthday party in Long Island. They had some ribs, pork, cornbread, delicious mac and cheese with corn and jalapenos...excellent.

Then tonight, I went to Dinosaur BBQ to hear some friends play. Unfortunately, I had to leave before they even started playing, but I DID share some BBQ with my friend Cara (who's been delayed another week before she goes on the cruise ship). We had more ribs, mac & cheese, greens, pork, cornbread, and I liked their spicy barbecue sauce. YUM!!

Boom Kack

Today, with the help of my parents,

I PURGED some of the mess in my apartment! Basically, we went through piles of stuff...letters, supplies, pay stubs, old mail, pictures, CD's, etc.....and organized the shit out of my apartment! Moved some stuff around, did some cleaning......AAAHH I'm so excited to go back to my apartment. It looks great! I now have a nice computer chair, and my little work station set up....computer desk, keyboard, etc, and some more drawers to keep things organized, and a red bean bag. Tee hee, it's the little things.

I'm saying tee hee a lot these days.....tee hee...

Tonight I went to a BMI Artist Development panel, and it was so inspiring. The panelists, and the advice given, were really valuable to me.

Laurieann Gibson was there, one of my big sources of inspiration. Choreographer, motivator, she works to inspire many artists, and has worked closely with Lady Gaga for a couple years now. I met her in 2007 when I was a semifinalist on "Making the Band 4," and I got to talk to her for a minute after the panel. She asked how I was doing, and said I was amazing, and that it was only a matter of time. Man, that meant so much to me.....I love you Laurieann!