Saturday, February 26, 2011

new home

Moved into the new apartment today. Sublet until June. Very excited.

Next step: Interface.


Time to get recording. The next month should be relatively quiet. Lots of practicing and sound - tinkering



Move In Music:


Friday, February 25, 2011

New Tunes

Hey guys


I posted some new tracks from a live show at Nectars in Burlington, Vermont.

Two instrumentals and one featuring guest guitarist/singer Bob Wagner (ZZ Top - Jesus Just Left Chicago)



More updates soon!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Simply Too Long

Well the title of this one says it all. It has simply been way too long. Due to the observations of others and their care for my position in cyberspace, I am back in the blogging world.

I've been keeping pretty busy since the last post. I've been living in New York and spending time between there and Burlington, Vermont. In New York I've been playing at a lovely restaurant named Lola. http://bit.ly/hCzwjo. I've been playing every Thursday with the bassist Jason Goodman and his father, a pianist named Jonathan Goodman. Its been going very well. We're starting to develop our own voice and intepertations of the songs. Its a very interesting process watching an arrangement of a song just develop on its own without the aid of one being laid out for you on paper. Say you take a song like "Recorda-me" by Joe Henderson. If you just simply play it out like you do on the paper: latin feel, certain amounts of measures devoted to a chord, then it could get stale. But if you add some syncopation, moments of hesitation and a little openness then you can put a whole new take on a song. Its great when the feel and changers predetermined for you, but to simply create a new approach or arrangement of the tune simply by playing with a group over and over again is (in my opinion) way more rewarding.

The next step for me is head up to Burlington, Vermont to pursue some projects. I've been searching for a place, found a job, and am ready to make the move. I love Burlington and me moving back there has been making me wonder if its where I'll settle down for a little bit. I'm going to take these upcoming music projects to help me make that decision.

What are the projects? Well here we go:

1) Project Organ Trio! I am 1/3rd of this band that focuses on organ trio jazz/soul. We finished an epic run this past January. Residency at Nectars (www.liveatnectars.com), performed at the Monkey House (www.monkeyhousemusic.com), began a series of music at the Half-Lounge (www.myspace.com/onehalflounge) and laid the foundation down for an amazing project with Craig Mitchell. Craig Mitchell is one of the most productive people I have ever met. The dude is everywhere. Spins records from New York City to Vermont and every place in between, runs a record label, handles other artists and began a studio. Somewhere, he found some time to join Project Organ Trio on stage for a few tunes. I don't want to toot my own horn but we killed that shit. This leads us to project two.

2) POT, Daiki Hirano, Josh Weinstein and Craig Mitchell.

Oh man. I am excited about this one. POT and Josh Weinstein collaborated before as the Young Americans. We helped the lovely Hannah Lebel own Manhattans Pizza (www.myspace.com/manhattanpizza) so we know we can play some great tunes. With addition of Daiki Hirano on the percussion and Mallet Cat, we know we'll help Craig Mitchell come up with some new tunes to slay the stages of some big Burlington, Vermont clubs. If these gigs work out maybe we'll take it on the road. Could be fun.


3) Solo album! I believe I'm taking the plunge into bedroom recording. I've been fascinated with artists that are all about the DIY approach towards music. I think that I can muster up the creative energy to come up with tunes to record on my own with my friends sitting in to help me out with the heavy stuff. I have some songs on the back burner that I need to get out of my head to clear my palate. Lets hope it all goes well.



Thats about it. I'm sure something else will happen in between. Hopefully some new tunes for you guys soon. Three out of the four Nectars shows were recorded so hopefully I can grab some good quality songs out of there to post online.





Tuesday, September 21, 2010

SOBU

Hello all. I'm currently in South Burlington, Vermont (AKA: Sobu). Staying with the members of Bearquarium at their house and enjoying being back in Vermont. Enjoying the outdoors, the big city life of Burlington proper, and the music making. So far its all good. Rehearsals, recording and gigs are all scheduled for my remaining time up here. Its been nice seeing some of my closest friends, but I'm missing the people that have moved on to bigger and better things. I'm thinking of relocating myself soon, we'll just have to wait to find out when and where.

Tomorrow is going to be a real treat. Broken Social Scene is heading up this way and I think I may hit it up. If anyone from Vermont checks this out, I should see you at Higher Ground tomorrow. See ya there.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

The Calm Before The Storm

Almost time to hit it. On the 15th I'll be heading up to Vermont to begin a string of gigs and (drum roll)...recording session with Project Organ Trio! The three of us are really excited to have a nice recording of our music. I believe it will be a six song EP featuring originals written by the three of us. Maybe a guest vocalist? Lots of chatter, ideas and good intentions. Big thanks to Aaron Sullivan for providing us with the space and time to record in the lovely town of Shelburne. I'll post some pictures from the session and the gigs in VT. Its going to be nice to head up there again after being gone for the summer. I may like it so much I may have to stay there. Though, a certain city in the south is calling my name. Options options. Right now its time to focus on the recording session and the gigs.

I added a link page to my friends' work. You guys should really check it all out. What a talented crew.


Friday, September 3, 2010

Workinonit

Jay Dee said it right. I'm working on a whole bunch of stuff right now. I was traveling around this fine country of ours, met some musicians in New Orleans that all had that marketing down to a science and realized that I have neither a business card or website. Its still looking rough, but it'll get there. I have some tracks that I'm playing on featuring two original compositions (Crabe and Aphrodite Eyes). I'm going to get some more pages going soon and make this place look good.

I'm also working on some new tunes for Project Organ Trio up in Burlington, Vermont. I'm feeling good about the new tunes and looking forward to our next shows. Langdon Street Cafe in Montpelier and Red Square in Burlington. A few more in between and maybe some studio time.

I've been living in New York for the past week and after camping for almost a month in California I forgot about the hip ones. Flannel Dino.


Be well out there and I'll have some new tunes for you all in less than a month.