Starting Fresh In a way

I decided today to erase all the music off of my mp3 player:
http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=213&subcategory=214&product=9288

I wanted to give it a fresh start. It's a lot of work because I had over 5,000 songs on it. I ind of look at it as a clean slate in life as well. i mean school is about to begin and I'm embarking on my last few classes towards my bachelor degree in Music Vocal Performance.

I'm really looking forward to moving on with that. So that's about it for now.

In the Mood

I'm excited. I just finished writing lyrics to Joe Henderson's Black Narcissus. That's one thing that has me going. I woke up this morning with a fresh attitude. Right now I'm listening to some Clifford Brown. I love the song Jordu, it just swings so hard. Anyway I have a rehearsal tonight so I have to get some things together. Peace

This is me playing Sammy Davis Jr. for a The Rat Pack 

Biting the Bullet

Music Resources

You know I haven't written in this blog for a while. Sorry. Anyway, I was practicing my jazz piano in the book Jazz Piano Mark Levine, and I saw some examples to play featuring the wonderful of intervals. For example the first two note's in Billy Strayhorn's Chealse Bridge has an interval of an ascending major second. That's cool, but I wanted to hear it and since I have a huge library of music on my computer. I searched for it on winamp. www.winamp.com

And guess what? Yes indeedy I have a recording of it with Cassandra Wilson it's beautiful. But what made me really happy is this: If I don't have the recording, I at least have the sheet music for it. I feel so fortunate to have an ample supply of music resources.


Okay that's enough bragging. Peace

Always An Adventure

Ever feel like you're beinig watched? I do. I mean do you think God has like a huge television with great PIP.
(that's picture and picture) Sometimes I think God is just laughing at us. He or she knows whats going to happen so why not laugh it up. I said he or she because how do you know if God is a man or woman or both.

Anyway today was a productive day in a way. I had an audition/rehearsal to sing for a wedding band. I had to learn the songs Use Me by Bill Withers, I'm so tired of being alone by Al Green and Brickhouse
I haven't sang this kind of music in awhile so I was really nervous. So here is the story: AAA Always An Adventure
I first got in my car to go to Indiana to get some gas. I was playing some music in the car, the songs I was supposed to learn. Anyway on my way to Indiana I'm at the stop light on 106th street waiting for the arrow to turn green so I can make a left turn. They're isn't a sign that says wait for the arrow, but I want to be safe so I wait. Next thing you know "Bang" I fall face forward to the stering wheel. Someone hits me. I can't believeit. I'm on a tight schedule beacuse I have to be on the North side at 8 and it's almost 7 and I haven't got any gas still. So I tell the lady that I'll check the car after I turn. I get out the car and I get out the car and there isn't any damage. So I drive on and decide not to get the drivers info. I should have and you'll find out later.
So I finally have my gas and I have to pee. I go in the gas station and wholla, no bathroom. On with the show must go on. So I drive on. As I'm driving, I'm trying to figure out which way to go. Should I go down 95th street to Ashland or 87th. Well I ended up getting misdirected, so I went the only way I knew. I went by my house and I took 93rd to Stony to 87th street. Okay I'm in business. I'm almost at Halsted, but the next thing you know, my car starts making a werid noise. It sounds like Nascar, except my car doesn't go that fast. So anyway to make a loneg story short. My car is in need of something that needs improvement. But hey I got in the band and I met a very beautiful woman. I'm going to throw on my charm the next time I see her.



Okay that's it

The Nation of Hipness Theme Song

This one of my favorite pictures. My mother took this picture about maybe four years ago I think.

This is actually going to be the cover of a cd that I'm planning to do called Father & Son. I'm not sure when the cd will happen but it will. My father to me is my best friend in the world.

I just wanted to say that.

Oscar Brown Jr's Influence

This is my very first post on this thing and the first thing I wanted to write about was the influence that the late Oscar Brown Jr has on me. You know it's weird. I've been singing the song All Blues for awhile now, and it never really occured to me that Oscar Brown Jr. wrote those lyrics. I mean that song is my favorite, probably the first tune I ever learned how to play.

I heard Mr. Brown sing the song for the first time two weeks ago. It was beautiful. I mean I only had the cd Sin & Sou, but now I have even more of his music. Oscar Brown Jr. was a great man to me. One of the all time greats. I just wanted to say that for my first post.