Concert, Fun and Farewells

Having an amazing time in NYC.   I will write  a bit about my initial arrival and the amazing Balkan music camp that I attended upstate when I first arrived in a later entry.  For now, am just happy to re-connect with this blog and make a commitment to post once a week, even a quick note :)
There is so much to share and update, but for now will start by working backwards, from last night!
A wonderful musician and new friend that I met in January at Golden Fest through Leo Genovese, had a very fun and cool concert/jam/hang at the Alwan Foundation last night.  I haven't been that far downtown since 2005 on a short sight-seeing visit with my dad.
Somehow I still managed to continue my very strange streak of NOT getting lost in NY for the duration of my stay, a status that lasted all the way until last night.
I saw a big happy rat and walked through Exchange Alley to Exchange Place, and saw some folks do some very serious working out (they all had very serious expressions, if not a little pain on their faces)...I ought to make that commitment to working out rather than thinking nature or nada...

I found Beaver Street mostly following my nose (normally I find out that I tend to want to go the opposite direction of what I need but in NY for some reason my sense of direction is stronger than ever) and getting confirmation from a cop.  I oddly knew what to do even though seemed a very deserted and quiet area.  I mentioned to the door man that I was playing and fortunately he let me go in as a wait and see (I didn't realize it was an official concert or would have brought money for cover)...
Funny being in NY and looking into the audience and seeing such a different ocean of hair color than in Texas--there were dark haired folks from Greece, Turkey, the Middle East, and even Brazil.  (Heehee, and me!)  Apostolos Sideris was the man of the hour, soon to be following love to Turkey.  Was so happy he told me about the event.  Joining him were some wonderful musicians.  Manu Koch, a soulful pianist (the lower register was "prepared" piano and just a thumping percussive sound), Tareq Abboushi was on the buzuq and vocalizing, and George Mel on percussion.

I met some really cool gals in line to the loo, then stood in line to talk with our favorite bass player and got to hear the humorous discussion of which guests on which pieces.  I was invited to sit in on a song that George did, a jazzy ballad dedicated to his mom.  Very nice interplay with major and minor, I kinda read the chart at first than just wanted to play by ear--such a treat to play with such fine musicians.  There were a couple awesome trumpet players-Amir Elsaffar, who I later found out is a skilled Iraqi Maqam-based improviser and kanun player as well--and Kenny Warren, another great talent who, as I realized later, I saw at Barbes on Tuesday night with the dynamic and rockin' Slavic Soul Balkan brass band.
I will later post a pic of my joining with the festivities on violin, but for now will share the Angelic-light pic, with the fabulous Apostolos Sideris and Manu Koch, both tremendous angels of music.  Was so happy to share the evening in a setting that very much confirmed the reason for my presence in NY, with the beautiful music community here.

My busy life...hehe.

After a tremendously blessed weekend in Terlingua and Lajitas, I drove home Sunday about 2pm towards the great ATX.  The drive flew by much quicker, though by hour 7, in Fredericksburg, I started to really feel it...so my rider, Frank, and I took a lovely 7 minute stroll past the galleries to get fresh air...they have a cool gallery walk first Fridays.  We finally had a chance to see the Alpine natural foods store, Blue Water Natural Foods Co....was lovely and cute.  The size of our old Co-op in Bozeman, probably in bout 1991.  Bob was my cashier, and when I mentioned Austin, he happened to be the step-father of one of my musician friends!
Am working backwards in this entry cause am pretty pressed for time...gotta start practicing again in a few minutes, just took a food break.  Today was so busy with 2 rehearsals and booking (issue resolve-ment)...worked on songwriting first rehearsal.  Almost finished song #2.  Helps so much to be working with people.  Then next rehearsal was with Nefesh trio.  Was fun, and gotta get quicker with arrangement ideas and letting things go when no time! :)
More on the W Tx trip when I have  a little more time.  For now, this week, I am going to a recording session with Ulrich tonight to finish up our new EP, then tomorrow am playing at the JCC with the AGO (Austin Global Orchestra).  Tomorrow pm we'll do another Nefesh rehearsal to get those new songs down, then Thursday a.m. I have another recording session, with Grupo...the music looks and sounds very challenging though exciting as well.  Looking forward to both sessions.
Then have a rehearsal for a Kirtan concert Thursday November 1st, with Robin Bruce and Will.  Then another Nefesh rehearsal in the evening up north...then Fri a.m. going to a yoga class of Robin's, yay!  Then another Robin rehearsal.  Then Saturday hopefully teaching a violin lesson and playing two weddings and maybe a rehearsal, or not...then Sunday farmer's market, then a memorial service with the folk dancers...then maybe Sunday night, NOTHING!!!???!!!  Phew, okay, I can live with that.
xo

Dinner from Tea and desert or bust

Had a wonderful dinner with friends and fam last night.  After bustling about in Austin traffic (helped a friend move in the rain), my tea date got moved to later and I suggested  dinner at my place instead of braving the outdoors again.
I ended up making a delicious red lentil stew, even sans onions as per my guest's request.  I added a great red curry paste, veggies, red lentils and eventually a few rice spirals.  During all this, I also made a kale seaweed salad, by saute-ing the kale (a little water after the initial coconut oil with orange and almond essence) and adding sesame seeds, spices and at the end, pre-hydrated seaweed and lemon juice.
Desert was yams cut into rounds, and apples to small wedges, arranged on a plate around a dollop of tahini.  I sprinkled the yams and apples with cinnamon a hint of stevia.
Cooking is giving me one area of my life that I can feel confident fun comfort and ease of control/organization.  I am able to stop the cravings and think of the enjoyment I get from making and eating wholesome and delicious foods that nourish me on many levels.

Am also in the process of preparing the house for a friend to come and help take care of Sanji cause I will be doing a quick weekend in W Texas...there is a songwriter's camping event Thursday, and Saturday is their festival in Presidio--"Dude of the Dead" which I'll be attending until I go to Lajitas Sat pm to join Bruce at the Thirsty Goat in the beautiful badlands hotel boardwalk area.  Looking forward to seeing friends I met the first time and meeting new friends, and hopefully staying at least kinda dry :)  Viva La Majica of the desert!

Music Musings, after the blur

Recovering from an incredible flurry of performance dates and reflecting on how much energy is exchanged in public performance.
I tend to vacillate between being extraordinarily busy to doing nothing at all and having a big re-charge by just resting can be wonderful, though am just learning how important it is to schedule doing nothing and not judge that as being lazy.
Am studying and searching, writing lyrics and discovering new and old songs to prepare a solid 3 hour set for a few nefesh shows that are coming up.
We'll be at the Mueller Farmer's Market the Sunday (10/28/12) before Halloween...thus a few Halloween tunes will certainly be shared :)   We'll be there 10-2pm.

Music July 2010

Getting ready to head out to Blackerby's Violin Shop to rehearse with some awesome folks for Oliver Rajamani's cd release concert.
July 31st at Seva Yoga Center, 1122-C South Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704 (see oneyoga.us or oliverrajamani.com for more info)
Doing some arranging several Israeli and Sephardic folk songs for Oliver's concert at the Cactus Cafe, August 6th, also with the Rosetta String Quartet ( http://www.hillcountrystrings.com/ for more info :)
Loving the music here in Austin.