Things like this don't happen that often so when they do I tend to sit up & take notice, and this time in particular I give thanks to the Muses.
An old friend and an unforeseen set if circumstances has led to a most fortunate series of events, the end result being that I was asked to store a Yamaha C7 Grand Piano. Needless to say I was ecstatic. The piano was delivered at 8 am this morning - before I'd even had my coffee! I promise some video later this week, but for now I leave you with these photos of the instrument being delivered. I hear by give THANKS to the energies involved and promise to honor this most relevant of gifts. :)

A long standing dream kinda comes true....

Here's the story: 

The week of April 2nd, I had what seemed to me to be an amazing opportunity - to do a gig with one of those musicians I spent serious time listening to as a teen/20 something. That musician was - and is - Tony "Thunder" Smith, who worked with both the Jan Hammer Group and John McLaughln's One Truth Band. Tony's an amzing drummer, navagating time signatures like 21/16, 14/8 etc with ease, while laying it down in the pocket like nobody's business. Plus, he sings his ass off. He's been touring and performng with rock legend Lou Reed since 1995.

I first met Tony in Boston, where he lives and teaches (at Berklee College of Music). I was performing with Gregg Bendian's Mahavishnu Project; he came to the show, and Gregg introduced us. On my next trip to Boston (for Splash, an MIT Program for High School kids my daughter was doing) I contacted Tony and suggested we get together and "have a little play". We did jam in Tony's basement studio, and that ended up being great fun indeed. We stayed in touch, and about a year later Tony called to say he wanted to record and do a show at Berklee. After much logistical jiggery pokery dates were worked out. Tony asked me to suggest a bassist (of which I did several; Tony decided to go with Peter Brendler); tunes were selected (mostly Jan Hammer Group stuff). Tony chose the name "12:21 Project" for various reasons (including the fact that one of the tunes is called "Twenty One").

I arrived in Boston tuesday afternoon and we set up in Tony's studio and began to rehearse. Peter arrived tuesday evening and joined us. We pretty much rehearsed all day & night wednesday and all day thursday, stopping in the afternoon to break down and head to the Berklee Performance Center where we were scheduled to perform. Tony also called two friends of his from Berklee - guitarist Thaddeus Hogarth and percussionist Ricardo Monzon, both stellar players. And perform we did! Thaddeus & I, along with Tony's daughter Isabel, sang background vocals.

I daresay we did not rehearse enough - (especially the heavy tunes) - but overall the show went quite well and was terrific fun. We played all the killer Jan Hammer stuff from the "Oh Yeah" disc and some of the vocal material from "Melodies" (the JHG's second disc.) Tho Peter & I had both brought originals we didn't quite make it the that point. It was also streamed live on the web; I know there were a couple of y'all watching!  And it was recorded both in audio & video. I've got the audio files and will post them to soundcloud when I get a chance.

The other thrill for me was to be at Berklee, that infamous place that has played host to so many amazing people. Just walking around the halls and the neighborhood was exciting for this NYC boy.

Here's some pix I took during the course of the 3 days. Enjoy.

 - Thanks for reading!

Guitarist John McLaughlin - that amazing guitarist, founder of Mahavishnu & Shakti - recently turned 70. A little Facebook page was set up, called "Happy Birthday John McLaughlin". I took the time to write him a note. So did a lot of other folks... And he wrote back to all of us. I feel this is worth sharing, because it peaks about the porwer of Love, Music, and our connections with eachother. 

Namaste'.

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM JOHN:

Dearest friends. Today I wish to write to all of you who have written to me, or written on Facebook to celebrate my 70th birthday. By the time one gets to be 70 years old, you are supposed to have learned something about life, and today, I'd like to write a few words on the arrival of my 70th birthday which I celebrated in Mumbai India.

My life is a continuous miracle: That I am. There is another miracle, that the Infinite Universe also, is.There is yet another miracle: That we are given the most marvelous gift of love: That we have this capacity to love and be loved. Sometimes I am in awe of love, for it seems to me that love is Infinite and Cosmic in origin, and since love can only be experienced here and now, to love, is to live in the infinite here and now. This is what all the sages of old have recommended as a cure for everything!

And then there is music: what we all love, there's that word again, and in reality this is what brings all of us together. I am humbled and thrilled at the same time, by the numerous messages from you to celebrate my birthday, and without doubt, it is the work of music. 

This has to be yet another kind of miracle: That we can make bumps and scrapes, booms, bangs, oohs and aahs, twangs and grinds, and out comes beauty........ And we all love this improbable beauty that comes out of all of these sounds, and that it can be so surprising, so different, and at the same time, so right. Music has this power to speak directly to the depths of our souls, and reminds us that this is where we all belong, and that in music as in love, we truly are one.

With Love and Blessings to all,
john

track: "Power Of Love" from the album "Apocolypse" by the Mahavishnu Orchestra.

It's another Friday Night here in Newburgh, the land of old forgotten homes...

Not all of them are forgotten of course. Some folk have done, and are still doing, beautiful amazing things fixing up these homes. Inspiring. Someday perhaps a photo study will be in order! Meanwhile, if you're interested check out the Newburgh Restoration blog.

We've lived in our 1920's era house for 12 1/2 years. The one thing I've learned about working on these places is that you need either Time, or Money, or Both. Sadly, I have niether... but sometimes things just need to be done, and we make do.

For our friday night this week, my wife & I took down another piece of our crumbling 90 year old plaster ceiling (leaving a big hole for all the lovely cold air to get in). We covered with plastic for now; we'll have to get someone in to sheet rock it as I am inept in such things.
Frankly, its bad condition had me worried it was going to fall & hurt someone. A big plaster chunk fell out of our kitchen ceiling 2 years ago. If my wife had been standing there she would have been seriously injured. All of the ceilings in our house are damaged from water, primarily because we have a flat roof. Another thing I've learned: don't buy a house with a flat roof. If you do, be prepared to deal with it. Here's a Pic:

So remember folks, older homes are awesome - if you've got the wherewithall to dive and and fix stuff. Honestly, not my forte. Trying to adapt.

More music coming soon, promise! :)