Cassie's gig... for real...

So, it was June 9.

Cassie's gig.

I went to her apartment for a rehearsal that afternoon at 3pm. Nice small and cozy apartment, but strictly for person. So I sat on her pillow and she at her electric piano to rehearse.

We did all the songs, I did the stuff that I planned to do and some filling-ins, she was happy, so that was it!

Also, I showed her Chris Howes' CD, she was amazed by his playing.

Then I went off to walk around Times Square area. Planned to go to the Union to ask about the criteria to join them, but didn't remember the address, so I gave up.

Then I thought of going for a movie, so I went to AMC Theaters on 42nd to watch The Omen. Big theater it is, haven't been in there, 25 auditoriums. I was in the 18th.

8pm, I bought a chicken rice bowl from Yoshinoya (first time in New York), then I went off to take 1 train in the 42nd St Station.

Took me almost 30 minutes to find Caffe Vivaldi. Thought I would want to try out my pickup before the gig. Didn't work out though. Joy Askew was singing inside. So I had to wait, standing outside the door.

Then Cassie came with her crew and her boyfriend cum guitarist, Jim Adamo.

We waited for about 20 minutes for Joy to finish her set, then we went on to setup. It hardly took ten minutes.

I followed Pete Teo's advice, adjusted my violin sound on the EQ, and it turned out HOT!!

Thanks Pete. I know I've already told you that, but I want to thank you again.

Gig was cool, people liked it.

Think it's over after I finished the gig? No.

CODA:

This dude, Michael, who's a Russian jewelry dealer came to ask me if I wanna go to Caffe Taci, he said there's an open-mic that night.

I asked him what kinda music they play, he said, "Opera".

What the fuck??

So I went (of course!!).

Two sopranos were tearin' it up on the stage when I got there.

Man, ain't they great?!! The piano acccompanist --- an 87 years old Russian old lady ---- was amazing in following their rubato. For those who dunno, opera is much harder than any symphonies to be played correctly. Cuz singers like to stretch (this is the nicer word for it) and speed up spontateuosly (also a nicer word for it), so it's not easy at all, though you're not the main part.

Then I went on stage to play the famous Musetta aria from La Boheme (forgot the title, but you know what it is). People digged it (did they really?), they cheered and yelled and clapped and shit. It was fun. Open-mic for classical musicians and opera singers, this restaurant's boss IS smart.

So the boss came up and asked me in Italian of what I wanna drink, surprisingly I understoof him. So I said a beer. That made my night!

Met some great singers in there, all of them professionals. Also met this composer who wrote a jazz violin concerto 8 years ago, he said he will dig it out or me to play. I hope so.

POST-CODE:

What is that?!

OK lemme tell u the funniest story in the world.

I think I was too tired, I slept on 7 train once I got on it in Times Square.

When I woke up, I was still in Times Square...

You figure out why! ;)