I know, I seldom write to promote my own gigs, but this time it's different: It's really my gig.
So here we go:
Justin Lim Fang Yee, my old buddy since UPM, is coming over to New York to have some fun before he leaves the US. So I decided to put on a show with him on the 11th of May in Room 264 (Choral Room) in the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. This is a piano and violin duo concert that also will be featuring our wonderful and nonetheless beautiful guest guitarist, Michelle Marie. Repertoire will be our own originals, you don't wanna miss out if you're around town! The time is 12pm, a little odd, but for freelancers, you might stand a chance to make it! :D
My band, the newly formed Project Taming Sari is going to do our debut recital less than one week after my show with Justin. This time, my crazy cellist brother Jeremy Harman is going to play with us throughout the gig. So it's Project Taming Sari overlapping the Evil Twin!! How sweet is that?? The date is May 16th, the time will be 8pm, also in Room 264, a.k.a. Choral Room, in ACSM, Queens College. Guest appearance: Francesca Han Jiyoun, my Korean "sidegirl" (as she called her position in my band,hehe...) We will be playing some of our original spacey jazz originals, as well as a couple of standards.
Uh uh, not so fast! If you can't make it to the 8pm set, don't worry, we will be waiting for you to show up at 11pm in Hope Lounge the same night! Hope Lounge is located in Williamsburg, the address is "10 Hope St. (Between Roebling and Havemeyer)". No cover (yay!!). Very cozy place, wonderful drinks. The music will be similar to the ones in Queens College, but Francesca won't be appearing in this set unfortunately, since they do not own a piano there. Don't worry, we will have Akim Funk Buddha to jam with us!!
Need anymore info? Drop me a comment and I will be sure to get back to you.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
沉迷 Complete Obsession
他把电脑打开。 为的只是看着桌面上的照片。也许那是他每天觉得最幸福的事情。
他自认一无所有，能够得到安慰的就是从桌面上那张她的照片;尽管她是一个他完全没有见过的一个人 --- 他甚至可以假设这个人的不存在。
一早起来，不散步不做运动没关系，他享受那几秒钟的心跳加速，觉得那比任何费力的体操都有效。
他笑了，一副很满足的表情。
“今天下午再打开来看看...希望她在那一头也一样的在惦记着我，更希望下一次上网会再见到她!”他是这样告诉自己的。
然后他就关机了。
在世界的另一端，她松了口气 ---- 终于暂时不用下线状态了。
He started up his computer, only to look at the photo on his desktop background. Perhaps that's his happiest moment in a day.
He admitted that he's got nothing, and the only comfort he can get was from that photo of hers on his desktop; even though she is someone that he had never met --- he could even assume that not such person exists.
It's alright if he was not doing any exercise every morning, for him, he enjoyed that few seconds of accelerating heart pounding, which he thought as a more effective method than any kinds of exhausting physical exercise.
He smiled, his expression full of satisfactory.
"I'll open it up this afternoon and have a look again... I only hope she is missing me as much on her end, and also hope that she will miss me as much as I do!" thus he thought to himself.
Then he turned off his machine.
On the other side of the world, she sighed in relief ---- at last, a short moment that she could stay out of invisible mode.
他自认一无所有，能够得到安慰的就是从桌面上那张她的照片;尽管她是一个他完全没有见过的一个人 --- 他甚至可以假设这个人的不存在。
一早起来，不散步不做运动没关系，他享受那几秒钟的心跳加速，觉得那比任何费力的体操都有效。
他笑了，一副很满足的表情。
“今天下午再打开来看看...希望她在那一头也一样的在惦记着我，更希望下一次上网会再见到她!”他是这样告诉自己的。
然后他就关机了。
在世界的另一端，她松了口气 ---- 终于暂时不用下线状态了。
He started up his computer, only to look at the photo on his desktop background. Perhaps that's his happiest moment in a day.
He admitted that he's got nothing, and the only comfort he can get was from that photo of hers on his desktop; even though she is someone that he had never met --- he could even assume that not such person exists.
It's alright if he was not doing any exercise every morning, for him, he enjoyed that few seconds of accelerating heart pounding, which he thought as a more effective method than any kinds of exhausting physical exercise.
He smiled, his expression full of satisfactory.
"I'll open it up this afternoon and have a look again... I only hope she is missing me as much on her end, and also hope that she will miss me as much as I do!" thus he thought to himself.
Then he turned off his machine.
On the other side of the world, she sighed in relief ---- at last, a short moment that she could stay out of invisible mode.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
"...and so she said goodbye"
He came out of the bar, sober. He was surprised that he didn't even have one beer.
He had a faint smile on his face, almost unnoticeable. But his heart was pounding hard --- so hard that it didn't feel good at all.
"Am I sad?" he thought to himself, "or am I happy?"
It's been two years now that he was struggling --- struggling over the choices between leaving or staying for her.
"Give him a chance," he remembered saying that to her,"maybe he's busy, try to talk to her. Don't give up so easily!" He knocked his own head while he said that to her. You idiot! What are you doing to yourself?
So she did give him a chance, and their love flourished.
And what about me? He thought.
He knew from the start that it is not going to happen, telling himself that he is just a good friend to her, and he wants to see her live happily.
10,000 miles apart! What can you expect from that?
So he decided to be her best friend, advice her when she needs help. He knew that he couldn't give her more comfort than those of words. If she needs a hug, she would have to get it from "him", not me, so I have to help them to get back together.
It's not that she didn't feel his strong feelings towards her, in fact she herself felt the same way when her relationship was in the bottom of the abyss. But then he helped her to stand up again, and pushed her to give it another shot.
3 hours ago she gave him a short message on the messenger, telling him that she signed the paper and tried the wedding gown. She thanked him for everything.
He was planning his European tour right then.
"It might be a good thing that it hasn't be planned out yet," he thought, not without a feeling of bitterness.
And so they parted, without ever meeting each other before.
He had a faint smile on his face, almost unnoticeable. But his heart was pounding hard --- so hard that it didn't feel good at all.
"Am I sad?" he thought to himself, "or am I happy?"
It's been two years now that he was struggling --- struggling over the choices between leaving or staying for her.
"Give him a chance," he remembered saying that to her,"maybe he's busy, try to talk to her. Don't give up so easily!" He knocked his own head while he said that to her. You idiot! What are you doing to yourself?
So she did give him a chance, and their love flourished.
And what about me? He thought.
He knew from the start that it is not going to happen, telling himself that he is just a good friend to her, and he wants to see her live happily.
10,000 miles apart! What can you expect from that?
So he decided to be her best friend, advice her when she needs help. He knew that he couldn't give her more comfort than those of words. If she needs a hug, she would have to get it from "him", not me, so I have to help them to get back together.
It's not that she didn't feel his strong feelings towards her, in fact she herself felt the same way when her relationship was in the bottom of the abyss. But then he helped her to stand up again, and pushed her to give it another shot.
3 hours ago she gave him a short message on the messenger, telling him that she signed the paper and tried the wedding gown. She thanked him for everything.
He was planning his European tour right then.
"It might be a good thing that it hasn't be planned out yet," he thought, not without a feeling of bitterness.
And so they parted, without ever meeting each other before.
Friday, April 27, 2007
It's the Zorn thing!
John Zorn's Marathon concert for his Schuman Award.
Yup.
In Miller Theater.
3 sets. 45 minutes each.
Nick and me were lucky enough to get standby tickets.
1st set, Masada String Trio and Masada Rock. Fuck yeah... I was especially impressed by Erik Friedlander's awesome tone and creativity!
2nd set, his concert music. I missed the first piece for clarinet and bass clarinet. But the 2nd piece for piano, "Carny", is a schizophrenic yet lively work, even further brought to live by Stephen Drury. 3rd one was "Necronomicon", his 5-movement string quartet, performed by Jennifer Choi, Jesse Mills, Richard O'Neill and Fred Sherry. Very well performed.
3rd set, COBRA!! Fun fun fun... All-star cast: Cyro Baptista, Okkyung Lee, Mark Feldman, Erik Friedlander, Stephen Drury, Sylvie Courvoisier, Jamie Saft, Ikue Mori, etc. Zorn was the prompter. That shit was fun from beginning to the end.
One funny moment, when Nick and me came back from the intermission after the 1st set, Zorn took our seats...
Yup.
In Miller Theater.
3 sets. 45 minutes each.
Nick and me were lucky enough to get standby tickets.
1st set, Masada String Trio and Masada Rock. Fuck yeah... I was especially impressed by Erik Friedlander's awesome tone and creativity!
2nd set, his concert music. I missed the first piece for clarinet and bass clarinet. But the 2nd piece for piano, "Carny", is a schizophrenic yet lively work, even further brought to live by Stephen Drury. 3rd one was "Necronomicon", his 5-movement string quartet, performed by Jennifer Choi, Jesse Mills, Richard O'Neill and Fred Sherry. Very well performed.
3rd set, COBRA!! Fun fun fun... All-star cast: Cyro Baptista, Okkyung Lee, Mark Feldman, Erik Friedlander, Stephen Drury, Sylvie Courvoisier, Jamie Saft, Ikue Mori, etc. Zorn was the prompter. That shit was fun from beginning to the end.
One funny moment, when Nick and me came back from the intermission after the 1st set, Zorn took our seats...
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
My shittiest day ---- April 24, 2007
Yup, that's my shitties day, no kiddin'.
Woke up, got a letter from MF, saying that he had to back out writing a recom for my artist visa... sigh...
Then in the afternoon I saw my other roommate, whom I met once, a chick from TW. She was cooking, I smiled at her and tried to say hi and she just turned back and looked at me like a stray dog for a split second, then went back to cooking.
WTF...? She doesn't even have a very basic gesture when two civilised human beings see each other.
Then I went to fix my bow and went over to Flushing, the train stopped at 103 St-Corona, and the conductor asked all of us to leave the train, because of "customer injury". Apparently some motherfucker jumped into the 7 train track while my train was approaching. A woman pointed at the track and yelled, "He's right in there!! I saw it because I was about to ask him something and he just did a deep-dive into the track!!" Another black guy said, "Yeah man, there's really someone in there..."
Gross shit, someone crushed into pieces under my feet?
Namo amitabha...
Then after I came back in Flushing late at night, I got an email from Desmond, telling me that I didn't show up in the rehearsal... huh? Got meh? Why is it not in my schedule one??
SHIT!!!!!!
That wasn't Friday the 13th, why was all these things happening to me?!!
GOSH...
Woke up, got a letter from MF, saying that he had to back out writing a recom for my artist visa... sigh...
Then in the afternoon I saw my other roommate, whom I met once, a chick from TW. She was cooking, I smiled at her and tried to say hi and she just turned back and looked at me like a stray dog for a split second, then went back to cooking.
WTF...? She doesn't even have a very basic gesture when two civilised human beings see each other.
Then I went to fix my bow and went over to Flushing, the train stopped at 103 St-Corona, and the conductor asked all of us to leave the train, because of "customer injury". Apparently some motherfucker jumped into the 7 train track while my train was approaching. A woman pointed at the track and yelled, "He's right in there!! I saw it because I was about to ask him something and he just did a deep-dive into the track!!" Another black guy said, "Yeah man, there's really someone in there..."
Gross shit, someone crushed into pieces under my feet?
Namo amitabha...
Then after I came back in Flushing late at night, I got an email from Desmond, telling me that I didn't show up in the rehearsal... huh? Got meh? Why is it not in my schedule one??
SHIT!!!!!!
That wasn't Friday the 13th, why was all these things happening to me?!!
GOSH...
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Overnight on top of Times Square
I spent my night on Times Square.
Yeah seriously.
But I didn't sleep on the streets. I was in my friend's office right above Hard Rock Cafe. From the meeting room of the office, you could see the lights shining directly into the window, you hardly even need lights to read. People walking to and fro on the streets non-stop --- especially it's the first night of Spring weather.
Wow...it's like a dream!!
I fell asleep on the couch of the office's lobby while my friend was typing a paper. When I woke up, it's already 12pm.
I went out of the building, and I knew rightaway that Spring is here! Everybody was smiling and walking in the sunshine with their shorts and t-shirts.
Now that's what I call good weather!
Yeah seriously.
But I didn't sleep on the streets. I was in my friend's office right above Hard Rock Cafe. From the meeting room of the office, you could see the lights shining directly into the window, you hardly even need lights to read. People walking to and fro on the streets non-stop --- especially it's the first night of Spring weather.
Wow...it's like a dream!!
I fell asleep on the couch of the office's lobby while my friend was typing a paper. When I woke up, it's already 12pm.
I went out of the building, and I knew rightaway that Spring is here! Everybody was smiling and walking in the sunshine with their shorts and t-shirts.
Now that's what I call good weather!
Friday, April 20, 2007
新房间
终于班上来我真正的房间了。
其实还是比较喜欢楼下, 楼上的人给人感觉都是怪怪的。 尤其某位仁兄都不大爱睬人, 连正眼也不看我一下, 见面也不问好。
大家同屋住就和善一点嘛, 又没有得罪你... 降鸟样有钱拿咩？？？
房间看起来小, 其实还是有点空间的. 至少不会像以前61-49那样路都难走。不过以后东西全搬进来过后就不知道了...
希望这里可以呆一阵子吧。
Moved into my actual room at last.
I actually still prefer downstairs, as the people upstairs are a little weird. Such as this bro that lives across, he doesn't give a shit to people, doesn't even lay an eye on me or say hi.
Come on man, just be a little friendlier, we're roommates, I didn't step on your toes... what the fuck?
Although my room looks small, it's actually spacier than my room in 61-49 --- which I didn't even have space to walk. But I'm curious about how will it be when I moved all my shit over here...
I hope I can stay here for a while.
其实还是比较喜欢楼下, 楼上的人给人感觉都是怪怪的。 尤其某位仁兄都不大爱睬人, 连正眼也不看我一下, 见面也不问好。
大家同屋住就和善一点嘛, 又没有得罪你... 降鸟样有钱拿咩？？？
房间看起来小, 其实还是有点空间的. 至少不会像以前61-49那样路都难走。不过以后东西全搬进来过后就不知道了...
希望这里可以呆一阵子吧。
Moved into my actual room at last.
I actually still prefer downstairs, as the people upstairs are a little weird. Such as this bro that lives across, he doesn't give a shit to people, doesn't even lay an eye on me or say hi.
Come on man, just be a little friendlier, we're roommates, I didn't step on your toes... what the fuck?
Although my room looks small, it's actually spacier than my room in 61-49 --- which I didn't even have space to walk. But I'm curious about how will it be when I moved all my shit over here...
I hope I can stay here for a while.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
When you shed your tears of fear
When you shed your tears of fear
Have you thought of more are not so near?
Though it happens in your land so dear
Deaths are out there everyday not every year
It's so clear...
What we see we always fear
What we don't we just don't care
If you're worried for your life so dear
Why not care for those who didn't die here?
Have you thought of more are not so near?
Though it happens in your land so dear
Deaths are out there everyday not every year
It's so clear...
What we see we always fear
What we don't we just don't care
If you're worried for your life so dear
Why not care for those who didn't die here?
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Friends from the older days
Since I got out of high school, I seldom gather with my high school friends anymore, except a few. What I'm sayin' is those big-ass parties and dinners with the whole class appearing, I usually don't attend --- in fact I never did.
Actually I did --- once. Just once. And I gave up.
That was not long after we left the school, they said they wanted to have a mamak gathering. Sure, why not.
So I went, and they started to talk shit, which is something I can join in.
But after a while, they started to ask me what do I study. I said music. So they asked me how does that work? So I started to explain the curriculum a little bit, then Tortoise rudely cut in and said, "Ah! That's some shit that we would never understand!" Then they started to say other things.
Fine, fair enough. I understand that they must have had a lot of question marks in their minds like "What the hell is this guy doing anyway? Music? Why do you need to go to school for that kinda shit?"
Seeing my friends all going to another direction like a school of dolphins, I thought to myself that it's time to say "bye" to the old days because we'll all start our own lives. No reason for me to dwell in the history. People change when their lives change. They're now engineers, direct-salesmen/women, pharmacist...
The only ones I can relate to, are the ones who studied graphic design and theatre, because they work in the art field, so our "brain frequencies" are somehow similar.
It's interesting to think about it sometimes, when you are wondering how far have you gone since high school. It's really nothing to feel sad about, this isolation. It's just a process of life I guess.
But I'm lucky that I still have some friends from high school that are still very close with me: Albert, Old Joe, Choo Huey aka Michelle Yeoh (of all names you chose this, beats me!) and Lai Peng. Pretty cool.
Actually I did --- once. Just once. And I gave up.
That was not long after we left the school, they said they wanted to have a mamak gathering. Sure, why not.
So I went, and they started to talk shit, which is something I can join in.
But after a while, they started to ask me what do I study. I said music. So they asked me how does that work? So I started to explain the curriculum a little bit, then Tortoise rudely cut in and said, "Ah! That's some shit that we would never understand!" Then they started to say other things.
Fine, fair enough. I understand that they must have had a lot of question marks in their minds like "What the hell is this guy doing anyway? Music? Why do you need to go to school for that kinda shit?"
Seeing my friends all going to another direction like a school of dolphins, I thought to myself that it's time to say "bye" to the old days because we'll all start our own lives. No reason for me to dwell in the history. People change when their lives change. They're now engineers, direct-salesmen/women, pharmacist...
The only ones I can relate to, are the ones who studied graphic design and theatre, because they work in the art field, so our "brain frequencies" are somehow similar.
It's interesting to think about it sometimes, when you are wondering how far have you gone since high school. It's really nothing to feel sad about, this isolation. It's just a process of life I guess.
But I'm lucky that I still have some friends from high school that are still very close with me: Albert, Old Joe, Choo Huey aka Michelle Yeoh (of all names you chose this, beats me!) and Lai Peng. Pretty cool.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Tierras Colombianos
I live in a hispanic neighbourhood in Jackson Heights.
When most people hear "Jackson Heights", they would start telling me how they love Indian food...
Uh huh, me too.
Uh uh, but that's not my area.
I live in the edge between Corona and Jackson Heights --- obviously on the side of Jackson Heights. There are Mexicans surrounding the area that I live. If you take the 7 train (which is 2 minutes' walk from my place) one station towards Manhattan, you will see the area becoming a Colombian place.
Yup, you see the word "Colombianos" everywhere!
Right under the station, there is this fantastic restaurant called "Tierras Colombianos".
Holy crap, I went there once and ordered the Breaded Pork Loin, hell man, it's SOOOOOOO delicious!!
I couldn't the shit, so I brought it back home ---- now can you imagine how big it is?
Yeah... viva Tierras Colombianos!
When most people hear "Jackson Heights", they would start telling me how they love Indian food...
Uh huh, me too.
Uh uh, but that's not my area.
I live in the edge between Corona and Jackson Heights --- obviously on the side of Jackson Heights. There are Mexicans surrounding the area that I live. If you take the 7 train (which is 2 minutes' walk from my place) one station towards Manhattan, you will see the area becoming a Colombian place.
Yup, you see the word "Colombianos" everywhere!
Right under the station, there is this fantastic restaurant called "Tierras Colombianos".
Holy crap, I went there once and ordered the Breaded Pork Loin, hell man, it's SOOOOOOO delicious!!
I couldn't the shit, so I brought it back home ---- now can you imagine how big it is?
Yeah... viva Tierras Colombianos!
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
??
Not much happened in these few days, except playing a great show last Friday in Joe's Pub with Akim Funk Buddha and totally pissed off by the motherfuckin' receptionist in Blue Note.
I literally didn't do shit on Sunday, except practiced a wee bit.
Yesterday was some funny shit, Monday. I woke up telling myself that I was late for QC Orchestra rehearsal and rushed over. Nobody but Carla was sitting on the stage in the dark to practice.
What's goin' on?! Nobody's in school!
Ha! Stupid me, it's still spring break...
So I stayed there thinking that I could print some music for my upcoming rehearsals and gigs, but fuck, media center printer is fucked up.
Then what? Pizza break with my band of course!!
Then I did my mail forwarding and I went to New York Tong Ren Tang to buy pearl cream... oh and I bought two DVDs ---- Confessions of Pain and The Protege. Both are Hong Kong movies that got high acclaims.
I can't wait to see them! But before that... let's take care of my comics first...
Did my laundry, and went to bed.
What a day.
I literally didn't do shit on Sunday, except practiced a wee bit.
Yesterday was some funny shit, Monday. I woke up telling myself that I was late for QC Orchestra rehearsal and rushed over. Nobody but Carla was sitting on the stage in the dark to practice.
What's goin' on?! Nobody's in school!
Ha! Stupid me, it's still spring break...
So I stayed there thinking that I could print some music for my upcoming rehearsals and gigs, but fuck, media center printer is fucked up.
Then what? Pizza break with my band of course!!
Then I did my mail forwarding and I went to New York Tong Ren Tang to buy pearl cream... oh and I bought two DVDs ---- Confessions of Pain and The Protege. Both are Hong Kong movies that got high acclaims.
I can't wait to see them! But before that... let's take care of my comics first...
Did my laundry, and went to bed.
What a day.
Friday, April 06, 2007
And then it was snowing...
Can't believe this shit, SNOWING?!! What time of the year is it?!! April!!
GOSH!!!!!!!!
But I had quite an exciting day yesterday. I finally get to show joget to the Brazillian Guitar Duo, to find out how similar it is with Brazillian music. They were totally excited, not just because they sound similar, but Joao told me that there is actually ONE kind of fishermen in Brazil that play beats like this! And Douglas agreed too!
Then we started to jam, gave me a taste of what bossa nova should really feel like. They told me all that square bossa nova that I heard back home is actually afro-cuban bossa, not the real deal. And I totally feel that: They don't stress on the first beat, instead, they LEAN towards the 2nd beat (a little anticipated) and pull the tempo back on the 3rd and the 4th beats.
I guess it's the lilt that really made joget and Brazillian music sound similar.
Later after the concert, I showed my friend, a Portuguese who is currently a composition professor in NYU, my joget CD. He wasn't as excited as the duo, but nonetheless, he loved the sound of that music. When I told him this is a Portuguese influenced dance music in Melaka, he said he can hear the Portuguese influences.
Now, from the reaction of both parties, I could tell the Brazillians feel closer to the music than my Portuguese friend does. My theory is, this kind of music "migrated" to both Melaka and Brazil around the same time and grew roots into the ethnic culture there, got localised. But as for Portugal, maybe it is just a part of an evolving process for their music, and it didn't last too long.
Yeah babe, it felt so good doing "cultural exchange".
Oh yeah, before I went to Miller to perform with POA, I was in 42nd St Times Sq. Station. I saw these amazing Afro-Cuban street musicians, playing some amazing shit. The guitarist started playing a riff, and so u thoght u know where the down beat was right? Then when the percussionist entered with the clave, everything that you thought was right COMPLETELY fell out of place. The clave came in in the MIDDLE of the fucking riff!! That shit strikes me to the maximum! Hell yeah!! Not just that! Later they had a kick that came in in ANOTHER different part of the clave, gosh!! I dunno how them Cuban guys' brains work, but they sure is complicated.
After POA concert, I went to see L'Attitude feat. Richard Bona in the Cutting Room. Holy crap man, Richard is some motherfucker, both on the bass and voice!! I get to see him for real at last!!
He can sing while improvising on his bass, singing unison with his bass, without missing any single note. When you think his voice is so high and angelic with his falsetto, all of a sudden, he can sing so low, as low as his bass. I think he is using similar kind of technique with the one Bobby McFerrin is using. It's a kind of "harmonics" instead of real voice. It was fascinating.
GOSH!!!!!!!!
But I had quite an exciting day yesterday. I finally get to show joget to the Brazillian Guitar Duo, to find out how similar it is with Brazillian music. They were totally excited, not just because they sound similar, but Joao told me that there is actually ONE kind of fishermen in Brazil that play beats like this! And Douglas agreed too!
Then we started to jam, gave me a taste of what bossa nova should really feel like. They told me all that square bossa nova that I heard back home is actually afro-cuban bossa, not the real deal. And I totally feel that: They don't stress on the first beat, instead, they LEAN towards the 2nd beat (a little anticipated) and pull the tempo back on the 3rd and the 4th beats.
I guess it's the lilt that really made joget and Brazillian music sound similar.
Later after the concert, I showed my friend, a Portuguese who is currently a composition professor in NYU, my joget CD. He wasn't as excited as the duo, but nonetheless, he loved the sound of that music. When I told him this is a Portuguese influenced dance music in Melaka, he said he can hear the Portuguese influences.
Now, from the reaction of both parties, I could tell the Brazillians feel closer to the music than my Portuguese friend does. My theory is, this kind of music "migrated" to both Melaka and Brazil around the same time and grew roots into the ethnic culture there, got localised. But as for Portugal, maybe it is just a part of an evolving process for their music, and it didn't last too long.
Yeah babe, it felt so good doing "cultural exchange".
Oh yeah, before I went to Miller to perform with POA, I was in 42nd St Times Sq. Station. I saw these amazing Afro-Cuban street musicians, playing some amazing shit. The guitarist started playing a riff, and so u thoght u know where the down beat was right? Then when the percussionist entered with the clave, everything that you thought was right COMPLETELY fell out of place. The clave came in in the MIDDLE of the fucking riff!! That shit strikes me to the maximum! Hell yeah!! Not just that! Later they had a kick that came in in ANOTHER different part of the clave, gosh!! I dunno how them Cuban guys' brains work, but they sure is complicated.
After POA concert, I went to see L'Attitude feat. Richard Bona in the Cutting Room. Holy crap man, Richard is some motherfucker, both on the bass and voice!! I get to see him for real at last!!
He can sing while improvising on his bass, singing unison with his bass, without missing any single note. When you think his voice is so high and angelic with his falsetto, all of a sudden, he can sing so low, as low as his bass. I think he is using similar kind of technique with the one Bobby McFerrin is using. It's a kind of "harmonics" instead of real voice. It was fascinating.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Traditions, root, and inner searching...
Rainy today...
I woke up blurred as always, thinking that I should be fine running to the corner store and buy an umbrella. Aunt Zhou told me that it's fairly heavy, she lent me an umbrella, how nice of her!
I've never seen such a big rain in New York before.
Anyway, after the usual bullshit-filled POA rehearsal, I walked up to 42nd and watched 2 movies ---- with the price of one.
Initially I wanted to check out Grindhouse, but the line was extended to the streets, so I gave up. I went into the boxoffice and saw something that I've been interested to see ---- The Namesake. Also in the schedule was Peaceful Warrior, adapted from the book "Way of the Peaceful Warrior" that Charlie recommended to me a while ago.
The Namesake is the kind of movie that very easily touches my heart. It's about a person's realization of the value of his tradition and what he had missed throughout the years. I guess I had a similar experience as "Gogol" in the movie, somewhat. But I never looked down or doubted my own culture and tradition as he did, I just didn't find it so valuable until I get to New York City (same place as where Gogol is).
Sometimes unexpected things will make you see things a bit differently. Just like my two years of absence in Chinese New Year back home made me treasure Chinese New Year so damn much that I actually got mad when my family was acting as if they don't care on the dining table.
I went straight into the other auditorium that showed "Peaceful Warrior". The movie is just so-so, but you can totally understand what the original novel is all about, this makes me wanna read the book.
I've known about the way of inner-searching for quite some time, since I got close to Buddhism. I've always understand the power of it, and am trying to follow the Buddhism teaching of being humble and kind-hearted. I think it did change my life a bit, but I have never been very serious about it. I think I should ---- not because I want a decent reward or anything, it just makes me feel better and happier, I think.
I woke up blurred as always, thinking that I should be fine running to the corner store and buy an umbrella. Aunt Zhou told me that it's fairly heavy, she lent me an umbrella, how nice of her!
I've never seen such a big rain in New York before.
Anyway, after the usual bullshit-filled POA rehearsal, I walked up to 42nd and watched 2 movies ---- with the price of one.
Initially I wanted to check out Grindhouse, but the line was extended to the streets, so I gave up. I went into the boxoffice and saw something that I've been interested to see ---- The Namesake. Also in the schedule was Peaceful Warrior, adapted from the book "Way of the Peaceful Warrior" that Charlie recommended to me a while ago.
The Namesake is the kind of movie that very easily touches my heart. It's about a person's realization of the value of his tradition and what he had missed throughout the years. I guess I had a similar experience as "Gogol" in the movie, somewhat. But I never looked down or doubted my own culture and tradition as he did, I just didn't find it so valuable until I get to New York City (same place as where Gogol is).
Sometimes unexpected things will make you see things a bit differently. Just like my two years of absence in Chinese New Year back home made me treasure Chinese New Year so damn much that I actually got mad when my family was acting as if they don't care on the dining table.
I went straight into the other auditorium that showed "Peaceful Warrior". The movie is just so-so, but you can totally understand what the original novel is all about, this makes me wanna read the book.
I've known about the way of inner-searching for quite some time, since I got close to Buddhism. I've always understand the power of it, and am trying to follow the Buddhism teaching of being humble and kind-hearted. I think it did change my life a bit, but I have never been very serious about it. I think I should ---- not because I want a decent reward or anything, it just makes me feel better and happier, I think.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
Oh Chloe...
It's been days since I waited for you to reply, but I guess you were busy practising.
It's OK, I understand a virtuoso's life is hard and intense, I don't blame you.
The song is for you, I hope you like it!
It could be the tune that I'm most proud of!
It's OK, I understand a virtuoso's life is hard and intense, I don't blame you.
The song is for you, I hope you like it!
It could be the tune that I'm most proud of!
Sunday, March 25, 2007
The Curse of MTA NYC
The thing that impressed me the most in NYC might be the subway.
Yes, it's impressive most of the time because they run 24 hours, they're on time and etc.
Did you see me typing "impressive MOST OF THE TIME"?
Yes, sometimes it's just not happening.
You see, the other night I finished a gig in Brooklyn, took HJ's car to the "52nd-Lincoln Ave" 7 train station. 7 train didn't run because of construction work.
I mean, it's cool, cuz I know they do that from time to time in weekends or late nights because New York subway is 100 years old after all, there should be something to be done.
So there was a shuttle bus that runs along the 7 line right?
I hopped on to the shuttle bus that says "Flushing Main St". I thought this should be it, so I dozed off in a short while after that. It was 12.30am, I remember.
I was awakened by a crowd that came onto the bus on 69th st Station. They started to make noise right after they packed the bus until some people's faces were almost pressing against the wind shield. I heard this Chinese lady sitting behind me yelling, "Cao ta ma de wang ba dan!! What the hell is going on anyway?! Making us go through all this bullshit?"
Then I started to realize that the driver announced that she will drive us back to 61st and Woodside Station and drop us there for an express train to Flushing!
Retarded right? You don't go forward but go backwards instead.
So you hear all kinds of curse words from different languages on the bus, it was fun. So everybody was pointing at the driver and took it all out on her.
But come on lah, be cultured and more understanding a bit can they? It's not the driver's decision to do so. However much she told them it wasn't her fault, they were still screaming at her. So finally she got fuckin' mad and yelled back to them, saying,
"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TO TALK TO ME LIKE THAT?!!!! I'M JUST DOING WHAT MY SUPERINTENDANT ASKED ME TO DO TO DRIVE YOUR ASSES OVER TO 61ST STREET WOODSIDE!!!!!!"
Apparently the crowd was instructed by MTA to go to this station and that, back and forth. So they were fuckin' pissed off.
Hey, I thought New York subway is already over 100 years old? Why can't they learn from experiences in handling these things?
Gargh... that's the story...
Yes, it's impressive most of the time because they run 24 hours, they're on time and etc.
Did you see me typing "impressive MOST OF THE TIME"?
Yes, sometimes it's just not happening.
You see, the other night I finished a gig in Brooklyn, took HJ's car to the "52nd-Lincoln Ave" 7 train station. 7 train didn't run because of construction work.
I mean, it's cool, cuz I know they do that from time to time in weekends or late nights because New York subway is 100 years old after all, there should be something to be done.
So there was a shuttle bus that runs along the 7 line right?
I hopped on to the shuttle bus that says "Flushing Main St". I thought this should be it, so I dozed off in a short while after that. It was 12.30am, I remember.
I was awakened by a crowd that came onto the bus on 69th st Station. They started to make noise right after they packed the bus until some people's faces were almost pressing against the wind shield. I heard this Chinese lady sitting behind me yelling, "Cao ta ma de wang ba dan!! What the hell is going on anyway?! Making us go through all this bullshit?"
Then I started to realize that the driver announced that she will drive us back to 61st and Woodside Station and drop us there for an express train to Flushing!
Retarded right? You don't go forward but go backwards instead.
So you hear all kinds of curse words from different languages on the bus, it was fun. So everybody was pointing at the driver and took it all out on her.
But come on lah, be cultured and more understanding a bit can they? It's not the driver's decision to do so. However much she told them it wasn't her fault, they were still screaming at her. So finally she got fuckin' mad and yelled back to them, saying,
"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TO TALK TO ME LIKE THAT?!!!! I'M JUST DOING WHAT MY SUPERINTENDANT ASKED ME TO DO TO DRIVE YOUR ASSES OVER TO 61ST STREET WOODSIDE!!!!!!"
Apparently the crowd was instructed by MTA to go to this station and that, back and forth. So they were fuckin' pissed off.
Hey, I thought New York subway is already over 100 years old? Why can't they learn from experiences in handling these things?
Gargh... that's the story...
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Chick Corea in KL
I missed him by just that little bit...
Not that it's hard for me to see him in action in NYC, but I wanted to meet him up in KL because I thought it would be more meaningful.
So his assistant told me that he won't be coming out into the crowd to do signing or anything, I was a bit disappointed really. But I passed my Evil Twin demo with "Crystal Silence" in it to his assistant anyway, I hope he will pass it to Chick.
Chick, if you're reading this man, please listen to my new stuff, I really want you to hear our rendition of Crystal Silence!
x x x x x x
I met Chick once in New York when I first got there, at Lincoln Center's Barnes and Noble bookstore. He was doing a book signing thing for L. Ron Hubbard's "To The Stars", which inspired him to write a suite that bears the same title for his Elektrick Band.
He was so nice to me he asked me to pass him my CD if I have one, and that he will listen to it. So I did and more than half a year later I found myself holding his letter with his real signature on it, wishing me all the best in my career!
I dunno if many people got this from Chick, but it certainly gave me BIG encouragement in doing my THING. It was the kind of moral support that you don't get everyday from legendary cats with his calibre.
Thanks Chick! I hope to see you some time in NY!
Not that it's hard for me to see him in action in NYC, but I wanted to meet him up in KL because I thought it would be more meaningful.
So his assistant told me that he won't be coming out into the crowd to do signing or anything, I was a bit disappointed really. But I passed my Evil Twin demo with "Crystal Silence" in it to his assistant anyway, I hope he will pass it to Chick.
Chick, if you're reading this man, please listen to my new stuff, I really want you to hear our rendition of Crystal Silence!
x x x x x x
I met Chick once in New York when I first got there, at Lincoln Center's Barnes and Noble bookstore. He was doing a book signing thing for L. Ron Hubbard's "To The Stars", which inspired him to write a suite that bears the same title for his Elektrick Band.
He was so nice to me he asked me to pass him my CD if I have one, and that he will listen to it. So I did and more than half a year later I found myself holding his letter with his real signature on it, wishing me all the best in my career!
I dunno if many people got this from Chick, but it certainly gave me BIG encouragement in doing my THING. It was the kind of moral support that you don't get everyday from legendary cats with his calibre.
Thanks Chick! I hope to see you some time in NY!
Sunday, March 11, 2007
My two nights with Boplicity
Heard about this band for a while since Julian dismissed his old band Happy People. Boplicity's hitting the scene with storm, I would say, even if nobody knows about it, I don't really give a shit, because they really are.
You know, I knew all the cats in the band except Cher Siang the pianist. I knew how they play and I also know them personally.
But after hearing the first tune they played in the first night in Top Room (March 9th), I felt that I didn't know them anymore.
What the fuck has happen to these people?!
EVERY SINGLE motherfucker in the band played like there is no tomorrow. Holy shit, everybody sets fire under my chair and burned my ass until I wanna jump!
Man to tell the truth, I was too surprised. See, I played with Martin before I went off to study in New York, but since then I didn't know how much he grew, I only knew he was talented and shit. But now, GODDAMN! He can play his ass off man!! He swings soooo damn much better... man if you're reading this, I'm fuckin' proud of you man, really, and I feel honoured to have played in the same band with you before.
Cher Siang, everybody was telling me about this cat, ravin' about him. Damn, he's really somethin' too, he definitely pushed the band so much ahead of its peers. He's the kinda player that would push you to show what you have. Great technique, great chops... what more can i say...
Vincent, damn, always so in tune and reliable, cool man.
Julian, mastermind behind this band, if it weren't him and his passion, this wouldn't happen. So obviously he's enjoying what they're doing on stage, he played his hearts out!!
And Eddie, you little prick, I rarely hear you solo before this, man, they told me you're a very musical person, and lemme tell you what, they're right!! You're deep man, you've got da soul!!! Really, I really enjoyed your solos..
So the second was designated for me, I went up as a special guest, and it became B+1.
I played Manda's Mood as opening, Cher Siang was a funny guy, he quoted the chorus of Chang Hung Liang's "Ni Zhi Dao Wo Zai Deng Ni Ma?" (Do you know I'm waiting for you?), we laughed our asses off. So I quoted the verse of the same song when I soloed. Haha! That was some funny shit. Only then I realized that this pop song actually only consists of 4 chords, Hahaha!!!
Then we played "Chloeithcka", oh my god, Julian on soprano almost literally took a knife and ripped his heart out and show it to the audience while it was still beating. You know what I mean? I think if there really is a God, he would have heard Julian's cry from the soprano that night. It pierced through the ceiling, the roof, the clouds, the atmosphere, the stars... I was touched...
Next, "Riders on the Lost Track". We were literally LOST... Vincent didn't really know how to play a joget bassline..hehe... But Julian saved it back... haha...
"Geylang" was the closing tune of the second set, now I could tell that most audiences didn't know what the fuck was going on with this tune. They looked so lost, as this tune is really experimental. It's based on the Malay folk tune, but reharmed in the way that you can play anything over it with D minor, but then we went while and started to avant-garde our asses off. That was really fun for us, but them kids down there were completely blanked... It was actually a very soulful and daring act of the night, too bad KL audiences didn't dig it.
Third set, was again mainly the Boppers' acts, I only joined in in the last two tunes, I thought I did alright...
The second night was almost the same, except we only played two of my tunes, which was Chloeitchka and Manda's Mood. The fire and passion were still the same from the Boppers.
I had a great experience, seriously, thanks Julian for asking me to play this gig. I felt emotionally, spiritually satisfied after these two long nights. I felt that I gave out all I had, and I felt good.
Thanks Boppers!
You know, I knew all the cats in the band except Cher Siang the pianist. I knew how they play and I also know them personally.
But after hearing the first tune they played in the first night in Top Room (March 9th), I felt that I didn't know them anymore.
What the fuck has happen to these people?!
EVERY SINGLE motherfucker in the band played like there is no tomorrow. Holy shit, everybody sets fire under my chair and burned my ass until I wanna jump!
Man to tell the truth, I was too surprised. See, I played with Martin before I went off to study in New York, but since then I didn't know how much he grew, I only knew he was talented and shit. But now, GODDAMN! He can play his ass off man!! He swings soooo damn much better... man if you're reading this, I'm fuckin' proud of you man, really, and I feel honoured to have played in the same band with you before.
Cher Siang, everybody was telling me about this cat, ravin' about him. Damn, he's really somethin' too, he definitely pushed the band so much ahead of its peers. He's the kinda player that would push you to show what you have. Great technique, great chops... what more can i say...
Vincent, damn, always so in tune and reliable, cool man.
Julian, mastermind behind this band, if it weren't him and his passion, this wouldn't happen. So obviously he's enjoying what they're doing on stage, he played his hearts out!!
And Eddie, you little prick, I rarely hear you solo before this, man, they told me you're a very musical person, and lemme tell you what, they're right!! You're deep man, you've got da soul!!! Really, I really enjoyed your solos..
So the second was designated for me, I went up as a special guest, and it became B+1.
I played Manda's Mood as opening, Cher Siang was a funny guy, he quoted the chorus of Chang Hung Liang's "Ni Zhi Dao Wo Zai Deng Ni Ma?" (Do you know I'm waiting for you?), we laughed our asses off. So I quoted the verse of the same song when I soloed. Haha! That was some funny shit. Only then I realized that this pop song actually only consists of 4 chords, Hahaha!!!
Then we played "Chloeithcka", oh my god, Julian on soprano almost literally took a knife and ripped his heart out and show it to the audience while it was still beating. You know what I mean? I think if there really is a God, he would have heard Julian's cry from the soprano that night. It pierced through the ceiling, the roof, the clouds, the atmosphere, the stars... I was touched...
Next, "Riders on the Lost Track". We were literally LOST... Vincent didn't really know how to play a joget bassline..hehe... But Julian saved it back... haha...
"Geylang" was the closing tune of the second set, now I could tell that most audiences didn't know what the fuck was going on with this tune. They looked so lost, as this tune is really experimental. It's based on the Malay folk tune, but reharmed in the way that you can play anything over it with D minor, but then we went while and started to avant-garde our asses off. That was really fun for us, but them kids down there were completely blanked... It was actually a very soulful and daring act of the night, too bad KL audiences didn't dig it.
Third set, was again mainly the Boppers' acts, I only joined in in the last two tunes, I thought I did alright...
The second night was almost the same, except we only played two of my tunes, which was Chloeitchka and Manda's Mood. The fire and passion were still the same from the Boppers.
I had a great experience, seriously, thanks Julian for asking me to play this gig. I felt emotionally, spiritually satisfied after these two long nights. I felt that I gave out all I had, and I felt good.
Thanks Boppers!
Thursday, March 08, 2007
SHIT!!! MY PHONE!!!!
Performance went well, had a nice dinner with CM's profs and Soo Wei too.
This morning, I found out that I slept a little too much comparing than usual, it felt pretty good, and I could use more if I wanted to. But then CM told me that we're going out and that I'm gonna head straight to airport from Bangkok.
So I didn't even bother to take a shower, we just went straight out after I made sure I had everything with me.
CM wanted to show Soo Wei his campus, so we went there by his housemate's car. After that, we hit the cab and headed to Bangkok.
After some typical Bangkok traffic jam, we came to this shopping mall called "MBK". It's a pretty messy place with lots of small stalls everywhere, selling t-shirts and other things, all imitations.
One thing I found out was, their original DVDs and CDs are so fuckin' cheap! So I bought a copy of Naqoyqaatsi which original score was composed by Phillip Glass and solos by Yo Yo Ma. Never a big Glass fan, I always thought that his film scores are way more interesting than his concert works. The price was 56 Baht, which means about RM 5.60!! DVD BABY!! And when I wanted to pay my money, the girl at the counter told me that it's a buy-one-free-one item!! So CM asked me to get the same one for him. I did. So I guess that's considered as my thank-you gift for his nice hospitality? Hehe...
Bought another two t-shirts in the mall, pretty funny ones.
After having McD's, I went up to a taxi again and said bye to CM and Soo Wei.... oh, and Bangkok. Yes, I was heading to the airport.
It wasn't till I got to the security checkpoint that requires me to clear all my pockets that I found out that I was there WITHOUT MY PHONE!!
Cursing "fuck me!" secretly, I was wondering where the hell it was.
Could it be in CM's room? Or his friend's car? Or one of the cabs???
Now that I checked with CM, calling him from home, I was quite sure that the phone slipped out quietly from my pocket when I was on one of the cabs.
Dammit... what a trip...
This morning, I found out that I slept a little too much comparing than usual, it felt pretty good, and I could use more if I wanted to. But then CM told me that we're going out and that I'm gonna head straight to airport from Bangkok.
So I didn't even bother to take a shower, we just went straight out after I made sure I had everything with me.
CM wanted to show Soo Wei his campus, so we went there by his housemate's car. After that, we hit the cab and headed to Bangkok.
After some typical Bangkok traffic jam, we came to this shopping mall called "MBK". It's a pretty messy place with lots of small stalls everywhere, selling t-shirts and other things, all imitations.
One thing I found out was, their original DVDs and CDs are so fuckin' cheap! So I bought a copy of Naqoyqaatsi which original score was composed by Phillip Glass and solos by Yo Yo Ma. Never a big Glass fan, I always thought that his film scores are way more interesting than his concert works. The price was 56 Baht, which means about RM 5.60!! DVD BABY!! And when I wanted to pay my money, the girl at the counter told me that it's a buy-one-free-one item!! So CM asked me to get the same one for him. I did. So I guess that's considered as my thank-you gift for his nice hospitality? Hehe...
Bought another two t-shirts in the mall, pretty funny ones.
After having McD's, I went up to a taxi again and said bye to CM and Soo Wei.... oh, and Bangkok. Yes, I was heading to the airport.
It wasn't till I got to the security checkpoint that requires me to clear all my pockets that I found out that I was there WITHOUT MY PHONE!!
Cursing "fuck me!" secretly, I was wondering where the hell it was.
Could it be in CM's room? Or his friend's car? Or one of the cabs???
Now that I checked with CM, calling him from home, I was quite sure that the phone slipped out quietly from my pocket when I was on one of the cabs.
Dammit... what a trip...
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