NickRolfe

2012-01-26T10:42:00.000-08:00

Friends and Family -

Hope everyone is staying warm and cozy during these cold Winter months! Make sure and put Thursday, Feb. 16th on your calendars; I will be performing with my band at Lincoln Center in NYC. Check the "Events" page for details. Hope to see you there!

Movie Update: Just received the 7th draft of the script for the upcoming feature film "Petunia" I will be appearing in, and let me tell you: it's gonna be GOOD!! At this point, looks like I will begin working towards the end of March into the beginning of April, on-location in Indiana and Chicago. Can anyone say "BRRRR!!"???

2011-12-12T21:16:00.000-08:00

Rocked an intimate little launch party with my boy Tomas Doncker for his new release "Power Of The Trinity", in Brooklyn, NY. We'll be coming to your area in 2012, so stay tuned for dates as I post them:

[MAKE SURE AND TURN OFF THE MUSIC PLAYER AT THE BOTTOM LEFT OF MY SITE WHEN WATCHING VIDEO SO YOU DON"T HEAR MUSIC AN VIDEO COMPETING FOR YOUR ATTENTION!]

2011-11-21T22:36:00.000-08:00

Hey friends and family -

Sorry I haven't been keeping you all up to date on what's been happening with me.....I've gotten PLENTY of complaints for not keeping you all posted!! So let me just remedy that right now.

2011 has been extremely busy for me with all kinds of interesting musical projects. Did lots of touring again with lots of great artists (Claudio Roditi, Maria de Barros, Chiwoniso Maraire, Morley Kamen, Elisabeth Withers to name a few), played on lots of other people's projects (Morley Kamen, Tomas Doncker, Marla Mase, Heather Powell) and just generally stayed busy. Very appreciative to be able to work with all of these great artists!!

As this year winds down, I'm looking ahead to some big things coming up in 2012! Besides working on some amazing recording projects (keep your eyes/ears out for an amazing upcoming project by the super talented Heather Powell....this girl can SANG!!!), and doing some shows with the super talented singer/dancer Mark Ballas (from "Dancing With The Stars"), I will appearing in another feature film (filming in Indiana in Feb/March/April of 2012) this one entitled "Petunia" (written/directed by Matthew Levandoski). I get to play a ruthless bad-guy this time around....and needless to say, I can't wait!! Stay tuned on updates as I get more info....I'll be sure to share everything I can about this one!

That's it for now....again, my sincerest apologies for not keeping you all updated with posts and photos of my travels this year....was a little overwhelmed with work and Life, and got a little behind on my site. I'll make sure and do a little better from now on!

Thanks for stopping by, and be safe.

One Love.

2011-01-05T15:12:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!! Just came back from an amazing tour in Africa (Senegal and Cape Verde) with the Maria de Barros band, and I want to shout out ALL the amazing, beautiful people I met while there!

2010-10-19T16:02:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all, hope everyone is groovy. Lots going on with me, so keep checking back for updates. Just did a video shoot for Kurweil Keyboards. I was asked to take home the Kurweil PC3LE6 and see what I thought, then do a demo video of the board. Fun stuff. Anyone who's into Kurweil boards should check it out!

2010-10-06T13:15:00.000-07:00

Just came back from a great tour in China with the Tomas Doncker Band! I want to send LOTS of love to all the fabulous fans we met in Shanghai, and assure you that we'll be back soon! Xie xie Shanghai!!

2010-07-31T16:19:00.001-07:00

ROCKED the spot with Nona Hendryx last night at Lincoln Center in NYC!!

2010-07-26T10:46:00.000-07:00

Here's a clip of one of the shows with Chiwoniso is Montreal!

2010-07-25T23:57:00.001-07:00

hey hey...just got back in from rockin' with the amazing, incredible, original Queen of Rock, Miss Nona Hendryx! The show was definitely off the charts, and another amazing chapter in my musical journey!

2010-07-18T13:31:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a GREAT tour of Canada (Toronto, London, Montreal, Ottawa, Warwick[NY]) with Zimbabwean artist Chiwoniso....she ROCKED every venue we set foot in! She plays the mbira and her music is a fusion of West African, South African, Latin, Jazz....killin' stuff. Definitely check her out at www.chiwoniso.com/!

2009-10-24T09:05:00.000-07:00

On tour in Mexico with Cape Verdean vocalist Maria de Barros. Great band, great music, great experience!

2009-09-23T19:02:00.000-07:00

Back in town from performing 3 nights solo (piano and vocals) in Bra, Italy!! The weather was not trying to cooperate AT ALL, but I still had SO much fun!! Big shout out to all the people from Turin and Bra who showed me so much love!! In the early stages of another possible trip to Italy in the beginning of the New Year, so stay tuned!! Thanks again Italy, my new home away from home! One Love.

2009-07-16T19:27:00.000-07:00

Just got back from performing in Aosta, Italy, up in the Alps...beautiful.....ate too much....played too little....but had LOTS of fun.

2009-03-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

Recorded a live CD/DVD at Cecil's in New Jersey this past weekend, and the product came out pretty hot! I'll make sure and post up some music and video clips once we get some from the editors/mixers. In the meantime, here's some shots:

2008-11-26T10:45:00.000-08:00

Just got done with a day of recording at the world famous BBC 1 Recording Studios in London, England with Atlantic Records recording arteeest Laura Izibor. She's a baaaad chick from Ireland, check her out!!
(www.laurizibor.com, www.myspace.com/lauraizibor)

2008-09-24T10:07:00.001-07:00

Had a big weekend in L.A. for the Emmys!! Unfortunately "Bernard and Doris" went 0 for 10 at the award ceremony, but at least we got nominated! Went to a very cool event for the launching of a foundation called "Love Sees No Color" put on by an international philathropist named Fred Nassiri who is fiercely spreading his message of World Peace. If you're interested in supporting or learning more about Fred and his cause, please visit: www.iwantpeace.com and www.nassirimusic.com.

2008-06-21T20:59:00.000-07:00

****FYI!!!**** "Bernard and Doris" has received 10 Emmy nominations!! Keep your fingers crossed!!!

Also, keep an eye out for ya' boy in the first episode of the upcoming second season of NBC's "Lipstick Jungle" airing this September!!!

2008-05-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

Just got back from rockin' the Cotton Club in Tokyo, Japan with my girl Angie Johnson. For anyone who DOESN'T know, you NEED to get her music in your life!! EXTREMELY talented musician, producer, performer. Check for her at:

www.myspace.com/angelajohnson1
www.angelajohnson.com/

Serious bidness y'all!!

Anyway, wanna shout out ALL the amazing people I met in Japan and thank you again for all the love you showed us!! Made the trip really beautiful!!

2008-05-02T06:35:00.000-07:00

Went back to Cabo Verde, Africa to play at the massive Gamboa Festival. As usual, the Cape Verdean people showed us a tremendous amount of love! Nothing eventful happened, just lots of good music. Big shout out to all my people in the C.V.!!

2008-03-25T21:25:00.000-07:00

Just got back from Luxembourg....rockin' with my girl Cherisse Bradley...had some fun.....wanna shout out all the cool people we kicked it with!!

2008-02-02T22:47:00.000-08:00

Got invited to speak before the NAACP tonight and present Susan Sarandon with the Rosa Parks Community Activist Award. She's a special woman...I had to research ALL the different ways she has committed to giving back to the community, and I was blown away. We're talking about being a U.N. Ambassador traveling to Africa and India, traveling to Nicaragua to protest social and economic inequality, working in soup kitchens in NYC feeding the homeless, condemning the U.S. government for their treatment of Haitian refugees, volunteering for WEEKS at ground zero after the 9/11 attacks, speaking out against the war in Iraq, and on and ON!! Needless to say it was a HUGE honor for me to be able to speak about all the ways she's stood up for what she believes with no regard whatsoever for possible risks to her very mainstream career. I'm even more of a fan after learning more about her. She's DEFINITELY the real deal.

2008-01-18T15:27:00.000-08:00

Got a chance to do something really special today: Was honored to be the "Celebrity Angel" on the Comcast Cable Network show "Everyday Heroes" and present the Project H.O.M.E. Foundation a big screen t.v. donated by Best Buy. Project H.O.M.E. was founded by Sister Mary Scullion and Joan Dawson McConnon in Philadelphia, PA to work towards ending homelessness and poverty and to date they've leveraged $40,000,000 dollars in equity towards housing and economic development in Philly. Truly a beautiful thing that they've started, and as a Philly born cat, it was an honor for me to be able to go back to the City Of Brotherly Love and present this gift to put in one of their Project H.O.M.E. residences so the people getting their lives back together can watch a 42" flat screen while their doin' it!! For more info check out: www.projecthome.org/
Here's a quick shot of me and "Everyday Heroes" host Lamont Graves choppin' it up

2008-01-16T15:39:00.001-08:00

Just got back from a tour in Cabo Verde, Africa. It was a great opportunity to play with some tremendous Cape Verdean musicians, and check out some of that African island culture. The style of music was a new one for me, but a beautiful learning experience and it really opened up my musical mind. Big shout out to all the people I met and hung with in Cabo Verde, One Love!

2008-01-16T15:26:00.000-08:00

2008-01-03T17:16:00.000-08:00

NJN came thru the studio today to shoot a feature on your boy. It's set to air on Feb. 8th so I'll keep you posted on that. Should be a cool little joint. They filmed me playing the piano, laying down some vocals on the new record and showing what the process is for recording vocals, and then came to the house for an interview. Here's a couple shots:

2007-12-06T13:40:00.000-08:00

In the lab: doing overdubs for the new Big Fun(K) project at John Lee's Alley Cat Studios....lookin' frustrated with that music right? A couple notes on the piano were out of tune...which explains the looks of frustration....

2007-10-17T17:17:00.000-07:00

Hangin' with the crew at BB King's, NYC

2007-10-11T08:14:00.000-07:00

Played at the Cayenne Jazz Festival in French Guiana, South America last week with blues/rock/r&b phenom Acantha Lang. Check my girl out at: www.myspace.com/acanthasingstheblues...she's SERIOUS....channeling the young Tina Turner vibe with her own original twist...high energy stuff y'all...we slayed 'em at the festival.
The people in French Guiana were very cool and we got a chance to check out the culture quite a bit. Some pics I can post, some I can't!!! Had a couple days on the Island of Guadeloupe amidst the grind...that, along with the good music we heard and played, made it all worth it. Check the pics below:

2007-10-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

2007-10-11T07:49:00.000-07:00

2007-10-06T18:17:00.001-07:00

2007-10-06T17:59:00.000-07:00

2007-09-04T07:54:00.000-07:00

Played a couple concerts on Mackinaw Island in Michigan. Very ummm.......interesting(?) place. It's up at the northern tip of Michigan and we had to: take a little ass prop plane from Detroit to a little ass airport called Pellston....it had stuffed bears....like, big bears that had been hunted then visited the taxidermist.....a few stuffed dear - kind of different for an airport, right?? Anyway, then we piled into a van and drove to a high speed ferry. Ferried across (what we think was) the convergence (sp?) point of the Great Lakes to Mackinaw Island THEN took a horse drawn "taxi" (no motors on the whole island...NONE....bikes and big ass horses ONLY) to the Grand Hotel. Not really diggin' the hotel....it's OLD-SCHOOL...formal attire after 6pm... HA!!!! You KNOW your boy had to rebel against that one...ain't rockin' no formal attire just to eat dinner, mannnnn!!! Anyway, forgot my camera at showtime, but here's some pics I got of the grounds. Didn't take too many pics 'cuz honestly? The whole place reminded me of history books I saw in school of plantations down South back in slavery days. Almost ALL of the working staff were black or brown (the majority were Jamaican, lots of Hispanic folks and a few Polish scattered here and there) and ALL of the patrons were white. The vibe was STUFFY to say the least. Now, understandably that place was NOT the cooly vacation spot for a forward thinking, progressive lifestylin', quasi-hippy, city boy like me!! Anyone who might be reading this who's from Mackinaw Island, or has deep endearing ties to the place...don't worry 'bout me...I just call it like I see it and keep it movin'. One Love.

2007-07-28T20:06:00.000-07:00

Played another show with my girl Angela Johnson today at Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn today.....had brothas playin' out in the middle of the park...with NO SHADE...was hot as fish grease.....think I burnt my fo'head......(sigh)....

2007-07-20T10:15:00.001-07:00

Had a good night on the town last night: Went to Joe's Pub to support my fellow cats on the GRIND. My man Russell Taylor (white shirt, hat) and Selan Lerner (shades) rocked the Brotha's With Voices set last night and did their thing. Of course I HAD to run into two of my homies: the FIERCE singer Martha Redbone (white dress) and her partner in life and crime Aaron Whitby, and FIERCE actor/singer Jene' Hernandez (purple)...too much talent in this city, y'all, gotta love it!! Keepin' me INSPIRED!!
Anyway, I'm off to Cleveland, Ohio to rock with my girl Angela Johnson.....try to get some good pics. Catch up soon.

2007-07-05T06:17:00.001-07:00

Here's some shots my homegirl Emra took in Juan Les Pins, South of France playing at a jam session at Hotel Meredienne after the concert. Thanks Emra!

2007-06-29T20:14:00.000-07:00

Rocked 'em tonight at the Sparta Summer Concert Series with Don Braden on saxaphone, Chris Parks on bass, Karl Latham on drums and myself on keys....playin' that FUNK!!...

2007-06-28T20:05:00.000-07:00

Had to run to the West Coast to deal with some music and then rest my soul a lil' bit....and when I say rest my soul, I mean REST MY SOUL! Snuck away to the soooooper seeeeecret hideaway for a couple days and took in some serious peace and quiet...the pictures speak more than a thousand words...your boy was CHILLIN'.......(yeah...that's my boot in the frame 3rd pic down...my bad).....

2007-06-20T14:43:00.000-07:00

Checked my girl Vivian Sessoms and her band, led by her husband Chris Parks, at the Village Underground for their pre-release/listening party supporting her new album "Sunny One Day". FIERCE y'all! You want the TRUTH in some SOULFUL, technically dazzling vocals?? CRAZY production and DOPE writing and arranging?? Check 'em out:
www.myspace.com/albrightmusic OR albrightmusic.com
You need this music in your life. Check it out.
Was a good hang, saw lots of my peoples supporting the cause: big up to my homegirls/songbirds Abby Dobson and Kendra Ross, Gary Foote, Kenyatta, Keith, big Shed...the list goes on. Good to see SO many talented people under one roof. THAT'S inspiration fo' yo' ASSSSSSSSS!! Made a brotha want to come home and right some music!! LOL!!

2007-06-11T07:26:00.000-07:00

Checked out my man Nick Payton and his band down at the The Jazz Standard couple nights ago: killin' em as usual.
All or any of you concerned with the future of jazz need NOT worry...it's in good hands!!
Had a quick shot of me, Nick and my man , percussionist Danny Sadownick

2007-06-08T07:22:00.000-07:00

Been in the lab, people....workin' on getting all these ideas out!! Stay tuned. This is at Tedesco Studios in Jersey with my pahtnas in crime: Reuben Rogers and Greg Hutchinson.....got some good tracking done!!

2007-05-31T13:14:00.000-07:00

Make sure and check out my brother, Patrick Rolfe, in the latest issue of Star Magazine (June 4th issue I think) out on newstands now. He was on the The Next Food Network Star (on...you guessed it- The Food Network!!) for his second time (show starts in June as well). Can't miss him, he's the handsome, bald-headed brotha on the show (and in the magazine). want to learn more about him and his style? Check him at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_nf_vote/.
Anyone need a personal chef with CRAZY skills??? Holla at me, he's your man!! One Love y'all!

2007-05-25T18:04:00.000-07:00

W'sup folks! Been SERIOUSLY absent and for that I have to apologize. Been up to a lot, so where do I begin....
Well, first, just got finished recording a BLAZIN' project with my homeboys Don Braden (tenor saxaphone), Gary Foote (electric bass), Karl Latham (drums) and myself on keyboards (no vocals from me on this project). The music is DOPE y'all!! A mix of some deep funk, jazz and drum and bass type ish. We all wrote originals and then did some new spins on some old gems (Jesus Children, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds and a few others). Can't wait for you to hear it!

Also, been working on my latest album which I did with Reuben Rogers (bass), Greg Hutchinson (drums) and myself on keys and vocals. Plus some special guests came thru and put their stamp on a few songs!!! I'll keep you posted on the progress of that too!

The latest update on Bernard and Doris is: it will premier at the Toronto International Film Festival this fall, and then be released on HBO. This is exciting for me because HBO is quite the powerhouse nowdays and will have my first movie in continous rotation. The looooong delay for the movies release was finding a distributor, but in walked HBO and we're ready to roll. For now. Lol!

Been getting lots a inquiries about where/when I'll be playing out again. My focus right now has been on acting and voice-over stuff (OR THE LACK THERE OF!!LOL!), so except for select side-man gigs, I've been laying low. But have no fear!! We're gearing up to hit hard when the new album is done, so stay tuned.

Oh yeah, and for those who wondered what happened with the Japanese deal (Columbia Japan)...let me just say it didn't pan out like they said it would. They got all caught up in when the moive was gonna be released and forgot about my MUSIC!! So, though even my debut single (in Japan) "Movin' On" stayed on the Japanese pop charts for 7 WEEKS, they didn't follow it up with anything else and let the record die. Not happy, but that's the biz. They were hoping to piggy-back on the free promotion the movie would bring and they gambled wrong. The movie's not out yet. Sigh. Ever onward.

Anyway, back on the scene and I'll be dusting off the camera and getting the photo journal poppin' again. Stay tuned for the new website which is under constuction as we speak. Time for a new look!! Holla!!

2007-02-26T19:31:00.000-08:00

Go 'head with that Oscar win brotha Forest (Whittaker)!! "bout time they reco'nized yo' skeeelz!!!

2007-02-15T09:09:00.000-08:00

...oh gawwwwd....now IRAN is the big, bad enemy???......come ON......must be an election year coming up.....all my New York City peeps remember the Color Coded Warning System (elevated to status Orange [more danger] then a few hours later back to status Green [we're safe!]??? Funny how it disappeared IMMEDIATELY after Bush got re-elected in 2005........guess we're all safe now ;)

2007-01-26T06:52:00.000-08:00

Lemme just ask a quick question: How the FUCK can the Administration allow spending $200 Billion PER WEEK in Iraq on some bogus-ass shit while our own people in New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf South are STILL homeless, broken and forgotten?? Katrina was, like, 20 months ago and people are in desperate need.....STILL.

WTF?

You saw the woman on news last weekend in New Orleans whose home is completely devastated? A shambles....an unlivable shell...she's jobless, has a gang of kids AND STILL HAS TO PAY HER MORTGAGE!?!?!??! Her home is GONE, and she still has to pay for it. Unbelievable. People living in trailors (if they're lucky) or living in third world conditions while Bush and his crew continue to send American troops and innocent civilians to an early grave in the name of oil....and not wanting to admit defeat.

WTF?

Honestly, how can this be justified?? The audacity of this cat in office is mind boggling. They claim the squabbling over getting the money to the Katrina victims is due to avoiding scams and fraud and making sure the money is allocated correctly.....come on now....

WTF?

Bush and his crew really MUST believe that the general population of the U.S. are dumbasses. First, the war in Iraq. No Dubya, we don't believe you're fighting this war to serve "the best interest of the American people". He actually said that shit. Fool, the American people are interested like a MUTHAFUCKA in getting their homes rebuilt, and getting some financial relief from a catastrophe that was caused by human error, neglect and procrastination.

And while we're talking about serving "the best interest of the American people": You guys weren't SERIOUSLY trying to allow illegal aliens subsidized health care and full Social Security benefits after 18 months while AMERICAN CITIZENS get A. NO SUBSIDIZED HEALTH CARE (Hells no, the HMO's gots to get PAID!) and B. don't qualify for full S.S. benefits for 10 years. Yes, we DO understand that American citizens are being put on the back burner so big business can continue to thrive by hiring cheap illegal labor.

WTF??

It's snowing in L.A., Vegas, Arizona and New Mexico. It's January. It's 70 degrees in New York City. It's WINTER. Global warming is a real concern. Bush and his cats pulled out of the Kyoto Conference (and multi-national annual conference which addresses and debates ideas to combat the very real and very pressing issue of Global Warming).

I don't get it. I've got kids whom I love more than words can express and whom I would die for without a second thought. Don't these fools love their kids?? I mean, don't they realize that all this bullshit they're doing in the name of the Almighty Dollar is leaving their own children a terrible inheritance?? And what about their kid's kids??? What kind of world is all these ignorant selfish decisions going to leave them?? They can't honestly care or they wouldn't be doing all this SHIT. Hope all the money they're making is worth it.

It makes me sad y'all. I'm feeling a little lost, because in reality there's absolutely nothing we can do with the current state of awareness. No one who has the power to make a difference REALLY seems to give a damn OR is too concerned about the repercussions to do anything about it....and that's FUCKED UP y'all. Think about that.
Shit, I'm in that same boat. You don't see my ass marching on Washington, making speeches on the news, etc. It's a terrible place to be in to have to question how much we really care about making change happen because the the Powers That Be, collectively, have the their heads ALL THE WAY up their asses.

BUT: the best thing we can all do is VOTE VOTE VOTE!! There are some exciting possibilites arriving in the political world and people who, if given a chance, I believe can make a difference and make history at the same time. Barak Obama anyone??
Voting seems like such a small thing, but it's powerful at the same time. I voted for the FIRST time in 2004 and it was surprisingly empowering (even though that fool stayed in the seat anyway) but check this out:

More people voted on American Idol than voted for the Presidential Election. A LOT more people. A few times over.

What. The. Fuck.

That's some heavy shit. And it's a little comforting too because it shows that when shit finally gets bad enough (American Idol??) people will get off their asses and MAKE change happen.

But DAMN.

WTF??????????

2006-12-21T19:20:00.000-08:00

Anyone need ideas for gifts to yo' ladies this Christmas?? This might help........(you might wanna turn off the music player at the bottom left of my homepage)

2006-07-22T16:59:00.000-07:00

That's it y'all....tour's over and I'm headed home [**SMILE**]...always nice to be headed HOME!!! Talk to you soon, Suckas!! LOL.

2006-07-22T10:58:00.000-07:00

Pori was tight.....Got a chance to hang with my man Sting...and met the President of the Republic of Finland, Tarja Halonen (redheaded woman).

2006-07-22T10:53:00.000-07:00

Mannnnn...last show of the tour was off the METER!! The Pori Jazz Festival in Finland.....crazy!!! Got lots of photos from the days events....here's some of the actual festival....camera lense wasn't wide enough to grasp what a crowd of 40,000 people looks like!!

2006-07-21T09:11:00.000-07:00

Whew....tour's winding down......layin' low in Helsinki, Finland for a couple of days...we open for Sting at the Pori Jazz Festival tomorrow, then take the looooonnnnngggggg-ass trip back to NYC on Sunday. It's a trip because in the summer, it's only dark for a few hours up here. These are pics from the tour bus at about 9:30pm........

2006-07-21T09:07:00.000-07:00

Bumped into my man Al Jarreau at the airport in Munich...the ORIGINAL playa!!! My man always got jokes!! LOL. Look how excited James Moody was to see Al!

2006-07-21T09:02:00.000-07:00

Playin' a little catch-up...the hotel in Wigan, England (outside Manchester) didn't have any internet....can you believe that? Lol. It's funny, 'cuz I felt totally isolated not being able to get on the net....what did we do in the days of no internet?? It's much easier on the road with AIM and video conferencing, etc, etc....makes it feel like I'm not 7,000 miles away from home! Anyway, here's a couple of quick shots from the concert in Wigan.....didn't get too many shots...just a couple of the band getting set up.

2006-07-17T22:55:00.000-07:00

North Sea Jazz Festival was cool. Saw ALL my boys over there...Cats that live 15 min away back in New York but I never see 'em...but 4,000 miles away we're hangin'!!! The festival was moved to Rotterdam this year.....kind of a drag...liked it better when it was at the The Hague. Currently in Munich....leave for England today. Talk to you later ;).

2006-07-16T11:09:00.000-07:00

In Pescara, Italy......looking at the Adriatic Sea out my hotel window.....nice, fresh air......a brotha could get used to this ;), lol.
Good concert...saw some people I met in Milan last March.....small world!

2006-07-16T10:53:00.000-07:00

Rollin' thru the mountains in Italy...left Rome this morning, heading to Pescara on the coast.....here's some shots from the tour bus.....

2006-07-13T17:44:00.000-07:00

South of France today...Juan Les Pins...right next to Nice....bee-yoo-dee-ful......stage was right on the water...piano facing the ocean.....one of those moments, you dig? Concert was great...had some guests come sit in with the band...took another dark-ass photo of the crowd...don't laugh...tryin' to include the crowds in the journal..they're givin' us so much love!!! Threw in the obligatory view from my hotel room...Italy tomorrow...Rome then Pescara...lata gata's....

2006-07-12T15:58:00.000-07:00

Played the first show of the tour tonight...it was a'ight...warm-up show...workin' out the cobwebs...here's some pics of the soundcheck and dark ass pics of the crowd.....South of France tomorrow...until then....au voir (sp?)

2006-07-11T03:09:00.000-07:00

Left NYC last night (5pm 7/10) and arrived safe and sound in Ljubljana, Slovenia (10:30 am 7/11). Got the dope, brand spankin' new Benz tour bus.. heh, heh....anyway first concert is tomorrow night...'bout to go to sleep and hang a little tonight...gonna see the ballet perform at the festival tonight. Here's photos from JFK and landing in Slovenia. They have Animal Planet on the hotel tv!! In English!!!

2006-07-07T07:03:00.000-07:00

FINALLY got the itinerary for the upcoming tour. Here goes:

Mon 10/07/06 Leave New York
Tue 11/07/06 Travel to Ljubljana, Slovenia
Wed 12/07/06 Concert Ljubljana, Slovenia
Thu 13/07/06 Concert Juan les Pins, France
Fri 14/07/06 Travel to Rome, Italy
Sat 15/07/06 Concert Pescara, Italy
Sun 16/07/06 Concert Rotterdam, Netherlands
Mon 17/07/06 Concert Munich, Germany
Tue 18/07/06 Travel to Manchester, UK
Wed 19/07/06 Concert Wigan, UK
Thu 20/07/06 Travel to Helsinki, Finland
Fri 21/07/06 Day Off Helsinki?
Sat 22/07/06 Concert Pori, Finland
Sun 23/07/06 Return to New York

If I'm gonna be in your neck of the woods, come out and say hello!!!

2006-07-05T21:47:00.000-07:00

Caught my man, saxophonist Jacques Schwarz-Bart (also known as Brother Jacques) and his new band down at the Fat Cat tonight. He got signed to Universal Records and has a new album dropping this fall. Jazz, Soul and Afircan rhythms from his native island of Guadaloupe. Very very very very DOPE music. Check him out!

2006-07-04T15:59:00.000-07:00

Been tryin' to support my peeps doin' their thang!!! Here's some shots of two of my favorite crews out doin' it right now: Heavy (Nicky Guiland and Casey Benjamin...the pictures with the reddish lights in the background) and Lab Addicts (my man JTC and his crew...the darker pics). Keep it movin' y'all!!

2006-06-26T18:57:00.000-07:00

Whew!!! Finished up at the Blue Note last night with Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band....6 nights in a row, 2 sets a night......a BEAUTIFUL experience. It was an honor to get to share the stage with these luminaries of Jazz. James Moody, Jimmy Heath, Slide Hampton.....even Clark Terry came down last night and performed with the band. These are truly some of the last, living innovators of Bebop Jazz music, and playing night after night with these cats was an amazing experience. Seeing these guys in their 80's getting up night after night and playin' their asses off was about as inspirational as it gets! Plus working with some of my contemporaries such as: Roy Hargrove, Antonio Hart, Steve Davis, etc. made me proud of my generation of musicians. These guys have put in so much time on their instruments that now it's effortless. They blow their horns straight from the heart, and THAT'S the real shit right there! ALL these great musicians, young and old, DEFINITELY inspired me to work even harder at my craft.
Hard work!! Man, I'm wiped out!! The level of concentration necessary to read these lonnnggggggg-ass big band charts caught me by surprise! Some of these charts (music charts) are 11 pages long!! Brotha was comin' home e'ry night beat DOWN!! Lol!! Looking forward to the tour! Watch out world, these cats are NOT playin' around!!!!

2006-06-15T17:56:00.000-07:00

Hey Y'all!!! I know, I know...been SLIPPIN' on the journal entries!! I apologize....been rippin' and runnin' like crazy!! Let's see, where do I start:
Got some cool shows coming up this month: I'll be at the Blue Note with my homegirl Julie Dexter...Atlanta-based (by-way-of London, England). I'll be back at the Blue Note for a whole week with the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band, and finally I'll be uptown with my man Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Make sure and check all the details on my "events" page!!
Had a GREAT trip to Los Angeles. Played some great music, hung out with some EXTRA cool people (....anyone seen my shopping cart?? lol...u know who i'm talkin' too....) and had a great interview and photoshoot with Ms. Donna Dyson for her Dysonna Magazine.
Getting geared up to head back overseas in July for another tour of Europe (3rd one in '06), this time with the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band...will be fun...hitting all the big summer festivals...I'll post the itinerary soon. Come say hello if we're in your area.
Last but not least, working on some nice opportunities with my newest record, "The Mind Of An Evolutioary"...don't wanna say too much just yet, but when everything is finalized you'll be the first to know!!!
As usual, I'll be taking my camera on tour so during my travels I'll be keeping you visually updated on a daily (or close to it!) basis. Until then.....
Peace.

2006-05-05T16:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo, suckas!!!!

2006-05-01T06:43:00.000-07:00

Alright, I HAVE to vent: Has anyone been following the immigration rallies that are going on right now?? Hundreds of thousands of protesters have been rallying in support of illegal aliens or, more politically correct, undocumented immigrants. I guess for me, a few things come to mind because I'm looking at this issue from a lot of different angles.

First and foremost: Once again it has been made undoubtedly clear that this country is driven by the dollar. Here's the two deepest levels that the immigrant issue reinforces that truth.

A. Where the FUCK were the protesters spilling out into the streets in the hundreds of thousands to demand support of the hurricane Katrina victims???? Major companies are closing there doors in support of undocumented immigrants (ex: Purdue Chicken, Goya Foods)...but not for Katrina victims??? Katrina was a backhand to the face of people of color seen by the ENTIRE WORLD (finally). Bush FUCKED UP in front of the ENTIRE WORLD (again). The ENTIRE WORLD saw that we're not making this up (at last)...yet almost 1 year later, with a new hurricane season fast approaching, nothing has been done. Where are the hundreds of thousands of protesters??? Where are the major companies closing their doors in support?? Believe me, I'm not just pointing fingers...I could have done more. I donated money and clothes and said, "Okay, I've done my part", but that wasn't enough. But I HONESTLY didn't believe that the government would do NOTHING about it. Where were all the black folks in this country??? We should have been out in the streets in the hundreds of thousands protesting the events up to and after the hurricane. We weren't. Look at the latinos in this country standing up for their (figurative) brothers and sisters who are undocumented immigrants...in the HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS. As far as support from the business world...not gonna happen. undocumented immigrants are a major part of the work force in this country; underpaid, no insurance, no worker's rights....they're expected to shut up, work hard, and be happy they even have a job. This equals MO' MONEY for the companies so OF COURSE they're going to speak out in favor of reformed rights and NOT a huge fence to keep them out.

B. This country is outsourcing more and more of it's work force every year. The population of this country is approximately 295,734,134 people. Over 5% of those people are unemployed in this country at this very moment. You do the math. Roughly 15 million Americans out of work. Why isn't there a massive reform to get them work. I mean, that's what the immigration issue is really about, isn't it?? Puttin' cats to work with as little overhead as possible, right?? Where are the protesters in the HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS trying to get unemployed United States citizens a JOB??? Tax payers are going to spend their hard earned money on getting immigrants work in this country, who will in turn be stepping over homeless, jobless Americans on the way to their new jobs. Ain't THAT a bitch. Once again, what does that say about how our government feels about poor people in this country-CITIZENS born and raised in this country-who are overwhelmingly people of color?

Now, my position is NOT anti-immigrant. A huge fence to keep people out is ridiculous. I feel everyone should have a right to reside in this country, but through PROPER CHANNELS. Get visas, work permits, etc. Put the time in, petition for permanent residency. Audition dammit!! No other country on this planet would let someone just show up, start working and demand benefits and workers rights without becoming a citizen of that country. It's a tough issue. Most of the people who want to come to this country want to work and give their families the best life they can...the ever elusive "piece of the American Dream" and I can feel that. They should be allowed that chance. But WHEN is the government of this country going to start focusing on ALL of the AMERICAN people for a change???? Focus on the problems Americans are dealing with IN this country. Who's rallying and protesting for the poor, jobless Americans of color??

2006-04-27T11:43:00.000-07:00

Just got the call to go on another European tour, this time with the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band (as the piano player of course!). That should be alot of fun...nice to get back to my roots and play some great music. Bebop Jazz baby!! Tour's not until July, but I'll be sure and keep everyone in the mix with my infamous photojournals! To all my overseas friends, looks like I'll be seeing you again very soon! Now get out and enjoy this weather dammit!!! (Beautiful weather in the northeast United States).

2006-04-23T23:20:00.000-07:00

Sigh.....the gig tonight with Malcolm-Jamal Warner was a DRAG!!!! I feel SORRY for the people who showed up and paid all that money to see the show. It had nothing to do with any of the musicians either, it was crazy technical and sound problems. The venue was basically unprepaired for the band, had HORRIBLE sound issues- loud feedback, crazy buzzes and crackles while we were playing, complete cut-out of keyboards...DURING the show- and it was really a drag. Fucked the whole vibe of the show up. Was a little embarrasing.
All the individual musicians did their thing, Malcolm did his thing, even Anwar from last years American Idol showed and sang a few tunes.
Here's a couple shots from the show....

2006-04-18T19:09:00.000-07:00

Anyone ever checked out that clothing line Affliction?? It's kinda DOPE. Definitely not for everyone, but if you're into steppin' outside the box with your fashion...check it out.
On the music tip, just found out I'll be playin' keyboards for Omar (U.K. nu-soul pioneer) at the end of April, in Jersey. Check the events page for details.

2006-04-10T12:38:00.000-07:00

W'sup Er'body!?! Spring is here....I'm LOVIN' it!! Most definitely my favorite time of year. I've been getting LOTS of inquiries about when I will be playing with my band again in the area AND why haven't we been playing shows recently. The answer my friends is very simple: Money. I spent a TON of money last year on my new record, promoting my band/record and booking shows and now I need to stack s'mo! I'm playing in other bands right now to do just that. Also, with the movie coming out this year (hopefully!) I'm planning a pretty serious publicity push. So needless to say, there's a lot goin' on....just behind the scenes!!
Got some shows coming up with some great artists (Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Kim Hill, Julie Dexter, Benny Golson) so come out when you can.
Oh yeah, check this shit out...it's pretty hilarious: http://www.funnyjunk.com/v/237X

2006-03-06T15:07:00.000-08:00

Home safe and sound. Here's a few shots a photographer sent from the show in Zagreb, Croatia.

2006-03-04T14:46:00.000-08:00

Well y'all that's it....tours over. Played our last show tonight at Birdland in Vienna, Austria. Had a great time, tired as hell, ready to get some rest when I get. Talked to my kids yesterday and the little one informed me that next time I go away I have to take her with me. Awwwwwwwwwww.....is that tug on the heartstring or WHAT?? Definitley be good to be with my family again. This tour actually when by pretty quickly. It was only 2 weeks but it felt like about 5 days. mostly because we were bouncing from country to country, so that tends to make time go by fast. Got about 3 hours of sleep the WHOLE tour (slight exaggeration). The plane ride home will be the time to catch up on sleep deprivation. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed the play-by-play. Here's some pics of the band posing with some fans after the last show of the tour. Peace.

2006-03-03T10:47:00.000-08:00

....sound checkin' in Vienna, Austria.....

2006-03-01T17:05:00.000-08:00

Another HOT show tonight, this time in Brussels, Belgium. The crowds have been off the chain with their energy, so needless to say...under those circumstances, we've been SLAYIN' 'em!!! Brussels is a beautiful city, and very ethnically diverse. It is considered the capital of Europe (NATO is based here, European Parlaiment is based here, etc, etc). Met all kinds of people from everywhere....literally. Snowed like crazy when we got into town. Leave tomorrow for Bratislava. Holla.

2006-02-28T18:19:00.000-08:00

...on the road to Budapest, Hungary.....this is really fascinating.....this area (former Yugoslavia) was a BITTER war zone less than ten years ago.....some people we have met fought in the war (Serbia against Croatia) including our driver Eddie [pictured above]-who,consequently gave me dapp like a brotha from Brooklyn, loves hip hop, and dated one of the 30 black people in Croatia.....30 black folks in the WHOLE country. Eddie fought in the war for 2 years and when asked what it was like, he said, "War is a tricky business". That answer was SO profound to me, not only because of it's understated nature, but because of the look on his face when he said it. He obviously experienced some very terrible things in his contribution to the fight for his country's independence. It made me feel a couple of ways:

Initially I had a feeling of immense admiration for this man (and the rest of the Croation people) who witnessed horrors unimaginable and risked EVERYTHING for their homeland. I mean, DAMN...what other reason to go to war but for the safety and well being of your family and your people?

Then I felt ashamed to be from a country that is fighting a war on foreign soil for profit. American soldiers and innocent civilians are experiencing these same horrors of war over a natural resource and to appease Big Business. That's some FUCKED UP SHIT (excuse my Taiwanese).

Let me just end my little sight-seeing-tour-guide-turned-into-random-political-rant by saying: It's been vedy, vedy intedestink (sorry, all this time in Croatia, Slovenia, and Hungary and I'm catchin' myself talking with this funny accent...) watching the news over here these days...getting a drastically different angle - a less one sided angle - on what's going on in the Iraq, and the methods the U.S. is using to do some ILL shit.

[Sigh]....it's a real drag because I LOVE being an American and I feel SO fortunate to call the U.S. my home, but our government is really doing some gangster shit on a global scale and daring someone to stop them.

[Sigh again].....(the kind where your lips flap together and make that funny noise)....

...it makes me feel very grateful that I have the opportunity to travel around the world and share a very beautiful side of American culture (black music) and be profoundly inspired by the people I get to meet. Really puts things into perspective.
Hey, anyone see the last episode of Wife Swap?

2006-02-27T16:46:00.000-08:00

WOW! Flew into Ljubjana, Slovenia yesterday (pronounced: Loo-bee-yah-na) and it was incredibly beautiful. Snow, mountains and wilderness......really nice. The people were extremely friendly, albeit a little curious. Moved on to Zagreb, Croatia today and played at Aquarius tonight. All I can say is: DAMN. These folks LOVE some music. PACKED house on a monday night, and diggin' the music like you wouldn't believe. Made brothas feel like rock stars.....it was really a beautiful night. The band fed off all the energy the crowd gave us and blew the roof off the place. Two encores: 1st one was Cameo's "Single Life", 2nd was Erika Badu's "On and On"....when I say the crowd went C-R-A-Z-Y, that's an understatement. Heading to Budapest tomorrow, then Brussels from there. Stay tuned............

Here's some pics of the show in Zagreb, Croatia: setting up the keyboards at soundcheck, checking out Alison's poster in the club, and the crowd showing us love at the gig. The lil dude all bundled up is a new friend I made at the airport in Slovenia. Lil man was just chillin like he had EVERYTHING under control.

2006-02-26T03:33:00.000-08:00

As promised, here's the shots form the stage at the Wardrobe Club in Leeds, England. Look at lil mama rockin' 'em!!!! Crowd loved it! The two brothas you don't recognize are the drummer (Julien Brown) and bass player (Chris Brown) from London.

2006-02-25T07:59:00.000-08:00

W'sup y'all. About a week into our European tour. Haven't been able to get online in some of the places we've been, so I haven't been able to keep you updated. We were in Milan, Italy for the past couple of days. The gig went well, but the weather was TRAGIC....cold and pouring down rain. Almost had to rumble with a group of loud, rude Italians who were making fun of my girl Alison (the frontwoman and ONLY woman on this tour). Apparently big, beautiful afros are amusing to them (the group of Italians). They were being incredibly obnoxious behind Alison's back in the customs line (she was unaware of the whole thing). They didn't know I was with her and of course.....I had to regulate. When the Italians got through the line I rolled up on the cat that was bein' the biggest ass. Took off my sunglasses and walked right up in his face and gave him the illest mean-mug. He wasn't quite sure what to do. It was pretty funny actually, cuz I was just standing in his face lookin' at him crazy. After I made my point, I shouldered through him, bumping him out of the way and caught up with the rest of the band. When they the rest of the Italian cats got their luggage and walked past us trying to leave, we let them know we could take it wherever they wanted to, but they wanted none. Easy to make fun of a 5'1", 98 lb. woman, but it's a little different when she's with four big, grown men her are like her big brothers. They wanted NONE. Nothing crazy....not trying to get arrested or act ignorant. just let folks know we don't play that. We keep our girl safe on the road, believe that!! The funniest shit is, she wasn't even aware of what was going on the whole time!!
Anyway, in the U.K. now, Leeds to exact.....playing tonight and have tomorrow off. Monday we head off to Eastern Europe (Slovenia and Croatia), so if I can get an internet connection, I'll take some pictures for you guys and post them on the journal. Talk to you soon!!

2006-01-28T20:28:00.000-08:00

I just want to take a moment to philosophize a lil bit about how much I appreciate all the beautiful women on this planet, and all the different ways "beauty" is manifested. Can I get an amen (well)??

First of all, let me clarify: this is not about a shallow once over, "big titties, fat ass" type of vibe. This is some good old down-to-earth stream of consciousness about all of you: tall, short, thick, thin, black, white, yellow, brown, eyes, lips, hands, feet, eye brows, smiles, teeth, necks, shoulders.......everyday you make a brotha SMILE.
I just want to thank all the beautiful women on the planet for keeping us men tryin' to be cool. For real. Cats wouldn't be in the gym if it wasn't for y'all. Cats wouldn't be tryin' to be educated if it wasn't for y'all. Learning to cook? Fuggetaboudit. Learned of world events? Hell naw. Tryin' to be all brave an' shit in traumatic situations even when we're scared as hell too? Huh uh. If it weren't for y'all we'd be runnin' like be-yotches. Callin' each other names an'shit. No fisticuffs. No Mixed Martial Arts. NFL uniforms? Sweatpants and hoodies. Fuck it, t-shirts and shorts. No overwhelming populations in prisons...huh uh...none of that. Some of that sounds negative, I know, but all your beauty adds spice to life on earth, good and bad.

Let me list all the benefits your beauty has brought me personally:

1). I have developed the ability to hold my breath for an un-naturally long length of time. It's not like I TRY to puff out my chest and suck in my gut when you're around, it's like a knee-jerk reaction. A beautiful women anywhere close and I'm like a male bullfrog in the height of mating season in the Amazon Rainforest: puffed up. But, this new ability would come in handy if I was ever in a ferry accident in the middle of the Balkan Sea...shit....by now, my ass could swim smooth back to the mainland.....underwater. Thank you. One day you could save my life.

2). You have given me the ability to detect the ever slightest recession of my hairline. Un-noticable to the human eye, but because of your beauty my hairline vision rivals that of the American Bald Eagle. You have given the men in this world the ability to develop new and exciting ways to achieve maximum coverage with minimal product. All the makings of a successful insurance broker. Because of you my children will never go hungry if I go bust as an artist. Again....thank you.

3). You have increased the capability of my imagination. I now have the ability to imagine, on a daily basis, that somehow I'm different from all the other dudes out there. I actually imagine that I DON'T make a fool of myself and do the most ridiculous things when in the presence of a beautiful woman. The deep, introspective stare off in the distance, slightly clenched jaw [for the super-hero jawline effect] and of course the afore mentioned puffed up chest (blood pressure spiking dangerously and that big-ass vein in side of my neck throbbing from not breathing).....not me. Or staying in the gym for an extra hour because one of you walked in just when I was getting ready to leave....throwing my muscles into a fit of aniphylactic shock...never. This also doubles as raising the level of my physical fitness. Shit, holding those poses is a workout!! Mark another one down to the ladies for lengthening my life expectancy due to an active lifestyle.

4). Most importantly, you've given me the gift of higher self-esteem. Given me a stronger sense of belief because I actually BELIEVE that if a beautiful woman has come over to the same section as me in the grocery store, or the gym apparatus next to me (at the umm, gym), or pulled up to the same traffic light as me, it's because she finds herself unexplainably yet wildly, almost animalistically attracted to me. This level of belief in me would make Reverend Doctor Martin Luther The King proud. He thinks he had a dream? Sheeeeit. R. Kelly believes he can fly? Amateur. For this again: th-th-thaynk ya (praise him).

In closing, I just want to say that I miss nothing. I see beauty in all of you and it makes me smile every day. I see the same beauty in my daughters as I watch them grow into strong, intelligent, willful little creatures. I can't imagine (and don't want to!!) a world without ALL of you. You're neccessary. Take it from me. I wouldn't lie to you. I'm different dammit........

2006-01-19T12:52:00.000-08:00

My homegirl on myspace (w'sup Country Soul!!) hipped me to this video clip. This is CRAAAAAZZZZZYYYYY. Check it out:

2006-01-11T22:11:00.000-08:00

I know, I know......I've been fuckin' up with the journal entries....been waaaaaaayyyyyyy underground for a minute. Needed to take some time and recharge the internal battery, you dig? 2005 was a serious year for me creatively and I think I gave ALL I had.....by the time the Holidays rolled around I was DONE.....SPENT....had no more to give (creatively speaking).
Anyhoo, now I'm re-energized and ready to roll. Been writing some new music that I'm really excited about. It's very harmonically rich and complex.....some interesting use of odd meter but focused VERY heavily on melody. No vocals I think....strictly an instrumental record this time.....I think. Kind of like some jazz fusion type shit....very fabulous.......so far anyway. I usually love my music for about 15 minutes and from then on it all sounds like shit (yeah, yeah, the whole "tormented artist" thing is real. Not that serious, but very real).
A lot of you have been asking about the release of the movie and here is what I know so far: Sony Pictures has shown some interest in picking up the film (as a distributor. This would be LOVELY). Tentatively, the movie will be released in March 2006. Now, for the disclaimer: This is info that the assistant to the director told me at the wrap party....it was late.....she was drunk....enough said. If the above info is in any way wrong or felonious....it's not my fault. I'm only the messenger. But she told me this info with such.....authority. It must be true. When I hear more info OR if the above stated info is unconditionally confirmed.....you'll be the first to know.

Thank you and goodnight.

p.s. Saw "A History of Violence" last weekend. That was an amazing movie. Cronenberg is a SERIOUS cat.

2005-12-29T11:18:00.000-08:00

Got a nice artist feature in American Superstar Magazine, check it out:

www.americansuperstarmag.com

(cut and paste the link into your browser if you can't go directly to the link)

Happy freakin' New Year!!!!!

2005-12-22T06:48:00.000-08:00

Got the still shots back from the Joe's Pub gig. Check 'em:

2005-12-18T18:28:00.000-08:00

W'sup y'all- Been SUPER busy, so sorry for the lack of journal entries!! The show at Joe's Pub with Anthony David was HOT!! Unfortunately it was 15 degrees outside so a lot of folks didn't make it out....still a full house though!! Thanks to everyone who made it out!! Shot live DVD and a bunch of still shots, so as soon as I get the stills back I'll post them up on the site. Went to hear my man Omar rock Southpaw in Brooklyn Saturday night and as usual he rocked the house. Also as usual, a bunch of New Yorks most talented artists came out to show some love. Here's some pics of the night:

2005-12-04T20:15:00.000-08:00

Ha!! The episode of "The West Wing" that I played piano on aired tonight....that shit was hilarious.....my big, crazy, blue labradorite ring on my left hand got ALL the airtime!!! LOL!! Imagine that.....upstaged by a piece of jewelry.......sigh.....

2005-12-01T02:54:00.000-08:00

The movie's a wrap!!! Had my last scene on Wednesday. Went out with another love scene and I'm done. This love scene was VERY different from the previous one I told you guys about. Much more intense and heated. Where the other love scene was about a relationship and genuine feelings between two people, this final scene was ALL about lust and desire. My character cheats on his woman with her maid...in the kitchen...on the table. It's wild to do a scene like that with another person, because even though it's not completely real, it's still very sexy and you're still sharing a moment that has a very erotic element to it. Then you remember that it's pretend, there's other actors and crew standing all around watching, and then you hear "Cut!!". Very interesting duality. I can see why actors sometimes hook up after filming together. You develop a closeness (not romantic, but not far from it either) fairly quickly because you're both throwing away any insecurities you may have and building together to portray a situation, or emotion and make it believable. In doing this I think you share a very raw, naked (sometimes literally AND figuratively), intimate side of yourself, because you're basically stripping yourself down and being reborn into that situation or emotion. Intimate in the same way as a musician performing for an audience. As a performing musician I feel like I expose a very personal, raw, intimate side of myself when I'm sharing my music with an audience and I think that's what fans are drawn to. I know when I see someone who is putting off a very honest, raw energy, I'm definitely drawn closer in. This is the bond I've experienced to some degree between actors. Granted, everybody was EXTREMELY cool and got along very well on this set. I was told it's not always like that. I can only imagine how difficult it would be to work with someone you REALLY don't like. I heard some fuckin' HILARIOUS stories of on-set disgust and sabotage.
Anyway, the whole experience was one of a lifetime for me. Definitely something I'm going to explore more. I'm the type of cat who wants to be constantly challenged and pushed out of my comfort zone to reach new levels of knowledge about myself and my abilities and acting has DEFINITELY done that!
So that's it y'all! I tried to bring you along with me on this adventure as often as I could. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!!!

2005-11-22T23:49:00.000-08:00

....okay, so acting really IS hard work. It's hard work in a way that I've never experienced before. The best way to explain it is "emotionally and physically draining", but in a very positive way. Make sense? If not, try to make it work, cuz I'm too tired to explain it today. Had to be on set at 7a.m. and didn't leave until 8:30pm...and got NO sleep last night. Today was great though. Experienced my first love scene and it was very....interesting. Acting like you're having sex with someone on the floor with a camera in your face, and boom mic over your head and a room full of people is.....well, like I said, interesting. Not as uncomfortable as I imagined it might be, and of course, I got paid to pretend I'm making love to Susan Sarandon...not uncomfortable at all!!! I definitely have a renewed respect for how actors work their craft, and it's been an HONOR to sit back and watch Susan and Ralph do their thing. They're amazing. One more day of shooting for me and, as they say, "it's a wrap!"
Thanksgiving is tomorrow so......Love, Peace and Turkey Grease!!

2005-11-17T03:52:00.000-08:00

The movie is going really well! The set is cool (an old mansion in Long Island, NY) and the shots that they're putting together all have great vibe! Earlier this week we shot all the music scenes and that was a lot of fun. I played piano and sang, then Susan sang "All I Need Is You" while I accompanied her, then finally Ralph sang, "I Love The Way You're Breaking My Heart" while I accompanied him. They were cool scenes....can't wait to see how they look when they're edited! Yesterday I had a scene where my character is kind of "verbally jousting" with Ralph's character...we start out very wary of each other, then his character kind of wins me over with his humor. Very cool.

2005-11-07T19:32:00.000-08:00

Well, it's official! Had my first day on-set of "Bernard and Doris", and filmed my first scene with Susan and Ralph. Very cool. They were crackin' me up between takes, clownin' around. Today we shot the scene where I get thrown out by Doris, because I get caught doin' the maid in the kitchen....shameless I tell ya....so I swiftly get the boot. My character DEFINITELY doesn't know a good thing when he has it!! Met most of the cast today too....everybody's super cool and supportive. Going to be fun to work with everybody. Keep you posted. Peace.

2005-11-03T06:27:00.000-08:00

Went to a wardrobe fitting for the movie last night. The film is 'spose to take place in the 80's....I just can't escape that era can I???!! (See journal entry for The West Wing taping if you're confused). I just don't remember the gear bein' SOOOO .....corny. At least all the stuff they had me fitted with was warehoused/archived (lol) Donna Karen gear...but DAMN. Paisley shirts? As long as they don't pull out the MC Hammer diaper pants, it's all good!

2005-11-01T08:26:00.000-08:00

Took the chunks out for Halloween last night. It took the little ones a minute to work out "Trick or Treat" and "Thank You"...and in what order to say it. At first they were rollin' up on the their victims saying "Thank You!" before they even got the candy...no "Trick or Treat"...just "Thank You". Once we got the "Trick or Treat" together they started rollin' up on folks saying, "Trick or treat thank you!!!"....finally we got them working with the "Trick or Treat", snatchin' the candy, then "Thank You". Heres some pics of the fabulous costumes...in case you can't tell, I was ummm,......I was a butterfly.....notice the orange puffy antennae?

2005-10-27T01:31:00.000-07:00

Hey Everybody!! Shit, it's been a CRAZY week. As you know by now I was offered a role in the upcoming film "Bernard and Doris", which I gratefully accepted, and it's a truly amazing thing. The film is about the eccentric life of tobacco billionairess Doris Duke and her butler, whom she left her entire fortune to when she passed.The role I'll be playing is cool and involves a lot of different creative looks which I'm very excited about. My character is Doris' lover......a jazz piano player, so I'll be playing and singing, but also interacting with the main characters in the story. What!!??!! I met Susan Sarandon (who plays Doris Duke) yesterday and read over the script with her and the director (a tremendous actor in his own right, Robert Balaban) and it was truly my pleasure. She is SO laid back, SO cool, SO open and SO gracious. An extremely warm, beautiful person. I can't wait to work with her!
Start shooting on the 9th of November. I'll keep y'all posted!

2005-10-24T15:20:00.000-07:00

Had a jam session at the house featuring my littlest chunk (in the pink shirt) and my neice (in the white shirt)....notice the SERIOUS look on my little ones face! Is that the look of a FOCUSED musician or what??!!?? They're so teenie they're using the guitar as an upright bass......priceless......

2005-10-19T03:00:00.000-07:00

Hit the town tonight for a quick second.....my homegirl Kelli Sae (www.kellisae.com) had her birthday party at Sutra in the East Village, so a brotha HAD to stop through. It was a 70's theme party, that's why everbody is rockin' afro wigs in the photos (and I just realized I'm smiling with a BIG ass piece of gum in my mouth in the picture at the bottom....). After that, we stopped through S.O.B.'s to check out Leela James doin' her thang. Sorry the photos of Leela aren't that clear....homegirl was MOVIN' on the stage!

2005-10-13T02:53:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhhh...home sweet home....nothin like it....nothin like this torrential rain and flooding for the past 2 days (NY/NJ area) after CHILLIN in sunny, warm-ass Los Angeles. My pops flew into town today from Turkey. Flew in to......JFK Airport (I'm in Jersey). Rush hour. Hurricane Shaquita. Harlem River Drive flooded. Grand Central Parkway flooded. Rush hour. GWB backed up. RUSH HOUR IN NEW YORK CITY. 5 hours roundtrip.......DAMMIT dad. But for real though, what would we do without our parents? Love ya pops, with all my heart. But next time fly into Newark.

2005-10-06T18:50:00.000-07:00

Back for a quick update. Been giggin' every day. The "West Wing" shoot was cool. Got a chance to meet Jimmy Smits, Janeane Garofalo (that's a tiny chick! tatted up too....kind of surprised me) and Terri Polo. Jimmy Smits is a VERY down to earth cat and a fierce actor. It was cool to watch him do his thing. He was the only principle actor to hang out when they were done and watch us do the music segment. He's good people. The music segment went without a hitch EXCEPT that we didn't actually get to play, we had to ACT like we were playing, but the instruments were turned off. It was cool though, cuz your boy got some nice closeups. Just don't laugh at my gear (you can get a taste in these pics. Those are the cats I did all the gigs with: Lorca Hart and Ryan Cross...L.A.'s finest!!).....the wardrobe people had me dressed in some circa-1991 black rayon button-down shirt and some black slacks extra tapered at the bottom....???.....the 2 ladies in wardrobe were EXTRA sweet, and they did what they could for my tall ass cuz nothing they had fit me....but I still looked like Keith Sweat singing "Make It Last Forever" at an opening of an Oak Tree Men's Fashion store. Y'all remember Oak Tree? The Hammer pants? The cardboard patent leather shoes? The $99 rayon suits with the shoulder pads? Damn....I just played myself.....cuz I used to ROCK those patent leather shoes....but I'll lie in your face without batting an eye if you ask me about it in person, so don't even try it ;)!!
Anway, going to check out Angelique Kidjo tonight at House of Blues on Sunset Strip. Her band came and hung out with us at our gig on Monday at the Bel Age, and invited us down to check them out tonight. I can't wait, 'cuz Angelique is one of my favorite artists!!

2005-10-05T18:13:00.000-07:00

James Torme came down and hung out at our gig tonight. He's the son of the legendary, immenseley talented musician, singer/songwriter Mel Torme. This cat is CRAZY talented. He sounds like a cross between his pops and Justin Timberlake. He came up and sat in with us and blew everybody away. Nice cat, and passionate about the music. He's getting ready to release his first EP, and I think it's gonna make a big splash. You can check out some of his stuff at myspace.com/jamestorme.

2005-10-02T13:51:00.000-07:00

So far L.A. has been cool. Beautiful weather, beautiful beaches and of course good music! Got a full week of performances including a cameo spot on NBC's "The West Wing". I'll keep you posted on when that episode will air. That's it for now. Holla.

2005-09-29T14:07:00.000-07:00

....just landed in Los Angeles....it's hot....gotta headache....sat next to screaming children on the long ass flight.....their mom was loud as hell too......she needed to put her lil' crazy banshees in a sleeper hold for a quick second...especially the littlest one....she spilled her juice on me.

2005-09-24T17:02:00.000-07:00

This photo is entitled: "Shameless (or Shameful, depending on which way you look at it...) Self Portrait of Man in Hotel Room Who Just Configured His Camera in Manual Mode and Took a Test Shot"......