Knight to Rookie's six.

   My first time playing music with Hash Brown was about forty minutes long, in an apartment, I on a snare drum and slip-sliding Bass drum.  It went well enough, so we played again.  The second jam was shut down by an irate super in an apartment surrounded (almost) exclusively by fellow musicians.

   Finally we wised up and rented a practice space in Prospect Heights, at Complete Music Studios Inc.  It was a fantastic space, with plent of room and a full back line - very classy.

   The jam went very well.  Grabbed a few snippets for possible future tunes.  At least I got to stretch my limbs and rock for the first time in about a month and a half - I hadn't realized how antsy and irritable I get without some sort of workout, musical or otherwise.  Hash's advice was "play what you feel."

   Lessons are going very well.  The challenge posed by transcribing music is similar to the challenge posed by getting back on a skateboard after years of bipedal movement.  The flags on my eighth notes are a little wonky and the quarter rests seem big to me, but otherwise points seem to be getting across.  

   Concepts of muscle memory are hard for me to put in to words - in my mind, at least, the point of practicing music is to attain mastery without thought so performance comes as through the performer, as movement happening through a body.  A body creating movement takes so much energy - the force required to start a body moving is greater than the force required to keep a body in motion moving.  

   Steve Sweet's Breukelen Jest Comedy Night was a freakin' smash.  Shout out to all the comics who entertained - hilarity ensued, even when rim shots were not forthcoming.  Wine flowed freely and the back space of Breukelen Coffee House converted beautifully into an open space for a stage, PA, and lighting:  

   Possible prospects, as always, are on the horizon.  Keep eyes and ears open for booking possibilities in the area.  If you, your friends, your local coffeeperson or bartender is looking to play out solo or with a band, I may have a space available in the near future.  Loose lips make blips - spread the word and keep your feelers out.  We'll talk soon.

‎"I’m goin’ down to the bottom, to the bottom of a hole goin’ down" Comin' out soon.

   An incredibly talented musician and good friend, Nathan Morgan, was jumped while he was in Harlem a few days ago.  Good vibes and prayers are with him through this very difficult point in his life.  He had to have some re-constructive surgery on some facial bone fractures, and hopefully he will emerge just as attractive and stronger from this ordeal.

   Nate plays a handful of instruments, composing for piano and keyboard, and can shred a mean guitar or bass. I think about all the talent wrapped up in his brain and how delicate is that machinery.  Vanderbilt University Research is just shedding light on the connections between music and the brain including increased creativity in problem solving, memory, and neuromuscular conditions.

   I lost my father one year ago, and playing music has been my one safe escape from reality.  I imagine Nate will, when he feels like it, use playing music as a relief from mental and physical pain, as a way to say things that need to be said that there aren't words for.

"It's astounding that given some of life's luxuries, you can put up with a lack of its necessities."

Update:
   Following a period of mourning from leaving Kill The Huxter  for over a year, I have thrown myself back into music.  Conrad Sanguinetti, Rocco Malozzi and Nate Morgan were awesome dudes to make music with, and only reinforced my notion that in the East I find the nicest, most welcoming friends I could imagine.
 
   But, it's time to utilize the hibernational properties of wintertime to gather my energies together to grow my palette of musical tools, in theory to be unleashed when Spring arrives.
   Practice continues on pillows and pads, at least once a day - Either along with Pandora Radio or a metronome .  The giving of lessons has begun - a little extra cash on the side and a great new way to hone my own skills.  This coming Monday I am planning on being part of the house band for Steve "Sweets" Carr's first Breukelen Jest Comedy Show at Breukelen Coffee House along with Max Rose, multi-talented illustrator/ivory tickler.

   I have barely started to play music with some incredibly talented and driven folks from the neighborhood, and I am incredibly excited for the soon-tapped wealth of talent within a two block radius of my apartment.  More and more I find one rarely has to leave one's microneighborhood if one were so inclined.
 
   Between the above projects, practice, and blogging in an attempt to cast a sizable mark during my brief passing through this point in time.  Extra-strength deep, man.

   It is the last night of Channukah, and though I don't necessarily consider myself Jewish (and neither do the Jews, I'm told), but I am Jew-ish with the worry and the guilt and the glayven.  I'm approaching the one year anniversary of my father's passing, and I'm using the legend of the burning oil as an analogue for the fire that burns in everybody, and that it can burn longer and brighter than I would ever imagine, and faith is its fuel.

   We don't have much disposable income at the moment - After three of four jobs evaporated from under our feet, we find ourselves surprisingly able to make ends meet and any extra money is reinvested in our respective arts.  As you can see on the always honest Candice Chetta's corner of the internet, selling paintings , prints  and Vintage eye wear on Etsy is allowing us a bit of extra funds, but mostly we reinvest directly into our respective arts.  Candice is out of canvas and I am afraid she might start painting on the cats as they slink by.  It is a real fear.

I guess what I'm trying to say is

Stay tuned for the further adventures of Broccoli and Chetta.  My blog is linked to Facebook to Twitter to Reverbnation to Linkdin to the Skynet Mainframe.  Look forward to hearing lots more from me as I assault the internet cloud.  Pray for rain.

Karaoke : Breukelen :: Sodium : Water

I love Franklin Ave.: Karaoke at Franklin Park on Tuesday

"I do believe it's the first time they've done this."

You're absolutely right, I Love Franklin Ave.  It will be a glorious night of no-pressure good-times singing!  I look forward to welcoming many first times to the stage, cheering on my Mizz Chetta, and even drunkenly monopolizing the stage myself.  See you there, my pretty platinums!

Do What You Love And The Money Will Follow

Many positive things are starting to happen in the area of music.  As the snow is starting to fall, prospects are once again heating up.

As you would see in the *new* Calendar section, I have my first drum lesson coming up TOMORROW, to a nice lady in Brooklyn.  I'm very excited to start a path of using my talent to give back.

As you might notice, I also have a gig planned, as the house band (with Damien Moore with the cool coos and Max Rose on ivories) for my good friend Steve "Sweets" Carr's comedy night, Breukelen Jest at the Breukelen Coffee House.

Come see one of the neighborhoods comedic masterminds "hone his act" (that's comedy lingo, BTW) with a handful of the rich talent from Crown Heights and beyond!  This will be the first Breukelen Jest ever - come have a drink and wonder where this life has been all your life.

Further details and awesomeness to follow - stay tuned!