Bassist/Singer Esperanza Spalding Wins Grammy for Best New Artist

I saw Esperanza Spalding a couple of years ago at Yoshi's. She's phenomenal, and as a bassist, I'd read about her in Bass Player magazine. I even got to say hello for a moment as she signed CDs after the show.

Now, the Berklee School graduate--and teacher!-- has beaten out Justin Bieber for best new artist--a sign that they're picking real talent this year.

See the story at PopEater for details, but also be sure to download her latest CD--Chamber Music Society (and any of the others as well).

Chamber Music--Good for the Soul

I just spent the weekend at a chamber music workshop put on by the Chamber Musicians of Northern California. I'm a very grateful member of this group of amateur musicians. Quarterly, we get together at a college or university campus to play music together.

I got to work on two exciting pieces this weekend. One was a Czech composer Dvorak's Bass Quintet. As a bass player I often play with groups with more than four other musicians--for example, an octet with 8 of septet with 7 (see the photo, taken last June). These groups include string and wind players.

For the Drovak piece, it was five folks with different-sized members of the violin family--violin, viola, cello and bass. What a nice sound. This is one of the "warhorses" of the bass chamber music repertoire, apparently, but it was only my second time through it and I'd gladly play it again anytime.

Today, I joined a dozen other musicians, all of whom were wind-powered, for a glorious Gran Partita by Mozart. We worked all day perfecting (well, improving) our performance and played some of it for some other musicians in the afternoon.

My hands, arms and lower back are sore now from my efforts, but I'm happy!

Splendid, Ethereal Owl City

The first time I heard Fireflies by Owl City the little hairs on my arms stood up and I felt a chill down my back. This is the sound of hit songs from the pop era of the 1960's blended with the high-tech electronics of today.

Adam Young is Owl City, but you'd think there was a band with him. I visualize one very talented young man with a personal recording studio and an arsenal of instruments.

Watch the video linked above. Besides hearing the transcendent song you'll witness a visual presentation worthy of Peewee's Playhouse. This is one very talented young man--he looks like a high school student--but oh my can he put out sound.

I found a CD, Maybe I'm Dreaming, in Barnes & Noble for $9.99 and since bringing it home, have played it over and over like I did with new Beatles albums. There's something infectious about the crisp, clear, shimmering sound that comes out of this music.

Visit the official website and enjoy some for yourself. Listen to Peppermint Winter. Wait until he hits "warm." Wow...

A Perfect Valentine's Day Gift...

Forget chocolate--it's fattening. Flowers last less than a week. How about a tiny car--with a Valentine's message that lasts?

Smart is "wrapping" their little two-person pod with your message now--just in time for Valentine's Day.

It takes just a few hours to do. He or she will thank you as they pass gas stations and feel good about using so little energy to get back and forth to work.

These cars feel bigger inside than they look on the outside, and pass all safety tests.

Well, it's an idea.

My First Favorite Music TV Show

As I prepare to watch Glee with my wife, I think back to a favorite musical TV show from the distant past. I'm talking about The Monkees!

Starting in the fall of 1966, every Monday night at 7:30 I tuned in to watch Davey, Mickey, Peter and Mike lip sync to their hit songs. They were funny guys--and were apparently hired for that reason--not their musicianship--although they did actually have ability. But the goal was to be an American version of the Beatles' A Hard Day's Night movie--young guys running, fooling around, and playing music.

The producers of the Monkees may not have known how important the music would turn out to be--in its day--but some of those old hits remain on the oldies circuit--I'm a Believer (by a young Neil Diamond), Daydream Believer (John Stewart) and my personal favorite, Pleasant Valley Sunday.

The show only lasted a few years and the albums came and went, but the Monkees live on. They even reunited a number of years ago--four grumpy old guys--and Mickey Dolenz recently released an album of Carole King covers.

Now, back to Glee...

Looking for the Centerpoint

I'm looking for the centerpoint.

Somewhere inside myself that isn't cares or passions, fears, anxieties or joys

A place where I am me

And sense I'm living--one moment, then another, then another--

A home.

The world delivers changes, issues, pressures

The times aren't easy--the choice could be to pick which shade of pain to wear today.

Sometimes I get to taste the things I love

But rehearsal ends, the meal is over,

The perfect summer day in February's done

I'm looking for the centerpoint.

A happy place despite the pain and not denying it

A refuge, not an escape

A driver's seat in an SUV through rough terrain

Submission and control

The centerpoint.

The Joy of My Heart--The First Hour

It was a cold November evening when I pulled up and parked near the downtown Oakland highrise. I was there to pick up a woman who had invited me out for an evening with friends. I had no big expectations.

I was two years out of my marriage, and had been dating. I had hired a very nice woman to help out at my company and as she was married, I asked if she had any sisters, as kind of a joke. Well, she had a cousin, and that was who I was going to pick up that night.

I got to the door and it was opened by a beautiful woman with large green eyes that I had never met before. I put out my hand to introduce myself and her warm hand felt so good on my cold one that I just stood there holding onto it for a long time.

The mysterious beauty was a co-worker of my "date." We went inside to wait for her. Oddly, I sat down right next to the beautiful woman--squeezed tight next to her on the large sofa. I didn't know what I was doing, but I was already falling, subconsciously, for the love of my life.

24 years later, I am still glad every day that I did.