We spent our last two days in NY visiting the top of Rockefeller Center, wandering into the Village Vanguard to catch some jazz, and one more visit to Arthur's Tavern, just cause we liked that place.  Our plane back to Seattle was scheduled for 6PM on Friday, so we just packed up the rental and drove around Jersey City and Newark, ending up in neighbourhoods we really have no business being in...ah well, a little fright is good for the ticker....

I have many impressions of the city (NYC), virtually all of them positive.  There are many unattractive components,and you have to be very focused and disciplined to thrive there, especially as a musician or any lively arts related vocation.  The people are hustlers there, doing everything they possibly can to get your attention.  Glenda just had to open her mouth, and that was attention enough!  Now, in the days and weeks to come, I have to coallate the many contacts and future opportunities we unearthed, and plan the return visit.  For me, some of the mystique of NY has worn off, just by virtue of being there and making a real effort to understand the geography.  I think this is good...I have been a tourist there, and enjoyed every minute...next, I will be just one of the multitude pressing to be heard.  It's so great to pitching something of high value!  I noticed something there that I am very familiar with...the ratio of excellent talent to not so excellent talent is the same there as everywhere else.  In other words, if you have something excellent, and are prepared to really, and I mean REALLY take your lumps promoting it, you can make a dent in that crazy town.
I'll get Glenda to write her parting NYC shots in the next frame of this blog.  Stay tuned!

Tony

Hey everyone,
I walked about for over 9 hours yesterday.  These boots have covered alot of ground.  We went to the MET and spend most of the day there in various states of inspiration and awe.  We stayed until they kicked us out and only managed to see half of the exibits available there.  I have rarely had the opportunity to enjoy specific sights or landmarks though I have visited seven or so countries of the world.  I decided before we left Vancouver, this journey would be different.  I didn't know that commitment would take such a toll on my feet.  One great side effect is weight loss or at least inches.

We also saw a great singer/songwriter last night as Tony already said.  She gently sang her songs and told her stories with immense beauty and depth.  I'm always very thankful for the giftings in someone's life when I have the opportunity to share those kind of moments.

Fortunately, today has been somewhat quiet.  A little eating, a little music, a little rest, and lots of conversation.
We'll go out in a few hours and rescue Rene from Pen station so he doesn't feel abandoned in Manhattan, then try to hook up with some new friends here.

Miles has succeeded in lulling Tony to sleep with his own brand of sweet songs.

It's a great day!

We have performed at The Cornerstone in Hillsdale NJ twice, sat in at the most amazing gospel/soul open mic on Sunday night at The Village Underground (and tore the place up), performed at The Cutting Room on West 24th on Monday, (and got a very warm reception), got out to The Living Room on the lower east side to see a marvelous singer-songwriter named Catherine Feeny, met up there with friends Luba Dvorak and Allan Rogers; we have spent the daytime visiting so much of Manhattan...visited The Metropolitan Museum of Art (3 hours and I feel we didn't see anything...although I was inches from Matisse, Monet and Rembrandt originals), walked around and through Central Park, had cocktails at The Carlisle, cabbed and walked through Times Square...(btw, it is HOT here, with temperatures scaling 100 degrees F. We're hoping Con Edison can keep the power in NY on until we leave on Friday!)  I have subwayed and driven all over the place, already starting to find my my directional legs in this city...I love this city!
Rene took a side trip up to Boston, ran into Vancouver drummer Stephen Dick and his wife on the 52nd floor of the Prudential Building seeing a jazz trio...small world, eh?
This morning, Glenda, Miles, and I drove through old Jersey City, and had breakfast at Al's Diner, in business since 1929!
I'm going to turn the laptop over to Glenda now...

Tony

Here we are in the "New York, skyskrapers and everything".... We had two gigs so far - tearing it up at night and walking our feet off during the day.  There's so much to take in...The sights seem both bigger than life and surprisingly approachable.  Yesterday, we went to "Penn Station", passed by the fashion district and "Time Square".  The Manhattan mall was so familiar as if it could have been Metrotown.  The air is hot and very muggy.  There are venders shouting on the streets, selling purses, portraits, watches, water for cheap.

As I write this, Miles is working on three new songs.  We've been inspired by one band we saw at Arthurs Tavern (this very cool Village bar) called "Off The Hook". The real New York experience.  Can't wait to see what we get into tonight.

Glenda

We'll start at the beginning...
Miles and I finally find a sound company that will rent us a PA for a reasonable price...  A production company called PCA in North Bergen, NJ.  Pat is absolutely great, and a total pro.  His  credits include The Byrnes Sisters, Jimmy Buffett, Wheel Of Fortune and Jeopardy location shoots, and countless others.  I know this guy is going to valuable to us in the years to come...we hit it off immediately.

After picking up the gear from his shop Miles and I head back to the motel to pick up Rene and Glenda...then head to Hillsdale in the afternoon, taking a sidetrip off of the Garden State Parkway at Route 17 to pick up some supplies from a great music store called Victors.  This monsoon-like squall hits, complete with big thunder and lightning, and the heaviest, most violent rainfall I have ever seen.  I was driving, with Rene navigating...we negotiated the tough task of getting around this alien landscape very well, thank you very much.  We get to our gig in Hillsdale at The Cornerstone by 4 PM, and get everything set up.  The show went very well, and we made some very avid fans in the process, selling CD's and collecting lots of email addresses for our email list.  Many folks promised to come back tomorrow night...I hope they do, and bring more in the process.

We finish the gig, pack up our gig and head back to the motel to change.  We walk to the Path train, and head to Christopher St., in the heart of the village.  After sticking our collective heads into the Village Vanguard, Small's, and Fat Cat's Billiards and Jazz Club, we settle into Arthur's Tavern to drink beer (well, me and Rene...Miles and Glenda stick with Diet Coke and coffee) and listen to this amazing soul/r&b cover band called "Off The Hook".  The guitarist was superb, and ripped this amazing solo on Earth, Wind, and Fire's "That's The Way Of The World".  Rene got Glenda to jig around with him...an inspiring sight indeed!

It's 4:41 AM as I write this, and I'm fading fast.  I promise to get Glenda to post her thoughts tomorrow.  I will get some pics in as well....

Later kiddies..I'm BAGGED.

Tony

Glenda has crashed already, so I'm manning this post.  Miles, Rene, and I are in the motel room...eating burger king.

Now it's Friday morning.  Miles and I are off to rent a PA....

Things are EXPENSIVE here.  I sure miss Long & McQuade!

Will get Glenda on the blog a little later...

Tony

Well it’s one day of insanity before our adventure to NY.  As is usual, I’m running around trying to do things that can only be done at the last minute…taking care of arrangements for my dog, preparing food for the person house/dog sitting, and digging my way through a mountain of laundry after a flood in the basement has made washing very inconvenient.

 

This will be the first trip I’ve taken in a while.  It is a working vacation, but I plan to enjoy every minute.  No time like now to start enjoying the little and big things in life.  This is the life.  As I submit this blog, I’m listening to a compilation disc I’ve made up of the tunes we’ll be performing at the “Cutting Room”.  I’m very auditory so I practice by listening over and over again while doing all the mundane things that never end.

I’ll be toting a huge lipstick red suitcase and I’m giddy as a kid with skittles ready to see the “Big World” out there.

Glenda and I are sitting in the office/studio getting stuff together for Thursday....that's going to be a long day.  Hit the border with our P2 approvals in the morning, and hope that goes effortlessly, then drive to SeaTac to catch the flight to Newark.  We'll be pretty bushed by the time we get to the hotel in New Jersey, then our 1st night at the Cornerstone in Hillsdale.  We'll be posting pics here and at our myspace site, and this blog will be replicated there as well.  Stay tuned, and we'll bring you as much as we can about the adventure every day!  Talk to you tomorrow...

Tony (with Glenda snapping gum)

Sorry we didn't get a chance to do an entry yesterday...
The concert in San Diego was well recieved and intially well attended...by that I mean the crowd started to really thin at the two hour mark...as the band contended, the program was far too long. (3 hours).  Time for the organizers to fine tune this thing!  We did get some video footage...as soon as our Tulsa people edit it, we'll make it available at glendarae.com.  We (Glenda, Miles, Brett, Rene) and I went to Old Town San Diego for my birthday last night...I easily went to painless state, courtesy of these monstrous margaritas they served.  I just got in...we'll post one more post mortem, once we've rested up.

Tony