Bob Dylan and Imogen Heap

This past weekend I went to Rock and Roots, a festival put on by Timbre, the same group that had me play shows in late January. It was a pretty fabulous concert. The two performers I most wanted to see were Bob Dylan and Imogen Heap.

Bob Dylan played all his well-known songs and had a fabulous band. Seeing him at this age made me wish I had seen him when he was younger - he could barely sing, and his speaking voice was actually more comprehensible. When he spoke verses instead of trying to sing them, I could here the words and tell which song he was singing. And then I could sing along. Fortunately his backing band really did support him (such as when he coudn't quite play that guitar solo). He just went from one song to the next - no chitchat, no interaction.

Imogen Heap, on the other hand, was much more interactive. You could tell she was working the crowd and we all loved it. From the beginning she made it clear that we were part of the show, not just spectators but people who were there because we liked her music, and she respected that. And she talked to us as such.

In a way, you could say that these two performers represented different generations. Bob Dylan more an older generation for whom there was a pretty clear divide between the performer and the audience, and Imogen Heap the younger generation which acknowledges the similarities between performer and audience. But maybe good performers have always been the latter - maybe Bob Dylan was more like that 20 years ago. I wish I had seen him then.

Here's some video of the shows: http://youtu.be/_1L4gT9YZVo

Shows at Timbre

This week my friend Nii and I have been playing music at Timbre music spots around Singapore, and really enjoying the collaboration. It has really been a fantastic week - seeing old friends and making new ones, and having a blast on stage. Here's some footage (thanks Ben Low!) of 'Play Switch', performed on Tuesday at Timbre's Substation venue. Nii really brings the African percussion to this performance - so sweet!

Timbre Music Academy

This week I'm playing a few shows at Timbre, a music venue with a few different locations around Singapore. Timbre books artists (they organized the Rock and Roots festival which will be bringing such great artists as Bob Dylan, John Legend, and Imogen Heap here in April), does some management and promotion, and also instructs students in the finer points of music and performance. Here I take a tour of the academy with Mung - you can find out more about them at the academy website.

A Couple Shows Coming Up

I feel like sometimes I only surface long enough to post something on my blog, make a halfhearted effort to let people know I'm playing nearby, and then submerge once again into work and the other details of life that continue to gather around me. It's become such a common thing that I feel like I live a double life to some extent. Music vs. work/family/friends. It's then that I realize my focus needs to be something else.

I'm setting my alarm clock half an hour earlier every day and trying to get to bed by 11pm this week. I've realized that my most fulfilling moments in life were three months in 2006 when I was doing language survey in Central Asia. I would go to bed by 10pm and be up with the sun around 6am. Since there was nothing else to do, I would read scripture, memorize, pray, and commune with God until 8am or so, when I ate breakfast with the friends I was staying with.

"since there was nothing else to do" - that statement makes me realize how little I value scripture. And yet, THAT was what changed me. It was the WORD of GOD that renewed me, bathed me in cleansing water. And I am so thirsty.

Will you drink deep with me from the river of life this week? I'll be sharing some stories and new songs this wednesday with my friend Phil on WJTL at 9pm EST - if I can encourage you, please tune in to 90.3 FM in Lancaster, PA or listen online: WJTL.com/listen

But most of all, listen to the WORD of GOD. Read it, digest it, let it speak to you. Let it renew and transform you. Memorize it and sink your teeth into it. Spend time with the one who gives it and let him teach you and fill you with his life-changing power.

A Weekend Jaunt

This past weekend I played a couple shows - one near Lewisberry, PA (which I forgot to take video at) and one in Severna Park, MD. They were both a lot of fun, but very different. In Lewisberry I played for a church event in which the audience were mostly older than me. They sat quietly and listened carefully and laughed appropriately - it was very easy to engage them, and they expressed a lot of appreciation afterwards. It was a lot of fun.

The Severna Park event was also at a church, but the listeners were mostly younger than me, and were doing other things while listening (pretty smart, in my opinion - when I was that age I wouldn't sit and listen to someone like me for very long). So it was a very energetic audience, but the energy was different than at the PA show. I also noticed that most of the people older than me who were there moved closer to the stage and when I directed comments to them they really responded and got into the music. It was a lot of fun.

So those are just a few thoughts. Interesting how events can be so different and yet both be incredibly enjoyable. Unfortunately, since I forgot to video the first show, you can't compare them yourself, but here's some video from the second event. Two videos - one of me explaining the event and soundchecking, and a song by Brian LoPiccolo (who just released his first album, so click here to check it out) which features harmonica and bagpipes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPrQeRbeA0I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4uliKFyLwk

Secrets of the Library

So our big project for this course is a language survey proposal - the paper and presentation. We basically take a language about which very little is known, do a lot of research, and write a proposal to carry out a survey that will help answer basic questions about the language situation. The idea is that we are in touch with an actual person on the ground in the country who can direct our studies.

The language I'm researching is... actually I can't tell you. What I CAN tell you, though, is that I have had some cool breakthroughs during the course of the project. Which means that I have learned information directly from an observer of the language who has done recent research in the area but has not published it yet. It's pretty sweet to be on the inside. Maybe I can do this whole academic thing.

It's also cool to think that if I hadn't been here to do the research and send the emails, it is likely that some people who are in a position to make decisions about assisting language development efforts would have inadequate information on which to make decisions. Which I guess doesn't say much, but the little it does say speaks volumes. Here's to the bookshelf warriors.

In other news, I recently uploaded some video of a conference I helped lead worship at with Ishq, an Ethnodoxology group that plays music from an array of different cultures. Here we sing some snippets of an Arab Christian worship song from South Africa, and a jubilant rendition of 'How Deep the Father's Love'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA_TimiEPNU

4 on Tour Day 9 - Baltimore

In Baltimore we played at The Light Gallery, north of the Inner Harbor. It also happened to be Ravens game day, so it took us 15 minutes to get through this one intersection coming north off of 395. We literally sat at a green light for 15 minutes because the one-way cross street was full of people blocking the intersection. You would think when the light turned yellow they would stay on their side, but no, they just blocked the intersection. BUT we finally got through because I stuck my nose out and kept them from budging.
I didn't get video of that, but I did video the gallery itself, which is also home to a church, and the current show they have up of work by MaryKate Newcomb, which is quite cool.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCeV5i63Af4
The space itself is pretty rad, and we had a lot of fun playing there for our final show. People were really into the music, and we played/sang on each other's songs for the last time on this tour. Great folks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSkGzjJcYRo

4 on Tour Day 8 - Philadelphia

We had some downtime at my parents house in Lancaster, which we spent sleeping in and then visiting the Central Market in town. I showed the crew a bunch of the sights, but really they should have come for a First Friday to experience the buzz of people.
We drove to Philly in the afternoon, and arrived early at Circle of Hope's Broad and Washington location, so we hung out downstairs in Circle Thrift - the store that helps generate funds for ministry and provides cheap clothing for low-income individuals. It runs completely on donations. I love browsing places like this, but we were all still pretty tired. Soon to get better though...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EJMaDtJtNc
Eventually folks showed up and we started setting up sound and merch and people started coming in for the show. The space at Broad and Washington is pretty cool. I think our performances were pretty good - some great energy and attendees were pretty into the music. There was a guy doing interpretive dance in the background, which I didn't manage to capture on video, but Joy might have on her YouTube page.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ydy8YUDiyY8
We went down to South Street after the concert with some of Joy's friends and sampled the Tattooed Mom and South Street Steaks. Then on the way home we got lost and I ran a red light and got pulled over by a cop - but unfortunately I didn't get that on video. Kind of a bummer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FsNZ5K3s-8

4 on Tour Day 7 - Lancaster

We drove from Pittsburgh to Lancaster, where my parents live and where we would spend the next couple nights. I called a number of people on the drive - several of whom didn't even know there was a concert, though they attend my church, Wheatland Presbyterian, where the concert was being held. Not only that, but two radio stations (WJTL and WXPN) were promoting the concert. I guess the people I called don't look at the church bulletin board or listen to those radio stations.
Despite those people not knowing about the concert, we set up at the church and had a really good turnout. Here are some clips of the evening.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZuq3bLXp9o

4 on Tour Day 6 - Pittsburgh

We drove from Toledo to Pittsburgh in the night - Joy and Brooke were glad to be getting home for a couple days, so we decided not to stay overnight in Maumee. We all woke up pretty tired in the morning, but got ourselves ready for the evening and had a decent turnout at the Shadow Lounge. It was a lot of fun to play songs and tease each other from on stage, and we mixed it up a bit. Here's some video of the evening:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dutwMpI7A3k

4 on Tour Day 5 - Maumee, OH

It was great to have a few hours to hang out and relax at Joy's friend's house outside of Cincinatti. We hit the road around 2pm for Toledo, and arrived safely at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Maumee, OH around 5pm. Shaun is the guy who helped us set this concert up, and is one of the most enthusiastic people I have met. He and Steve, the sound guy, had set up a great stage in the foyer of the church and we put on a great show for some wonderful people.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgmk8eo2-vc

4 on Tour Day 4 - Cincinatti

We woke up really early and drove from Nashville to Cincinatti, a 5-hour drive that crossed from Central into Eastern Time, so we got there an hour later. But we had planned appropriately and arrived at WNKU in northern Kentucky in enough time to get breakfast in the student union. We set all our things up in a large studio room and settled down for the interview with Michael Grayson, who had us each play a song and Joy two. Our sound engineer Bob was a hoot - you'll have to visit Joy's YouTube site for his stories, once she gets the video uploaded...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM0-p6WxXqI
We then drove to a friend's house to drop our stuff off and hang out - I took a much-needed nap, and then we headed to the show. Taza is a great coffeeshop in downtown right across from the University of Cincinatti, with friendly people and interesting decor (and great coffee). The stage was a lot of fun to play on, and the sound was great. The crowd was really into the music, as well, which was very cool.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CR4ifztxhE

4 on Tour Day 3 - Nashville

We drove from Greensboro to Nashville, where we got ready to play at Bongo Java. Brooke went to school at Belmont, which is right across the street, so we were able to hang out with her friends, who had a place for us to stay, as well. Bongo Java is a pretty cool place, and the after-hours theater was an intimate venue with great sound.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPqrCEzvUc8

4 on Tour Day 1 - DC

Today (Saturday, Oct 3) Garrett, Joy and Brooke met me at my house in Lancaster, PA, we had dinner (groundnut stew with chicken and rice, MMMmmm) and then drove to Washington, DC to play at Busboys and poets. Here's a look at where we played.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mz5m4DS6PaY
It was really good show - we hung out for quite a while afterwards, talking to friends and fans who came. After packing up, we drove to my friend Katy's house in Arlington at 1am. We got lost in DC's streets at night, even with the GPS telling us where to go. That city is really not laid out for motorists...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW_tlu4rCm4

Vermont

I drove from Rochester, NY through the Adirondacks to northern Vermont, and just as I crossed the bridge at Crown Point I got my first whiff of fall breeze - molting leaves and peat moss mingled with cow's breath and the cool smell of fresh-picked apples. This state is beautifully rugged, with vibrant colors that pop out in the warm sunlight and far enough north that the threat of moose crossing the road is not taken lightly.
My first stop was The Bee's Knees in Morrisville, VT north of Stowe, where I ate some incredible food and imbibed local beverages before performing a laid-back set of acoustic music in a cosy atmosphere. I know this is going to sound like a write-up for a travel company, but somehow that doesn't deter me from trying to convey the sense of homeyness and friendship that I felt in that place.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DabSvfB88s

So it was natural that the girl behind the counter, on discovering I didn't have a place to spend the night, offered me her lean-to while she slept over at a friend's house. What a great night to spend in my sleeping bag out in the woods! The following morning Karen gave me a tour of the CSA (community supported agriculture) farm that friends of hers run, near Morrisville, and of course that meant meeting a bunch of great folks and eating fresh carrots, among other things.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEsE3TZ66e0

They directed me to Cold Hollow Cider Mill, Cabot Cheese, and Ben & Jerry's ice cream factory (all just down the road), and I went on my way well-fed by a true Vermont experience.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZqB9-ZXJ4o

Rochester, Mount Hope Cemetery

I spent a couple days in Rochester with friends, following a last-minute show at Geneva College with Joy Ike on Monday. Tuesday I drove up through Houghton (my alma mater) and visited with profs and old friends who are still around, though most of the student body and even some of the buildings have changed since I was last there 2 years ago. I stopped for dinner with Dan Gross and his family (great times) and then played that evening at Boulder Coffee Co in Rochester, which is a great venue and it turned out to be quite a reunion of Houghton College graduates. What fun! And Mike Zale, who I haven't seen in years, still has a really cool looping system that just sounds great. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueE9OEPZP_c
The day after, I went to Mount Hope Cemetery with Hannah and Hudson, to look for the graves of Susan B. Anthony (women's suffrage) and Frederick Douglass (abolitionist). Along the way we ran into Hiram Sibley, who was buried next to David Hough. David and I were in Tanzania together and he's married to Hannah - their last name is Hough... but he is very much alive, never fear. Pretty funny to find your name on a gravestone, though. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL4I8tAPJkM

Travel, BK

I'm in Grove City, PA right now - spent the weekend with my brother and his wife and got to meet a bunch of their friends and church folks, which was pretty sweet. I also spent some time with my friend Ross who was in Uganda this past summer. We haven't been able to connect over the past few months, so it was good to see him and look at pictures and hear about his experiences in Africa - some pretty crazy stuff, like casting demons out of people and spending hours praying and dancing and praising God.
Tonight I'm playing with Joy Ike and Call of the Mild at Geneva College, which is about 45 minutes from here. It should be a really fun show - then I'm off to Rochester, NY tomorrow and then a couple shows in Vermont to round out the week. I'll probably be visiting Burger Kings along the way - just can't get enough of that Whopper Jr! Speaking of which, here's a video of me and Joy and a couple other friends visiting the ONLY Burger King in Pittsburgh: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1--37ff1_I

4 on Tour Preview

Wednesday night we performed at Amani International Coffeehouse in Pittsburgh, PA. And when I say 'we', I mean 4 great singer-songwriters: Garrett Heath, Brooke Annibale, myself and Joy Ike. We'll be touring the eastern region together at the beginning of October - check out our Facebook group for more info: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=63933549943
Below is a preview of what our 9-date tour will look like. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1e1H2JtWb8

Baltimore and Xenia

Saturday afternoon, after packing my things in the car, I drove from Lancaster to Baltimore - an uneventful, hour or so drive on a beautiful day. I played at The Patterson, a renovated historic movie theater that is now home to The Creative Alliance of Baltimore. I was one of the artists/bands performing for Grace International Church's website release party, which was tons of fun. Also performing were Parris Bowens, Prayz1 and The Underdogz, and Failure to Excel. Here's a video tour of the building:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvxIt1G0hp8
Sunday morning I got up really early and drove to Xenia, Ohio (near Dayton) where I played at my friend Hannah's church, GracePoint. They meet in what used to be an apple restaurant, and there was a decent crowd - I was really blessed to be there, and the sound was some of the best I've experienced. It also happens to be near Yellow Springs, where my mom's cousin Bruce lives, so I got to spend Labor Day with family.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jfb4bbXnLAQ

Atlanta... and Greenville via Cherokee National Forest

In Atlanta I met with Margie Ulsh, editor of Among Worlds, a quarterly publication for TCKs and ATCKs (Adult Third Culture Kids) that addresses issues such as transition, crossing cultures, and coping strategies for grief and the pain that accompanies being transplanted - issues that more people are finding common to their experience. You can learn more about the magazine by visiting Interaction's website: http://www.interactionintl.org/amongworlds.asp or Margie's Blog: http://amongworlds.blogspot.com
  I played at Covenant College as well, where rain forced us to set up the picnic in the dining hall - an enjoyable experience nevertheless. I then traveled to Greenville, SC, where I played outdoors in an amphitheater on a beautiful day with a good crowd, and received some excellent responses from the audience - it is wonderful to make new friends!
So here's some video of meeting with Margie and then my drive from Covenant College through Cherokee National Forest to Greenville, SC, where I played at Paris Mountain State Park's 'Music in the Woods', sponsored in part by WNCW. Good turnout, fun event.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDzPDp0sTc4
I'm in Lancaster at the moment, hanging out, working for MathUSee and getting ready to head out on the road again on Saturday. Fun times. Right now I'm wondering whether to install the ProTools LE 8upgrade, or simply let the disc sit on my desk until I get back from the road at the end of September. I'm leaning toward the latter, but I'm curious by nature, so having it sit there is rATHer tempting..