Video from Rynji waterfall

In case you missed it, I managed to upload some video of the trip to Rynji waterfall. Here it is below.

http://youtu.be/s1vJ4gFU0Yo

New Music Video

I recently decided I needed software for video editing that was a bit more powerful, so I invested in Final Cut Express, which has quite a few more options for video editing than iMovie 08 or the FlipShare software that came with my MinoHD camera. For example, I couldn't previously fast-forward clips or reverse them, and I had no easy way to line them up and cut between them, or to color-correct and filter. It also means that I'll hopefully be planning my videos a bit better - not just shooting from the hip - and maybe getting a few more people involved in shots.

I am still learning the software, but here's my first project: a music video of one of the new songs I've been working on recording with SoundFarm here in Singapore. It's called "Hold Me" and I wrote it awhile back (I began writing it in 2006 and probably finished it in 2010) but haven't played it a whole lot. So you may have heard it live, but maybe not. In any case, here it is below - hope you enjoy it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-aeIj6VLpQ

Life on the Road

So I'm on a banquet speaking tour - the idea being to raise awareness of the need for bible translation into the more than 2,200 unwritten languages that are left in the world. Those 2,200+ languages represent over 350 million people (yes, 350,000,000!) that still have no access to scripture in a language they can understand. My parents have been with Wycliffe since the 70s, which is why/how I was born and raised in Ghana.

As anyone who travels for work can tell you, life on the road can be grueling. Dan and I travel to a different city, set up our equipment for the media part of the presentation, feed a meal and present to a different room of people almost every night. So far we've done 20 banquets over the past four weeks - 5 banquets per week. Tonight is the first banquet of our final week - our 25th and final banquet will be on Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida.

This kind of schedule doesn't leave much time for sightseeing (it's kind of like being on tour), but we have managed to see some of the sights, nonetheless (when there were sights to see, that is). This is particularly true of local eateries - there are lots of restaurants down here that I've never been to, chains as well as local delis and cafes. Here's me and Dan in 'Sweet Magnolias' in Gainesville, GA, which is in what used to be the old JC Penney arcade on the square.

And of course I would be remiss if I failed to mention the tour of UGA that my friends Sam and Marie gave me after the banquet in Athens, GA. On our day off (wednesday), they offered to show me around the campus, busting the myth of the 5-year curse, taking me to see the book bound in human flesh in the school library (not shown) and of course the tree that owns itself (not shown) as well as the double-barreled cannon that only fired one round. Check out the video below.

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

What ELSE happened on Tour

So if you've read all the posts on this blog recently, you know I was out on the road for a 9-day, 9-show tour with 3 friends which included stops in all the major cities and even a radio interview. It was a lot of fun, as much for the people that came to the shows as it was for us to play them.
The order of performance varied depending on whose fans were based in which city, so every evening was different. Of course we would play songs in different orders, maybe throw a few different ones in the mix, even play completely new material - but this was mostly for the edification of the artists, since the fans didn't really know what was different, one night to the next (I don't think anyone came to more than one show, seeing as the cities were far apart). The closest shows we played were an hour from each other, and the farthest was 7 hours. It was pretty grueling, and it feels like it happened a lifetime ago.
What the fans didn't get to see, though, was how much fun we had hanging out with each other, teasing each other, and generally making fun of life. Points in fact are our trip to Huddle House and Garrett's comments at the Baltimore show. We really had fun. For an added bonus, check out the Scrabble(tm) game we played in Pittsburgh (via Joy Ike's YouTube site):

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 2 - Greensboro

Today (Sunday Oct 4) we drove from DC to Greensboro, NC, where Peculiar People were hosting us for a house show. There wasn't much to do on the 6-hour drive, so we talked and I read another hundred pages of Don Quixote and we listened to music. We also stopped at Huddle House, which was a totally new experience, as you can see from the video below...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RChiNlbyVcA
Charlie and Ruth totally welcomed us and made us feel right at home - they are stellar people (and peculiar). So of course the concert was a lot of fun. We also visited Mellow Mushroom (right across the street) for some aMAzing pizza.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAC2a6MT5NE

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

Massachusetts

Boston in the fall. This sounds like it could easily be a James Taylor album title. Or a line from that beloved Veggie Tales song. Take your pick. It was still fall when I drove to my brother's place in Easthampton, though it soon got warmer and then colder again. Still trying to make up its mind. I discovered that CSAs are quite the rage in New England, and we went to another where I picked raspberries with my nieces (2 and 4) and sister-in-law, avoided the big dogs and answered question after question about the world around us. That's one of the great things about kids - always curious!
I visited my friend Hannah at Gordon College, north of Boston, and had a great time wandering around the campus. She showed me all the buildings and talked about her experiences in school thus far. I forgot my camera while she was showing me around, so the video is a hurried return to a few of the main spots we visited.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YhmcLHDwLw
Back in Easthampton I went out with my brother's family for dinner at the Apollo Grill. Easthampton is undergoing a revitalization along with Northampton and surrounding towns, and just across the road from where my brother lives is an old factory that has been renovated. The Eastworks building holds numerous galleries and small shops, along with the Apollo Grill, which has some great food and really fun decor! Definitely stop by if you're in the area.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj1hFzGEkB8

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