The Wonder Jam

In honor of the Wonder Years kick that I am on, and the multiple episodes Aylon and I watched directly prior to tonight's jam:

"The Wonder Jam" - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=V6XBZPS0

My dear friend Aylon and I have been jamming together on and off for nearly 8 years.

Tonight he came by to hang, and we watched 3 straight episodes of The Wonder Years.

I just downloaded all 6 seasons, and have been in absolute heaven watching them.

After he left, I watched 8 more episodes in a row without moving an inch.

I forgot how that show is so wonderfully filled with hilarious moments, chunks of life values, and wholesome truths which are rarely covered in today's sitcoms. It truly is one of my favorite shows ever on Television, and I feel so privileged to have all 6 Seasons downloaded to my external hard drive for viewing whenever I get the craving. Fred Savage as Kevin Arnold (who everyone told Aylon he looked like as a little kid) growing up & living in Suburban America in the late 60s and the realistic internal struggles which he, his family, and friends must go through is something that I could watch endlessly & still be filled with every possible human emotion, in the most genuine & authentic of ways.

However, the true reason why Aylon came over was to throw down a sick jam. He uses an extremely old Yamaha Keyboard which he got passed down to him by his close friend's brother about 8 years ago when we began jamming. The thing is beyond outdated, and even he has claimed that it "feels almost like a toy to him in comparison to what a top of the line keyboard sounds like when you try it in stores".

Yet, somehow we have managed to connect up & communicate together musically through his Keyboard & my Fender Mexican Stratocaster. Slowly but surely, things evolved. He began to utilize the beats more on the keyboard, and change the tempo or style of beat, which started to make things more interesting.

We are now at a point where he comes up at least 2-3 times a week in hopes of getting in a dirty, nasty jam where we each end up in the zone with both of our eyes closed, soaring on a delicious cloud of musical goodness.

For the first time ever, we are going to release a clip of our most recent jam, both having agreed of its worthiness. Never before have we exposed our private jams of personal intimacy to the public. We have always kept it in the jam room, but felt that the last 6 minutes of the jam was too wonderful to keep to ourselves. It gets real balanced, funky, and makes me wanna shake it.

Mind you, this is not a band. It does not have a drummer, bassist, etc. This is a musical jam which was built with a really old lower end model Yamaha Keyboard with cheezy sounding beats, together with my guitar. We also were using the microphone on my webcam to record with, so the sound quality is far from professional. Yet, we end up having a ball everytime, and realizing that with all of the right equipment that we could really have something to work with. We felt this clip was worth having people hear. Hope you enjoy!

Dark Was The Night: A Red Hot Compilation

This heavenly compilation will be released Tuesday February 17th, 2009.

British Indie Label 4AD have had this in the works for quite a while. They are putting out this compilation in congruence with The Red Hot Organization which benefits AIDS research.

The day they chose to announce the artists who would be performing on the double disc, as well as the release date, was December 1st, which is World AIDS Day. In honor of that day, the lengthy list of gifted artists who would be recording new songs, covering some classics, and collaberating together on some new tracks as well, was announced to the world.

The release date of February 17th, which was announced on December 1st, World AIDS Day, is rapidly approaching. This Tuesday we will all be lucky enough to listen to one of the most incredible assembly of musical geniuses who have come together to create new music for the sake of finding a way to end to one of the greatest plagues of that past 30 years.

Every single person should purchase this double disc compilation. I realize in today's world that one is able to obtain anything for free from the internet. In fact, I have just downloaded the compilation because it does not come out until Tuesday, and if I have the chance to listen to it on the Sunday before it comes out, I will most certainly do so. I have not listened to it yet, hence the title "Preview Before the Review", but am extremely excited to listen to it tonight & over the next couple of days.

If I enjoy it, which I have no idea how I could possibly even remotely dislike it, I will purchase it on Tuesday upon its release in order to join this wonderful cause of musical creativity for the growth of AIDS Research.

Here you have it folks! The full tracklist of artists and songs created solely for this purpose, which is in my opinion one of the greatest collections of genius artists on one compilation in history.

Dark Was The Night: A Red Hot Compilation (4AD)

Various Artists

Disc 1

01. Knotty Pine (Dirty Projectors and David Byrne)
02. Cello Song (The Books and José González) [orig. Nick Drake]
03. Train Song (Feist and Ben Gibbard) [orig. Vashti Bunyan ]
04. Brackett, WI (Bon Iver)
05. Deep Blue Sea (Grizzly Bear)
06. So Far Around The Bend (The National and Nico Muhly)
07. Tightrope (Yeasayer)
08. Feeling Good (My Brightest Diamond)
09. Dark Was The Night (Kronos Quartet) [orig. Blind Willie Johnson]
10. I Was Young When I Left Home (Antony and Bryce Dessner) [orig. Bob Dylan]
11. Big Red Machine (Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner)
12. Sleepless (The Decemberists)
13. Stolen Houses (Die) (Iron & Wine)
14. Service Bell (Grizzly Bear and Feist)
15. You Are The Blood (Sufjan Stevens)

Disc 2

01. Well-Alright (Spoon)
02. Lenin (Arcade Fire)
03. Mimizan (Beirut)
04. El Caporal (My Morning Jacket)
05. Inspiration Information (Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings) [orig. Shuggie Otis]
06. With A Girl Like You (Dave Sitek) [orig. The Troggs]
07. Blood Pt 2 (Buck 65, Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti) [orig. The Castanets]
08. Hey, Snow White (The New Pornographers) [orig. Destroyer]
09. Gentle Hour (Yo La Tengo) [orig. Snapper]
10. Another Saturday (Stuart Murdoch)
11. Happiness (Riceboy Sleeps)
12. Amazing Grace (Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues)
13. The Giant of Illinois (Andrew Bird) [orig. Handsome Family]
14. Lua (Conor Oberst and Gillian Welch)
15. When The Road Runs Out (Blonde Redhead and Devastations)
16. Love vs. Porn (Kevin Drew)

Brother Bean's Next Show - The Dive Bar - Ft. Lauderdale, FL. - 02/21/09

This is a band to be wreckoned with. Originally a quartet, with Tony Hume on Guitar alongside Eric, the group fused into a trio in mid 2007 when Hume left the group.

In my opinion, this was the greatest thing to possibly happen to the band. Over the past 2 years or so, they have formed such a tight core that gels together magically. Their bassist Russ and drummer Pat lock in together to create some of the most driving, flowing, danceriffic grooves imaginable. This provides the trampoline for their guitarist Eric to soar with. It has also been wonderful watching Eric have the freedom to let loose and play all of himself since Hume has been gone. I felt like Hume was stepping on Eric's toes in the past, and now since that isn't the case we have had the privilege of watching Eric shine incredibly with his bandmates.

Brother Bean will be playing The Dive Bar in Ft. Lauderdale, FL this coming Saturday night February 21st, 2009. I can assure anyone that has not seen this band, that it will be an epic show of monumental proportions. You will be graced with at least 3 hours of music if not way more, and every second will have you captured and absorbed in a magical wonderland.

I will be at that show with bells on!! Hopefully some new faces will come out to catch what I believe to be one of the most talented bands that I am lucky enough to get to keep seeing.

To give you a better idea of what their music does for me whenever I see them, below is a review I wrote of the last set that I saw them play on January 10th 2009 at the Open Grass Music Festival in Delray Beach, FL.

I cannot speak for the rest of the festival, as I showed up just on time at 8:28 to pay my $20 to see an overdue set of Bean. It had definitely been too long, and thank goodness Ill get another dose next month at the Dive Bar at least double in length.

All I have to say is, I simply do not understand how a band of 3 chill guys from St Lucie area who are only known locally and dont play nearly as much as other local bands do, are able to summon the power and true insanity that DOES it for me everytime more than mostly any band I see.

There is just something about the chemistry now, the ebbing & flowing of the sounds, the mixture and variety of grooves, and the times when it sounds like another band or style but in an amazing way rather than a stale way because its still always part of Bean.

I thought it was pretty tight with that DJ Craig playing in the beginning. It was a cool sound, but it wasnt until later in the set when we had our faces stomped on taken directly from a phatty quote from Russ on my Facebook page.

"F YEAH!!!! we've been working hard to specifically rip YOUR face off and stomp on it.
can't wait to see you man!"

Haha, love ya Russ. It was great to see you and boy did you all RIP my face off and STOMP on it
I say this specifically in regards to the Better Days. That was the nastiest breakdown I have witnessed of one of my favorite grooves. The little spacey psychedelic transition from the song into the breakdown, and Pat reaching a speed of light drum rool in the midst, with a pause, and then DIRTINESS OF DOWNRIGHT UNSANITARY PROPORTIONS!!!!!!!

That has to be one of my favorite basslines, and it was driven into the ground like madness, yet with an ease & liquid groove that was far from coarse.

This jam literally was flawless, and reached points that blew my mind more than many jams from many bands in years.

I remember the way I was moving & how I felt the second that breakdown emerged, and the way it ensued drove me into the most loosened state I have experienced in quite a while.

All I have to say is, that groove especially, was the absolute heat! I have honestly not surrendered to the flow like that in way too long.

I must thank Brother Bean for once again for making a gigantic impression on my musical soul, leaving me wanting more and more.

Here is link for a show they just recently played in Tampa, FL at Crowbar on 01-24-09:

http://www.archive.org/details/bb2009-01-24.sbd

Enjoy, and if you live in South Florida I better see you at the Dive Bar!!!

The Feeling of Phish Tickets in Your Hand

"I saaaaaaaaaaaaaw youuuuuuuuu, with a ticket stuuuub in your haaaaand!!!! Under the light, middle of the night, couldn't get it wrong. I saaaaaaaaaaaaaw youuuuuuuuu, with a ticket stuuuub in your haaaaand!!!!"

That line from the chorus of one of the first Phish songs ever written, while Trey & Mike were in science class, take's on entire new worlds of meaning at this juncture.

Above are the 4 tickets to the last New Years Run that Phish ever played, as well as the last shows I had the pleasure of seeing from December 28th through December 31st 2003. That run was one of the most fun experiences I have ever had, almost topping when I got to see them come back from their hiatus for New Years in 2002 at Madison Square Garden.

They played with such fervor, busted out incredible rare songs and first timers, threw down mammoth jams, and most of all went wild with the shenanigans appearing as though they were having the time of their lives!!! Fishman played the vacuum twice in the same run for goodness sake! They played Tube, Cities, Weigh, Mule, and endless other gems we seldom get to hear, first time covers like LA Woman, Iron Man, Jungle Boogie & others, and were joined by George Clinton & P-Funk for Give Up The Funk & other P-Funk classics.

The countdown to New Years had a MINI automobile lowered from high above Fishman's drum kit to the stage. Dozens of marching band members and cheerleaders emerged, one by one from the car until the stage was overrun by drumming marching band members playing a MEAN version of "Jungle Boogie" joined by Phish. Fishman then counted down to NYE and they went right into Auld Lang Syne which went into a first time played "Iron Man" and then a Phish staple on New Years, Runaway Jim.

The illusion of well over 50 people getting out of a tiny vehicle one after the other was a magical and hilarious delight. Obviously they were coming from a secret passageway from under the stage, as there is simply no way for them to have all been in the car. Yet, the way it was executed was brilliant, and a lot of what makes Phish who they are, and why they are endeared by so many individuals who have had their lives touched by all of the beautiful times they have experienced with the Phish community and the band over time.

I speak about these shows in Miami in great detail because of their deep importance to me.

Those shows were so special in so many ways, and it appeared as though Phish was truly BACK and here to stay. I remember feeling that, and saying it at the time, and the sad truth of the matter is that they were having the time of their lives on those 4 nights, but that was the crescendo of their return and it was downhill from there.

They ended up announcing the breakup a few months later declaring that the Summer Tour which had already been on sale for a bit would be their final tour. They informed us they would be closing out the era of Phish in Coventry, VT near their hometown for what would be the last of the giant Phish Festivals which had brought 70,000 plus people to areas in Upstate New York, Limestone, ME & of course Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation in the Florida Everglades for the legendary Millenium New Years extravaganza.

Also, that New Years Run means so much to me because they were the last shows I got to see before they broke up. I have heard strong rumors that they will be returning to Miami for their next New Years Run. There are also heavy rumors of their mythical New Years venue, Madison Square Garden, being the home of what would be the first Phish New Years Run in 6 years.

However, it would only be fitting in my eyes for them to return to the spot where they played their last New Years run in 2003 prior to breaking up, and come back full circle to enter a new decade of 2010 in the warmth of Miami for New Years. It makes the most sense to me. They played Big Cypress for '99 into '00 New Years Millenium Festival which would be ten years ago to the day of the upcoming New Years Run, and Miami was the last place they played for New Years from '03 into '04.

We shall see what they decide, but let's just say that if they do another 4 night Miami Run for New Years 09 into '10 nobody will be able to wipe the shit kickin' perma-grin off of my face for quite a while.

So yeah, those tickets in the photo at the top of this post were the last Phish tickets I had the privilege of holding in my hands.

Not anymore!!! Nooooope, not anymore!

As I checked my mail the other night and realized I was holding 2 Phish tickets to Mansfield, MA it barely hit me. It was the first time in over 5 years that I had PHISH TICKETS in my HANDS!!!!!!!!!! That may have been one of the most surreal moments of my recent life.

It would be impossible to truly describe the feeling it invoked, but to say that I was ecstatic would be an understatement.

At that moment it struck me. That is what it felt like to hold those tickets. Of course the entire process of Phish being back and touring period, tickets going on sale, and a close friend of mine having already notified me that they received our tickets in the mail for the tour opener at Jones Beach, has all been beyond the point of exciting. Yet, nothing can touch the feeling of actually holding hard tickets in your hand, and having the word PHISH stare you in the face from a ticket that is in your hands.

I am hoping to utilize the tickets to Mansfield in order to trade for the 2nd night of Jones Beach on Friday June 5th. My friend who got us 2 for Jones Beach Night One Tour Opener, was only able to get 1 ticket for the 2nd Night of Jones Beach, so I currently do not have a ticket for the Friday night Jones Beach show. However, he ended up getting 3 tickets for Mansfield, and I got 2. Therefore, a trade of a Mansfield ticket for a ticket for me to be able to hit up Jones Beach Night Two, while still having enough tickets for my homeboy and I to attend the Mansfield show is all completely in the cards.

Either way, I am either going to get to see 3 out of the first 4, or ALL 4 shows to open the first Summer of Phish in FIVE YEARS.

I'm tellin' ya that for me there was nothing like the feeling of holding Phish tickets in my hands for the first time in over half a decade. Nothing.

Only Phish can do that for me. I can't help but laugh and laugh and fall apart from the excitement of simply having tickets in my possession. I can't even fathom the bottle of emotions which will be flowing through me upon entering the lot scene, walking into the venue, taking our seats, waiting for the first note, and then its on!! Every twist and turn, zig and zag, and the return of the completely unknown mysterious journey of a Phish show twirling and whirling through us all, and then we get to do it again!!!!!

Less than 3 weeks until Hampton! Just the thought of getting to see NEW Setlists and hear NEW shows makes this guy a happy camper. I can't wait to hear the new Phish, and even moreso I cant wait to be there and immerse myself fully in the grooves. What a gift Phish gave us when teaching us to "surrender to the flow". It has been WAY to long for us all, and I think many of us not only forgot to do so, but forgot how to do so.

Not for long! Get ready to surrender to the floooooow once again come next month, all Summer long, and hopefully for years to come. Something tells me with the return of Phish will come renewed clarity for many of us.

See you in June!!!!

Su-Shin & The Obama Roll

Being that Sushi is my favorite food in the world, if I am to have a blog, it is imperative that I give due ode to the Sushi spot closest to my heart, which is Su-Shin located in Lauderhill, FL.
This is the place where dreams come true for any real Sushi afficionado.

My dear friend Jon & I have had a soft spot for this place for nearly a decade, however I have not had the pleasure of eating there since before I moved to NYC for a year, and I have already been back in South Florida for over a year and a half.

Since I have been living in Boca Raton for the entire time since I returned from the city, I found my own favorite local sushi joint, Fuji. I formed a cameraderie with the proprietor Jammy Yan, and believe his place to be one of the best in Boca. However, I unfortunately never found myself in a convenient situation to go hit up Su-Shin due to its location.

Last night marked my return to my beloved Su-Shin. I was at my homeboy Aylon's place, and he had to send out a package at the Fed Ex Kinkos at 9:45 at night. I was a bit perplexed as to why it so imperative that it had to be dropped off at FedEx that late at night rather than the next day, but was informed that it was the tracking number that was the key factor of this errand, and that it rested on being compensated for freelance videography work sooner than later. At this point, I fully understood.

The real mission at hand though was to figure out where to eat.

This usually tends to be a very important mission. We went over place after place in our heads until it hit me that we were within the vicinity of the mighty Su-Shin!!

I insisted that we go there, and he had no qualms about it. I was surprised since I didn't think he had the knack for sushi. I also forgot that Su-Shin was literally minutes from his place. The excitement I began to have build within me was hard to contain. I began to pound on the ceiling of the car immersed in a chant regarding our near presence at my ultimate favorite Sushi restaurant.

I even called Jon to share in the excitement, and he was quite stoked for me to get to be back there for the first time in almost 3 years, and for Aylon to get to try it for the first time ever. We walked in, and the place was as beautiful as I remember it.

The 2008 Zagat sticker was at the front as we walked in. Now, I am not really one to care for Zagat ratings, especially in NYC where Zagat restaurants abound like the salmon of Capistrano, and there are so many other restaurants that are not Zagat rated which are way better than the plethora of Zagat restaurants. Part of the fun of the city is finding your own favorite spots, and I would say that only 20% of those places in the city were Zagat rated for me. Yet, down here in South Florida, only the absolute best of the best are given the Zagat recognition. It takes on a new meaning when a Sushi restaurant has a Zagat rating down here.

Now, enough about the Zagat talk, and let's cut to the chase. Zagat or no Zagat, Su-Shin absolutely held up and surpassed itself since my last romance with it, to cement the top spot in my Sushi love. I boldly will say that it is more quality than any place I frequented in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Queens, and I ate a lot of sushi all over those boroughs. If you don't believe me, take a trip down and give it a shot. It's worth it, trust me. Even moreso, if you live locally in the South Florida area, dont even hesitate. Get in your car this second and make your way to the savory Su-Shin.

http://www.sushinthai.net/

Now that I was there for the first time in about 3 years, I knew that I had a lot of catching up to do. I decided that it was going to be a free for all.

I ordered a bottle of the Ozeki Nigori Sake (the milky unfiltered kind served cold) which I can never get enough of. Aylon and I split the Tuna Tataki appetizer with Ponzu Sauce and a pile of scallions and incredible hot sauce in the center. What I love about this place is they allow you to get full or half rolls of many of the choices, realizing that variety is the spice of life, and providing it for their customers.

Even a half roll includes 6 large pieces. I'm telling you this place is incredible.

I ordered a half of a Chronic Roll. Yes, that's correct, a Chronic Roll. It had White Tuna, Asparagus, Masago, Fried Jalapeno, Spinach Reversed W/Aonori Regular and dill on the outside layer of the rice.

I also ordered a half of a Tropical Roll which had Eel, Shrimp Tempura, Cheese, Masago Reversed Top Layer w/Avocado. These rolls were incredible, the Tropical Roll being the better of the two.

The other roll I ordered was called the Dreaming Roll. This roll had Eel, Cream Cheese, Avocado, Topped with Crispy Tuna, Sweet Miso Sauce, Tempura Flakes. Now tell me that doesn't sound unbelievable!

However, I felt that it would end up being too similar to the Tropical Roll. Right as I was thinking this, I looked up and saw on the light up neon board that the Chef Special was the Obama Roll!!!! All it said was Obama (NY Steak) Roll. I had no idea what was in it aside from NY Strip Steak, which I love to death, but when it comes to Sushi I like to keep it to Sushi. I thought to myself, NY Steak in a Sushi Roll?? I've seen many rolls with teriyaki chicken, beef, etc but I have chosen not to partake in that type of roll because then it isn't really technically Sushi.

I decided to screw the rule I had invoked for my entire Sushi lifetime and cancel the Dreaming Roll to substitute the Obama Roll. I figured it was worth taking the chance just in honor of our prophetic & wonderful new President.

I was so pleased to see a Japanese Restaurant showcasing the Obama Roll, reminding me what a difference Obama's victory has made already regarding the way the rest of the world views our country. The woman even said to me, "You try the Obama Roll yea? It's now your favorite right?" I avidly acknowledged that she was right.

This roll was something else. It was the first time I had ever eaten Sushi and felt something much deeper.

Here I was, at my favorite Sushi spot that I have ever had the privilege of eating at anywhere, and I was eating a roll created in honor of our daring new President who I respect and admire so much. I felt true peace and unity while eating my food last night.

The roll was obviously going for symbolism. It had savory juicy chunks of NY Strip Steak at the center, Cream Cheese, Avocado, Red & Yellow Sauce. It had black sesame seeds mixed with the outer layer of white rice, the only roll to do so, as the others has brown or white sesame seeds. I thought all of this was wonderfully thought out, showing through the art of food how all colors can co-exist and look absolutely beautiful and balanced to form an incredible whole.

As Reverend Joseph E. Lowery eloquently, humorously, and stirringly stated "Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen. "

I say Amen to that!!! That's what I'm talking about! I could not get that speech out of my head while eating this delicious Obama Roll.

Of course I also couldn't help but crack up remembering Jon Stewart's parody of that speech with the words "When Blue will be allowed in two, when Puce will be set loose, when we rise above the minutiae of Fuchsia, and Orange …. screw Orange!"

The best part about the roll was the presence of the lettuce. Each piece had lettuce, but like the Spider Roll would have Soft Shell Crab poking far out of two pieces, or the Mexican Roll would have two large Shrimp Tempura tails poking out, this roll had giant pieces of lettuce poking at least 2-3 inches out of two of the pieces.

I have never seen this in a roll ever, and was trying to make sense of it. The lettuce was blatantly in your face. To me it spoke loudly of a clever pun with food of "Lettuce have hope! Lettuce make a difference! Lettuce change!"

After all was said and done, I had spent nearly $70 on what was possibly the most delicious, sentimental, memorable, moving, and inspiring meals I have had in ages. What else would I expect from my dear Su-Shin after such a long hiatus??