Summer

Well, It has been an amazing summer...
I was feeling guilty because it has been so long since I updated.

I will start with this last week.

Seu Jorge and Bebel at the Hollywood Bowl with orcestra and Fireworks. I went with Erika, Minerva, and Cami.

Vieux Farka Touré - Amazing show at the Echo plex. I went with Kazu!!!

www.vieuxfarkatoure.com

Esperanza Spalding at the El Rey - Speachless with Sumee

Bajofondo - Great fun from Argentina at The Mayan

It was a great week to end off the summer....

Accept that today is 99 degrees...Climate Change? Indian Summer?

This week saw Slavic Soul Party at the Echo, - I dream of owning a Tuba!

Great outdoor summer shows:

The Twilight Series at the SM Pier was fun:

Playing for Change Band (Global Viral) & Bushman (Jamaican Roots Reggae)
Idan Raichel Project (Israel) & Elijah Emanuel (Bilingual Reggae from Panama)

Lucas Nelson at the Santa Monica Pier - With my Man JP Maramba on Bass. Willy Nelsons kid is a great singer. He even has a little of his dad's twang...I loved it. Keep on Rockin!!!

Grand Performances at California Plaza:
Buika & Perla Batalla
Albita

Skirball - Issa Bagayogo

Sunset Junction:

Arrested Development was super fun...great sing alongs...The Band....The Singing....Speech....It was Grand!!!!!


I won free tix to see Midnite at the Roxy....Love that Bass:

www.midniteband.com

More Summer Reggae:

Reggae on the River was really fun this year.

It was a great summer I am sure I forgot some stufff....

Summer is here

So many show!!!!

This entry is just a catch-up.

I saw some great shows in Spain include Arcangle (Amazing Flamenco).

So much Reggae this month.
Lila Downs at UCLA
UCLA - Reggae Jazz Fest:
Highlights:
Eyrkah Badu
De La Soul
Leela James
Mavado

Midnite at the Key Club
Sly and Robbie at The House of Blues

Lila Downs at UCLA was very special!!!!

Omar Sousa at the Jazz Bakery....Jazz Salsa Fusion...amazing montunos, but they only last for a minute....cool bass player from Zimbabwe.

SCOTT COLLEY QUARTET
Scott Colley-bass
Brian Blade -drums
Ralph Alessi -trumpet
Kevin Hays -pno



I know there are many more, but it is late and I have to start my garden blog...

More to come.

My Bands

I have had a couple fun shows since the beggining of the year:



L'Espirit D'Afrique (I play percusion):

myspace.com/lespritdafrique

We played a great Obama Inauguragtion Party at the J Lounge in Downtown LA.
Private party at the California Hotel at Disneyland
Om at Zanzibar

Kazmo (I play Bass):

Our first show at the Garter in Venice

March Shows

I have been busy since my return from brazil.

Lats night was Miles Mosley at the Edison.

First the edison has to be my favorite club in LA, such a great scene, amazing drinks, and beautiful fairies selling Absinthe elixers....

www.edisondowntown.com

I am a great fan of Miles...bass player and band leader extraordinaire!!!!

The guy is an inspiration on the Stand up bass and a great band leader.

He will be at the Edison every other Thursday Thur May.

i will be going next time for sure.

here is his site:

www.milesmosley.com
www.myspace.com/milesmosley

The other great show I saw was Slavic Soul Party:

I love these guys!!!!

I saw them in NY about 8 months ago and what a fun show.

They played at the Air Condition Club in Venice.

it was a very fun night...keep the Brass Bands coming!!!

www.slavicsoulparty.com/main.html

Carnaval 2009

Dear Diary,

It has been too long since my last confession.

I must start with Brazil:

I spent 2 weeks in Brazil before during and after carnaval...all I can say is WOW WOW!

Higlights include:

Farofa Carioca at the Estra da Lapa....saw my old friends and must say the band has gotten much tighter since the last time I saw them...2 years ago.
Just back from a European tour with a great video presentation that goes along with their set....The lead singer Mario Brother even gave a shout out to me "We would like to welcome our friend back to Rio de janeiro...Morgan" I felt very honored....

Marcelo D2 on top of Sugar Loaf....great party...and what a view at night....the Cidade Maravelosos...


Samba samba samba....

For Carnaval I flew 2.5 hours north of Rio to my favorite city in Brazil...Recife:

Carnaval was long and wide with music everywhere...Highlights;

Manu Chao at Novo Discoberto.

What a night, after torrential rains i had to wade thru flooded street/rivers, but I was determined to see the artist know as Manu.

the show was incredable, different then his recordings the band was an amzing mix of Punk rock and smooth spanish guitar groovey world beat...I loved it!!!

As I was covered in mud and splashing around the mosh pit all I could think of was "I love life and I love music"

Nacao Zumbi with Siba at Marca Zero:

Nacao(my favorite brazilian band) was in full effect with a great Canja (jamm session) with Siba (very traditional Brazilian folk music from the North East of Brazil):

In addition great shows from Lenine, and too many other crazy musical events to mention....

Until next year...

here are some links:

http://www.farofacarioca.com.br/
http://www.marcelod2.com.br/
http://trama.uol.com.br/nacaozumbi/
www.lenine.com.br/
http://www.musicadepernambuco.pe.gov.br/artista.php?idArtista=1
www.manuchao.net/

The Boogaloo Assassins

They play every first Friday of the Month at The Mint.

Had a good old time with the Q Man.

Here is their site:
profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=180785709

End of the Year - Sly Stone

Sly Stone at Zanzibar was very fun.

Crazy stage antics, but when he started singing the whole place was transformed!

Guests included one of the Brothers Johnson, Rose, and Gimy....

It was a great night.