You just never know. Every now and then, life gives you a much-needed boost from an unexpected source. This recently happened to me. Around the holidays, a generous soul gave me a pass to 8 Limbs Yoga, a beautiful studio here in Seattle. Thusly, I’ve spent the past few months rediscovering the joys and benefits of yoga. I used to practice a long time ago in a past life. However, I don’t recall feeling the same zeal for it then that I am feeling now.…
Over this past weekend, I had the immeasurable pleasure of taking a road trip with the Garfield High School Jazz Band. (Well, to be more accurate, bands, as in I & II.) Our destination was the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival at the University of Idaho in Moscow. I signed on as a chaperone for the trip. By some anomaly in nature, Emmett, who plays guitar in Band I, had no issue with his goober mom coming along for the ride, even if it meant she…
Holy Shit! Planned Parenthood has been taking it from all sides lately. While this outstanding organization has long been the target of religious zealots and anti-choice lunatics, they’ve recently been subjected to a new wave of attacks aimed to undermine their credibility and ultimately bring them down. The anti-choice group Live Aid has recently orchestrated a campaign, which involves the creation of deceptive videos of pseudo patients in select Planned Parenthood locales. The videos feature a “pimp” and a “prostitute” seeking health care services for…
January 22, 1992. My most vivid memory from that day was of standing completely naked in my living room. The scene around me was frenetic and chaotic, but I remember feeling like I was in slow motion. It was early in the morning, maybe around 5:30am or so. The front door was wide open. It was frigid out and dark. I remember the flashing lights from the firetruck and ambulance in front of the house. I can still see the firemen walking into the house…
Hello people. January has roared in with a bang, and I have some cool gigs to tell you about! Boxley’s Thursday, January 13, 2011- 7:00pm Duo performance with Randy Halberstadt on piano Boxley’s has all the elements that make it a great place for live jazz: a big, ol’ Steinway piano, a great sound system, upscale but comfortable décor, very tasty food and cheerful service. It’s truly a terrific place to enjoy a slow, relaxed dinner and take in a little live music. Although it’s…
My good pal Jason Parker recently posted a link on his Facebook page to an article about musicians and depression. It was from the blog "Behind the Music." The post was about a list complied by Health.com of the top ten professions with the highest rate of depression. Artists ranked fifth on the list. Further, artists who have a secondary job as a source of income, such as waiting tables or mopping floors, rank second on the list. It seems that plenty of musicians, writers…
