The next Piano Man - Jackson Tyler Hunt

Wow. Once I saw Jackson Hunt's face on his site (www.reverbnation.com/jacksonhunt) all I could think of was, "He wants to be Billy Joel?" A lover of the piano, Mr. Hunt has his own definition of what pop music is. He has the "stuff" to go the boy band route, though. But his bio states that he wants to follow in the footsteps of past piano greats like Elton John and Billy Joel, aka Piano Man. Currently, in his young career, he sounds more like Boys like Girls.

I can totally see him sing, "Throw it away, forget yesterday, we'll make the great escape!!"

This Missouri native is on the Reverbnation website, which supports indie music, musicians, venues, etc all in the name of music. It's also the only website (meaning no Youtube!) that has his songs available. Browse around it when you get a chance...after listening to Jackson's song, of course. His song, "Dance, Dance" is currently #3 on their chart! I'm excited to see what else he has in store for us.

Fortunately, for me, Jackson will be performing in NYC this week! He is scheduled to perform on April 13, at 11 PM at Banjo Jim's (700 9th Street, NY, NY). I'll have to go check it out. More reviews and pictures to come. Hope to see some of y'all there!

Listen Honey, to the Hot Sardines

There used to be a time when flapper dresses, feathers and fedoras were a part of casual everyday wear and not just reserved for Halloween. That time is lovingly nicknamed, the Roaring 20s. This decade also gave us such greats as Charlie Chaplin, Louis Armstrong, Josephine Baker, Harry Houdini, Duke Ellington and Babe Ruth! Life was certainly not any simpler back then (it was also prohibition era), but I'm sure it was plenty of fun with these types of talents.

Coincidentally, I've been looking on and off to see where I can enjoy some songs from this jazz age, live! Yes, I know there are speakeasies. But most of them are so secretive and exclusive that I probably can't get in with my ity bity list of credentials. But what d'ya know. My commute home helped me get my answer. I was in my usual mad rush (out of habit) when I stopped short in my tracks. I was stumped and had to stop and listen...amongst the tourists!

Time stopped for a mere few minutes when I saw The Hot Sardines performing in the station. Wow. In my great desire to find out the band's name, I walked back and forth and weaved through a few immobile listeners (can't really blame them, though) to get a mere glimpse of their logo standing upright on the station floor. Love the name. It is especially appropriate for rush hour commuters taking the trains.

This is hot jazz at it's best (at least in NYC). It's very New Orleans a.k.a. Dixieland. All you need is some friends, dancing shoes and whiskey. Even if it's in the subway station. The Hot Sardines are composed of: Evan Palazzo, Elizabeth Bougerol, Jason Prover, Peter Anderson, Justin Hines, and tap dancer, Eddy Francisco. Elizabeth has a strong and crisp voice which is also a match made in heaven for these songs. It will give you chills and make you want to dance...with Eddy! They sing jazz standards such as, "Everybody Loves My Baby," and "Dinah." These Sardines know how to give the originals a run for their money! Let's try to catch them the next time they're in NYC, shall we? Check them out at their website here: www.hotsardines.com/#.

Paper Cranes 2011

This past weekend, a bunch of my dear friends gathered at my place to fold cranes! We're sending them to the Student Rebuild/Bezos Family Foundation, which will donate $2 for Japan's reconstruction efforts for every crane received.

Our final count after the party is 257! We're with you, Japan.

Rammstein in NJ - May 2011!

Well, she did it again. My friend "Y," has somehow convinced me to go with her to watch the most famous German hard metal band from the other side of the Atlantic, Rammstein. Again. Not that I'm upset or anything. Just curious as to the set of events that lead to this, lol.

We will be at the Izod Center bopping our heads bedsides other metal heads and gearing ourselves for the pyrotechnics that the band so loves.

Rammstein formed in 1994 and has had the same line up ever since. Talk about commitment! They named themselves after the German town, Rammstein-Miesenbach, the site of one of the biggest air show disasters in history. About 70 people died and hundreds were injured. Yup.

Critics are usually divided on their music. Some say they are intense and brutal and encourages...bad stuff. They've had to defend themselves when some said criminals and terrorists were listening to their music. But others say that they are actually humorous and nothing but good entertainment. It's how you, as a listener, translates it. Well, of course.

Rammstein hasn't played in North America for almost 10 years. Part of that is due to the fact that they were banned. And my first time watching them was also their first return to North America. It was...actually quite the experience!

Oh Land, Oh My

This is absolutely not fair. I mean, sure there are beautiful people and talented people, but how many people have both!? Well, Nanna Øland Fabricius has GOT BOTH. Wow wee. This Denmark native goes by her stage name, Oh Land. At first, I thought her name probably has some indie meaning/twist to it. Oops. Don't assume! Oh Land's self titled album came out in March 2011. I was watching late night (shocking) a while ago and saw her perform live. Freaking mesmerized.

Her future hit (because it's that good), "Sun of a Gun," showcases her vocal talent and her destiny as a pop star. I'd group her songs with La Roux and Shiny Toy Guns and her beauty with Heidi Klum and Jamie King. Seriously. She's going to hit the big time in no time. I just hope her style doesn't change much for the corporate machines. Here's hoping.

Check out her FREE shows in New York this week!

Charles Bank Gallery
196 Bowery Street
March 29th to April 1st
Doors open at 8PM
Show starts at 8:30 PM
Space is limited!

BACK!

Oy. So where was I?? Oh, yes. Playing on the soft pink sands and breath-taking waters of the Atlantic. Ahhhhhh. And now back to reality, sigh. Here's a few pictures from my trip to Bermuda. I wish I had more time to enjoy these wonders! Be back soon!

DJ on the Subway

Gosh. The last thing anyone wants to think about after a long night is HOW LONG it's going to take to get home. I had to get a frappachino to assist me in my journey. Then my friend and I hopped on the subway in hopes of getting home at a decent time. It was a weeknight, after all.

Halfway through my trip, after my friend got off at her stop, I heard, "Sorry, I'm just being nosy." I turn around and see a woman all up in my neighboring commuter's business. She looked a little too happy. I'm thinking she had one too many happy hours that night! But I end up looking at his business, too. This guy was mixing on a turntable on his netbook! I see LMFAO, Usher, Lupe Fiasco, Korean music and SO MUCH MORE on his list. The DJ was gracious enough to hand her one of his earphones to listen to him mixing. He was more than excited to share, actually. The lady and her friend were having a ball! So was the rest of the train that looked on, haha. Then the party had to stop because DJ arrived at his destination. Sigh. Fun times, though.

Even for a mere moment, on a sleepy subway, in the midst of a Wednesday night, music can still take us away.

Japan - Earthquake~Tsunami

Waking up to news like this, puts your life in perspective. I have placed the people affected by this disaster in my thoughts. I hope Japan will be able to make a quick recovery. I hope that all loved ones will be able to find one another. Because in the end, that's all we care about.

Kisses - Keeps Us Warm ;)

The first thing I thought of, on this cold New York City day, was why did I NOT wear an extra layer?! Brr. After hopping onto the subway, I frantically searched for my ipod. I knew exactly what I wanted to listen to. All I wanted was Kisses!! Ah. Much better.

This L.A. duo first made their appearance in my life at the CMJ Marathon during the fall of 2010. Jesse Kivel takes reign of the vocals, while his girlfriend, Zinzi Edmundson, holds down the (very heavily synth) keyboards. I was hanging out in a corner at "The Studio" waiting for the cold Friday night to whittle away when Kisses took the stage. The first few notes caught me for the rest of their gig. As I watched and listened, I was flooded with memories of kisses from the warm summer breeze that gently touches my skin as I walked along the streets...without a care in the world. Makes you happy, dance and ready to fall in love. Just what I needed for my commute this morning!

Jesse's voice can reach impressively low octaves and remain very sweet and sensual at the same time. Wow. Kisses got a good thing going for them. They're an upbeat love story between 80s band, A-Ha and 90s band, Ace-of-Base. Seriously.

Their newest single, Midnight Lover, sounds similar to their older song, Bermuda. The lyrics are pretty interesting. They have quite a way with words to get a story across. Nevertheless, I still very much like them both. It's like saying Sarah McLachlan's songs sound similar. It's just their signature style.

Off to Bermuda!

Ray LaMontagne

His music is straight out of the 70s and what you would expect to come on the radio after "You've Got a Friend" and "American Pie". His voice is raspy and emotional like James Morrison. But the beard is all Ray.

When I'm listening to Ray Lamontagne's songs, I feel like I'm looking up and down the street, from Kevin Arnold's front porch on a hot summer's day. Basking in the satisfaction of drinking an ice cold lemonade, made by his mom, as a treat for us after a hard day's play at the school's playground. Ah, those were the days.

By the way, Ray Lamontagne is also a recent Grammy winner(!) for the Best Contemporary Folk album named, God Willin' and the Creek Don't Rise. Congrats! Yeah, I don't think he performed that night...

Ray grew up in New England and attended high school in (reluctantly) Moscow. He started his career back in 1999, playing in local indie bars. Since around 2005, his music started to appear in many movies and television series. Not too shabby. =)

Here's one of my favorite songs of his, Forever My Friend.

PS 22's Stellar Oscar Performance 2011

I am still gushing over P.S. 22's version of "Over the Rainbow"!! I must say it was the best performance of the whole show. So was Colin Firth's acceptance speech. And not much else...
I was so afraid of Anne Hathaway at the end of the performance when she gave the kids high tens. It looked like she would've pushed them off the stage with all the "woo"-ing bubbly force she was using!

Anyways, great job kids and Mr. B! Great job! Made us so very proud =D

PS22 Chorus => OSCARS!

Have you heard? These awesome kids from my 'hood are going to L.A., to sing onstage at the Oscars this Sunday! Yeah, what did you have on your resume before you turned 12? =D And if you don't know who these kids are, here's a clip of one of their performances! Educate yourself XD



I'm so excited! Thanks to their ever giving and amazing teacher, Greg Brienberg, a.k.a. Mr. B. We need more inspirational teachers like him (ESPECIALLY like my dear friend, Miss U!!) who love what they're doing for our future generations. When Miss U and I hang out, we exchange stories about work that are great, funny, sometimes disgusting and even horrid! But Miss U wouldn't change anything for a second because she loves teaching our kids. If you're reading this Miss U, I plan to have my kids in your class someday, haha! And me? ...Well I'm still looking for my calling ;)

How much energy and popped veins these teachers have sacrificed, in the likes of Socrates, Hippocrates, Confucius and for me, Mr. Doyle. These lessons stays with us forever whether we realize it or not. Thanks, to all the teachers. Cheers and good luck, P.S. 22!

"Teachers don't impact for a year, but for a lifetime." - Anonymous

Guilty Pleasure of the Week - Cocktail Waitress...

Here's my Guilty Pleasure of the Week. We allllll have one. WARNING - Spoiler Alert:

I was giggling like a teenage girl when Rachel and Blaine kissed! WOWZAS. Dang it, I wish they continued this Blaichel or Raine thing for at least some time (few episodes) during their experimental teenage angst years. They both look so good together! They got jipped of that. So did we. Boo.
Then the love bugs break out into The Human League's, Don't You Want Me for all the 80's babies. All karaoke-ers should follow their dance moves. It's so in touch with the song, lol! Now I can't get it out of my head! Oh, there's nothing quite like you, 80s music.

I was working as a waitress at a cocktail bar
That much is true
But even then I knew I'd find a much better place
Either with or without you

CLICK HERE for the clip I personally made for you, *wink*!
http://www.hulu.com/watch/215566/glee-blame-it-on-the-alcohol?c=775:921

MNDR - Cut Me Out

Just thought I'd check in on my girl, Amanda Warner, a.k.a. front woman of MNDR, and see what she's been up to since my last posting of her here.

I wanted to see when she'll be in town again, since I MISSED her performance in NYC on 2/4/2011. Sigh. On another note, I was absolutely ec-freakin-static when I saw MNDR on the cover of this month's SPIN!! Although they have seem to have forgotten to mention that MNDR is actually a duo with Amanda Warner and behind the curtains partner, Peter Wade. According to the magazine, she's on the 2011 list of "ones to watch." YUP. MNDR has been getting more and more airplay...guess where? Overseas in the UK, of course. Which is still awesome. This Cali native, with her huge whopping signature white glasses, graces the stage and sings her original songs with infectious hooks, unique voice and pounding (or dizzying) visuals. Her voice is like Pop Rocks compared to other big name-rs' Nerds.

MNDR's first single release of the year, Cut Me Out, came out on January 19th. Catch their new single here! Enjoy!

A Hsu-Nami is a comin'

I don't know about you but I can confidently say: THIS. IS. SO. COOL. Hsu-Nami is a New Jersey based rock band, that features an er-hu. An er-hu is an ancient Chinese instrument that is comparable to a violin but only has 2 strings. As a side note, I'd like to also point out that the er-hu is usually used in the soundtracks of soap opera series (!) that are set in ancient China. And I grew up watching these type of series! It's a pretty melodramatic instrument. So this is quite a rumble for the senses to see an er-hu as the lead in a rock band! I guess we can define this as "fusion."

When their name popped up on my radar, I knew I've seen them before. How many other er-hu rock bands are out there anyway. It took some digging but I found my old pictures from a dragonboat race. Voila! A picture of Hsu-Nami! I remember that I was walking away from the stage towards the food concession stands (hey, a girl has got to eat) when all of a sudden I hear an er yu with rock...

Hsu-Nami consist of band members, Jeff Hsu (er-hu), Brent Bergholm (lead guitar), Tony Aichele (rhythm guitar), Derril Sellers (bass), John Manna (drums) and Dana Goldberg (keyboard). The group formed in 2005 during their college years. Their first album, Entering the Mandala, came out in 2007. The Four Noble Truths, their second and latest release came out in 2009. The title song, The Four Noble Truths, is 10 minutes long and absolutely reminisces Vivaldi's The Four Seasons.

The band has been busy lately with performances in cities all over the country...actually, technically the North Eastern States. But hopefully that will change in the future! One of Hsu-Nami's major successes was having their song, "Rising of the Sun," represent the Chinese National Basketball Team during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Nicely done.

Hsu-Nami will be performing on March 13, 2011 at Arlene's Grocery. Hope you'll pop in if you're in the area!