January, 2006
January 31st
We were fortunate to have time for a cultural tour before our evening flight to Ankara. We decided to take full advantage and leave early for Ephesus. Ephesus is the best-preserved classical city on the Mediterranean,and perhaps the best place in the world to get the feeling for what life was like in Roman times.
Legend has it that the Virgin Mary,accompanied by St. Paul, came to Ephesus at the end of her life,circa 37-45 AD. We visited a small house that local Christians venerated as Mary’s. There you can write a wish on a napkin and hang it on a fence.
Then it was on to the ruins of Ephesus.
Can you imagine being here during Roman Times when this was one of the most vibrant and important cities in western civilization?
Here is where the civic meetings took place.
These pillars must have held larger structures. It’s amazing that anything still remains.
This is where the Romans relieved themselves. Personally, I like a little more space between stalls.
This is the entrance to the Library.
Here we are with our unofficial 5th member. Finally, someone without an opinion.
This is the road just outside the Agora. We learned that Agora is Greek for “Market Place.” We named our band “Agora” because it means “Now” in Portuguese. It was great to find out that our name has another meaning. It’s easy to think of our group as a musical market place where we exchange ideas and information.
Here we are at the bottom of the amphitheater. This is where the Romans would catch a show. We were inspired to do a little impromptu accapella. Good thing the Romans weren’t there.
Here’s a shot of the amphitheater from the outside. I got your front row center for $300.
This sign was outside of the bathroom at the end of our tour. You’ve got to pay to play.
After being the ultimate tourist we ran off to the airport to catch a plane to Anakara. On our way to the Sheraton our car broke down. We were stuck on the side of the road for about 30 minutes, but everyone kept their spirits up. We were dancing in our seats trying to keep warm. The Sheraton was the nicest hotel so far, but Ankara was significantly colder than any of the other cities. I went for a short walk to find some food and then back to the room to sleep.
January 30th
We had a little free time in the morning so we all decided to go to another local market in Izmir. It was similar to the Grand Bazaar, but not as big. Also, there was a much more relaxed vibe. At the Grand Bazaar you are expected to barter for everything and they mark the prices up for tourists. Here, the prices are set and usually less than what you could barter for in Istanbul.
Desperately in need of my caffine fix, Damaris and I sat down for a Turkish Tea.
We saw lots of beautiful and exotic things in the market and the venders were much more laid back than in Istanbul. Here, they let you look around, ask questions, and even walk out if your not interested.
We ran into a group of english speaking foreign exchange students. One from Atlanta and others from Scotland and England.
I bought a few things including an english audio course on how to play the oud. There were a few things that I liked, but decide to leave behind.
Our market adventure was cut short by our load in and soundcheck at Izmir Economic University. In Agora, everything is a good time, even sound check.
Once we had the place sounding great we meet with some people from the Izmir Jazz Society. With little time before the show, we decided to hang out in the Green Room and go over some tunes.
At 8pm we started our show at Izmir University of Economics, Balcova Campus Concert Hall. We had a packed house and great sound on stage. Here’s a picture of Nate and I sharing a moment early in the set.
Our second concert was much better than the first and I feel like the band is on an upswing that will last us throughout the tour. Every time we play we get better and better. Here I am putting my award winning guitar face to good use.
For better or worse, we also found our comfort zones on the microphone tonight. I don’t think we talked more on any concert of the tour. Mostly the audience laughed, or sighed, or granted our desired response in light of the fact that we were speaking English in Turkey. They must be the most patient people on earth! Here’s Nate giving a disertation on American Wedding Culture. Work it Nate!
After our set, the University presented us with awards. We certainly did not expect that. “I’d like to thank the Academy.”
The flowers were beautiful, but “oh, no” Nate’s on the mic again!
After that wonderful awards ceremony, we wanted to give something back. We started a second line processional and lead people up onto the stage.
People went totally crazy, clapping, dancing, singing, and just generally having a ball. I’d say that Izmir was a slam dunk for Agora Quartet.
The enthusiasm that ensued was overwhelming. We made lots of new friends and were especially excited to connect with some aspiring young musicians. Nate and I continued the exchange over dinner. It was truly touching how these students seemed so inspired by our performance. I remember having those feelings just a few years back while in school. To be on the other side of the circle and participating in the exchange of culture makes me feel truly blessed. This is exactly what I’ve dreamed of doing with my life.
It was a great performance and a great night. Tomorrow we are off to Ankara.
January 29th
I was a little tired after my long night, especially since we had to catch a plane at 9:30am.
Sevil flew with us to Ismir, where we were scheduled to do a master class and performance at the University. When we arrived we met Damaris Kirchhofer and Cultural Specialist Hakan Yurdadogan. Here I am with Hakan.
We all checked into the Hilton Izmir and I rushed off to take a nap in my super comfortable hotel room.
Although it was overcast, the room had quite a nice view of the Aegean Sea.
After a good long rest we all met for an amazing seafood dinner at a local restaurant.
This is Damaris looking pensive. I’m sure she’s wondering how we’re going to eat all of that food.
The meal was amazing. I had shrimp and sea bass all incredibly fresh and simply prepared. The salads were especially fresh and tasty. I love Ismir! After dinner we decided to call it an early night. Tomorrow we have a workshop and a concert.
January 28th
We left the Hotel at 10am for a little culural tour of Istanbul. We didn’t have much time so we had to pick a couple of the most important spots. Our first destination was the Ayasofya. Probably Istanbul’s most famous landmark, the Hagia Sophia (also spelled Ayasofya) was built by the emperor Justinian I in the year 537 AD. It was truly breath taking inside and out.
Everyone in the band walked around with dropped jaws and excitement.
We quickly made our way to the next stop. Everyone was anxious to spent a little of our generous per diems. We landed at the ultimate flea market, the Grand Bazaar.
We walked around together for a short while, until I found a nice looking instrument shop and spent the next 2 hours picking out an Oud. My friend here played every instrument in the store while I listened to make my choice. I can’t wait to learn how to play this monster.
Per Diem totally squashed, we made our way to the sound check and TV interview at Bogazici University.
After getting the sound just right and tweaking a couple of parts we spent a little time in the green room. Looking out, it seemed that our first show of the tour would be a sellout.
Everyone took turns on the mic telling stories to introduce songs. The audience really loved my Hamam adventure story.
Halfway through our set I decided to show my enthusiam for Turkey in wardrobe. According to legend, reflection of the moon occulting a star, appearing in pools of blood after the battle of Kosovo in 1448, led to the adoption of the Turkish flag. The crowd went wild.
After the show we did a meet and greet and took some photos with new friends and fans. Here I am with Sevil and Katharina.
After the gig the other guys went back to the hotel to rest. This was my only night in Istanbul and I wanted to see the nightlife. I stumbled upon one of the most happening spots in the city called Babylon. I heard a great Canadian band called, The Arcade Fire coming from the stereo of a bar. I walked in and made some new friends. Turns out most of these guys are sons of Turkish ambassadors that have lived all over the world. Two of the guys here used to live in my neighborhood in Park Slope, Brooklyn. What a small world. We hit it off and drank lots of beers.
Afterwards they showed me to a crazy nightclub with lots of people dancing to terrible techno music. I decided to have a beer and take a look around.
I felt like I was in a scene from Zoolander. I decided to go back to the hotel, get some sleep, and avoid getting into trouble.
Jan. 27th
We arrived in Istanbul at around 12 noon local time. We were all pretty tired, but mosty excited. We were greeted at the airport by Katherina and Sevil. The former being the American Embassy Rep. and the latter being the Native Cultural Specialist. We were all happy to see them so prepared for us. We jumped in a van and were taken to the Marmar Hotel in Taxim.
At the hotel we were given our per deims and let loose for the afternoon.
I decided to take a walk around Taxim, just outside of the Hotel. I was happy to find that the street was full of nothing but Music Stores and Cafe’s. It was like Heaven.
After a couple of hours buying CD’s, I came back to the hotel where we gave an interview with a national paper. The interviewer asked us the typical questions and we answered with patience and sincerity. It was a fun interview, but I was glad when it was over. Nate and I had decided to go to the Turkish Baths before dinner. For only $40 they have a car come pick you up and take you to the Hamam. There you are treated to the works. Steaming, peeling, massage, and bathing. I’ve never had such an intense massage in all of my life. Later I learned a Turkish expression used for the masseuse. The Turk will say “My body is yours, but my bones are mine.” Meaning do what you want with my body, but don’t break my bones. I certainly felt that my bones were near breaking, but I came out felling like jelly on a stick. Here is a pic of Nate and I post treatment. I think our facial expressions say it all…
Beyond the physical experience, this was one of the oldest Hamams in all of Turky. It was beautiful, with tall ovaled cealings and intricate marble designs. I wish this Hamam were in my neighborhood in Brooklyn. That is where you would find me.
So back at the Hotel, Scott had arranged for us to meet some new friends. A Turkish connection from his Maracatu class in NYC had introduced us to some beautiful people in Istanbul.
We walked back through Taxim towards an authentic Turkish meal. The narrow side streets were full of fresh fruits, vegetables, and other markets.
At the restaurant we enjoyed wonderful fresh veggies, cantelope, and cheeses. Our hosts ordered up a huge spread of different dishes that we were all able to sample. Yogurts, spinach, friuts, and meats filled our bellies. It was a great meal.
Our new friends showed us a wonderful time. The restaurant was fully equiped with a live band and a belly dancer in the next room.
After dinner, it was back to the hotel for some much needed rest.
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Turkey – Jan. 27th – Feb. 3rd
Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk, or “Father of the Turks.” Under his leadership, the country adopted wide-ranging social, legal, and political reforms. Between 1950-1980 the country alternated between civilian and military rule but since then has been a secular democracy. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. In 1964, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community; over the past decade, it has undertaken many reforms to strengthen its democracy and
of July 12, 1947, which implemented the Truman Doctrine. As part of the cooperative effort to further Turkish economic and military self-reliance, the
economy, enabling it to begin accession membership talks with the European Union.
Modern Turkey spans bustling cosmopolitan centers, pastoral farming villages, barren wastelands, peaceful Aegean coastlines, and steep mountain regions. More than half of Turkey’s population lives in urban areas that juxtapose Western lifestyles with traditional-style mosques and markets.
Turkey has been officially secular since 1924, although 99% of the population is Muslim. Most Turkish Muslims belong to the Sunni branch of Islam, but a significant number are Alevi Muslims. Questions of the goals of political Islam and the aftermath of the 1984-99 PKK Kurdish insurgency continue to fuel public debate on several aspects of Turkish society, including the role of religion, the necessity for human rights protections, and the expectation of security. Turkish citizens of Kurdish origin constitute an ethnic and linguistic group. Estimates of their population range up to 12 million.
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Jan. 26th
TRAVEL: NYC JFK à ISTANBUL, TURKEY
5:20pm Depart NYC JFK on Delta #72. Flight time: 9h55m
I met the guys at Nate’s house at 3pm. We put the finishing touches on our 2007 applications and literally passed it to a postman, from the window of the car, on the way to the airport. We were all feeling excited. We watched “the island” on the plane and I slept most of the way.
Jan. 25th
I’m taking care of odds and ends today, updating my website and getting packed. I have a gig tonight in Times Square with Brillho de Luz and I’m off for the airport tomorrow afternoon. I might not update this site until I get back, but please come visit me again in late February. I plan to take a ton of pics and hope to bring a telling account of our adventures in the Balkans.
Jan. 24th
We woke up again at the crack of dawn to catch a flight back to NYC. Today I’ve been putting together some packages and press kits. Marie and I hung out for the last time before the tour.
Jan. 23rd
I woke up at 5am to catch a flight to D.C. for our tour breifing. We enjoyed a stay in very nice hotel and had a great concert at the National Geographic Museum. I ran into Brian Willowsky from Charleston and caught up with my good friend Susan Anton from Anderson. After the performance we went out for a great Ethiopian meal in Georgetown. The tour breifing was great. We met with the State Department people and got some do’s and don’ts about the tour, why we are going and it’s importance. Now more than ever it feels like a huge honor to participate. They were giving a little run down of all of the past participants for the last 50 years including Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and more. I think that programs like this are the best thing that our country can do to promote democracy.
Nice Stay at the Wyndam Hotel in D.C.
At the Breifing with Sandi, Scott, Morgan, Me, Nate, and Solomon
Where I’m Going!
Who I’m Going With!
Jan. 22nd
Marie and I spent the day together just hanging around the house. We went into the city to meet for dinner with our friend Danielle Howle. We both love Danielle’s music and I’ve recently reconnected with her through Myspace. She’s an incredible singer and songwriter and I hope that we have the opportunity to work together sometime soon.
Jan. 21st
Marie and I had a nice brunch today, but had to head right back to the house. I left at around 4pm to head uptown for a soundcheck with BTD at MAKoR. The gig was a lot of fun. I really enjoy playing with the Donkeys and wish we had more steady work. Of course, we were all there late, packing up drums and loading up vans. Tyler was there and we had some beers and had some fun. I totally forgot to take a picture, but I wish I did. The place was packed for us and the crowd was really into the show.
Jan. 20th
I was working on CD’s again today and some practicing. Tonight I met Marie and went to Joe’s Pub to catch a set by The Bad Plus. The guys sounded really great and seem to be in a good place. They were doing a showcase for APAC. There were a couple of new tunes including another great tune by Reid Anderson. I’m a big fan of his compositions.
Jan. 19th
I’ve been making CD’s for the AGORA quartet recording today. I put together a little cover design and am back to the old black sleeves and label thing I’ve done for a while now. The recording that we made sounds really nice and you can hear tracks on the newly updated “Agora” page on this site. Let me know what you think. I played Moto solo tonight and had a great time. I had a nice audience and got some good feedback. I made some new friends and saw some familiar faces. I had a few beers and shared the excitement for the upcoming tour.
Jan. 18th
Kevin left this morning. I have been trying to catch up on some planning. I have the Balkan tour coming up next week and am trying to plant some seeds for things to happen when I get back into town. Looks like BTD has some dates in the spring and I want to get back down south with Krystle again. I made a gig tonight at El Taller with Sabrina. The project is set up and we officially have a repertoire to do a couple of sets. Hopefully we will have some gigs again soon.
Jan. 17th
I got together with Sabrina Lastman today and worked on some tunes. Earlier Kevin and I went to Dizzy’s for a great brunch. It’s been really nice catching up with him and to finally see him in NYC again. Tonight we went to Barbes and caught a set by a Balkan Brass Band. We hung out late and ended up at a diner for a late night meal.
Jan. 16th
I woke up early today and was scrambling to get to a scheduled AGORA rehearsal. I arrived to learn that Solomon wasn’t there. Instead of wasting time discussing the obvious we decided to use our time to edit our recording. We got some good work done and I was back home by 3pm. I spent some time practicing and headed out for my gig with Massimo and Ferenc at Boom. We had a great time playing and hanging. Afterwards, I caught up with Kevin at Ben Allison’s gig at 55bar. We stopped in at Fat Cat for a second and then made our way back to Brooklyn.
Jan. 15th
I had a rehearsal at Cyro’s house this morning. It was cold as hell after a little snow storm in the night. We are getting ready for a show at Makor next Saturday. We ran some old stuff and took a look at a few new things. I finally made it back home at around 6pm where Marie and Kevin were preparing a dinner for myself, Tyler, and my cousin Mary. Mary is an oboe player and came to NYC for a couple of lessons with classical masters. We had a really great night getting full and talking about our beautiful family.
Jan. 14th
I spent most of the rainy afternoon at home with Marie watching a movie. Kevin came over at around 4. Tonight we went to a party at Gails house, played a little pictionary and hung out with friends.
Jan. 13th
Today I went uptown to the IAJE conference where I met up with Quentin, Kevin, Charlton, John Cobb, and Rich White. I went to this workshop for Jazz Career advice. They didn’t tell me a whole lot that I didn’t know. Most everyone repeated the p word. Persistance is key to getting bookings, sounding good, or most accomplishments in general. The guys with the record labels had pretty bleak outlooks. Anyway, I had sushi in Alphabet city with the guys and we went to hear some music in the West Village. Kevin, Tyler, and I stopped into a few bars before we went to the Chris Potter gig at the 55 Bar. Chris sounded great, with Adam Rogers on guitar, Nate Smith on drums, and Scott Colley on bass.
Jan. 12th
I got an email from Krystal at around 5pm that she wouldn’t be at MOTO. I decided to do the gig solo and it turned out to be a lot of fun. I got some good feedback and was able to make it home early.
Jan. 11th
Happy Birthday to Me. I had a rehearsal this afternoon with BTD at Cyro’s house. We worked on some new music with a great violinist from Brazil. I went out tonight with Tyler and Marie. We had dinner at the great Vegetarian Restaurant Angelika’s Kitchen. Tyler gave me a new skateboard. I love it. Marie and I went to the Vanguard where we saw our friend Joe Martin working it with the great Kurt Rosenwinkel Quartet. It feels good to be 29 and living my dreams in NYC.
Jan. 10th
The recording session at Nate’s was long and productive. We recorded all the 5 tunes that we had hoped. We did Maracatu, King Solomon, Wedding, Pearl of Wisdom, and Thanks Again. After the Session we packed up and ran to our first ever gig at Detour. We had a nice crowd and everyone really played great. Musically I think we are off to a great start.
Jan. 9th
The rehearsal at Nate’s this morning was very revealing. There is lots of stuff I need to look at before we go in for our session tomorrow. I spent a little time on Solomon’s Tune this afternoon figuring out what the hell is going on. It’s actually a really great tune, just a little tricky at first. The gig at Boom was really great. I played with Chris Vanvoorst Vanbaast and he brought RJ Miller on drums. RJ was perfect and had a great sound and good vibes. We also had an amazing guest pianist named Dan Kaufman.
Jan. 8th
Marie had to work today so I worked at the house on some music and to prepare a little for tomorrows rehearsal with Agora. Marie and I just chilled out at home tonight.
Jan. 7th
Marie and I went to Park Slope and ate at La Bagel Delight. We met Bentley at the Barnes and Knoble and I looked up some info on Istanbul and Athens. Later I came home and read all about the conflict in Kosovo. Later, we went to the new Woody Allen Movie, Match Point, with Tyler and Supi.
Jan. 6th
This morning, I had a photo shoot and rehearsal with the Agora band. We got some great shots, but lost a lot of rehearsal time. We made plans for a monday rehearsal and a recording session on Tuesday. Later, I was home tonight and catching up on lots of business stuff. This next week is looking crazy.
Jan. 5th
A scheduled rehearsal was cancelled this morning, which was OK with me since I have lots to do around the house. I went to the gig at MOTO early again and played a little solo set. Krystle sounding amazing as ever and we were also joined by Greg Porter and Lakecia Benjamin.
Jan. 4th
I stayed around the house today and did a lot of shedding. I was called in to sub a gig for Eric Nicolas at the East Village Anyway Cafe.
Jan. 3rd
My new friend, vocalist, Sabrina Lastman came over to run some Brazilian tunes as a duo. She has an upcoming gig at El Taller in Manhattan that should be lots of fun. It’s challenging putting a lot of songs that I already know into new keys.
Jan. 2nd
I practiced some things for most of the afternoon. The gig at BOOM was lots of fun with Thomas Bramerie on bass and Pete Zimmer on drums. I came home and watched a little Carl Sagan Cosmos with Marie.
Bentley and Michelle
Scott Kettner
Jan. 1st
My Berklee College of Music Education (Olivier, Massimo, and Lionel)
Moesha Loves Massimo
We decided to have some friends over for Hoppin Johns and Collard Greens in order to bring in the New Year southern style. We ate and drank some bloody mary’s. Krystle, Scott, Michelle, Bentley, Marie and I all ended up playing poker after everyone else left. It was a fun hang.
My New Year’s Resolution – “Mo Money, Mo Bitches”
