Daby Toure

Rich and I checked out his show at Joe's Pub earlier this month, and it was beautiful. It was a rainy Saturday night, and I don't think they announced it very early, so the place wasn't packed. It really should have been. This is my favorite song of his - "Banta" (he actually jovially made us all stand up and turned it into a sing-along even though I really have no idea what the actual words are). Maybe someday I'll learn how to finger pick it out. :) Not all of his songs are as quiet as this one - the guy actually jams (and turns his guitar into a conga)! He mixes elements of his native West African style with Western jazz and pop, and the result is very cool... if he got enough publicity, I think he could become pretty popular here.

Kanye West & His Spaceship: The Musical

Kanye West & His Spaceship: The Musical (my title for the Glow in the Dark tour) was definitely memorable. Special effects were very cool, his stamina was impressive, as was the seamless integration of all his song into a narrative. I still can't decide how I felt about the 5 minute lecture we at MSG got at the end of his show (esp. since the night after us got Jay-Z instead), or the fact that he wouldn't share the stage with a single other animate being. But, I can't deny the face that I seriously enjoy Kanye's talent and music. Lupe Fiasco was very good too, and N.E.R.D. was fun (go Pharrell for bringing up Diggy Simmons to dance onstage - RUN'S HOUSE in the house).

It was also cool to hear Esthero's voice as the voice of the spaceship.

Acoustic Guitar Lessons

Learning guitar is HARD!! I knew it was before, but I didn't have full appreciation until now. Right now, I can barely strum through the main chords in Closer to Fine by the Indigo Girls and am working on finger picking with Dust in the Wind by Kansas. I still can't change chords so quickly without screwing up the rhythm, but I'm getting better slowly by surely, thanks to my great teacher - and time & practice (never enough of either). My fingernails are gone. My fingertips are hardening. Don't think I'll ever be a guitar heroine, but hopefully I'll be competent enough at some point...

Sorry I've Been Gone So Long

I don't know where the past two months have gone. I've been so busy with working on the new apartment, playing with the new puppy, trying to play the new guitar... I don't know how I haven't managed to post a thing.

More coming soon...

Our New Bathroom

RMW & I are closing on our new apartment next Tuesday. Plans for transforming the bathroom are still in the works... happily, we got great ideas from the smart people on apartmenttherapy.com this week, though. Want to see what people have been saying and/or give us some of your own ideas?

Here's the link to the apartmenttherapy post incl. pics of our bathroom and details on our design dilemma...

Adele at Highline Ballroom June 11, 2008

She played for just under an hour, leaving everyone wanting more of that voice... wow, is this one talented. Every bit of power, alternating warmth and edginess in tone, and perfect pitch (and pitch bending) that you hear on her album sounds, if anything, even *more* flawless live. I know all her lyrics, but she actually shut me up last night. (and if you know me and my involuntary tendency to sing as much as possible, you'll understand what a feat that is). I just was commanded to focus all my energy on listening.

I can't wait for Adele to develop further as a songwriter and as an artist. At only just barely 20, she's got such a long career ahead of her!

p.s. she was pretty adorable in terms of stage presence - she kept saying (as on this clip) how nervous she was -- but then would just belt out these songs. I didn't hear any wobbliness in her voice whatsoever, so I can't imagine what her voice sounds like NOT nervous. She also was so cute in her responses to the crowds' cheers... she would be all serious into the song, and then, see someone cheering (or recognize someone), and this huge genuine grin would melt her face, and then she'd be back to intense focus -- all the while her voice never once betraying any distractions. I found it so charming - she just looked like she was thrilled to be performing for us.

p.p.s She said she was apartment shopping in Brooklyn! :)

Awesome. Bilal. Robert Glasper.

GREAT show at the Blue Note last night. Bilal's falsetto live is ridiculous. Robert Glasper is sick on keys too.

It's easy to hear why Bilal's voice is all over hip hop's great albums - from Jay-Z to Clipse to Common... but when he's center stage live, he's even better.

Here's a clip from a show in Amsterdam: