2009

I just completed this questionnaire for the Interboro Rock Tribune, which got me reviewing my year. Here's my submission:

1. What was your favorite album of 2007 and why? Least
favorite album?
The Bad Plus - For All I Care - It's a masterpiece by one of the few real working BANDS that are out there in the jazz world. Proves that great music can be fun to listen to and the production is amazing.
2. What are your other four favorite albums of 2009?
Fred Hersch - Plays Jobim
Laurent Coq - Eight Fragments of Summer
Emilio Teubal - Un Monton de Notas
Matt Kanelos - Silent Show

3. What song did you love this year and hated yourself for it and why?
Porque Te Vas scene from the film Cria Cuervos - the song is from the 70's and is absolutely perfect kitsch

4. What was the coolest thing you downloaded off the
Internet this year?
eMusic - It can sometimes be so overwhelming to keep up with buying music. It really helps me stay with it and keep my ears fresh.
5. What annoyed you most about 2009 and why?
television news and the increasing impact that it has on our culture

6. What freaked you out most about 2009 and why?
see #5 - specifically the pathetic shape the discussion of health care reform took
7. What was the best thing you saw on television in
2009 and why?
MADMEN - Actually, it was the only thing I saw on television this year.
8. What was your favorite film of 2009 and why?
Man on Wire. I know it was made in 2008, but it made a lasting impression. Goodbye Solo was a quiet film that I really liked. The Mike Tyson doc was great too.

9. What was the best concert you saw in 2009 and why?
Pat Metheny, Larry Grenadier, Jack DeJohnette at the Bear Theater in Woodstock NY. I had never seen Metheny before and it was totally awe inspiring to see him in such a small place with such an incredible group. I felt like I was 15 again listening to these guys play.
10. What does your gut tell you about 2010?
Not much different from 2009
11. Of all the retail stores that went belly up in 2009, which one will you miss the most and why?
Falafel Fusion on Church Ave. in Brooklyn.

12. What are your thoughts on Obama now vs. back in November of 2008?
Not to say that I'm not troubled by a number of policy decisions, but for the most part he's fighting a noble fight and up against some harsh political and social realities. It's a lot easier to be critical of him now that he's not being compared to people like McCain and Palin.

GLASS

Just watched the Philip Glass documentary on a bit of an impulse. I've never been the biggest fan, but have always been intrigued. It sucked me in right away, and I definitely gained an appreciation for his music and incredible output and longevity as an artist.

Here are a few of my favorite videos that I've found online.

See the movie. You can stream it on Netflix.

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local shame

Sad to find out that a bunch of popular restaurants in Park Slope (my former hood) have been caught using some questionable labor practices. Thanks to Only The Blog Knows Brooklyn for putting this up.

25 Park Slope Restaurants Cited/Fined for Labor Violations

Many favorite Park Slope restaurants are on the list released by the State Department of Labor Department yesterday. 25 Brooklyn restaurants owe at least $910,000 in unpaid wages to more than 200 workers.

In Park Slope, state inspectors found that workers make as little as $2.75 an hour way below state minimum wage of $7.25. They found that delivery workers earn $210 to $275 a week for 60 to 70 hours of work.

Of the 25 restaurants cited, 12 restaurants paid back the wages while 13 other restaurants are still in negotiations to pay back the wages.

Park Slope Restaurants With Violations

The following restaurants are negotiating a resolution for payment:
Aunt Suzie's Restaurant
Bagel World
Bogota Latin Bistro
Coco Roco
Joe's Pizza
Marcho Corp's Cholita
Olive Vine Cafe (two locations)
Rachel's Taqueria
Sette
Song
Taqueria
Uncle Moe's

Here's the link to the Daily News article that ran the story.

Paris

Thanks to a grant from Chamber Music America and the French American Cultural Exchange (FACE), I've had the great pleasure of putting together a great set of original music by both pianist Laurent Coq and myself. We have taken four poems (two originally in French and two written in English, both translated to the other language) and set them in our respective languages. Thanks to some great work from singers Christine Correa and Laurence Allison, bassist Yoni Zelnik, and drummer Karl Janusska we have a really wonderful set of eight songs.

We'll be at Radio France on Saturday November 21st and Sunside the following day.

Jazz Dock

I've had the great pleasure of playing with Czech guitarist/composer David Doruzka and his trio the past few nights in Prague. Here are some great photos by Barka Fabionova from a concert we did at Jazz Dock on Saturday.

fOr yoUr eNjoYmeNt

I've put up some tantalizing videos on YouTube of tracks from the Words Project (2007) and Words Project II (2008)

Words Project III: Miniatures will be released Jan. 29th, 2010 at Galapagos.