Why is it, if I only have one thing to do in a day, I won't get it done, but it I have 10 things to do, I may get 5 or 6 done? Why is that? I don't get it!

Big show "opening" (ok, we're on the 2nd stage, but still) for Earth Wind and Fire and Chicago this Saturday! Rhythmicity, plus Tekere Duende dancers, it's gonna be a great show!! Now if I can just remember what parts I'm playing, everything will be OK!

First gig with Rhythmicity! Turkish Delights had a great crowd for us, we had a lot of fun playing for them! Now, how many days will it take for my hands to stop hurting? I guess I really should practice playing djembe on a strap if I'm going to do it in a performance. Oh well, back to the practice room to get those pesky unison breaks down!

I'm experimenting with my first internet-based recording collaboration. A group from The Home Recording Connection is working on a cover of "The Unknown Stuntman" - the theme from The Fall Guy. I've never actually met anybody involved, but we're willing and able. I've always wanted to try something like this, but have never gotten anybody to go along with it. If it works out, I may have found a new avenue for getting some recording gigs! Now on to the studio to get some work done (doesn't everybody head in to pound on things at 6:00 in the morning?)

Here's a recording tip for those struggling with hand drums. I didn't think it would work, but on a whim I put a mic inside a djembe, sticking straight up towards the head, sounded great! I was using it as a bass drum , so I eq'd it really bassy, but without that you get a good definition b/t bass, open, and slap tones. I really didn't think you'd get enough definition to make it useable without the contact sound of the hand on the head, but it seemed pretty good! More experimenting to come!

I had been toying with the idea of starting a found sound/field recording section on the site, but then I came across www.audiosparx.com, looks like pretty good stuff, and they actually had exactly what I was looking for, "morning in Africa"! How cool is that?!

Wow, where does the time go? Sorry for the lack of updates, but I'll try to catch you up to speed with what's been going on!

New projects: playing with Rhythmicity, recording with Will Woltz, writing with Periculum, Tribal World View, and Harlem Timeshare, and starting this fall, I'll be teaching a percussion ensemble for True Note Bands. So, how's your summer going?

I actually got a bit of a vacation this summer, and went to a family reunion in beautiful Black Mountain, NC (no, we're not from there, that just happened to be where it was held!). Interesting to continue to meet people I'm somehow connected to, but don't really know. You know the whole dynamic, I'm sure, but I guess I just had to mention it anyway.

I've been slack about getting in the studio and working for most of athe summer. It's weird, but I really do think I work better under pressure! I can see the benifit of buying studio time, going in and knocking out as much material as possible in a couple of days. Now that I'm getting loaded with projects, I'm a lot more motivated to get in there and get some work done! I'll probably get an ulcer from it, but at least it's motivation!

And, on a totally different note, happy 70th birthday to the Dali Lama, may blessings flow to him and his people in thier struggle to survive!

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