Saturday, July 19, 2008
What's hip these days!
Me.
Henry Chung playing "Skybird" alongside Lowell Lo. That's hip!
The new Joanna Wang album. Mimi Lo singing Canto-jazz. Jun Kung's Junk Unit w/ Rayvaughan Covington on that funky bass.
at17's new album esp. the track "那年十七歲". Harry Ng's kidult arrangement on Andy Lau's "一晚長大". Anthony Wong's new song "廣深公路."
Uncle Ray Cordeiro. Teddy Robin goes to the movies.
Brahms, Bach, Beethoven, Bill Evans, Lennie Tristano, west coast cool jazz!
Coltrane playing with Red Garland's trio.
Joe Pass playing Charlie Parker tunes. Tommy Ho playing Joe Pass's licks.
Everything that swings! Swinging hard!
The blues is always hip in my book, esp. jump blues.
Gavin Fallow playing in Jeremy Pelt's "Wired" band.
Bill Heid, Big Joe Maher, Deanna Bogart, Carey Bell, Rod Piazza, Kim Wilson.
The new Willie Nelson/Wynton Marsalis blues CD.
The new Zhou Xuan/Yao Lee remastered CD.
Hanging out at Peel Fresco, 71 bar, Melting Pot, Canny Man, Slim's, Smugglers' Inn.
Jenny's Bakery. Kubrick Friday Live.
Me. I'm still hip!
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Henry Chung playing "Skybird" alongside Lowell Lo. That's hip!
The new Joanna Wang album. Mimi Lo singing Canto-jazz. Jun Kung's Junk Unit w/ Rayvaughan Covington on that funky bass.
at17's new album esp. the track "那年十七歲". Harry Ng's kidult arrangement on Andy Lau's "一晚長大". Anthony Wong's new song "廣深公路."
Uncle Ray Cordeiro. Teddy Robin goes to the movies.
Brahms, Bach, Beethoven, Bill Evans, Lennie Tristano, west coast cool jazz!
Coltrane playing with Red Garland's trio.
Joe Pass playing Charlie Parker tunes. Tommy Ho playing Joe Pass's licks.
Everything that swings! Swinging hard!
The blues is always hip in my book, esp. jump blues.
Gavin Fallow playing in Jeremy Pelt's "Wired" band.
Bill Heid, Big Joe Maher, Deanna Bogart, Carey Bell, Rod Piazza, Kim Wilson.
The new Willie Nelson/Wynton Marsalis blues CD.
The new Zhou Xuan/Yao Lee remastered CD.
Hanging out at Peel Fresco, 71 bar, Melting Pot, Canny Man, Slim's, Smugglers' Inn.
Jenny's Bakery. Kubrick Friday Live.
Me. I'm still hip!
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Friday, August 17, 2007
My blog
I've been neglecting my blog. Not just physically, but mentally. Sometimes I only update the seemingly triumphant stuff that happens in my life, but I've forgotten that this is really a platform for me to let my feelings known. I've been working, night and day, and I haven't had time to sit down and gather my thoughts. Finally, I've decided to do it now.
After waking up from a 3-hour sleep after a gig from last night, I am still sleepy like a zombie. I'm going to take a good 4-hour nap after my badminton game in the p.m. The gig was an experience for me. It's been my dream to play with one of my *childhood* idols Eugene Pao, I should be happy like a kid longing for candy. Honestly, it wasn't my best game last night due to the shitty sound system (I kept getting feedback), but who cares? I was standing next to one of the best guitarists in the world, doing my thing, witnessing Vince and Eugene trade licks. What can be better than that?
These days I've learned to deal with unexpected situations a lot better. Life does not resemble rehearsals. That's why I often believe you can't really rehearse for a blues gig. You have to let your feelings out. And sometimes the external factors inhibit you from doing so. So what do you do? You just wait and be patient. Sometimes that's all you CAN do. Just wait and be patient. Then the opportunity comes, and it's your turn to shine again. I'd like to thank all of those who came last night. I apologize for the long wait until our set. It's not up to me, but you were generous enough to stay. You know who you are.
I've been pondering a lot of thoughts lately, and cannot come to a complete conclusion. Jason Choi was apt to point out I have a contrasting on-stage and off-stage persona. The real me is neither. What I do on stage is only a version of me. It defines partly what I am. The rest you have to find out through the off-stage me. It might take a little time because I am slow to warm up to.
I was teaching this children Bible class in late July. Similar circumstances happened. The kids were slow to warm up to me but when they did, the results were rewarding. I became very popular with them. I don't strive for becoming popular, but what is encouraging is that somehow, somewhere, people do dig my style. There's a style for everyone, some objectively good, some bad. Initially, people change themselves to adjust to the world and people around them, and they usually stick to an identity. My identity is "hipster who is a lawyer by day and a blues harmonicist by night who also teach Sunday Bible school and play badminton casually." That's the role that I play these days. To a large extent it works.
I hope it works for you too. The problem about confidence is "can you really find yourself?" Once you do, the world becomes an easier place to live.
Finally, I want to thank those who have encouraged and supported me so much in the past. I owe everything to you. And without you, I wouldn't be who I am today, both on and off stage.
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After waking up from a 3-hour sleep after a gig from last night, I am still sleepy like a zombie. I'm going to take a good 4-hour nap after my badminton game in the p.m. The gig was an experience for me. It's been my dream to play with one of my *childhood* idols Eugene Pao, I should be happy like a kid longing for candy. Honestly, it wasn't my best game last night due to the shitty sound system (I kept getting feedback), but who cares? I was standing next to one of the best guitarists in the world, doing my thing, witnessing Vince and Eugene trade licks. What can be better than that?
These days I've learned to deal with unexpected situations a lot better. Life does not resemble rehearsals. That's why I often believe you can't really rehearse for a blues gig. You have to let your feelings out. And sometimes the external factors inhibit you from doing so. So what do you do? You just wait and be patient. Sometimes that's all you CAN do. Just wait and be patient. Then the opportunity comes, and it's your turn to shine again. I'd like to thank all of those who came last night. I apologize for the long wait until our set. It's not up to me, but you were generous enough to stay. You know who you are.
I've been pondering a lot of thoughts lately, and cannot come to a complete conclusion. Jason Choi was apt to point out I have a contrasting on-stage and off-stage persona. The real me is neither. What I do on stage is only a version of me. It defines partly what I am. The rest you have to find out through the off-stage me. It might take a little time because I am slow to warm up to.
I was teaching this children Bible class in late July. Similar circumstances happened. The kids were slow to warm up to me but when they did, the results were rewarding. I became very popular with them. I don't strive for becoming popular, but what is encouraging is that somehow, somewhere, people do dig my style. There's a style for everyone, some objectively good, some bad. Initially, people change themselves to adjust to the world and people around them, and they usually stick to an identity. My identity is "hipster who is a lawyer by day and a blues harmonicist by night who also teach Sunday Bible school and play badminton casually." That's the role that I play these days. To a large extent it works.
I hope it works for you too. The problem about confidence is "can you really find yourself?" Once you do, the world becomes an easier place to live.
Finally, I want to thank those who have encouraged and supported me so much in the past. I owe everything to you. And without you, I wouldn't be who I am today, both on and off stage.
Labels: blogs, Eugene Pao, hipster, rantings
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