Kansas City Blues
Last night, we performed in Kansas City, MO. This was the first show after the announcement of Michael Jackson’s death. We’d traveled to KS the day before, and upon landing, all of our cell phones received a deluge of text messages announcing the shocking news. We all wondered how...→ Read More
RIP MJ
As the plane landed, I turned on my cell phone and was inundated with a deluge of frantic text messages about the demise of the King of Pop. Surely, this isn’t true! With the sudden fierceness of an unexpected storm, the entire plane was speaking in hushed tones about...→ Read More
Working Weekend
I performed again in Danville last night, and in Burlingame this morning, both times playing piano/keyboard and singing. I’ve been working on adding more songs to my repertoire, just recently added a Billy Joel song (And So It Goes) and Lauren Hill’s version of Can’t Take My Eye Off...→ Read More
That’s what friends are for…
I started the day by attending the funeral of my friend Tommie Bradford’s mother. I don’t think I ever met her, but I consider both of her sons, Tommie and Dontay, to be friends, and I wanted to be present as they honored their mother. It was a beautiful...→ Read More
Victoria Theodore June Performances
“And let them pass, as they will too soon,With the bean-flowers’ boon, And the blackbird’s tune, And May, and June!”– Robert Browning Hello friends, I am safely returned home from my beautiful trip to Morocco. Stevie Wonder performed at the annual MAWAZINE Festival in Rabat (Morocco’s capital city) and...→ Read More
A Walk on the Classical Side!
Tonight I performed with an orchestra for the first time in ages! I was the pianist with the Oakland Public Conservatory Chamber Orchestra in performance of Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland and Dismal Swamp by William Grant Still. Both pieces have substantial, beautiful (and somewhat technically challenging) piano parts...→ Read More
Morocco: An Extra Day!
I woke up early, and headed down to the lobby a full 30 minutes before the call time. I’ve taught myself to be particularly early on departure dates to be absolutely certain that I don’t get left behind. Once we all boarded the van, we were driven 90 minutes...→ Read More
Morocco: Shopping!
Again, I woke up late, missed another chance to run on the beach, and missed breakfast. Oh well! At 1pm, we drove back into Rabat to visit the Medina shopping area once again. On the way, we passed the party castle, which is just as stunning in daylight as...→ Read More
Morocco: Stevie Wonder Concert
This morning, I had one thing on my mind: PRACTICE! Over the past 2 days of rehearsal, Stevie has randomly called upon the band to rehearse songs that we either had never played before or had rarely played. I spent the entire morning, reviewing as much music as I...→ Read More
Morocco: Alicia Keys Concert
This morning, I woke up late again. I still haven’t had the chance to go for a run on the beach or have breakfast. Lobby call for rehearsal was 1pm, so having woken up just before noon, I had just enough to get dressed and take off. At rehearsal,...→ Read More
