So much has happened since the release of Love Story in September 2008.

Greetings from Boston's Berklee School of Music!

Once again I have way too many updates for one blog.. but here goes:

Hot July can be heard in netBloc release "Sweet 16" which is a collection of some great net-audio.
Here is the link.

Devastating Karate has released "The Gallery" which includes a track co-written with Nick Ratliff called Sour Little Mind. I'm also on there holding down bass and doin' some vocal delights. It is available for purchase on iTunes by following this link.

Watch out for an article about Calendar in the September 1st edition of Music Connection Magazine.

Dublab will be launching Into Infinity 8/8/08 which will include about 15 original electronic loops I created. Link up here.

And of course progress still continues on the next concept album. We're about 7 out of 10 songs done and hoping to meet our rapidly approaching September 1st deadline.

Finally, please take some time to check out a wonderful article my mother wrote for the San Diego Reader.

Whew!

-monk

Check out the CC Salon LA presentations!

Exciting things in the works...

I'll be doing a presentation with Curt Smith of Tears for Fears about my tunes at a Creative Commons Salon in Los Angeles.
Click here for more info.

I've written music for two independent films which will be making the rounds at film festivals. Lo Que Daria por Volver, directed by Sergio Carvajal will be making its debut at the River's Edge Film Festival August 14th-17, 2008. Casimiro, directed by Sergio Rabczuk will also be making it's debut this summer. I'll keep you posted on future screenings of both films.

Finally, I am very excited to announce that ground has been broken for the next concept album! Tentatively titled "Ten Bulls of Love", the album will follow the stages of a relationship as it would relate to the Zen Buddhist story of Ten Bulls. The artist on the project is Jung Ji Masa Lee. His past work can be viewed here.

Onward and upward.

-monk

For my next record, I'd like to collaborate with an LA based visual artist. I'm looking for someone with the conceptual skills of Banksy and the visual candy of Takashi Murakami.

The idea is to have an art show with 10-12 pieces all centered around a concept. Each of those pieces would have a song to accompany it which would be heard though headphones that would play the song as the person looked at the art. The 'concept' is yet to be decided depending on the artist but the pieces together should tell a story.

Time wise I'd like to work on the project this summer and have it in a gallery by late fall. If you'd like to be considered, send me a myspace message with a link to your work.

-monk

Want more insight into the latest concept album Calendar?

Well there are quite a few to choose from. Is Good did an one hour show all about the new record. Click here for Calendar highlights, an in depth interview, and a rare live performance. Virtual Songcast did an episode all about "March in March" which can be heard by clicking here. The Awful Show did an interview and played "Turkey Time." Check out the show by clicking here. Be sure to check out the interview with Creative Commons and tune into KCR Radio to hear "The Great Journey" which has been getting quite a bit of play on Clint Beachwood's show.

Speaking of The Great Journey, anyone going to the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival will hear the song in the film clicking here.

I want to thank everyone who has already downloaded 'Calendar.' I have never had so many downloads of an album the first day of a release. Thanks!

Creative Commons has posted a blog along with a great interview we did while I was in San Francisco here: http://creativecommons.org/weblog/entry/7981more-7981


And if you haven't done so already.. DOWNLOAD CALENDAR!

Good things happening.

-'The Great Journey' has been receiving airplay on San Diego's KCR. Tune into Clint Beachwood's Surf Music Radio every Thursday from 4-6pm. Also in the works, 'The Great Journey' will be appearing in a documentary on car art. Should be cool. I'll keep you guys posted.

-Look out for a song I co-wrote with Nick Ratliff to appear on the new Devastating Karate album. To make things even mo' betta', I've been invited to play bass on the track. I'll keep you posted.

-Calendar is shaping up to be quite an album. Apart from having a whole lot of genre's included, it has a heaping of special guests along with collaborations that I'm very excited about.

Shalom.

-monk

In the last week I have laid much groundwork for a new concept album.

Drum-roll please...

The next concept album will be titled CALENDAR. Each of the 12 songs will be about a different month of the year.

I've already finished demos for January, February, October and November.

Thus far my writing has been very jazz and dork-rock influenced. I'll be parting ways with my ESX1, so don't expect much in terms of electronica on this album. I'm hoping to have a traditional Mexican Banda tune on this album a la Banda el Recodo with the attitude of Los Tigres Del Norte.

Much has happened since Taking Requests both personally and musically. I think this album will reflect that.

As always, check this page for updates and previews of the new album.

-monk