I think I can't really believe how fast 2009 has moved from it's beginning to almost the end of a long awaited summer. For me this year began with lots of hope and inspiration(and it's not over yet). Last winter was the worst and the longest winter I've experienced in at least 25 years. 2009 saw the end of a year long musical relationship between my drumming and a 30 year old Polish musical institution. Last year I traveled this country quite fully, and saw many of it's cities and villages. This was an amazing experience and I learned a lot about Polish people and Poland's incredible history. This band also gave me the opportunity to play some very basic Polish pop music, this was invaluable knowledge.                                                                                                              I also finished 4 cd's this year and began working on 6 more soon to be done. This year I began playing with many very well known Polish musicians and artists, also quite an experience both musically and personally. It has been a pleasure and an education to really try to understand the perspective of a culture, other than my own, and it's traditions in terms of music and expression. Although I have been traveling the world for many years as a musician, the past 2 years has been the first time in my adult life that my home base was that of a different culture than the one I have known. I was accustomed to only visiting other countries and bringing 'my' music to those people. This year I have also traveled and played in many other European countries, besides Poland. I have met and played with many very well known musicians. Becoming a sideman in these new environments has been an extreme challenge. My experience in the past has been only with English speaking musicians, playing music through the British/American perspective on what music should sound and feel like. I have had to do what a true sideman always must do...adapt. Over the years I have focused first on my chops, and then on my ability to blend my playing and musical personality into the various kinds of musical situations I have found myself in. This has meant spending many hours with the metronome and drum machine in order to manifest 'my sound'. I must say that I have continued to grow in terms of my self definition, 'my sound' included(also invaluable knowledge). Another quite amazing 'talent' that has become more acute is my ability to understand many versions of 'foreign' English. Being in many European countries offers the opportunity to hear the English language spoken in many ways...this is a great experience. The fact is that all cultures have a unique perspective on sound, music and communication. I am now understanding just how unique those perspectives really are.                                                                                                        The summer of 2009 has brought me to playing in front of my largest single live audience to date...500,000 people. This concert also saw 2 incredible firsts for me; playing with a 106 piece orchestra, and singing a lead vocal while drumming in a situation of this kind. Things in general are done quite differently here in the 'eastern' part of central Europe and it has taken quite a bit of getting used to. Although uncomfortable for me...things get done and done quite well, and I think that's really all that matters. Being uncomfortable can be a good thing sometimes.     Well I just wanted to give a little 'perspective' update to those that might be interested. So far my journey to the east has been quite wonderful...let's see what's next.