Cindy Blackman group featuring Vernon Reid, Aurelien Budynec & Steve Jenkins tour Europe May 2nd - May 23rd.

02.05. Berlin(D) @ Quasimodo
03.05. Braunau am Inn(A) @ Club2
04.05. Wien(A) @ Reigen
05.05. Graz(A) @ GeneralMusizDirektion
06.05. München(D) @ Hotel Bayerischer Hof
07.05. Bern(CH) @ Dachstock
08.05. off
09.05. Hengelo(NL) @ Metropool
10.05. Tilburg(NL) @ 013
11.05. Hannover(D) @ Jazz Club
12.05. San Sebastian(ESP) @ Doka
13.05. Santander(ESP) @ Sala Tropicana
14.05. Madrid(ESP) @ Sala Gruta 77
15.05. Las Palmas(ESP) Festival
16.05. Tenerifa(ESP) @ CICCA
17.05. off
18.05. Valladolid(ESP) @ Puerta Caeli
19.05. Caceres(ESP) @ Sala la Bola
20.05. Sevilla(ESP) @ Sala Q
21.05. Alicante(ESP) @ Sala Stereo
22.05. Terrassa(ESP) @ Faktoria d..Arts
23.05. Bilbao(ESP) @ Sala Noboo

Please check with local venues to confirm show dates and details. More venues to follow...stay tuned for a few Free Form Funky Freq dates at the end of May too!

I had one of the best days of my life yesterday (Not as good as the day my daughter Idea Viola was born, but better than the day I got my Mac-Book Pro). This best-of-days is directly related to one of my worst, which was this past monday, April 13th.

I was supposed to start prep work for a guitar instructional video that I'm doing with Rock House. Plans were changed and I went to Manhattan instead to pay off a studio balance owed for a Masque session, & to return an item that I bought at the 14th street Guitar Center. After finishing business with the studio I made the Guitar Center exchange & made a stop in Williamsburg Brooklyn before returning home to North Shaolin aka St George Staten Island. I got out of my car, and realized to my HORROR that my wallet was gone. Vanished. Missing.

I raced back to Manhattan, my mind reeling-"Was I pick-pocketed? Did it fall out after I parked the car?! Did I lose it in the store?!! I called while I drove back & nobody saw anything! I went straight to the guitar counter & NO ONE saw it or tuned in anything. My heart sank. Feeling pretty much crushed I called Gabri (my wife) & told her what was up & she was great about it; all empathy & sympathy. She made the whole ordeal bearable. I drove home, terrified that I'd be pulled over without license, registration, or I.D. of any kind. She started, & I completed the process of canceling cards, contemplating spending time at the DMV and kicking myself over the whole mess.

On the 3rd day of this nightmare, I got messages from Gabri & Tim E (who set up my MySpace & Facebook sites) that there was a message from the person who FOUND MY WALLET!!!! I went to the mailbox & there he was-
Darius Emmanuel Scheider-http://www.myspace.com/dariusscheider

The following is an excerpt of his letter to me-

hi vernon i'm a guitar player from Paris,just passin' through

new york.

i found your wallet man and that just makes no sense but

anyway i got it!

we've got to meet up man and i'll give you back what you own.

We met & had coffee yesterday in a little shop in the west village. It turns out that he's followed my career & was as astonished to find my wallet in Guitar Center, as I was in getting it back. The whole time that we spoke about meeting, I never asked him about the contents of the wallet, but as I walked out of the house, I threw a possible gift in the trunk of my car on the remote chance that the wallet was returned whole.

I got the wallet back complete with the $1.5K that was in it when it was lost
&
Darius has a new guitar -a greenburst Mojo Flame Parker-like this one+a Roland interface.

http://riley-music.com/Pics/GuitarGear/Parker-Fly-Mojo7.jpg

I learned a great lesson about mindfulness through this experience.

It's great when people really are at their best! I can't thank you enough Darius!

If it wasn't for MySpace, he never would have found me!

Have a great weekend,

Vernon

Tony Williams Lifetime Tribute

First ever instructional Products From One of Rock's Most Iconic Musicians

(West Haven, CT., December 3, 2008) – Rock House, the leader in music instruction, announced today that legendary Guitarist Vernon Reid has signed on to product several instructional products with Rock House. Vernon is best known as the founding member and driving force of the iconic rock band Living Colour. He has guided the band through a remarkable career. Among the highlights: a double platinum-selling debut album Vivid, released in 1988; its gold-certified successor, Time's Up, released 1990; two consecutive Grammy Awards in the category of Best Hard Rock Performance; Two MTV Music Video Awards, opening for the Rolling Stones' 1989 "Steel Wheels" tour; appearing on the first Lollapalooza tour and most recently having their song "Cult of Personality" included in the video Game Guitar Hero 3. He is also listed at 66 on Rolling Stone's Top 100 Guitarist of all time."

Reid reinvigorated hard rock with shots of soul, jazz and hip-hop. Reid's solos embraced the free-form abstraction of his early days as a jazz player, but they flexed enough muscle to bowl over any Metallica fan." Rolling Stone Magazine

"During the 1980s, rock had become completely segregated and predictable, Vernon and Living Colour helped break down the doors by the end of the '80s, leading to a much more open-minded musical landscape that would eventually pave the way for future bands like Rage Against the Machine, Sevendust and many others." quoted Joe Palombo, Executive Director of Rock House. Production is scheduled to start in the spring of 2009, no release date has been set yet, but it is likely to be some time in the Fall of 2009.

Since the formation of Living Colour, Vernon has appeared as a guest guitarist on the records of a many diverse artists: Jack DeJohnette, Public Enemy, B.B. King, The Ramones, Mariah Carey, Mick Jagger, Tracy Chapman, Eye & I, Family Stand, Carlos Santana, and others. He has also composed music for the Marlies Yearby Dance Co., and choreographer Ralph Lemon, scored the music for the film "Fresh Kill" and Johnny Nmemonic, has also composed "Here", a piece for Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company.

Vernon instructional products will be available at MI retailers around the world for $24.99. Stay tuned at www.RockHouseMethod.com, www.myspace.com/vernonreid for information on release dates. All Rock House instructional products are distributed through Music Sales Corp.  1-800-431-7187 

Rock House has developed an accelerated yet easy-to-use system of learning that utilizes the functionality of DVD and Print, integrated with the accessibility of the Internet. Aspiring musicians who have a product produced by Rock House receive free membership to www.rockhousemethod.com for 24-7 lesson support. Students use this fully interactive site along with their product to enhance their learning experience, expand their knowledge, link with instructors, and connect with a community of people around the world who are learning to play music using The Rock House Method®.

For more information contact:  Joe Palombo, jp@rockhousemethod.com

reprinted courtesy of Black Rock Coalition



ALL RESPECT DUE:
NORMAN WHITFIELD
(1943-2 008)

No one in the media will cover this, but this is hands down the most tragic of the losses Black music has sustained this year—yes, even more so than the loss of Isaac Hayes. No one had more influence on complete revolutionizing Motown and its transition from party music in its early days to the social relevance and taking the pulse of American culture than Norman Whitfield. He was the bridge that kept the company going after Holland-Dozier-Holland (rightfully) bolted. Very simply, Mr. Whitfield single-handedly changed the framework of Black popular music, making the intersection between Southern soul/funk, urban cool, rock rebellion and sophisticated pop. Whitfield absolutely has to be in the same discussion as Curtis Mayfield, Ahmet Ertegun, HDH, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, James Brown, Gamble & Huff and so many others who have framed Black music and, by extension, Black identity through music.

The world will never know or appreciate how much was lost this day. That's the real tragedy...
-Darrell M. Macniell-Director Of Operations, Black Rock Coalition

Folks,

I had an amazing time in New Zealand last week at the first annual New Plymouth Guitar Festival- to be in the company of extraordinary players from Tim Donahue & Uli Roth to Alex Skolnick & Joe Satriani was awe inspiring. I want to thank Gary, Dave, Sonja, Mu, Anand, & everyone who provided excellent event support & all the wonderful musicians Jonathan Crayford(keys), Crete Haami(bass), Magesh Magesh(drums), & Aidan Moreau(vocals) who played incredibly well with me with crazy short notice.

You Rock. All Y'ALL!

I was given a wonderful traditional Moari welcome hosted by The Mayor of New Plymouth & A Local Elder with wonderful warrior chanting, singing & nose rubbing from a young traditional arts crew dressed in sleek black (I was unprepared for the formality of it all, but I loved it.)

The morning I got here the air was clear, & Volcanic Taranaki was beautiful and bold, gleaming on the Western Horizon. It was the only time during the events that It would be visible.

Debbie, who came to the show was kind enough to send one of the many mythical tales of the mountain & allow me to share it with you.... Be sure to fit Taranaki on your "Bucket List"

Battle of the Mountains
Retold by Peter Gossage

Long, long ago, Maui pulled a huge fish called Te-ika-a-Maui from the ocean. Slowly but surely, the fish settled and became the North Island of New Zealand.

In the centre of its back, around Lake Taupo, stood a group of seven mountains. Their chief, the mighty Tongariro, scowled at the other mountains. Taranaki, with his cloak of snow, frowned back. Tauhara and Putauaki were smaller than Taranaki, but they also glared at mighty Tongariro.

All these mountains loved a beautiful lady mountain named Pihanga. Pihanga was sad about the trouble that was brewing between her mate, Tongariro, and the other mountains. Their children, Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe, played happily, unaware of the tension that was building between their parents and the other mountains.

One by one, the male mountains challenged Tongariro, each wanting the beautiful Pihanga for his bride. Taranaki rushed at Tongariro, blasting red-hot rocks at his rival. They met with a deafening crash. Tongariro hurled fiery boulders back at Taranaki. Putauaki and Tauhara rushed Tongariro from behind. Flows of boiling lava spilled from their craters towards Tongariro's back. Pihanga cried out a warning, and Tongariro was able to dodge the molten rock.

For days the battle raged. The earth shook and great chunks were knocked off the feuding mountains. At last, Tongariro's strength and courage won the battle. The three defeated mountains retreated under the cover of darkness.

Taranaki headed west, towards the setting sun. His great weight carved the deep valleys of the Manganui-a-te-ao and Wanganui rivers. Tauhara kept looking back at Pihanga, and only reached the northern end of Lake Taupo. Putauaki went further, reaching the Kaiangaroa Plains. Then the sun's rays froze the fleeing mountains, and they became rooted to the spots they had reached.

Thanks again Debbie for sharing...


Soon & Very Soon!


Vernon

I was crushed to find out today that one of my favorite musicians, Natasha Schneider, died on July 2nd. Natasha was an extraordinary keyboard artist as well as an amazing vocalist. She, along with her partner, guitarist-singer Alain Johannes had one of the greatest unsung rock bands EVER, Eleven-a group of astonishing creativity & power- their self titled album "Eleven" is a cult classic and is firmly in my personal pantheon of AWESOME. I got up this morning and went on to Youtube, in a mood to hear my favorite Eleven song Reach Out-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pq1r6cyho4M when I read the news. Natasha, as I write this with my daughter Idea on my knee, I'm inspired by your life! R.I.P.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natasha_Shneider