The Blog In My Eye

Today is better

2009-06-03T07:01:00.001-07:00

Whenever I talk about my kids, people say, "Cherish these days, they go by so fast."

And I do. I get it.

But still, I marvel at my kids more every day, and seriously, I love them more every day. So, while I do cherish who they are today, and while I do miss some aspects of their yesterdays, the truth is, I can't wait until tomorrow! I can't wait to appreciate them more, be amazed by them more, marvel at them more...love them more.

I'm not trying to rush anything. And thankfully, God controls the clock, not me, so there is enough time every day - every moment - to love and appreciate them in the moment. And plenty of time to reminisce.

But like the song says, "I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow."

I wouldn't trade today with my kids for all the yesterdays in the world.

The results are in...

2009-04-21T06:23:00.000-07:00

The results of the poll:

As often as possible-40%
Only when you have something "important" to add-30%
Everyday -10%
Whenever you feel like it, even if its weeks/months between-10%
Never, its a narcissistic waste of time-10%
Large readership: Often / Less readership: not as necessary-0%

How do you blog?

2009-04-06T06:56:00.000-07:00

So, I go through spurts of blog activity, and then nothing. I notice this is true for others as well, but there are those who manage to blog everyday, sometimes multiple times a day. I find myself feeling guilty for not blogging, because if even one person made the effort to check my blog, I feel as if I should have done something for them.

So, my little poll:

57 Books

2009-03-18T12:57:00.000-07:00

When it came time to clear out my nightstand, I realized just what a reading frenzy I'd been in. I read 57 books in about a year - definitely a record for me. I usually read to go to sleep at night - I have to go into other worlds so my mind will stop racing about my own!

Rather than me just storing these books in my garage, why don't you scroll through and see if you want to borrow any?

---------------------------------------------
BIOGRAPHIES
---------------------------------------------
1. GASPIPE
The story of Anthony Casso, one of the Mafia’s leading hitmen. Chilling.
2. FEVER
The story of jazz singer Peggy Lee.
3. SLASH
The autobiography of Guns’N’Roses guitarist Slash.
4. THE CHRIS FARLEY SHOW
The very tragic tale of Saturday Night Live comedian Chris Farley.
5. THE GOOD LIFE
Jazz Singer Tony Bennett’s autobiography.
6. MAKING RECORDS
Legendary record producer Phil Ramone recalls his many studio experiences.
7. THE LOUIS ARMSTRONG COMPANION
Most books on Louis are fascinating because he was fascinating.
8. YOU’RE LUCKY YOU’RE FUNNY
By the producer of Everyone Loves Raymond.
9. BORN STANDING UP
Actor/Comedian Steve Martin’s autobiography. Lots of fun revelations for his fans. Very well done.
10. MOUSE IN THE RAT PACK
Joey Bishop was one of Sinatra’s “Rat-Pack”. A classic comedian who maybe wasn’t as ‘cool’ as the rest of the pack, but helped glue their act together.
11. RICKLE’S BOOK
Don Rickles - the last of the great old-time comedians. Brilliant comic and a fun read.
12. DEAN & ME
A loving tribute to Dean Martin by his ex-partner and nemesis, Jerry Lewis.
13. UNLIKELY ANGEL
Written by Ashley Smith, the girl who was held hostage by a murderer and convinced him to surrender after reading to him from “Purpose Driven Life”.
14. NEVER HAVE YOUR DOG STUFFED
Alan Alda’s book, not quite as interesting as I believe him to be.
15. MONSTER
L.A. Gang leader Sanyika Shakur’s memoir. Brutal.
16. ME AND A GUY NAMED ELVIS
Great read, written by one of Elvis’s closest friends.
17. WASHED BY BLOOD
The story of the conversion of Brian “Head” Welch, former guitarist with rock supergroup Korn.
18. HERE’S JOHNNY
Ed McMahon’s tribute to his old boss, Johnny Carson.
19. BIRD- THE LEGEND OF CHARLIE PARKER
The tragic story of one of the all-time great jazz musicians.
20. MY ANECDOTAL LIFE
The autobiography of the great comedic film director, Carl Reiner.
21. MEMOIRS OF A MANGY LOVER
Groucho Marx’s musings. Always enjoyable.
22. BROKEN MUSIC
The somewhat pompous autobiography of rock musician Sting.
23. THE GLASS CASTLE
One of my all-time favorites. I have recommended it to several people. It’s the true story of an NBC reporter who grew up in poverty, thanks to the choices of her selfish, alcoholic parents. Great read.
24. THE WHITE BOOK
The Beatle’s former American manager, Ken Mansfield, tells his story. Fascinating.
25. DANGEROUS SURRENDER
My pastor Rick Warren’s wife Kay wrote this inspiring story of her journey towards AIDS work.
26. MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS
The Dean Martin story, told lovingly by his daughter, Deana. A little hero-worship going on, but she doesn’t hold back on the bad stuff.
27. WITH LOUIS AND THE DUKE
The autobiography of Barney Bigard, clarinetist for Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington.
---------------------------------------------------------
ENTERTAINMENT RELATED NON-BIOS
---------------------------------------------------------
28. LIVE FROM NEW YORK
A history of Saturday Night Live, told by the cast members. Interesting, fun and eye-opening.
29. JAZZ ANECDOTES
One of the books I’ve read several times - great stories by musicians who have lived the jazz life.
30. KISS-BEHIND THE MASK
I got into a brief period of wanting to read about the band that captivated my pre-teen years. This book was the best.
31. SEX, MONEY, KISS
Don’t let the title fool you, it’s not what you think. Mostly its Gene Simmon’s take on promotion and making money. I don’t agree with much of what he says, but he is interesting none-the-less, and sure keeps to his convictions.
32. KISS AND MAKE UP
More of the same.
33. KISS AND SELL
More of the same, focused on marketing of the famous Rock Band, or “Rock Brand” as Gene calls it.
34. RAT PACK CONFIDENTIAL
Frank, Dean, Sammy and the boys. Cooler than humanly possible.
35. HOTTER THAN THAT - THE TRUMPET
A history of the trumpet in American culture. Actually, quite interesting. But then, I’m biased.
36. SONGWRITERS ON SONWRITING
Exactly what the title says. Great insights from great songwriters.
37. MOVING TO HIGHER GROUND
Wynton Marsalis wrote this book on the ‘deepness’ of jazz and its profound importance and effect on our lives and on society.
38. I KILLED
Stories from the road by stand-up comics. More sad than funny.
39. PRACTICING
A book dedicated to the art of practicing your instrument. Very insightful.
40. ROCK STAR BABYLON
Tales from behind the scenes with rock music’s greatest artists.
41. LAUREL CANYON
A history of the L.A. neighborhood where much of 60’s rock and roll was birthed and nurtured.
---------------------------------------------
CARTOON
---------------------------------------------
42. IT’S ONLY A GAME
The only other comic strip done by the creator of Peanuts, Charles Schulz. Never before published!
43. MY HOT DOG WENT OUT, CAN I HAVE ANOTHER?
A collection of Foxtrot comics. Bill Amend’s “Foxtrot” is one of the few cartoon stripss out there that I believe to be in the mold of classics like Peanuts and Calvin & Hobbes.
44. THE REJECTION COLLECTION
Cartoons The New Yorker rejected.
45. THE NEW YORKER 75TH ANNIVERSARY CARTOON COLLECTION
The greatest collection single frame comics, spanning 75 years.
---------------------------------------------
MISC.
---------------------------------------------
46. THE BOOK OF USELESS INFORMATION
Exactly what it sounds like. Good bathroom reading.
47. GREAT AMERICAN ANECTDOTES
A fun book full of random stories from American history - the stuff that happened ‘behind the scenes” of the big events.
48. 1,000 PLACES TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE
I didn’t read all of it, but its fun to skim through it, especially with the places you’ve been!
49. BLAZE
A Stephen King book written when he was young and using another name. Didn’t finish this one.
50. HUMOR
A collection of jokes on every subject.
51. UNCLE JOHN’S TRIUMPHANT 20TH ANNIVERSARY
My favorite series of books. Everyone should have Uncle John’s Bathroom readers littered throughout the house.
52. UNSINKABLE BATHROOM READER
More of my favorite books series.
53. GOLDEN PLUNGER AWARDS
Stupid stories about stupid people.
54. THE PESSIMIST’S GUIDE TO HISTORY
All the negative stories from history, going all the way back to the Big Bang!
55. EINSTEIN’S REFRIGERATOR
Weird but true “urban legends” from American history.
55. 1968
Time Magazine’s tribute to the pivotal year.
56. TREASURY OF WIT & WISDOM
Reader’s Digest’s compilation of quotes from various notables on various topics.
57. THE MEANING OF LIFE
Esquire Magazine asked many celebrities what the meaning of life was. I don’t think I agreed with any of them.

Satchmo Night

2009-02-28T06:37:00.000-08:00

Last night was kind of a new treat for me. After displaying my Louis Armstrong collection at the Norman P Murray Center throughout February, we presented a free showing of the documentary "The Wonderful World Of Louis Armtsrong". It was so great to be able to spend an evening sharing the music of this legendary figure. Most people don't even know how important he was to American music - I can guarantee you, without reservation, that no matter what music you listen to - from jazz to rock to techno - his influence is prevalent.

I'm not good at guessing crowd sizes, but maybe 150 came out, from teenagers to people in their 90s. I spoke for about ten minutes and then we watched the documentary (which brought several people to tears) and I closed the night with some Q&A and by playing a song live.

It was cool to see the people who came out. Many people from the community whom I've never met but who share an appreciation for Armstrong (a couple people even brought their own memorabilia to share!); some friends from Saddleback Church were there; and a couple friends I haven't seen in many years - Jayne Osborne, who I'm not sure I've seen since high school in '84, and Mark Divers, who I haven't seen since probably the late 80s. Mark is a wonderful trombone player and because he let me know ahead of time that he was coming, I asked him to bring his horn, and he got up to play with me. So much fun.

Louis Armstrong died in 1971...amazing how much joy he still brings.

(My display is still up through the second week of March. You can also see it online at my website. Click HERE, then click on "Satchmo")

Candice's Blog

2009-02-19T09:16:00.000-08:00

After a year of "I don't get why you're spending all that time blogging and reading other people's blogs...", my wife Candice finally has her own blog. Check it out HERE

(4.5 years married, and I finally win one!)

Gerry Niewood

2009-02-13T22:43:00.000-08:00

If you know anything about my musical life, you know I was largely influenced by famed flugelhornist Chuck Mangione. This isn't a blog about him, though, but about his saxophonist, Gerry Niewood, who played on many of Chuck's early landmark records and rejoined him on tours over the last few years.

Gerry died on Continental Flight 3407 yesterday, as did Chuck's guitarist Coleman Mellett.

While I occasionally get to perform with several Mangione musicians from years past (including two of his current musicians, Dave Tull and Kevin Axt, who, thankfully, were not on that flight), I never met Gerry or heard him play live. But, oh, the hours I spent listening to his recordings. I know those solos by heart. He was amazing.

Most musicians dream of leaving a musical legacy behind. When we die, we hope people would continue to listen to what we played. So, since you're here, please take a minute to honor him by watching this video of Gerry playing live with Chuck in the early 1970's. He plays a great solo starting at the 1-minute mark, for about 2-1/2 minutes.

Rest in Peace, thank you for the music.

Rain

2009-02-09T06:56:00.000-08:00

It's been raining a lot lately...and I bet you haven't seen this in a long time...
You're welcome.

The Louis Armstrong Collection

2009-02-04T09:42:00.000-08:00

Hope you'll come check this out:

"In celebration of Black History Month, The Norman P. Murray Community Center
in Mission Viejo has installed a gallery featuring Tony Guerrero's personal
collection of Louis Armstrong Memorabilia. The display will be open to the
public for the entire month of February. Stop by any time during regular
operating hours to view items from Armstrong's storied career, including
autographed records, concert programs, his personal handkerchief, and much,
much more.

Also at the center, on Friday, February 27, at 7:00pm, Tony will host a FREE
screening of "Satchmo", a documentary on the life of Louis "Satchmo"
Armstrong.

Be sure to stop by this month and examine the life of the man considered to
be the singularly most important figure in American music.

The Norman P. Murray Community Center is at 24932 Veteran’s Way, Mission Viejo.
For more information, call 949-470-8452."

My niece is funny.

2009-02-01T15:36:00.000-08:00

This is my niece Alina. She came over today to play with Ella.

She took a little Princess dress and placed it over another Princess dress.

I said, "Oh, good, you put the dress on the dress. Maybe you should put the shoes on the shoes and let the pony ride the pony."

She said, "Maybe Uncle Tony should say 'shh' to Uncle Tony."

I love sarcastic kids.

P.S. She is starring in Jackie Chan's new movie. Read part of his blog about her HERE.
(Bet she didn't tell him to 'shh'...)

Happy Birthday, Princess!

2009-01-30T12:43:00.000-08:00

Ella is three years old today...or as she likes to say "I'm free!"

Final Freddie Post - Free Song Download!

2009-01-24T08:49:00.000-08:00

After Freddie Hubbard's death (see previous blogs), some musician friends and I decided to record his classic song "Little Sunflower" as our own little tribute to him, just to give away. So, here it is. Click the link to download it, then toss it on your ipod or computer, and whenever it randomly gets played, think of Freddie. (While you're at it, go to iTunes and buy some of his music...the real thing is way better!) Click here for your free mp3 of "Little Sunflower":
http://snipr.com/anhg3-nuvm5y

Tony Guerrero - Flugelhorn & Drum programming
Greg Vail - Flute
Gannin Arnold - Guitar
Tom Zink - Keys
Melvin Davis - Bass

One for the band geeks...

2009-01-24T08:35:00.000-08:00

I've often joked that I don't mind when my things get damaged or stolen, because it means I get to buy new things! Everything's replaceable, right? Not so, it turns out.

I was reminded by my friend Kurt Witt at Yamaha instruments that my trumpet, from the very in-demand Xeno YTR8335RG line of Yamaha Professional Series Trumpets, is the ONLY one ever manufactured in the brass color. Every other one is silver, like the picture.

So, hands off my trumpet.

Ole

2009-01-21T22:07:00.000-08:00

Today I heard my daughter counting to eight in Spanish.

Thanks, Dora.

Proud of my Pastor & Country

2009-01-21T07:04:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I was very proud to see my pastor take the podium at the inauguration. Seeing someone you know in an international moment is indeed a strange experience! The picture above was taken as the staff of Saddleback Church - his staff - gathered to watch him.

While I'm at it, you know I didn't vote for Obama, but yesterday I was also proud of him. The racial barrier is, of course, a landmark, and I cannot help but admire the man who broke that barrier. But he has also handled this transition with dignity and humility. Of course, his performance on the job remains to be seen, but I have committed to pray for this president and to support him as I can, AND to oppose him in the areas I feel strongly about. That's my responsibility - and yours.

And I was proud of our country yesterday. I was reminded of just what a great country we live in. A peaceful transition of power - do you realize just how horrible power struggles are in other parts of the world? That God has allowed me to live in this country will not be lost on me.

Finally, I am proud of our ex-President. More so, I am grateful. He has kept us safe for these last eight years since 9/11. I wish more Americans recognized him for this. What a shame. He has every right to leave the office bitter at the ungrateful American people, but instead chose to offer one of the most notably courteous transitions on record. He has had nothing but praise and support for the new President.

My favorite line of the day was Obama's statement to terrorists: "Your people will judge you by what you build, not by what you tear down”. Awesome.

Okay, on we go to this next season of history!

UPDATE TO LAST POST

2009-01-16T20:35:00.000-08:00

After I wrote my last blog, I thought "Why not share my fan moment with the man himself?", so I felt compelled to drop Gene a little email via his website, just for kicks. I figured that since our Starbucks meeting was so brief, I might as well tell him why it was meaningful to me. So, the topper of the story - he posted my letter on his website and thanked me yet again!
(Yes, I am a dork.)

Click on this picture to see it:

That's right...I bought Gene Simmons coffee.

2009-01-15T21:13:00.000-08:00

I went to the NAMM show today - its the annual convention where all the musical instrument manufacturers go to show their new product lines. Zillions of music celebs attend. Maybe I'll blog about it later.

But for now, just know that today, I bought "The God Of Thunder" a decaf coffee and a scone at Starbucks.

How big of a deal is that? When I was a kid, KISS were like super heros to me and my friends. I owned all their records. My room was covered in KISS posters. I was at their "KISS Alive II" concert in 1977. My first band played KISS songs. I dressed as them for more than one Halloween (see pic below).

I am a musician today largely because they made me want to be a rock star when I was a kid.

And today, I stood in line with and bought coffee and a scone for Gene Simmons.
He shook my hand and thanked me, twice. Cool.

<-----Me as KISS drummer Peter Criss in 1978.

On my way outta here...

2009-01-13T09:27:00.000-08:00

I had to fill out a survey today. In the age category, I noticed that out of the six circle choices, my selection was past the midway marker. I am, officially, "over the hill" and am, apparently, on the downward slope. I'd better make the most of my last two circles!

Snow Man, meet Man In the Moon. Man in the Moon, meet Snow Man

2009-01-11T22:45:00.000-08:00

We took the kids to Big Bear for their first snow trip yesterday. Our daughter refused to wear gloves, and almost refused her jacket (well, she did, but we forced it on her!) but she did get to build her first snow man (pictured).

Also, driving down the mountain, we were awestruck by an amazing moon at dusk, not at all aware that it was the closest to earth it will be for at least another 26 years! Here's some cool shots just taken from the car window...

A nice way to spend a Saturday.

Another Freddie Post

2009-01-07T06:32:00.000-08:00

Hubert Laws & Stevie Wonder

Herbie Hancock

Yesterday, I was honored to be among the 300 or so mourners at Freddie Hubbard's funeral. To be there as so many living jazz legends paid tribute to another who has passed…well, it will not be forgotten by me anytime soon.

There were, among the crowd, many known musicians with whom I've had the honor of sharing the stage and got to reconnect with, and several I didn't know personally but of whom I've been a long time admirer. Among the attenders, speakers and performers were Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Bennie Maupin, Stanley Clarke, George Duke, Marcus Miller, Christian McBride, Patrice Rushen and many more. Hearing Stevie Wonder play Freddie's tune "Little Sunflower" on harmonica was a highlight.

There were several moments I wanted to grab my phone and take a video or photo, but ultimately, I was there to honor Freddie - not just as a jazz fan, but as someone who was a recipient of his personal kindness and generosity, and I felt those memories would be more significant to me tucked away in my head rather than on a cheesy cell-phone video. (The pictures above are from the press.)

The pastor ended with a wonderful message about the significance of the trumpet in Scripture. Blowing the trumpet was always a call to something - to gather the people, to prepare for battle. And so many people around the world were touched over the last five decades because this one man knew how to 'blow the trumpet'. As the preacher said - "Gabriel, get ready for Freddie…you have a new lead trumpet player on his way!"

Blow the trumpet, Freddie. You were the greatest.

Lyrics

2009-01-03T10:07:00.000-08:00

GOOD LYRICS:
Daddy’s just like Coltrane
Baby’s just like Miles
Lady’s just like Ella
When she smiles…
(“Lady Wants to Know” by Michael Franks)

BAD LYRICS:
She's a dancer
A romancer
She's a Capricorn
And I'm a Cancer
("C'Mon And Love Me" by KISS)

(So, why do I have the KISS album in my collection and not the Michael Franks album?!? Yep, I'm a little embarrassed.)

I love good lyrics, but, man, they are hard to come by. Lyrics are always a challenge as I write songs, but I love coming across a great lyric, whether I write it or someone else does.

This blog was prompted by a song I heard last night that really moved me, both musically and lyrically. It was written by Clint Eastwood with his son Kyle and is the closing theme to the movie "Gran Torino" (a GREAT movie to check out, but sit through the closing credits because this song will mean much more).

The song is sung by Jamie Cullum, although the first part is Clint singing (which makes more sense in the movie).

Click and play this YouTube video of the song, then read along the lyrics below. Beautiful.

[Side Note: My Clint Eastwood connection...Clint once brought his son Kyle, now a very established jazz bassist, in to the Baked Potato Jazz Club in No Hollywood to hear my band. Later, when Clint's L.A. home was converted into an office, my manager had her office in it.]

THEME FROM GRAN TORINO

[*Sung By Clint Eastwood*]
So tenderly your story is
nothing more than what you see
or what you've done or will become
standing strong do you belong
in your skin; just wondering

gentle now the tender breeze blows
whispers through my Gran Torino
whistling another tired song

engine hums and bitter dreams grow
heart locked in a Gran Torino
it beats a lonely rhythm all night long
it beats a lonely rhythm all night long
it beats a lonely rhythm all night long

[*sung by Jamie Cullum*]
Realign all the stars above my head
Warning signs travel far
I drink instead on my own Oh! how I've known
the battle scars and worn out beds

gentle now a tender breeze blows
whispers through a Gran Torino
whistling another tired song

engines hum and bitter dreams grow
heart locked in a Gran Torino
it beats a lonely rhythm all night long

these streets are old they shine
with the things I've known
and breaks through the trees
their sparkling

your world is nothing more than all the tiny things you've left behind

So tenderly your story is
nothing more than what you see
or what you've done or will become
standing strong do you belong
in your skin; just wondering

gentle now a tender breeze blows
whispers through the Gran Torino
whistling another tired song
engines hum and bitter dreams grow
a heart locked in a Gran Torino
it beats a lonely rhythm all night long

may I be so bold and stay
I need someone to hold
that shudders my skin
their sparkling

your world is nothing more than all the tiny things you've left behind

so realign all the stars above my head
warning signs travel far
i drink instead on my own oh how ive known
the battle scars and worn out beds

gentle now a tender breeze blows
whispers through the Gran Torino
whistling another tired song
engines hum and better dreams grow
heart locked in a Gran Torino
it beats a lonely rhythm all night long
it beats a lonely rhythm all night long
it beats a lonely rhythm all night long

Freddie Hubbard...R.I.P.

2008-12-29T21:56:00.000-08:00

Freddie Hubbard, a musical hero of mine and the man whom I consider to be the last great innovator of the jazz trumpet as well as someone I had the distinct honor of spending quality one-on-one time with, died this morning.

If you didn't read my previous blog, please do...it details my summer spent in his company. I reposted it HERE and I have also included an audio excerpt of ME actually giving HIM a trumpet lesson (read the story!).

And, while you're here, to help me honor him, take a moment to watch this YouTube clip.
It was impossible to choose just one clip to capture him, so this one is as good as any.
You do not have to know anything about the trumpet or jazz to recognize that this man played with fire and passion. You'll need to watch through his solo - about 3 minutes. (You may recognize the pianist as Herbie Hancock, also the subject of an earlier blog. And you may recognize the tune - these are the guys who recorded it originally in the 60s and were sampled in the 1993 remake hit.)

Rest in peace, Freddie. Thank you for the music and the inspiration, and for your generosity to me.

My Christmas...

2008-12-26T09:00:00.001-08:00

1. 2 Kids + One Grandma With No Shopping Self-Control = Way Too Many Gifts.
Seriously, where are we gonna store this stuff? And this picture is only one of two van-fulls, not to mention the stuff under the tree. Sheesh.

2. All the grandparents, parents, kids & grand kids together for the first time in...dunno how long.

3. Another action packed year of Christmas services at Saddleback. After all the work, I love hearing the music come from this family of dedicated volunteers, and it sure is a beautiful sight seeing a congregation of people lighting candles and singing about the Savior.

4. For Christmas this year, my gift to my family started as a little weekend project back in October. It turned into a 3-month ordeal, with about an $800 price tag. But worth it. I gathered every old photo from both sides of my family, dating from roughly the 1890s to the 1990s, and had them all scanned. I also found hundreds of undeveloped slides and negatives, mostly from the 1940s-50s-60s and unseen for decades (some never seen!) and had them developed and scanned. And three unseen 8mm films of my family from around 1971. In total, the final discs hold 9,440 photos, spanning both sides of my family over the last century.

I learned so much about my family going through these. For example, my uncles on my mom's side hosted their own radio show in Hollywood in the 1940s, and featured guests like 40s bombshell Jane Russell (that's the first picture above, my Uncle Otto on the left) - how could I have not known that?!? And my great-uncle on my dad's side was a candidate for President of Mexico, but was assasinated by the sitting president?!? (I have pictures of my uncle, but the newspaper above shows my grandmother at the funeral, far left.)

So, now, if the house ever burns down, we don't need to grab the photo albums because they are all preserved on multiple copies, and my family will have them to pass on forever!

(By the way - while I scanned about 1,500 photos myself, the bulk of them were done by www.scanmyphotos.com. They are in Irvine, but also do it through the mail at the crazy low price of $49 per 1,000 photos!)

So, how was your Christmas?

FREE CHRISTMAS CD!

2008-12-20T09:25:00.000-08:00

A few years back, I recorded a collection of 18 Christmas Carols. Nothing fancy, just flugelhorn and piano, intended to be background music for tree-decorating, present-opening, eggnog-sipping, etc.

Its yours FREE if you want it.
Download it here: http://snipr.com/8xdt6-lsg6td

And the winner is...

2008-12-17T22:58:00.000-08:00

So, my CD 'Apasionado' was in the preliminary round for the Grammys (in the Contemporary Jazz category), but didn't make the final cut of five albums. (I know, I know...its an honor just to be nominated to be nominated...!)

However, a gospel song I co-wrote with Alva Copeland has just been nominated for "Independent Song Of The year" by Worship Leader Magazine, and YOU can go vote for it!

Just click here:
http://www.worshipleader.com/praise-awards

And tell your friends! (Each computer can only vote once)

Sure, I'd like it to win because it really is song of the year, and not because I flooded the votes, but that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. :)

I promise - if it wins, free cars for everyone!
(That is, if the prize comes with ten-zillion dollars, otherwise, you'll get my heartfelt thanks.)

The Journey to Yucaipa, and beyond

2008-12-15T22:18:00.000-08:00

One of the most rewarding creative experiences I have ever had was back in 2005 when Shawn King and I co-wrote "The Journey", a musical re-telling of the Nativity story. Seeing a vision become reality and be played out by a huge cast and orchestra was such a thrill, and the icing on the cake is that churches and theater companies around the country have been doing the show these past few years. Last year I flew to Florida to watch a production of it. Very unique experience to walk into a room and see your heart's work played out by strangers!

Last Saturday, Shawn and I were able to see The Journey at a very small regional theater in Yucaipa, CA. When Saddleback did it, it was a huge production, but we wrote it hoping it would translate to small productions as well. This theater only seats a tiny audience, and the stage is about as small as they come. But the cast (of mostly amateurs) poured their hearts into it and presented our show so lovingly and with such care. What made the night more fun was that, just an hour before show time, my niece called me from St. Louis, Missouri, having just walked out of a production of The Journey in a local church there.

If you saw Saddleback's production, you might get a kick out of seeing these pictures from the small Yucaipa theater's production: http://homepage.mac.com/katnkay/journey/
So fun to see the sets and our characters done by different people!

Hope your "journey" to Christmas this year is a blessed one!

17 years later, I'm a hit!

2008-12-13T10:01:00.001-08:00

(Pictured: Saxophonist John Coltrane)

Last night I played a gig with a very good sax player whom I'd never met. During the evening, as we were all kidding around on stage, he made an off-the-cuff joke regarding the famous sax player, John Coltrane. I recognized the joke right away, and I was a little startled to hear it, so I asked him - "Hey, where'd you hear that?" He told me he'd had a little cartoon of the gag hanging up in his band room for years, and he and his band members would often pay homage to it.

So, why does this matter, and why did I recognize it? Because it was a cartoon I'd drawn and had published in a jazz magazine back in 1991! (Did I ever mention that my first 'dream', before being a musician, was to be a cartoonist?) In all the years since then, I've only heard about it one other time (from yet another sax player), and now am curious if perhaps the gag made the rounds a little more than I'd thought. Frankly, I was pretty proud of it when I did it.

The cartoon was one of a series I called "Playing Outside" (jazz musicians who explore more intrinsic and obscure harmonies are often considered to be "playing outside" of the normal rules of music theory). I signed the cartoon "MAG" - the initials of my full name.

If a joke has to be explained, it often means its not funny. Sometimes, though, a joke can only be funny if you understand the characters and the context.

So, allow me to explain, because this little cartoon could really only be funny to a small portion of jazz musicians.

John Coltrane was a saxophonist who is widely regarded as one of the all time great musicians. His music reached deep into people's souls, so much so that to this day, some 30 years after his death, there is even a church in San Francisco dedicated to him. His musical quest was parallel to his spiritual quest.

One of his landmark albums is called "A Love Supreme" and is a direct result of his spiritual journey. In the title track, he chants the phrase "a love supreme" 19 times (because, he believed, the number 1 is "solution" and the 9 is "universe" - 19 is the combination of 1 and 9). The song has a very meditative feel to it, as if we are listening in on someone's religious experience: "A love supreme, a love supreme, a love supreme, a love supreme, a love supreme...", etc.

Sounds deep, huh? How to make a cartoon gag of it, you wonder?

Well, Jack-In-The-Box has a sandwich called the "Chicken Supreme".

And thus:

My 6:30am Wake-Up Call

2008-12-10T07:03:00.000-08:00

O Stupid Christmas Tree

2008-12-08T23:19:00.000-08:00

While I love a nice real tree, I have no shame about using the fake ones whenever possible. For years I have walked by the $300-400 pre-lit mega-trees you see in the stores. "Pre-lit" sounded so appealing - I hate dealing with tangled strands of Christmas lights. In fact, usually I toss the lights out year after year - for $2.99 a box I'd rather just buy new ones every Christmas. But a pre-lit tree? I mean, c'mon - stand it up, plug it in...instant Christmas! Still, could never justify the expense. I just stuck it out with my fake Charlie-Brown model. But the dream never died.

And then, last year, in the days after Christmas when all that Christmas junk is 70% off, I did it. I saw a big, very real looking pre-lit tree for next to nothing. I bought it. (Arguably the biggest single example of pre-planning in my life.)

So, tonight was "decorate the tree" night. After a year of waiting (and years more dreaming of the moment) I was anxious to unveil the new tree. To see its lights twinkle upon the majestic branches with nary a bit of effort from me except to flip the switch. I stood it up, plugged it in, and, voila! Some lights. Yep - you heard me...some. Half the lights were out, others were dim. So, how does one fix a pre-lit tree? Send it in and get it back in March? I could try returning it, but I got it on 75%-off sale and well over the 90-days return policy. And who even keeps their receipts from a year-old impulse buy?

So, then, defeated after a lengthy attempt to resolve the issue, I decided to make the best of it. I can't fix these lights, but its still a better looking tree than my old fake tree, so I'll just take these lights off, and use the lights I always used on the other tree. This, my friends, was a bad call. I spent the next 2-1/2 hours wire-clipping and yanking light strands that had seemingly been extra-wrapped around every inch of fake branch available. It was as if the factory workers received bonuses for the amount of knots and wrap-arounds they could manage on each strand. It was like a box full of loose Slinkys. Nightmare.

What was supposed to be the fulfillment of a long-standing desire for a simple, yet elegant fake tree, turned into one of the most frustrating, annoying and laborious evenings of the season.

Bah humbug.

(And no, the picture isn't the actual tree. But it is how I see it in my head now.)

Brush With Greatness, Pt 5

2008-12-06T00:19:00.000-08:00

About a year after high school, I ended up getting the opportunity to be the band leader for an upcoming stint in Las Vegas. I would be leading the band for two 1950's legends, Bobby Day ("Rockin' Robin") and The Coasters (the group had one original member left...other original members were also touring with their own version of The Coasters). Turned out the promoter was kind of a shyster, so I ended up backing out before it happened, but there is one night worth talking about.

Since I still lived at home, I rehearsed the band in my parent's garage. One night, Bobby Day and one of the Coasters came over to rehearse. We were doing Bobby's classic "Rockin' Robin", and of course, the neighbors could hear us. One of them came over and said, "Wow, he sounds just like the original!", to which I answered, "He IS the original." Within a few minutes, the buzz spread and suddenly all the neighbors were in our driveway having a sock-hop...dancing to two 1950's legends right on their own street in a once-in-a-lifetime private concert.

I'd forgotten all about this until I happened to hear "Rockin' Robin" on the radio recently. I love the music biz.

My daughter is a genius

2008-11-28T21:44:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure how you gauge these things, but my daughter drew this. Its not a scribble - its a face...!
Smiling mouth, nose, two eyes (with pupils!) and a chin.

She is 2 years, 10 months old.

When I was a kid I wanted to be a cartoonist...perhaps I will live vicariously through her.

Thankful

2008-11-27T20:57:00.000-08:00

I'm back...with a good one.

2008-11-22T10:16:00.000-08:00

I’m back. It’s been a tough season to maintain the blog. But I’m really excited to share this. This is a video I’d never seen before, but finding it brought a flood of memories back.

Several blogs ago I wrote about the passing of Joe Sperazza, the owner of the old Café Lido. This jazz club was such a vital part of my musical upbringing, and if you weren’t there, I have no way of describing how incredible that season and that place was. There was a vital jazz scene in Orange County back in the 1980s, thanks to this club.

This video was filmed at the original Cafe Lido (it moved to a newer, bigger location sometime around 1987-8). It features several of the musicians who, long before I deserved to share a stage with them, chose to take me under their wings. Most notably, saxophonist Wayne Wayne, who, when I first played with him I was probably the most nervous I’d ever been. He was truly a remarkable musician, far beyond the confines of our little O.C. Next, singer Alex (Alexandra) Taylor. A dazzling singer who thought more like a musician than most. She always made me feel welcome on the stage, even though I probably stepped all over her musically.

The song is Charlie Parker’s “Ornithology”. They play the melody, and then play Charlie's original improvised solo. Few people can play his music well, and fewer still can actually play his intricate solos note for note. Wayne not only makes it look easy, but Alex scats along with him note for note. Amazing. The video ends with Joe Sperazza. So nice to hear his voice again.

I’m not in the video. It was filmed in 1987, about three years after I started coming around. Can you imagine a 17 year old musician being welcomed into the fray by musicians like this? I owe these musicians so much (the other players are Eddie Ambrose/Piano, Ron "Iceman" Shoemake/Bass & Gary Wing/Drums.)

Please, watch this all the way through - you'll be richer for it.

What a great memory. I’ll never get over that great time in my life.

If you care...

2008-11-04T21:54:00.001-08:00

I posted my views on the election outcome.

Just click here:
http://politicalaside.blogspot.com/

I Can't Stay Silent

2008-10-07T22:15:00.000-07:00

I can't stay silent. I haven't been blogging much, because all I want to write about is the election, but I've always tried to avoid these kinds of issues on a public level. However, I've decided that I do want to get all these thoughts out of my head and on 'paper'. If you're interested in reading my thoughts on the election, click the link for my new Election Blog - "My Political Aside".

Just click here:
http://politicalaside.blogspot.com/

Otherwise, stay tuned and this blog will return to its regularly scheduled programming.

Another New CD...!

2008-09-24T22:43:00.001-07:00

First, thanks to those of you who checked out my new solo CD, "Apasionado" (from my post last June). If you haven't, you can find it on iTunes...just open iTunes and do a search or click HERE

My band, The Hi-Fi Quintet, has also released a brand new CD! I iinvite you to check it out by clicking HERE. You can listen to the tunes and even purchase it if you like!

Hope you enjoy it...!

14 Days

2008-09-22T07:18:00.000-07:00

I have just completed a much-needed two-week break from my work at Saddleback. Saddleback is a place that never rests, so the job is constantly busy - not only are there big projects going on all the time (like the Presidential Forum!), but our team still has to pull off every weekend. It had been a long time since I had time off, and I needed to take a brief breather.

And we packed a lot in! Here's my list of what I did:

1. Several days in the studio writing (three new songs!) and recording.
2. Actually recorded and released an entire album in a day (see previous post)
3. Rekindled my love of deep-sea fishing (see earlier post)
4. Learned to make ceviche
5. Entertained dinner guests, including a lovely night with Debby & Ernie Rettino (Psalty!) and author Sally Morgenthaler
6. Spent a couple days on at a beachfront hotel in San Diego celebrating our 4th Wedding Anniversary
7. Went to the movies (DeNiro & Pacino!)
8. Watched a ton of news about the upcoming election. (I'm fighting the urge to post my views)
9. Played some jazz gigs with some great musicians
10. Played a concert celebrating the release of the new HiFi Quintet CD (click here)
11. Met friends for lunch
12. Rekindled my love of stunt kite flying (see picture)
13. Celebrated my 42nd Birthday with friends on the beach
14. Laid in bed sick for 2-1/2 days
15. Spent a lot of time playing with my kids
16. Went hot-air ballooning
17. Took the kids to Adventure City
18. Went to the mountains to go apple-picking
19. Practiced
20. Went to the beach more than once
21. Got pulled over and, for the first time ever, avoided a ticket!

Hmmm...I need a break. Back to the office to get some sleep!

A New World Confirmed

2008-09-12T08:03:00.000-07:00

I did a recent blog post on how the recording industry has changed because of home studios and the internet. I have put that to the test.

I woke up yesterday with an idea and decided to look on iTunes for wedding music, just because I was curious as to how much was available on the biggest internet music provider. I figured there are probably thousands of brides who can't afford to hire musicians for their ceremony and look online for the appropriate music to play. Sure enough, searching for "wedding music" brought up a list of choices, but surprisingly less than I expected. And what I couldn't find (although I didn't look through all of them) was the traditional pipe organ/trumpet combination.

So, I spent the whole day recording 15 individual tracks of the most traditional wedding music with live trumpet and cathedral pipe organ, in different combinations and at different lengths (so brides could choose the length of a song based on how long they will be walking - nothing worse than a bride reaching the alter and standing there for two more minutes while the music finishes!).

I finished by the end of the day, created a simple CD cover (pictured), and then uploaded the whole project to a service that distributes CDs to all the major online retailers (iTunes, Napster, Amazon, emusic, Rhapsody, and more) as well as all the international services (Japan, Europe, Australia, Canada, South America, etc). In 6-8 weeks, these recordings will be available to any bride from anywhere in the world who searches online for 'wedding music'.

So, I took an entire CD project from 'idea', to the 'studio', and to the 'worldwide marketplace'...all in ONE DAY! Now, I won't win any Grammys for these recordings, but this kind of quick turnaround was unthinkable when I started recording albums.

Getting married soon? Have I got a product for you...!

Just call me Ansel

2008-09-10T23:24:00.000-07:00

My wife and I celebrated our anniversary at a beachside resort in San Diego. These photos were taken right outside our room. I think these shots officially make me a good photographer. (Click on them to see them bigger!)

The best Tuesday morning in quite a while...

2008-09-09T18:08:00.000-07:00

I used to fish all the time - almost everyday. Usually it was freshwater fishing - a lake, a boat and some good size bass - because that was readily available to me. But my few excursions deep-sea fishing were always such a blast and were probably my favorite times (nothing beats eating a piece of raw tuna cut straight off the fish...mmmm, sashimi!).

Well, after about 7 years or so, I was back on the water today with my good friend John. The fishing wasn't amazing, although I nearly caught my limit in sea bass, but it was still so great to be out there. It took me the first couple hours, however, just to remember how to do everything again - you should have seen my pathetic first cast! After catching a couple birds, losing bait to a seal and being hit in the head by a pelican, the fish finally started to bite for me. In fact, I nearly caught the biggest of the day (and would have won the $$ pool!) but was beat out at the very last minute by someone's slightly larger catch. I ended up coming home with some great filets, though!

There are few better reasons to set your alarm for 4:30am. Fish tacos, anyone?

4 Years Ago Tomorrow...

2008-09-04T21:50:00.000-07:00

(If you click on the picture it gets bigger!)

The Home Studio Revolution

2008-09-03T22:21:00.000-07:00

In the old days, getting your music recorded required a sizeable budget and the rental of a big, fancy studio. These days, people can recreate that in their own home, often with better results, with the purchase of a computer and a few pieces of gear. I was around as the shift began to take place in the very late 80's and early 90's and as it crystalized in the late 90's and 2000's. I remember many early discussions about how it would change the industry, and it did. But in those early days, no one was talking about the internet.

Nowadays, the internet means that two people with recording studios can work together without being in the same room, or the same state, or the same country. I do more recording sessions these days in the privacy of my recording studio and sending files over the internet than I do traveling to studios to work with the people I'm recording with. I record my trumpet or keyboard parts for producers and artists as far away as Europe and never even meet them. These days, you can be in a studio in Los Angeles directing an orchestra that is playing in Chzecoslovakia - live and in real time.

Recently, my friend Scott Reed and I wrote a song together over the phone. We started at around 6am (we have kids!) and by sending recorded files back and forth, we had a finished recording by 10am - and he lives in St. Louis! Today, I started writing with one of my favorite worship songwriters who lives in Colorado and whom I may not actually see face to face for years!

Times have changed - I'm glad I got to experience the old way, but, man, I love the new way!

Fake Bird Life Lessons

2008-08-31T06:38:00.000-07:00

I had a great day yesterday taking my daughter Ella, who is just over 2-1/2, to the Orange County Swap Meet. [I have a long history with the Swap Meet - my family used to go there every weekend when I was a kid, and my second job ever was working there selling pet supplies and oak toilet seats to earn money to go to Hawaii with my high school marching band in 1980-81.]

Ella was captivated by a little $3 fake bird in a cage. It tweets, spins, bobs and looks fairly real to a 2-1/2 year old, I assume. And she hasn't tired of it yet, which is great. So, here's some questions: Does she think its a real bird? And if so, am I lying to her by playing along? Am I a bad dad if I keep up the charade to buy myself a couple years before I have to welcome a real pet into the house? Can I get away with a fake dog? Should I teach her her first lesson in death by letting the batteries wear out?

Parenting is so confusing.

Saddleback Civil Forum

2008-08-17T13:58:00.000-07:00

In 1960, the very first televised presidential debate took place. John Kennedy and Richard Nixon appeared on TV to debate the issues of that year's election, but what was truly important about that event was that no one seemed to realize just how pivital a 'televised' appearance could be.

Because they had little experience in this televised format, they hadn't considered fully the effect of how they "looked".

From www.museum.tv:
"By the time of the first debate he [Nixon] was still twenty pounds underweight, his pallor still poor. He arrived at the debate in an ill-fitting shirt, and refused make-up to improve his color and lighten his perpetual "5:00 o'clock shadow." Kennedy, by contrast, had spent early September campaigning in California. He was tan and confident and well-rested. "I had never seen him looking so fit," Nixon later wrote. In substance, the candidates were much more evenly matched."

People who heard the debate on radio overwhelmingly pronounced Nixon the winner. Those who watched it on TV pronounced Kennedy the winner.

Elections have never been the same. Now, every debate has a laundry list of guidelines from the candidate's teams to control how they look and sound - suit colors, equal air-time, equal stage space, choosing camera angles, candidate heights, make-up artists, etc. Since 1960, televised debates have become very polished, very planned, very predictable, and as a result, I think, pretty unimportant. When everything is scripted, you have no idea whether or not you're really getting to know the candidates.

Last night's televised "Saddleback Civil Forum" changed all that. I believe it has, like the first televised debate in 1960, changed elections forever, and voters will demand this kind of unplanned, open, honest conversation from now on.

I got to be musical director for the event (we did a 'pre-show' concert). I was so honored to be there and be a part of what I believe was an important, historical event.

Last night I was so proud of my church and my pastor, and very proud to be an American.

(Of course, this photo shows the best moment of all the news broadcasts...:)

Phases

2008-08-13T22:48:00.000-07:00

One of the things that comes with age is perspective. When you're a kid, the world you live in - your friends, your hobbies, your neighborhood - those are the whole world to you and you picture them going on forever. Summer vacations were an eternity - now three months is nothing.

In High School I remember daydreaming about all the great things my friends and I would do together throughout our lives, so it was a bit of a surprise when graduation came and that circle of friends wasn't together anymore. But I soon had a new circle in college...which lasted until college was over. Then my early twenties circle. Then my music and touring days circle. And so on, and so on, until the place I'm at now.

The fact is, our lives go in phases. Chances are, for many of us, the faces we see regularly today - friends, co-workers, etc. - will be different 5 or 10 years from now - or less. The same is true of our jobs, our living situations, our pastimes...

And while I often mourn the loss of previous 'phases' in my life, I also often wonder what's to come - which new people have I yet to meet who will become integral to my life, or will even just help me create new memories. And who will come after them? How many more phases do I have left?

It all makes you appreciate those people and things that do stay with you during the many phases. FOr example, I have some friends that go back to elementary school - some 33 years back. And throughout my life and all my many pursued interests, my music has been a constant. Those are familiar and safe to me - like home. And my wife and I spoke tonight about how our kids will always be our kids - no matter who else comes and goes.

I'm thankful for the ones still with me, thankful for those who have come and gone, and so curious about the ones to come.

And now, allow me to phase out and go to bed...

I'm Back!

2008-08-09T21:54:00.001-07:00

So, what's been up?
Here's a Top 11 run down of my last few weeks…in no particular order…

1. Spent a week in Austin, Texas at the Nat'l Worship Leader's Conference.
Highlights include:
- Great BBQ forced on me by Pastor Dave. He chided me for putting A1 on a fresh Texas steak. He might be right, but I love me some A1.
- Two nights of Jazz Jam at The Elephant Bar in Downtown Austin
- Hanging with good friends…Phil, David, Scott, Suzie, Sarah, Cathi, Julie, and many more from the worship community.
- Teaching some over-packed classes (actually had to teach a make-up class at lunch one day!)
- Some great concert performances from a veritable who's who in worship music
- The world premiere of El Trio De Amor - ahem.

[PICS: The Elephant Bar, Crowded Class]

2. Celebrated my wife's 29th Birthday…well, sort of. We went to dinner (finally tried that fondue place, The Melting Pot), and she went scrapbooking with her friends (she's becoming quite the artist!). We kept it kind of low-key this year, because next year it's her 30th…and she's expecting big things from me. After my 40th and the Chrysler 300 she got me, there's a lot of pressure on me to deliver. A weekend getaway to Barstow ain't gonna cut it.

3. Took our first formal family portraits…my wife and children are beautiful. Turns out, I'm the ugly one! And all these years I thought I was hot. We're hoping Photoshop will fix me up a little.

4. Did a quick turn-around trip to Nashville. Why, you ask? Oh, just to do a little session with CeCe Winans recording my song!! She cut "He Is Emmanuel" for the upcoming David Pack produced "Rick Warren's Purpose Of Christmas" CD, a joint venture with Wal*Mart. That's right, I'm that cool.

[PIC: Me & CeCe, although she'll kill me for posting this pic since she didn't have make-up on and almost wouldn't let me even take the photo!)

5. The day I returned from Nashville, I went straight to the studio to work with David Pack on his tune for the same CD.

6. Released the new Hi-Fi Quintet CD and started back up doing some gigs with them.

7. Played a new local jazz club (crownsteakhouse.com) that looks like it could be a cool thing.

8. Started the Saddleback "Jazz Under The Stars" series, which is every Sunday night in August, including one night with Hi-Fi and one night with my band from the "Apasionado" CD. The first night was a hit - wonderful night. Check out saddlebackconcerts.com

[PIC: Jazz Under The Stars]

9. Have been fielding a flurry of communications regarding the upcoming John McCain/Barrack Obama Civil Forum (McBama, we're calling it!) on August 16th. I'm the music director for the event.

10. Preparing for next Monday night's Apologetic Panel, a night when myself and several other apologetic teachers will be fielding open questions on evidence for the Christian faith.

11. Had my nieces from St. Louis, Lexi & Alana, staying with us for a few days. Candice took them everywhere. We bought them a Nintendo Wii, because, yes, we're that cool.

So, you can see it's been a little busy. What have you been up to?

I'll be back!

2008-08-05T17:05:00.001-07:00

So much has been going on, I've been unable to blog...but don't give up - I'll catchup in the next couple days...!
XXXOOO
Me

One of my favorite stories...

2008-07-20T17:10:00.000-07:00

Michael's comment on my last blog ("Why me, oh Lord?") refers to a story worth telling.

Mike and I have known each other since Jr. High (that's right - the late 70's!). He could always be counted on for a favor - that is, if you could pry him away from some nerdy arcade game.

So, cut to 1992. One hot summer Saturday, most of my family was spending the day packing and moving my grandmother out of her Hollywood apartment and into a nursing home and hour or so north of L.A. I couldn't help because I was playing a gig with my band that day, and I needed the money. In fact, I had just moved into a new apartment, and I couldn't even afford a fridge, so I was renting one. Naturally, when my mom called and said, "Hey Tony, do you want Grandma's refrigerator? It's only two months old, but you can have it for free...", I was thrilled. Of course I did!

The problem was, it had to be picked up that day, or they'd have to give it to someone else. But I couldn't go, because I had a gig! I was going to lose a free brand new fridge! I called Mike.

"So, Mike…what are you doing today…?"

"Not much…why?"

"Ummm…any chance you'd come to my apartment, grab my truck, drive it to Hollywood [about an hour away] and pick up a refrigerator for me?"

He said yes.

In a million years, I don't think you'd ever convince me to say yes to something like that. I barely like even walking to my own fridge for a snack, much less spend my precious weekend driving in mid-day traffic, hot and sweaty in a beat-up pickup truck with no A/C, just to pick up a huge appliance for someone else.

But he did it.

So far, the story sounds pretty heroic. Here's where it gets funny.

As I watched him drive off in my truck to head to Grandma's, my phone rang inside the apartment. I ran in to answer - my gig had just been cancelled. I ran back out the front door…I could still see his taillights…but he couldn't hear my yells (this is before we all had cell phones).

Mike was just beginning his trek on my behalf, and I couldn't stop him.

To make matters worse, once he got there, he ended up being coerced into helping them with Grandma's entire move. Mike spent the whole day with my family, moving my grandma from one distant city to another.

Me? When Mike was merely a mile or so away, with my gig cancelled, I laid out on my couch, remote in hand, watching TV and drinking a refreshingly cold lemonade (chilled in my soon-to-be-replaced rented fridge) and enjoyed one the most relaxing leisurely days of my twenties.

Many hours later, when Mike returned with my new fridge, can you believe he actually expected me to help him unload it? The nerve of some people.

Why me, oh Lord?!?

2008-07-18T05:19:00.000-07:00

Why, when my wife offers get up with the kids to let me sleep in, did I wake up at 4:00am and find myself still unable to fall back asleep an hour and a half later?

Brush With Greatness, Pt. IV

2008-07-08T22:43:00.000-07:00

So, the point of these "Brush With Greatness" stories is not just that I met someone famous, but that something cool happened when I met them (I've actually met a lot of famous people, but most of those stories are uneventful). I have a few more stories to post, but one just happened TONIGHT!!

I am a huge Marx Brother's fan - seen the movies, read the books, watched every snippet of file footage, etc. Tonight, I was invited to "An Evening With Groucho", a one-man play done brilliantly by Frank Ferrante. Who should be in the audience, but Groucho's daughter, Miriam! Well, I knew somehow I'd have to at least get close enough to see her face, much less even meet her. But the cool thing that happened...the people she was with happened to be jazz fans and recognized me first!! They introduced me to Miriam Marx as if I were somebody! So cool...instantly I was able to share a moment with Groucho's daughter that wasn't just about me being a dorky fan...

She was very sweet, signed my book. I'd met Harpo Marx's son before at a concert I played and I thought that was cool...but this was Groucho's own daughter! Great night!

Brush With Greatness, Pt. III

2008-07-05T08:09:00.001-07:00

Arguably, the three most important producers in pop music from the 60's were Phil Spector, George Martin & Brian Wilson. Spector created the "wall of sound" that characterized such hits as "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" and "Be My Baby", as well as some of the later Beatles hits like "The Long And Winding Road" (Spector's involvement infuriated Paul McCartney since his big lush arrangements happened without McCartney's approval - McCartney re-released many classic Beatles songs in 2003 as "Naked", basically stripping Spector's involvement from them). Next, of course, George Martin, who was The Beatles producer from the beginning and in many ways helped them to revolutionize the music industry. He was often called "the fifth Beatle", since he was so much a part of their sound.

Finally, there was Brian Wilson from The Beach Boys. While some of their hits lead some people to relegating them as "bubble gum" pop, the truth is, Brian set all sorts of new standards for production. In fact, it was his ground-breaking production on the "Pet Sounds" album that sounded the clarion call for The Beatles to meet the challenge with "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". Brian influenced the influencers. The stories about his life and his struggle with mental illness are legendary.

I got a call to record with him around 1992. Awesome.

We showed up to the studio and were introduced to Van Dyke Parks, another notable producer who had long been associated with Brian, and he mostly led the session. Brian was nowhere to be found. Bummer. We were escorted into the recording room where the four of us horn players would be playing, and we noticed there was someone asleep on a couch about ten feet from us. We assumed he'd get up when we started playing. Nope. We did the whole session - five loud horn players - ten feet from a sleeping man who never budged.

When the session was over, the sleeper awoke. It was Brian. He literally seemed to have no idea that we had been playing - loudly - right next to him while we slept. We posed for a picture with him, and the session ended. Even though our contact was limited, I was honored to play on the project, and I drove away knowing I had worked with a legend.

Brush With Greatness, Pt. II

2008-07-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

[Photos: Freddie, ca. 1976 & Tony w/Freddie, 1996]

The lineage of great trumpet players from the early 1900's until now goes something like this: King Oliver>Louis Armstrong>Roy Eldridge>Dizzy Gillespie>Miles Davis>Freddie Hubbard. There are other great ones, but these were the ones who set the new standards and defined new directions for the instrument. Freddie came to prominence in the early sixties, and, truthfully, no one has really expanded on the vocabulary of jazz trumpet since him. Truly one of the all time greats, and a true legend in jazz.

In 1996, I was asked to play on a session with him. You can imagine my nerves. He would be the soloist, and I would only be in the horn section, but still, I'd be playing my trumpet in the same room as him. And being paid!

I knew at that time that Freddie had some recent problems with his lip and was unable to play up to his old standard. I didn't know the extent of it, and was saddened to hear this giant unable to blow like before.

But because of this, two amazing things happened...

1. By the time he got to the end of his solo feature, his lip was shot and he was unable to play the last few notes. Guess who got to finish for him?!? That's right, there is a CD out there featuring Freddie Hubbard but with me playing some parts for him!

2. The coolest thing was that Freddie and I talked that day about his lip problems. He mentioned that he didn't have a good warm-up regimen (crucial for trumpet players) so I showed him some of mine. He asked for my number, which I found odd, but the day ended without much more incident. Then, like two months later, I got a message on my phone…get this:

"Hey Tony…this is Freddie…I need you to come up and give me a lesson."

WHAT?!? Did Freddie Hubbard just call and ask me for a lesson?!? Now, I wasn't dumb enough to think I really had anything to offer him, or that he even meant what he was saying, but still…he said it!

I called him back and basically said I wanted a lesson from him. His interest was really in warm-up techniques and he'd forgotten what I'd showed him. So, we arranged to meet. I went to his home in Studio City and we spent several hours together playing and talking. And the occasional moment spent actually teaching. We even talked about collaborating on his biography, although I knew that was never really going to happen. A great afternoon.

For a while after that, I would get random calls from Freddie at all hours, just calling to talk. Sometimes I wondered if it mattered to him who he was talking to - he was just talking randomly - but since he occasionally said my name, he seemed to know who he'd called. Often, he'd interrupt himself mid-sentence and just blow on his trumpet. I, of course, sat and listened to him talk and blow for as long as he wanted. Shoot, this is FREDDIE!

Within a year, I'd lost contact with him (I believe he's living in New York now). But certainly, that short time he was in my life was an honor I won't soon forget.

The sad thing about this story is that I failed to save the tape of his phone message, so I can't prove Freddie actually asked me for a lesson, but I did record our actual lesson time, so I can at least prove we did that!

(Freddie's lip never recovered. He still plays, although he has never returned to his glory days.)

Brush With Greatness, Pt.1

2008-07-02T06:33:00.000-07:00

(Photo dated 1964)

I've gotten to meet and work with some well known musicians over the years, but there are a few stories that stand out for me. Here's the first one.

In 1987, I was a twenty year old kid who was in the middle of recording my first CD. The recording engineer on the project was a guy named Joe Manolakakis who also had happened to just get the gig as Herbie Hancock's personal engineer. Herbie Hancock is one of the all-time great jazz pianists - a legend in his own lifetime.

Well, one night around 11pm I got a call from Joe. Herbie had just returned from Tower Records trying to buy up all the Art Tatum (another piano legend) records and was disappointed in their limited selection. Joe knew I had a large record collection and called to say, "Hey Tony, grab all your Art Tatum records and get up here." I, of course, dropped everything and did just that, driving an hour to L.A., thinking I was just going to drop them off and let Herbie "borrow" them…and I'd be thrilled to let him.

Instead, Herbie invited me in, and the three of us spent from midnight until about 5am in Herbie's living room listening to Art Tatum records, talking about jazz and Herbie's many experiences, having a little wine (I wasn't a drinker, but I probably would have drunk sewer water if he'd offered it!) and even a few rare moments when Herbie gave me a brief piano lesson. An unbelievable evening for this young jazz fan.

I'm positive Herbie doesn't remember this event - don't bother asking him - but it is a night I'll never forget.

Do yourself a favor - check out some Herbie recordings: His legendary recordings as a member of the Miles Davis Quintet in the early 60's; his first solo recordings, which included songs like Watermelon Man and Cantaloupe Island (the latter of which you all know even if you don't recognize the title - check iTunes); his first forays into funk music with his Headhunters Band; his worldwide 80's hit "Rockit" (one of the first hip-hop instrumental hits - another one you'd recognize); his recent recordings that feature artists like Christina Aguilera and, finally, "River", his Joni Mitchell tribute recording, which just won the 2008 Grammy for Record of the Year over every pop record out there. Quite a catalogue.

FREE SONGS

2008-06-23T14:46:00.000-07:00

For the next few days I will be participating in the Saddleback Worship Conference & Festival.

If you are one of the many attendees (or visitors to this blog), I'd like to offer you a FREE download of 9 of my most used worship songs (including MP3s, Lyrics and Chord Charts).

Take 'em, share 'em, use 'em (just report 'em to CCLI!).

CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE DOWNLOAD

And be sure to say "hi" when we bump into each other this week!

I'll come to your house for just $1,500.00 or more

2008-06-21T11:00:00.000-07:00

What a bargain...
CLICK HERE
Of course, no bids yet...:)
And, no, this was not my idea...!

Happy Father's Day to me.

2008-06-15T20:28:00.000-07:00

Top 10 Other Tony Guerreros

2008-06-12T07:43:00.000-07:00

There are several other Tony Guerreros out there. I thought I'd introduce you to them, in case this one is boring you.

1. Tony "Ham" Guerrero - A legendary trumpet player from the 60's & 70's TexMex music scene. He lives in Austin and we met in person last summer. (His new CD will have a song of mine on it...!)

2. La Sombra De Tony Guerrero - A popular 80's Tejano music group from Chicago.

3. Tony Guerrero - A rock guitarist from San Francisco. Definitely looks like he could kick this Tony Guerrero's butt.

4. Tony Guerrero - Vice Chairman and group manager in charge of Retail Banking Group of First Hawaiian Bank and a strong community leader.

5. Tony Guerrero - The Plantation House Restaurant wine director and assistant manager.

6. Tony Guerrero - Actor and Voiceover Artist from Atlanta

7. Tony Guerrero - Bank of Guam board chairman, president and chief executive officer

8. Tony Guerrero - Hockey player (Concordia Stingers, on right)

9. Tony Guerrero - Police Officer in Sanger back in the 70's

10. Tony Guerrero - President of the Veteran's service oganization "Sergeants Major Association"

Can't wait 'til our annual Tony Guerrero Convention!

(Takes a lot of self-googling to come up with a blog like this!)

Question

2008-06-06T11:06:00.001-07:00

Ever leave a comment on your own blog?

New CD on iTunes

2008-06-03T14:37:00.001-07:00

My new CD is now available on iTunes.
(Actual CDs hit the stores June 10)

Just click HERE .

(For the record, some of my earlier CDs are also available on iTunes)

You should buy it. I'll like you more.

I was there!

2008-05-31T23:51:00.000-07:00

Those are the first three concerts I ever attended.
Cool? Dorky? You decide.

Although, I should get some props for [a] the fact that the Kiss concert I went to in '77 actually became a double album-"KISS: Alive II", and [b] I eventually did a concert with Chuck Mangione. Right?

My worst day ever...

2008-05-28T15:57:00.001-07:00

A friend and I recently shared our worst days (that didn't have to do with anyone dying).

Here's mine:
On the day I signed papers for my first house, I watched as a monthly payment I was already freaking out about kept skyrocketing due to all the hidden expenses and "necessary" upgrades, pushing me far over my 'safe zone'. I drove home in a daze, sure I was headed for financial ruin. I got home, went to get the mail, and, lo and behold, got a notice that I was being audited by the IRS.

It took me about two weeks to get out of the fetal position.

Happy 80th Max!

2008-05-27T08:34:00.000-07:00

The KSBR Birthday BASH went great. One of the highlights - besides a stellar new location that showed just how big this has grown since it was a handful of people in a lounge - was the celebration of bass legend Max Bennett's 80th birthday.

When I say legend, its not without merit. He was arguably one of the most recorded bass players in the 1960s and 70s, not only playing on every movie, commercial, TV show (he was the bass that Danny Bonaduce faked to on the Partridge Family!), but continuing to work with a succession of major artists that he started back in the 40s, playing with everyone from Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, on through the 70s with artists like Joni Mitchell and Frank Zappa. He also helped launch the contemporary jazz movement by being an early convert to the electric bass and founding the L.A. Express with Tom Scott. Quite a career.

Max also toured with the equally legendary Crusaders, with Joe Sample. Our "surprise" for Max was bringing Joe Sample (who flew in from Korea!) to surprise and perform with him. [Pictured: DJ Gary Bergeson, Tony, Max, Joe]

A great moment, and a great evening. Happy birthday Max (and KSBR!)

[Want to hear a voicemail capture of the moment Max's wife, Terry, brought Joe to see Max for the first time right before the concert? Very fun…click HERE]

Its Birthday Bash weekend!

2008-05-24T06:24:00.002-07:00

Every Memorial Day Weekend for the last 19 years(!) I have had the distinct priviledge of hosting the KSBR 88.5 Birthday Bash, a jazz concert unlike any other in the world. Why is it so different? Because there are about 30 headlining jazz artists each year who come to play - the top names in the business - but they come without their bands and without any rehearsal. They come to jam!

99% of the time, when an artist appears in concert, its with their own well-rehearsed band, playing music they've prepared for some time. At this event, these major artists come together to play each other's music - and they are seeing this music for the first time on stage in front of thousands. No rehearsal, no prep time, no idea of what to expect. It is the ultimate showing of world class musicianship. And its a blast!

Unless you're into jazz, you may not know these names, but artists like Larry Carlton, Bob James, Tom Scott, Joe Sample and literally hundreds more have graced the Bash stage at one time or another. (If you don't know jazz artists, imagine a concert where the band consisted of Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Celine, Billy Joel...etc. The Bash features the 'stars' of the contemporary jazz world.)

I've been with it since the beginning, watching it grow from a small ensemble and audience of about 75 people to becoming one of the most popular jazz festivals around, both with the artists and the audience (which now numbers in the thousands). The concert raises funds to help keep KSBR 88.5, a publicly supported jazz station, on the air.

If you haven't been, make this the year (its THIS Sunday, May 25, 5:30-9:30pm). This is the first year in a new location. You can get tickets through the station or at the event. (Info at KSBR.NET)

Here's a couple videos from previous years. . .remember, none of it was rehearsed, just created on the spot in front of thousands of people!

(If you don't see the videos and only see black space, click in that space and it will take you to the YouTube video)

My Niece

2008-05-18T22:14:00.001-07:00

My niece, Alina, who was recently a regular on Days of Our Lives, just filmed a pilot for Fox. It just got picked up for next season. It's called "Outnumbered" and is based on a hit British TV show ("Office", anyone?!?) AND, get this, when the new season starts, it will immediately follow American Idol...!

CLICK HERE TO SEE A PREVIEW

She's the only little girl in the clip.
Actually looks like a really funny show.
My favorite line of hers: "You killed my childhood, mommy."
Can't wait to hear her use that line against my sister.

Yes, Ella's favorite playmate is officially making more money than her entire extended family combined.

(The picture is Ella & Alina in Ella's playroom)

Producing

2008-05-15T09:09:00.000-07:00

I love making music. Some guys tend to specialize - for example, my friend Keith does a lot of things very well, but probably could be happy just producing CDs the rest of his life. Others just like to play...or tour...or write. I love it all. I love being in the studio, I love writing, I love touring, I love playing live - I just love making music. This blog is just a little about producing.

I'm certainly not the world's greatest producer, but I enjoy doing it and I enjoy the process. I am currently reading a book by one of the legends in the field, Phil Ramone - he's produced/recorded everyone from John Coltrane to Elton John. He points out that very few people actually know what a producer does. It can be anything from organizing the session to booking the studio to creating the arrangements to choosing the musicians to dictating the tempo of a song to telling the singer to try again - all with the intention of making the "artist" sound their absolute best.

Phil tells a story that illustrates one of my favorite aspects of producing: finding the hidden potential in songs. It turns out that, back in the 70's, everyone in Billy Joel's band, including Billy, HATED the song "Just The Way You Are" and had no intention of recording it. It was Phil who, after several power struggles and fights (instruments being thrown!) finally insisted it would be recorded and included on the album. The song ended up winning the Grammy for "Song of the Year" and has since been the most popular of Billy Joel's songs. Part of why the band hated it was the way they were playing it - they were using a cheezy latin cha-cha beat. Phil changed the beat and the instrumentation, and voila, a classic is born.

Every year, the SongSeeker project I produce involves sifting through about 150-200 submissions. Because songs can cost thousands to record well and songwriters don't often have that kind of money, some of the recordings we get are, well, awful (we encourage people to send in even the worst demos - just send it!). It is the producer's job to hear past the demo recording and imagine the hidden potential of a song. Often, in the selection process, I find myself having to convince people in the selection committee to give songs 2nd, 3rd, even 10th chances.

I've uploaded an example of taking a song from "demo" to "final" from SongSeeker 2006 just for my blog readers. CLICK HERE

The lost week...

2008-05-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

Once a year I produce a CD of new songs submitted by writers from all over the country and beyond. While most CDs usually take months to complete, this one happens in less than one week! I'll write more about it once I'm done, but I thought you'd want to see the basic view I've been staring at 24 hours a day this entire week...my studio computer. Send coffee.

Dare me, will you?

2008-05-04T22:00:00.000-07:00

A friend saw this picture and dared me to put it on the web.

So, here it is. (Click on it to see it full size)

Yep, its all there:
1. Awesome fro-mullet? Check.
2. Rad half-pant with matching coat? Check.
3. Big round 80's glasses? Check.
4. Dangly earing? Check.
5. Buckles on my boots? Check.
6. Cheezy mustache? Yep.
7. Vanilla Ice shoulder pads? Yesh.
8. Louis Armstrong tee-shirt? You betcha.

This was taken while on tour with my band somewhere in the midwest circa 1989-90 (18/19 years ago!!). The best thing about that suit is that somewhere I have a picture from a concert I played where, because of the dark lighting, it looks like I'm missing a leg. Neat.

70 years later...still swingin'!

2008-05-02T08:35:00.000-07:00

On this very day 70 years ago (May 2, 1938), jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald recorded her first big hit "A Tisket A Tasket" with the Chick Webb Orchestra. You still hear Ella's influence on singers today, not just in jazz but in pop, R&B and Hip-Hop as well. Enjoy the true Queen of Soul.

[If all you see is black space, click in the space and it will take you to the clip on YouTube]

Freaky things about Disney

2008-04-30T07:09:00.000-07:00

1. Ever notice that, no matter which angle Mickey's face is, you always get a full-frontal view of his ears, never a side view? Check it out.

2. There's something freakish about the fact that Goofy (who walks, talks, sings, drives a car, wears clothes, plays instruments, etc.) and Pluto (who is basically a dumb, slobbering beast) are BOTH just dogs. Something went terribly awry in the species. (And how does Goofy feel about his best friend Mickey "owning" a dog?)

3. Donald Duck is nude from the waist down.

Hope this doesn't keep you up at night.

7:04am-My view from the couch #2

2008-04-29T07:07:00.001-07:00

6:43am-My view from the couch.

2008-04-29T06:45:00.001-07:00

My daughter, Ansel Adams

2008-04-28T06:39:00.000-07:00

This is my daughter's first photo. You may want to keep a copy in case she becomes a famous photographer later.

Leaving an impression

2008-04-27T07:25:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a gig playing keyboards for David Pack. David was the lead singer for the 70s supergroup Ambrosia, whose hits include "You're The Biggest Part Of Me" "How Much I Feel" "You're The Only Woman" - you've heard him. I was struck by how cool it is to be able to touch people's lives without ever meeting them. His songs have been part of people's lives for decades now and they trigger memories for so many.

These days, anyone with a computer can have influence around the world. Even my own little lame blog is being read everyday by people from several different countries (I know this thanks to Google Analytics). People sitting around their bedroom in their underwear can cause shockwaves with just a few choice words and the click of a mouse. Musicians can network online and get their music - good or bad - heard by thousands.

But back then, someone like David had to really be at the top of his game and actually, literally "rise to the top" over everyone else who was trying to be heard. Not only did he do it, but his music has stood the test of time. I must say, aside from playing with great musicians (which I always love), I particularly enjoyed watching strangers singing every word to songs David wrote some 30 years ago...maybe sitting around his room in his underwear.

When it comes down to it, I believe that probably everyone at some time dreams about leaving a lasting legacy behind - something that goes beyond their daily sphere of influence (like family and friends) and actually touches people you'll never meet. Certainly, all artists share this dream.

Anyway, kudos David. Nice way to leave a mark.

(The photo is of the band before the show.)
Click the links below to see some vintage David Pack/Ambrosia footage:
"You're The Biggest Part Of Me"
"How Much I Feel"

Prepare to be rocked...or jazzed...or countried

2008-04-24T06:56:00.000-07:00

Okay, "countried" isn't a word.

If you haven't heard of these music sites, you're going to love them. Two great ways to listen to music online.
(Click on their names below and you'll be directed there)

First, my fave:
MUSICOVERY

At this site, you can:
1. Pick your style of music (jazz, rock, country, pop, classical, etc)
2. Then you pick the mood you want (calm, positive, energetic, dark). You can combine moods, too, like "energetic & positive"
3. You can also pick tempos, and decade eras (50's, 70's, etc)

Then, this cool interface appears with some molecular-looking grid of songs you are about to hear that fit your criteria. If you like something you are hearing, you can instantly get artist info, link to itunes to buy it, and more.

Second, a product of the Music Genome Project:
PANDORA

All you do here is pick a favorite artist, like, John Denver or C+C Music Factory, and it will instantly create a radio station that plays only songs that sound like that artist. You can set up several stations and have more personal preferences as well.

Both are free! Thanks, Web!

New CD

2008-04-23T07:21:00.000-07:00

I have a new CD called "Apasionado" coming out May 20 on Native Language Records.
Its a collection of new original jazz music that reflects my latin/brazilian influences.
I've uploaded two songs from the project to my myspace page for you to check out.

Click HERE

(I'll let you know when it hits the stores/itunes)

What's the deal...

2008-04-22T12:44:00.001-07:00

So, I'm one of the least violent guys you'll ever meet. Why, then, am I riveted to shows and movies about crime, jail and the mob? Maybe we're just naturally attracted to lives far removed from our own. Maybe I'm vicariously living some tough-guy fantasy out. I know that if any of those scenarios played out in my real life, I'd probably run like a girl (sorry, girls) into a closet and cry like a baby (sorry, babies).

But, man, those old-style mob guys sure know how to dress. Suits and hats. Cool.

Song follow-up...

2008-04-19T23:12:00.000-07:00

Several posts ago I mentioned a song I'd co-written that had been picked up by the Hallmark Channel for a station promo. It was written as a church worship song, and because of its recent inclusion on the SongDiscovery project, tens of thousands of worship leaders have heard it and it is starting to be sung in churches around the country.

Hallmark has used an edited version of it and themed their entire promo campaign around it. I think its funny to think of all the people who will hear it on TV, then hear it in church and think, "Wait a minute...isn't that the song...", or all the people who will sing it at church on Sunday then hear it watching a movie that night.

I've posted it online so you can check out both the original version of the song, as churches are doing it, and then see the Hallmark commercial.

Just click HERE.

Happy 115th Birthday to you!

2008-04-19T08:05:00.000-07:00

Edna Parker is 115 years old, the oldest living person today.
She was born in 1893, and I'm trying to wrap my head around that.

- President Grover Cleveland was in office the year she was born
- She can remember New Years 1899-1900
- She can remember the Titanic sinking
- She can remember the San Francisco earthquake of 1906
- She was almost 30 when WWI started.
- She turned 50 during WWII
- She's been a widow since 1938!
- She watched man discover flight and get to the moon
- She is older than jazz
- She was already around 60 when Rock n Roll was born

…and the list of historical markers and things she predates gets more staggering.

If I lived to be her age, it would be the year 2081.

Happy birthday, Edna.

Aaahhhh...

2008-04-19T07:27:00.000-07:00

Call me shallow, but I don't think I could live again in a world without instant gourmet coffee.

Cultural Lesson #2

2008-04-18T07:22:00.000-07:00

In an effort to avoid my blog becoming all about my kids (things are going great with little Nico!), here's my latest cultural lesson - my attempt to share some things I love that you may not have seen or known before.

So, what do Satchmo and Snoop have in common? Read on, McDuff.

The problem with changing music styles over the years hasn't been the actual change - I'm 41 and love a lot of contemporary music - but that young fans of new music often have no concept of what came before, or, more importantly, how what they love is connected to the past.

It'll be no surprise to most of you that I love Louis Armstrong. But you may be surprised to know that whenever a person in a band takes the front of the stage for an improvised instrumental solo (like Jimi Hendrix, or Eddie Van Halen), they owe a direct debt to Louis. He is widely considered to have introduced the idea of a "soloist" to 20th century popular music. Until him, bands played more as an arranged unit, with each part holding relatively equal prominence. His ability as a horn player was such that it would have been impossible for him not to stand out (he was even so loud that he had to play from the far corner of early recording studios, away from the other musicians and the microphones) and he eventually created music that consistently featured 'soloists' instead of the arranged band.

More to the point however is how music styles have always grown out of each other. Consider the old Muddy Waters quote, "The blues had a baby and they called it rock'n'roll." Even today's hip-hop and rap had its origin in music that most 'kids' today would consider corny. The attached video is not an actual "hip hop rap" from Louis Armstrong, but someone's attempt at putting a modern beat behind an old clip of Louis from the 1930's, showing just how connected his rhythms and pacing were to the rhythm and pacing of today's contemporary music. Someday, what is "hip" on the radio today will be considered "corny", but it won't necessarily have disappeared - it will simply be hidden inside whatever evolved from its influence.

Enjoy the clip.

(If all you see is black space, click in the space
and it will take you to the clip on YouTube)

He's here!

2008-04-15T12:47:00.001-07:00

Nico arrived yesterday...

Nicolas Anthony Guerrero
April 14, 2008
5:04pm
21", 8lbs9oz

More info later...!

And the answer is...

2008-04-13T07:56:00.000-07:00

Well, yes, Julie is brilliant. In mere moments, she came up with the same basic answer that took me years to think of (I first head the phrase in Junior High and didn't think of an answer until sometime in adulthood). Sorry I don't have any prizes to give. But I recently read this explanation of the phrase and was deflated. Not only did it cancel out all the hard philosophical thinking work of my youth but it actually makes more sense.

ACTUAL MEANING: In the 1700s, pickles were commonly used as appetizers, as they on occasion are used today. The phrase could also be written as “Hunger is the best appetizer.” An appetizer is something which creates or whets an appetite, so essentially Franklin is saying, “Hunger is the best enhancement to your meal.”

Oh, well, I'm sure I have other positive attributes. I can't be brilliant at everything.

Dilly of a pickle

2008-04-11T12:04:00.000-07:00

It took me years to figure out the following quote from Benjamin Franklin's 'Poor Richard's Almanac':

"HUNGER IS THE BEST PICKLE."

I'm curious - what do YOU think it means?
And please, no Googling it.
Just tell me what it means at face value.
I'll post its actual meaning later.

Good moments...

2008-04-10T09:03:00.000-07:00

I am working from home for a while today, and it just happens that Candice has a coffee date with a friend, and she took Ella. So, 9:00am, and the house is peaceful, quiet and all mine. Temporarily.

Soon, it will be fuller than ever, because aside from the two adults who live here (one of whom makes a lot of noise!) and a toddler (who's sole job is to make noise), we'll have a newborn (who somehow comes into the world with more noise-making skill than any of us).

When the house is full, even though I love it, I find myself wanting quiet. But when the house is quiet, even though I love it, I find myself wanting noise. I guess the trick is learning to enjoy the moment as it presents itself - noisy kid(s) running around playing, laughing, crying, or extreme stillness and quiet, save for the occasional bird chirping in the yard.

Both such great moments that, no matter which moment you're in, you tend to miss the moment that's not there.

Things change

2008-04-08T00:04:00.000-07:00

As we await the pending arrival of our son (not sure what he's waiting for!), it is really hitting us that our daughter Ella, who is too young to really understand what's going on, is going to go to sleep one night this week, and the sun will have set on her last day as an only child. Her whole short life has been led as the only child, getting all the attention, having run of the place - the only happy little life she's known. It has made us kinda sad, although we know she also gains a brother, a playmate, a bigger family, etc. But really, any moment now could be the end of her only-childness...tick-tock, tick-tock.

Nothing stays the same in life...a lesson we begin learning long before we can understand it.

Cultural Lesson #1

2008-04-04T23:08:00.000-07:00

I recently showed this video to a friend. Its simply one of the best musical moments ever and features some of the great legends of jazz (primarily the amazing singer Billie Holiday, who would die from drug abuse less than two years after this footage) in a one-time only impromptu jam session televised in 1957. I don't have room to tell you each musician's story, but each of these people led storied lives. This music is ripe with their life experiences, their sufferings, their joys. As Louis Armstrong said, “You blows who you is."

Cool things to watch for:
1. Billie's facial reaction to Lester Young's sax solo at 2:55
2. Roy Eldridge's screaming trumpet at 7:05
3. Note how each musician has their own unique "voice" - for instance, the first two sax players are on the same instrument, but sound vastly different.

Kick back and let it draw you in for a few moments.
You'll be richer for it.
Let me know what you thought...

(If all you see is black space, click in the space
and it will take you to the clip on YouTube)

My son, the hipster...

2008-04-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

Our son, Nico (Nicolas Anthony) is due any minute. I've often commented that any son of mine is going to struggle to be raised with any sense of, um, male-ness...? After all, I don't watch sports, I don't drive big trucks, I'm not into pirates or any of the typical "guy" stuff (although I did just buy a bunch of power tools and haven't severed any limbs yet). Me - I would rather cook or shop than watch the big game. Poor kid is doomed.

The real problem is that this typical guy-dom fare is pretty much all you see on any of the little boy clothes - sports, trucks, dinosaurs, planes. And how do we decorate a little boy's room without baseball, ships or T-Rex?

We've solved both problems. We're forcing jazz on him. Jazz is cool and manly, right?

Of course, you can't buy a lot of "jazz" clothes for babies. So, I've designed my own by clicking here: makeaonesie.com

Voila, a Louis Armstrong Onesie!

And his bedroom? A Jazz Crib! Check out pictures by clicking here: Nico's Jazz Crib

I hope he doesn't get beat up a lot at school...

Play It Again, Joe

2008-03-30T01:29:00.000-07:00

Normally, you're free to read or ignore any blog you like, and you'd likely skip a long one like this. However, I'll ask that you read this one entirely, just because it’s a way for me to pay tribute to an important figure in my life who just passed away. You didn't know him, but you missed out.

You wouldn't guess it to see the jazz scene in Orange County these days, but there used to be a hey-day for it that began back in the 1940's when the Woody Herman Band made history at the Balboa Pavilion. By the 1960's and 70's there were some truly amazing musicians who were filling the local club scene with great jazz. I was fortunate enough to get in on the tail end of it. In 1984, within a month after graduating high school, I was frequenting jazz clubs and found myself surrounded by these great musicians who had made their lives in OC. Some of them were celebrities to me before I met them, and to this day I haven't lost that sense of awe when I realize I got to play with them. Many of these older, seasoned musicians took me under their wings - a young kid with barely the talent to stand on stage with them. They let me play with them, taught me things about music and the business (and life!), challenged me, encouraged me. Jam sessions would happen nightly at various venues and you could play with great musicians until the wee hours of the morning.

By the late eighties and early nineties, this once vibrant OC jazz scene all but died away, and many of these great musicians retreated back into the empty lounges and wedding bands that helped pay their bills. There are good jazz clubs that have sprung up in the years since, but the "scene" that once was is long gone.

The center of the OC jazz scene in those years was the Café Lido in Newport Beach, and its owner was Joe Sperazza. Joe died on March 8, and I spent this afternoon at his memorial, seeing many from this old crowd. I saw some musicians I hadn't seen in 20 years, all looking much older (me too, I guess), some on canes, some with health problems, and many just looking tired from living, but just as enthusiastic about music as they were back in the day. We spent our time together reminiscing, and, even better - playing jazz.

So, after that long intro, this blog is about Joe.

Joe was the quintessential New Yorker - sweet as a teddy bear and tough as a mobster, and you never knew which one you’d get. He happened to grow up as a musician in Rochester, NY, pals with one of my early heroes, Chuck Mangione. He came west and opened the Café Lido in 1981. It immediately became the place to play jazz in Orange County. In 1984, when I was 17, I came by the club. My plan was to just sit outside and listen from the parking lot because I was too young to get in. After being introduced as a trumpet player to Joe by one of the other musicians, Joe snuck me in (at great risk to his liquor license), gave me a seat and fed me a great meal on the house, and let me listen all night. He gave me an open invitation, and I started going every single night I could. Eventually, I would start sitting in with the bands there, thrilled to be playing at the already legendary Café Lido. Finally, I started getting hired to play (I think once I turned 18 there was a law that I could perform but not 'partake', although maybe he just made that up to make me feel safe).

Café Lido started out as a tiny club, but by 1988 he moved up the street to a new, larger and swankier location. The club became a very elegant New York style Supper Club - the kind you imagine the Rat Pack at. And, to my great surprise, that year he invited me to have my band take the Friday and Saturday night slots. I had made it, as far as I was concerned. The couple years I held that spot were, perhaps, the most important in my development as a musician, performer and artist, as he gave me an audience for my music that few musicians ever get. In fact, I've never had the same kind of regular experience in all the years since.

While his generosity towards me could fill pages, I want to share two short stories about him that are among my favorites:

1. One of the all-time great jazz trumpeters was the legendary Shorty Rogers. Shorty became famous as one of the leaders of the "West Coast Jazz Sound" in the 1950's. He was a hero of mine and I learned he was coming to play a special concert at the Lido. Unfortunately, I had to be somewhere three hours away that day! I told Joe I was going to race back in time to hear him. Before I got there, Joe had told Shorty all about me. By the time I walked in to the club, 5 minutes before show time, Joe had Shorty waiting for me at the front door, and the moment I walked in, Shorty opened his arms and said, "Tony Guerrero, my friend!" We'd never met, but he embraced me and welcomed me as if we were lifelong pals, with Joe in the background smiling.

2. I learned a great lesson about show business and humility from Joe. One particular Friday night, the club was packed. I felt pretty proud of a full house for my band and leaned over to Joe on a break and said, "Hey Joe, pretty packed house tonight…" expecting some form of 'congratulations' or 'thanks for the business'.
"Kid," he said, "any a**hole can fill a club on a Friday night."
Not only was he right, but I realized later that his decision to give me Fridays and Saturdays was not because I was such a "star" that I deserved the prime spot, but because he wanted to help me develop as an artist and musician, and he could give me nights when he wouldn't have to worry about drawing a crowd - it'd always be full on Friday and Saturday nights with or without me. It was a gift to me that had profound effect on my development. In later years, I learned to appreciate this lesson, gauging success by full houses on off-nights like Mondays or Tuesdays, not Fridays and Saturdays when the house would be full anyways.

The Café Lido closed in 1994, and the last remnants of that great OC jazz era died with it.

Thank you, Joe, for your truly amazing encouragement to me and so many other musicians. You will be missed.

PICTURES:
1.Joe & Shirley Sperazza
2. Cafe Lido 81-88
3. Cafe Lido 88-94
4. The night I met Shorty '92
5. w/Trumpeter Ron Stout at today's memorial

Sorry you're young.

2008-03-27T00:04:00.000-07:00

I just saw a clip of the old Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Don't you miss him? Oh, what's that? You're too young to have watched him? Well, I'm sorry for you. I'm glad I grew up in a time when Carson was still on the air.

Actually, now that I'm thinking about it...

I've always been into older entertainers - from classic jazz musicians to the classic comedians like the Marx Bros., Jack Benny, George Burns, etc. I feel like my life was made richer by not limiting myself to just the entertainers and musicians who were popular with my age group. Of course, all the acts that were big when I was in high school and college are now considered old and largely irrelevant (although some, like U2 and The Police, still elicit awe). But that's kind of my point here. I think anyone who isn't aware of stuff that was once 'cool' in the past - before their own 'era' - is missing out (and may be in for a shock when someday their own faves are considered passe).

Carson, for example, was a class act. All the guys doing it now at varying levels of success (Letterman, Leno, Conan, Ferguson, Kimmel) really do pale by comparison - that's not just my opinion, as they'd agree with me. And while there are great bands out there now, none have matched classics like the Beatles. And while there are funny comedians working today, few can actually hold an audience and sustain a career without resorting to foul language and offensive material like the old masters did.

I'm glad I learned at an early age not to focus on just what was 'cool' for the moment and to check out acts from the past. If that's not you, I encourage you to start checking out stuff that predates your usual tastes - from the 80's on back to the 20's. Lots of it is 'cooler' than you may think.

I challenge you to go rent a Marx Bros movie and sit through the whole thing (I like "A Night At The Opera"). Anyone else have some old faves people should be checking out?

Can't figure it out...

2008-03-25T13:51:00.001-07:00

So, I spent much of my life trying to be a good jazz trumpet player (the jury is still out), but it turns out my biggest recording ever (multi-platinum seller!) was playing piano on a bubble-gum pop song for Disney's High School Musical.

Then, I spend much of my life honing my songwriting chops so I can contribute something meaningful to the American Songbook. Well, it turns out the Hallmark Channel has chosen a church-worship song I co-wrote as their new station ID. But they did away with the entire song except for one line, and as a one-line ditty it has instantly become my most profitable song.

Am I trying too hard? I'm not the first to think so, but the music business is weird.

Saturday Morning, 7:00am

2008-03-22T07:23:00.000-07:00

I used to watch Saturday morning cartoons.
Now I watch my daughter watching them.
Much better.

This blog's for you...

2008-03-20T09:18:00.001-07:00

A little post for a friend, no explanation given.
(Now quit crying!)

Morris Follow Up

2008-03-18T15:14:00.000-07:00

A couple posts ago I told you about my friend Morris CHapman. I just heard a new story about him that made me think about my own actions...here's the story that was sent to me first:
- - - - - - - - - - -
Last weekend, there was a nice man who came to church and made a point to come up to me after the service. He had the church bulletin and a photo of Morris was on the cover.

He asked me, "Does Morris Chapman attend this church?" (he was a first timer).

I said, "Yes, he does lead worship here once every other month or so."

The man asked "Is he from Las Vegas? Did he used to be a custodian at a school in Las Vegas?"

I said, "Yes."

The man said, "Well, I was a student in the school where he worked and I can remember him sweeping up the hallways and always smiling and singing and giving encouragement to us kids. It made a lasting impression on me."
- - - - - - - - - - -

So, my thoughts. Morris hasn't been a school janitor since 1978 or so, and he certainly wasn't a "famous" janitor that people would notice him. Truthfully, few people ever do notice their school janitor. But Morris' actions towards those he came in contact with back then have resonated to this day, thirty years later. Imagine some simple, banal interaction you had with someone today - at work, at the store, wherever. Now, imagine someone mentioning that moment to you thirty years later.

Sometimes, we never know the impact we can have on someone's life, even in the most unexciting moments. I've always thought that we really spend much of our lives scripting our own funeral - what will people say about me when I'm gone? He was generous, he was funny, he was kind - or - he was a jerk, he was greedy, he was rude. Our eulogies are written everyday, in even our smallest actions.

I'll close with one of my favorite quotes. Here, Martin Luther King, Jr. is really referring to how we do our job, but coupled with Morris' example, it is a good reminder that we all have influence, no matter our station:

"If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven played music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well."

Gramps

2008-03-12T23:54:00.000-07:00

I watched a movie tonight where an old man with no family asks to adopt a young man as his grandson so that he will have some legacy to leave. And just the other day, I was thinking about the thought of my own kids having kids, and how incredible it would be to hold a grandchild (no, this isn't another rant about my increasing age).

I've never really had grandfathers. Well, I had them, but one died while I was still very young so I have no real recollection of him, and another died long before I was born, so I basically grew up "grandfatherless". Its interesting how disconnected you can feel to family members you don't know or have never met, but honestly, sometimes I look at these pictures and they are much more strangers to me than family. Yet, these men were not just some distant people in my lineage - they were only one person removed from me. They had the same relationship to my mom and dad that I have to my kids. They would have loved me as much as my parents love my kids. These men are so close to me, and yet I never knew them. Their decisions - who to marry, where to live, how to raise their kids, etc. - had direct impact on not only who I am, but on my very existence. Not to mention who I'd end up marrying, who my kids are, what I do for a living, etc. My daughter is here because of them. These men are important in my life, and, I am their legacy. So are my kids. I have an obligation to 'strangers'. Wow.

So, I have nothing real profound to say, just taking a moment to acknowledge them and maybe even thank them.

(Pictures: Me on my maternal grandfather's lap, late 1960's, and my paternal grandfather as a young man playing guitar in an orchestra in Mexico, early 1900's)

Idol

2008-03-12T07:20:00.001-07:00

I'm conflicted by American Idol. The 'cool musician' in me thinks its a travesty, and yet I watch it every week. The 'paying your dues' part of me believes that stars shouldn't come from cheezy talent shows like this. But then again, many past greats (Ella Fitzgerald & Billie Holiday for example) were discovered at talent shows just like this (albeit it much simpler versions). I see contestants on there who I know are nowhere even close to being among "the nation's top 24" singers, as they are introduced, especially when people I know who showed up to audition and outsing the heck out of many of the contestants never made it past the 'stadium'. But then, the show has churned out some truly talented artists - who can deny Chris Daughtry or Carrie Underwood or Jennifer Hudson or Kelly Clarkson or...? And while I tend to agree with Simon about 99% of the time and appreciate his honesty (which I believe is the only real helpful advice the contestants get), I find myself grateful that Paula is there because I feel so bad for these kids - even though her comments are useless, she shows them some sympathy. I'm confused by the show's (and the judges') insistence that the singers show constant variety (50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, Beatles, Rock, Country, etc) when once these singers get signed the industry will not care a lick about their ability (or lack thereof) to cross boundaries and will pigeonhole them into the one style that can hopefully be marketed.

I must admit, I do see more actual 'artists' in this season than in previous runs. Maybe the worst part is that these days, with the industry as bad as it is, even talented artists have resigned themselves that opportunities like this are all that's left. (Although I do believe we have only scratched the surface of what the internet has made possible to artists.)

Maybe I'm just jealous they don't have a flugelhorn player's category. Although I have no doubt Simon would hate me.

The Second Half

2008-03-09T23:52:00.000-07:00

Tonight I got to be part of an evening paying tribute to this man, Morris Chapman, on his 70th birthday. If you know Morris, enough said - his name is usually followed with sighs and superlatives...everyone loves him. If you don't know him, I'll just say he is a legend in modern worship music.

Lately, I've been wondering about what will happen in the second half of my own life. Having just turned 41 last September, and having accomplished many of my dreams early in life, I wonder if, aside from raising my family, the rest of my life will be just kind of 'coasting'. I have my little corner of the world carved out: My family is growing and happy, I have good friends, I have a little recognition for my work, I make a living. All good, right? Just ride it out now...

But that thought makes me shudder. I'm a creative person at my core, and the thought of not being creative, not pursuing new things, new projects, not "mattering" - it keeps me up at night.

And then there's Morris. Morris is truly a legendary singer and songwriter in his field. And guess what - he didn't even start his music ministry until he was 40! Before that, he was a school janitor in Vegas. So, here's a guy who's most significant creative years happened pretty much where I'm at now. His legendary status was established during years I have yet to visit in my own life.

Sure makes me think - maybe I need to relax on this issue. Just do what I do, be who I am, and trust God for the rest. Maybe my best creative years are ahead of me. Then again, waxing philosophical like this may just be a sign of early senility.

Happy birthday, Morris!

Order In The Court!

2008-03-05T20:47:00.000-08:00

So, I had Jury Duty today. I spent the whole boring day sitting around a room with nothing to do but surf the web. I didn't get picked for a court case, even though I had decided I would do the honorable thing and not try to get out if it. So, I have been excused, having done my civic duty. I get home, all proud of myself for doing the honorable thing, painting a picture of my exciting day in the justice system, only to find out that my wife received notice today to be a witness in a criminal trial (yes, she witnessed a crime)! Geez, can't I get a break? That's so much more exciting than my day! Anyone out there serve any interesting time on jury or as a witness?

Thanks, Elmo.

2008-03-04T07:41:00.001-08:00

These days, I am forced to watch a lot of children's TV. No, we don't let her watch a lot, but when she does, its not like she's watching the news. Anyway, it amazes me how bad some of the kid's shows are - bad stories, bad animation, bad music. It makes me really appreciate the good shows, and I must admit, I really like Elmo. He makes us all feel good about absolutely everything ("Guess what Elmo's thinking about? That's right - buttons!"). There are other shows that are decent, too. Curious George, for example. And while I first thought Teletubbies was the most bizarre, drug-induced show since Gumby, it helped reading on Wikipedia about their origin and the reasons behind what they do - suddenly they made more sense (still a little freaky though). But really, Elmo is king. Thanks, Elmo, for making the loss of my own TV privileges more fun. I could just tickle you.

My Wife

2008-02-29T15:17:00.000-08:00

Just want to give my wife some props here...

Candice is on a retreat right now, hopefully getting a massage, a nice dinner and some laughs with her friends. Meanwhile, I'm on Daddy duty, and I have great fear that by this time tomorrow I'll understand just why she needed a retreat!

I work fairly hard and keep a lot of balls in the air with all my projects, and in between I get these great moments with my daughter. But I also know how, when I'm tired from a long day or have my mind on something else and my daughter is either in a bad, loud tantrum kind of mood, or just needs my attention, I find out just how impatient and selfish I can be. Candice doesn't have that luxury - its Mommy time 24 hours a day. The fact that she must constantly put Ella's needs above her own, without much of a break, is pretty amazing - especially since she'll say she loves it (most of the time!). I really don't know that I could do what she does everyday without losing my mind, even though I'm madly in love with my little girl. But thank God he wires us all different, and that she's here and I don't have to - poor Ella would get the short end of that scenario. But I am looking forward to my Daddy/Daughter weekend. I hope Ella doesn't regret it!

Anyway, hats off to you, Candice!
I love you and I hope these 24 hours are refreshing.
(You'll need to be refreshed when you get back and have to clean my mess!)

Health

2008-02-27T21:07:00.000-08:00

Embarrassing to admit, but I haven't been to a doctor for a physical since I was little...if even then. I honestly can't remember ever doing a full physical, I only assume I must have at some time, right? Anyway, I'm 41 and have spent a few years sure that there must be something wrong with me by now. I mean, I get headaches, body aches, colds every other week, and a long list of other ailments that have slowly turned me into a mild hypochondriac. And now, I have a daughter and a son coming, so the guilt of not getting myself looked at was getting to be too much.

Well, surprise, I'm fine. I went in for a full physical with our new doctor (easily one of the most humiliating and violating experiences of my life, but that's another story). After a week of being sure I'd be called in for "the talk", his report over the phone was just, "Everything looks fine, all your tests are good. Cholestoral is slightly high (204, should be under 200) so watch the red meat. And have some fish oil."

That's it? Years of negligence and all I need is fish oil and less bacon? Look, I'm not unhappy with the results - I want to be around for a while - but couldn't he give me anything to warrant coaxing sympathy from my friends? Or special treatment from my wife - "Sorry, honey, I can't take out the trash...foot fungus, you know."

Anyway, I'm good for another year at least.

P.S. Get checked!