Last One?

I've been thinking about retiring this blog. I haven't really felt the need to keep it going lately. Maybe I'll try to break it back in anyway.

I've been pretty busy lately. Yesterday I spent 6 hours a recording studio near Blackhawk together with Tammy Yurich and Mike Music. With the help of Ron Dropcho we recorded an album worth of music a day. I can't wait to hear the mixdowns. I will post some of it online once it's polished and clipped up.

Two days ago I ran the Denver Half Marathon. I did it in about two hours which was my goal. My legs still hurt a little, but I don't think I did any permanent damage so that's good.

This coming Thursday I'm going to play a short solo concert at Swallow Hill. I played their open stage last week, and they invited me to come play in a little 20 minute set for a showcase thing together with 4 or 5 other performers. The show starts at 7:00 and cost $7, but I don't know when my set is. I'm playing a Halloween show in Winter Park with Hunker Down. We haven't played together in a while, so it will be a fun reunion. I played a couple little private parties last weekend in the mountains, and I'm happy that my music schedule seems to be regaining momentum.

As far as grad school goes, I'm over the hump and in the home stretch. I have a little over a month before the end of this semester.

I'm also going my girlfriend to Mexico in two weeks for my friend Abe Drucker's wedding. It's a "destination wedding" in Cabo San Lucas. I'm really looking forward to that weekend.

In other news, I'm working on a radio jingle for Curbside Recycling, a company that my friend Jesse McWilliams created. Once I finish it, it will play on KCMV 106.3 FM. Here's Jesse's website if you're interested in recycling in Grand County: http://www.curbsidegrandcounty.com/

Lots to look forward to lately. Thanks for keeping up with me here.

Quote

"We are here on Earth to help others. What the others are here for I have no idea."
--W. H. Auden

Life is Good

Wow. I feel like things are going really good right now. My summer is winding down, but I feel great. My gig schedule is slower now, and I have a week left before my fall semester starts up. I'm settling in to my new place in Denver, though I still have reservations about being a full-time flat-lander. I've still made it up to the mountains about once a week through the summer. In all likelihood, my home-base will stay in Denver for the next year or two. I'm looking forward to settling into more of a routine as school starts up. I don't have anything very specific to report. Just a general state of well being is enough for now. It's funny how when you worry about stuff less, the stuff you used to worry about all falls into place. All the best to you and yours.

2009.5

So today we're half-way through 2009... six months down and six to go. I've been living on dry-land a little over a half a year now. Just yesterday I caught up with an friend I met while I was working on cruise ship and was reminded how happy I am to not be doing that any more. It's been a great year so far.

I just updated my myspace site with some gig dates. It's been over a year since I've posted dates there. It might be kind of a waste of time since I'm not sure if anyone really surfs myspace anymore. I guess it's more of a way of me to stay organized than anything else. Some of the start-times that I posted might be wrong, but I think most of the dates are correct. I'm really looking forward to the "Pickin' in the Park," series and I'll get to play two of those dates this summer.

I had a great time in back in the Fraser Valley last weekend and a really great time in Telluride the week before. I finished up one of my two summer classes yesterday down in Denver. The summer is shaping out really nicely so far, and I'll try to write more about some of the funner stuff as it comes around.

Summer

I just got home from the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. What a great time. Yesterday was the longest day of the year, but it went pretty quick.

So I'm spending most of my time in Denver these days, but I'll be back in Grand County this weekend to play with Hunker Down on Friday and Saturday up in Grand Lake. I'm also really looking forward to some gigs with Mike Music and Tammy Yurich this summer. My summer schedule is thankfully filling up, and I'll post some dates on my myspace site some time soon.

I'm also taking on new students for private music lessons. If you would like to take lessons or know someone interested in lessons, please e-mail me at yaniv34@gmail.com

My favorite musician

My new favorite musician is Katie Glassman. As a violinist she's unbelievably versatile and shows virtuosic facility while staying tasteful and true to her music. She's a great songwriter and her songs show a deep harmonic understanding supporting her heartfelt and resonant lyrics. Her singing voice beautifully blends the tenderness of a young girl with the sexiness of a grown woman. She plays with many different groups around Denver, but has two bands of her own called Impromptu and Pickin' on the Porch. You can check out her websites at these addresses:

www.katieglassman.com
www.myspace.com/katieglassman

I'm also completely in love with her and I feel like shouting it from a mountain-top, but maybe this is just as good.

Quote

"There is no five second rule in India."
--Talia

Quote

"Anybody with a trade can work as long as they want. A welder, a carpenter, and electrician. They don't necessarily need to retire. People who have jobs on an assembly line, or are doing some kind of drudgery work, they might be thinking of retiring every day. Every man should learn a trade. It's different than a job. My music wasn't made to take me from one place to another so I can retire early."
--Bob Dylan