Why do humans need nature as a healer?

"Nature is the best way to achieve harmony. It has the fully ordered divine presence of God. It is so remarkable how God has given us this gift. It is there for healing and admiration. We must approach it with the greatest of love and benediction. Then once nature feels the love, it will continue to offer us its great reward of sustainable life. Healing comes from within, therefore our reference point must be the power coming from divine nature and God, which for me is almost the same. Healing comes from nature and meditation. Meditation is the answer. It brings about the greatest of knowledge. It brings about the universal intelligence where we can all borrow from this lending library. Intelligence offers everything we are seeking. It can be found here. So the next time you turn on the television to tune out, instead meditate to tune in to your infinite power and healing potential. Thank you all for being my guests."

Love Nicholas, Oct. 28/02, 6 years old

The Intense Arpeggiated Chord

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwWZzk0M8Rs

Asturias

Performing Asturias w/Bert Lams, Tom Griesgraber & Johnny Cavazos @ Night of Strings - Oxford Hall -Houston, Texas - 22 Aug 2009. A magical night!

Wisdom from Santana

"When you fight with anger, you're the problem. When you fight with joy, you're the solution."
--Carlos Santana

Michael Jackson, 1958 - 2009

Today is a time of celebration for the life of Michael Jackson. Certainly one the greatest performers the world has ever known. I feel blessed to have lived in this lifetime and to have witnessed the talent of such a great artist. Shine you light on the world, MJ.

Improvisation Revival

"An Improvisation Revival Could Profoundly Influence How Classical Music Is Taught And Performed." - Wall Street Journal

"Bringing it back won’t be easy, though. There’s no Suzuki method for improvisation. Few contemporary classical performers master the art, let alone try to teach it." Violinist and composer Mark O’Connor, who improvised a two-minute solo passage while performing one of his own compositions at Carnegie Hall last month, says performers have to relearn how to be
creative, in part because their training places so much emphasis on the flawless execution of another person’s creation.

"One of the reasons we don’t see more improvisation in the academic setting is because at some point in our education system, the creative composers were separated from the virtuosic performers. Some of that is starting to be broken down now," says Mr. O’Connor, who learned to improvise by studying jazz and folk music and now coaches young musicians at UCLA, Harvard and the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.

Belief

"Believing is seeing. Not seeing is believing." --Bashar

Back in Houston

Arrived in Houston 1 week ago after 6 weeks in Shanghai. Good trip. Met with my good friends in music & film and made new friends as well. Looking forward to returning sooner than later.
Posted are a couple of pics from the trip:

Back in Shanghai

Arrived in Shanghai about a week ago. Always a good omen when I'm in a public place and I hear some guitar music. As was the case when I was in the Shanghai Hilton lobby upon my arrival and I heard Michael Hedges being played. Now I'm in a local cafe and Steve Vai is being played as I type!

The new EVH guitar

Recently Edward Van Halen teamed up with Fender guitars to create the new EVH signature guitar. What I especially like about these guitars is the unfinished neck. I've played earlier models of the EVH guitar and the neck of the instrument has always been the noticeable distinction of playability. The feel is unmatched from any other guitar I've ever played. Check out the CNN video of the EVH Guitar.

Inspiration

"It’s better to live one day as a lion, than a thousand years as a lamb."
--George Rodriguez, photographer

Inspiration

Why do Humans Require Nature as Healer?

"Nature is the best way to achieve harmony. It has the fully ordered divine presence of God. It is so remarkable how God has given us this gift. It is there for healing and admiration. We must approach it with the greatest of love and benediction. Then once nature feels the love, it will continue to offer us its great reward of sustainable life. Healing comes from within, therefore our reference point must be the power coming from divine nature and God, which for me is almost the same. Healing comes from nature and meditation. Meditation is the answer. It brings about the greatest of knowledge. It brings about the universal intelligence where we can all borrow from this lending library. Intelligence offers everything we are seeking. It can be found here. So the next time you turn on the television to tune out, instead meditate to tune in to your infinite power and healing potential. Thank you all for being my guests."

Love Nicholas, Oct. 28/02, 6 years old

Brother Ray

"If you want to put a good band together, go to Houston, Texas."
--Ray Charles

Xie Jin

Xie Jin, 1923-2008

I had the great honor of knowing Chinese film director Xie Jin after being introduced to him in 2002 during a trip to Shanghai. I'd spent a day with him at his film company headquarters, enjoyed a great lunch, toured the city, and went on location to a film shoot. I more recently visited his company headquarters last Fall season while in Shanghai. He was and always will be a tremendous inspiration to me.

Ethereal & Frantic...

...this was how the owner of the Last Concert Cafe described my guitar playing recently. Now when someone asks me what "Acoustic Fusion" is all I have to say is it's "ethereal & frantic" guitar playing.

Practice!

I was asked more recently how often I practice. I usually try to practice about 1-2 hours a day at least 5 days a week. This doesn't include recording time & working on new material, though. During a practice session I'll go over scale exercises, review old material, rhythmic variations, structured improvisations, etc. I also spend a few hours each week marketing my music.

I don't actually perform too often, though there are times throughout the year where I'll give at least 10 performances within a month.

Aside from my musical endeavors, I also have a love for books. I actually have a business in this field and specialize in locating rare and out-of-print books for my clients.

Between both my companies, I usually have quite a full schedule of activities each week. My other interests include learning Mandarin Chinese and advancing in my Taekwon Do (I'm a Brown Belt in Chayon-Ryu martial arts).

Wisdom

"I feel no need for any other faith than my faith in the kindness of human beings. I am so absorbed in the wonder of earth and the life upon it that I cannot think of heaven and angels."
-Pearl S. Buck

Back from Los Angeles

This last week in L.A. was filled with meetings and constant activity. The weather seems to always be nice in Hollywood/Los Angeles. Everyone there seems to think it's quite hot, but they just haven't experienced Texas heat.
I gave a couple of private concerts, met with colleagues in the music industry and also enjoyed time with my dear friend Lisa Lu (Lú Yàn, 盧燕). I have known Lisa for nearly 8 years, however this was the first time we actually met. She is a renown stage and film actress in China and has starred in films such as The Last Emperor & The Joy Luck Club. During my stay in L.A. she invited me to accompany her to a ceremony where she was honored with a lifetime achievement award. We also attended a screening of Narnia (neither of us really enjoyed the film).

For those of you who keep up with my blog, you know I have a strong connection with China. The latest news is all about the earthquake and I can not begin to describe the sorrow I feel from this tragedy. The loss of life on such a large scale brings me great sadness. The Chinese people are strong and I believe they can rise above this great challenge.

I was to begin touring next month as a soloist with the Shanghai Opera. Our tour itinerary included Chengdu, one of the hardest hit cities.

I ask that you take a moment of silence after reading these words, in remembrance of those who lost their lives.

Why I play guitar.

Within each of us there is a desire for expression. To a degree, we do our jobs, avocations, daily routines, etc., all for the expression of our ideals and as a reflection of our values. One way I’ve found to express myself is through music. For me, guitar playing has provided a creative outlet for my life. I sometimes refer to my guitar as “my therapist”. Within each note there can be a whole universe of expression. This is why some of the most beautiful music in the world is comprised of so few notes, as in a slow ballad or a lullaby. When we listen to music and are moved by what we hear, we are resonating with the music. For listeners of my music this is what I wish them to experience, a feeling which gives them a sense of peace or inspiration. By feeling more peace and inspiration within ourselves we change our lives and in-turn change our world. Throughout history, music has so often been the catalyst for this change. Perhaps now more than ever, there is a need for more artistic expression in our world. If, through my music, I can inspire another or bring about a sense of peace to my listeners, then this will have been what life has asked of me!

(I actually had to recite this in Chinese for my language class last night.)

American Composer Mark O'Connor

Last week I had the great opportunity to check out one of my all-time favorite musicians in concert - Mark O'Connor. Truly a musical genius. Early in his career he focused mostly on guitar oriented music and then switched to violin. He's won the highest awards for technical mastery of both instruments and has recorded with some of the worlds most prominent artists such as Renee Fleming, Yo Yo Ma, Johnny Cash, Nadja Solerno Sonenberg, Bela Fleck, and the list goes on. I actually saw him perform two nights back-to-back and then attended his master class at a nearby university. His first performance was a solo violin recital featuring his American Classical repertoire, traditional fiddle tunes, ragtime, jazz and his amazing caprices. A stunning performance. The next night featured his Poets & Prophets concierto (his homage to Johnny Cash) with a piano/cello trio. Each night he also performed his Appalachia Waltz which he said was his definitive composition.

I'd heard from guitarist/mandolin giant, and dear friend, Kelly Wayne Lancaster that he no longer played guitar due to a hand injury some years ago. During his master class I actually had a chance to ask him about his guitar playing. He confirmed this saying he hadn't played guitar in 10 years due to the injury. Such a shame. He actually won the National Guitar Competition 3 times before the age of 20.

Angel Eyes

Jeff Healey, 1967-2008

Inspiration

"Words that are spoken from Prescence as you listen...the words go deeper into yourself and what's left of the words is the energy of Prescence that they carry. They become carriers of that and then they awaken the Prescence in you." --Eckhart Tolle

Back home

I've returned from China a week ago and was greeted with clear blue sunny skies and warm weather. Looks like I may be in Mexico next week accompanying a friend on a business trip. These days I'm focusing on my marketing plan for the year as well as performance itinerary.

The latest..

..news. These last 2 1/2 months in Shanghai have been great. One of my highlights was practicing guitar one morning in Huashan Gongyuan (Park) when up walks a little elderly woman. She goes into her Tai Chi forms 10 feet away from me and displays flawless form for a solid hour!

Shanghai hosts fanatastic shows every week. I had a chance to check out Linkin Park along with 20,000 Chinese fans singing all the words to their songs. Also checked out The Roots a few months ago on my last visit to Shanghai. Beyonce, Eric Clapton, Sonic Youth have all played here in recent time. This is what brings me to Shanghai. I've had some success here performance wise and now I'm securing developments for my career in China.

Back in the PRC....

In Shanghai now. Arrived here about 10 days ago. Will stay in China for the next 2 1/2 months. Will begin recording sessions next month. Today I met with my good friend Yang Xie. Yang has done alot of work in the film & television industry mostly as a producer and director. His father, Xie Jin, is also a very well known and respected film director.

In the coming weeks, I'll brush-up on my Mandarin and continue to work on new material for my new CD. There's plenty of inspiration here with lots of time for working on musical ideas....

Distant Shores

Just posted my new Single "Distant Shores" to MySpace. Give it a listen!

The Soul of Chango Jackson

Read this bulletin on MySpace last night as posted by my bro's Chango Jackson...the greatest Latin Rock band in history:

As most of you have probably figured out by now, Chango Jackson is no more. I thought it would be fair to everybody to give an "official" notice, so there is no doubt. I know I've been getting a lot of questions about when we are playing again and so on.

We played our last show in February 2007, in Galveston at Mardi Gras. More than likely, there will be no more shows, at least in the form everyone is used to seeing us in. Chango Jackson MAY reappear someday, in some form, but what you have seen will never be again. But thats OK. Let me explain.

The whole concept of Chango Jackson was, hit fast, hit hard, make some noise, and burn out and disappear. At least originally. We never wanted to be the Rolling Stones, playing 60 freakin' year from now! We envisioned Chango Jackson more like the Sex Pistols. Stir up the scene for a few years, and go away, leaving a legacy. We never wanted to be the local band that wouldn't go away. The running joke. The band that you see playing Fitzgerald's ever month for years and years. I could name band names, but most of you know who they are.

To the fans that supported us and wanted more, we're sorry. Jam the CD's, loud. Remember the good times.

To the local bands who gleefully celebrated when they heard the news that we are not playing anymore, we did what we came to do, and we achieved more than some bands can only dream about. How many of you have had your picture in Rolling Stone magazine? How many of you have looked off the stage, out into a crowd of several thousand screaming people? What you are celebrating is what we wanted, and what should have happened long ago.

Anyway, for any body wondering, most members are still playing, you just have to find them. There is lots of good music out there, and lots of talented and creative people making it.

Sincerely,
CJ

"Max Roach.. a peerless master." 1924 - 2007

In 1998 I travelled to New York for four days as manager for Chango Jackson (then Moscas). Moises Alanis, a singer/guitarist with the band (and good friend), suggested we check out legendary drummer Max Roach at the Blue Note on one of our nights off. This was one of the most magical shows I've ever seen. Max played a four piece drumset accompanied by five-piece horn section - this was the complete band for the evening! Fortunately, I had the opportunity to meet Max after the show. Still have my signed program and photo with him.

Max passed away today after a long illness. He'll be missed, but his spirit will live forever.

In a 1988 essay in The New York Times, Wynton Marsalis wrote of Roach: "All great instrumentalists have a superior quality of sound, and his is one of the marvels of contemporary music. ... The roundness and nobility of sound on the drums and the clarity and precision of the cymbals distinguishes Max Roach as a peerless master."

Life's bouquet.

"Spiritual life is the bouquet, the perfume, the flowering and fulfillment of a human life, not a supernatural virtue imposed on it." - Joseph Campbell

Out of Africa

Check out the latest news on our origin:

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=3389924&page=1

National Anthem

When I was 14 I saw Marvin Gaye sing the National Anthem on television. It was the NBA All Star game and was one of the most soulful and original performances ever. Have a look:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=QRvVzaQ6i8A

The Zone

McFerrin operates in "the zone" – that Zen-like state where musicians produce perfect art with seemingly no effort. It’s as if their bodies provide a conduit for a creative spirit that seems beyond the realm of mere mortals..."

- press quote on Bobby McFerrin's return to the stage.

Last night in Shanghai

I leave Shanghai tomorrow afternoon. This will have been my longest stay in China thus far - one month. I've been to China three times before, but only for two-week stays. My visit was
great and amazing this time around. Met some wonderful people and had some great musical experiences

What you won't find in China: fortune cookies & wikepedia.com (censored)

Found out today there are 5,000 skyscapers in Shanghai. Not surprising considering it's a city of 12,000,000.

Nanjing Road

Had a great concert a couple of nights ago in Shanghai. The show was at the Childrens Library Hall, a facility built and donated to the city by Madame Sun Yat Sen. The library housed a really nice recording studio and performance hall. For some reason I was reminded of Abbey Road Studios, though I've never been. There were about 400 in attendance. Not bad considering this concert was organized with only 9 days notice. Sold all of my cd's before my perfomance started. Great! I've extended my stay in China thru May 3rd. Will chill in Shanghai a few more days then venture off to some other cities.

Shanghai

Sitting in a smoky internet cafe. I arrived in Shanghai a week ago and will stay until the 16th. Last Friday I performed and gave a talk at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and will give another performance and talk this Wednesday hosted by the Shanghai Guitar Art Association. If you've never been to China, it's quite a fascinating country. I have quams with the country's strict laws, but overall this is a country I'd like to visit over and over again. Will post some pics upon my return home.

Nobleness

'The highest and most excellent thing in man is formless, and we should guard against giving it shape in anything less than noble dress." -- Goethe

Wisdom

"Play any note you wish, providing only that this is the right note."
--Robert Fripp, founding member of King Crimson

Sounds of Soul

I've just read a Russian review of my cd from Audio Find. The review is entitled Sounds of Soul. It's the first foreign review of my cd i've read. I thought it was an interesting translation into English - a few grammatical errors, but hey, any press is good press:)

"It is said that by means of the sounds of the guitar it is possible to make unforgettable travel. How to make it you can understand listening to Ricardo Sweat Rodriguez, the inhabitant of the USA with the Latin American roots, who reveals beautiful sounds by the means of his guitar and reflects in his music all about what it is spoken in the title of the tracks. It is possible absolutely precisely and in details to imagine mountains, and the caravan, and the palace of a bishop, and a wave, and the woman from Salvador that goes somewhere shaking her hips, and to fall asleep under a lullaby, and to get on the streets of Mexico, and to meet spirits flying somewhere. If you ask the musician, that apart from creating music also has time to work in his own recording company and agency that organizes concerts, how he characterizes his music it is possible to hear only that his style refers to a fashionable word-combination «acoustic fusion». Probably, this description is the exact to reflect his style that is not suitable for any existing category: so different directions are combined in the music of the guitarist. It is fusion, the mixture of various styles so masterly executed by an acoustic guitar. Rodriguez, refusing from lyrics and words on the plate, gives the listener full freedom of imagination. It is necessary to close your eyes and imagine those feelings which the guitar music so full of expression is capable to waken."

Omeros the epic.

Occasionally I'm asked about the name Omeros and why I chose it as my company name. It's Greek for Homer and is the title of an epic poem by Derek Walcott. I attended a lecture given by Walcott in 2000. I'll never forget one of his lines - "Don't fuck with my poetry." When I was deciding on a company name, I'd written a list of 30. I glanced up at my bookshelf and saw Omeros, added it to the list...and voila.

"And that was where I had come from. Pride in my craft.
Elevating myself. I slid, and kept falling

towards the shit they stewed in; all the poets laughed,
jeering with dripping fingers; then Omeros gripped
my hand in enclosing marble and his strength moved

me away from that crowd, or else i might have slipped
to that backbiting circle, mockers and self-loved."

Inspiration

I teach and they run away.
I listen and they come.
My strength is my silence.

--Akiane

New music video.

"Broadcast: solo guitar" now posted

Seeking hospitable planets.

Hawking: Humans must colonize other planets

The Kids Are Alright

Checked out The Who in concert over the weekend. Spectacular show. I saw them a few years ago with John Entwistle about a year before he passed. When the band was not on tour, Entwistle would play small clubs with his own band. He played at a venue in Houston I was working at called Rockefeller's. Club capacity was at 400 and here was the bass player of a band that held the record as loudest in the world. The show was so loud that half the patrons walked out and saw (and heard) the concert thru glass doors from the outside. Now that's rock-n-roll.

Pure energy.

"What is your body made of? Tissues and organs. What are tissues and organs made of? Cells. What are cells made of? Molecules. What are molecules made of? Atoms. What are atoms made of? Sub- atomic particles. What are subatomic particles made of? Energy? No. They are not made of energy; they are energy. You are one big "chunk" of energy. And so is everything else."

--The Secret

"Freedom doesn't equal rebellion."

Over the weekend I met and conversed with renown opera singer Ana Maria Martinez. I'm currently acting in Mozart's opera Don Giovanni - in which she is starring. I've long been a fan of her voice so it's been really fantastic listening to her in rehearsals. She signed a cd for me and I presented her with mine. As it turns out she's a fan of solo guitar! She was telling me about the latest Sharon Isbin cd she bought and how she wanted to acquire more guitar music. I asked her about an excerpt from the book Latino Wisdom in which she contributed details of her musical upbringing, career and inspiration. She initially rebelled against opera as a career since her mother was an opera singer. What changed her mind was a quote from a book given to her by her father. That book was by renown psychoanalyst Rollo May. In it she read "Freedom doesn't equal rebellion". She said that phrase caused her to rethink her own rebellion and become more open to opera. She's now considered one of the world's top sopranos.

Free Hugs

Rec'd this really cool video clip from my friend Jeryl Appleby:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4&NR

The gig, Oct. 7th

Inspiration

"Don't gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver or gold."

--Bob Marley

Reiki in the Hill Country

Last weekend I attended a Reiki retreat in the Texas Hill Country. Really quite nice and relaxing. I've been involved with Reiki for nearly a year now and constantly find myself channeling light energy throughout the day. Also played some guitar for my friends at the retreat. Looking forward to more of these getaways.

Gotta gig coming up on the Oct. 7th as well as a film premier featuring my music.

Zoetrope

Just joined Francis Coppola's Zoetrope.com - a great site and collaboration tool for filmmakers, composers & writers — "a community where artists can submit and workshop original work." Lately, maybe because i've just shot my music video, filmaking has become more of an interest.

The Shoot

Shot four songs for video last Thursday. Mark Larsen with the Artery here in Houston was directing the shoot. I felt quite at ease during the session. We used 2 cameras. I would have preferred using three, though. I'll take a look at some of the footage and perhaps decide to re-shoot using three cameras. The setting was simple - small stage with curtains & lighting - filming solo guitar music. I'm considering throwing in some animation or scenic stuff to add more artistic flavor...we'll see.

Now working on performance itinerary for the Fall and beyond.

Noteborn, Cohen & video shoot

Just penned a couple of contracts earlier in the week - one with Noteborn Music for film & television licensing and another for scoring a local film documentary on latino culture in Houston. Ultimatley, I'd like to have my music scored for a major motion picture (and who wouldn't). In recent time the guitar has been the featured instrument in big budget films - The Motorcycle Diaries, Serenity, Brokeback Mountain, etc. I think it would be great to have a film feature the great guitarists of America...

Also checked out "Leonard Cohen: Im Your Man" recently. A fantastic film. I actually was quite unfamiliar with his music & poetry yet was completely taken aback by his gift with words. He's one the most important poets of our day and has a legion of fans including U2, Beth Orton, Perla Batalla, etc., all of whom were among those featured performing his music in the film.

I'll be filming my video for broadcast in China in early August. Probably just two or three songs. Will post on the website once completed. Keep a look out for upcoming concert announcements.

Because it's there...

Check out this video clip from one of my greatest musical inspirations:

Michael Hedges

China & the Global Climate

I attended a lecture by Al Gore a few nights ago. He's touring promoting his new film "An Inconvenient Truth". Global warming is a very real and great threat to our civilization as this film points out. Our way of living has really brought upon us severe consequences to say the least. We must each look for ways we can contribute to a more sustainable future. Visit - ClimateCrisis.net

In recent weeks I've been trying to set up a television performance in China. I rec'd the OK to perform on CCTV, however I was asked to stay in China for at least 2-4 months. CCTV would not handle booking concerts, but would allow me to appear on television if I've got a tour set up. They did agree to air a video though - so now I'm working on getting a video together this summer and will work on setting up a China tour thereafter.

inspiration

you are the essence of that which breathed life into your body
--conversations with god

cgtrio & new cd...

I recently checked out the California Guitar Trio in concert. One of my all time favorite guitar groups. Chatted with Burt Lams of the Trio after the gig and discussed the possibility of doing some shows together - just Bert and myself. He's got a solo cd out - Bach preludes on steel string guitar. Burt's from Belgium and I first met him while attending a guitar workshop he conducted in Cuernavaca, Mexico in 2004. Hope we'll do some shows together sooner than later.

These days i'm putting musical ideas together for a new cd. It'll probably comprise mostly of guitar duets with friends and maybe just one or two solo pieces.

Wind Cries Mary

My good friend Michael Kent Smith has been in Houston these last few days and I've been showing him around. He's from Chicago and is touring thru the sourthern states. We met while performing at the Zihuatanejo Intl. Guitar Festival (Mexico) in March. He's a fantastic guitarist and it's been great having him in Houston. We had a gig at a church in Rosenberg, Texas on Sunday evening - very well rec'd. We plan on doing some recording later today. We'll also perform this Wednesday with Kelly Lancaster at a wine bar nearby.

Had an opportunity to check out Jamie Cullum last night as well. He's a fantastic new artist on the scene. He plays piano and tours with his band. If you see his show announcements in your city, I highly recommend checking him out. One of the highlights of his set was "Wind Cries Mary" by Hendrix!

Zihua Fotos

Just posted some fotos from Zihua to flickr. Check'em out!

Purple Flower/Zocalo

Extended my stay in Zihuatanejo. Be back in Houston on April 6th. The Z-Guitar Fest has so far been my greatest musical experience to date. So many fantastic artists. Last night was the closing concert in the public square - Zocalo. Probably at least 1000 in attendance. Instumental music was featured, however singer/songwriter Stephanie Hardy was also on the bill and enchanted the crowd with her beautiful vocals.

Pearl Jam was in Zihua after performing in Mexico City. They´re fans of guitarist Jocelyn Celaya. Great to see her perform throughout the festival.

Learned today that Zihua in Mandarin means Purple Flower.

Z Guitar Fest

HAVING A BLAST IN ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO. THE GUITAR FESTIVAL HAS HAD ALOT OF GREAT HIGHLIGHTS. ABOUT 22-24 GUITARISTS PERFORMING AT VARIOUS VENUES THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. CHECKED OUT GUITARIST LEE BARBOUR LAST NIGHT AT LA CALA. LEE'S SET WAS STRONG AND COUDN'T HAVE BEEN IN A MORE SPECTACULAR SETTING. I'VE TWO PERFORMANCES LEFT THIS WEEKEND. SHARING THE STAGE WITH SOME OF THE MOST FANTASTIC MUSICIANS I'VE EVER HEARD.

Nitza Delirium

Checked out Cirque du Soleil's Delirium over the weekend. A fantastic show. Featured remixes of Cirque music from previous productions. The musicians were especially featured. Seems any and all of Cirque du Soleil's music is quite magical. Always gives me a sense of....the greatness of music.

Nitza opened the show. Had a chance to chat with her after her performance. She'll have a new CD out soon. Can't wait. She can currently be heard on Cirque's 'KA' cd. Also chatted with her guitarist, Predrag. We talked about guitars a bit and discovered we shared an interest in the music of Alan Holdsworth.

Solo Guitar + Talk

Yesterday morning I gave a performance and talk with 3rd & 5th graders. This was one of the most rewarding musical experiences yet. I thought their questions were quite mature - "Do your hands hurt while playing?", "Why is there a hole in the guitar?", "How long does it take to learn how to play guitar?"... There were actually so many questions we ran out of time before the kids had to go on to lunch.

Also checked out four fantastic concerts last week - John Jorgenson , Tommy Emmanuel, Allan Holdsworth, and Monte Montgomery. All really great guitarists. I've also been listening to alot of 'healing' music lately.

Open-house/The Vault

Played some background music at an open-house over the weekend. Not normally the kind of gig I do. However, this was a century old Victorian home built by the late August LeBrun Metcalf. I thought it quite a nice setting for solo guitar. No amp needed. The guitar reverberated throughout the house. Rec'd some really good feedback from attendees.

Also penned a licensing contract with The Vault out of New York. They handle scores for television and film. Hope to have my music tied-in with some cool visual media.

Brittany Maier

Discovered the musical artistry of Brittany Maier recently. I think she's fantastic.

Holdsworth, Martino, and new products...

Very excited about two upcoming Houston guitar concerts - Allan Holdsworth and Pat Martino! I've been following these guys for years and this is the first time I've ever heard of them performing in my city.

Also working on new material lately. Hope to premier the songs at the Zihua Guitar Fest in Mexico.

Got new designs on my products page. Scott Erwert came up with the graphics for my t-shirts and stuff.

Silk Road Journeys/Zihua-Guitar Fest

Rec'd some great news a couple of days ago. I've been confirmed to play at the Zihuatenejo International Guitar Festival, March 26th - April 2nd. I'm really excited about this. I've always wanted to play such a festival. Should be very exciting with lots of people to meet and beautiful scenery.

My favorite CD lately has been Silk Road Journeys by Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble. Having travelled along the Silk Road a year ago, the music brings back many wonderful memories!

Ascap Latino

Attended a meet & greet hosted by Ascap Latino on Tuesday. Great event. The house dj was spinning music of Ascap artists in attendance. "Broadcast", the single from my cd was played. Good reception from the audience. Tabu, the "Queens of Cumbia", were in attendance and performed music from their cd. Had a chance to chat with them. Very nice girls with beautiful vocals and great choreography.

Checked out some video footage from my weekend performance at the "Rumble in Mumbai" film screening. Look forward to doing more video work in the spring. Maybe a possible DVD in the works....

Serenity/Rumble in Mumbai

Checked out Joss Whedon's Serenity more recently. Thought it was quite good. Went out and bought the soundtrack. The score features guitarist Tony Mandracchia. I can't think of another film with bluegrass/fingerstyle guitar being accompanied by an
orchestra. Such a great sound.

Preparing for a short performance this weekend at a screening of Rumble in Mumbai - a film documenting the World Social Forum held in Mumbai, India in January 2004 and the 100,000 plus people who attended.

Health Expo Gig

Performed at a health expo over the weekend. The stage was outdoors and during the first song of my set I noticed a spider crawling along the length on my guitar neck! Fortunately it fell off and I didn't have to worry about pausing in the middle of my song to swipe it off. Close call. I actually have a small fear of spiders. Hope I never have this experience again.

Odyssey & Newman

Hosted the Guitar Odyssey concert at Oxford Hall over the weekend. I performed along with Even Hands and Gary Seber. The show seemed to go over very well with the audience. Upon returning home I rec'd this email from a concert goer, "I just got back from the Oxford Hall concert. I was blown away." - James Bloom

Also checked out Randy Newman with the Houston Symphony last night. Film screens were showing clips of movies he scored while he conducted the symphony. After intermission he sat at a piano and had the symphony back him as he sang some of his hits. Went backstage after the show. Stood next to him as he answered questions from a few fans.

Rita

These last few days in Houston have been tense at times. Four days ago Houston was in the path of Hurricane Rita. A category 5 hurricane for a brief time, the storm eventually lost strenth and changed course. More than 1 million people from Houston evacuated. While we were sparred the consequences of a direct hit, Houston now seems somewhat of a ghost town. No businesses open, no gas for miles, no hustle and bustle of big city life. People will begin returning to their homes from surrounding cities as soon as gas becomes available.

It's been a while since a hurricane has come through Houston. Although Rita wasn't a direct hit, there were still 25-40 mph winds outside my door as the storm made landfall. I took an early evening walk to witness natures inspiring majesty.

New Orleans Aid

Please take a moment and make a contribution for those affected by Katrina:

American Red Cross, 1-800-435-7669, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013. You can donate at ww.redcross.org.

Convoy of Hope, 1-417-823-8998, 330 S Patterson, Springfield, MO 65802. You can donate at www.convoyofhope.org.

Salvation Army, 1-800-725-2769, Salvation Army Headquarters, P.O. Box 269, Alexandria, VA 22313. If you send a check, note "Katrina Disaster relief." You can donate at www.salvationarmyusa.org.

United Way, Tampa Bay 813-274-0900 or 727-535-3545, 1000 N. Ashley Drive Suite 800, Tampa, FL, 33602. You can donate at www.uwtb.org.

--rsr

Your soaking in it.

The redesign of Omeros.net, that is. The new and improved site has been graced by the magical artistry of Scott Erwert. Scott's design credits include Starwars.com, The Cinema of George Lucas (Abrams 2005) , Creating the Worlds of Star Wars: 365 (Abrams 2005) , etc. Surf the site and soak it in! - www.omeros.net

Happy Trees on the Mountain

For most of my guitar playing years, my guitar of choice for recording and performance has been my 1973 Yamaki Custom. My first guitar was a Yamaki Folk acoustic I rec'd from my parents as a birthday gift at 14. For the next ten years I tried locating another, but was unsuccessful. Guitar shows, shops, friends, guitar techs, etc. all provided little or no info. Mostly because Yamaki was not a widely known brand and was discontinued in the early 80's. Now the Yamaki guitars are gaining recognition. The name Yamaki is Japanese and translates to " Happy Trees on the Mountain" I more recently read a history of the Yamaki guitar and it's luthier Kazuyuki Teradaira. You can read the article here : http://www.acousticguitar.com/article/147/147,6261,Q&A-1.asp I found my Yamaki Custom in the mid nineties on consignment at Rockin Robin Guitars here in Houston. Two weeks prior I was in the same shop talking with a salesman whom had never heard of the brand. I was quite lucky.

A new addition to my guitar collection is a thin-body acoustic cut-a-way called Grand. Back to square one as no one seems to know much about this guitar. Found it at local pawnshop for 150 bucks. Now I can't come up with any background info on the instrument...no manufacturers history nor online models for sale...nothing. It's a gem and I now find myself dividing my time between it and my Yamaki.

Art-soak improvisation.

Performed at Gallery 19 here in Houston last night. The event was a reception for gallery artists. Cintia Rico, a featured artist, invited me to perform. She paints with her fingers using acrylics and pastels. We were set-up outside the gallery - she painted while I played under a tent. Good turn-out of art patrons. I started at 8:30 - did two 1/2 hours sets. For those of you who haven't travelled to Houston, the level of humidity is extremely high....I was soaking 5 minutes into my set. For my 2nd set there was a nice breeze. Something I very rarely do in my performances is improvise. In each of my sets I included an improvisation which I think went over very well.

Shanghai friends / Rico

Over the weekend I drove my friends Simon and Linda around town for some sight-seeing. They're from Shanghai and have moved to Houston permanently. They've been in Houston for three months and had never visited the US previously. We drove through some neighborhoods, looked at some old homes and churches, theatres in downtown, etc. Structures which seemed so commonplace for me were quite majestic and very interesting to them. I found myself realizing how much of my city's architecture I took for granted.

Preparing for a show this weekend at Gallery 19 here in Houston. I'll be joined by painter Cintia Rico. She'll do a couple of portraits of me while I perform as well as portraits of gallery patrons.

RIZE!

Checked out David LaChapelle's film RIZE over the weekend. Great documentary about youths in South Central LA opting for dance over gangs. The heart & soul of the dancers left me quite moved.

Flaco & Santiago

Spent some time with Flaco and Santiago Jimenez over the weekend. I've long been a fan of their music. Legendary artists with deep roots in Texas conjunto folk music. Flaco has worked with the Rolling Stones, Ry Cooder, Los Super Seven...and is considered to be the best accordianist in the world. Santiago is right up there with him.

192 Laser Beams/Reservoir Release

Read a fascinating story online yesterday. Imagine a capsule the size of a BB producing as much energy found at the center of the Sun. May very well occur if scientists succeed in their experiment - "In a building the size of a football stadium, engineers have assembled the framework for a network of 192 laser beams, each traveling 1,000 feet (305 meters) to converge simultaneously on a target the size of a pencil eraser." Read more...http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/05/23/super.laser.ap/index.html

Celebrated the release of my CD "Grande Reservoir" this last Saturday. Joining me in performance were guitarists Kelly Lancaster and Gary Seber. At the end of the evening I felt a sense of elation. We each performed for 1/2 an hour separately and closed the show with a piece in unison. "A spiritual musical experience," I told some friends today. I still feel quite moved from the energy of the show.

Chango Soul

A friend once asked "How can you tell when your listening to a great guitarist?" The answer was simple. "Soul" I said. Technical virtuosity matters not.

Checked out Houston band Chango Jackson more recently...in rehearsal and performance. Friends, brothers and mentors to me. Soulful and energetic in songwriting and performance. Managed their career at one time. Fantastic time touring..L.A., New York, Mexico, etc. Wild times and great memories. www.changojackson.com

Kirtley

Met with National Guitar Champion Pat Kirtley a few days ago. Hung-out from 11pm to 4am talking about music and playing guitar. Pat showed me this African rhythm played in triplets with the accent on every fourth note. Kelly Lancaster was also on-hand. Great time chatting and improvising . http://www.win.net/~mainstring/welcome.html

Orchestral Music/Favalas

Discovered how much I enjoy orchestral versions of international folk songs. Tuned into the local classical station KUHF yesterday and heard symphonic Mexican & Greek folk classics. Wonderful and passionate...a treat to hear.

Watched "City of God" on dvd. About the drug wars in Rio's favalas - slums. The movie was powerful. The documentary following the film confirms the reality of the movie. Kids toting guns...some illiterate, yet vastly knowledgeable about firearms and their country of origin.

Marchione / Erwert

Visited with Stephen Marchione recently - http://marchione.com . He's one the finest guitar luthiers around. Checked out a couple of archtops. Museum quality guitars... playability: A +. Great sound, brilliant design.

Discovered the art of Scott Erwert more recently - www.erwert.com . Fantastic artist. Planning on collaboration in near future....

CGT

Last night went to check out the California Guitar Trio - www.cgtrio.com . They performed here in Houston at the Mucky Duck. Had the opportunity to chat with Bert Lams of the Trio. I studied music with him in Cuenavaca, Mexico in January 2004 - an introduction to New Standard Tuning (NST) as implemented by Guitarcraft - www.guitarcraft.com . Bert will be releasing a classical guitar cd soon...looking forward!

Shakespeare & Sin City

More recently saw "Merchant of Venice" w/Al Pacino and "Sin City" by Rodriguez. Both excellent films. Didn't enjoy the gore of "Sin..", but the film score was great...music composed/performed by Robert Rodriguez.

Inspiration

"Remember that every act is an act of self-definition. Every thought carries the energy of creation. Every word is a declaration of what is true for you." ---Communion with God

CD Manufacturing

Although my cd is available online via my site, I'm awaiting manufactured copies from Oasis CD. I'm planning a cd release party for May 21st and organizing performance itinerary for the rest of the year.

Tony Trischka

Last night I was introduced to Tony Trischka...one of the foremost banjo players in America. Spent some time with him at the home of Rick and Mary Gardner in Houston. He had just wrapped up an evening concert in Houston and will continue touring the US for several more weeks.

New CD now available..

Just rec'd a proof copy of my new cd from Cafe Press. Everything looks and sounds great. Now the hard work begins - concerts, marketing, networking, coordinating...looking forward! Visit:http://www.cafepress.com/omeros.17341765

Grande Reservoir

The new cd, "Grande Reservoir: solo acoustic fusion guitar" will be available for online purchase in 2-3weeks. It will initially be available on my site. A couple of months thereafter on national and international online distribution sites via Virgin, Napster, Sony Connect, iTunes, MTV, etc.. Tracks include Una Señora de El Salvador, Bishops Palace, Caravan, Soul Mountain, Make Waves, Meeting of the Spirits, etc. Currently working over a marketing plan and yearly concert schedule. Much to do...

Even Hands

Will perform tomorrow night with Even Hands. Paul Murray of Austin, Tx and Bill Royall of Houston comprise the duo. They are pupils of Robert Fripp's Guitar Craft and have each done performance/understudy work with the famed League of Crafty Guitarists. I attended their first performance as a duo a couple of weeks ago and was completely mesmerized. Their set was full of gracefulness and great musicality. Sharing the bill will be guitarist Kelly Lancaster, formerly Willie Nelson's guitarist and 2nd place winner in the National Guitar Championships.

Mastering

Mastered 11 songs at Broadway Recordings a couple of days ago. Will return in a few days to master another version of "Soul Mountain"...one of the tracks on the cd.

Una Señora....Creative Commons

Yesterday, Luc of http://blog.saint-elie.com emailed me regarding using my song Una Señora de El Salvador as the opening and closing of his weblog texts. He maintains a non-commercial weblog about photography. His site is in french and looks very professional. The music is licensed via www.CreativeCommons.org Attribution-ShareAlike deed. Without Creative Commons (CC), Luc perhaps would not have come across my music. CC is pioneering a new trend in copyrights for authors and artists....it's called "Some Rights Reserved."

Broadway Recording, B&N distribution

Met with Andres, owner of Broadway Recordings here in Houston. Discussed mastering my cd using T-Racks software. We'll set an appointment to begin working soon. Also met with a music buyer for Barnes & Noble. Looks like the local outlets will be carrying my music.

New cd out soon!

A few minor details to wrap up my upcoming cd - mastering and art work. Should be completed fairly soon. Will be available via online avenues, shows and retail outlets during the Spring.