America’s Bad-Ass Bodhisattva

This morning I awoke to a light rain, the first moisture in months. It was just enough to wet the top layer of dirt, and to trigger that wonderful fragrance that permeates the high desert after the first rain. It also triggered something in the piñon trees, some of which grew about 2-3 inches in the span of a few hours.

Current reading:
The book “Boomeritis: A Novel That Will Set You Free” by Ken Wilber is fantastic. One person calls him America’s Bad-Ass Bodhisattva. The man is not afraid of anything and calls it the way he sees it. I have never laughed this much while reading philosophy. This book is as entertaining as it is deep.

New Sound

I haven’t done much in the past couple of days because I am sick. I am coughing a lot and feel achy.

Well, I did set up a wireless connection to the internet for my laptop and enjoy sitting outside – or anywhere in the house – to check my email….

I also signed 250 “IN THE ARMS OF LOVE” CD booklets which will be available with the CD package from the Higher Octave web site sometime next month.

And I had a chance to reflect on last week’s mini-tour.
1. Write little intros for a lot of the songs to cover up the loading time of the computer.
2. More colors, i.e. bring the electric guitar and the unique Luitar in addition to the Flamenco guitar for intros and interludes.
3. Add the V-drums to Michael’s arsenal. With them he could trigger drum sounds or even other synth textures.
I am very pleased with the new sound and look forward to developing it.

Sandstorms

Kingman, Arizona to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Sandstorms accompany us everywhere today. But still there is no rain in sight. When we arrive at home in Santa Fe we find that it has not rained at all here. Too much rain on the East coast and none here.

Main Street Coffee Roasting Co.

In the morning we find breakfast at a great little cafe in Redwood, the Main Street Coffee Roasting Company @ 150 Elm Street. We have a developed a great internal radar for coffee over the last 12 years of touring. Then we drive home. Today we hope to make it all the way from Redwood City to Kingman, Arizona.

The windshield of the cargo van is freshly taped down with duct tape and we don’t use the door of the mini-van that has trouble closing. Now the sliding door on the other side can only be opened from the outside…..

Redwood City

Tonight is last show of this mini tour in Redwood City. I like the Fox Theater and we enjoy the best sound of this tour. The quartet sounds great and the audience seems to have a great time. They give us a standing ovation.

Well, I was later told that one person didn’t like it , but you cannot please everyone all of the time. This is a very unique and amazing band and I think it is the first nouveau flamenco band anywhere that stands firmly in the 21st Century.

Tomorrow we will head back towards Santa Fe. The driving is grueling and I am sure we are all looking forward to using buses next year. It will be great to use our own P.A. and mixing consoles as they sound so much better.