Little Wing – Jimi Hendrix

The first I heard Little Wing, Jimi Hendrix wasn’t the one singing it. I heard a local blues band in Miami cover it, and knew I wanted to sing it. And I did. I heard Tuck & Patti’s and Sting’s version before I finally got around to hearing Jimi’s version. I like to think that my version has a little bit of all the other versions in it somehow.

Little Wing – Jimi Hendrix

In honor of Thanksgiving, throughout November 2009 I’ll be posting blogs dedicated to some of my favorite songs. If you happen to find my website via a Google search of one of these songs, there is a very good chance that you’ll like my music too. For a free MP3 of my music, just sign up below for my newsletter, The Soulflower. Enjoy!

Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers

Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers is a classic!

Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers

In honor of Thanksgiving, throughout November 2009 I’ll be posting blogs dedicated to some of my favorite songs. If you happen to find my website via a Google search of one of these songs, there is a very good chance that you’ll like my music too. For a free MP3 of my music, just sign up below for my newsletter, The Soulflower. Enjoy!

Your Body is a Wonderland – John Mayer

Your Body is a Wonderland is a fun song by John Mayer that I perform from time to time.

Your Body is a Wonderland – John Mayer

In honor of Thanksgiving, throughout November 2009 I’ll be posting blogs dedicated to some of my favorite songs. If you happen to find my website via a Google search of one of these songs, there is a very good chance that you’ll like my music too. For a free MP3 of my music, just sign up below for my newsletter, The Soulflower. Enjoy!

Vida Más Simple – Nil Lara

Vida Más Simple by Nil Lara is only one song of many favorites of mine. You see, Nil Lara is the songwriter who inspired me to become a songwriter in the first place. This is one of those memories that I’ll never forget, and always be grateful for.

On a Monday night, many years ago, I went to the now-defunct Washington Square club on South Miami Beach. I was responding to an ad from another songwriter looking for a back up singer. I had been singing back up with another band that was starting to break up, and I was looking for my next gig. Monday night was open mic night at Washington Square, but there was one featured act of the night, around midnight. Nil Lara was the featured songwriter of the evening. He was accompanied by a keyboard player, while he sang and played a Cuban tres, a six stringed instrument, which is tuned to play three notes.

Nil sang in English and Spanish, and every song touched me to the core. By the time his mini-set was over, the entire audience was under his spell. What’s more, I knew that I didn’t want to just sing songs. I wanted to write them too. I wanted to write songs that touched people, and reached their core. I wanted to use music to tell stories. I was never quite the same after I saw him perform that night.

Afterward, I couldn’t bring myself to speak to him after the gig. Instead, I introduced myself to his keyboard player, Albert Sterling Menendez, who seemed a lot safer to approach. Albert later challenged me to write my first song, and became my first co-writer. Eventually I got to know Nil, and even sang on one of his demos. More importantly, he became one of my first musical mentors by example.

As we both lived in Miami (and even shared a keyboard player), I had many opportunities to be inspired by him. He is the songwriter for “My First Child”, which I’ve recorded twice, and performed many times. Today’s song “Vida Más Simple” (Roughly translated, means “Life Was More Simple Then”) is featured in an incomplete video below, but it gives you a taste of Nil’s gift to inspire.

I am so grateful to Nil Lara for just being himself, and showing how one person can touch an entire room.

Nil – Gracias por todos. Vaya con Dios.

Related Post:
Tipsy As I Write This

Vida Más Simple – Nil Lara (incomplete)

In honor of Thanksgiving, throughout November 2009 I’ll be posting blogs dedicated to some of my favorite songs. If you happen to find my website via a Google search of one of these songs, there is a very good chance that you’ll like my music too. For a free MP3 of my music, just sign up below for my newsletter, The Soulflower. Enjoy!

Voices in Unity Choir Concert Tonight – Celebrate Our First 10 Years!

Tonight is finally the night! After months of rehearsals and other preparation, Unity of New York presents it’s 10th Year Anniversary Concert featuring the Voices in Unity Choir.

Hope to see you there!

Teach Me Tonight – Dinah Washington

Dinah Washington’s “Teach Me Tonight” was one of the first songs I cut my jazz teeth on. I listened to it over and over until I could mimic every lick.

Yeah, Baby!

Teach Me Tonight – Dinah Washington

In honor of Thanksgiving, throughout November 2009 I’ll be posting blogs dedicated to some of my favorite songs. If you happen to find my website via a Google search of one of these songs, there is a very good chance that you’ll like my music too. For a free MP3 of my music, just sign up below for my newsletter, The Soulflower. Enjoy!

Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley

Yes, I know that Jeff Buckley didn’t write “Hallelujah”. Leonard Cohen did. But Jeff Buckley’s version has won over so many hearts and imaginations, you have to wonder if Jeff didn’t add something special to this song.

Hallelujah, performed by Jeff Buckley

In honor of Thanksgiving, throughout November 2009 I’ll be posting blogs dedicated to some of my favorite songs. If you happen to find my website via a Google search of one of these songs, there is a very good chance that you’ll like my music too. For a free MP3 of my music, just sign up below for my newsletter, The Soulflower. Enjoy!

Cleva – Erykah Badu

Cleva by Erykah Badu is a clever song. And I love that the video I found has her without her trademark head wrap.

Go on, Girl!

Cleva – Erykah Badu

In honor of Thanksgiving, throughout November 2009 I’ll be posting blogs dedicated to some of my favorite songs. If you happen to find my website via a Google search of one of these songs, there is a very good chance that you’ll like my music too. For a free MP3 of my music, just sign up below for my newsletter, The Soulflower. Enjoy!

Over the Rainbow, sung by Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’Ole

Over the Rainbow, performed by Hawaiian singer Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’Ole is a great example of how a beautiful song can transcend styles. And I’m grateful for this version for so many reasons. One, because this version just makes you feel hopeful. Another reason is that it helped me spot a jerk.

I recently ended a first date with a guy who made dinner for me, not because I was asked to wash the dishes (which I did), but because he challenged my music knowledge. When this song came on while we watched “50 First Dates” with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, he swore that it was sung by Jack Johnson. When I told him that I believed that it was sung by a Pacific Islander, my date insisted that he should know simply because he had lived in California for six years (and Jack Johnson lived there too, or something like that). What geography has to do with music knowledge, I couldn’t tell you, but I had remembered seeing this video once, and the big guy singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” sure as hell wasn’t skinny Jack Johnson!

Anyway, it took all I had to refrain from daring him to go to Google. Although I was 99.99% sure that I was correct, I wasn’t prepared to swear on a stack of Bibles, while my date refused to believe that he could ever be wrong. Furthermore, his rage at being called wrong about a SONG was a bit over the top – and perhaps a bit scary.

Instead, I just ended the date, and went home. I didn’t even mind that he didn’t offer to walk me out. But as soon as possible, I confirmed that this version of “Over the Rainbow” was indeed performed by Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’Ole.

When I shared this story with my girlfriends, they all jumped on the fact that this guy asked me to wash dishes on the first date. In hindsight, perhaps that was another sign of other potential difficulties, but in my mind, if he could cook the meal, then I could wash the dishes if he asked, right?

But the moment he dared to battle me on my music knowledge was the death knell for our date. If that sounds harsh, please keep in mind that Jon B was his favorite R&B singer, and his idea of jazz was Kenny G. Men who cannot enjoy musicians with entire last names should never dare to challenge me in this area. Consider yourself warned!

Over the Rainbow, sung by Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’Ole

In honor of Thanksgiving, throughout November 2009 I’ll be posting blogs dedicated to some of my favorite songs. If you happen to find my website via a Google search of one of these songs, there is a very good chance that you’ll like my music too. For a free MP3 of my music, just sign up below for my newsletter, The Soulflower. Enjoy!

Please Me Like You Want To – Ben Harper

Please Me Like You Want To is a cool song by Ben Harper. In the video below, he performs it with another singer/songwriter Jack Johnson

Please Me Like You Want To – Ben Harper

In honor of Thanksgiving, throughout November 2009 I’ll be posting blogs dedicated to some of my favorite songs. If you happen to find my website via a Google search of one of these songs, there is a very good chance that you’ll like my music too. For a free MP3 of my music, just sign up below for my newsletter, The Soulflower. Enjoy!