This year has certainly been a blessed one for me, and I am so thankful…..  I realize the last 2 blogs have been more journal-esque, but I know they will form the basis of major Thought Processes to come, and I want to leave a trail.  (There is not nearly enough room here for the 100 or so pics I took, so if you are interested  check out my facebook page.)

So look….  I probably grew up watching too much Kung Fu….. continued on watching far too much Anime…… and currently eat way too much Sushi…. but what can I say I LOVE IT ALL! I nearly lost it when I was approached to head off with Angela Johnson on a Japanese Tour.  I have always said one of the greatest perks of being a successful artist would be travel… and this year has proven it as fact to me.  Money is nice but memories are priceless and nothing can help you grow, or become inspired, more than seeing more of the world and it’s inhabitants.

The flight is mos def long and I was constantly checking the travel computer like, “Are we there yet?!” (Next time maybe a well placed tranquilizer dart will do the trick.)  Anyway….  Right to work!  The first day we had an interview and performance @ J-Wave radio – A live acoustic version of “All in Me” and an old favorite “Sail Thru.”  — This was a preview as to how much conditioning it was going to require to do this.  Normally my voice warms up around 1-3pm…..since they are 13hrs ahead I was effectively singing in the morning with my full Barry White.. Barry-tone. :).  Next stop was the Cotton club for Soundcheck and the show.

Each night, Angela did (2) 90+ min sets back to back with a half hour break in between.  And she sings, dances and plays….. HER BUTT OFF!!! :).  I came in the middle of the set to perform “All in Me,” “Composure,” and “Love Revolution.”  It is such a pleasure to see the effects of music.  I truly believe love and music were the only 2 languages not dispersed when the tower of Babel was toppled (get your bible game up)….  To think the people who enjoyed this music, these lyrics and these sounds did not speak the language never crossed my mind until meeting them after the show.  So many times people are scared of the unknown, and here they were embracing it — Powerful stuff.  I also saw what it is like to have true fans of your work.  After the sets we signed autographs and quite a few of Angie’s fans came with her WHOLE catalog to be signed…. SERIOUSLY!!! 🙂

Let me just say…. this is a hard business, and opportunities are rare….  having another artist take you in and expose you to a new market is huge and I am really thankful to Angela and her team (Purpose Records) for that.  By the time we left…. the entire band felt like family to me.

Well as for my excitement I figure there is no better way for me to explain it then……. for me to explain it.

Night 1

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vfolw5z-j-Y]

Night 2

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYIAMXTvheE]

On the next episode……. Clubbing below the earth, how to wash your clothes with soup, Lalah Hathaway has a stalker, and murder on the high seas…. YOU DON’T WANNA MISS IT!!!