First blog of 2010.

Yesterday was my first Music Under New York performance of 2010. So is it twenty ten? Two thousand and ten? Two thousand ten? I haven’t settled into anything yet, have you?

It's been incredibly cold in NYC, and I was worried my gig would be too cold too play, but it wasn’t. I set up in the Long Island Railroad terminal at the far end of the corridor nearer to 8th avenue. It was cozy and warmish, the only thing that seemed to overwhelm me in this location was the incredible smell of grilled steak or was it just the burned oil from a fryer boiling nearby. I immediately found my groove and truly enjoyed performing for the LIRR commuters who patiently wait for their train to be posted and then like scattering bugs, they all turn and race in the same direction. Every once and a while someone will stick around long enough to glance my way and thank me or pick up a CD. I like watching the people as they wait and listen, and apparently enjoy what I'm doing. Yesterday a guy named Skip stuck around and besides the paper-bagged beverage in his hand he held a D harmonica. Well would you know he was actually quite good, he kept his distance and slowly moved closer if it appeared I was game. Sometimes I had to actually call out to him that we weren't in the right key. But I did call him over to join me, it was risky, but the risk paid off. He had good sense of harmony and some cool blues licks. He eventually took his train to Ronkonkoma and I was left with a new crowd to entertain sans harp. Another guy named Ralph who has heard me before, took out his iphone and filmed me.

Welcome 2010 to all. Today I'll be at the beautiful Graybar corridor of Grand Central terminal. There, the acoustics and natural reverberation are quite stunning. PS and it's warm unless the Lexington Avenue entrance doorways are stuck open.....