On A Day Like Today

FAVORITE ALBUMS, MIXTAPES, REISSUES, DJ MIX ARTISTS, LEAK ACTS & MOVIES OF 2011

2012-01-07T02:59:00.000-08:00

2011 was an excellent year for pop culture. Here are my favorites in music and film"

FAVORITE ALBUM 2011
(TIE) SOLOMON, Love Rocker Project
BRITNEY SPEARS, Femme Fatale

Also great:
Adele, 21
Chris Brown, F.A.M.E.
Daughtry, Break the Spell
David Guetta, Nothing but the Beat
Deadmau5, 4x4=12
Drake, Take Care
Eddy J Free, Star Trek (Deluxe)
Eddy J Free, I Am the Mad Hatter
Jill Scott, Light of the Sun
Kelly Clarkson, Stronger
Marsha Ambrosius, Late Nights and Early Mornings
Mary J Blige, My Life II
Mexica Brown, The Legend of Mexica Brown
Mya, K.I.S.S.
Pitbull, Planet Pit
Rihanna, Talk That Talk

FAVORITE MIXTAPE 2011
VERBAL SCIENCE, Industry Knock Out

Also superb:
Childish Gambino, Camp
Frank Ocean, Nostalgia. Ultra.

FAVORITE REISSUES
(TIE) BRITNEY SPEARS, B in the Mix 2
LESLEY GORE, Magic Colors

FAVORITE LEAK ARTISTS
JoJo
Kelly Rowland

FAVORITE DJ MIX ARTISTS
DJ Drew G Montalvo
DJ Ivan Mariscal

FAVORITE MOVIE
(TIE) "Warrior"
"Weekend"

DEADLEE, Drastiko, Goddess & She in classic Homo Hop documentary

2011-05-25T17:13:00.000-07:00

Deadlee, Drastiko and Goddess and She are the focus in this superb documentary about two of the most influential seminal artists in Homo Hop aka Out Hip Hop

Watch more free documentaries

FAVORITE CDS OF 2010

2011-01-01T17:10:00.000-08:00

2010 was an awesome year for music! Besides releasing my own CD, EVIL TWIN (available immediately on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby etc. Plug Plug), there were many great records released. Here are my favorites:

Annie, Don't Stop
Black Eyed Peas, The Beginning
Christina Aguilera, Bionic
Drake, Thank Me Later
Drew Mason, Soldier for the Cause
Eddy J Free, Mad City 2010
Erykah Badu, New America Part 2
Fantasia, Back to Me
Goldfrapp, Head First
Kate Nash, My Best Friend Is You
Katy Perry, Teenage Dream
Ke$ha, Animal
Ke$ha, Cannibal
Kid Cudi, Man on the Moon
Kylie Minogue, Aphrodite
Little Boots, Hands
Loren Jamal, Metamorphosis
Madonna, Animal
Massive Attack, Heligoland
Nicki Minja, Pink Friday
Rihanna, Loud
Robyn, Body Talk Part 1, 2 & 3
Salvimex, Ruztico
Sleigh Bells, Treats
Smut Stud, Step on Your Shadow
Verbal Science, Rude Awakening

All of these CDs are guaranteed 100% bomb! So if you don't know the artists or the music, have at it -check them out! You won't be sorry you did!

#EvilTwinCertified

VERBAL SCIENCE ROARS OUT OF THE CLOSET WITH "RUDE AWAKENING"

2010-12-12T14:24:00.000-08:00

Tampa. Florida-based hip hop artist Verbal Science (VS) was already making inroads in the regional rap scene as a straight rapper, garnering fans, positive press and associations with T-Pain and Paul Wall, among others, when he made the shocking decision to come out as a gay man. He told OutHipHop.Com recently: "It was either come out or lose my mind," noting that while he lost some fake friends, he gained hundreds more fans. VS typically downplays the courage and conviction it took to make that step, but his fire is on display in all its glory on his superb mixtape, RUDE AWAKENING, for all to hear.

A skilled virtuoso of a wordsmith, the handsome VS spits rhyme on a variety of topics over sick ridic beatz. One standout is "Life Is A Journey," a moody, intense reflection on discovering he was gay, being angry with God for letting him be gay, coming to acceptance and joy in who he is, and how that journey impacted his music. "Please" is a sweet (!), erotic ode to a lover who rocks his world and, evidently, areas closer to home ("I love you so deeply, would marry you easily"). There is a defiant collaboration with Deadlee and DownLow, "They Can't Stop Me" and a beat-terrific "Bob Ya Head." There are suprising and inventive raps of encouragement and inspiration ("Believe," "Take the Pain Away") that show the enormous range Verbal Science possesses and isn't shy about showing off.

There are soul-satisfying hardcore diss tracks like "I Don't Give A Fuck (No)" ("If you don't like it - TURN IT UP!") aimed squarely at anti-gay critics, as well as fierce declarations of independence and self-worth like "Lemme Show You" and "Can Never Bring Me Down."

Yes, there are echoes of Eminem in VS' work, but then for all his vaunted outrageousness, Eminem doesn't approach the disarming honesty, openness and sensitivity of Verbal Science. It's as if VS has fully absorbed the most important mandate of hip hop: to tell the truth and to shine light on situations, people, lives that are routinely dismissed and overlooked by the mainstream. And he does this by telling stories of his own life in what is one of the finest records of this - or any - year.

And here's the best part - you can download RUDE AWAKENING as well as several recent VS tracks for FREE right here:

http://verbalscience.bandcamp.com/

Word Is Out on EVIL TWIN and It's All Good!

2010-11-27T12:35:00.000-08:00

The advance copies of EVIL TWIN went out a month ago and the first reviews are in! About 85% of the copies sent out were commented on by industry movers and shakers such as some of the names below...and family and friends are digging this record too!

60s pop star and songwriter Lesley Gore had this to say: "I got a chance to listen to your CD last night. Wow. You are amazingly prolific. I enjoyed the CD very much. It took me almost a minute to recognize 'I Just Don't Know if I Can.' Great surprise. I think you have improved that baby. I hope it does well." NOTE: "I Just Don't Know if I Can" is a hidden bonus track, the only song I didn't write on EVIL TWIN. Lesley Gore and Carol Bayer Sager wrote it in 1964.

Gay rap legend Deadlee, primary influence on the tone of the CD, said this: "The EVIL TWIN CD is a dash of the past dash of the future mixed together is FIRE!! You surprised me. I made a copy for my truck - don't wanna mess this one up! MY favorite tracks - "Morning Wood," "Assault" & secret trax oh & "Suicide"

Lyricist Mistery Face wrote: "Enjoyin dis album very much - "Edge" is crazy..."

Underground gay rap star The Da Quan of Sgt Sass says: "...the CD is inspiring, your lyrics are moving...thank you for sharing your gift."

R&B wunderkind producer-writer-songwriter-recording artist Loren Jamal: "You did an excellent job on your album, I played it today in my office and I like it a lot! Two thumbs up #LJCertified ;-)"

Multi-talented producer-artist Eddy J Free says: "Very creative, experimental and cool stuff. I get it man."

And now that EVIL TWIN is on iTunes and CD Baby, the reviews will continue to come in! But don't sleep! Get yours! You can sample all the songs on either site - soon to be on Amazon as well...

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/evil-twin/id405771166

Salvimex Returns with Superb "Rustico"

2010-11-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

Five years after their groundbreaking Spanish language debut, "Uniendo Fuerzas," Latino hip hop supergroup Salvimex finally returns with an all new CD, "Rustico," and it was definitely worth the wait. The three - sometimes four - members of Salvimex (the prolific Juan Pacheco aka Drastiko, Roberto Gomez aka Tercer Discipulo, Jose Cruz aka Cruz, and Wakko) have put out a record that is even stronger than their debut. A blend of Mexican and Salvadoranean cultures and musics as well as both gay and straight members, "Rustico" provides uplifting, rousing, highly contemporary songs that retain their Latin credibility and push the music further into the future.

A few months ago, Salvimex performed an abbreviated set at The Metro in Oakland to a sparse but ecstatic crowd and proved themselves to be as exciting in person as they are on record. They treated the audience to "Uno Dos Tres" and "Hey Mami" from this CD, and had jaws dropping at their passion, fierceness and energy, as well as alerting us that "Rustico" was going to be the bomb. Take a look at the video of the fiery "Hey Mami," anchored by its pumping DJ Pain 1 produced rhythms and inventive beatz, and you will recognize that this quartet are born performers and crowd-pleasers. Plus - admit it! - they are damn easy on the eyes!

But the proof is in the music and "Rustico" delivers. "Uno Dos Tres," one of several tracks helmed by genius producer DJ Pain 1, is deceptively simple and catchy as fuck. The moody, heartbreaking "Poema" is next, and then comes "Rustico"'s ace: "Summer Days" which finds Salvimex joined by out hip hop icons Deadlee and Drew Mason bringing their A game; newcomers Supplanter and Cricket Nasty spitting world class rhyme alongside their gay rap homies as if to say "So What!!" set to a supple, superb Tori Fixx production. The irresistibly catchy summertime anthem fits seamlessly into the Southern California Beach Boys/surf/"California Night" canon and should have absolutely ruled the airwaves and dance floors all summer long.

Traditional sounds abound on this epic CD. Chalo Gomez sounds like a revved up, younger Cesaria Evora on "Me Equivoque," a straight-up Mexican canto, and the foreboding sounding "Hechele Compadre" highlights the silky yearning emotive and very sexy El Rebalde de Jalisco on vocals. My favorite cut, "Que Triste," is powerful, pounding, heartrending. Listen once and if you don't feel your hear open, you better check to see if it is there!

Finally dancefloor jams abound on "Rustico," among them "La Ranita," "Manifesto" (again with Drew Mason in a clever Tori Fixx production) and the magnificent "Para Una Perra."

Executive produced by Drastiko, with evocative artwork by the one and only Hector Silva and gorgeous graphics and photos by the up and coming Juan L. Cruz, "Rustico" is a definite frontrunner for one of the best CDs of the year. And the next...Do not miss!

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/rustico/id402473733

EVIL TWIN Tracklist

2010-09-30T11:15:00.001-07:00

It's due out within two weeks, but here's the tracklist in advance to whet your appetite!

Trick
Assault
Can't Wait to Kiss You
Evil Twin
Morning Wood
Time for You to Go
Sometimes
On the Internet
Smitten (He Don't Know)
Invitation to Dance
Let It Rain
Back Streetz
Edge
Suicide (Nio Tone featuring Jim Allio)

plus a couple of surprises!

Smut Stud Ready to Step Out of the Shadows Again

2010-06-27T00:17:00.000-07:00

"WHAT UP!" grins the affable, bearishly handsome gay rap star who goes by the rap name, Smut Stud, as he leans into the video camera. Seated at the console in his recording studio, Smut streams interactively on U-Stream live whenever the mood hits him for an hour or two, letting his audience in on his process of creating his brilliant and groundbreaking brand of OutHipHop. He talks about his love of cratedigging for 70s and 80s soul vinyl in flea markets and shares his discoveries with his viewers. He demonstrates how he samples sounds from these records to create his ingenious, clever and addictive beatz. He talks with the folks watching him create his music live, and he archives the shows so others can go back and access his generous spirit and creativity and learn his techniques. He plays keyboards over the samples, leaves for a minute to use the bathroom, and one memorable time spent the show playing his own songs and talking about them.

Smut Stud was well on his way to a big career in the music industry as a producer and beatmaker when he released his first mixtape in 2007, "Waiting for E-Male," by far the finest gay rap record since Deadlee's "Assault with a Deadlee Weapon," and chose to deal with the realities of being a young gay Chicano male as his subject matter. The music was compelling West Coast rap a la Death Row, the melodies were catchy as fuck and the lyrics were immediate and mind-opening. For a young gay man in the closet encountering this music, it must have felt miraculous. By having the courage to create music from his own pain, joy and experience, Smut Stud has undoubtedly helped scores of people he has never even met. Fittingly, none less than Deadlee himself hailed Smut Stud as the best gay rapper in the mix today.

"Waiting for E-Male" was so amazing because even though it traversed some of the same terrain of detailing marijuana use ("Smut Stud on chronic/munchies at Sonic") and the joys of a gangsta party ("This Is How We Do It," the type of irresistible party jam Montell Jordan wishes he could still sell credibly), for the most part Smut chose to take a hard left and talk forthrightly about his life as a homosexual man, so-called "warts" and all. Political correctness and straight-people-pleasing are both left in the dust as he sings about the pleasures of fellatio ("Going Down"), trade logic ("Take Away the Pain"), navigating complicated gay relationships ("Just A Friend" with its witty Biz Markie sample, "Mind Fucked"), and bear sensibility ("As Long," "Cheating"). He also details the rocky roads of coming out ("Coming Out"), love, heartbreak and depression ("Love," "Anniversary"), all set to rhymes, tunes and beatz I defy anyone who's breathing to resist. To make it even better, the whole genius Smut Stud first mixtape is available free for download here: http://www.outhiphop.com/ohh-free-downloads/2008/6/6/smut-studs-waiting-for-e-male-cd-download-free.html

For the last couple years, Smut Stud has been working on his next mixtape, originally titled "Step On Your Shadow," and doing his video blog on U-Stream. Songs currently playing on his My Space page are startling and original and display his burgeoning love of Philly Sweet Soul of the 1970s and 80s. He's originally from Philadelphia, now based in heavy music town Austin, Texas. His new stuff shows he's lost none of his sass or observation ("innercity slutz just hangin off my nutz...i ain't a gangsta, i just lean a lot"), sexual frenzy ("Bad Luck"), "Light Me Up" with its fierce TSOP flava, club insecurity in ("when your shorty's) Got You Guessing") and straight-up gay gangsta stance in "Step On Your Shadow." Remarkably, Smut revealed recently that none of these songs are likely to turn up on the new mixtape, now due in 2011. So for hardcore Smut Stud fans, his My Space page is the only place to hear these jams and not for long. Maybe we should lobby him to make them available for download so we can play them on our phones and in our cars.

Whatever Smut Stud ultimately comes up with for his next project, there's no doubt it will be forward-thinking, musically hot and candid. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next and look forward to his ongoing video blog "tutorials." Smut Stud got the real stuff of greatness. Check him out:

myspace.com/smutstud
twitter.com/SmutStud

Personal Note: One Saturday night I was participating in Smut's live video show, and after the show was over, he kept his camera on and listened to several of my songs and discussed them with me. He particularly liked "On the Internet." This generosity of spirit and willing open-mindedness is almost unheard of and I still smile inside when I think about that.

You can catch his video blog here as well as access his past shows archived here:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/stud-tv---in-the-studio-live

FAVORITE CONCERTS 2009

2009-12-27T21:21:00.001-08:00

I probably attended less live music performances this year than I have in many years. That's primarily due to two factors: 1) the economy and 2) I've been performing myself at open mics and colleges at least every other weekend. Nevertheless I did manage to attend quite a few outstanding shows, the most musically exciting and emotionally ecstatic are listed below:

Lesley Gore, Yoshi's SF
Lily Allen, Warfield
Lesley Gore, Feinstein's, NYC
Deadlee, Project Artaud
Dwele, Yoshi's Oakland
This Time Next Year, Blake's Berkeley
Solange Knowles, Alameda County Fair, Pleasanton
Maxwell/Common/Chrisette Michele, Concord Pavilion
Dorian Wood, Homo A Go Go, SF
Pet Shop Boys, Warfield
Nellie McKay, Yoshi's SF
This Time Next Year, Bottom of the Hill, SF
Ashford and Simpson, RRazz Room

Also enjoyed Petula Clark; Tim'm West; Jeremy Gloff; Jack Jones

FAVORITE RECORDS 2009

2009-12-22T11:32:00.000-08:00

2009 was one of the best years ever for music and it was easy to make a list of my favorite records. The only problem is that the list is so long! There are a couple of surprises, namely my favorite record of 2009, because it didn't even come out this year but a couple of years back. Those who follow my blog and facebook and twitter postings already know...my favorite record of 2009, hands down is (drumroll, pop ingenue opens the envelope):

DEADLEE - ASSAULT WITH A DEALEE WEAPON

Not only is "Assault" one of the finest, most ferocious and committed rap records of all time, it had a huge impact on me personally and on my music. When my next record is released in fall 2010, just how influential Deadlee has been in my new sound will be apparent...and look for a collaboration with Deadlee on that project, too!

THE REST OF THE LIST;

Ashanti, From the Vaults (Japan only release, rare & unreleased and better than all her domestic CDs combined)
The Bird and the Bee, Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future
Bry'NT, Porn Star II: The Director's Cut
Chris Brown, Graffiti
Chris Cornell, Scream
Common, Universal Mind Control
Drake, So Far Gone
Drew Mason, Paradigm Shift
Duffy, Rockferry bonus tracks
Dwele, Sketches of a Man
Jay-Z, Blueprint 3
Lily Allen, It's Not Me, It's You
Mariah Carey, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (career best)
Maxwell, BLACK Summers Night
Musiq Soulchild, OnMyRadio
Pet Shop Boys, Yes (official & bonus remix discs)
Q-Tip, Kamaal the Abstract
Ryan Leslie, Transition (underrated, overlooked, off the chain)
Salvimex, Uniendo Fuerzas (also came out a couple years back, this one is made to blast out of your car speakers)
This Time Next Year, Road Maps and Heart Attacks
Tori Fixx, Fixxology

Also loved these 2009 releases by Amerie, Gossip, Lady Gaga and Ting Tings

Already getting into the brand new records by Mary J Blige, Timbland, Annie, Alicia Keys, Clipse, Trina's Mixtape with DJ Pain1, Lil Wayne and Robin Thicke

Advance Warning: Tori Fixx "RE-Fixxology" will set your pants on fire!

Drew Mason: The Music's In His Soul

2009-11-10T13:39:00.000-08:00

It's not often that a relatively new, unknown young artist comes out of nowhere and makes an album so fresh, so competitive that it literally blows the top rap glitterati out of the water, but that is the case with Drew Mason and his new recording, "The Paradigm Shift." From the opening rap dancehall stomper, "Get It On" to the closing anthemic "This Music's In My Soul," Mason delivers what is no doubt the best out hiphop recording of 2009 and a very strong contender for finest rap album of the year.

Mason honed his skillz as a youngster in military school and at Madison Media Insitute in Wisconsin and released two solo rap albums as "Lil" Drew Mason, notably "Trials and Tribulations" in 2005. Relocating to San Diego to intern at Capricorn Studios, he did more than learn recording techniques while there: he came to terms with his sexuality and recognized that if he was to continue rapping authentically and honestly, he would have to make a crucial decision. Whether to come out as a gay man and rap about his experiences, or stay in the closet like so many of his peers, possibly garnering hits but not being true to himself. Mason chose to reinvent himself as an out and proud gay rap artist. As he states several times on this project, notably on the rousing, uplifting "Preach:" "I'm a gay white rapper and the next Tupac." No equivocation, no apology, he's way past that. He is telling his truth and illuminating the interior lives of his listeners.

"The Paradigm Shift" is chockfull of should-be hits, from the passionate, implacable "In A World All Alone" to a surprisingly spiritual "Unity," and tells the story of his journey from closeted rap hopeful to California based out hip hop rap star in jams like "Flippin It Poetic," the irresistible "G-R-I-N-D" (I defy you to listen to it and not have it on repeat in your mind all day long), and "Big Up to Cali." "No More Mister Nice Guy" opens with gay rap superstar Deadlee serving notice that "this faggot's off his leash" and he is not kidding, y'all! Don't look for us to be yo bff or fit into whatever slot is comfortable for you - this ain't no Will and Grace shit! And then there's "This Music's In My Soul" which closes the album on a note of unity and celebration, and has an awesome companion animated video that is airing on LOGO now.

Production from the superb DJ Pain amongst others is off the Richter from start to finish, and "Paradigm Shift" is on bump from beginning to end. It can't have been an easy transition from Lil Drew to out rapper Drew Mason, but he has pulled it off with aplomb, no doubt inspiring many young folks as he does. Which brings me to my original thought: could "Paradigm Shift" really be the best rap album of the year? Eminem came and went, at first dazzling but ultimately leaving a bad taste in my mouth; Common, Q-Tip and Jay-Z dropped brilliantly done crowd-pleasers, further cementing their reps; Lil Wayne hasn't reclaimed his groove; and Drake lives up to his touts. But as far as straight-up REAL hip hop, "Paradigm Shift" is the real deal. Drew Mason tells the truth about his life and the lives of others who are still pathetically unrepresented, marginalized and buffoondalized and does it with style and panache. Plus I dare you to play this record just three times and not become addicted!

Never Being Boring: Pet Shop Boys at Warfield, San Francisco

2009-09-24T15:39:00.000-07:00

IN MEMORY OF DENNIS ALLEN SIDMORE RIP DENNIS

It's the early 1990s. All my friends are either dead or dying from AIDS. I'm working at the Post Office doing data entry 8-12 hours a day, feeling real sorry for myself and fighting a formidable drug and alcohol problem that I couldn't seem to shake. I was full of rage, and had no clue that underneath all that anger was a massive load of straight-up fear. My best friend, Dennis, had gone from movie-star-good-looking to cadaver-with-a-sense-of-humor in what seemed like no time. I used to visit him every day, sit and talk, play with my dog, Cujo Marie, a dachshund-chihuaha mix that I left with him when I moved out a few years earlier.

Dennis and I had been lovers for a few years. He had enough money that I didn't have to work, but I had too much pride not to. I was unhappy at my drone job at the phone company, and having limitless spending money did allow me to quit working there and pursue one of my dreams: to work at a record store. I landed a night manager gig at Odyssey Records on Telegraph in Berkeley, about a block from campus. This was back when record stores stayed open until midnight. This was back when record stores - and records - actually existed as viable businesses. I had a lot of fun on that job, but drugs were rampant and Dennis and I began partying. Eventually I moved out and got my own place in Daly City and went back to the phone company.

We remained friends and kept in touch. I struggled with my addictions and Dennis got clean. He even became a drug counselor for a few years. I ended up moving back onto his property in Oakland and renting one of the cottages he had there. I had a new job and life was looking up. Dennis was in love and I got along well with his new partner. Then they began having problems and Dennis relapsed and acted out for a long time. His ex introduced me to crystal meth and I ended up strung out for the next 10 years.

Dennis got real sick real fast. I began trying to get clean, but I couldn't seem to do it. One day I was over his house after my latest relapse and he just chuckled in that froggy croak that passed for his voice and said, "Don't give up, Jimmy. You're just simple enough that recovery could work for you."

I didn't take offense. I always knew Dennis was my friend and, hey, I was very aware that I was not the brightest bulb in the batch. I went to work that day and did my data entry. The only good thing about the job - aside of course from the money - was that we could listen to CDs all day. I remember listening to Pet Shop Boys' "Behavior," especially the song, "Being Boring," and I felt like it summed up everything gay men had been going through, from moving to the city in search of freedom, to wilding out, to the epidemic , and I used to cry softly as I sang along and keyed up the mail. I didn't really care if anyone saw me and, anyway, no one was really paying attention to this sad old burn-out. Just one of many at the Post Office.

A couple of weeks later, Dennis' mother called me. She told me that Dennis would not be at home that morning and that I should come to Summit Hospital immediately as it appeared he was close to death. It happened so fast, man. I got there in time to sit by him and hold his hand and tell him I loved him. He had this big-ass mask on his face but he squeezed my hand real tight. I left in tears and went to work. A couple hours later, his Mom, Marie, told me that my best friend was dead.

I was bereft. My heart was broken. Marie and I became good friends in the aftermath of Dennis' death. No one else knew him the way that we did, and at the time, AIDS was considered a horrific plague. People used to openly say that gay men should be shipped to Alcatraz and left to die. It was a terrible time in many ways.
.
I finally got clean and stayed clean. I began helping other people to get clean also, and that became my saving grace. I became a volunteer at the Center for AIDS Services in Oakland and was able to make a little difference. Marie and I remained close until she passed away. My life changed in many, many ways. Surprising everyone including myself, I morphed into a singer-songwriter. On my first album, "Better Late Than Never," I wrote a song called "Gone Not Forgotten," part of which was about Dennis and no one else:

"You said I could be somebody
You said I already was
Gave me space to chase my dreams
All for love, all for love
Then you ran wild and you got sick
Sat with you every day
I know I'll see you one fine day
I'm still here, baby

Gone, gone, gone, gone, gone...but not forgotten
No, no not forgotten"

So are you wondering how The Pet Shop Boys concerts at the Warfield in San Francisco ties in with this? Do you feel cheated because you expect my usual glowing review? Well, the shows were fantastic. I met a bunch of folks there and ended up right up front. The Pet Shop Boys verbalized so many things I didn't have words for at the time about the experience of being gay in the 1990s and beyond, and their shows are incredible. And both nights when they closed the show proper with "Being Boring," I sang along and cried, so grateful to have had a friend as true as Dennis Sidmore, and so grateful to have survived and have the life I live today.

"Cause we were never Being Boring
We had too much time to find for ourselves
And we were never Being Boring
We dressed up and fought, then thought: make amends
And we were never holding back or worried that
Time would come to an end
Cause we were never Being Boring
We were never being bored"

Tennant/Lowe

RIP Dennis Sidmore. I miss you. You're gone, but not forgotten. I still feel you in my heart.

SIDEBAR: I learned the other day that back in the day The Pet Shop Boys and Deadlee were talking about doing a song together. Deadlee is working on his next album. That collaboration would be pure magic. I don't think it's too late to get that idea going again!

Musical Heroes: Pet Shop Boys, Ari Gold, Deadlee, Lesley Gore

2009-09-21T14:15:00.000-07:00

Ari Gold's new video debuted online at afterelton.com last week. It's for his ballad,"I Can Forgive You," a mature reflection on accepting the circumstances of a messy love affair gone awry, sung with the panache of Justin Timberlake with the kind of flexible, gorgeous voice Timberlake probably wishes he could muster nowadays. It's from his terrific "Transport Systems" CD, and differs from other R&B break-up ballads in that Gold is singing it to a man. Like the other songs on his record, he addresses issues currently intrinsic to the gay male experience, like the crystal meth epidemic ("Feeding the Fire"), the pleasures of casual encounters ("Ride to Heaven") and dealing with guys on the downlow ("Mr. Mistress"). It's joyful addictive dance-pop and Gold sings it all in his honeyed tenor without apology or grandstanding. He is who he is and he sings about his life as it is. I can only imagine the positive impact he has on young gay boys coming up and listening to his music.

That got me thinking about my musical heroes and their impact on me, and I realized that they all fall within the LGBT umbrella. The Pet Shop Boys who gave voice to my experience long before I was able to; the brilliant rapper Deadlee, whose ground-breaking, rule-smashing raps have set the template for new generations of outhiphop stars like the gifted Bry'Nt and vociferous Bone Intell and who has served as my muse and inspiration ever since I began exploring his work this year; and Lesley Gore, the 60s pop icon who came out of the closet and released her most mature, fully realized recording simultaneously.

It struck me that in my ongoing journey of self-discovery and personal growth (I almost gag writing those words but they're accurate), my embrace of musical artists who are open about their sexual preference and create music from their experiences was as authentic and organic as it was unconscious until now when I put it together. I know it's a sign of emotional, spiritual and mental health. I guess you don't know what you know until it's time for you to know it.

So I follow my musical heroes with enthusiasm and passion and I use what they do to encourage me to continue creating my own music. I saw Lesley Gore perform twice this year, at Yoshi's San Francisco and Feinstein's New York City, and when she sang the classic Billie Holiday blues, "Little Girl Blue" and chose to change the pronouns to "little boy lost in search of little boy found," I was far from the only person in the club with tears in his eyes. Ari Gold is working on his next project, touring and appearing off-Broadway. Deadlee is hard at work on his third recording, undoubtedly the most hotly anticipated out hip hop record ever, and continuing his unceasing outreach and support of the artists who have come behind him. The Pet Shop Boys' "Pandemonium" tour hits San Francisco tomorrow night and you know I will be there!

So this is a love song in words to my musical heroes, thanking them for the music, the courage, the inspiration, the balls to be who they are in a world and an industry that is still rife with homophobia. They each are so talented that they could have made it without being out and open, yet they chose to be who they are and their art and our culture are immeasurably enriched. Do yourself a favor and check out their work - vital, fresh and exciting. You won't regret it. You have my word on that!

Jim Allio Takes "Second Chance" to Club Sapphire

2009-08-22T16:37:00.001-07:00

Ever wonder what it might be like to write, record and release a couple of records and yet never have set foot on a nightclub stage to sing your material, or even sing into a microphone while performing live? Maybe not, but that was the case with me, Jim Allio, the writer of this blog and the singer-songwriter responsible for two CDs, "Better Late Than Never" (2007) and this year's "Second Chance." I'd been asked to perform several times in the past couple of months, and last Saturday, I bit the bullet and did a two-song set at Club Sapphire in San Francisco. What was it like? I'll tell you all about it, but for those who don't know, here's a brief history:

1 - My friend, Martin, is moving and sells me his 4-track tape recorder for $100, showing me how I can use it to create up to four vocal tracks. I start playing with it, doubling my voice or singing one man harmony duets with myself. When I play them back, I think, "Huh...I used to sing better than that."

2 - I take a Voice class at Laney College with Professor Lucy Kinchen. She teaches vocal technique and encourages students to perform one of the five songs she has her class learn each semester. Terrified, but wanting to get the full experience, I do "Moon River" at the end of the semester and am shocked when I get a great response. I continue taking the class.

3 - I start running into folks who have taken the class with me, and who ask me to sing background on their records, or do duets or trios with them, or even adlib with their jazz band. I begin to feel encouraged, although I notice every time I get up to sing, it's a crap shoot whether I will let the fear overwhelm me. Each semester I sing for the class and in Laney open mikes.

4 - I begin hanging out with a local Oakland hiphop hopeful, Skarlo Paine. We drive around town playing new beats and tracks he is creating for his first record. For some reason, I'm not shy around him, and I riff off the cuff lyrics or just vocalese as we drive. It's fun.

5 - Paine learns I have a whole book of poems or lyrics lying around and looks at some of them, then asks me to consider writing a lyric for one of this tracks and then sing it. This becomes the song, "Help Me," which he includes on his 2005 record, "Distorted Melodies," and, surprisingly, it becomes the best received tune on the record.

6 - Paine next suggests I do my own record, with him producing, creating beats and tracks, and collaborating with me on the melodies. I'm not scared. I'm excited. We record off and on for a year and a half and in February 2007, "Better Late Than Never" is released and receives a good review in the East Bay Express.

7 - I continue taking Voice with Ms. Kinchen and perform several of the songs from my CD for the class and at Laney College open mikes. Stage fright is real but I keep getting up.

8 - I start work on my second CD, this time producing and arranging it as well as writing the lyrics and melodies. It becomes "Second Chance" and is released in February 2009. Friends begin helping me make videos of songs from the record to put on YouTube and that process begins making cracks in the wall of my stage fright. I also realize that people are genuinely digging some of the songs and that bolsters my confidence as well.

9 - Through a series of flukes and coincidences that, in hindsight, were obviously meant to be, I meet the rap star, Deadlee, and spend several nights hanging out with him and talking about everything under the sun, with a big emphasis on music and performing. He advises me to perform anywhere I can and to take an acting class. He has a heavy personal impact on me and my confidence inexplicably grows even more. Later he tells me he loves my CD and plans to write a review on it, and that sincere encouragement pushes me to the next level.

10 - Friends begin introducing me to other musicians and performers as Jim Allio, the recording artist, and I don't shy away. I begin to be asked to perform. At first I demur, but then I remember what Deadlee recommended, and I recognize that these doors are opening so I can walk through them, and I accept my first gig.

So here I am, at Club Sapphire on Sacramento Street, at a video shoot and birthday party for a Burmese pop star, Zadanya, a friend of my homie, writer-activist Randy Wong. I bring tracks for five songs with the vocals wiped and it is decided I will sing a couple of them between band sets. I'm nervous but not unreasonably so. This isn't ghetto Laney. This is a big party, 200 guests, all dressed up, and the only folks I know are Randy, Zadanya and another singer, Buschie. I realize with a start that I've never sung live with a microphone but decide to cross that bridge when they hand the mic to me.

Soon I'm sitting on stage waiting for them to cue my first song, "Wonderful Life." I get up and just start singing. I'm surprised that I'm not all that nervous now. The mic is no problem. I look around at the crowd. Shit. Most of them ain't payin' me NO mind, dog! This doesn't piss me off. It has the opposite effect. It relaxes me. I let go and just blow. I know the set is being filmed and I even play to the camera a bit. Buschie steps onstage and hands me a rose. I'm so surprised it doesn't dawn on me to kiss her on the cheek so I just say thanks, don't miss a beat and keep singing.

My second number is my most ambitious, "Little Boy Lost," a six minute ballad that changes tempo several times and requires me to go within and sing from my soul. I discover I'm able to go there, and I notice peripherally some folks appreciating what I am doing. Zadanya approaches the stage twice thinking the song is over and I tell him, "Not yet, almost" and keep going. It feels wonderful. I reach the end of the song and hold the last note a little longer than I do on the record. The crowd applauds warmly and I'm done.

I feel great. Later I see the videos and I'm okay with them. I learn that the chewing on hard candy has to go, but overall for my first time I am happy. I know I can do this and now my next challenge is to find other places to sing and do it on the regular. And I will.

The past few months I've been writing lyrics like crazy. My notebook is already half full and is my most constant companion. Some melodies are coming and I've started a few tracks. Record #3 is beginning to shape itself, but it won't be out until 2011. Until then, I will continue singing my songs in public and honing my performance skills. Now I know I can do this!

Videos of my live performances can be found on YouTube. Just search for "Jim Allio" and you'll see them.

Dorian Wood Burns Down the House at HomoAGoGo

2009-08-17T20:53:00.001-07:00

I attended two days of the four day long Homo A Go Go festival, relocated this year from Olympia, Washington to San Francisco and saw a number of excellent LGBT acts, including Tim'm West with Dunce Apprentice and Sam Sax, and Jeremy Kloff. I'm inspired to submit my own music to the festival for possible inclusion next time. But the hands down highlight of the acts I caught was the incredible Dorian Wood from Southern California and his band, comprised of four (!) accordions, a drummer and a guitarist. Together they made some of the most joyful and spiritual noise I've been privileged to experience in a very long time. I take Voice from a teacher named Lucy Kinchen at Laney College in Oakland. Every semester the class learns and performs a Negro spiritual, and the process is reliably uplifting and illuminating. Dorian Wood brought the same spirit to the SOMarts stage this past Sunday.

I first encountered Wood when he sang the chilling hook on Deadlee's brilliant "Vengeance," then didn't recognize the same voice doing the beautiful hook on Salvimex's evocative "Tributo A Mi Tierra." Finally, watching a youtube video of Wood, Deadlee and Johnny Turok touring pyramids in Mexico, the light bulb went on as I watched him walk and sing with the most beautiful voice imaginable, that this was the real deal, a vocalist par excellence. I began exploring youtube videomaterial on him - and there is a treasure trove of clips worth seeking out - and there I found not only a serious singer-songwriter but an absolutely insane performance artist who might come out on stage with a veil over a pillowcase over his face, or dressed up as an animal, or sporting a porkpie hat and macho swagger. Intrigued, and learning he would be performing locally at HomoAGoGo, I downloaded his recent EP, "Black Pig Suite," and discovered a true original, fiercely reconciling cabaret, rock, pop, blues and spirituals in one musically challenging and invigorating package.

So I came to HomoAGoGo this past Sunday with eagerness and high hopes for an inspiring live show. I was not disappointed. From the rousing opener, "Pigfeed Blues" from the aforementioned EP, to the crowd-pleasing "The Real" with its succinctly relatable refrain, "no one breaks my heart and lives," and "The Mutual," Wood brought uncommon focus and commitment to his lyrics. And then there is his voice - a true force of nature, he goes from a whisper to a growl to a torrent of emotion to a howl and took me with him every note of the way. He may be the finest new singer - and he probably will hate being considered "new" - I've run into in years. As a singer, I appreciate what he does and I can't help but be a little envious of his instrument and what he is able to do with it.

The too-short set culminated in an extended version of "Well Well Well" from his heart-rending "Bolka" project, which I just bought yesterday after his show and am already hooked on. Wood began by asking the audience if they had been to church that morning and started singing the name Jesus over and over, finding new emotion and nuance each time, before launching into a fearless take on the song that was more church than any of us had likely been in many a day. He walked to the very lip of the stage and roared, growled, howled and just went all the fuck off like a man possessed in a riveting performane that had jaws dropping and folks cheering simultaneously.

Tough, sexy and spiritual, with songs that are challenging, deep and rewarding and hell yes that voice, Dorian Wood is indeed one of the finest singers I've ever heard. I look forward to other - longer - live shows by him and his next musical project. It will no doubt be worth seeking out.

The Land of Golden Dreams: Burmese Fundraiser

2009-08-12T11:18:00.001-07:00

It's strange how sometimes you can do something for one reason, and something entirely unexpected comes out of it. This past Sunday, I attended the aptly-named "The Land of Golden Dreams," a fundraiser for the San Francisco Bay Area Burmese (aka Myanmar) Community Center, as well as a US 2010 Census Promotion. There is no community center yet, hence the fundraiser, and the census promotion is to get Burmese listed as a separate entity on the 2010 US Census. That way they can have a more accurate count of how many Burmese are in the US. At this point, they are lumped in with Chinese, totally incorrect. I was there at the invitation of my friend, activist-writer Randy Wong, and expected a relaxing hour or so eating Burmese food and maybe listening to some music. The fact that buying food tickets was a way of supporting both worthy goals was icing on the kasaba, as they say.

The first thing I noticed when I parked my car on the hill above Capuchino High School in San Bruno where the event was held was a loud and hot sounding rock band. "Cool!" I thought. "Rock music!" Then I realized they weren't singing in English. Even cooler! Once on the festival grounds, I saw there were tents over all the food tables, hundreds of folks milling about, and that rock band playing at the entrance to the school auditorium. I called Randy on his celly and he joined me, showing me around, introducing me to many people. It seemed he knew everyone. I think he did! Interestingly, he told everyone we met that I was a recording artist and songwriter. He suggested I sing with the band, but at first I thought he was just joking.

By now I was famished. Randy insisted I try a few of his favorites: steamed yellow tofu with cilantro and peanut sauce (tasty! and it's tofu! revelation!); what I thought was fried fish but turned out to be fried squash; and faluda, a strawberry custard swimming in ice cream - scrumptious. I made a donation to the fundraiser and bought some food tickets which I presented at a dessert table. $5 netted me two big baggies full of Burmese sweet treats!

We went into the auditorium and looked at some wonderful photographs taken in Burma as well as some beautiful paintings. I was introduced to Valerie, Miss Asia 2004, among many other titles, stunning...As we stopped at tables supporting the census change and highlighting issues in Burma today, I got a quick education in Burmese history. I learned that the yellow handkerchief pictured above portrays one of their most revered heroes - and political martyrs -General Aung San and his cabinet, who were all assassinated in a meeting by mercenaries hired by a British colony, leading to the violence, oppression and suffering that continues unabated in Burma to this day.

The next day the unjust sentencing of General San's daughter, Suu Kyi, was globally condemned. Cutting her sentence in half is not enough. Just like North Korea, Mynamar doesn't give a fuck what the world thinks.

As I was preparing to leave, Randy introduced me to Tomas, who he said was a Burmese pop star. Tomas suggested I sing with the band, if not today, then in a couple of weeks. Turns out Tomas is a well known singer who goes by the name of ZaYanDa, and Randy wangled an invite for me to his video shoot/birthday party next Saturday evening, where I will sing something from my CD, "Second Chance" (live debut of the material) and likely sing with the band, as well as appear in the video.

It's amazing sometimes how you can attend a function just to hang out with a friend and end up having a totally different experience than what you expected. Warm and wonderful people, great music and excellent eats - this was indeed the Land of Golden Dreams!

Dwele: Sketches of the Man at Yoshi's Oakland

2009-08-08T09:57:00.001-07:00

The first time I saw Detroit neo-soul r&b crooner Dwele perform was several years ago at Space 550, a huge club in San Francisco's warehouse district usually reserved for gay circuit parties. He opened for Slum Village, the legendary and now-defunct D-Town rap high priests, in what was essentially a glorified track date, and didn't take the stage until after 1 AM. As soon as he stepped out, though, the wait and the late hour faded and Dwele served notice that he had arrived. Slum Village brought him back to sing the hook on their classic "Tainted" - so irresistible it launched his career - and Dwele was well on his way.

Discovered by the late great producer J. Dilla, Dwele (full Swahili name Andwele, meaning "God has brought me") has seen his career grow by leaps and bounds from singing hooks to opening track dates in the middle of the night to playing prestige gigs like the Yoshi's Oakland engagement I was privileged to attend last night. Drawing from all three of his well-received albums, "Subject," "Some Kinda..." and the current "Sketches of a Man" - quiet storm and urban contemporary format linchpins - Dwele showed up at Yoshi's with a horn section, two superb backup vocalists, drums, guitars and a ridiculous keyboardist, and replicated the phat full swoony sound of his records. Disarmingly easy going with a personal style to match his smooth vocals, Dwele had the sell-out crowd in the palm of his hand from start to finish.

Specializing in slyly observed tales of romance and money in the urban milieu, Dwele opened with the atypical but jammin' "Body Rock" from "Sketches," and launched into a seamless progression of songs that played like a high concept album come to life. The crowd went nuts for his evocative "Old Lovas" and witty "I'm Cheatin'" (he's cheating on his girl with his girl, she's like two women in one) with their sophisticated but singalong-able choruses, and had us with him all the way on the straightforward and steady rockin "Flapjacks" complete with adroitly placed male audience participation. By the time he left the stage to dance with various women, the audience was in a frenzy and he played us perfectly. My only quibble is that I wish he had sung the hook to "Flashing Lights," the off-the-chain Kanye West collabo that hasn't left my iPod in close to two years.

Too soon the show was over and my tablemates and I looked at each other and laughed. He fully inhabited the old show biz adage to leave them wanting more - and we do! If you have a chance to catch Dwele's show, he will be at Yoshi's for the next two nights. If he's performing anywhere near you, do yourself a favor and check him out. You won't regret it.

Jim Allio "Kiss It Up to God" Lyrics

2009-07-26T13:03:00.000-07:00

KISS IT UP TO GOD

When things don't go my way
And I wanna run run run
When I don't know what to do or say
Can't fix it, look for answers
Can't fix it, look for answers
But none come, none come, none come, none come

When there's nothing left to do
And no one, no place to go to
I finally remember to turn to you
And let go, let go, let go

Kiss It Up to God when I'm lost without a clue
Kiss It Up to God when I'm lonely and so blue
Kiss It Up to God, Kiss It Up to God
Kiss It Up to God, Kiss It Up to God

When somebody does me wrong
And I wanna pay them back back back
When I wanna get revenge
Bide my time till they forget their attack
But it doesn't work, doesn't work, doesn't work
No it doesn't work, doesn't work, doesn't work

Finally I remember say a prayer
Wish all good things for them
Though I don't really mean it
I'm not there
I do it anyway, find the words to pray
Yes, I do it anyway, find the words to pray
And turn it over, turn it over, turn it over, turn it over

Kiss It Up to God when I'm lost without a clue
Kiss It Up to God when I'm lonely and so blue
Kiss It Up to God, Kiss It Up to God
Kiss It Up to God, Kiss It Up to God

(Yeah) Kiss It Up to God when I'm lost without a clue
Kiss It Up to God when I'm lonely and so blue
Kiss It Up to God, Kiss It Up to God
Kiss It Up to God, Kiss It Up to God

(Instrumental, then repeat chorus twice and fade)

Words and Music by James Allio
Copyright 2009 whitechocmusic

A Visible Life: RIP E. Lynn Harris

2009-07-24T19:13:00.000-07:00

I'm glad I was already sitting down when I learned this morning that E. Lynn Harris had died. Reading the news in a post from a Facebook friend was like getting punched in the stomach. E. Lynn Harris dead? How can that possibly be? Oh my God...and then, typically, but I'm not through reading him! I was waiting to see what he'd come up with next!

It was that way with me and E Lynn since the beginning when I encountered his "Invisible Life" at the Barnes and Nobles outlet at Jack London Square in the midst of an unusually dark and troubled period of my life. The cover art - all blurred and phyne-ass folk - caught my eye and when I scanned the synopsis I knew I had to give this new author a shot. I brought the book home, opened it up and was instantly hooked. Harris was telling stories of people I knew living lives I understood and opening the curtain to lives I didn't. Downlow men, of whom I'd known my share, men of color, who comprised the majority of my homies, angry and conflicted men - the shock of recognition when I ran into myself was almost more than I could take. But I kept reading. Harris was a wonderful writer who specialized in short chapters that kept you turning the pages to find out what happened next, kinda like the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys cliffhanger mysteries I loved as a kid.

But Harris did more than just tell engrossing, laugh-out-loud, talk-to-the-book stories. In a time when AIDS was rampant and my friends were dying one by one, when sending gays to Alcatraz for quarantine was actually discussed (crazy, but I remember when it was), when the churches turned their back on homosexuals, when paranoia was at its highest, he wrote about young All-American African-American men who were closeted out of fear and what it cost them. He demonstrated with heart , wit and passion just how the Black church and the downlow subculture was contributing to the decimation of a whole community.

But this was no sociological treatise, though you could break it down as such. Harris loved his characters, even the gold diggers, even the family members who turned their backs on their gay sons and brothers, even the closeted bisexual football player, Basil, who spewed anti-gay venom in early books and had sex with men on the side. I often suspected he loved Basil most of all. His characters were three-dimensional and they struggled. Many appeared in several of his books, which could be read as continuing installments or as stand-alone works of can't-wait-to-see-what's-next fiction.

It got to where I couldn't wait for the next Harris book and would be at the bookstore the day they came out to buy them. Once my friend, Tony, who volunteered at the Center for AIDS Services with me, beat me to the punch and showed up with "Abide With Me" before I even knew it was out. And I well recall the Saturday I was at an airport bookstore in Houston and asked the clerk if she had "Not A Day Goes By," knowing damn well it didn't come out until the following Tuesday and she grinned, reached under the counter, and handed me an advance copy! I swear I knew God was lovin' me that day...

Maybe eight years ago, E Lynn came to San Francisco to read and meet fans at A Different Light, the pre-eminent Castro Street bookstore. I ended up in the second row. He came up to the podium in understated but full sartorial splendor and engaged his audience reading the first chapter of his new book. He had us laughing and nodding our heads as he read about a particularly wicked dinner party, and then he told a couple of personal stories before opening it up to let us meet him one by one.

This was my moment to let him know how much his books had helped me, how they had held my hand in dark dark times when I thought I might never emerge, how they had let me know I wasn't alone and things would get better. I wanted to tell him how he made me laugh and how he helped me understand things about myself and others I may not have gotten any other way. I had promised myself that if I ever have the chance to tell my heroes what they mean to me, I will do it, no matter how nervous or tongue-tied I feel. I've done it with Lesley Gore, I've done it recently with Deadlee.

And I did it that warm summer night with E Lynn Harris. I took that moment. I told him what I needed to tell him and his eyes welled up with tears and then mine did. It was contagious! We hugged and thanked each other. There was a long line of fans behind me and it was time to blend back in with the Castro Street throng.

RIP E Lynn Harris. You're already missed.

Deadlee, Johnny Dangerous, Tori Fixx "Pick Up The Mic"

2009-07-21T10:54:00.001-07:00

From the opening booming synth chords of "No Fags Allowed," the anthemic Deadlee/Dutch Boy collaboration, "Pick Up the Mic" serves notice that we are embarking on a journey into barely charted territories: the diverse convergence of sound and words that makes up the burgeoning homohop (aka outhiphop) movement. Director Alex Hinton filmed more than a dozen LGBT rap artists for three years all over the United States, in concert and in their homes, and has created a vibrant, no-holds-barred look at the music and the musicians who make the music.

From the start it is clear that outhiphop artists are very aware that they are bucking the hiphop trend by being "out" and rapping about their real life experiences, which include their LGBT identities. Some have a clearly defined mission and imperative (Dutchboy, Deadlee, Tim'm T West), others hope to use their homohop notoriety as a springboard to mainstream success (Johnny Dangerous, God-Des), some are consciously political (Deep Dick Collective), others pointedly carnal (Dangerous, Tori Fixx) and others a combination of all of the above. These are brave writers and performers who have the courage of their convictions and make the music they want to make and say what they want - or possibly need - to say to a hugely underserved audience, LGBT rap fans, and there are hordes of us.

Among the many highlights are Aggracyst's emotional discovery of fellowship and camraderie and recognition that he is finally not alone in making this music; Miss Money's discovery that Dutchboy is actually bisexual; Tim'm's meeting with an ostensibly straight wanna-be rapper near Christopher Street and his adept, aware handling of the situation; God-Des' aching desire for huge mainstream acceptance; Juba Kalamaka's incisive delineation of what makes him do this music.

The many musical segments, most truncated, are the real highlights of this smart, well thought out film, and show the artists doing what they love doing. Johnny Dangerous' beat-heavy syncopated music is shown here to great effect, as is the prolific Tori Fixx's undeniably catchy material. Fixx is also shown to be more than just an artist, but a producer, manager and mentor, mantles many of the artists here have adopted, to their credit. Bay Area rapper Jenro looks like a serious contender based on the range shown in her two numbers.

Four Deadlee songs are featured here: the previously mentioned "No Fags Allowed," soulful, searing "Good Soldier,"" the in-your-face and horny "Suck Mah Gun," and the raunchy collaboration with Johnny Dangerous, "Crack Hit." Possibly due to all the musical spots, Deadlee primarily figures in the film as occasional sound bites and validation and encouragement for the artists who have come after him. However, he shows up in the generous (42 minutes) extras on this DVD, sharing his coming out story as do several of his peers, and, significantly, letting us into his private life with his then-partner Drastiko at home. This particular segment is as revolutionary and political as anything in this documentary given the climate engendered by Prop 8 (Prop H8).

"Pick Up The Mic" is an important, powerful and fascinating film, a peek inside a musical subculture that continues to grow and thrive. Kudos to Alex Hinton for putting his camera where his heart lies and celebrating these talented, determined and inspiring artists.

Spencer Day "Vagabond"

2009-07-07T17:19:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles based singer-songwriter-pianist Spencer Day returns with his debut CD on the Concord Jazz label. Acclaimed as a smooth and jazzy vocalist in the tradition of saloon singers from Sinatra to Buble, Day distinguished himself by being out, by writing much of his own material, and not relying solely on the classic American pop and show tune standards that he could have easily built a career on. Citing the influence of Burt Bacharach, Roy Orbison and Dusty Springfield (sheesh, two out of three are dead), Day weaves a magical spell from the very first track, "Till You Come to Me," setting a very urban scene of yearning in a crowded humid noisy city. I can easily imagine the 60s Dusty Springfield singing this and several more of Day's sleek and urbane compositions. Likewise, the sinuous, complex, string-heavy arrangements really are reminiscent of Bacharach's 60s work with Dionne Warwick, and Brazilian flavors blend seamlessly into his mix.

Born in Utah and raised in rural Arizona, Day incorporates light country into his sound on songs like "Everybody Knows," a terrific song about the pressures of living in the closet. Day's vocals here range from measured and controlled to an urgent belt that appears off and on throughout this excellent record to perfect effect. "Weeping Willow," and "Tuesday Morning (Maybe)" reveal a very specific and thoughtful perspective as well as a bracing sense of humor. Several songs, like "Joe" and "Better Way," betray the young man's concerns for the world-at-large and young gay men in particular that is heartening.

Spencer Day has been blessed with a wonderful vocal instrument and rapidly evolving songwriting skills and he is a solid fit for the Concord Jazz label. "Vagabond" should catapult him into the upper echelon of modern singer-songwriters right alongside Rufus Wainwright and his ilk, and he deserves it. Don't be surprised if he is a household name before long due to the engaging and sophisticated music found on "Vagabond."

"Vagabond" will be released September 8, 2009, but will be available in advance of that date at live Spencer Day performances. In the San Francisco Bay Area, he will appear July 24-26 at Yoshi's San Francisco and July 27 at Kuumbwa Jazz in Santa Cruz. More info can be found at www.spencerday.com/.

This Time Next Year's Tour Launch Party at Blakes

2009-07-06T00:07:00.001-07:00

Equal Vision Records hosted a tour launch party for their new rising alterna-punk stars, This Time Next Year, at Larry Blake's on Telegraph in Berkeley, a block from the UC Berkeley campus, and plenty of punk rock lovin' students showed up to show love for the band. This Time Next Year have been touring behind their two indie EPs nearly constantly and have built up a loyal cadre of hardcore fans for their unique blend of punk, rock and alternative pop. They did not disappoint fans with a solid set that mixed old favorites and new material from their full length Equal Vision label debut, "Road Maps and Heart Attacks," due in September. The only thing rowdier than the band was the mosh pit in front of the stage that grew wider and bigger song by song until it threatened to swallow up the vocally adept lead singer, Pete Dowdalls, who didn't seem to mind jumping into the crowd one iota. TTNY has developed into a crowd-pleasing band that has a blast on stage and takes its audience with them every badazz beat of the way. Can't wait for the new record. In the meantime, a couple of new tracks are available on itunes, and there is a real cool white vinyl 7-inch single available, too. Check them out at myspace.com/thistimenext year.

Jim Allio "Little Boy Lost" Lyrics

2009-06-28T12:47:00.000-07:00

Lyrics for this song from "Second Chance," video storyboarded by writer Kate Britton, to be shot and directed this week by Britton, look for it on youtube.com and facebook soon.

LITTLE BOY LOST

The cars swoosh by in the middle of the night
The cars drive by with their boomin' systems
The wind whistles down 14th Avenue
The fog rolls in
And I feel sad
Disappointed
I feel sad

Little Boy Lost, little boy blue
You came to the big city
In search of someplace you could do you
Little Boy Lost, little boy blue
Out here on your own
And you don't know
No, you don't know what to do
Little Boy Lost, little little little boy blue
Thought you found true love
But that love wasn't true
Little Boy Lost, little boy blue

(Latin Party Interlude)

Little Boy Lost, little boy blue
You've lost your way and realize
No one's gonna rescue you

You thought you found the pot of gold
At the rainbow's end
All you really got is a lot more old
You were bought and sold
And bought and sold again
Just the same old fool's gold
You can't even find a friend, my friend
No one's gonna rescue you
It's all on you
So what you gonna do
Tell me, what you gonna do

Little Boy Lost, little boy blue
You came to the big city
In search of someplace you could do you
Little Boy Lost, little boy blue
Out here on your own
And you don't know
No, you don't know what to do

Little Boy Lost
Little Boy Lost
Little Boy Lost
Little Boy Lost

copyright 2009 by whitchoc38music, written by James A. Allio

Ladies of the Lake (Merritt)

2009-06-27T12:12:00.001-07:00

Twelve years ago I quit smoking because my best girlfriend, Alyssa, had quit and I was, I think now, feeling competitive. At the time I was smoking three packs a day, and it was another bad habit that needed to go. They told me that every cigarette smoked represents a feeling stuffed and not felt, so I shouldn't have been surprised when I fell into depression. I got help from my physician and one of the things he recommended was exercise, so I began walking around Lake Merritt, the beautiful lake in the heart of Oakland. Eventually I began jogging and loved it, but more on that later.

The first Wednesday I walked the Lake, I noticed two rowboats in the center of the Lake filled with women dressed in white with blue scarfs and sailor hats, just rowing around the Lake. What a trip! I thought. I wonder who they are. For the next several years, every Wednesday morning that I was down at the Lake, they were there, too, and I got curious

Turns out they are called The Ladies of the Lake, and they are a group of women who have been dressing in sailor uniforms and boating on the Lake since 1916. Damn! 1916!?! Over the years, generations of women from the same families have taken up the mantle, and there are always ladies interested in joining. Sometimes one boat is out there, frequently two and once in a while, you spot three of them. Unless it's raining, you can count on seeing them. They're so goofy, such an atavism in a city known more for gang wars and urban blight than genteel activities, but that's the real Oakland for you, a city full of paradox and beauty to match the rough side the media emphasizes.

A couple of years ago I was in a bad car accident, injured my left foot and was left with what doctors told me was a permanent limp. They also told me I would most likely never be able to jog again and would just have to adjust, particularly since my job involves intense physical labor for several hours a day. They said I could walk the Lake occasionally but that was it.

About five weeks ago, I was doing just that when I realized I was no longer limping and thought, "Hey! Let me just try jogging again!" Five weeks later, I'm almost all the way around the Lake (3.5 miles) without stopping and I am ecstatic. I was a regular at the Lake and every day I run into folks I used to see on the daily and we are so happy to see each other. It feels so good.

And nothing felt better than the first Wednesday morning I was back at the Lake and spotted the Ladies of the Lake, rowing their boats, chillin' like villains and assuring me that this day, like so many others, would be chockfull of unexpected delights and joys, if only I pay attention and keep my mind open. I love me some Ladies of the Lake!

Forever Michael & Farrah

2009-06-26T16:52:00.000-07:00

When I heard Farrah Fawcett died yesterday, I was saddened even though it was not unexpected. I remember seeing Farrah in this great old sci-fi flick, "Logan's Run," and immediately being taken with her, and then of course she took over everyone's imagination as Jill in "Charlie's Angels." Teenage boys' bedrooms - and not a few teenage girls - were not official without her famous racy-for-the-time poster. She always reminded me of girls I went to school with, grew up with, worked with, hung out with - pretty, funny, down-to-earth and fun to be with. Over time she completely surprised me by morphing into one of our finest serious actresses, blowing my mind particularly with her scorching performances in the grueling "Extremities" and "The Burning Bed." It became evident that beneath the sunny ultrablonde prototype was a woman with issues, insights and a lot to say. At times over the years her acting career was overshadowed by her eccentricities and personal difficulties, but her pure talent was never diminished. It was undeniable. When I heard she had passed on, I thought, ahhh, I hope now she is at peace.

Then I learned Michael Jackson had died. At 50. So young. I was at work when I learned and we all were shaking our heads and speechless. I was a little bit in shock, a little bit incredulous. As the day moved on, the memories came flooding in. The Jackson 5 on tv, Michael a ball of fire with a prodigious vocal talent. The way that group ruled radio for a time. The time when I was off work for three months with hepatitis and went into San Francisco and found his early solo LP, "Forever Michael" in a record store on Polk Street for 99 cents, brought it home and fell in love with the songs and his transitioning voice. I learned that album by heart and, years before I had even a glimmer that I would be singing and composing myself, I would stand up in the living room of the cottage I rented in Daly City and perform the entire record to entertain myself.

Then there was the time I was on the first post-trick date with Bob, who later became my partner for a couple of years, and we went to a disco below North Beach in the City frequented by bisexuals, open-minded young straights and gays, and heard and danced to "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" for the first time. That electric percussion avalanche that opened up that record snared me immediately, and his work with Quincy Jones ("Off the Wall," "Thriller") captured my imagination as well.

Yesterday was a sad day, and it got sadder as the day got longer. There had been great things happening earlier in the day that had me happy and smiling, but by the time I got off work, I had been on the verge of tears several times, feeling the loss. I watched the news when I arrived home and saw that hundreds of people had converged on the Embarcadero in SF and had a spontaneous dance party with Michael's music. It was still going on when the 11 PM news aired. I wished I hadn't been at work. I felt connected to those folks.

This morning I woke up and I could feel the tears close to the surface again. As I jogged around Lake Merritt, they came up a couple of times and I let them. Fuck it. There's nothing wrong with feeling grief, even for people I don't know personally, especially true icons like Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett. In their own unique ways, both artists informed, inspired and shaped my dreams, and I'm grateful for them. I hope they're at peace after all their trials. Their legacy will live on, and I can tap into their spirits through their art whenever I choose to, or, like today, when I walk past an open door, and "Thriller" is washing out into the street.

Deadlee, D'Lo, Sean Dorsey and the Fresh Meat Festival

2009-06-23T01:02:00.000-07:00

"People don't look past the skin," said transsexual pioneer Lou Sullivan. I may be paraphrasing, but the sentiment resonated with me over and over as I attended three out of the four Fresh Meat Festival performances at Project Artaud in San Francisco this past weekend.
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Chatting with one of the board members at intermission on night 3, the affable Stacey, I was asked why I had been to three of the shows. I told him that I am a huge Deadlee fan and he rarely rarely plays in these parts and I was taking advantage of the opportunity to immerse myself in his live show. I had never seen him in person before and had heard he was great. Plus I had a list of questions in my wallet that I planned to ask him if he consented to be interviewed for this blog. But more on that later...

So Fresh Meat Festival is a yearly event, akin to an old school variety show, of the cream of the crop of queer and transgender perfomance. I really had no expectations beyond seeing Deadlee, and to my surprise and delight, my mind was blown by each of the ten acts showcased here. The Taiko Ren drummers opened the show on a fierce intense note, combining rhythm and athleticism and merging the two with pure joy. Zoe Balfour and Citabria Phillips seemed to lift off the floor in their frenetic ballroom dance stanza; the Barbary Coast Cloggers were exhilarating and exciting, even bringing Gwen Stefani and Pharrell into clogging bliss territory; Mind Over Matter Dance Company, which closed the show, had us cheering, laughing and seat-dancing throughout their too-brief set.

ryka aoki de la cruz was enchanting in her "Alternator Domme" piece, which began with a broken alternator on a drive up Highway 5, transitioned through searching for an auto mechanic, getting the money by doing a dungeon domme gig involving a feisty chihuaha, and ended with some sweet revelation, musical and otherwise. StormMiguel Flores sang two evocative and musically sophisticated songs he wrote that had me spellbound. Shawna Virago also sang two numbers.

The Sean Dorsey Dancers (Dorsey, Juan de la Rosa, Brian Fisher, Nol Simonse) did an excerpt from her suite, Lou, that transported me to a whole other place, putting the entire evening into a spiritual context for me. Yep, I said spiritual.

D'Lo, a Tamil Sri L.A.nkan-American, was almost my favorite of the evening, proving herself an astute social commentator and a consummate actor, emerging as her loving and conservative mother in full Sri Lankan dress, and morphing into her b-boi persona, dispensing mordant ruminations on the importance of friendship and connectedness in a world that is often hostile.

Of course, if you read this blog, you know my feet were barely touching the ground waiting to see Deadlee perform live. He began with an angry spoken word piece written during a college tour, and moved into two of my favorite Deadlee 2213 songs, the dance anthem, "Nasty" and the riveting and erotic "Carnival in My Mind." Deadlee was straight up ferocious! He not only exceeded my expectations and hopes, he proved himself a superb performer, able to bring the goods in any venue, gay or other, and left me hella hungry for more. Now I can't wait to see him mount a full show. Hell, I'd travel to see that one!

And the interview questions in my wallet I planned to ask him for this blog? After the first show, we met and clicked hard, talking for an hour, and hanging out post-show the next couple of nights. I did ask him plenty of questions, but it wasn't really interview mode. It was more like two gay men talking candidly about their lives and experiences, and getting to know a new friend. Man to man, artist to artist. Pulling stuff from the time we spent laughing and chopping it up doesn't feel appropriate. The interview will have to wait until another time. The questions are still in my wallet, though!

At intermission one night, I was chatting with the ASL person, Jenny, and enthusing about how much we dug Deadlee and wondering how she was going to sign some of his more explicit lyrics. It struck me then and there just how grateful I was to have followed Deadlee to this gig to encounter a whole world of thought, art and performance with transformative powers. Fresh Meat, I will be back!

Enemy: Lyrics

2009-05-30T14:11:00.001-07:00

En-en-en-enemy-my-my
Enemy-my-my, enemy-my-my
Enemy, enemy, enemy

Why are you so mean?
Is everything okay?
It just doesn't seem
Like you need to act this way

Enemy, enemy, enemy
Enemy, enemy, enemy

Why are you so mean?
Is it to hide the pain?
Or to separate yourself
So you don't see we're just the same?

Enemy, enemy, enemy
Enemy, enemy, enemy

(Spoken) I see you
I see you walkin' around the job
With your head held high
Like your shit don't stink
Never really paid you no mind
So why you wanna fuck with me?

Why are you so wack?
Is it to hide what you lack?
Better not have a heart attack
I'll keep on walkin' and I won't look back

(Now) enemy, enemy, enemy
Enemy, enemy, enemy
Enemy, enemy, enemy

(Spoken) I keep tryna figure out what I said
What I did or didn't do
You know, I just don't get it
I wouldn't put you through all this
But even if it's over
I can't think of you as...

En-en-en-enemy-my-my
Ah ah ah

Words (and Music) by James A. Allio
Copyright 2009 whitchoc38 music

Lyrics: "Damaged Goods"

2009-05-21T20:16:00.001-07:00

By request, I'll be loading lyrics to the songs on my CD, "Second Chance" periodically. Here's track one (all tracks written by me, Jim Allio)

DAMAGED GOODS

Damaged Goods, Damaged Goods
Damaged Goods, Damaged Goods

Got tired of sittin' on the shelf
Got up, went out lookin' for something new
Damaged Goods, Damaged Goods
Damaged Goods, Damaged Goods

And so I brought this on myself
Damaged Goods, Damaged Goods
Damaged Goods, Damaged Goo-oods
Damaged Goods

Don't tell me what I should and should not do
No, no
No, no!
Damaged Goods, Damaged Goods
Damaged Goods, Da-yeah-maged Goods

Can't stop when it feels this good
It feels so good
Fire's too hot when I'm around you
It feels so good
It feels so good

Damaged Goods, Damaged Goods
Damaged Goods, Damaged Goods
Damaged Goods, Damaged Goods
Damaged Goods, Damaged Goods

Can't say I didn't see it comin'
My eyes, my eyes were wide open
Yes they were
Damaged Goods
Uh yes they were
Damaged Goods

Can't stop once you got me hummin'
Don't know if I'm comin' or goin'
Damed Goods, Damaged Goods
Damaged Goods, Damaged Goods
Yeah, ee-yeah yeah yeah yeah

Damaged Goods, Damaged Goods
Now Damaged Goods, Damaged Goods
Damaged Goods, Damaged Goo-oo-oooooooooods, yeah

Don't know which way this thing is gonna go
I can't call it, I can't call it
Don't know what's 'round the corner, down the road
I can't call it, I can't all it

Damaged Goods, Damaged Goods
Damaged Goods, Damaged Goods
Might turn out bad
But it feels too good
It might turn out bad
But it feels too good

Don't call me your victim
I volunteer
I'm Damaged Goods, Damaged Goods
Damaged Goods, Damaged Goods (repeat)

Copyright 2009 whitchoc38 music

KATE NASH: Criminally Overlooked

2009-05-19T18:18:00.000-07:00

There's a ton of them out there right now: British blue-eyed soulstresses commanding airplay, record sales, magazine covers, Grammy awards, tabloid fodder. There's Amy Winehouse, of course, and Lilly Allen. There's Adele and Duffy, and no doubt scores of others waiting in the wings. They all mine similar veins of 60s retro-themed turf, bluesy-jazzy fare with Motown and girl group overtones and tres moderne lyrics that push the envelope for what used to be called "girl singers." They're pretty and stylish and have perfect voices leaning to the pop side of soul, but they differ from the Lulus, Sandies and Lesleys and Dustys, Nancys and Petulas, in that their songs are peppered with profanity and sexuality is not alluded to, it's explicitly delineated. This is 2009, after all, 10 years after Alanis went down on an ex at the movies, and the girl-next-door is almost an atavism.

Enter Kate Nash, possessor of a terrific and number-one-in-Britain album, "Made of Bricks," that for some strange reason hasn't achieved the same level of success and notoriety here in the United States as her talented peers. I saw her perform on Kimmel and Letterman and the other late night talk shows when she was over here and her material impressed me as well as her fierce keyboard work. I liked her voice and her presence was attractive. I thought, yep, here's another one of those Brit girls inheriting the Lisa Stansfield mantle and taking it to the next level, it's good to hear new voices walking around in old shoes.

Then I downloaded the album, played it and bam! I fell head over heels in love. Great voice, well thought out but not overwrought musical settings, and the songs! Shit. Nash has a unique point of view, a finely developed sense of humor and is happy to share her self-effacing and wry self with her audience. Her beats, almost uniformly piano based, pulse and pump perfectly with her smartass songs like my favorite, "Dickhead" ("Why you being a dickhead for? Why you being a dickhead? Why you being a dickhead for? You keep fuckin up situations") that make me chuckle and instantly recognize my own sometime interior monologues. No, wait! "We Get On" is my favorite, the "It's My Party" update where Johnny checks out Kate's ass and she gets a little too tossed. No, no, it's "Mariella," about the friend who commits suicide to a steady Chiffons bounce. It's so hard to choose a definitive favorite, because every song, from the irresistible "Merry Happy" and its steadily increasing breakneck pace to the UK #2 smash, "Foundations," perfectly encapsulating a relationship that's flushing down the toilet, is wonderful to listen to, laugh with and sing along to.

Kate Nash fell down a flight of stairs, broke her foot and was housebound and unable to move for a time, so her mother bought her an electric guitar which she taught herself to play and began writing songs. She booked a gig at a local pub, recorded a couple of demos, put up a my space page, hired a manager and then a producer, a savvy blend of young business woman and music nerd, and it's worked for her. She may have been criminally overlooked here in the US so far, but I doubt that will last. She is working on a new record, reportedly more of a punk sound, that should be out by the end of the year. If it's anything like "Made or Bricks," we are in for a real treat.

TIM'M WEST: Godfather of OutHipHop

2009-05-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

Poet-rapper-performer-professor-singer-songwriter-speaker blogger-recording artist...Tim'm West is the personification of a post-millennial Renaissance man, an artist extraordinaire who could make a go in any one of those fields but keeps busy in all of them. He is a man on a mission with the courage and hubris to put himself in the public eye as exactly who he is: a proud, complex gay man confronting personal issues in public forums and making enormous headway in opening minds. He also has inspired a couple of generations of young people coming up, and his work provides encouragement and support for his peers and elders.

Years before the expanding gay hip hop movement (or homo hop, as it's sometimes called) was all over the media, West was one of the founding members of DDC, Deep Dick Collective, conscious rappers addressing gay issues and whose gay members were all the way out. Just their existence at Pride festivals and clubs all over the Bay Area, where I first encountered them, was confrontational, and their recordings were avidly circulated in the community. Their joy at being valid hip hop artists dealing with unspoken issues was contagious, and they developed a rabid following. West remained accessible and active in political and gay rights communities while pursuing his musical dreams, and actively supported and advised other artists trying to engage some of the musical areas he and DDC were pioneering.

Then in 2004, West stepped out from the pack he helped create with his first solo recording, "Songs From Red Dirt," a superb melding of conscious rap, beautiful vocals and melodies, and heartfelt stories about Tim'm, his life and experiences. "Red Dirt" catapulted the homo hop movement into the musical stratosphere and proved, once and for all, that a record about one gay man's experiences could be exhilarating, danceable and addictively listenable. It quickly became my favorite record of that year and I can't tell you how many people of various persuasions I turned on to this true masterpiece.

In the intervening years, Tim'm West has continued his multi-hyphenate pursuits, publishing books of poetry, teaching students at various universities across the country, leading workshops, performing spoken word and music all over the damn place. He has released two more solo CDs, "Blakkboy Blues" and "In Security: The Golden Error," which, if there was any justice in what's left of the music industry, would find homes on alternative radio everywhere. They are cutting edge contemporary and remain fresh and vital, as they still deal with issues that mainstream artists shy away from.

Tim'm West, the Godfather of OutHipHop, is perhaps our most important voice. Yes, his singing is beautiful, his melodies compelling, his words clever, funny, from the heart and to the point. Crucially, he is still out there presenting his truth no holds barred, opening doors for others to follow, and pursuing new dreams. He's still a young man. Long may he reign.

You can check out, download and order Tim'm West's music at iTunes. cd baby and amazon. I've said it before: Do not sleep on Tim'm West. You'll really be missing out.

VAN HUNT: Use NOT Only In Emergency

2009-05-15T16:13:00.000-07:00

Van Hunt is one of the most progressive, idiosyncratic and unique voices to have emerged from the neo-soul movement of the past ten years. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, his recorded output has been less than prolific. His debut album was superb and introduced a new artist that seemed to have been fully realized, and further work (his second CD; songs written for and with other artists, notably Rahsaan Patterson) revealed an artist who continues to evolve, grow and surprise. It came as a surprise and disappointment when his heralded third record, "Popular," was lost, maybe forever, to record label disputes. Thank God for the internet, where even records languishing in record company vaults sometimes see the light of day!

While working on his next projects, Van Hunt decided to placate his enthusiastic and expanding fan base with a "new" set of rare, unreleased and demo items from his personal vault, "Use Only In Emergency." The result is a surprisingly consistent, cohesive and enjoyable affair, with classic Van Hunt jams like "Sexy" and "Tingle," which evoke Prince and D'Angelo at their best simultaneously; the laid back groove of "Come Tomorrow;" a loping, mellow "Hidden Charm"; and a straight-up love song, "Her Smile." In addition, there are fascinating insights into the artist's creative process. Two versions of "Attention!" are here, both very different, and each works in its own way. A pumpin' "Man of the Year" turns out to be the seed from which "Hot Stage Lights" from the second record was born. And "Saturday Laughs" ("it's a blast from the past") is pure weekend chill, setting a perfect tone for this project.

I've seen Van Hunt perform live at Bimbo's 365 Club in San Francisco (fabulous venue) and he is as talented and committed a performer as he is a songwriter and recording artist. "Use Only In Emergency" is a welcome return for him, and much more than a stopgap until the next record hits. I recommend using this music at any time, NOT only in emergencies!

DEADLEE: Musical Obsession

2009-04-28T10:30:00.000-07:00

My current musical obsession is Los Angeles rapper, Deadlee. Based out of Echo Park and looking like he sprung full blown from the heart of Death Row's glory years, Deadlee - aka Joseph Lee - has been on my radar for a number of years as the foremost proponent of homo hop, hip hop done for and by gay artists. I've watched the videos and listened to the emphasis tracks, but only recently went further and began exploring his whole body of work and I must say I'm beyond impressed with the man's skills, tenacity and heart. And, yes, he is totally fine to boot!

Even a cursory listen to Deadlee's sophomore effort, "Assault With A Deadlee Weapon," reveals a wordsmith with rhythm, uncommon verbal gifts, a sense of humor and rarely heard stories to tell about being gay in a hip hop world and growing up gay in a culture or even a family where you are not accepted and kicked to the curb. His songs, "Good Soldier" and "Good Soldier II" (check out the video on youtube), address issues common to gay youth with compassion and honesty. I wish there had been a Deadlee on the scene when I was coming up to let me know I wasn't alone and that I could be macho, hot, strong, everything I am, and still be a gay man. It turns out Deadlee was inspired to become a rap artist when he was working with troubled gay youth and wanted to provide an antidote to the homophobic mainstream hip hop acts they listened to.

He targets 50 Cent, Eminem and other pop rappers for their moneymaking homophobia and many of his rhymes are barbed with his anger, understandably so. A finely tuned sense of humor rears its head, notably in "Gay Pac," and his seeming mission to educate with compassion is mitigated - gratefully - by a number of tracks that are flat out horny, e.g., "Suck Mah Gun," where the metaphor is full of wit and still retains its heat.

Deadlee has expanded recently into acting but is recording a new CD for Fall 2009. I've seen videos of his live performances and they appear to be incendiary. Can't wait to see him in the flesh!

One final note: It's interesting that Deadlee moved rapidly from being regarded as The Gay Rapper to a straight up Hip Hop Thug Rap Artist...he's that committed, and that good.

"Assault With A Deadly Weapon" available for download on iTunes, cdbaby and Amazon.com. Hot new track, "Nasty," from Homo Revolution Tour 2007 CD, available on iTunes.

Jim Allio "Second Chance" Album Cover

2009-02-06T19:51:00.001-08:00

February 10, 2009

SECOND CHANCE Sneak Preview!

2009-02-06T10:55:00.000-08:00

The manufacturer has shipped "Second Chance" in time to meet its February 10, 2009 release date. For a sneak preview of three of the tracks on this project, click here:

http://www.myspace.com/aheyheynow

Enjoy!

"SECOND CHANCE" Tracklist

2009-01-15T22:47:00.000-08:00

The artwork is being done as I type this. I'm still shooting for a February 10. 2009 release date.

The tracklist for "Second Chance" is as follows:

1 Damaged Goods
2 Enemy
3 Little Boy Lost
4 Kiss It Up to God
5 Consequences
6 Dark Night of the Soul
7 Chillin
8 Getaway
9 Dream (Venice)
10 What Do You See in Me?
11 Second Chance
12 Wonderful Life
13 When the Sun Goes Down

In addition there will be a few hidden surprises...

Jim Allio New CD Rollout Begins!

2008-12-18T11:31:00.000-08:00

Gettin' in my car and headin' towards ya, February 10, 2009, record #2, "Second Chance." Produced, arranged, written and sung by me, Jim Allio aka James Anthony.

Track list and more particulars to follow shortly.

Favorite Records 2008

2008-12-15T11:03:00.000-08:00

So many excellent records came out in 2008 that it's hard to pick my very favorites, but I've narrowed it down to these, my personal Lucky 13 for 2008 (in no particular order, that would really be impossible!)"

MIA, Kala
Jazmine Sullivan, Fearless
Britney Spears, Circus
Lykke-Li, Youth Novels
Raphael Saadig, The Way I Feel
This Time Next Year, The Longest Way Home
Michelle Williams, Unexpected
Alanis Morrisette, Flavors of Entanglement
Solange Knowles, Sol-Angel and the Hadley Street Dreams
Coldplay, Viva La Vida
Madonna, Hard Candy
Q-Tip, The Renaissance
Beck, Modern Guilt

Also loved the 2008 releases by these artists: Jenny Lewis; Dwele; Mary J Blige; Lil Wayne; David Archuleta; N.E.R.D.; Ting Tings; Pussycat Dolls; Lady GaGa; Duffy; Kanye West.

Already can't stop listening to the new releases by Common; Keyshia Cole; Musiq Soulchild; Beyonce; Mya.

For Your Consideration: Viola Davis and Beyonce Knowles

2008-12-13T12:41:00.000-08:00

I saw two movies yesterday dealing with moral ambiguity in different settings: "Doubt," set within the confines of a Catholic parish in the early 60s and "Cadillac Records," which takes place in the music business during roughly the same period. Both were excellent films, engrossing and challenging on several levels, and both caused me to examine my own beliefs about right and wrong and my reactions to what occurred in the stories presented. "Doubt" is of course a big Hollywood award contender, but "Cadillac" is equally as powerful and accomplished.

I have to single out one performance in each film out of uniformly superb casts. In "Doubt," Viola Davis, usually seen in grim television police procedurals, is astounding as the mother of a young boy who may or may not have been molested by his priest, riveting and commanding. The play of emotions that wash over her face and in her eyes is amazing, and that same ability to reveal the inside of a character on the outside is also Beyonce Knowles' feat in her recreation of blues/jazz/rock singer, Etta James, in her early recording career days. Any thoughts of Knowles as a cookie cutter r&b diva or smart stunt casting to draw in a young audience will be immediately dispelled watching her transformation into the messy, conflicted force of nature that was James, particularly back then. There are two scenes in particular which are done quietly in tight close up of her face responding to something Adrien Brody as her mentor/lover, Leonard Chess, is saying that are as brilliant moments of acting as I have seen all year.

And, oh yeah, she sings the hell out of those Etta James standards, too, so all the purists can breathe normally.

Do not miss either performance. I expect to see both nominated for Academy Awards.

SINGERS' SINGER ED REED: Yoshi's Late Show

2008-08-26T20:15:00.000-07:00

Jazz vocaliste par excellence Ed Reed held court at Yoshi's Oakland Monday night - that's the where and the when - and I was fortunate to be off work and able to attend his late show. The show kicked off at 10 PM and there was a decent sized crowd in attendance, despite the hour and the fact that it was a Monday night. The occasion was a celebration of the release of Reed's sophomore effort, "The Song Is You" (I love that song, too bad he didn't sing it) and if anyone embodies song, it is Mr. Reed. He brought along a crack band composed of Brian Cooke (piano), Anton Schwartz (reeds), Robb Fisher (bass), Akira Tana (drums, and they had the audience sitting slack-jawed at their tremendous creativity and drive.

But it was Ed Reed who was the glue that held the show together, with amazing reimaginings of classic and obscure American standards like "Daydream," the incredible "This Shouldn't Happen to a Dream" and a powerful "Ask Me Now." He took the Broadway classic, "Where or When," and transformed it into a powerful meditation on memory, loss, age and time.

The power of love weaves its way in and out of Reed's repertoire, and his sometimes silky, sometimes booming voice handles the myriad chord changes and melody shifts with ease and aplomb. It was a pleasure to sit there wrapped up in the moody spell Reed cast with his superb vocal style and on point commitment to the lyric.

I haven't mentioned Ed Reed's age or his oft-related history. While both inform his song selections and his interpretations of them, they are just part of the whole artistry that makes up this world class singer.

Ed Reed - a name to remember. Don't miss him next time he comes around.

Oakland Chinatown Street Festival 2008

2008-08-25T20:36:00.001-07:00

I love Oakland. I wake up on a warm Sunday morning, run down to Fruitvale Peets for my AM coffee, pick up my nephew at his sleepover and bring him home to my sister's home where they were recuperating from a slumber party bridal shower for my next sister-in-law. Breakfast was laid out and I had a chance to catch up with my sister, her husband and my nephew about their recent trip to Paris and Provence. Of course they want to go back immediately, or at least next year! Can't say I blame them. I've been three times in the past ten years.

Then I have a three-plus mile walk around Lake Merritt, a man-made, salt water jewel of a body of water in the middle of Oakland's downtown, replete with micro-climates around every corner, sailboats, gondolas, joggers, Children's Fairyland, bocce ball courts, fountains, flower gardens and more eye candy than the mind can retain without a camera at the ready.

From there I drive a few blocks away to Oakland's rapidly enlarging Chinatown district for their annual street fair, where vendors sell all kinds of plants, clothes, jewelry and snacks of every stripe including, of course, Chinese, although the neighborhood is rife with Chinese restaurants and bakeries. Even Safeway was handing out free snack and drink samples, and the live bands were kickin'. The crowd-pleasing dragon dancers had all of us, especially the youngest, captivated.

Yes, there is much more to Oakland than takeover robberies and some rough neighborhoods.

Loose Ends: "Transsiberian" Late Show

2008-08-16T09:35:00.001-07:00

I'm at loose ends these days, especially on my weekends, particularly on Fridays. My partner of nearly seven years moved in six months ago and within two weeks our relationship basically dissolved. It was a shock to discover I no longer had my companion by my side. Yes, we still cohabitate, but weekends I'm on my own while he's out having a ball. I have friends, but I've been so wrapped up in this relationship for so long, all my time off work involved my erstwhile partner. I need to make some new friends to socialize with, and I find the prospect daunting. Fridays after I've run errands and taken care of business all day, I end up at home, listening to music, playing online, and feeling overwhelmed and a bit anxious about leaving the house.

Last night I decided that I'd had enough of staying in the house from Friday afternoon until Saturday morning stewing in my own juices. I drove into Berkeley for a late show of "Transsiberian," a train thriller with Woody Harrelson, Ben Kingsley, Emily Mortimer and Kate Mara, excellent and diverting. It got me thinking about how two people can be married for years and still be unknown to each other in many ways. I guess that can be a good thing sometimes.

It was showing at the Shattuck Theater, and I had time to notice the detail in the theater, which is fixed up like an Egyptian temple, similar to the Grand Lake in Oakland. I wonder if they are connected. In any case, it's beautiful.

On my way back to my car, I noticed the sculpture above near the Berkeley Public Library. Perhaps it is part of the library. I don't know. I thought it was beautiful, too.

I'm still at loose ends, but taking baby steps. Step one, if you will.

Lesley Gore at the Bleecker Street Theatre: It's My Party...Yeah, Right!

2008-07-26T19:50:00.001-07:00

Lesley Gore has added another hyphenate to her resume: playwright. Yes, she had written plays or parts of plays before with Carol Hall or, on her own, about a baseball team (!), but for the past six weeks she has been workshopping the first act of a new autobiographical piece entitled "It's My Party...Yeah, Right" at the inaugural Pillowfight Festival at the Bleecker Street Theatre in Greenwich Village as part of the Hot Chicks of Substance series. I had the distinct pleasure of attending two of the workshop performances on July 25 and 26 and all I can say is that I was blown away. Although it has elements of nostalgia and a classic showbiz fairy tale arc (think Lana Turner sitting on a stool at Schwabs), her story is remarkable because it is true and, very possibly, close to unique in the record business of yesterday or, for that matter, today.

But "It's My Party...Yeah, Right" is more than a recap of a legendary early rock and roll survivor. It is truly revelatory and generous and, in the same way Gore has retained contemporary relevance while her girl group contemporaries have continued on the Yesterday Treadmill, her story is powerful and emotional and packed with surprises. One in particular which coincides with her genuinely meteoric rise to fame blew the enthusiastic audience's collective mind and, while she told it, it seemed a pin could drop and no one still would take a breath. This took enormous honesty and courage, hallmarks of Gore's career path and unceasing artistic growth. She closes this portion of the show with an incredible version of "Out Here On My Own" which took on a whole new signficance in this context.

And, no, I won't reveal it here. It's Lesley Gore's story to tell, and you can hear it when her one woman show is completed and begins making the rounds.

I will tell you that Lesley shares marvelous memories of being a little girl in Brooklyn and later in Jersey and tells terrifically engaging tales of the steps which led inexorably to her becoming a singer. These stories are delightful and she tells them with panache and verve. She does more than talk, of course. She sings songs by Charles Aznavour and Nat King Cole that were significant in her musical development and does snatches of early rock and pop by Rosemary Clooney, Teresa Brewer and others as well as snippets of others like Charlie Chaplin's"Smile."

There is a wonderful passage detailing how she found her voice coach, Myron "Pappy" Earnheart and recording demos with Pappy and his wife, Hilda. These demos are played and she joyfully sings along with them. Learning who wrote the amazing "Travel On" would have been worth the price of admission alone, and her recounting of her first "Ed Sullivan Show" is colorful and riveting like a passage from a particularly well written short story or novel.

Act One closed with "It's My Party" becoming a huge record and door after door opening for Lesley Gore. We will have to wait for Act Two or the finished play to be performed to hear and see the rest of the story. She does close the show with a couple of her classics and the audience is on its feet cheering for both.

Following the show, a few of us got a chance to chat with Lesley, always warm, friendly and forthcoming. She told us that she will be unveiling a new act at upcoming shows at the Mohegan Sun and the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art later this year with a great deal of new material. I also overheard her telling a reporter that there has been significant interest by some producers in her show, and that's exciting news for sure.

Rahsaan Patterson at Yoshi's San Francisco: Spirited as Fine Wine

2008-07-23T01:27:00.000-07:00

July 20, 2008. Friday night. Following an earthy lamb shanks and sweet corn ravioli supper at an excellent Italian trattoria in Potrero Hill, Tracy Barrantes-Allio and I made our way to the Fillmore district for our inaugural visit to the new San Francisco branch of the esteemed Yoshi's jazz nightclub, also famous for their sushi and other Japanese savories. We were immediately struck by the sophistication and glamour of the club, all recessed, ultra-flattering lighting, deep browns and reds, warm lemon glow and not a bad seat in the house.

R&B/jazz/neosoul genius Rahsaan Patterson was the headliner, and he owned the crowd from the moment he took the stage with his finely tuned crack band and superb male-female backing duo, despite ongoing sound problems. Patterson may not have been able to hear correctly through his monitors, but the audience didn't share his difficulty. We were amazed and astonished as he rocked the house with a tour-de-force vocal performance that took us on a sonic and emotional journey during his cruelly brief set. Tracy's only conscious exposure to the songwriter and vocalist extraordinaire had been the day after I invited her to attend by sampling some songs on iTunes, and she was as blown away as I was, grinning ear to ear. With his fluid and loose manner, it is very easy to picture Rahsaan Patterson as he must have been as a child singer. He maintains much of a child's freedom and unconscious grace.

I have all four of his CDs and love them all - they reveal more complexity and layers as time goes on, and "The Best," his collaboration with Van Hunt, suspended time in a jawdropping revelation of the song that night. The Sade cover was a genuine crowd pleaser, as was his youthful hit, "Wanna Be Where You Are," which closed the show with a dazzling splash of vocal pyrotechnics. Rahsaan Patterson definitely left us wanting more.

The Roots Ferocious Paramount Set

2008-06-09T00:54:00.000-07:00

The Roots threw down with another dynamic show at The Paramount Theatre in Oakland tonight, June 8, 2008 opening for Erykah Badu. Their truncated set began right on time (7:30 PM) and was over 55 very fast minutes later. They ran through many of their signature tunes from "Things Fall Apart" and their seemingly endless roster of classic records, many of them combined into lengthy medleys. A virtuoso performance of "You Got Me" anchored the too brief set, and a medley of seminal hip hop jams was fun for an ecstatic audience. A few songs from their excellent new "Rising Down" CD were slipped seamlessly into the relentless hip hop band jam session. I missed the battle of the drummers that is a highlight of their shows, but Black Thought and ?uest Love led the band ferociously. I like that word. Ferocious. It perfectly describes The Roots live shows.

Wholehearted Endorsement for Tucker's Catering

2008-06-08T18:26:00.001-07:00

I'm the lucky man who used Tucker's Catering For All Occasions to cater a recent surprise birthday party I had at my condo. I met with one of the two co-proprietors, effervescent no-nonsense Eunice Tucker, to go over the menu and make sure we were on the same page. I wanted a soul food buffet to be served and Tucker's Catering met and exceeded all expectations and then some. Not only did they prepare all the food from scratch, but they set up the dining room for a buffet, had a team help bring the food, dishes and everything else in, and stayed around to replenish the most popular items as needed. Co-owner, irrepressible and joy-filled Gwen Tucker, prepared much of the food, especially the incredible roast beef brisket in a nonpareil au jus. The fresh fruit and veggies appetizers were the bomb, and the main menu - roast beef, turkey, ham, macaroni and cheese, green salad, rolls, greens, green beans, dressing - were served up with aplomb and guests were calling to talk about the food the following day. I had to hurry and put aside some of my favorites before they were either eaten up or snatched up by partygoers! The peach cobbler for dessert had tongues smacking and wagging simultaneously and multiple trips to the cobbler pan were witnessed.

Tucker's Catering is already in demand in the Oakland area and with good reason. They returned the following day to help with cleanup and remove their equipment, and the Tucker Sisters proved not only to be superb cooks and caterers, but delightful party planners as well. Their reputation is well earned and my freezer is testimony to delicious leftovers to be served in the future.

But don't take my word for it. Check them out for yourself. You can reach Eunice Tucker at 510-632-1621 or 510-866-4571 and Gwen Tucker at 510-299-1149.

Don't sleep on this! You deserve food this scrumptious to be served at your function. They are well worth their extremely affordable rates for homecooked goodness and party panache.

Dining Out in Puerto Vallarta: Epoca and VallarTako

2008-06-08T16:28:00.000-07:00

Spent a week in Puerto Vallarta, tropical, humid and gorgeous, my first time to Mexico, surprising considering how close it is to California. We stayed at the Hacienda Spa and Hotel, a wonderful resort about a five dollar taxi ride from el centro and zona romantica where all the action is. I felt like I was staying at the Ponderosa! The included meals were surprisingly good, and the staff was gracious, accomodating and helpful, especially Arturo, who actually wrote down movie theatres, addresses and such for me when I asked about them.

Even though our meals were included, we had to venture out and try some of the restaurants raved about in the guidebooks and a couple we happened upon. In the former category, Daiquiri Dicks did not disappoint, with terrific shrimp appetizers, fish tacos and a fabulous fish sandwich.

In the latter category, Epoca was a real standout. Just over the Vallarta bridge to zona romantica, we sat at a table right on the beach on the edge of the world with waves crashing inches away yet never getting us wet. Torches blazing, balladeer singing "Guantamera" to us, the atmosphere could not have been more perfect and then the food came. It was beyond delicious all the way into one of the best restaurant meals I have ever eaten. I had the sea bass on a potato cake bed, perfection on a plate, and my friend's chicken made me wish I'd ordered a second main course. It was that good. The crab cake appetizers were scrumptious as well and the service above reproach.

We happened upon VallarTako on a day of back street shopping and vowed to return the next day for lunch. Turns out it was only their second day of business according to the delightful manager, Andrea, but if our visit is any indication, they will be open forever. The lachambres, tacos and quesadillas we wolfed down like we had no bottom were savory, tasty and pretty darn addictive. I'm sure there will be a whole chain of VallarTakos in Andrea and company's future. They are that good.

DIANA ROSS & BRITNEY SPEARS: They've Still Got It!

2007-11-04T10:17:00.001-08:00

I saw Diana Ross in Santa Rosa last night and she looks amazing and sounds like she is in her twenties. I don't know what she's doing healthwise, but she needs to keep on doing it, because she put on a seamless, near perfect show comprised of classic hits from her Supremes and Diana Ross songbooks, and did a superb jazz set that would have gone on longer if an electronic glitch hadn't stopped the show cold at the end of a jawdropping "Don't Explain." The smokin' band pumped and percolated on megaversions of Motown classics like "My World Is Empty Without You" and "Love Child," and the ecstatic audience was reduced enmasse to tears during "Touch Me in the Morning." She changed costumes four times and mugged and grinned like a little girl throughout. Diana Ross assured us that, yes, she still loves us and yes, she has still got it!

For those expecting the Britney Spears record to be a dreadful debacle, "Blackout" is out and, surprise! It is simply the best, most consistent dance-pop record in ages, even better than Madonna's brillliant "Confessions on the Dance Floor" because it is all pop perfection, no pedantic preaching. One of the tunes, "Piece of Me," takes on fame, the papparazzi and her reputation with a chorus that goes, "I'm Mrs. Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous, I"m Mrs. Ohmygod that Britney shamus; I'm Mrs. extra dextra this just in, I'm Mrs. she's too big, now she's too thin" and makes it addictive. Right now, I have to listen to this CD and particularly that song on a daily basis, and that is real rare for me. Excellent excellent excellent and, yes, Britney has still got it!

MORE GORE: Lesley Gore on Hullabaloo, 1965, Part Two

2007-10-19T11:44:00.001-07:00

It was quite a show, with Trini Lopez hosting and Dionne Warwick appearing as well, and evidently Lesley, Trini and Dionne did some kind of medley together. I wish I'd seen the entire episode. A clip from it can be found on the A&E Biography, "Lesley Gore: It's Her Party" showing her singing "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows," and the other number she did, "All of My Life," is floating around on Lesley Gore bootlegs and with good reason. It is a stunning performance.

MORE GORE: Lesley Gore on Hullabaloo, 1965, Candid Photos, Part One

2007-10-19T11:40:00.001-07:00

Lesley Gore: Princess of Song, Then and Now

2007-09-22T18:28:00.000-07:00

I've been a Lesley Gore fan since the mid-1960s when she was all over radio, tv, film and stage as America's Princess of Song. Lesley Gore not only informed and inspired, my musical dreams, she encouraged me to pursue them. I've met her many times and I have incredible stories and memories to share. They will, however, wait for other entries. In the meantime, I would be remiss if I didn't share these photos I found today of Lesley Gore then and now. The two photos from early 1965 were taken at a taping of "Hullabaloo," the NBC pop music program, and show her performing shortly after winning the Cash Box, Record World and Music Business awards as the Number One Female Vocalist of the Year. In the photo with the dancers, she is doing her classic "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows" and in the other, she is delving deep into her brilliant and criminally overlooked ballad, "All of My Life." The other photo was taken three days ago at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, New York City, where she headlined the opening concert season of Joes Pub in the Park and sang all of her classic hits as well as the jazz and alterna-pop she is celebrated for today.

Britney Spears 2007: A Dissenting Opinion

2007-09-12T21:45:00.001-07:00

I liked Britney Spears' performance on the MTV awards the other night. I thought she looked great, very sexy and cute and funny, and her dancing, while more tentative than in the past, was still on point. The song, "Gimme More," is relentlessly addictive and looks like it will be a hit. I've also heard the ten or so songs that have been leaked online recently. Some are said to be outtakes from 2006 recording sessions, some may be b-sides for the new project, due in November, but I like them, too. Britney Spears still has it. Opening the VMAs, she provoked so much comment and discussion that it quickly became obvious. She still has our attention.

LIKE A DREAM: Chrisette Michele Has It Her Way at Virgin San Francisco

2007-09-12T21:15:00.000-07:00

23 year old Long Island girl, Chrisette Michele, walked past me to the elevator to the fourth floor in the San Francisco Virgin Megastore where she had been scheduled to perform a free set at 3 PM on Wednesday, September 12, 2007. I was browsing Pop Collections as she, her companion and a Virgin representative entered the elevator talking about a long flight from Chicago. I thought to myself, "I think that's Chrisette Michelle" and looked at my watch. 4:40 PM, and it would be another thirty minutes until the performance began. By then, the patient crowd of five had swelled to twenty-five, most of whom were familiar with Michele's Def Jam debut, "I Am," and were loudly enthusiastic and appreciative. By the end of the first song of her mercilessly brief three song set, "Like A`Dream," all present recognized we were in the presence of musical greatness. The next pop/jazz/r&b superstar has arrived, and a year from now Virgin won't be able to hold all her fans.

Chrisette Michele has it all: songwriting talent par excellence (every cut on her CD is flat-out superb), incredibly fluid and athletic voice with great range, looks, personality and ability to connect musically with an audience. "Let's Rock" was greeted with shouts and handclaps, and it was clear that what Antonio Reid and Babyface saw, and Nas et al were eager to have on their records, is ready for primetime.

She won't have long to wait.

KEYSHIA COLE AT MEZZANINE: We Got Our Heart Back!

2007-09-08T12:44:00.000-07:00

Mezzanine was packed to the rafters and beyond on Friday, September 7, 2007 when Keyshia Cole took the stage roundabout 11:30 PM. We had waited through 4 (!!!) opening acts, including superb diva-in-training Diesel and three excellent young male r&b acts who had uniformly strong tracks and songs (brilliant J. Holiday; hey bebe smoker Ray Lavender; livewire J. Valentine) and who each veered awfully close to male stripper territory. The crowd was pumped and ready when hometown (Oakland!) homegirl Keyshia Cole and her explosive band, two hard workin' backup singers and two crazy creative dancers finally arrived and set Mezzanine on fire.

Last time we saw Cole, at The Grand in San Francisco more than a year ago, she was still riding the wave of her debut CD, "The Way It Is," the best soul record of the past several years, and she came across as the ghetto girl next door with the powerhouse voice and female-friendly point of view. In 2007, she has morphed into an arena-ready big time performer, armed with the voice, moves and adorable personality that will no doubt charm and disarm hordes of new fans once her new record, "Just Like You," drops September 25. She did one of her new songs, "Got My Heart Back," and it proved as sturdy and unforgettable as all the songs on her first record are. She did a medley of covers which included "I'm Goin' Down" (is that now mandatory for up and coming soul sisgters to perform?), but otherwise she stuck to her first album songbook and astonished and amazed her audience with a thrilling performance. Yes, she can sing her ass off, yes, she has strong stories to tell about young romance, and yes, she has become even prettier than when she first emerged. But now she is thoroughly professional, totally ready to take over the throne of hip hop queen. We got our heart back when Keyshia Cole returned to the scene.

ART'N SOUL IN DOWNTOWN OAKLAND WITH KIM SULLIVAN, JEFFREY OSBORNE AND REGINA BELLE!!

2007-09-03T18:40:00.000-07:00

It was a hot summer day in downtown Oakland, perfect Labor Day weather for the annual Art and Soul Festival. City Center was shut down and blocked off for blocks in several directions, and a mere $10 admission fee granted access to excellent clothes and crafts and art booths; delicious and varied food; and superb live entertainment ranging from a blues stage to a world stage to a latino stage to a hip hop dj spinning hot hits while kids danced on the stage in front of him. My longtime New York City friend, Kim Sullivan, had a layover in the Bay Area, so we met at 12th Street BART and did the festival together. We had a ball walking around, catching up, shopping and enjoying the mellow, friendly crowd. Early in the afternoon we caught a few songs by Pieces of a Dream, the jazz supertrio, featuring soul-jazz vocaliste par excellence, Regina Belle, and they played and sang their hearts out.

Later we had a terrific cement picnic in the sun with lunches from Ribs N Things, a Hayward eatery. Kim had hot links, honey yams and red beans and rice, and I opted for tri tip, potato salad and macaroni and cheese. Scrumptious! And the fruit punch was the best we'd ever tasted. We think it may have been the grenadine at the bottom of the glass. We laughed, noshed and relaxed, then made our way to the Main Stage for several numbers by soul-pop balladeer, Jeffrey Osborne, who did elongated versions of his hits like "Back In Love Again," "Love Ballad" and an incendiary take on "The Woo Woo Song" with enthusiastic and occasionally over the top audience participation. Osborne is a real crowd pleaser of a 70s old skool performer and had the audience eating out of his hands.

Too soon it was time to leave and get Kim back to BART so she could relax a bit before the flight home. Although she'd lived here for many years, this afternoon she got to see the fun and happy side of Oakland, courtesy of Art And Soul. We'll be back!

Hip Hop Night Out: Fabolous Chamillionaire and Mya at Mezzanine

2007-08-27T14:22:00.001-07:00

It was a wild night at Mezzanine, the premier South of Market San Francisco nightspot when New York city rap star Fabolous, r&b diva extraordinaire Mya and surprise guest Chamillionaire threw down at a rowdy, raucous hip hop party. The club was packed out with hip hop heads, and impresario/radio personality Big Von kept things moving with a couple of DJs playing crowd-pleasing hit after hit. The crowd most definitely came to party and party they did, shouting out the lyrics to the rap and hiphop standards at volumes that rivalled the rafter shaking bass lines. Mya took the stage about 90 minutes after the doors opened, and she is finer than ever, dancing, singing and seducing the crowd with her latest "Lock You Down" and "Ridin'," which whet our appetites for her forthcoming "Liberation" set, and working the crowd with some of her signature tunes like "Case of the Ex," "Fallin'," "If I Was Your Girl" and "It's All About You." The dancers and backup singers did their duty above and beyond the call, and left us begging for more.

Shortly after Mya exited, super surprise guest star, Chamillionaire, bounded onto the good-sized Mezzanine stage, unexpected and unannounced and thrilled the crowd with his hits, "Ridin'" and a preview of his upcoming "Ultimate Victory" CD, which drops September 18. Chamillionaire convinced the amazed audience that he has real star power with his brief and roof raising set.

At 12:10 AM, headliner Fabolous came on and did a blistering 25 minute set of truncated versions of several of his many pop hits, including his interpolation of Lesley Gore's "It's My Party," "This Is My Party" and a number of key cuts from his superb "From Nothin' to Somethin'" certified gold outing. Fabolous is one of the most underrated rap stars. He comes out with hit after hit and still is not typically listed among the rap giants, perhaps because he does so well on radio, or maybe because his flow elevates him past P Diddy, who wishes he could touch Fab's trouser cuffs. The set was brief, but exciting, and the price for a hot night of hiphop in one of San Francisco's best clubs, Mezzanine, was oh so right: $10. Top that!

Summertime Catch-Up: Lake Tahoe Getaway featuring Fergie and Angie Stone at the San Jose Jazz Festival

2007-08-26T14:21:00.000-07:00

Lamarr and I broke in the new Honda Fit by taking a road trip to Lake Tahoe. It is so beautiful there. We had a ball visiting with my brother, Joe, his wife Kathy, and my nieces, Catie, Karri, Annie and Amy on the day we arrived after checking in at our Tahoe standby, Motel Six. It's such a nice Motel Six and the price is right! When we arrived at the condo near the Heavenly gondola, Kathy was baking homemade cookies and prepping homemade ice cream which of course we got to sample. We had a wonderful visit followed by a bonus two days later when Joe and Kathy met us at Harrah's buffet for brunch. I don't think we shut up for three hours!

We saw Fergie at Harvey's Outdoor Arena and the crowd was fun and having a ball. Fergie was marvelous. Her years with Wild Orchid, Black Eyed Peas et al have seasoned her and she is a terrific performer, plus...she has the material! "Glamorous," "Fergalicious," the unavoidable "Big Girl Don't Cry" and all the excellent songs from her "Duchess" solo debut were performed. The only glitches were the power outages in the middle of two songs that slowed the momentum. But we came to party and party on we did! We ran into a number of randy and well-tanked ladies at the concert and afterwards and had mucho laughs.

Tahoe is so beautiful and in addition to playing on their little casino strip and shopping, we rode the Heavenly Valley gondola over the top of the mountain. I love that ride. It's expensive but so worth it for the view alone.

Then a couple of Friday nights ago, we drove down to San Jose for the opening of their annual San Jose Jazz Festival, three days when they shut down their downtown, put up 10 stages and countless food booths, and showcase some international and local jazz talents. It's a fabolous street party and San Jose does it so well. My brother, Don, and his fiancee, Jane, live a couple of blocks from the party zone, so we met them and traipsed over to the main stage to catch the opening night headliner, neosoul diva, Angie Stone. Lamarr and I have seen her several times and she is always good. She has really opened up her show to her fans, having several of them on stage for extended production numbers, and she did a number of her signature songs, including "I Wish I Didn't Miss You," her irrestible O-Jays interpolation with the classic line,"All you wanna do is smoke chronic" and "No More Tears." Lamarr got to say hi to Miss Stone when she left the stage through the chainlink fence. We're eager to hear her new stuff on Stax later this year.

After the show, we walked over to one of Don and Jane's favorite haunts, a New Orleans style restaurant/jazz club where the musicians played while we scarfed our shrimp po-boys and blackened chicken wings. A great visit and a wonderful summer night!

The Reed-Hampton Nuptials

2007-07-02T10:55:00.001-07:00

3:45 PM, Oakland City Hall Wedding Chapel, June 29, 2007.

I had the honor and privilege to attend the Timothy Reed and Alexander Hampton marriage ceremony, along with at least thirty other celebrants. Not only that, I had the thrill of being their official witness of record and got to sign the legal documents as such. That was humbling.

The bride, author Timothy Reed (the superb "Showing Out") was absolutely stunning and her new spouse, actor Alexander Hampton, was very dashing and debonair. It was so evident that these two young lovebirds were fated to tie the knot that their love literally filled the air. By the time Timothy tossed her bouquet and garter belt, there was nary a dry eye in the house.

Kudos to the presiding justice of the peace for a beautiful and sensitive job on this overwhelmingly joyous occasion.

And best congratulations to the happy couple, Timothy Reed-Hampton and Alexander Hampton! You are truly inspirational and the sky is the limit for you two!!

THE LOST ONE: Lauryn Hill at The Paramount

2007-06-28T17:16:00.001-07:00

I was among the many disgruntled, disappointed Lauryn Hill fans who witnessed her disastrous concert at The Paramount in Oakland last night. The crowd was up and excited, and the opening act, Jupiter Rising, was game and enthusiastic. We particularly enjoyed the beat box stylings of the male leader, and the female vocalist did well. I remember thinking, she's good, but she's no Lauryn - yet. Little did I know...

At least I already knew based on Hill's history that this show was going to be a crap shoot. I surmised that she might be off the wall as she's been for years, or maybe, just maybe, since she was booked into such an illustrious and prime venue as The Paramount, she was tipping her toes into the waters of a full-fledged comeback. Hoping against hope, I fantasized that she would mix rousing new material with crowd pleasing renditions of the songs people still venerate her for.

I was half right. She did mix new material with old, both of which were only very occasionally recognizable. We waited two and a half hours for her to appear, staggering onto the stage in an outfit that looked like a Santeria/Pentecostal mash up, a big and untidy red afro, and a black kerchief to wipe off the buckets of sweat.

And then there was her most alluring accoutrement, her voice - except that her voice was barely even there. She shouted, she yelled, she chanted in an admittedly raspy shadow of the voice Lauryn Hill fans have cherished for a long long time now. At one point, she calmed down long enough to do a tender "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," and she did a competent job with it, although half the time we were holding our breath praying she would hit the notes accurately. Her voice has changed. It's no longer the supple, mesmerizing instrument it once was. That's sad, but that's the nature of pop - ephemeral, fleeting. And we all age and our voices change.

Life changes us and it shows in our faces, our spirits and, yes, our voices. Lauryn Hill gave a coherent explanation of why she has changed and what she has been through and it was hands down the high point of her show. She had me with her all the way right then. She had me riveted with her honesty, and, in a way, her show was brutally honest about where she is at. She says she is sober, but then she falls flat on her back in the middle of a song. Sobriety does change you, and the transformation is often messy and unruly, and Lauryn Hill at The Paramount may well be cogent testimony to that very fact.

The crowd booed her and two-thirds of them exited the theatre in hordes before her show was half over. Much as I am in agreement with their dissatisfaction, I was put off by the loud boos nearly drowning out the ridiculously high volumed band. I guess there cannot be much confusion over how they felt, or whether Oakland will accept a show of this (lack of) caliber.

I still love Lauryn Hill and I still miss her. I saw her last night, and I'm still missing her today. I wish her nothing but good on her journey and I hope she makes it back to us. She is needed right here on earth, where her point of view is one which gets short shrift in the current cultural mix. We're still waiting on you, Lauryn!

Knocked Up: I Laughed So Hard Tears Started Falling Out Of My Eyes!

2007-06-23T11:59:00.001-07:00

Really! I heard this was funny but I wasn't ready for how hilarious it is, and sweet, and ridiculous, and crazy, and outrageous and tender. I loved the characters and all the actors, too. Great smart ultra contemporary writing and plot line. This might be one of those rare comedies that gets nominated for lots of awards.

LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS: AMY WINEHOUSE, JOSS STONE, LILLY ALLEN AND "GIRL GROUPS, GIRL CULTURE"

2007-06-20T13:44:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading Jacqueline Warwick's "Girl Groups, Girl Culture," a text book in the making about the influence of the girl groups of the early-to-mid 1960s on their female audience, and how the singer's images and songs subtly prepared them for the sweeping social changes of the near future, including women's liberation and extreme role differences. While the book is a bit dry at times and reads like an elongated thesis, Warwick does have the power of conviction in her point of view, and it is fun to read her analysis of he Marvelettes, Ronettes, et al. She makes a strong case for reevaluating this brilliant and often trivialized era of music and raising it to the heights it deserves.

I wonder what Ronnie Spector thinks about British soulster Amy Winehouse's music. I read an interview with Ronnie in the New York Times where she said she was leafing through a magazine and came across a photo of Winehouse and, not wearing her glasses, thought it was herself and got real excited. Winehouse does appropriate The Ronettes' look and her producer, Mark Ronson, apes and updates the girl group sound for her second CD, "Back to Black" as immediate and arresting a record as has been released this year. Her UK debut, "Frank," while jazzier and a somewhat better vocal showcase, initiated the often blunt bordering on profane stance of this exciting, fresh and thrilling new talent.

Also a real aural treat and also from the UK is Lilly Allen, a decent singer, fabulous songwriter and real voice for urban females on her debut, "Alright, Still." Her lyrics are quite amazing and her melodies draw on hip hop as well as Europop, with plenty of girl group references thrown into the mix. I love her record as well.

Allen and Winehouse have very different voices, but one element they appear to have in common is brutal honesty. Joss Stone, on the other hand, while unquestionably a superb soul singer, seems to fall short in that area. Her albums have been polite showcases for her old school R&B sound, and the coaching from Betty Wright and Angie Stone has borne some serious fruit. Joss' current CD, shimmeringly produced by beau Raphael Saadiq, is chock full of Aretha Franklin styled grooves and Stone pulls them off. Much of the material is quite horny, and I guess that is representative of a young Hollywood starlet, but there is a sameness to most of "Introducing Joss Stone" (our third intro, by the way) that causes the record to slip into the background.

Joss Stone, Lilly Allen, Amy Winehouse, three white women from the UK who are conquering the US airwaves and music buyer's hearts, while genius African American singers and songwriters like Kelis and Fantasia languish here, relatively speaking, in terms of sales, media attention and airplay. This is just more of the status quo since the 1960s, when Dusty Springfield and Lulu slavishly imitated black singers and morphed themselves into big international careers, followed by Lisa Stansfield and countless others. I wonder just what that really means...

Da Big Apple, Da Final Day

2007-06-18T12:24:00.001-07:00

Our final day in the Big Apple was another sweltering one. We hopped on the subway after our morning coffee and made our way to the World Trade Center and paid our respects and said a prayer, and then ventured to the South Street Seaport, to look at the ships, shops and the Brooklyn Bridge. Maybe we'll walk across it next time! From there it was a record shop hunt in Greenwich Village that yielded no new goodies, a visit to Starbucks and the best White Chocolate Frappacino I've ever tasted, courtesy of superb barrista, Shavon (that girl gets a commendation!) before a quick chow down on some chicken tenders and wings at a decent fast food chicken house.

We met Kim Sullivan, a longtime friend from Oakland who relocated back to NYC recently, in the Milford Plaza lobby. It was wonderful to see Miss Kim. She looks as pretty as ever and kept us laughing as we journeyed to MOMA (Museum of Modern Art). Once there, it was like having our own personal docent, as she regaled us with fascinating tidbits about the various artists and their work, with plenty of conversational sidetrips catching us up on mutual acquaintances and friends. After doing MOMA, we rested in their sculpture garden and took advantage of the great photo ops there.

Too soon, it was time for us to return to our hotel and Kim to go visit her Mom. It just reminded us of how much we miss Kim, and what a treat it was to be able to spend time with her in NYC.

That evening we saw August Wilson's final play, the 10th in a 10 play cycle, "Radio Golf," with Harry Lennix and a glowing if underused Tonya Pinkins (hadn't see her since "Caroline, Or Change"). It started slow and stodgy but turned out to be moving and poignant, sparking thoughts about politics, ambition and the nature of friendship.

Still no meat strombolis at Ray's, so we settled for a big slice of pizza and a meatball roll each (delicioso!) and stopped at the deli for two more slabs of cheesecake. Sated in every way, our senses bludgeoned to the max, we packed our bags and fell asleep easily.

Saturday morning our car arrived a bit early and we got to the airport two hours ahead of our departure time, only to learn our flight time had been changed to two hours earlier and we were told was already gone! The next plane to Oakland was scheduled for 4 PM. We were frustrated and tensed out, but we waited in line for the ticket agent, who, after chastising us for not printing out our boarding passes on the nearby machines (who knew?), told us the plane was late and if we ran, we just might make it, even if our luggage did not.

It was like a scene out of the Keystone Kops as we raced across the airport, through security, hopped on a shuttle and made it to the Gate to wait in line 20 minutes before boarding. When we got to Oakland (an hour early, mind you), our luggage arrived with us.

We had to go see Kevin Costner's serial killer "Mr. Brook" to celebrate. It was excellent.

And, way too soon, our summer adventure was over, and I was back to work, trying to make some dollars for the next trip...

NYC, DAY 3

2007-06-14T14:05:00.001-07:00

Day Three in the Big Apple started out with a brisk walk in the sweltering heat to Times Square for coffee and internet at our favorite coffee shop before heading to the subway to journey uptown to see the Metropolitan Museum. We stood outside the subway entrance, enjoying our coffee and the unending entertainment provided by the people rushing by. When I was entering the subway turnstile, I swiped my Metro Card in the card reader and a kid came pushing behind and past me, attempting to enter the underground system by using my card swipe. Alas, it didn't work, despite his yelled commands for me to "Swipe it again! Swipe it again!" A little shaken, Lamarr and I went back upstairs to walk around Times Square for twenty minutes until the card readers would accept my card again.

Transit drama seemingly behind us, we proceeded to Harlem so Lamarr could purchase some shoes he had his eye on yesterday. Shoes in hand, we got back on the (wrong) train, got off past our stop because it was an Express, got back on the same train going in the opposite direction, realized we were on the wrong train altogether and were pleasantly surprised to find several native New Yorkers more than willing and happy to help us find our way to the Met. They were so nice! In fact, other than our hotel desk clerks, everyone we dealt with in NYC was extraordinarily warm and friendly. However, next time I will remember to put on my bifocals when I am trip-planning!

The Met was jam packed with folks, some on their lunch hours escaping the heat, others enroute to lunch in the adjacent Central Park. I love the Met. We spent most of our time in the Egyptian exhibit. I don't know why old Egyptian artifacts, mummies, etc. fascinate me so, but they do. We had a ball exploring those rooms and playing around in the temple by the reflecting pool, taking photos and me playing Hercules Unchained with the temple pillars. Some Japanese tourists were so amused by my clowning, they had me take photos of them pretending to push the temple down!

Lunch was at a spot in Times Square named Ruby Foo, recommended by my friend, Saundra Henry. She especially touted the shrimp and lobster egg rolls, which were good. We also ordered a gang of sushi for our big food splurge of the trip. Ruby Foo had a marvelous atmosphere, all reds and golds and Buddhas and triphop playing in the background. It was expensive but decent, and a welcome respite from the midday heat. They were filming a rap video outside the curtained windows which we snuck peeks at from time to time.

That evening we made it to Broadway to see our girl, Fantasia Barrino, starring in Oprah Winfrey's production of one of my all time favorite books and movies, the musical version of "The Color Purple." Fantasia can act! The play was phenomenal, moving, rousing and tear-inducing. Hey! I'll cry if I want to! Highly recommended to anyone visiting NYC or in the Bay Area when the play comes here next season.

After the show we walked over to Rockefeller Center and viewed the September 11 photo memorial projected on the side of a building as well as the golden statue adorning what in winter is the ice rink, but in summer is an alfresco dining spot. From there we headed back to our favorite, Ray's Pizza, for strombolis, but they were sold out of the sandwiches, so we opted for popcorn shrimp and hot pastrami from the deli near there. Back at the hotel, we happily devoured our late supper and fell asleep, getting our rest for our last day in Manhattan.

New York City, Day 2

2007-06-13T14:24:00.000-07:00

Okay, back to the summer vacation. I got a little side-tracked by the here and now. So, Day 2, New York City, steamin' hot, low 90s, lotsa walkin' and subway ridin'. First stop, Harlem, for breakfast at Sylvia's (fried chicken and eggs with their famous biscuits; I give it a solid B, good breakfast, unremarkable biscuits) and then sightseeing (Apollo) and clothes-shopping, primarily at Modells, where both of us found a lot to add to our closets.

Next stop, Canal Street and Chinatown, where we strolled around, window shopping, buying $5 "designer" shades and an extra piece of luggage which was badly needed for the return flight. From there it was back uptown to the Guggenheim, which is undergoing a facelift which rendered the incredible outside of the building unviewable and an indoor renovation that had most of the gallery space empty. They did have a disco dance floor installed, and we had fun dancing around there and taking photos.

That night we saw "Bill W and Doctor Bob," an off-Broadway play held at New Stages West, a former cineplex now home to theatres and party spaces. "Altar Boyz" and "Naked Boys Singing" were also being done there, as well as a record release party for r&b starlet, Rihanna. Her new record sounded great!

"Bill W and Doctor Bob" was wonderful, a faithful and dramatic retelling of events in the Big Book, with some focus on the wives, Lois and Ann, and the seed planted with them that eventually flowered into Alanon. It was moving and potent, with outstanding performances all around. I'm sure they had to mop the area around my first row seat as my tears flowed with true copiousness!

WITH NO ONE AS WITNESS

2007-06-12T01:20:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth George writes excellent mysteries and this is the best one I've read yet. It follows two London police detectives, Lynley and Havers, as they track down a serial killer, and George turns a seemingly routine thriller plot into a stunning tour de force that had me fighting back tears in the last few chapters. I just learned that PBS has done some shows featuring the two detectives. I'm curious to see how tv does these outstanding characters, so richly detailed that they seem real people. Highest recommendation.

ERYKAH BADU AT HARMONY FESTIVAL/CAR ACCIDENT

2007-06-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

We travelled up to Santa Rosa to the Harmony Festival on Saturday to see Erykah Badu. The Harmony Festival is an annual three day event where aging hippies and new jack hippies come together for three days of music, camaraderie, a lot of weed and psychedelic ingestion, tribal dances, tons of new age vendors and some outstanding live music on several stages. The crowd was colorful and off the chain in their apparel choices and they kept us entertained as we walked around the Sonoma County Fairgrounds where the festival was held. We even got to see pop folk jazz chanteuse Rickie Lee Jones sing the last song of her set, and she looked and sounded terrific.

Erykah Badu is one of the finest singers, songwriters and performers we have working today, and she enthralled the crowd with a 90 minute set which opened with a new song, the anthemic "Hip Hop Is...," and continued on through career highlights like "On and On," a poignant "Other Side of the Game," a surprising "Green Eyes" and "Penitentiary Philosophy," a rousing old school hip hop medley ranging from Slick Rick to Grandmaster Flash, and including crowd pleasing turns on her hits, "Tyrone" and "Love of My Life." She came right into the audience and has us singing with her on "Bag Lady," and she held the microphone right in front of Lamarr as he sang along with her. Now that was a thrilling moment - the first collaboration between Skarlo Paine and Erykah Badu. Out of this world!

Unfortunately, minutes after leaving the parking lot enroute to the freeway, a teenager ran a red light and smashed into my silver Saturn, rendering it possibly totalled. Thank God for my sister Cathy, who lives in Santa Rosa, and came and got us, and the wonderful police officers who aided us, as well as the four (!!) witnesses who stayed to give statements backing us up. We'll need them as the kid is claiming his light was green, not ours. I remembered this morning to thank my Higher Power for this experience, even though it feels awful. I don't know where it is leading and I'm keeping faith.

Gratitude. Now that's a concept Erykah Badu would definitely agree with.

BOTTOMS

2007-06-08T14:02:00.000-07:00

There are as many ways to reach your bottom as there are people to reach them. And there are many different kinds of bottoms. Speaking from experience. Losing my job, car, housing, friends, family, self-respect, dignity, all sense of ease and even belonging in the world over and over again were not enough until I'd had enough.

And when I was ready, it was on.

Didn't realize I would continue to reach bottoms in areas of my life that had to do with my thinking and attendant behaviors, and it has taken me years to understand that bottoms are gifts.

I'm just sayin'...

NEW YORK CITY: DAY ONE

2007-06-07T10:40:00.000-07:00

The Peter Pan Bonanza Bus ride to New York City took about five hours and deposited us at the Port Authority, which was .2 miles from our hotel, The Best Western Convention Center. That translated into six long New York city blocks in humid, sweltering 90 degrees plus heat with multiple pieces of luggage. But we eventually made it to the hotel. Good thing, because we would be making that trek quite a few times over the next four madcap, fast-paced days.

The less said about our hotel, the better. If you want to read about our lodging experience, you can find more info here:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d235228-r7751297-Best_Western_Convention_Center_Hotel-New_York_City_New_York.html

As soon as we'd changed, it was out the door and to Times Square, minds reeling from all the people and electronic stimuli. We were on a mission to find Ray's Pizza and mangia mangia some of their awesome strombolis and meatball rolls. Somehow we found it in the midst of all the mayhem and chowed down on our best New York City meal. We love Ray's Pizza. We stopped in there twice more, both times after the theatre, and they were already sold out of their amazing meat strombolis. You know what that means! We have to go back to New York City!

We stopped for a photo op at the Brill Building, 1619 Broadway, where most of the classic girl group songs I love so much were composed by songwriters like Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Barry Mann, Mark Barkan, Artie Wayne, Ben Raleigh, etc. As I posed at the door, a mother and daughter walked by and the mother realized what I was doing and gave me a huge grin. I knew she understood.

That night we rode the subway down to Chelsea and hiked around that area. It was our first time there and we loved it. It's where the boys are, for sure, and the nightclubs and restaurants were jam packed. Next we hit Greenwich Village, which was not as seedy as it was last visit (2004) but has yet to reclaim its glory days as the center of Big Apple gay life, but is picturesque in its own faded way.

Exhausted, we trudged back to the hotel with a snack for a good night's sleep, looking forward to Day Two.

Two Days in Cape Cod

2007-06-06T13:38:00.000-07:00

So there we were, catching a jetblue redeye into Boston enroute to Cape Cod, the first visit for both of us. Our hosts, Linda and Michael Gillespie, had been inviting us for several years and I couldn't turn down the $99 airfare, so I figured this must be a sign: time to go to Cape Cod! And, as long as we're so close, a few days in Manhattan would be just the ticket.

We arrived in Boston just in time to catch the P&B bus to Barnstable, which would have been perfect except that we missed our stop and got off in Hayannis instead and had to grab a taxi back to it. Michael G was there waiting for us in all his glory and, after picking up a Dunkin Donuts coffee (why is their coffee so highly rated? beats me!), he gave us a wonderful introductory tour of his area of the Cape in all its beaches and ocean grandeur. We when escorted to their house, an amazingly outfitted two story Cape Cod original, complete with sun porch, gazebo, deck and perfect little touches inside and out.

After a wonderful lunch on the beach at Hemisphere, joined by Mike's wife, Linda, and his delightful sister, Susan, we took a healthy hike to a lookout point called The Knob where the views were fantastic. Mike had been telling me for years of his gourmet talents, and at lobster dinner, his claims turned out to be understatement! What a fabulous meal. Two of their friends from volunteering in an AIDS organization were at dinner, also, and they were very interesting. Linda's apple pie and Mike's outrageous carrot cake were irresistible.

That night, Mike let Lamarr and I take one of their cars and drive to Provincetown, or P-Town as it is known to locals. The drive took about an hour and suddenly there we were in the middle of countless blocks of (mostly) gay men and women carousing and enjoying life. P-Town was awesome. It makes San Francisco's Castro Street look like a one-horse rest stop!

The next morning Mike and Linda prepared a delicious brunch, complete with crab and swiss omelette roll, fresh fruit and blueberry muffins. Post-brunch, Mike and I watched a video of Lesley Gore (a shared musical passion) singing "A Lot of Livin' to Do" and "When Sunny Gets Blue" on a 1967 Mike Douglas Show, which I loved. A trip to Chatham and a picturesque lighthouse on the beach followed, before taking in the film "Waitress" (okay) and going to Frostys for yet another scrumptious repast, this time lobster rolls and fish and chips. Mike went home and Lamarr, Linda, Susan and I went to Sundae School for homemade ice cream.

That night we just hung out and talked up a storm as we all had to get up early, them for work and us for the bus ride to NYC.

Wonderful whirlwind Cape Cod adventure! We loved it and we will be back!

Jim Allio and Lamarr Standberry On Vacation

2007-06-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe just a week ago at this time Lamarr and I were walking around Manhattan. We had a marvelous vacation in Cape Cod with the Gillespies and in the Big Apple seeing Broadway and off-Broadway plays, eating Rays Pizza strombolis and meatball rolls along with other deliciosities, shopping and walking all over that crazy town! More to come...

This photo is from the Guggenheim Museum across from Central Park. The museum is undergoing renovation and the art installations were skimpy, except for this crazy disco dance floor where you could dance to 50 Cent and take pictures. That was fun!

Bjork at Shoreline: The Pleasure Is All Ours

2007-05-21T11:12:00.000-07:00

Fantastic show, esoecially for hardcore Bjork fans. The focus was on intense, pulsating electronic balladry and Bjork's powerful, emotive voice. The material was primarily less accessible but superb songs from "Homogenic," "Vespertine," et al, interspersed with the excellent new "Volta" material, opening with a chugging "Earth Intruders." Lots of colorful characters in the audience and plenty of flava, too! Classic dance hitmaker Bjork didn't appear until the final few numbers, with a smoking "Army of Me" and the always undeniable "Hyperballad," my all-time favorite and evidently loved by many in attendance. The accompaniment and backing choir were flawless and the final encore of the incendiary "Declare Independence" sent us out into the chilled night with a roar. We needed the extra energy to deal with the Shoreline's horrific parking lot and its lack of a cohesive way out. One day they will have as many people guiding you out of the lot as they do showing you where to park.

Singing "evilshallowassways" at Laney

2007-05-12T12:09:00.000-07:00

So this past Tuesday my voice teacher, Lucy Kinchen, announced to our class of 60 or so voice students that she had some very talented class members that she wanted to impose upon to perform for the class. To my surprise, she began speaking about me, telling the class that I had a CD out and that I was a real poet and had my own style of singing and music and she wanted me to do one of my songs for the class. She also said my songs had strong messages that needed to be heard. I was so flattered. After class I asked her which song she wanted me to do, and I had surprise number two. She wanted me to do "evilshallowassways." This was unexpected because Ms. Kinchen leads a gospel chorale specializing in Negro spirituals and I just never thought that would be a song she liked but she said she loves it, so I agreed to do it.

Returning home, I searched through stacks of tracks and found a CD copy of the backing track for the song and began practicing it. Immediately I remembered what a challenge that song was. First, it is sung in a lower register than is normal for me. Second, it is all vocals over a dancey trancey beat and there is barely time to breathe throughout. I tried out different hand gestures and body movements for the performance and was satisfied that I was ready.

I called my producer and co-writer, Skarlo Paine, and he met me at Laney College on Thursday morning. When it came time for performance, Ms. Kinchen again big upped me and my project, saying the music was very avant garde with a lot of heart and passion. I felt ten feet tall hearing those complementary words from one of the most influential people in my entire life. We put the CD in the ancient CD player, went to Track 3 and the track began to play...and it skipped the intro and went straight past where I would begin to sing! We tried again, same thing. Someone in the class yelled out, "Hey, better late than never!" Of course they got jokes.

I introduced Skarlo in the audience and I just began singing right where the track was and the class wasn't ready for the inyourfaceness of the song but they were either smiling and nodding their heads or their mouths were hanging open. Not what many expected, no doubt, and my voice wasn't where I wanted it to be, but I just hung in, got into the song and the beat and the message and soared. It was nerve-wracking and fun at the same time. As I got to the final chorus repeat before the fade-out, the track stopped and went right into the next song. The class began clapping, someone shouted, "Now tell us how you really feel!" and I ended. I don't know who was more relieved, me or the class, but I did note Lucy Kinchen's facial expression. She was very proud and happy. That is good enough for me.

It was a great experience because I showed up and did it. Maybe everything didn't go perfectly, but I still sang my song, an authentic representation of who I am and I love the song. I am so honored that Ms. Kinchen asked me to perform it and I'm ecstatic that she likes my work enough to promote it in this way and give me a wonderful opportunity to bring it to an audience. And it definitely is what it is...

"The Hip Hop Project" A Superb Documentary That Really Touches A Chord

2007-05-11T23:27:00.000-07:00

The reviews were good. The premise was interesting: following a group of teenagers making a hip hop album and changing their lives, hopefully not "Fame" or "Let's Put On A Show Kids" for the new millenium. I love hip hop. So we made our way to the Emery Bay Theatres after a delicious and judiciously paced dim sum at Old Place on Grand Avenue in Oakland. But when I walked into the stadium styled movie house and discovered I was the only one there five minutes before showtime, I had to wonder. "Oh yeah," I thought, "We'll have a private screening!" A handful more patrons straggled in as the previews ran.

Then "The Hip Hop Project" began, and within minutes audience size and any other considerations were swept away by the sheer power of this superb documentary and the stories of the young artists it chronicles. The main protagonist is Bahamian-born Kazi, abandoned twice by his mother, homeless through much of his teenage years and rescued by a publicly funded arts school and mentoring by rap legend, Doug E. Fresh. Kazi overcomes his prodigious life obstacles and goes on to head up an arts school Hip Hop Project in New York City, with the goal of corralling talented teenagers and not only helping them get started in the music business, but teaching them integrity, ethics and compassion along the way. Lofty goals, and it is to Kazi's credit that he succeeds admirably with the two main youngsters profiled here, Cannon and Princess.

Cannon's mother has recently died of complications from multiple sclerosis and Princess has endured an abortion that has left her torn and troubled as well as the incarceration of her father on drug charges. Kazi helps them to put their pain in their music and transcend the drugs, hos, cars and money cliches rampant in today's gangsta dominated hip hop and the results are thrilling. The journey from establishing the school through the individual triumphs and growth is riveting, and none as much as Kazi's own courageous self-confrontation when he reconnects with the mother who threw him away and makes an honest effort to begin a new relationship, as well as his struggle to establish his own artistic identity and his budding romance with a stunning and smart music industry mover.

Bruce Willis and Russell Simmons make appearances supporting the project, and there is a fundraiser at an uptown party full of gay men and society women that ended up being surprisingly sweet. I found myself identifying strongly with all three main artists as they pursued their dreams, creating music that honestly reflects what they are going through and following their vision through to a finished product. I was moved to tears at several points in this amazing film and felt very connected to what was going on by dint of the fact that I have just recently completed a similar journey with my own CD.

As we left the theatre, I turned to Skarlo Paine and said, "Makes you wanna set up the recording equipment again and get busy, doesn't it?" He agreed, adding that I had just put out my record. His came out in 2005. But I can still write towards it!

Skarlo Paine's "Distorted Melodies" A Preview of Things to Come

2007-04-21T23:51:00.000-07:00

Skarlo Paine is one of my very favorite songwriters, singers and producers and created one of my all-time favorite recordings, the stunning "Distorted Melodies." It's a moody, percolating sonic journey that never fails to reveal new layers of meaning and emotion to me no matter how often I listen to it. Paine's beats are fresh and innovative; his soundscapes keep me noddin' my head and getting lost in the music; his vocals are intricate and very, very smart; and his songs are original and progressive. He calls his music triphopsoul and it is an excellent tag for his amazing work. I was honored to be asked to co-write and sing one song on his record, "Help Me," which grew out of times we spent riding around in my car and listening to new tracks he'd fashioned which I riffed over and ultimately turned into the song. You can find his music on cdbaby.com or myspace.com and other sites.

Our initial forays into recording together led to a full collaboration on my own CD, "Better Late Than Never," and it was a real thrill working with him. I've had the privilege of sneak previewing his new material and, believe me, it will be worth the wait. He is growing by leaps and bounds as a songwriter, singer and producer and the results will be heard sometime soon.

http://groups.msn.com/PresentingSkarLo

http://myspace.com/distortedmelodies

Listen to Demos

2007-03-10T15:07:00.000-08:00

To hear demos for three of the songs on "Better Late Than Never," go here:

http://myspace.com/aheyheynow

Enjoy!

Cesar and "The Host"

2007-03-09T23:52:00.000-08:00

Quick! Name two words that link the two items in this post's title. Hint: the third photo, of me at a sidewalk trattoria in an alley in Venice, preparing to devour my own personal prosciutto crudo pizza. You guessed correctly! The two words are Healthy Appetite!

You bring a healthy appetite to Cesar, a marvelous eatery on Piedmont Avenue my sister, the writer Marianne Lonsdale, took me to recently for my birthday lunch. We had some extremely savory tapas, including a mint and lamb sandwich, and a platter of smoked meats to die for, as well as some thick cut spicy sauced fried potato wedges. The menu definitely warrants further exploration. Cesar lives up to its reputation.

And then there's "The Host," the Korean sci-fi flick with the Bush administration critique subtext, without a doubt the best monster movie in years. Lotsa jumps and scares, lotsa laughs and mucho heart, too, and the locally designed monster is fascinating and convincing. And his appetite is...healthy. Trust and believe.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

2007-03-07T14:39:00.000-08:00

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

Words & Music by Jim Allio & Lamarr Standberry

Thought I'd missed the boat
Thought it sailed without me
Missed the punchline of the joke
While people laughed around me

Thought I was too late
Thought time's up was my fate
When much to my surprise
The door opened wide

Life welcomed me, welcomed me, heyeyeayeah
Life welcomed me, welcomed me, oh yeah yeah
Better, better late than never
Better, better late than never
Better, better late than never
Better, better late than never

Thought I held the joker in the deck
Used to a messy emotional wreck
Baby boomer, late bloomer
Happened later rather than sooner

Life welcomed me, welcomed me
Life welcomed me, welcomed me
Better, better late than never
Better, better late than never
Better, better late than never
Better, better late than never

Coffee from Peets and an iced maple scone
Watching Lesley Gore from the second row
Jogging 'round the Lake, it's a date
Then we'll stop by Bake...sale Bettys

Chillin' in the condo, hangin' out at Bimbo's
Best seats for The Roots
Feel so good, feel so loose
After hours with Slum and Dwele
Drivin' home from LA
Friends do a slow burn
Eiffel lunch at Jules Verne
Vegas, Paris, London
New York, Rome and then some

Better, better late than never...

Copyright 2007 2-5 Music and whitchoc38 Music

Musiq Soulchild At The Independent: Still Your B-U-D-D-Y

2007-03-05T23:32:00.000-08:00

He came on stage twenty minutes late and twenty minutes into his set announced he would have to cut his show short to catch a plane to New York City. There were problems with the sound and with his ear monitors. He did a lot of talking and, on the hits, often just held the microphone towards the audience so they could do the work of actually singing the songs. There was a gamely performed but superfluous fifteen minute tribute to Rick James, Gerald Levert and James Brown - this from a man who in his first three albums could have filled up an entire performance with nothing but neo-soul classics. He danced some and shook hands, hugged and high fived as many of his ecstatic fans as he could reach from the stage, and he mugged for hundreds of digital cameras, cameraphones and camcorders. He did a medley of some of his hits, and full-on versions of a couple more. He actually included the biggest song from his underrated "Soul Star" album of a few years back, "Just for the Night," which he'd failed to do in his last local show at The Fillmore around the time of its release, and then led the audience in a singalong of the crazy creative title song.

It almost sounds like he was a disappointment. And yet...and yet...at times he sang like a reincarnated straight-up jazz singer, scatting and vocalesing his way through material that didn't realize it could be jazzified. His personality was winning and his showmanship superb. The term crowd-pleaser was invented for just such a performer as Musiq Soulchild. He teased the audience with promises of his current single, the summertime smash that is peaking in winter, the irresistible "Buddy," and even credited the inspiration for the song, the bass line from Taana Gardner's dancefloor giant, "Heartbeat."

It is in "Buddy" that the appeal of Musiq Soulchild has been distilled and finessed. He has always been our Buddy - the guy next door in love with the girl next door, hip, cool, but not too cool to be corny when it was called for, able to express the romantic dilemmas of that guy he portrays so well. Even when Musiq is trying to be a hard rock superstar (a hard on the ears metal show complete with audience dives at the Giftcenter one drizzly Valentines Day) or Vegas it up with the aforementioned tribute medley to fallen r&b stars, he remains knowable. Of course, the guy next door has rock star fantasies and, given the chance to live them out, he's gonna do it! Of course, despite the fact that he has written some of the most telling, candid, perceptive songs about modern romance of the past ten years, he doesn't want to be regarded as "soft." He's just like the guy next door, and underneath it all, still our Buddy.

Take Heart (Interlude)

2007-03-05T12:58:00.000-08:00

TAKE HEART (INTERLUDE)

Written by Jim Allio & Lamarr Standberry

Take heart, we're all in the same boat
Take heart, we're all in the same boat
Take heart, we're all in the same boat
This too will pass
This too will pass
This too will pass
This too will pass

"Zodiac" & "Daddy's Little Girls": The Best of Early 2007

2007-03-05T12:38:00.000-08:00

Without a doubt, my two favorite films so far this year are "Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls" and David Fincher's "Zodiac." Yes, I know Perry is sometimes critiqued for being obvious and sentimental, but I'm a schmaltzy guy at times and I find his melodramas packed with situations I can identify with, people I recognize from my own life, and emotions very close to the surface. "Daddy's Little Girls" does not feature Medea or any of his more stock characters, but this story of an auto mechanic (the magnificent Idris Elba) trying to wrest custody of his three daughters from his scandalous ex-wife and her drug dealing boyfriend with the grudging help of a corporate lawyer (add hysterically funny to Gabrielle Union's bursting resume). Packed with drama, solid bellylaughs and not a few tears, it also stars the McLain sisters as the hero's children and they are cuter than cute.

Totally different but equally engrossing, "Zodiac" tells the story of the San Francisco Bay Area's most notorious (and still uncaught) serial killer. Based on the book by San Francisco Chronicle cartoonist Robert Graysmith, it is fascinating, spooky and riveting. Although more than two and a half hours long, I did not want to miss one minute of this superbly acted film. Robert Downey, Jr., Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Chloe Sevigny, Brian Cox and Arthur Leigh Allen (creepy!!) more than hold the screen and the cinematography is superb. I was around when the Zodiac was sending his letters to local papers and committing murders, and remember how scary that time was, and director David Fincher captures the 1970s milieu brilliantly. This may well be among the very best films of the year when all is said and done.

IN MY RIDE

2007-03-01T09:55:00.000-08:00

IN MY RIDE

Written by Jim Allio & Lamarr Standberry

Think I'll drive into that wall

Thinkin' 'bout suicide in my ride

I think I'll drive into that wall

Think I'll drive into that wall

The car ahead of me

Swerves and hits that tree

Pop! Snap! Just like that!

It could be me

Is that man free?

Think I'll drive into that wall

Thinkin' 'bout suicide in my ride

Thinkin' bout suicide in my ride

Think I'll drive into that wall

This feeling came out of nowhere

Don't know why I wanna do it

Seems like there's nothing to it

(Do it, just do it)

Tired of the family, tired of my job

Tired of feeling like a loser and a slob

Sick of this depression and every 12 step session

Doctor, sponsor, clueless shrink

How in the hell do I stop the way I think

Think I'll drive into that wall

Thinkin' 'bout suicide in my ride

Think I'll drive into that wall

Jump off the building, it's the same feeling

Thinkin' bout suicide in my ride...

Be Still & Know

2007-02-28T11:23:00.000-08:00

BE STILL & KNOW

Words & Music by Jim Allio & Lamarr Standberry

When I'm lost and troubled and need a friend

Some gentle counsel, I go within

First I say thank you

Then I close my eyes

Then I just breathe

What's next is always a surprise

Be still & know

It's me I am

Be still & know

It's all in me

Be still & know

I find when I

Be still & know

It's an inside job

When I'm out of control and I've lost my way

When I don't know what to do or say

And I even forget how to pray

Grace pulls me back

Back to myself

Be still & know

It's me I am

Be still & know

It's all in me

Be still & know

I find when I

Be still & know...

SURRENDER

2007-02-26T11:04:00.000-08:00

SURRENDER

Words & Music by Jim Allio & Lamarr Standberry

I had to surrender to win
My defeat and my pain became my greatest assets
It's a paradox
What's done is done
It's in the past
So why do old feelings keep coming back?

Surrender

Copyright 2007 2-5 Music & whitchoc38 Music

BLUR

2007-02-22T13:51:00.000-08:00

BLUR

Words & Music by Jim Allio &
Lamarr Standberry

I was walking down the street

In the early morning fog

Heading for the Lake

To sit with Thich Nhat Hanh

When a man appeared before me

As I passed him, he said

"Happy Thanksgiving"

When I looked back, he was gone

Was it real, or waking dream?

The line between what we feel

And what we see

Combines to create our reality

And blur, blur, blur

The line between what we feel and what we see

Combines to create our reality

And blur, blur, blur

You left us much too soon

Think you were ready to go

I spoke at your memorial

Said I'd felt you in the wind

When I left your house,

I saw your station wagon

The driver turned, smiled and waved

And she drove up the hill

It was you, it was you

Was it real or waking dream?

The line between what we feel and what we see

Combines to create our reality

And blur, blur, blur

The line between what we feel and what we see

Combines to create our reality

And blur, blur, blur

evilshallowassways

2007-02-21T11:38:00.000-08:00

evilshallowassways

words & music by jim allio & lamarr standberry

You can't change your ways, your evilassways

You can't change the way you feel out of place

You can't change the way you feel so misplaced

In your soul, no control

You can't change the way, the way that you hate

You can't change that look, that look on your face

Always cloudy days

You can't change your ways, your evilassways

Stab me in my back

But yet you're still in my face

And when you feel so out of place

Then you cry and you whine and you try to turn it on me

When I don't react to your messy games

You turn into a bitch, a hatin' snitch

What's up with this?

Comin' through like a hurricane

Too bad you're full of pain

Tryin' to wipe out all my friends

When will all of this end?

Just as long as the world go round

You'll always be puttin' people down

You have grown into your ways

Your ugly evilshallowassways

You can't change your ways, your evilassways

You can't change the way you feel out of place

You can't change the way you feel so misplaced

In your soul, no control

You can't change the way, the way that you hate

You can't change that look, that look on your face

Always cloudy days

You can't change your ways, your evilassways

Why you try to be so fly

You can't even see your

evilshallowassways

Why you try to be so fly

You can't even see your

evilshallowassways

You can't change your ways, your evil ass ways...

Don't Ask

2007-02-19T12:03:00.000-08:00

DON'T ASK

Words and Music by Jim Allio & Lamarr Standberry

I learned it well, I'll never tell
I learned it well, I'll never tell
I learned it well, I'll never tell

Measure the cost, can't measure the cost
Measure the pleasure, measure the pain
Hide inside, hide from yourself
Hide from yourself and everyone else
Hide from yourself and everyone else

Don't ask, don't tell
Don't ask, don't tell
Don't ask, don't tell
Don't ask, don't tell

Wear your disguise, learn to pass
Avert your eyes, put on your mask
Don't need to know your name
It's just a game
There is no us
C'mon now, it's not that serious, no

Don't ask, don't tell
Don't ask, don't tell
Don't ask, don't tell
Don't ask, don't tell

Keeep it on the unda, don't let nobody know
Keep it on the low low, keep it on the low
Keep it on the unda, don't let nobody know
Don't let nobody know, don't let nobody know

Keep it on the unda, don't let nobody know
Keep it on the low, keep it on the low
Keep it on the unda, don't let nobody know
Keep it on the low, keep it on the low, oh

Don't ask, don't tell
Don't ask, don't tell
Don't ask, don't tell
Don't ask, don't tell

I learned it well, I'll never tell
I learned it well, I'll never tell

Gone Not Forgotten

2007-02-16T23:07:00.001-08:00

GONE NOT FORGOTTEN

Words and Music by Jim Allio

They said we deserve it
Said that's what you get
Put us all on Alcatraz
If they don't see us, they'll forget
That there were people here
Loved in a different way
But called it love anyway
Some of us are still here

Many gone, many gone
Many gone, gone, gone, gone, gone
Many gone, gone, gone, gone, gone
Many gone but not forgotten
But not forgotten

You said I could be somebody
You said I already was
Gave me space to chase my dreams
All for love, all for love
Then you ran wild and you got sick
Sat with you every day
I know I'll see you one fine day
I'm still here baby

Gone, gone, gone, gone, gone
Gone, gone, gone, gone, gone
Gone, gone, gone, gone, gone
But not forgotten
You're not forgotten

(Spoken) Many died, some lived on
We marched and talked, rode and walked
Let our voices ring
From all that pain and death and fear
All the time as a volunteer
Came visibility and freedom and hey!

There's no malice in the palace
There's people getting married here

Many gone, many gone
Many gone, gone, gone, gone, gone
Many gone, gone, gone, gone, gone
Many gone, but not forgotten
They're not forgotten

(Spoken) For every season of grief and sorrow
When the hand of God seems heavy and unjust
New lessons are learned
New resources uncovered
And we grow

Gone, gone, gone, gone, gone
Gone, gone, gone, gone, gone
Gone, gone, gone, gone, gone
But not forgotten
No, not forgotten

Copyright 2007 whitchoc38 music

Keep It To Yourself

2007-02-15T15:28:00.000-08:00

KEEP IT TO YOURSELF

Words and music by Jim Allio and Lamarr Standberry

I watch you walkin' in with you eyes so cold, oh so cold
Where do I begin?
You're comin' in by twos with your four by fours
Don't waste your breath tearin' other people down
You're thinkin' I won't guess
I can see it in the clouds
The moment that you walk away
It's me that's on blast
Me that's on blast
Me that's on blast

If you don't have nothin' good to say about me
Keep It To Yourself
And if you can't do that, you better just go
And tell somebody else
It's much better for your health
And for myself
You know everything
You could run the show
But somehow you never do

Those that can't whine and complain
While those that can, do

But I know how to deal with you
I just overlook and when that doesn't work
There's a philosophy that I use
It's mind over matter
Cause I don't mind and you don't matter
And you know it's true

(Repeat chorus to fade, ad libs including:)
You never do, you never do
You never do
Don't say nothin', don't say nothin'
Don't say nothin'

Keep It To Yourself...

Better Late Than Never

2007-02-14T13:40:00.000-08:00

It's finally here. My one and only CD, a labor of love that took a year and a half to write and record and a lifetime to prepare for. That's one of the reasons I'm calling it "Better Late Than Never."

I've had requests for the lyrics already, so I'll be posting them in this spot, one lyric at a time.

First up, "Bad Seed."

BAD SEED

When you threw me away
That fateful day
You said I would amount to nothing
Why weren't you there?
Did you even really care?
Oh what the hell, I couldn't tell
Because to you I was just a

Bad seed, bad seed
Why'd you put that name on me?
Bad seed, bad seed
Self-fulfilling prophecy

Yes, I struggled, and yes, I fought
Thought I wasn't good enough
Thought there was something wrong with me
Maybe I really was a bad seed
It's lies we sweep and words we keep
You couldn't see the blessing of the

Bad seed, bad seed
Why'd you put that name on me?
Bad seed, bad seed
Self-fulfilling prophecy

I heard you said they'd find me dead
What you believed inside your head
Word gets around
But I'm not dead down in that gutter
Down down way down in Chinatown

Bad seed, bad seed
(adlib to fade)

Voice With Kinchen

2006-12-29T22:33:00.000-08:00

An interesting thing happened six years ago on a chilly winter afternoon. I was visiting an acquaintance named Martin in his room in transitional housing near Lake Merritt and he offered to sell me his four track tape recorder for $150. He showed me how I could use headphones and a cassette tape and record two tracks onto the same tape, doubling my voice, singing harmony with myself, or rounds, or whatever. Forever fascinated with the sound-on-sound technique Quincy Jones used with Lesley Gore, I bit, and began recording my accapella duo versions of many of my favorite songs - just for fun.

It's one of those oddball incidents that have happened in my life and, in retrospect, created a hard left turn into a whole new pathway if I open myself to them. Almost in spite of myself, I kept taking those left turns as they presented themselves to me. First, I noticed my voice wasn't what it used to be back in the 60s and 70s when I used to sing along with my records and the radio and friends would tell me I had a good voice.

Next, I was looking at a catelogue for the next semester at Laney College, where I'd decided to return to school and continue my long dormant formal education. There I found a class called Voice, which promised to teach vocal and breathing techniques. The days and times for the class fit in with my work and volunteer schedules, so I decided to give it a try, along with a World History course.

The professor turned out to be a lovely and passionate woman named Lucy Kinchen, who I learned as time went along was a champion of Negro spirituals and led her own multicultural chorale focusing on that influential and neglected area of classic American music. She is a fabulous teacher. As promised, she taught us vocal technique, had us do many breathing exercises, allowed us the time and space to discover our own voices, employing some of her specialties: lightening the sound, lifting the palate and bringing the voice forward to the front of the mouth.

Of course, easier read than done. However, not impossible, and the gradual and increasing development of all these skills has become for me very spiritual and meditative in practice.

Another thing Ms. Kinchen does is introduce us to four songs each semster, typically a spiritual, a pop song, a jazz number or show tune, and an Italian art song we learn to sing in Italian. Class members are grouped according to vocal register, except for the men who sing together, and each group does one song as a group for the midterm - not that Kinchen calls it a midterm. Her name for the performances is a "festival."

It took me awhile that first semester, but gradually I realized that she was preparing us to sing solo in front of the class if we chose to. I watched others do it and I made the decision to do it myself. I figured, hey, I'm taking voice and I want the full benefit of the class. I was a nervous wreck before my first performance and many that followed, but I did "Moon River" and "If I Loved You" that first spring, to enthusiastic response, and I was off and running.

I've continued to take the class over the past four years, and I only miss it if I'm ill or out of town. Kinchen has become one of my musical mentors, along with the aforementioned Lesley Gore. In addition to Kinchen selected repertoire like "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life," "Yesterday" and "Hello Young Lovers," I've done my own selections for different classes, songs like "Jet Plane," "Cry Me A River" and "Out Here On My Own."

A couple of people asked me to sing duets and as part of trios with them and I said yes. One guy asked me to sing backup on his dancemetal record and contribute lyrics and I said yes. My good friend, SkarLo Paine, did his own CD and after hearing me riff on his tracks, he had me write lyrics for and sing the hook and featured vocal on his song "Help Me" from his "Distorted Melodies" CD.

Paine was the one who suggested I think about doing my own record, and I said yes. As I wrote and recorded the songs, I ended up doing several at open mikes in Oakland. The record is now finished and the tracks being tweaked and polished for early 2007 release. But that's a story to be told on another day, but still on a day like today...

SkarLo Paine and James Anthony (Allio) in The Eternal City

2006-11-30T13:16:00.000-08:00

It took a five hour train ride to reach Roma from Venice, and a five minute taxi ride to our hotel, The Grand Palatine, on Cavour, two blocks from the Colosseum, and surrounded by fabulous restaurants like Trattoria de Valentino (fantastic osso bucco and cannelloni) and Cleto's (try the veal t-bone!). Upon arrival at the hotel, we dropped our bags and immediately went sightseeing. First stop, Pizza & Mortadella, a deli with a hot food counter where we loaded up on carbs and cheese tastes, kind of like Italian tapas, while we adjusted to the frenetic Roman pace. From there we grabbed our bus passes at a local tabachi, and hopped on the Metro to find the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. There were hella people there, and the next day while descending the stairs to the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, a couple from Columbus told us that there was a reason for the mob scene that night. J-Lo was shopping in the plush stores in the area, and she still draws a crowd. We walked and walked and got lost, which is a different kind of lost from Venice, where you can just look up at buildings and see signs guiding you. Rome is a big city and you have to have a basic sense of where you are and where you are going.

Being lost did take us to the Pantheon and eventually back to the Metro where we cooled our sore heels and rode back to the hotel. Rome is a totally different trip than Venice, all loud, brash, urban craziness, but imbued with the life-embracing joviality that we typically associate with Italians. They're so warm and friendly. By our second day, we had shopkeepers and restrauteurs giving us a holla as we walked by.

We managed to make it by the Trevi Fountain at least once a day every day. Of course, I threw three coins in the fountain. Lamarr overheard a tour guide explaining that throwing one coin in means you will return to Roma; two means you will fall in love there; and three coins indicates you will be married there. Lamarr threw two coins in. I know one thing: our friendship deepened and grew during our wonderful Italian journey.

It took two tries to get into Saint Peter's Basilica. The first time it was closed as the Pope was entertaining foreign dignitaries in front. They did have huge video screens in front of Saint Peter's, so we can say we got to see the Pope in person while we were there! We managed to get into the basilica on our second try, and they were getting ready to have Mass celebrated so there was a limit on how many could enter. We had a good look at this magnificent church that is so huge many other famous churches could fit easily inside its walls.

We had two memorable meals in Vatican City. One was at a trattoria on a side street where we dined alfresco on one of the unseasonably warm days we enjoyed there. I wish I remembered the name of the place. We just stumbled on it and it was good! The other was a Rick Steves recommendation, Parilli in Prati, where we had the lunch buffet, delicious Italian specialties in a modern atmosphere.

We did not neglect our proscuitto and gelato pursuits by any means. We continued sampling both at least once each day. On our last afternoon in Rome, we tried three flavors at the premier Roman ice cream shop, Gelateria Della Palma and walked away smiling. Three blocks later we looked at ourselves and said, "Hey, let's go back!" There were a bunch more flavors we knew we had to try! Gelato just tastes different and better in Italy, and Della Palma are the masters.

The Colosseum was also fascinating, just walking around and within that massive wonder of the world and thinking about what transpired there all those centuries ago was a trip. Outside they have athletic-looking men dressed as Roman soldiers complete with helmets, armor and short skirts who will pose for photos with you if you like. Leaving the Colosseum, we were approached by a couple who let us know explicitly that they would be amenable to more than photos if we were so inclined. Now that was a moment!

Another moment, and a real highlight of the visit for me, was telling my story to a group in Saint Andrews Church one chilly, foggy Roman night. That group lifted me up and gave me total inspiration in just over an hour.

Shopping was also terrific. We found a hot little shop called Others with clothes we hadn't seen before and I guess we went a little crazy. They didn't seem to mind.

All too soon our Rome Advenure was over and it was time to jet home. It's funny. I have a feeling it wasn't our last visit. Ciao, Roma! Arriverdeci, Bella!

Jim Allio Goes to Venice

2006-11-25T10:20:00.000-08:00

That's Venice, Italy, not Venice, California. Been there many times, but not to its Italian namesake and have wanted to go forever. On November 14, I finally realized my dream and made it to the floating city.

It only took twenty-three hours to get there. That's two jets, a bus and a train before we made it to Venice. My friend, the writer Robert Harris ("She Who Is Alive"), described getting off the train and walking down the tracks to the wall of windows that overlooks the Grand Canal as "one of life's magical moments" and he did not exaggerate. We got there around 8:30 PM and my breath was taken away as soon as I got to the wall of windows. Here's what it looked like the next morning.

We spent four glorious days in Venice. All the guidebooks and everyone I spoke with who's been there encouraged me to just wander the back streets and alleys and get lost and so we did.

You probably already know that Venice has no cars of any kind and is linked by a series of lagoons and the Grand Canal. Public transportation is primarily in the form of water buses, called vaporetto, which are awesome. There are a few places where you can catch traghettos, which are gondolas you stand up in while they traverse the width of the Canal at a few spots for something like fifty cents. And then of course there are the gondolas. I'm not talking gondola rides as in Las Vegas or even Lake Merritt in Oakland. Oh, no.

And, yes, the gondola ride was everything I dreamed it would be, even if it was cold and grey outside. Riding a gondola has been something I have yearned to do my whole life, and it did not disappoint.

We stayed at the Hotel Abbazia, a former convent two alleys down from the train station that was wonderful. It was quiet at night despite all the activity at the other end of the alley. The staff, especially Alvise and the breakfast room waitress, were friendly and very helpful. The vaporetto stopped one minute from the hotel, and capuccino and restaurants were all over the place. And if course the shopping rocked.

Other highlights: St Marks Square and Basilica and the Campanile were spectacular and the Bridge of Sighs was amazing. We ate prosciutto and gelato every damn day, and had a memorable lunch of gorgonzola gnocchi in a trattoria on a side street near St Mark's Square that was the best we've ever tasted. The prosciutto pizza the first night was screamin'. We had to wait until Rome to top it. But that's another story for another day...like today...

Pet Shop Boys in San Francisco: Flamboyant, Integral and Very Psychological

2006-11-08T13:57:00.000-08:00

The Pet Shop Boys returned to the Bay Area last night, a very appropos Election Day, and their heady melange of intense club beats, pointed political barbs and observations on gay culture took over the Bill Graham Auditorium and rocked the house. The set included a huge black and white photo of a brain on a large block that opened up to let us into its psyche, perfect for the terrific opening song, "Psychological," from the band's brilliant new album, "Fundamental." The couch on one side of the stage got plenty of action in this number, and three white transparent cloth blocks were also used very inventively.

Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe have always evinced interest in the intersection of pop art, camp, cultural mores, world affairs and disco, and they did not disappoint last night. Their imagined love song between Bush and Blair ("I'm With Stupid") was a real crowdpleaser, ultra catchy and dancey, and I noticed lightbulbs popping on over the heads of many audience members who already loved the song but didn't realize its true import. Of course, I wasn't one of them. After all, I had read the interview in Datebook that spelled it out for me!

The new "Minimal" blended seamlessly into a nonpareil version of the classic "Shoppping" that had us all going crazy before PSB smoked us out with a chugging, grinding take on "Rent" that Lamarr particularly liked. Most of the material he is only familiar with from when I play the discs, and they took on new life for him.

There were a couple of poignant moments for me. "Dreaming of the Queen" took me back to the days when all my friends were sick and dying and it seemed no one cared and, in my own personal isolation hell, I felt I was all alone, and The Pet Shop Boys helped me to recognize that I was not, that a great many gay men had experienced what I had experienced growing up, and were suffering as the endless AIDS pandemic thundered on. I let the tears come on that one.

The other moment came with the second act opener, the superb "Numb." Also from the new album, the song details an emotional state I find myself reaching for from time to time succintly and perfectly. Tennant and Lowe continue to grow as songwriters, which was also demonstrated by a tender acoustic guitar version of "Home and Dry."

A few numbers were, of course, way over the top. "Sodom and Gommorah Show," "Always On My Mind," "Go West" and the hilarious Bono/Four Seasons medley, "Where the Streets Have No Name/Can't Take My Eyes Off You" found me alternately laughing hysterically and reaching down to pick my jaw up off the floor.

In the end, however, it was the incendiary new songs like "Flamboyant" and the community embracing old ones like the genius "It's A Sin" that set the tone of the evening. It was wonderful to see so many survivors partying one more time, and note so many old friends reconnecting at the concert.

Naturally all that dancing and energy release needed some replenishing nourishment, so after Lamarr and I hopped on BART and rode to West Oakland station (first East Bay stop and every train stops there), we drove to Koryo to pick up Sake Tempura, Godzilla Roll and a Deep Fried California Roll. Scrumptious!

What a gift The Pet Shop Boys continue to be.

Hey Now!

2006-11-07T14:26:00.000-08:00

Wassup, watitdo? This is Jim Allio and this is my blog about whatever I feel like writing about on a day like...today...

For starters, this is me in Paris on my hotel room balcony the day of my arrival in 2003. I travelled with my friend, Lamarr Standberry, aka SkarLo Paine, recording artist, songwriter and record producer. He's actually producing my upcoming CD, "Better Late Than Never," due out imminently. Here's Lamarr:

We are going to see two of my heroes, The Pet Shop Boys, in San Francisco at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium tonight. More to follow!