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

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

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FAVORITE CDS OF 2010

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"

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!

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"

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

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

"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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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"

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"

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/.