You know I am hiding from you right? I know I have to blog, I know, I KNOW. I massaged Kim Raver (24/Lipstick Jungle) tonight for two hours.. coolest thing ever- she has a video baby monitor, looks like a walkie talkie, but you can push a button and see a screen that shows her baby (11 months old) in bed, in the other room. Tiny camera above bed has infra-red abilities and you can see the cutie lying there sleeping.
You can hear it too. He started crying once and we could see her husband picking up the baby, making the baby calm again and then putting baby back to sleep. OMFG. All this modern tech. makes me want to have another one so I can see how easy it CAN be. (I did everything the hard way- cotton diapers, no dryer, couldn't speak the language yet, didn't know any one and baby's dad and I were too broke to pay attention). No internet, no cell, just land line. jeeze, looks easier now somehow. Baby is sick? Google the fucking symptoms and you're golden. Cool! I had to drag baby all the way across town to a German doctor and struggle with the language (mostly sign at that point) lol.
Kim is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO gorgeous. I can't help thinking how many men I know would PAY to massage her. Schwing.
Kim is a regular client of mine, she is so mad cool and smart as a whip too. Her husband is one lucky man I tell you. I am all over the place, going to massage Motorhead the next couple days and Herbie Hancock again next week, no time for sleep. omg. It's 6am and I still have like 503 unread emails to answer. FLIPPING OUT.
I was just reading the lyrics to an OLD Frank Zappa song and hey, they still hold true to this day in the state we are in..
Frank was a smart Mo Fo!
x
"Mr. america, walk on by your schools that do not teach Mr. america, walk on by the minds that wont be reached Mr. america try to hide the emptiness thats you inside But once you find that the way you lied And all the corny tricks you tried Will not forestall the rising tide of hungry freaks daddy!
They wont go on four no more Great mid-western hardware store Philosophy that turns away From those who arent afraid to say whats on their minds The left behinds of the great society
Hungry freaks, daddy!
Mr. america, walk on by your supermarket dream Mr. america, walk on by the liquor store supreme Mr. america try to hide the product of your savage pride The useful minds that it denied The day you shrugged and stepped aside You saw their clothes, and then you cried, Those hungry freaks, daddy!
They wont go on four no more Great mid-western hardware store Philosophy that turns away From those who arent afraid to say whats on their minds The left behinds of the great societ"
Dance Recording: "LoveStoned/I Think She Knows," Justin Timberlake, Nate (Danja) Hills, Timbaland & Justin Timberlake, producers; Jimmy Douglass & Timbaland, mixers.
Electronic/Dance Album: "We Are the Night," The Chemical Brothers.
Bluegrass Album: "The Bluegrass Diaries," Jim Lauderdale.
Traditional Blues Album: "Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live In Dallas," Henry James Townsend, Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins, Robert Lockwood Jr. & David "Honeyboy" Edwards.
Contemporary Blues Album: "The Road to Escondido," JJ Cale & Eric Clapton.
New Age Album: "Crestone," Paul Winter Consort.
Contemporary Jazz Album: "River: The Joni Letters," Herbie Hancock. Jazz Vocal Album: "Avant Gershwin," Patti Austin.
Jazz Instrumental Solo: "Anagram," Michael Brecker, soloist.
Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group: "Pilgrimage," Michael Brecker.
Large Jazz Ensemble Album: "A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina)," Terence Blanchard.
Latin Jazz Album: "Funk Tango," Paquito D'Rivera Quintet.
Latin Pop Album: "El Tren De Los Momentos," Alejandro Sanz.
Latin Rock or Alternative Album: "No Hay Espacio," Black:Guayaba.
Latin Urban Album: "Residente O Visitante," Calle 13.
Tropical Latin Album: "La Llave De Mi Corazon," Juan Luis Guerra.
Tejano Album: "Before the Next Teardrop Falls," Little Joe & La Familia.
Norteno Album: "Detalles Y Emociones," Los Tigres Del Norte.
Banda Album: "Te Va A Gustar," El Chapo. Traditional Folk Album: "Dirt Farmer," Levon Helm.
Contemporary Folk/Americana Album: "Washington Square Serenade," Steve Earle.
Native American Music Album: "Totemic Flute Chants," Johnny Whitehorse.
Hawaiian Music Album: "Treasures of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar," Various Artists, Daniel Ho, George Kahumoku Jr., Paul Konwiser & Wayne Wong, producers.
Zydeco or Cajun Music Album: "Live! Worldwide," Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience. Reggae: "Mind Control," Stephen Marley.
Traditional World Music Album: "African Spirit," Soweto Gospel Choir. Contemporary World Music Album: "Djin Djin," Angelique Kidjo.
Polka Album: "Come Share the Wine," Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra.
Gospel Performance: "Blessed & Highly Favored," The Clark Sisters; "Never Gonna Break My Faith," Aretha Franklin & Mary J. Blige (Featuring The Harlem Boys Choir).
(Tie.) Gospel Song: "Blessed & Highly Favored," Karen Clark-Sheard, songwriter (The Clark Sisters).
Rock or Rap Gospel Album: "Before the Daylight's Shot," Ashley Cleveland.
Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album: "A Deeper Level," Israel and New Breed.
Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album: "Salt of the Earth," Ricky Skaggs & The Whites.
Traditional Gospel Album: "Live — One Last Time," The Clark Sisters.
Contemporary R&B Gospel Album: "Free to Worship," Fred Hammond.
Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: Love (The Beatles) George Martin & Giles Martin, producers (Apple Records/Capitol Records).
Score Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: "Ratatouille," Michael Giacchino, composer. Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: "Love You I Do (From Dreamgirls)," Siedah Garrett & Henry Krieger, songwriters (Jennifer Hudson).
Musical Show Album: "Spring Awakening," Duncan Sheik, producer; Duncan Sheik, composer; Steven Sater, lyricist (Original Broadway Cast With Jonathan Groff, Lea Michele & Others).
Musical Album for Children: "A Green and Red Christmas," The Muppets.
Spoken Word: "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream," Barack Obama.
Spoken Word Album for Children: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," Jim Dale.
Comedy Album: "The Distant Future," Flight of the Conchords.
Instrumental Composition: "Cerulean Skies," Maria Schneider, composer (Maria Schneider Orchestra). Instrumental Arrangement: "In a Silent Way," Vince Mendoza, arranger (Joe Zawinul).
Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s): "I'm Gonna Live Till I Die," John Clayton, arranger (Queen Latifah).
Engineered Album, Non-Classical: "Beauty & Crime," Tchad Blake, Cameron Craig, Emery Dobyns & Jimmy Hogarth, engineers (Suzanne Vega).
Surround Sound: "Love," Paul Hicks, surround mix engineer; Tim Young, surround mastering engineer; George Martin & Giles Martin, surround producers (The Beatles).
Classical Album: "Tower: Made in America," Leonard Slatkin, conductor; Tim Handley, producer; Tim Handley, engineer/mixer (Nashville Symphony).
Orchestral Performance: "Tower: Made in America," Leonard Slatkin, conductor (Nashville Symphony). Producer of the Year, Classical: Judith Sherman.
Engineered Album, Classical: "Grechaninov: Passion Week," John Newton, engineer (Charles Bruffy, Phoenix Bach Choir & Kansas City Chorale).
Opera Recording: "Humperdinck: Hansel & Gretel," Sir Charles Mackerras, conductor; Rebecca Evans, Jane Henschel & Jennifer Larmore; Brian Couzens, producer (Sarah Coppen, Diana Montague & Sarah Tynan; New London Children's Choir; Philharmonia Orchestra).
Choral Performance: "Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem," Simon Rattle, conductor; Simon Halsey, chorus master (Thomas Quasthoff & Dorothea Roschmann; Rundfunkchor Berlin; Berliner Philharmoniker).
Chamber Music Performance: "Strange Imaginary Animals," Eighth Blackbird.
Small Ensemble Performance: "Stravinsky: Apollo, Concerto in D; Prokofiev: 20 Visions Fugitives," Yuri Bashmet, conductor; Moscow Soloists. Classical Vocal Performance: "Lorraine Hunt Lieberson Sings Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs," Lorraine Hunt Lieberson (James Levine; Boston Symphony Orchestra).
Classical Contemporary Composition: "Made in America," Joan Tower (Leonard Slatkin, conductor; Nashville Symphony Orchestra).
Classical Crossover Album: "A Love Supreme: The Legacy of John Coltrane," Turtle Island Quartet.
Short Form Music Video: "God's Gonna Cut You Down," Johnny Cash.
Long Form Music Video: "The Confessions Tour," Madonna.
Recording Package: "Cassadaga," Zachary Nipper, art director (Bright Eyes). Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: "What It Is!: Funky Soul and Rare Grooves (1967-1977)," Masaki Koike, art director.
Album Notes: "John Work, III: Recording Black Culture," Bruce Nemerov, album notes writer.
Historical Album: "The Live Wire — Woody Guthrie in Performance 1949," Nora Guthrie & Jorge Arevalo Mateus, compilation producers; Jamie Howarth, Steve Rosenthal, Warren Russell-Smith & Dr. Kevin Short, mastering engineers (Woody Guthrie).
I have been ill since Halloween with Pneumonia but I finally got well enough to work again. My friend Nathan East, who plays bass (for many big names like Michael Jackson, Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Bon Jovi, Quincy Jones and loads more) suggested that I come to his gig in Berlin, as he is touring with Herbie Hancock now.
^Herbie is a wonderful person
The last time I saw Nathan was about 8 years ago when he was on tour with Eric Clapton. I massaged them all back then and was amazed that Nathan insisted on riding his mountain bike from the Hotel to the concert hall, which was MILES away and in East Berlin. It was already (it gets dark early in the winter).. but he was confident that he could find it and he did. He is soooo outgoing and fun. Nathan is a perfectionist and you can hear that in his music. That's why he only works with the best musicians around. He has been called one of the best bassist in the world…You can read all about him by clicking HERE
After I massaged Nathan, we all met in the lobby to go to the gig which was at the UdK (university of Art) here in Berlin. I met their tour manager Phil and was told he is also Paul McCartney's tour manager, so we chatted about Paul a bit *sigh* I LOVE PAUL! Anyhow, next time Sir Paul tours, I may be able to massage him..yay!
Nathan introduced me to Herbie outside the hotel, he was super friendly and has a warm, contagious smile. He was driven to the gig in a sleek black Mercedes and the band and I went in a van. VInnie was so tired that he was delirious and hence, FUN. Vinnie sort of reminds me of Dee Dee Ramone; he is funny even when he isn't trying to be.
Vinnie Colaiuta is on tour with Herbie too, playing drums of course. Vinnie has slept through his wake up call (he was napping) and was a bit tired, but perked up when he saw me and gave me a big hug. Last time I saw Vinnie was this past summer when he toured with Jeff Beck. Poor Vinnie, he hasn't been getting much sleep on tour, I feel really bad for touring musicians, no matter HOW cushy the tour, no matter how rich they are, it's still hard on the body. You hardly ever get a good night's sleep and the constant sitting (in the tour bus, on the plane, on the train, backstage) and irregular meals and meeting new people every day can be exhausting. If I could give them a gift of 8 hours sleep, I would. Massage does help, but nothing beats a good sleep.
Backstage, before sound check, Herbie asked me if I would like to join him chanting later. He is a Buddist and has been for the last 25 years. I told him I was open minded and would love to try. I was thinking, maybe this could be the answer to my nasty sleep disorder.
During the sound check I got to stand on the stage and watch the geniuses in action. Vinnie is so exciting to to watch, no wonder he gets so many hits on youtube.The last time I saw Vinnie was n the summer when he was drumming for Jeff Beck. He said he was actually planning on a long break but "when Herbie called, well, that was a no brainer, of course I said yes, he is one of my hero's."
Nathan had me film him while he sang "I just called" (Stevie Wonder) with his high tech camera during the sound check. I am almost certain if he wasn't busy being on of the best bassist on earth, he would be a full time photographer. He takes more pics than I do and he always makes sure the background, angle and lighting are right. Nathan is also madly in love with his wife and super proud of his twins. He shows off pics of them so proudly. It's nice and refreshing to meet a man in the music business that tours so often to still be so dedicated and in love with their wife. In fact, I rarely meet anyone anymore that is so in love with their spouse. People usually moan about how they wish things were like they used to be, in the beginning of the relationship, or the complain about "the ol'ball and chain". My Father and Step Mom are madly in love STILL after 25 years and they were the only couple I knew that were like that until I met Nathan. I thought to myself "all women would love a man like that". Nathan is such a positive person and he radiates that. This man truly loves life. I love being around people like him, it recharges your battery, takes away any jaded edges you have lurking around (well, at least for a while). To top that all off, he can sing his ass off too. Herbie chose the best musicians for his quartette.
I was really surprised when Herbie told me he had never collaborated with Zappa. He said they had spoken a few times about doing so, but things always seem to get in the way. I could tell he regrets that deeply, as he speaks so highly of Frank, which just confirms how cool Heribe is.
Herbie during sound check ^
My friend Shai ^ arrived during the sound check. Herbie was standing on stage with a mic in his hand and I introduced her to him. He spoke into the mic for all to hear "Shai? How do you spell that?" Shai spelled it for him. "Oh, nice! Great name!" Herbie is so friendly! After the sound check, Herbie invited us into his dressing room. I gave him a quick back massage and they he asked us if we wanted to chant.
He set it all up, and everyone came in to join us, except Vinnie, I think he was too tired. Herbie handed us a booklet with all of the verses he was going to say and we were to follow. He has been doing this every day for the last 25 years, so he doesn't even need to look at the book. It sounds Japanese to me, and he speaks very fast, we got lost at one point and Herbie turned around, found our spot were we should have been and never even missed a beat with his chanting. We were gob smacked.Amazed. He gave us a card with the web site and info we need to chant. Almost every city has a Buddha center. It was so relaxing and calming, I find myself chanting now, when I get stressed. You can read up about it online..Apparently Herbie is really famous for his participation as I have been approached online by people who say they are also Buddhist and they have chanted with Herbie too.Wtf? Small world.
The show was long, well over 2 hours. It was amazing, sounded perfect.Herbie is really charming on stage, he talks sometimes in between songs, and the people love it. He makes them all laugh. He needed help translating something; he needed the German words for his song "Watermelon man" and I shouted it out in German for him (note: I am NOT German, no German blood, I just have a flat here and speak the lingo). Anyways, Herbie repeated it in German and it was super cute. If Herbie is to play anywhere near you, do check out the show, the band is TIGHT!!!!!!!!!!! After the show, my daughter Jasmine and her "friend" Julian, who is from Italy, came backstage to say Hi to Herbie, Nathan, Vinnie and Lionel. Nathan entertained us with a few magic tricks, he is a magician too (jack of all trades!). I am glad Jasmine gets to meet such musical legends, they are rare and should be treasured. I was going to go to Italy and massage Herbie and co. at a few Italian shows but as I said before, the first show was canceled and it just didn't work out. Looking very forward to seeing the lads again..
My massage assistant in Italy, Melissa, got to massage them in Milan for a few days. She also chanted and went to see the Buddha center with Herbie. Mad cool.
