Author: DanAdmin

I’m feeling pretty inspired these days playing with a lot of incredibly talented musicians. Our first monthly night at Aces & Eights went really well last month and we’re pretty excited to back to it on March 19. It’s a real joy to have Greg Holme playing pedal steel with us. A whole new level of ethereal tastiness.

I had the pleasure of recording 2 songs a couple days ago with Basia Bartz on fiddle. I love how instinctive her playing is and we got the right takes in no time. It feels so good to get the home studio all shipshape and can’t wait to get more focused on more recordings. All I need to do now is schedule in time for writing.

Recorded a new tune a little while ago with Anna and put it on soundcloud. I think it turned out really well. Also, my friend, Javier, is launching his new album this Thursday at Aces & Eights. I’m playing drums and singing some harmonies and it should be a pretty fun celebration. We go under the JHA Band. And Grace and I have been working on some new song ideas for the band.

Hope to see you at Aces on March 12 & 19!

In 3 weeks, Jeremy, Anna and I will launch a monthly night of music in the main bar at Aces & Eights in Tufnell Park. We’re really excited about it! We’ll be playing our own songs along with some of our favorite covers. We named the night after Emperor Norton, who proclaimed himself Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexco back in the 1860s. Most of the people in his home town of San Francisco went along with it and he was treated in accordance with his noble title. I’m not sure if he was in fact a whiskey drinker but Aces has plenty of varieties for you to try. Free entry and we’re on from 9 til 11. We’d love to see you there!

Got a chance to play 12 Bar Club the other night for the last time before it shuts down and moves to Holloway Road. It was great to have so many people make it out for the big night. I lost track of how many times I performed at 12 Bar over the last few years but I really appreciate Andy Lowe letting me play there one last time. I’ll have to check out the new 12 Bar when they move in a couple of weeks.

Looking to get into the studio next month to record a few tunes for the new record. Can’t wait to get in there! Happy New Year to everybody! Let’s make it a great one.

I’ve been working on some song ideas I’ve had for a while and it feels great to just sit down and actually put them together. It’s amazing the amount of distractions that come up vying for my attention when I’m trying to focus on this. Sometimes I feel this impulsive desire to go to the woods with a guitar, notebook and tape recorder for 6 months straight. I’m not quite doing that (yet) but am trying to schedule in more time for writing. You can’t really schedule in inspiration but songwriting is like any craft and scheduling it in helps make it actually happen. Instead of not happening. Right?

In August, I went to the Musicians’ Union for Musician’s Well-Being Week. It was a really incredible and inspiring experience. Lots of workshops including tai chi, yoga for musicians, Alexander Technique, posture, autogenic training, hearing education, understanding common injuries, dealing with performance anxiety and stress in general. I enjoyed how it all the workshops were so interrelated and connected, as well as bringing in new ideas and ways of looking at things. I now have a new found appreciation for my skeleton. I met lots of great people and just having the opportunity to get together and talk about our experiences as professional musicians was great.

Looking to do some recording before the end of the year and have a new album out next summer. When my sister and I did our roadtrip last year through the South, it gave me a whole new appreciation of how music is something you do with people. It sounds pretty obvious but it got me thinking about my records where I’m playing all the instruments and how that’s all fine and good but right now I’m really excited to get into the studio with my band and let everyone bring themselves into the songs. The live music we saw, the music we played and the places we visited (Rock & Soul Museum, Sun and Stax in Memphis, RCA Studio B and Ryman in Nashville, Clinch Mountains in Virginia) gave me so much can-do energy about music in general, as well as the power of music to bring people together in a positive way. It’s a pretty great thing, music.

It’s strange not having upcoming gigs scheduled but sometimes you just have to make time to write.

Wow, we sure had a great time at Maverick. We got to play in the Barn, which really is a barn. Got a lot of positive energy from the crowd and it was pretty wild to play on such a gigantic stage. Made me realize I need to get some bigger stage moves going. Shane Kirk, the stage manager, wrote a review calling us, “band of the festival – all great tunes, Tele lead breaks and backing harmonies over solid grooves.” Thanks so much, Shane!

We also played the Moonshine Bar on Sunday morning to a full house. I had just barely found my way out of the tent and through the rain and was impressed with the audience’s punctuality and fresh faces. We played a good hour I’d say and I really enjoyed the laid-backness of it all. Two pretty different shows but both lots of fun. Special thanks to Paul Spencer for booking us to play!

If you’re in Suffolk, come on down to Easton Park Farm. We’re playing in the barn at 6pm on Saturday and then the Moonshine Cafe bright and early Sunday morning at 11:45. Here we go!

We loved playing for you all on Wednesday at What’s Cookin’! We really enjoyed the musical stylings of Mahoney & The Moment, who got the live music off to a great start. I love the decor of the night and if you’ve never made it to a What’s Cookin’ night, I highly recommend that you remedy that soon!

We’re playing festivals this summer and I couldn’t be more excited about it. This summer has caught me by surprise and suddenly it’s really hot and beautiful. Please check the gigs page for all the details about upcoming performances!

Wow, we sure had a blast playing at “Come Down & Meet The Folks” at the Apple Tree last Sunday! Everybody was totally up for it and we really felt it. Heck, it felt great. I’ll get a video or 2 up pretty soon.

Our next gig will be at What’s Cookin’ in Leytonstone on Wednesday, 18 of June. Come on over and tell your friends! Thanks!

We’re really excited to get back down to the Folks a week from Sunday! It’s been a while since Norton Money was tearing it up there. But heck, Jeremy’s in my band, so let’s do it again! It’s an early evening show with things kicking off around 5 and we’ll be on around 6 or 6:30. Really hope you can make it down. It’s a super friendly vibe there too!