Tag Archives: raga

God’s Unruly Friends Returns to Harlem.

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It’s been a long time coming.

God’s Unruly Friends is emerging from its hiatus to offer a performance – maybe the last performance of 2016. Our music, a mystic-ethno-jazz-electronica will bring you to a psychospiritual place of peace and illumination.

This event will reveal the pre-release of God’s Unruly Friends’ upcoming CD A Pearl in Wine. This LIMITED EDITION CD will not be in existence long. However, copies will be available at the show at a discounted rate. AND the first five people who RSVP me at godsunrulyfriends@gmail.com, and attend the show, will get a free copy of the CD!

More good news! If you can’t attend, the performance will be streamed live! You can access it here. After the date of the performance I will provide you with a link to watch it any time. An audio and video recording of the show will be made available.

The performance will be on Thursday, October 27th, 7:00PM EST. It will be located at The Shrine ( 2271 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd, New York, NY 10030). 

Come, join us. Be part of something wonderful.

Access to the Music

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You’ve probably noticed that some changes have been made to this website. It’s evolving, and is a work in progress.

 

The most important thing is that the music is now readily available! Both digital downloads and ordering the physical CDs are easy.

 

Here are the downloads . And here are the CDs.

It’s Mid-September Already?

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It’s been a while.

Well, summer was interesting. I weathered some changes, and a few challenges. But I’m still standing. I hope you did well, and had a great summer!

Anyway, on to business.

Saturday, September 17th, I will be one of the featured performers at the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors‘ Full Moon Event. This will be a solo performance, and I will be offering two sets in the post Full Moon Lounge, and a talk on the subject of Islamic spirituality for the event. Details will be found here. The event begins at 7pm. CoSM is located at 46 Deer Hill Rd. Wappinger Falls, NY 12590. 

I have the honor of composing music for an upcoming independent film; “Sweet Dreams, Momma.” It’s written and directed by Dianne Kirksey, and stars Ella Joyce. For more information, and to learn how you can support this project, check out this link:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/sweet-dreams-momma-film#/

The next God’s Unruly Friends concert will be at Shrine (2271 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd, New York, NY 10030) on Thursday October 27th, 7pm. You will want to be there; there will be a few surprises. And it may also be a CD release party! The new God’s Unruly Friends CDis nearing completion (who knows? Maybe I’ll offer a few pre-release copies. I’ll let you know).

(BTW, the photo in this newsletter is my original artwork that will be used for the CD cover. You like?)

Speaking of CDs, the Sacred Forbidden Music (from the Music Meditation Sessions) CD is now available at the following locations:

Namaste Bookshop
2 W 14th St, New York, NY 10011
www.namastebookshop.com

Quest Bookshop
240 E 53rd St, New York, NY 10022
www.questbookshop.com 

Scent Elate
313 West 48th Street New York. NY 10036
https://www.scentelate.com/

Finally, a new video!  

I’m glad I had the chance to reach out to you, and look forward to sharing more music with you! Hit me up at godsunrulyfriends@gmail.com

HELP!

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OK, maybe I’m being overly dramatic. And asking for help is not my strong suit (ask my wife. She’ll tell you. I’m the guy who, when driving somewhere, will never ask directions). But I do need your help. 

God’s Unruly Friends has a YoTube channel. OK: this is not an unusual thing. But I’m trying to get a custom URL (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpI7wAuCWOYswkLcQopZPzA is so clumsy).

The thing is, the new eligibility requirements mandate that I have 100 subscribers. 

Since this is a new channel (and I been a bit busy to promote it), I do not have 100 subscribers yet.

Would you help me, and subscribe? Just go here, and click “subscribe.” That’s it.

Thanks!!

May!

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As I write this, it’s one day past my birthday (oh, OK: I’m 55). It’s been an interesting week.

Last Wednesday, I performed with a Neo-Sufi ensemble led / facilitated by Ruhi Roo. She’s got some really interesting ideas, and is making them happen.

I saw the new Miles Ahead movie, with Don Cheadle. It’s really a good movie. I’m writing a review of it for doobeedoobeedoo.info. Keep and eye out for it.

 

My art work is on display this week at the ArtLovHer Artist Salon. It ends Sunday. 

 

And there’s the Sacred Forbidden Music! 

 

In 2004, I developed a method of music performance for yoga and martial arts classes. The idea was to both harmonize the music with the energies invoked in the class, and to invoke energies needed. For example, for classes of a system of martial arts based on the Five Chinese Elements while the sensei was teaching moves based in water, I would improvise using a musical form analogous to water, and synchronize the musical flow and dynamics with the class. The results were successful/

One of the inevitable results of this was obvious. I began to use the techniques he developed to conduct guided meditation. The difference here is that while guided meditations have traditionally used words, suggestions, imagery, etc. to guide the individual and group meditation, my method uses musical form.

The results have been interesting. People have reported effects such as recovering repressed memories, deep meditation states, trances and visions, and astral travel. 

The music for these Sessions is completely improvised; the music for each Session is specific to a particular time and place. I do not teach my method of improvisation.

This music is called the Sacred Forbidden Music.

 

The premeir concert performance will happen on Monday, May 9th, 8pm at the Theater for the New City (155 1st avenue, NYC). The exchange is $15.

There are other things happening, such as two new CD releases in the works, my new book A Mansion with Many Rooms, and other cool stuff.

#godsunrulyfriends

#sacredforbiddenmusic
#beunruly

New Videos!

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I Put Together A Few Videos.

Yes. For your viewing and listening pleasure, I compiled two new videos one is excerpts from live God’s Unruly Friends concerts, and the other is from the recent solo performance I did at Wow Theater NYC (opening for John Kruth).

Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/Zq-iC7o351w

https://youtu.be/XWTR7WwAWck

Catching Up

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It’s Been a While!

Yes, we need to catch up.

First of all, thanks to all of you who attended the Harmolodic Raga Cycle performance at Music Inn, NYC! It was a marvelous concert (here’s some video).

Now, let’s look ahead!

On Friday, August 28th, I will be joining the Brooklyn Raga Massive All Stars for the next performance of Terry Reily’s “In C.” The performance will start at 7pm, and will be held at the Rubin Museum of Art (150 west 17th street, NYC). Tickets are available. Check us out on facebook.

September will be a landmark for me. On Tuesday, September 1st, 7pm, Openings Collective will be presenting an exhibit titled “On the Inner and Outer Self.” This is happening at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle (405 west 59th st. at Columbus Ave. NYC). I bring this up because I am one of the artists whose work will be featured. This will be my first exhibit. The exhibit will run between 9/1/15 – 10/22/15, and is open to the public.

The next Music Meditation Session will be at the Namaste Healing Center (80 5th avenue, suite 1104, NYC) on Thursday, September 17th, 7pm. The exchange is a mere $15.

The next God’s Unruly Friends performance will be at the University of the Streets on Sunday, October 11th, 7pm. This will be GUF’s FIRST performance in the Bronx!

There will be a Music Meditation Session on Wednesday, October 28th, 6pm at Jivamukti Yoga Center (841 Broadway, NYC). My first Session at Jivamukti!

And don’t forget that God’s Unruly Friends will present a big show at BAM Cafe (30 Lafayette Ave. Brooklyn, NY) on Friday, November 13th. More info to come!

Permit me a little nepotism. September 10th, 11th, & 12th, my wife Kosi will present “Ghosts Appearing Through the Sound: Kosi’s Tribute to Abbey Lincoln” This is happening at the WoW Cafe Theater (61 east 4th st, 4th floor, buzzer 6, NYC) More info here.

Well! That’s a lot of information! Thanks for reading all of this. I look forward to sharing beautiful and unique music with all of you!
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New Actions!

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Well, as of this writing, Ramadan is almost over. Many things are in the works.

Jimmy Lopez and I will be at Silvana (300 west 116th st. NYC) on Tuesday, July 21st 8pm. The music of the Renegade Sufi ensemble as well as other exotic and beautiful music will be presented.

On Thursday, July 23rd 7-9pm I will be at at Jungle Cafe (996 Manhattan Ave. Brooklyn NY). At this point, I’m not sure if this will be a solo or duet performance. I’ll let you all know. 

 

After a hiatus, I have returned to offering the Music Meditation Sessions! The next one is at Namaste Bookshop (2 west 14th st. NYC) on Tuesday, July 31st, 8PM. The exchange will be $15. 

On Wednesday, August 5th, 6-9pm, I will perform at the Rubin Museum of Art (150 west 14th st. NYC). I will be joined by Jimmy Lopez on percussion. This is a free concert in a family friendly venue.  

Join me for the World Premier of the Harmolodic Raga Cycle. This is a series of compositions / improvisational templates that bridge the concepts of harmolodics with the primordial essence of Indian Raga. This will be a solo performance (with possible special guest TBA) at Music Inn (169 west 4th street NYC) on Saturday, August 8th, 9PM. The exchange is $10. 

Looking further ahead, God’s Unruly Friends is planning some more performances, including a date at BAM Cafe in November. We are also in the beginning stages of work on a recording. More details to come.

More news of interest. Leilah Publications has scheduled the 2nd edition of  my novel “A Quantum Hijra,” and the release of my collection of short stories “A Mansion with Many Rooms” soon. I will keep you informed.

There are more wonderful things happening. I’ll keep you all informed.

Another new gig, and something else.

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Permit me to announce the World Premier of the Harmolodic Raga Cycle. This is a series of compositions / improvisational templates that bridge the concepts of harmolodics with the primordial essence of Indian Raga. This will be a solo performance (with possible special guest TBA) at Music Inn (169 west 4th street NYC) on Saturday, August 8th, 9PM. The exchange is $10.

If all goes according to plan, the concert will be recorded, and the recording will be released digitally and on CD.

If you’ll permit me, there is one last thing I wish to share.

My wife, master jazz singer Kosi, is presenting a tribute to Abby Lincoln. This unprecedented project includes an upcoming CD release, and the show “Ghosts Appearing Through the Sound”; a three day theatrical run at Wow Cafe Theater (59-61 east 4th street, 4th floor, NYC) on September 10th, 11th, & 12th. Her Rockethub campaign is in the final days. Please check it out; you will not want to miss this.

See you soon! Onward and upward!