Nathan Madden inspiration

I met dancer Danny Madden (currently in Chicago on Broadway) as he walked through Union Square and stopped to listen.  We chatted and so I got a chance to ask my favorite question.

What inspires Nathan? "Relationships between people, and our ability to really engage in them or not, so when you see people really engaging and expressing themselves I think that's art and that's inspiration."   

What's Your Inspiration?

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Courtney Bassett inspired subway jam

While playing in Union Square I met Courtney who stopped to listen.  What inspires Courtney?  "People, nature, strong women."  Ely from Israel was also listening and joined in. He took the camera to film us singing Imagine.  Ely wasn't sure what Inspiration meant. I pointed to his heart and said "what's in here."  His response?  "Peace, love and music." This is a wonderful example of the people I meet who by chance slow down and listen or just join in. 

What's your inspiration?

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Luellen Abdoo MUNY violinist performs "Luango"

Walking through Grand Central's Graybar corridor I met Music Under NY violinist Luellen Abdoo. I asked her what inspires her. Music and people. Here's her world premiere of a new composition "Luango" by composer Joe Gianono.  There's lovely work being performed in public spaces, you just have to go out and find it.

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Heard-NY Nick Cave Inspiration

A sensory performance art piece.  A visual mixture of color, music and movement. Live percussionist and harp, and dancers from the Ailey school. Creative Time and MTA Arts For Transit have joined together to present visual artist Nick Cave and his HEARD-NY.  Performances have been going since Monday and will end Sunday March 31st 11am + 2pm (get there 1/2 hour early to be able to get a seat-kids are allowed a special section).

As someone who performs in public spaces, to get a chance to witness a live (and free) performance art piece is such a thrill. The Vanderbilt Hall is an amazing place on any given day, the high ceilings the natural reverberation, but with Nick Cave's piece it comes alive with delight.

What I loved about my experience watching HEARD-NY were the multi-layered sounds as the dancers fitted under horse costumes (yet so much more than that) the materials dragged and snapped the floor all mixed in with children's voices of glee.

In the summer of 2010 I also enjoyed another Creative Time installation by Paul Rameriez Jonas' Key To The City. You can see what inspires Paul here.

Learn more about Arts For Transit

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Subway Trombone Jam with Jake Handelman

Just another example of the freedom and spontaneous jamming with another musician that I experience while performing in the subway.  I had previously met trombonist Jake Handelman at LIRR station and we had a fun jam.  Here we met again at 34th st and had fun with my song Good Thing.

What Inspires Jake? "People make the world go round, without other people you can't put anything together, you can't get any new ideas. You just need to keep livin…just put yourself out there."

Good Thing words + music Cathy Grier SESAC singerfish publishing

edited by Dan Kleederman

Subway Inspirations Performing Arts HS seniors

Performing at Grand Central Shuttle, a film crew from Hong Kong and Taiwan stopped by.  Janis a wonderful singer from Taiwan asked if she could sing Crazy by Gnarls Barkley with me.  Of course I was happy to oblige.  

Meanwhile a group of seniors from the Performing Arts High School stopped by and the rest is a perfect example of what can happen when you allow spontaneity in the subway with a microphone and some really talented and fearless kids.

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Judy Grunberg Inspiration

As I am on a bit of a winter hiatus from subway gigs I've been going over my Inspiration archives.  This one was shot in Columbia County, NY at an Equine Advocates sanctuary event.  Judy Grunberg is an amazingly enterprising, supportive community hero. Called a "force of culture."  She's one of those individuals who spends her energy doing good and enriching her community with her efforts every day. Inspiration.

edited by Dan Kleederman

Joe Tucker Cajon player

As I was performing in 34th st a guy walked by carrying a Cajon (a wooden box played as a drum) and I asked if he would like to jam. To my excitement he did stop. His name is Joe Tucker a classical percussionist and I was happy to see he was uninhibited to join in and jam in the subway.  I asked Joe my favorite question What inspires you? His response "my parents....and that indescribable part of music"  Joe plays in the group InnoVox Music 

Jungle words and music by Cathy Grier

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Percussionists Owusu and Sabor Inspiration

MUNY artist Owusu (Tyrone Owusu Slater) and fellow percussionist Sabor played before me at the LIRR location in Penn Station. Before they left, they gave me incredible, honest inspirations about love and healing.

Here is a performance brought to you by StreetperformersTV  

Tyrone Owusu Slater is the co-founder and program director of the Biko Transformation Center. Check it out!

edited by Dan Kleederman

Arthur Inspiration

I met Arthur at the Grand Central Mezzanine and he gave me a great inspiration about real love, humility, and Dale Carnegie's methods of self-improvement. Thanks Arthur!

edited by Dan Kleederman

Ikeem PoetrynMotionNYC re-inspired

I first met Ikeem of PoetrynMotionNYC, with his dancing buddy Shawn in Union Square on their way to their own busking gig.  2 months later our paths crossed again and he shared how he was inspired by my What's Your Inspiration?" project.  I asked him how so and his reply "makes me wanna do what I'm doing differently than just dancing, just makes me think more, think bigger"

You can see Ikeem and Shawn's original What's Your Inspiration? clip as part of a post Hurricane Sandy blog with inspiration clips of other people I met in Union Square on the same inspirational day.

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Cello Mike

Underground, Mike Lunapiena is known as Cello Mike. Not your typical Cellist, Mike is inspired by Heavy Metal, people, and his instrument. It's always inspiring to hear his meditative melodies, drones, and loops echo throughout the subway.

edited by Dan Kleederman

Inspiration from Raices Group:Sound of the Andes

Jachamallku is the founder of the Raices Group (Raices means "Roots" in Spanish), a pan-Andean music project that formed out of the "desire to express their nostalgia and feelings of longing for their respective homelands."His inspiration? Contact with God. He sends energy, people catch it, and send it back. For the Raices Group performing in the subway is not a concert, but a spiritual ceremony– an opportunity to tell the people of New York who they are.

edited by Dan Kleederman

jamming with Dan + Bobby Inspired

Every once in a while another Music Under NY musician walks by and we jam.  Dan Kleederman is a wonderful guitarist and bassist with the group Yes Noyes.  He gladly took my guitar and we jammed to the song Valerie.  His friend Bobby a film maker, was game to take the camera and record us.  Afterwards I asked my favorite question of Dan + Bobby: What's Your Inspiration?

Update on Friday, December 21, 2012 at 3:48PM by NYC Subway Girl

I've since learned more about Dan's friend film maker Bobby (Robert Wagerman).  He practically grew up in Newtown, CT and created this heartfelt short about his town in his words A portrait of Newtown, Connecticut. Dedicated to the beautiful community that raised him.

Jimmy + Lucille share inspirations in Grand Central

Jimmy works in Grand Central and Lucille, well she's a regular wanderer and happy spirit. We've chatted many times about her living in and out of homeless shelters.

We all found ourselves chatting at the same time. This is the beauty of performing in public spaces, you never know what the person standing right next to you has to say unless you ask a question

What inspires Jimmy? His new grandchild, and Lucille? my music reminds her of her childhood in the south...

music-Good Thing by C. Grier

Inspired Grand Central Shuttle One day in October

I had a particularly inspired day at Grand Central Shuttle here are the comments from the people I met.  Photographer Mithun Bhat "that life doesn't end"  Lighting director, Fletcher Wolf:  "the city at night", MUNY musician Brisdane Ford: "Joy", Jason Cooper "The Arts" and Michael Gonzalaz "people that show what they got."

 

Good Thing words and music C. Grier SESAC Singerfish publishing

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Richie Kaye's Music and Mirth

Richie Kaye and Tony Lavorgna came to play after my set in the Graybar corridor of Grand Central and we chatted about their inspirations. Paul stopped to listen as he was leaving his shift working in the Graybar building, and he shared how Richie and Tony's music inspires him. A sound which can bring you right back to another time and place.

edited by Dan Kleederman

Ron Contarsy Photographer

I met Ron Contarsy while I was performing on the uptown 1 platform at Columbus Circle.  We chatted about his work as a photographer and about what inspires him. His inspiration comes from the tough times so many are living through in the aftermath of the Hurricane, Storm Sandy.

Natalie Gelman inspiring LIRR

It's always great to chat with another Music Under New York musician. I passed by Natalie playing in Penn Station (LIRR) singing her song Sweet July and she took a minute to chat with me about what inspires her. She's now living in California. We certainly miss her voice in the NYC transit stations.

Check her out

edited by Dan Kleederman

Sidney Inspiration

I asked Sidney about her newfound love for the guitar. Her husband's father Millard Thomas, played guitar for Harry Belafonte, so as she said, maybe it is meant to be!  She had such an inspirational, bright energy! 

edited by Dan Kleederman