Meneachea's inspired mantra

I met Meneachea at Columbus Circle, her enthusiasm for what I was doing made her stop and chat. I'm happy I asked what inspired her. Her answer was quick off the top of her head and spot on. "music, life, service, and the earth." Listen to her reasons why. Filmed in 2011, just as relevant now as it was then.

I honor her as we celebrate International Women's Day on March 8th #IWD2015

Rick Miramontez Broadway's Charmer

Seeing the fun article about Rick Miramontez in the NY Times Today by Patrick Healy, made me think of the time when I filmed Rick for my Inspiration Project.  Made in 2011 at the Premiere of Nico Muhly's Dark Sister produced by Music Theatre Group.

What inspires Rick?  Colors and Music!

 What's Your Inspiration? 
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Inspired Singing Identical Twin Sisters

I met Adriana in Penn Station while I was singing and she was waiting for her sister Viviana to show up.  When Viviana showed up and I saw they were identical twins, I had to ask them my favorite question. "What inspires you?"  What I didn't know was how well they harmonize together. Sisters!

What inspires Adriana and Viviana?  Music and of course each other!

What's Your Inspiration? 

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

Nousha Salimi Inspired photo journalist

I met Nousha at Columbus Circle, she found my website and came to take pictures for her
project about Subway musicians. We've connected quite a bit since then and she has
shared the pictures she took of me,

and here's her photographic expose of the 1st day she spent with me at Columbus Circle from her website.

I invited Nousha to be a part of Eve Ensler's One Billion Rising project to end
violence against women. Nousha is from Iran and her video is especially moving.
 
What inspires Nousha?  Music and Photography.
Here are some of the images Nousha took last Thursday and Friday as she walked around NYC after the Hurricane. 
Battery Park
cell phone charging station

closed subway station

Vicki Randle Inspiration

Summer Solstice arrived June 20th at 7:09 PM EST and already giving NYC some serious summer heat. I was performing on the uptown 1 platform at Columbus Circle, and the unmistakable vocalist and percussionist Vicki Randle (of the Kevin Eubanks group on Jay Leno) passed by me with a grin. 

In town performing with Mavis Staples at the Beacon Theatre with Bonnie Raitt, Vicki and I chatted about inspirations and the first time we met many years ago in Key West when I opened for Laura Nyro and Vicki was in the band.

What Inspires Vicki?  "…what just happened…..just the sound, its the complex beautiful sound of music that creates something inside you, it makes an emotion in me…"

a little 1980's history in Key West

Richard Green Inspiration

Richard stopped by my Columbus Circle gig while he was in town for work. It was a nice surprise. He and I are in a Blues Band in Columbia County, NY (about 2 hours North of NYC), we perform mostly for non-profit organization fund raisers.  Richard is an amazing guitarist and great spirit. We have a lot of fun making people dance.

What inspires Richard?  "Using music as a tool for community."

What's Your Inspiration?

Richard filmed me singing my song Question Of Desire, here's the clip