Subway Girl Holiday jam

Courtney found my Columbus Circle subway spot thanks to my FB post and showed up with her Uke. It was a very cold Saturday and it felt like the Little Match Girl fairy tale, with every song we sang it lit up the cold subway platform and commuters with such warmth.  Strike another match SubwayGirls.  Here's Courtney's inspiration and a lovely excerpt of Last Christmas. Although an announcement comes in pretty loudly, what I love is the sound of the subway announcement chimes that are in a perfect chord just as Courtney starts the song.

Happy Holidays.

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? 

Harrison Jacobs Inspired Journalist

I met Harrison in Union Square where he was embarking on a photo essay assignment for Business Insider on Buskers (subway musicians). What inspires Harrison? A great song..words and New York.

What's your inspiration?

here's Harrison's story on buskers.  I'm thrilled to be a part of the story, and only wish there could have been more women in it. Sadly when walking about the subway there seem to be less women out there busking. But we are there folks, we are there. Calling all women......

Hong Kong film crew episode

In late February this year, I was contacted by a Hong Kong film crew visiting NYC for a story on subway musicians.  Ever game to share my experiences, I set up a date to meet. With crew in tow, producer Avis Chan including Taiwanese singer Janice Yan, came to my apartment in Murray Hill. I invited Janice to sing with me in the subway. After a funny discussion about songs we could possibly do together, we settled on the song Crazy by Gnarls Barkley. And I was just crazy enough to give it a try. The next day we met at the information clock in Grand Central. You can imagine the sight as we all walked towards my scheduled performance location at the Shuttle. Watching the commuters getting out of the way of the cameras, or trying to be in the way was hysterical. Janice helped me to set up and not only did she have her first experience singing in the subway, but as if on cue, a group of Performing Arts HS students stopped to listen and were easily enticed into joining us. That's the power of music, and why I not only love singing in public spaces, but allow the spontaneous, the out of the ordinary to evolve and present itself.    

Avis asked what to me was iconic NYC. I immediately thought of the subway token, something I still miss. She gave me a collection of tokens. A very lovely gift. Enjoy the episode.

clip of the HS kids for my Inspiration Project:

Jared Inspired Busker + Don community seeker

Traveling on my way to the ALIA summer 2013 institute conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia
I met Jared at a truck stop in New Brunswick. He so inspired me by sitting there with all the cars and trucks coming and going.
What inspires Jared? "My heritage."
 
I met Don in Heartwood Cafe in Halifax, NS 
What inspires Don? "Curiosity, new people, learning new things…and having fun!"

Çiğdem Y. Mirol + Elliot Samuel Paul Inspired

 I met Çiğdem Y. Mirol and Elliot Samuel Paul as they were taking a picture of Çiğdem and her book translated from Turkish "Myface Book." We hit it off and chatted about inspiration.  I was already inspired having sax player Jimmy "Rhythm" (real name James Taylor-no fooling) show up to jam with me.  We were performing Love Is In Need and I asked Elliot to join in (he told me he was a singer), and to my happy surprise he did. Elliot is the co-founder of an amazing non-profit website called creativitypost.com, a place for creatives to connect. Of course I am intrigued. 

 

 

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?

Tony sawyouonthetrain.com

I met Tony at Union Square he filmed me for his website sawyouonthetrain.com I love that he is so inspired by subway musicians and helping others get a chance to hear us. Thanks Tony

What inspires Tony? "Success, the good in people." He was hit hard by super storm Sandy and experienced the goodness of the people who helped him out. he wants to give back, pay it forward.

What's your inspiration?

here's the clip Tony made of my song  Comin' Back To Me

Harper + Carter inspired

I met Carter at 54 Below when we both performed as part of Susie Mosher's Backstage show.  I invited Carter to come and jam with me at my subway gig and she showed up with her friend Harper. It was fun sharing what it's like to perform in a very busy station. 

What inspires Carter? "People, no matter where they come from, they're beautiful." and Harper? "women, nature, paintings, cinema."

here's a full version clip of

Carter's song St. Peter's song 

What's your inspiration?

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?

join my newsletter for all the latest news 

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.

join my newsletter for all the latest news 

Petula Beckles MUNY artist

I walked past Petula as she was singing "I Want To Thank You" to the commuters passing by........ I had the chance to be on the judging panel when she auditioned last year and so happy to see that she is now on the MUNY roster!

Her voice so inspirational to me.

join my newsletter for all the latest news

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

join my newsletter for all the latest news 

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