John Montagna: Archives

It's Monday morning, about 1:48am. I'm enjoying my post-gig cup of tea (ALmond Sunset by Celestial Seasonings, if you must know), and winding down for the nite. It's not my habit to post here so late at nite, but I'm still buzzing off the great gig I just did and I want to get it down before I sleep in tomorrow!

We did an excellent repeat of last year's Concert for Bangladesh tribute show at BB Kings. Band was in top form: 7 guitarists, 2 drummers, 2 keyboardists, 8 singers, 3 horns, and me on bass (and guitar on 2 songs). What an awesome nite! George Harrison's music plays itself, and we all had a blast. And what could have been a massive logistical nightmare onstage was handled with military efficiency by soundman extraordinaire George Marshall. AND we raised some money for St. Jude's Children's Hospital! Good, good times.

Last year's show was excellent as well (click here and here for highlights), but tonite was really something else. I guess having already staged it and knowing what to expect, we relaxed into it tonite and added that extra something (pun intended) to make it extra special. There will be video footage being edited for viewing pleasure in the coming weeks; in the meantime I hope to see some of my Bangladesh comrades again soon!

In other news, check out my Imeem profile:
http://imeem.com/johnmontagna It's another way to check out my content: music, videos, etc. We'll see how effective it is.

Quiet week this week, mainly baby time and gearing up for holidaze and the New Year. Keep on checking in for more stuff!

Be well
JM

From an email sent to me today from Joshua Greene, speaker and author of "Here Comes The Sun: The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Unedited comments overheard after the Hofstra gig and reported by a friend in the audience. As we say in Uttar Pradesh, “Mazel Tov”:

“They ought to bring it to Nassau Coliseum.”

“They should do this again. There’s obviously a demand for remembering George.”

Conversation between man and woman: “I have a male crush on him.” “I have a female crush on him.” [Object of this conversation was not identified, but I suspect they were referring to one or more members of the band and not the speaker.]

“I can see myself on that path.”

“I thought it would be too academic, you know, hosted by an “academic” – not at all.”

“All that about India -– where else could you find that?!”

“The band was amazing, and Townsend, incredible!”

“They’re really keeping him alive through this. His life goes on through all these people.”

“That was my kind of thing -- music and spiritual practice. I had chills running up and down my spine.”

“I’m going to have dreams about this concert; I just can’t get over it.”


More satisfied customers! We shall take this all up a few notches on Sunday, when we re-visit the Concert For Bangladesh at BB King's on Sunday.

http://bbkingblues.com
Be well
JM

If we're grateful
and we're thankful
then we're spiritual

If we're hiding
we're denying all the love inside
So don't let your spirit die

Lay down your arms
and we'll walk together
into the light

Francis Dunnery, "Grateful and Thankful," from the Tall Blonde Helicopter CD.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Be well
JM

Saturday morning, enjoying Sesame Street Old School DVD's with Francesca. Last nite was the George Harrison tribute show with Godfrey Townsend, Tommy Williams, Mike Bellusci and Joshua Greene at Hofstra University. Great show, fabulous audience, and I got to play slide guitar again! (Thanx for the '52 Reissue Tele and Super Reverb, Dad!)

Tonite is a private event somewhere in the state of New York. Tomorrow is a day off. It's cold here in NYC, but the sun shines bright so it's actually fairly refreshing in the daytime. Life is grand!

Be well
JM

Brought to you courtesy of imeem, after YouTube took this video down due to "terms of use" violations. If you see any in there, let me know.

Be well
JM

Home in NYC, back from the Armenia trip with the Alan Parsons Live Project. Met some great people, saw some amazing sights, and a good time was had by all despite my lost luggage (which was thankfully retrieved before the end of the week. Traveler's Tip: always pack your cell phone charger in your carry-on luggage).

Video blog footage is being edited as we speak (in between bottles and diaper changes), so stay tuned. I rehearse tomorrow for the George Harrison tribute at Hofstra University on Friday. Life is grand and the beat goes on!

Be well
JM

Click here for an article about our gig in Armenia! (Then click the word "English" near the top right corner of the page, for those of you who don't understand Armenian.)

Be well
JM

A short piece we made for the YouTube/PBS "Video Your Vote" project. Enjoy!


Be well
JM

Rainy day in NYC. Home doing home-type stuff today, rehearsal in the city tonite. Hoping the rain lets up enough to take the train, since I'm avoiding driving whenever possible. The only way to truly feel alive in this city is to get out from behind the wheel and walk the streets!

Last nite was a perfect example. Did a private event showcase on 25th Street, and since the venue has a bass amp I hopped in on the train. As we pulled out of DeKalb Avenue to begin the trip across the Manhattan Bridge, two young men made their presence known to all of us in the train car. One was tall, about 16, and the other was short, about 9. It went like this:

SHORT: What time is it?
TALL: Show time!
SHORT: What time is it?
TALL: Show time!
SHORT: What time is it?
TALL: Show time!

Tall then proceeded to clap his hands to the beat, and Short busted some killer acrobatics: back flips, headstands and spins, kicks, etc. Moves that are hard enough to do on steady ground, let alone a moving train. Very impressive, very inspiring. I gladly parted with a crisp fiver; if these guys can display that kind of fearlessness, hard work and dedication to craft, so can I.

Only in New York, kids. The beat goes on!

Be well
JM

Back home, just in time to catch Autumn in New York. (The season, not the song. Although the song is sweet as well.)

FYI I'm typing this with one hand, whilst holding my lovely daughter in the other. We had a wonderful week of Blessed Down Time in Tucson, and now we're back in the NYC groove and I'm enjoying my stay-at-home-Dad status. Local action with Eren Cannata this weekend, plus a few other things that I haven't put up yet since I'm not sure if they're open to the general public (stay tuned anyways).

Bottle time, gotta run!

Be well
JM

Blessed Downtime in Tucson. Weather is sublime. Francesca is glowing in the sunlight under the mountains, as is Jilly. And...that's about it for now!

Be well
JM

Monday Monday. Had a fine weekend; Saturday nite we partied with longtime friends, and yesterday afternoon was a very easy private event in New Jersey. Today I'm doing some studio tinkering, and getting ready for our trip to Tucson in a few days (Francesca's first plane ride). Looking forward to the Arizona sunshine and some Blessed Down Time with our desert peeps.

It is with some regret that I have disabled the guestbook on this website. What should have been a quick and easy way for people to visit the site and say "Hi" has unfortunately turned into a repository for internet spam. Up until now, I've been able to keep the credit card offers, russian language gibberish and domain name service ads under control, but some particularly unsavory stuff appeared this morning that crossed the line; so that's the end of that. Sorry, folks!

If you've been to the site and want to leave a message, you can always drop me an email at JM (at) johnmontagna (dot com). Ah, technology.

The beat goes on!
Be well
JM

Saturday morning, checking in to stay current. Francesca is enjoying her morning nap, as are her Mom & Dad. Today will be spent enjoying the effects of Autumn in New York: leaves changing colors, air crisp and clean, and leather jackets out of the storage space.

I'll also be listening to lots of Beatles this weekend, as a sorbet to cleanse the spiritual palette. I will allow myself to forget about Sarah Palin, the economy and the bailout plan for a while, and instead lose myself in that familiar, soothing haze of JohnPaulGeorgeandRingo.

Life is grand!
Be well
JM

Saturday morning in Bermuda, where I'm playing a private function with some of my NYC boyz (and girlz). Enjoyed cocktails with the clients last nite, as well as the salty sea breezes of Bermuda blowing thru our hair. 8pm downbeat tonite, early flight home to Jilly & Francesca tomorrow.

I so very rarely wax political on this website, but I'm feeling compelled to share this piece with you since I saw it happen live on CNN in my hotel room yesterday. I've been a fan of Jack Cafferty's since I was a young lad watching him on "Live At Five" here in NYC. But yesterday my admiration for him grew even more. Enjoy this wonderful piece of video, as I enjoy the freedom to present it to you.

RIP Paul Newman
The beat goes on!
Be well
JM

So I just took a look at my own blog page, and I noticed that it's been over a week since I wrote anything. Not only that, but the last thing I wrote was something fairly vague about "stories to follow." Nine days later...NOTHING!

What a nerve I have to keep people hanging like that. The fact is, new-parenthood uses time and energy reserves that one didn't realize one had; thusly, when baby is crying to be fed/burped/changed/held, one cannot simply ask her to wait while one finishes writing a blog entry about one's most recent musical escapades.

Fortunately for me, my core audience is small and dedicated enough to know what my situation is, and thusly there hasn't been any public outcry at the recent low output rate of blogs. As George Carlin said, "The people who mind won't matter, and the people who matter won't mind." (Didn't stop me from using the word "thusly" twice so far, but anyways.)

Suffice to say that Francesca has enhanced our life in ways I couldn't have imagined, and as she settles into her fifth month on the planet we're all finding our groove together. And as I perfect my time management skills, you can look forward to more and more content from me. As always, thank you thank you thank you for your continued support and interest!

Be well
JM

Back home from two triumphant shows on the west coast: the splendid Humphrey's on the Bay in San Diego, and the very nice Santa Fe Station Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Stories to follow in a later posting; right now I'm catching up on much-needed rest.

God bless Richard Wright (1943-2008).

Be well
JM

Landed safely at JFK early this morning, after an uneventful overnight flight home from Sao Paolo. Enjoying some sweet downtime with Francesca. I'm sure Brazil is lovely; next time I go there I'll get a chance to see some of it.

Going west w/APLP this weekend, San Diego (Friday) and Las Vegas (Saturday). The beat goes on!

Be well
JM

Coming at you live from Sao Paolo, Brazil, paying WAY too much for internet at the hotel. We're playing 2 shows down here with APLP, at the Sao Paolo Moto Festival (big motorcycle-related event).

Flew in Wednesday nite/Thursday morning, enjoyed a Blessed Day Off in the hotel catching up on sleep lost on the flight. Sharing the bill with us (and the flight in) is the Orange County Chopper Band, featuring the guys from the American Chopper reality show. Very nice guys, all of 'em.

We hit stage sometime after 11pm; until then I'm exercising, taking my vitamins and relaxing. If anything else exciting happens you'll hear about it here first.

The beat goes on!
Be well
JM

Wednesday morning, enjoying some egyptian licorice mint tea with honey. Physical therapy is in a few hours, for blessed relief.

Last nite we raised the Goblet Of Rock with the APLP rhythm section at Veteran's Memorial Park in Throgg's Neck (aka Da Bronx). Nice warm summer breeze, excellent crowd, and a blast rocking with the Boyz again for the first time all summer (the Boyz were touring the country with the Hippiefest; I stayed home and did the Francesca's Daddy gig).

The rest of this week is quiet except for some weekend private events, and we hit the trail again for a bit with Mr. Parsons in September. The beat goes on.

Be well
JM

Easy like Sunday morning. Enjoying a quiet day off at home with wife & baby. Tomorrow starts two consecutive days in the studio with Apryl Allen, followed by some local action over the weekend. This is how I like it: just busy enough.

Been listening quite a bit to a Sly & Robbie CD called "Language Barrier" recently. Circa 1985. Featuring Bill Laswell, Herbie Hancock, Afrika Bambaataa, Bernie Worrell, Doug E. Fresh, and others. Crazy, chaotic 80's synth mayhem with bumpy Sly & Robbie grooves pulsating underneath it all. Makes me wish I'd been born 20 years earlier; I would have been a New York Musician in the 80's, and most likely playing on sessions like this one. The album credits read that it was recorded in New York, Nassau and Kingston, Jamaica. What sessions those must have been.

The beat goes on!
Be well
JM

Chilling at home with the baby today. Played Kenny's Castaways in NYC last nite with Hay Jude, the brand-spankin' new country-fied Beatles tribute with Josh Max & Rich Zukor. Kicked much arse, with a very small arsenal: my Carlo Robelli Hofner violin bass copy, Josh's semi-hollow Guild, and Rich's snare & hi-hat on the floor between us. Lots of sweet southern fried pockets to lay into, plenty of 3-part harmonies, and a fairly sizable crowd digging it all. You can read more about it by visiting Josh Max's blog, right here.

Good times. And I even forgot about my back pain! Until this morning, when my body reminded me that I'm not 22 anymore. Resting today, but if something exciting happens you'll hear about it here first.

Be well
JM

Monday morning. Coming at you live from bed, where I'm recovering from a back injury. Long story short: I've got two herniated discs, with the bottom one pressing on a nerve which sends MASSIVE amounts of pain shooting down into my left leg.

Fortunately, the discs are not damaged seriously enough to warrant any surgery, steroid injections or other such tomfoolery. I've basically been on bed rest for nearly a week, keeping the pain at bay with Motrin and percoset. As of today, the worst of the pain has subsided. I have my first physical therapy session this afternoon, which will be my first time leaving the apartment since last Tuesday (7-22-08). Next time you see me on a gig, I'll have much better posture (and a much smaller amp).

One of the advantages of being bedridden for several days - nay, the ONLY advantage - has been the opportunity to re-discover my vast music collection. On my nightstand next to the pain meds, phone and alarm clock, are several massive stacks of CD's, my Philips boom box and my Sennheiser HD 600 headphones. And I'm grateful that my brain is wired the way it is, because it's been the steady supply of music that has done some of the most effective healing (in glorious stereo).

Interestingly, I seem to keep coming back to the same few discs over and over again. (I've also spotted a few discs that are ready for the used CD store.) Just in case you're curious, here's my Hit Parade Of Herniated Discs:

Tears For Fears - Songs From The Big Chair
Yes - 90125
Sly & Robbie - Language Barrier
Soft Machine - Fourth
Tribalistas - Tribalistas
Al Stewart - Time Passages
Philip Glass featuring Yo-Yo Ma - Naqoyqatsi Original Soundtrack
Django Reinhardt - Douce Ambiance
Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares - Melody Rhythm and Harmony
Nick Bougas - Celebrities At Their Worst Volumes 1 & 2
Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and Max Roach - Money Jungle

I have three physical therapy sessions this week; in between these I'll be back in bed digging on the tunes. I'm no fool, and I'm not pushing myself to try and do anything too strenuous until I'm ready...that's how I wound up in this bucket of syrup to begin with! The exercises I learn in PT will become a permanent part of my daily routine, since I'm determined to not be sidelined by chronic back pain "every now and then." Stay tuned for updates!

Be well
JM