Sony Rooftop Performance

This was something very special. There is a Youtube channel that’s called BalconyTV and the concept of the show is to let musicians play on a balcony or rooftop or anything high above the city. So I got a call from Balcony TV if I was able to perform for the show’s Manhattan Chapter. Of course I don’t mind that!

Balcony TV

BalconyTV Manhattan arranged their usual rooftop which is on top of the Metropolitan Life North Building, better known as ‘The Sony Rooftop’. This rooftop, which gives you a 360 degrees view over Manhattan from it’s place at 25th street and Madison Avenue, really makes you feel like you’re on top of the world. ‘I can see the Empire State Building from here’ was not an unheard sentence. Recently redecorated, it’s a luxury quiet haven high above the hustle and bustle of the city, and with clear blue skies and 24 celsius on the thermometer, I actually got a bit of a tan! After a short interview I performed ‘Why wouldn’t you’ with my iPad music apps like Loopy.
After some time the final video came out which you can check right here! Shoot me a note and let me know what you think! My photographer friend Karen van Gilst, specializing in photography of jazz musicians, got the chance to shoot beautiful pictures which visualize the grandeur of the place and the fun that I had to perform at one of the most special places I’ve performed thus far..
Thank you Balcony TV for this opportunity and thank you Karen van Gilst for the beautiful pictures!

Herbie Hancock Harvard Lectures

This semester Herbie Hancock was guest professor at Harvard. For the Norton Lectures he will present 6 presentations in the Sanders Theatre. Since I am in Boston I attended these lectures. Last summer I met Herbie backstage during Umbria jazz after I saw him perform a duo concert with Chick Corea. He is one of my all time favorite pianists. It was amazing to hear Herbie talk about Miles Davis, about life and buddhism, play some amazing music, tested his new gear and sharing his opinions with us.

Below you can see all the lectures since Harvard put them online for anyone to see. Enjoy!

1 – Wisdom of Miles Davis

2 – Breaking the Rules

3 – Cultural Diplomacy

4 – Innovation and new technologies

5 – Buddhism

6 – once upon a time