Fatima ole boys

So this pic was taken a few years ago at Damon Homer's bachelor party.

From left to right (me, John Hussain, Brent (Bart) Kelshall, Damon Homer). We were all in the same form from 1985 - 1990. We didn't always get along, but by the start on form three onwards, we had a bond of music.

John, Damon, Brent along with Gerard Rajkumar would from GREEN and gig out from 1992 - 1995.

Bart doesn't play music anymore, in fact he hates musicians. He hates that he went Fatima College. But whenever I see him and we stand up and ole talk, I can't help but laugh my brains off.

Friday night, we bounced up each other at Shakers on the ave, and he asked me 'Franny? (my wonderful nickname from since Fatima days that he gave to me, and STILL calls me by that), Why did people say I was on drugs in school?'

And I said 'It's because of the way you talk Bart!, so sound drugged out' 

The weird thing he's not, he's totally sober. Well, he had a drink in his hand at the point in time...but.....

Then he says to me 'You were always a geek in school, in fact you're still a geek Franny!'

I laughed my head off....

I hope Bart never changes.

Sometimes things do come to you......Kobo Town comes to Trinidad

So this year had so much hope and promise to it. I was so looking forward to summer when I would hit the road again, this time just like 2009, I'd be in Europe. The plan was England, Sweden, Germany and hopefully, France. That was the plan! Yes indeed. June come quickly, I'm leaving on a jet plane, yes I am!

All this was being planned out since late last year with Kobo Town - the band that I still tour with from Ontario, Canada. (I know Ontario is a big province, but I can't really say the band is from Toronto nor Ottawa as half of the band members lives in each city. So Kobo Town is from Ontario! Why not? And I currently reside between Toronto and Trinidad, running a guitar program, and so we practice whenever we do meet up, but anyway, that's another blog post!)

So yes, as I was saying, the new album was being recorded and was to be released by Spring this year, and then we'd hit the road in support of it. That was the plan.

Instead what happened was delays and now the album is going to be released next year. That's the music biz for ya! So the tour got delayed....err....until the new album is out. I mean after all, we can't tour on our previous record, that's five years old now.

So, here I was just planning a 'lil trip up north for the summer, just to relax and visit some friends, when all of a sudden, the guys called to say 'Hey, guess what? The Canadian Embassy is flying down the ENTIRE band to Trinidad to play on Canada Day - July 1st at the Trinidad Hilton. And we're booking a few more gigs! So stick around man, we're coming your way!'

And so, I had to change my ticket. Oh well. That's life!

Now, I know it ain't no massive tour, but to be jamming with those lads on a stage again, and this time on my own stomping ground. I can't of a better way to start the summer. I've missed those miserable bastards. Every one of them.

We've toured all over Canada, various part of the US, Germany and Denmark, but we've never played Trinidad.

How cool is that?

Sometimes, when you least expect it, things do come you way!

Check us out online at www.kobotown.com

Not really ever knowing someone

My uncle died last week saturday morning. Well, he was more like a cousin really, but with such a big age difference, I called him my uncle.

He was a really nice guy, who loved to garden. You shoulda seen his garden, it was a sight to behold.

He left behind a son and two daughters.

The amazing thing is, I never knew he had a son. I only found this out at his funeral. I also learnt alot from his eulogy. And it really does make you wonder.

Do we ever truly know someone?

Having fun un-wiring my mind

I realized that I've been doing something wrong for the last 37 years of my life.

It occurred to me like a month or so ago.

Now on one hand I can look at it as 'Man, I took so long to come to this awareness of what I've been doing wrong, why didn't I come to this conclusion sooner?' Or, I can say 'Wow! Here I am, 37 years of age, starting over with a clean slate, and I now know how to do the right thing'

I'm going with option two. And you know what? Standing on firm ground for the first time in my life, is a great, great feeling.

what I'm listening to now....edition # 8

So these days I'm taking in these guys, I know it may seem a bit odd that I list who I listen to from time to time, but maybe somewhere in this list, something might piques someone's interest......

Andres Segovia
John Williams
Enya
Eric Johnson
Gangbe Brass Band
Victor LaFuente
John Frusciante
Jeff Beck
Kaminari
Lizz Wright
Louis Prima
Norah Jones
Michael Manring
Pat Metheny Group
Puccini
Sandro Albert
Tri Lok Gurtu
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Steve Vai
Salif Keita
Madina N'diaye
Jean Louis
Sting
The Roots of Chica
Shakti with John Mclaughlin
Winifred Atwell
Morglbl
John Coltrane
The Mothers
John Scofield
Etta James
John Abercrombie
Femi Kuti
Eric Whitacre
Count Basie
Meshell Ndegeocello
Billie Holiday

So when the music is coming, the best thing is to go with the flow.

I've been in a creative mood these last few months. Been recording a few pieces for my own catalogue.

I just put everything down as soon as it came to me and then I went back a few months later and edited, then mixed them all. I like working that way. Just get it all out, then tweak later.

I'm also working on a score for an upcoming documentary that will be aired here in Trinidad in September....

So I guess the main thing is when ideas come to you, put it down on paper and audio media asap, cause you never know when you might forget an idea, and you never can tell what might come out of a few random chords or a melody line.

A few songs that I'm putting up now started off in my head with just me humming a melody that just came to me. After that, I had to scramble to hook up my gear and record it IMMEDIATELY.

It was a rather spontaneous process. Had no idea what would happen next after I pressed the record button. But here we are.

Hope you like the songs

Check out 

www.myspace.com/cescomusic

Poison people

I don't mean to be dissing anyone outright in this post, but this needs mentioning.

There are some people in your life, that no matter what you say or do, they always have a negative comment to make.

There are people who thrive on confusion, on gossip, on being 'bad-mind', on having wicked ways.

These people have nothing worthwhile to contribute to anything, but can always tell you where 'you' have fallen short. They themselves have never done anything wrong.

Many of these people inhabit various groups (church for example), and while I'm not singling out anyone in particular here, I think it's important to realize that these 'drainers', these poisonous folk seek out such groups and affiliations for one thing - A forum for their malice.

They're interested in furthering their ego at all costs.

One must feel sorry for this type of person, whose internal poison has them so warped that they feel the terrible need to inflict other people with their bad vibe. And bad vibes do rub off, that's a fact. Someone has a bad vibe around you, it can sour a whole gathering.

So what's the solution? Armour up! Before encountering such a person, put on your personal mental shield, and be ready for anything. Don't listen to a thing they say, stand your mental ground and shake off all negative comments as quickly as possible.

It will do you no good if you allow that person's venom to torture your peace of mind.

Stand firm and peaceful and leave the poison within that person, give it back to them if they give it you, not with the same malice they have, but rather peacefully and with humility. In all honesty that person needs help and prayers, but will more than likely stay stuck there in their mental prison, thinking that everyone else has done them wrong, and that they have a right to be nasty if need be.

Truth is, no one has a right be mean and wicked, no one has the right to inflict someone else with their mental acid. But the sad fact is, many people are mental drainers, many people love to pass their trouble around, like a virus. And they need us, they need normal, relatively happy folk in order to carry their problems, their lies, their malice.

And all we can do is pray for them, protect ourselves mentally and shake it off and move on.

It's the only way to keep our peace of mind. And that's the most valuable thing in this world.