Ubiquity Touring!
Hittin’ the road on a solo tour, and linking up some amazing artists along the way. To RSVP, go to the ‘tour’ page on this site!
Hittin’ the road on a solo tour, and linking up some amazing artists along the way. To RSVP, go to the ‘tour’ page on this site!
The performance release of Adam Ahuja’s debut EP, ‘Balance’ is at ShapesShifter Lab in Brooklyn! The show will begin as a solo looping-style performance, and gradually add guest performers to form duos, trios, quartets and so on: evolving the music as the evening progresses. The EP itself is a solo endeavor, in which all instrument parts were recorded one track at a time. The 5-track collection is a mixture of composed tunes, a multi-track improvisation, a looping-style performance, and a solo piano piece. Adam Ahuja is an NYC-based musician (keyboards / vocals, guitar, drums) who combines jazz, rock, funk and hip-hop into a fluid style. Performing both as a soloist and with a group, Adam’s music is layered with reflective harmony, lyrical expression, funky grooves, live looping, and an improvisational spirit, building a distinctive mood and atmosphere from moment to moment. In NYC, Adam has recently shared his music at Blue Note Jazz Club (with The Flowdown). Adam Ahuja (keys, vocals, guitar, drums/percussion). Featured performers at the show: Ebonie Little (dance), Alvaro Kapaz (guitar), Lavondo Thomas (bass), Diego Vasquez (drums), Ron Thaler (drums), Pablo Eluchans (drums), Srikalogy (percussion).
As I stand in the grocery line at 1:50 AM, I glance down at the bag of vegetable chips and the power-fu sandwich in my hand. Perhaps I could half-consciously ask myself whether I could afford this, or tell myself it is simply too late to eat anything. I could glance at an over-lit isle shelf, or wander lazily around the store. I could find myself unable to make a simple choice due to a sneaky-crept up feeling of general overwhelm with life’s various insanities, only perceived as such because of a desperate trust-less feeling of a need to control everything. Thankfully, though, standing in that grocery line, I felt grounded. I felt gratitude. I had just come from a Tuesday night master class session, six hours of hardcore musical training near the Lincoln Center with Barry Harris. At 81 years young, Barry wasn’t taking any punches. Expectations were presented as perfection. There was no room given for soft feelings and fear-drizzled pats-of-backs, those co-dependent illusionary partnerships almost automatically endorsed in politicized society. At the class, there was a song distributed to everyone to sing together, and then those who felt ready, could sing at the mic in front of
I’ve moved these from the i-phone notes section to a website blog screen. Next step, brain. 1) Listen all the time. Almost always. And listen to music a lot. Any music. Don’t seek something specific from it; hear what it is. 2) Remember that music is a worthy path. It is a beautiful and natural gift to share with others! 3) If you wish you could do more with your music, the answer is two part: a) First: remember that music is primarily driven by one’s spiritual state / state-of-mind and the remainder is technical. Let’s say for example you are feeling bad about something. Rather than pushing away the uncomfort of that feeling, acknowledge it is there, that it has a source, and take the chance to grow from it by being present with that feeling through the music in that moment. b) Second: practice, and love the practice as an expression forward. Practice is your work. You can form a routine and practice but practice will be much more effective as long as you are aware of what you are doing, then you have a chance to learn from any kind