Tour 2009-10

The Last Word

2010-05-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

I'm home!

With my girls!

I finished my tour doing radio interviews for the talk shows,

underground stations,

and for the most popular ones

where i ended with a lot of conviction.

"Is this my daddy?"

I am done! It was one of those things when you think "how am i going to do that?". Here i am at home in one piece and ... only with one speeding ticket. One of my main goals was not to get sick or not to fall ... off the stage. None of the shows were cancelled. I am very proud of it.

The experience was unbelievable both on the stage and on the road. I gained skills that you would never learn from the books or at the self-improvement workshops. Today i can speak or "wing it" in front of thousands of people without problem. Maybe i should run for the President and compete with Sarah Palin in the next elections? She can shoot but i can play ; )

The memories from the towns and the cities are still foggy. Too much info in my hard drive. Only my blog could help me to remember. I know that i will be reading my blog and wondering if i was really there and if i was really doing those silly moves?

Seeing the country and meeting the people was the most valuable and unique experiences in my life. Its funny that today when i meet people from Globe AZ or Midland TX their eyes pop out when i say that i was there and i know where it is.

Another perk of such an intense tour was the break time. When i was home i was resting like there is no tomorrow. Yeah, i pushed the limits of indulgence.

Now i am at home with 3 month old Sofia (who was born while i was on the road) and Lily doing the same. My best team.

We are catching up on dinners with friends and late night parties. Yes, Sofia too! She needs to learn if she is planning to live in my house ; )

Now i am already rehearsing for my next projects which will have totally different flavor. In order for me to live in full i need to change. I constantly need to reinvent myself. I am on the highest point in my life. Now i have it all but ... i want more ; )

See you in a different zone,

Payson AZ

2010-04-22T18:33:00.000-07:00

This is my last concert of the Tour! Will i be sad or relieved? Who knows.

While i was driving from Pheonix to Payson i was kind of numb. Driving is my routine. What else could impress me. Nature? I think i've seen all. However i didn't get over the cactuses yet. They are my favorite plants. I think that Arizona has the most character as a state. The cactuses

and red rocks

made my trip not boring at all.

During the drive i tried to engage myself into a special and spiritual state because it was my last concert. It didn't work. I think that i became a robot. I was doing my routine: driving, checking in at the hotel and looking for a restaurant that was still open @ 8 pm.

The hotel was a big surprise because it had the most beautiful alpine backyard and smelled like pine trees.

Next morning i encountered a big problem. I had a pimple on my forehead like a horn and there was no way that it will go away till the evening. The worst thing was that it was on the side of the audience.

Psychologically it was very hard. The only cure i could use it was my confidence. That was the plan for the day.

I was looking forward to the outreach concert however it was interrupted by technical malfunction and that broke the flow. After that children (who barely can sustain their attention) were on the loose. I have put a lot of energy and got ... not enough result.

I needed to refocus and recharge myself for the evening show.

Nature is the best for that.

I stayed there and stared at the rocks like samurai before the battle.

My chemicals were restored but it didn't help to the pimple. Actually it got even "juicier". Che vergogna! Besides the confidence it needed physical help. I decided to use powder ( i also felt like putting some eyeliner as well but left it for the next time). The hall was almost full. I could feel the energy of the people. They didn't know what is happening in my head. I was not a robot at that time. I wanted to give them the best show in their lives. I don't know if it was their best but i felt quite strong response from them. I played really really well. Good piano helped too. I was free and i didn't care about anything but ... the moment that i was in. It was my last.

Paradise CA

2010-04-19T22:37:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been in Paradise?

The nature there is soooooooo lush.

Analiese (whom i just met and who just picked me up from the Chico airport) lost her way to her friend's house. I actually enjoyed it because i just landed from dusty Arizona deserts and was absorbing the nature.

Finally we found it!

Daria was cooking up the storm and making fashion statements.

Also she told me that if i won't behave she will dunk me in the dog's pool. GRO-SE! I behaved.

Dan was not sure how to deal with ladies.

Good choice. Get'em drunk!

Dan takes his dances seriously before dinners.

Full and happy faces.

Even if i was very tired from the travels that night i really enjoyed the company of the people that never met before. That's why i love my life. Its full of strangers ; )

Next day i played concert and went back to Arizona. It was very quick and interesting visit in North California. They definitely have a character.

Bullhead City AZ day 2

2010-04-18T17:58:00.000-07:00

Great outreach concert. Students were fantastic. Very expressive.

Even Julie forgot that she is a president of the concert association.

Later that day we went for lunch to the hillbillie's town. The road was full of surprises. Wild burros ( or donkeys). They were left there in the mountains in 1930-40 when they closed the mines. Now they are wild and often create a big traffic but everyone respects them. You are not supposed to be in a hurry in a hillbilly town anyway.

I had to take action and try to clear the road but ... instead i was just spreading them all over the road. They couldn't care less about my efforts.

I decided to take another approach. To befriend a little burrito.

But it took a pro donkey whisperer to achieve the goal.

The town was friendly

classy

and safe.

The walls of the restaurant were covered with real dollar bills.

Dollars were everywhere.

The family of musicians were entertaining for tips only.

Sometimes their little daughter would come out for a dance. Soon she will sing blues too.

We had our buffalo burger and headed back. I needed to rest before the concert but we were stopped again. "Your license and registration or ... maybe a carrot"

Is it the end of the month?

Somebody is not in the good mood.

The concert association in Bullhead gave me very VIP treatment. Including the parking.

The audience was great. I very was hyper and had fun with them.

Next day i had a fly out to California to play a concert and then to come back to Arizona for another one. Good bye Laughlin! I had a really good stay!

I still can't forget those musicians and the little dancing girl.

Bullhead City AZ day 1

2010-04-17T10:18:00.000-07:00

In order to get to Laughlin/Bullhead City AZ i had to fly through Las Vegas. Vegas has special vibes. Its the freedom. This is the place where people go to embrace their instincts. Everyone there become one tribe with one goal. I love Vegas.

I rented a car and left for Laughlin/Bullhead.

Laughlin is a gambling town on the border of Nevada and Arizona. Bullhead City is in Arizona just across the river.

My accommodations where in Laughlin

but the concert was in Bullhead. My suite was on the top flour of the hotel/casino and had two balconies. You can choose either one for jumping if you loose big. I wasn't there to lose.

Julie (a president of the concert association) organized a gig for me just for fun at the lounge in one of the casinos.

Who is real there?

Tips started to come in. I didn't know how to act because i work for ... food ; ) Wouldn't you? It was lobster, shrimp and scallops rounded by mashed potatoes.

Even the chef came out to see who the new "lounge act" was.

At midnight we roamed around the casino looking for Mr.Laughlin himself. The man who built this town. We found him! He was in the corner of the club having a business meeting. We caught him at the end of the meeting and took historic shots.

I had to force myself to go to sleep because ... this town doesn't sleep and i don't want to miss anything.

EL Paso TX day 2

2010-04-12T12:38:00.000-07:00

Today was the most fun day of the tour. However it started with a little tragedies. I lost my phone. I was distracted by too many events and had too little time. I am almost finished with the tour and there goes my phone. In the last weeks! It was bound to happen and i hated that phone anyway.

That made me a little upset but when i saw the hall and the piano ...

everything was back on track. I knew that the show will be good. And it was! because i had an amazing audience and many new friends in it.

Before the concert i was taking pics of the venue.

The evening was very warm and many people were out enjoying it.

Gladys (a representative of the area for the concert associations) came out to enjoy the evening too. While we were talking a young couple approached us and asked if i was Rudolf. Surprisingly I was. They were very friendly. People with confidence always make life interesting. Look at Dustin. He is ready to take Gladys (in red) home too ; )

Honestly i didn't expect my new Mexican friends (Maria, Fernanda and Cesar) whom i met last night to come to the show.

I was very happy because they did and also brought even more friends. Here we are after the concert at the starting line. Ready to party.

Trendy bars had waiting lists for 30 min. It was way too long! We just posed for a couple of pictures there and left to another one.

We landed in a dive bar where we felt quite ... comfortable.

the DJ kept an ambience with good music

Cesar had very unrealistic dreams ; )

Dustin didn't look as perky as before and Kate couldn't stop smiling even though there was no reason.

Sofie was very alert and was telling something important in Spanglish or Dutch. I don't remember. She is a big fan of Amsterdam as you can see.

Fernanda made sure that everyone had a little somethin' somethin' on the table. Actually she was the one who invited me to the table yesterday at the club. We didn't know each other then. say "Queso" or "Jalapeno"!!!

There was more friends from Juarez (Mexico). They cross the border just to come to El Paso in order the party or to visit friends. This time was both.

I was having the best time with these people. No wonder that i am married to a latina ; ) Their blood temperature fits mine even i am a pale gringo from Lithuania. Not Transylvania! Please!

El Paso TX day 1

2010-04-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

11 hours of flights wore me down. Finally i reached a border town El Paso. It was weird to see Ciudad Juarez Mexico a mile away. I was advised not to cross the border. Drug wars are still there.

I stayed in the center of El Paso. After the long flight i wanted to relax meaning to go out and to have a beer.

I found a club where the band was about to play. When i ordered the beer i realized that i am the only one non-latin customer. I felt very special. Everyone looked at me and i looked back at them. I tried to avoid eye contact with guys with a lot of tattoos or twice bigger ones than me. The girls looked very feminine and fixed up for the friday night. The beers were $2. Everyone spoke spanglish. I liked it because i didn't feel left out.

So i was just sitting there and waiting for the band to start when 2 mexican girls and a 1 guy came to me and said "you look very lonely why don't you join our table?". The next moment we were sitting at the same table, listening to the latin rock band and becoming best friends. Everything happened so fast just in 2 hours after i landed in El Paso. They were students at the University of Texas El Paso from Ciudad Juarez. I felt if i was talking to my old buddies. I couldn't believe that they knew Mozart operas in details. They were talking about poetry, quoting some Argentinean philosophers, translating the songs of the band. They were interested in everything and we kept talking and talking.

Also the place was getting more wild. Everyone was screaming their lungs out singing latin rock songs with the band. Later the singer wanted to see the most wild table. It was enough to announce that when ... girls jumped on the tables and started to dance. Then balloons filled the club, later techno music exchanged the band and the energy was in the red zone.

Me and my new friends started to lose our voices because of the loudness. Even the beer didn't help. It was 1:30 am and time to go to the hotel anyway. On the way out the owner of the bar insisted for us to have a friendship tequila shots (on him). I was reluctant but i couldn't reject the friendship part. We said our good byes and maybe will see each other at my show tomorrow.

This was the only time when i needed my camera and i didn't have it. I forgot even my cell phone. Maybe it should stay that way - unreal. Pictures couldn't transmit the real atmosphere anyway.

Nashua NH day 2

2010-04-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

Jet leg could mess you up! The night before i couldn't fall asleep till 4 am. Luckily i didn't have activities in he morning. So i just slept slept and slept. I needed to be fresh before i went on stage. My friends from student years in Lithuania came from Boston to the show. I was very excited. We didn't see each other for 12 years. What a pressure ; ) The show went very well. Many people. Maybe 900 or so. Very responsive crowd. I had a great time.

After we went out with my friends. Of course, we were the last people to leave the restaurant. It was so nice to reconnect with my "Soviet underground" roots which has no borders or tabu's. It felt good not to be PC and to speak in our slang with russian expressions! My people have very thick skin and witty approach to life that allows us to be free without caring about "sensitive" or "not nice" %^*&. There was a lot of laughter, beers and margaritas flying around.

Here we just starting. Danute (great opera singer, the nice one), Ginte (amazing pianist, the crazy one), moi (no comments) and Remis (pharmaceutical business, Ginte's hubby and the sane one).

BTW Danute and Ginte are mothers of 2 and 3 children but ... they left them with (?) spontaneously and came to the concert. They kept ordering more margaritas. You got to love them just for that. Long live mothers!!!

Here we are leaving ; ) (oh Ginte, stop trying)

On the way to hotel i was stopped by police. Luckily i had my lucky charm with me otherwise ...

my blogs wouldn't be here anymore ; )

Nashua NH day 1

2010-04-07T21:44:00.000-07:00

"A classy breakfast

is the way

to start the day."

(anonymous XXI c.)

Do you guys have Verizon here?

I took a long route through the White Mountains.

I think there is a Mount Washington in the back. Its kind of boring info.

Today was a hot day on the East Coast 86F. People were really enjoying it.

I stopped in the random town that i liked on the way. It was Concord NH.

You could feel the excitement of the spring everywhere. Somebody needed the sun,

and somebody the shade.

I found one too and it happened to be in front of the New Hampshire State House.

Well i decided to check how the government is doing their job there. The Senate didn't look to be very busy there.

nor was the House Chamber.

The only working person was the governor's secretary.

She told me that everyone is enjoying the weather and there is not too much of legislation to do anyway.

Very cool hair style

Not so cool.

Stairs or elevator? ............................. stairs of course.

Time to find my hotel.

Oh, its not so bad! I also loved Mozart concerto in the lobby. I guess i deserved it after all ; )

Ok, where is my room? Need some sleep

Rumford ME

2010-04-06T20:56:00.000-07:00

That morning i was in a good mood. I said good bye to Central Coast California and was ready for my next adventure. However i didn't know how many things are waiting for me with ... open jaws.

My first visit to Maine took forever. I spent 14 hours in the airports and delayed flights and i didn't even get to my destination. I had to find a hotel at ... 3 am in Portland ME. There wasn't red carpets only a kurdish shuttle driver to take me to the hotel. Very entertaining dude. We became brothers.

Next morning i was on the way to Rumford. I took detour in order to have a glimpse at Portland ME and its dwellers.

I was tired. The only thing i wanted was a pillow for couple of hours. When i got to my B & B i wanted to kiss the grounds but ... the owner of the B & B didn't give me a chance. We got into the fight in 10 seconds. The night before her husband cancelled my 1 of 2 night reservation at their B & B because of the flight dealys. But today she still wanted the money for that cancelled night. Hrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I wanted to jump in there.

I decided not to stay with them and in general never to stay in B & Bs again. They freak me out. I love people but there is too much contact (ewww!) between stayers or owners. I don't want act like a family at the breakfast and i don't want anyone to count my steps while i walk on the squeaky floor in the room.

Well, i became homeless and the concert was in 6 hours. It was raining. I wasn't sleepy anymore. I just wanted to get any motel on this road.

I did. It was the place where Ted Kazinski would go. Well, Poland is not too far from Lithuania. I got the room (no internet of course). It was the smallest, cleanest and the cutest room with an amazing balcony facing the river.

The concert was a sad event for the concert association that i was playing for. I was their last concert of their existence. The only thing i could do for them was to cheer them up with my ... dark soul.

Actually i forgot about everything and had a blast.

At the end of my long day i got beer at the gas station and drove back to my "no-tell motel" to listen to the crickets.

........crick ......................... crick ........................... crick .....................

(or whatever they say in English)

Lompoc CA

2010-04-05T10:59:00.000-07:00

Lompoc was the most local destination of he tour. Lots of wild groupies. The back stage had even naked ones. "Peace"!

Bakersfield CA

2010-04-04T20:44:00.000-07:00

To Bakersfield i could travel with my girls because it was just a few hours from home in CA.

In 6 weeks of her life Sofia is already addicted to the luxury hotels.

Bakersfield had the most gigantic stage. It is the 5th biggest stage in the continent. Perfect for my ego.

That was definitely the largest venue i ever played. When you have a venue like that then you need dudes like this to run it: the sound guy,

the lighting guy,

and the stage manager.

Not only they didn't kick my demanding ass but also they became my best buddies.

They were amazing! The sound check and the lights were done in a flash.

Also i needed a shuttle (not provided this time) to cross the back stage to my green room.

The evening show went incredibly well. Even Sofia had her stardom moment. When you play Chopin you can't avoid talking about romance. So she was my evidence.

That was the most exciting show. I loved my fun and rowdy audience. Only in Bakersfield you can get that ; )

Some artists are tired of paparazzi.

Cheers!

Corpus Christi TX

2010-04-04T18:55:00.000-07:00

Before my flight to Texas i kissed good bye my cow girls. This one was overdosed on milk

and the milk supplier was ... hmmmm ... particularly delicious. I am definitely coming back.

Then jumped on the plane, passed through my surfing spot in Pismo Beach CA,

my home Grover Beach CA,

and landed in Corpus Christi TX which for my surprise was very tropical.

It is on the most southern part on the Gulf of Mexico. This is one of the places for the spring breakers. "Par-tay!!!". However the parties were already over.

I was a few days late ; (

In the morning i went to check out my venue. Not bad.

It was right on the Gulf.

When i got there i was astounded by the looks and acoustics. Wow!

This was definitely the best sounding hall and had a one of the top 3 pianos i ever played on this tour. The capacity was about 1200 and didn't need any mics. What a pleasure to play there.

I couldn't wait for the evening show. I got really hungry

and for lunch i did seafood galore including oysters.

The evening show went exceptionally well. After we had a party in Texan style: rowdy and lots of beers. Next day i was back on the plane to my cow girls. When i got to CA i looked fresh like nothing happened.

I am so innocent

; )

At Home CA

2010-03-17T17:09:00.000-07:00

If i wrote what i did today it wouldn't be fair to those people who go to work. The only thing i can say that we stayed in the backyard all day long. When the breakfast finished (at 2 pm) we were ready for the lunch. There was a lot of snacks and ...

burrrrrrrrrps.

I almost forgot to mention that we all voted for a long walk to the frozen yogurt place (not ice cream. We don't do ice creams ; )

I was so oblivious while my daughter was was in danger.

Milk products make everybody happy (not only Sofia).

Later we sang "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga.

Unfortunately our main star passed out from milk overdose and the show was over.

Today was the ultimate day. We felt like true lottery winners! I guess we are.

Globe AZ

2010-03-15T00:30:00.000-07:00

On the way to Arizona there was some kind of border patrol action. That made me nervous. Anything with uniforms gives me shivers. Did my GPS lady made a mistake and sent me towards Mexico? When i asked officer if i am heading towards Mexico i raised a cloud of suspicion. I was forced to tell them my immigrant's heart warming story. The officer wiped his tear and let me go.

Luckily this dog didn't care how many margaritas i had yesterday. It was not a margarita dog.

Does this road have an end?

Oh! A curve?! How nice!

Can you eat it?

Its not a road to my venue. I took a random road deep into the wilderness just for curiosity.

This supposed to have my name on it. Bullet holes everywhere. People here like shooting even dead people.

I should be watching my back and also for the snakes instead of posing.

Wow! I thought that i am taller

It was so great but a little dangerous to be alone in this wilderness. What if i get bitten by the snake? What if i fell on these cactuses?

I am glad i survived. Let's get out. I am so not outdoors person. I need concrete, car noise and lots of people.

Not again the endless road.

Globe AZ was a town for outdoor people. Where can i have a lunch? Here?

Maybe ... not

The only other choice was this. Ok let's die here.

Not only i survived again but ... i had the BEST mexican cuisine in my life. I still dream about it.

Oh yes, the concert. I survived it ... for the third time. I didn't get shot. One audience member claimed that she would rather go shooting than playing a triangle in my spontaneous band.

We celebrated it with two ladies from my booking agency in a very shady bar until they closed it. No pics for obvious reasons ; )

Tomorrow i am going home ... to see this. Can't wait.

Las Cruces NM

2010-03-14T20:26:00.000-07:00

Since my arrival to New Mexico i noticed there is a strong traditions in architecture

and paying attention to the details.

My concert was at the Rio Grande theater.

When i saw it i loved it instantly because of its folkloric style and extremely cosy feel.

The manager of the place David was very welcoming

and his crew was young and cool. We had a blast with together.

Sound check and the lights were done con gusto. Looks like ready to go ... not for the back flip.

The show was received with great enthusiasm. I felt at ease with this audience. Actually there was a Lithuanian gentleman among the audience. Gee! We are everywhere! He came and invited me to the dinner after the concert. We went to the most fancy restaurant in Mesilla (the suburb of Las Cruces) which used to be a capital of New Mexico. Previously this restaurant was a governors private residence later it was a place for political meetings between Republicans and Democrats (which sometimes ended with gun shots). Also there was a time when it was bordello. Now it is an upscale restaurant with several dining halls. One is for tourists,

another for your mother in law,

of course the bar for a ...

"special date".

and the main room which is not for the regular mortals. That's where we ate.

I haven't ate such an exquisite food in a long time. This restaurant is famous for aging their own meats and creating an incredibly sophisticated taste. The dinner was a true experience where your eyes and your taste buds are enjoying on the same level.

Later we went out with my new friends from the theater to listen some bands

and to make more friends.

I really enjoyed the intensity of my time in Las Cruces. I love my job! At end of the night i was ready to collapse and get ready for the new adventures.

Road to Las Cruces NM

2010-03-12T23:19:00.000-08:00

I was on the road to Las Cruces. It was warm and lonely.

Oh man, its going to be a long day.

On the way i generated some interest. "Sorry, no autographs today".

I hope that this cemetery wasn't of somebody like me.

I was loosing hope but ... all of a sudden "Hope Store". It was unbelievable. I got a few pounds of their product and went back on the road with a new energy.

"I told no autographs!". Its so hard to be popular.

I was waiting for the driver but he never showed up. The ride wasn't that classy anyway.

As i was going up in the mountains i found real snow.

That was only beginning. Later it got thicker.

What about that??? Am i in New Mexico? or ... maybe i had a wrong product from that "hope store"?

On the other side of the mountain the views were getting better and better

and the weather got warmer and warmer.

Guess what it is ....................................................................................

............. it is a

......................................... white sand

.................................................................................. and a lot of it.

.......... water!!! .................................

(purified and with bubbles would be better... hmmmmmm......)

............ shade!!!

Also there was some kind of giant hippie.

As i was loosing my hope again ............................... i saw this.

Yes! ... I am saved! Sorry stranger, now its your turn to walk.

The travel through the desert became much easier.

Finally i could enjoy my trip

to Las Cruces.

The sun was going down. I knew that behind that mountain there was food, hotel and a skype session with my girls in California.

I was right. Las Cruces was catching the last light of the desert sunset.

Carlsbad NM

2010-03-11T21:39:00.001-08:00

Where is Carlsbad?

... and my venue?

... where is John Wayne when you need him?

Finally i found it and got a really horrible room at the hotel. I couldn't take it. I decided to go back to the front desk and to "shmooze". Guess what? It worked. They gave me a suite. It was much better. Since i am an excellent cook i pampered myself with my made raviolis, salads,

accompanied by Bud Light and ... and 0% fat yogurts for desert.

Since i had a day off i put a lot of miles on my pajamas and ... watched 4 movies back to back without shame. Now i know who is my favorite male actor. Finally!

Next morning i had a children concert at "un-godly hour" ... 9:30 am. I woke up and ran to the kids performance. Funny but I always make it ; )

I didn't know what to expect from the evening concert. I asked the flag what should i do?

and the flag said ... "loose your accent first". I desperately said "but this is the only thing that i have". After a long pause flag answered me "then go to your dressing room and everything will be OK". My dressing room looked like that.

I needed some privacy in order to change. Here felt a little uncomfortable.

the only place i found was ...there.

Audiences have no idea what happens in the back stages.

Artesia NM

2010-03-09T21:30:00.000-08:00

I really didn't want to leave for New Mexico because i was surrounded by my favorite women.

Time to pack.

My trip took 12 hours. Lots of delays. When i was making calls for the shuttle the guy next to me said "do you need a ride to your hotel". I said yes because all the shuttle was unavailable. The guy was looking very rough. Grey beard, tough face and a flannel shirt. He also didn't talk much and had a country accent. I really didn't expect such an offer from this guy. When we landed in Roswell NM the baggage was unloaded in martian style.

My ride was the brother of my new friend who looked even more rough. More flannel, more beard but very talkative and funny. So we loaded his truck with our bags and got on the road. The conversation started with lighting a cigarette in the car. I love cigarette smell. The talkative guy Tom is a Vietnam veteran . He was against the war but they drafted him. After he came back he asked if he could go back there. It was bizarre. He doesn't like killing. If he did he had nightmares but he wanted to go back anyway because of the ... adrenaline rush. That was his ultimate drug. There was nothing higher for him than war. He didn't use any other drugs until he came back. The man needed to stay high. He craved for the war and went back. Later he went to military. I became extremely interested in his stories and his perspectives. And invited them both for a beer in a very seedy bar (the only one open). I was fascinated by these two men. They were inseparable brothers and cared about most interesting stuff. The other brother is an engineer and has his own way of separating protein from the sugar in dairy products. He is going to China for 2 years to produce his product. The surprises kept coming. Their children have PhD's in middle eastern languages or music degrees from great universities. Wow! Two brothers with flannel shirts and untrimmed (one more than other) beards had two the most fascinating worlds. Maybe they were martians??? It was Roswell NM. Thanks to the failure of the shuttle. Long live failures!!!!!

Next day i rented a coolest car on this tour (pics later) and left to Artesia. Very small town but i had a great feel about it. Billy The Kid had a lady in this town and visited her often. He had to do it secretly of course because he was on the run all the time. Maybe he was hiding in my hotel?

... and maybe my room?

Everything in this town had character ... billboards too ; )

Lunch with the artist. I had him all by myself.

The Center of Performing Arts was new and very modern.

The best small venue on this tour.

I felt really good vibes there. Maybe because of Billy The Kid?

Meeting My Daughter

2010-02-23T15:05:00.000-08:00

I was nervous all day long. Unlike me i left to the airport very early in order not to miss the plane. I was there 2 hours before my flight (like a big nerd) but the airport was empty.

I am going home to meet my daughter who is 5 days old. My flight will be 10 hours. That's what you get when you live in the "boonies". I felt good but ... nervous because Sofia was very excited to meet her daddy for the first time.

Next morning i had to take some lessons from pros.

All of this for me was very foreign.

Hey, no flirting!

Its my turn.

I had some suggestions directly form the client as well.

Finally it was time to rest.

My work was evaluated by the committee consisting of women only. There were long debates before my work was approved satisfactory.

At the gala concert the Chair of the committee performed "Purple Haze" by Jimmy Hendrix

Mathews VA

2010-02-21T18:36:00.000-08:00

Today i was already running late for my show. There was 4 hours of drive to Mathews VA if didn't get lost. OK, i got lost and missed my exit because i was blasting Kesha's top hit on the radio. My next exit was only 6 miles away. My poor GPS lady was screaming probably her lungs out "EXIT EXIT EXIT you brainless piano player!" at 60% volume while Kesha was at 1000%. I almost got a speeding ticket but ... luckily i saw a police car at the right moment.

BTW after all the driving around the country i got really good at spotting police on the road. Today i avoided 3 of them while ... "being in a hurry". I already have a feel where is their ambush. I learned how to hide from the radar and how to recognize them at night. Too much time on the road. I might as well learn something.

My detour wasn't that bad because i took short cut through the forest. Nice!

.....hmmmmmmm ....... maybe not.

I was late so my sound check was very short. I was still warm from yesterday's concert. Good show but very stressful day.

Back to blasting!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP6XpLQM2Cs

Staunton VA

2010-02-20T11:23:00.000-08:00

I hate those types who whine about the comfort in hotels and march to the front desks to constitute their rights. Well, this time it was ME and even twice (except i didn't march). I needed a working heater in the room. They placed me in the suite with the balcony. Well, i couldn't care less about the balcony because i needed to be warm and get better before i see Sofia. I froze at night in that suite with #$% balcony. I (almost marched) i went downstairs again and said that i want to downgrade ... to the ... SMALLEST room with the BIGGEST heater!!! Receptionist raised her brows ... ??? ... I guess downgrading is not an american thing to do ; )

Today for the first time i had to cancel my outreach in order to be alive for the evening. I am still a mess.

The president of the concert association brought me the lunch to the hotel. It was so sweet of him. He was one of the most interesting persons i met. He was a microbiology professor at the Yale univ. Very humble and non-pretentious scientist. He was not the kind "let's not discuss religion". He made me not say just anything because he was an amazing listener. The conversation with him had always an interesting and intriguing points. I was flattered to have a very distinguished scientist to be my nurse for one afternoon.

By the evening i felt much better (not visually)

The hall had 1200 seats and great resources. We made piano sound big and natural.

Now! The piano. Definitely the best of all on my tour. An old Steinway. How good it felt! From the first touch it sounded like a gentle and round piano but with a little more attack you could turn it into the wild animal.

I loved my audience. Even if we had some mic malfunction during the most important moment of the show it still was one of my fave shows. Tomorrow i have to cross the whole Virginia and play the concert in the afternoon and then ... home.

Blue

New Bern NC

2010-02-20T09:31:00.000-08:00

Today's concert is 4 hours away. I don't look forward to driving across N Carolina. Yesterday was quite enough. Do i have a choice? At least directions were easy. New Bern is on the east coast of N Carolina. Beautiful and historic town. I didn't have time for pictures or exploration because i arrived straight for the sound check. The tech and light options were very limited but the piano very good. I didn't spend much time for sound check. I went to rest for an hour to the hotel.

The concert was awesome: jam packed hall and the most fun audience (for my surprise). I am still sick and exhausted but the energy of the audience gets me going. Next morning i was dead and still high from the NyQuil but the children concert at 9:30 am was one of the most exciting ones. Kids were very diverse and receptive. I left right after because i had a 5 hour drive to Virginia.

When i was approaching my destination the road became very nice. Even with my killer cold i could enjoy it.

I thought about Sofia all the time.

I am almost there. Just across the valley

Wow! It looks like Lithuania.

I miss everybody not only Lily and Sofia. I miss my sister, my parents, my friends ... everybody. What am i doing here alone? Tomorrow i will be gone anyways.

Time for NyQuil. .............. hmmmmmm ............. i love that stuff ; )

A nightmare drive

2010-02-18T21:05:00.000-08:00

After celebration Sofia's B day (w myself) i had to sleep in. Not only that. I got quite sick. Bad cold. It was my day off however i had to drive 6 hours from Tennessee to N Carolina. I had to cross Smokey Mountains and i knew that there are some problems with roads. But where exactly? On the way i saw announcement that the road that i chose is closed. Well, i thought i will take another one through the north. My GPS lady was going nuts telling me to come back. "Please come back!" It was a little suspicious but i kept on going. I tried to get everyone on the phone for directions. No luck. Where is everybody when i need the most? GPS lady now was insisting to turn around. She was even threatening me but i kept going into the Appalachian Mountains

Hmmmm ... i hope it is the right way.

The views were great.

However it was very hard to enjoy the road because i was having my lunch on my knees, cuting avocado, tomato, talking on the phone, checking directions on GPS and trying to take pictures at the same time. I am not a multi tasker but it is never too late to start. When i saw this i freaked out.

W ....... T ............ H (optional) ............... ?????????? Kentucky is not on the way to N Carolina! I pulled over to the Welcome Center and they confirmed that i was going to the wrong direction for 70 miles. The only way to get to N Carolina was to come back where my GPS lady started to swear. Go back for 70 miles? Listen to this: in order to make a U turn in this "banjo land" i had to go for extra 10 miles and then to turn. Another 20 miles for nothing? Yes, we always have to pay for stupidity. Ahhhhhhh!!!! I wanted to rip my hair off. Its getting dark. I am sick like a dog, hungry like Sofia, there and ... there is no one to blame.

I drove back and took the right way. By now it was 5 pm. When i thought that i was on the right way my GPS lady offered me a different road. This time i listened to the GPS. I learned my lesson. But my road was not getting wider. It was getting narrower and more wet. Later on very curvy. Soon it started to snow and i was there alone. This time GPS lady really messed me up!

Cute natives provided a mellow entertainment. (look at my sharp right turn ahead).

As i was going higher up the mountain my speed was getting slower and slower because of the ice.

Soon i realized that got myself into the deep ... and that i can't make mistakes here.

My speed was 15 to 20 mph. I was getting really tired and even more sick. When i looked at the GPS to check how far was my destination. It showed ... 14o miles. (Do the math at 20 mph.) That was funny. I had to tell myself to start enjoying where i am now. I switched myself into survivors mode. No mistakes, no mistakes, feel the road, look ahead, don't blow your nose yet, its a sharp and slippery turn ... Then the blizzard came. When i reached a small town it became even more dangerous because of the other cars and frequent stops. I went sideways only once ; )

It was impossible to go even to he gas station because they all had little slopes. It was not possible to get out from there without chains. The good part was that i was having another Christmas. Now i was real Rudolf!

I thought how much more pleasures i still have in front of me? After this town the raod started to go down. There was less snow, i picked up more speed. There was another 80 miles to go. I was like deflated balloon. Every mile went with pain. I tried to distract my desperation by choosing the most horrible music on the radio and to listen to it carefully. The worst thing was that i couldn't speed anymore. I will go to jail with the next ticket. The road became very clear, wide and empty but i had to drive like a big nerd 65 mph. Frustrating! The worst was the last 12 miles. I was begging for them to finish. When i finally took my exit i saw ... a buffet. I ran there like a mad man and ate everything that was in my sight. What a nightmare it was. It took 9 hours without breaks to drive. Tomorrow i have to drive 4 hours and play the concert. But tomorrow is tomorrow. Let's sleep for now.

Sofia's Birthday

2010-02-18T08:16:00.000-08:00

I picked up the phone. It was Lily. Her contractions started. I couldn't believe that today a new era will start. However for me it will be very anti climactic because i am not there. I will be tortured by my own imagination for a few more days.

That day i had 2 concerts plus 3 hour drive. I really had to concentrate on the road because my thoughts were somewhere else and the roads in Atlanta were confusing. I couldn't afford to get lost because i left exactly 3'5 hours before my first concert.

I was about to start children concert when the phone rang and Lily told me that her water broke. I wanted to be with Lily and not on the stage. I tried to hide it as much as possible. At the end of the concert children came to me to get their programs signed and to talk to me. I couldn't run away because news paper people were there too. I wanted to kill everybody especially moms who wanted one more picture with their children, with another ... and another .. flash didn't go .. then "i want just two of you" ... "just three of you" ... LET ME GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lily kept pushing and i was getting ready for the evening show. The venue was great but my energy very low. I was so tired and .. distracted. I was thinking about Lily. I was in the wrong place now.

When i started to play all of a sudden i got this boost of energy. I decided to dedicate every note to my girls. I unleashed my demons and gave more than i had. At this moment i wanted to participate in the events that were happening in California. I wanted to attach myself emotionally and that was the only thing i could do . The hall and piano was perfect for that. Huge space and big sound. I made it roar.

Intermission. Pretending that i am not in a hurry to check my messages.

... nothing. It meant that everyone is busy and that might be it.

The audience was ... almost ... no ... the proper way to say it would be ... the most shy i ever experienced. I played like tornado and response was ... clap clap ... clap ... cla ... p ... cl ... After the concert young guys told me the reasons. I didn't care because I was playing for my girls anyway.

There was no encore (with that kind of enthusiasm?). I ran to check messages. There was one. It was Lily's sister saying that i am a papa. I jumped in the car and went to look for the bar. On the way i got Lily on the phone. That was incredible. In the background i could hear Sofia crying. I was laughing so much but at the same time my tears were running down my cheeks. I couldn't stop it. Estrogen was possessing me. I was making a thousand of u turns on the same street over and over. I didn't know what i was doing. When i got my consciousness back i found the first bar and dove in. It was the loudest and perfect bar.

It was FAT TUESDAY. I ordered a triple whiskey and wanted to talk to someone but everyone was completely "wasted"

It was only me and my thoughts there. I don't know if i was the happiest guy over there but definitely i was the most alive. The band played the song which from now on will be Sofia's song.

listen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIdIqbv7SPo

Freaky Story in Griffin GA

2010-02-15T19:36:00.000-08:00

Woke up @ 1 pm. Still tired. Lunch. Facebook. Time for sound check. The tech guys were not talkers at all. One of them was completely silent. They both were buff and no smiles.

I liked that. He was doing his job and i was doing mine.

The piano was an ancient honky tonk however it worked for this hall. No complaints. I liked the venue.

The audience was very slow to react. Imagine a classical pianist going on the stage and telling with KGB accent that he will play torturous Beethoven. I would be scared to death. But its ok. I knew they will catch up at the end. I was slowly breaking the walls and enjoying that. In my shows i never had a flop at the end ; ) But today it was like pulling the train with the left overs of my energy.

FREAKY STORY:

Today happened the most bizarre thing in my concert history. I talked about New Orleans, about 1800's, about the fun that people were having there. Then i played a Ragtime. On the last chord i looked to my left towards the dark stage and .............there was a black face without teeth staring at me from the darkness. I freaked out. I started to talk to him in the mic hoping that audience will understand the situation but the audience thought that it was my act and they were expecting some funny punch lines. Well, they didn't get any because i was dealing there with another "world" who had no intentions to leave the stage. I said politely to him "sorry man, we are here in the middle of something". I felt stupid after i said that but that what it came out from my mouth. For the first time i was caught in such a surreal situation + in real time. The audience were looking at me from my right side, the homeless dude from my left and i was in the middle ... in the spotlight. Its like a worst dream that could happen to a musician. When the security realized what was happening they came on the stage and justified their functionality ; ) After that i told audience that i am not playing ragtimes anymore. I chose Schubert in Tango style. That was better although i still was checking the backstage for new fans.

Finally the concert was a great success. The audience was riled up and gave me very satisfying roar at the end. The silent lighting guy did the best light show ever. I told him that he had a total freedom during the show and he overcame my expectations. He was so sensitive to the music and changed lighting accordingly. Great intuition. That inspired me to play even more. Also ... he talked to me after the show and told me very nice things. I was flattered. Silent guys do not say b...it.

Just an exercise for your eyes.

Mount Dora FL

2010-02-14T18:01:00.000-08:00

Does this look like Alaska to you?

or this one?

I thought so. It almost snowed here. I wonder where do alligators go when they are freezing. I was so cold too + hungry. It looks like it's been closed in the fifties. No luck!

UPDATE: on my smashed thumb ( if you have strong stomach). WATCH OUT! Its graphic. I know that some of you "sickos" will like it.

scroll down

down ...

more ...

h h h

I don't need piano in order to warm up. I just need a cool retro couch.

I am ready! Can't wait to start the show.

The piano was one of the top 2 quality Steinways on this tour. Unbelievable! The venue was a small 500 seater. It was a perfect size for the intimate interaction with the audience. I loved every minute! Great audience and fun atmosphere. Usually i am very tired after the shows and do not party but this time ... i was hand cuffed and dragged by ... this army

"Oh Mary Lynn! Please, i'm not lookin' at that wine. No, no! ......ok, give me a sip!"

"We need some more please!!!"

"C'mon Steve, it was only a joke"

"Where ... is ... my .... car?"

Next day i had to drive for 7 hours. It was a Valentines Day. My schedule book on the Feb 14 page had a hidden card from .. my Lily. She is so sneaky! It was the best break in my day.

Happy Valentines to you all!!! (wink wink)

Lake City FL

2010-02-12T12:51:00.000-08:00

I love Florida! Today was cold, dark, dreary and rained allllllllllllll day long. Wow! What a great state! I had no idea. I had a great roof waterfall outside my room.

Warning: don't do this in public if you care about your reputation! This is for vampires only.

The rest of the day i spent driving in the rain and looking for perfect soup. I found one. It was so good, so home made and so hearty. It let me to enjoy every hit of the raindrop even more. However it was time FOR ME to make music. As always, i forgot something and had to come back to the hotel during my set up time. I forgot a ... hmmmmm ... a luggage with instruments. How could i forget such a big item? That's crazy! How Lily can stand me? How the world can stand me?????? My sound check was very short because of the extra trip to the hotel and also ... because i wanted hang out in the sound booth and secretly to check my audience out.

During my short rehearsal i didn't notice that the mic clips where to small. They created a huge disaster during the show. It made me sweat. My mind was going 1000 mph while playing how to get out of these situations. I had to create a spontaneous plan of my actions on stage. Not only that. The mic stand broke down. I threw it very dramatically to the back of the stage. It was a real rock'n'roll move ; ) It worked. People thought that it was my real act. I even messed up the order of the pieces and few routines. It was stressful and fun at the same time. Finally everybody enjoyed the show and left home happy (including me). I love my job and i am not tired FYI!

Time to pack. Its too green in here.

I want to hear those raindrops on the way home again. Go Florida!

on the way to Florida

2010-02-11T18:19:00.000-08:00

I had 2 days to get to Florida through Alabama and Georgia. Alabama didn't impress me although Rush Limbo provided a good entertainment for me. Never heard his radio shows before. I will never be the same. Atlanta was a half way. I stopped there for a night. First, i exchanged my green minivan into this

Finally i am not a soccer mom anymore and it has windows ; ) I didn't expect Atlanta to be so big. It was freezing. There were no people on the streets. I was circling for 40 min around until i found the place which looked very mysterious from outside. It happened to be a persian restaurant. Great food and very classy atmosphere: interior design, music, service. I really like iranians. They are very well mannered, educated and confident people. I always like their company.

Today i drove the rest of the road. It was b-o-r-i-n-g!!! I would rather be in Chicago or Washington where the snow storms are. I will try to catch one in N Carolina next week. Can't wait. But for now ...

Its a good sign.

Lake City,

funny ducks,

and the entrance to my hotel

were not snowed in.

Bad sign.

Tupelo MS

2010-02-09T22:41:00.000-08:00

Last week all family and i spent at home waiting for Sofia to come into this world. Finally she decided to stay where she is safe and comfy. She is still not ready to face the cold world. Well, she already looks wise or maybe ... stubborn. My time at home has expired and i am back on the road. Guess how i feel! Yes, that's right!

My girls are getting ready for the birth giving in California and i ... left to play in the South and the South East. Just arrived to Mississippi.

Next morning i was determined to do my SECOND thing what i like to do in the morning. To play piano. It looks that soviet schools did good job in training how to march. I never new that it will be so handy.

Oh yes, the FIRST favorite thing in the morning is ... to sleep and be lazy.

This crowd woke me up and gave me a good rush of adrenaline.

I went for attack right away.

Some of them were happy that i didn't chose them as the victims of interaction.

At this point my harmonica is wearing out

and still gives good time for everybody.

but it will not work in the evening show. Before the evening concert i spent 1.5 hours trying to fix the bad note on harmonica with the sound engineers who had every possible tool. No luck. I had another harmonica but i never used it in the shows. It is in a different key and doesn't let me do lots of fun things. Well, it means i will have to do something different with it. It was a forced opportunity for me to learn and to be more flexible. Actually it was even more fun to see how it will come out in front of the audience. I don't tolerate criers who cannot change quickly.

That night we had a good and elegant crowd.

A time to harass them a little ; )

We put a good sounding band in 7 minutes. A neurologist guy did good job on the djembe drum and three ladies were rocking in their own way.

The audience was very excited to hear their own town "percussion orchestra" lead by some soviet guy.

Everyone in Tupelo were extremely nice and helpful. I loved Mississippi! Tomorrow i head to Florida. It will take 2 days. My "ride" is so not cool. A green van. Ewwwwww

Cody WY Day 3

2010-02-01T15:34:00.000-08:00

The day of the concert. I had a big obligation to give the best entertainment to the people of Cody. I always do but this time i was very conscious about it. They were so good to me. Their hospitality provided me the best accommodations i could imagine. The piano was exceptional. Concert Grand Steinway in excellent shape. Big and rich sound. There was a little buzz inside so tuner went to look for it.

I was very excited. The theme of the concert was Tux and Tennies. A perfect occasion for me to fool around. That was Howard's idea.

I couldn't believe how international audience was there. International? In Cody WY? An audience from Poland.

from deep Russia

from Korea

(picture didn't come out)

I loved my sound engineer Sharon

Afterwards a group of us went to the very nice BBQ restaurant were we met a lot of my audience. Small town has lots of perks. But where are they when you need them? Sh...!

Next morning was the children concert but before that i wanted to say good bye to Howard and Joane by inviting them for breakfast. I chose Irma hotel which was a real cowboy hang out place in eighteen hundreds. Buffalo Bill built it for his daughter Irma. This hotel is very historic with great coat/hat hangers

and the famous redwood bar. Can you see me there?

I actually was invited to have breakfast there by the owners Kim and Mike (see Cody day 1 cowboy bar) whom i met at the cowboy dancing bar 2 days ago. It was funny because Howard knew them and had some business together.

He was so surprised to see when Kim came downstairs. They don't look like strangers to me.

Kim and i plotted to surprise Howard that morning. We three + Joane (came later) had a great time. The breakfast was on the hotel. It was so nice of Kim. That's what happens when you go to the bar in small town and make friends ; )

On the way out there were 2 customers.

One of them was having a cigarette and the other one ...

I played my last concert for the children of Cody and left. I had 3 hours of lay over at the Salt Lake airport which had great views.

At home the table was ready. Lily's family cooked a great dinner for my coming.

Next day was for chilling out. My managers Elisabeth and Mark came over.

Girls were chatting outside

guys talking about their toys

my niece Caterina was choosing her outfit for the day

somebody had lots of business that morning

Well, we all are waiting for more participant to come to this world. When? I have only 5 days at home before i leave on the road again. Sofia, stop playing games with us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cody WY Day 2

2010-01-30T22:26:00.000-08:00

Safari. I nervous about seeing buffalo in the wild. The road was gorgeous.

Suddenly Howard pointed at something. It was wild rocky mountain sheep.

J walking is common there.

I tried to join their brunch but i didn't like their menu.

Amazing climbing skills.

A beauty.

They were wondering if i could climb too. I couldn't because i have smashed thumb.

Howard was searching for buffalo everywhere.

He was a little concerned about not finding them because his reputation was at stake.

Meanwhile i was practicing for the world figure skating championship.

Oops!

Austria - 2.5

England - 2.0

Mountain Sheep - 9.8

Fish - go back to the piano, loser!

That wasn't a good sign. I guess no buffalo and ... no gold medal for skating either.

Back to Cody.

Since i had my own ride

i went to the world famous Cody museum by myself and found fake buffalo there. Not the same, man!

This particular exposition turned my stomach upside down. Couldn't help it. No ofence to anybody. Its just me. My mind was going 1000 mph about life, beauty, power, ego etc.

All i could see it was death.

The next expo was more cheerful

Who is next in the middle?

maybe this one?

I drove to the old western town. Needed some time to chill.

and to walk.

Unfortunately saloon was closed so i went to the hotel to rest and ...

to get ready for the japanese dinner with Howard and Joane. It was very nice dinner. Lots of sashimi and sake. Then we went to concert to the neighboring town to hear their local pianist who is a piano teacher at their college. I always need more fire. Its my curse.

The evening was almost done until i had this desire to have a beer. Well that was a great desire because it lead me to the most authentic cowboy bar in Cody. There was a live band

dancing,

hot situations, and ...

steamy moments.

By the way i was dragged by force on the dance floor by a cowgirl and danced one dance. I told her that i don't dance 2 step country stuff. She replied "just stand there and i will do the dancing". Since i used to dance salsa and swing i transfered my skills into 2 step and faked the rest in order no to be a complete stump on the dance floor. Everybody starred at me and i tried to look natural. Since i made some connections i was safe (even with my pink shirt).

Among my new friends there was a guy and his girlfriend

who is (later i found out) an owner of the main hotel in town. Everyone in the bar had big respect for them and i was just hanging out with them without knowing that. It was cool to mingle with elite of Cody. By the way i got a free breakfast invitation to the restaurant of their hotel. I'm going! Will be fun!

Cody WY Day 1

2010-01-29T21:04:00.000-08:00

Today my goal was to reach Cody WY alive. I slept only 1 hour and traveled 8 hours from Texas. Cody is tough place to reach because the flights are very complicated. The airplane i took from Denver was like ... Donald-Trump-went-broke airplane. There was 12 of us and we occupied almost all seats. The exterior was peeling off and there was no sink in the bathroom. The best was: the front seat passengers were asked to occupy back seats in order that airplane could take off better. Everyone was making friends like if it was their last trip. I did too and i think i will see them at my concert on Sunday.

I will stay in Cody for 3 days. The Cody concert association showed an incredible hospitality. They covered expenses of my hotel (suite with jacuzzi). Second, when Howard and Joane brought me to the hotel ... they pointed at Mercedes SUV and told me that it was for me to use it while i stay here. That's unheard!!! Now i will roll in Cody with class, ha ha ha

Then they took me to the Cody downtown which is just one street with wild west buildings around.

"Kick ass cowboy cuisine" had not only the atmosphere but also great food.

Howard had everything planned for me ; ) At night i had to be ready to go to another restaurant

where the food was to die for and Bloody Marie fit the world standards. Howard obviously liked his second Margarita too.

Joane went home and we with Howard finished the night at the famous "Bottoms up" bar.

Tomorrow Howard is taking me to the wild animal safari, then Cody museum and Sushi diner. Can't wait!

Harlingen TX

2010-01-28T22:25:00.000-08:00

Harlingen is a weird place. It is on the coast of the Gulf. Mexico is 15 min away. It was 75F while the whole country is snowed in or destroyed by the rains (like my house in Cal). Also there are almost no Texans. Everybody is from somewhere else. It is a winter escape for the cold state or canada residents. More variety for my audience. Since i didn't rent a car i took a taxi to the famous mexican restaurant. My driver was Amadeo (almost Mozart). He asked where are my chicas? I told him "i have one chica in Cal but on monday ... i should have two!" I had the best Tex Mex food. The service was the highest class. Not some dozed out student punks. Everyone took their job seriously. The food was divine. Amadeo came to pick me up again. He already knew everything about my chicas. So we talked about his life in Texas.

Next day i had rides from the concert association members. First one was a couple from Wisconsin who took me to the authentic Texan BBQ place. That was true Texas.

The ice tea here comes in gallons

They don't bother to cut chickens either. Just slap the whole thing on the grill and get'eeeeeeer doooooone.

Incredible! I finished everything without any guilt.

The second ride was Lois. We both agreed that she looked like mafia with those glasses. We had a drive-by Starbucks ritual and then she took me to the venue.

The 1200 seat venue was full.

I was nervous because it had video projection on the sides so i had to stay away from weird facial expressions.

Since i was the only cowboy there

i gave them a good country show as well.

Encore!

Tomorrow @ 5:30 am leaving for Cody WY. Can't wait for the snow and the mountains.

Baltimore MD

2010-01-28T21:58:00.000-08:00

I had plans to hear some band in the city. On the way she (?) tried to get me into the non- happening karaoke bar at my hotel. I had dinner and band plans with Ryan from Central Coast California.

So much for the bands for me on my night. I got sucked into the debates about my favorite subjects: public policy, dictatorship, socialism, education, bureaucracy, rep vs. demo, public service and all kinds of discriminations. I think that Ryan and Kylie don't see eye to eye on some issues

although she's sooooooooo in love with him and he ... likes it.

Arnold was a funny dude (next to me, not in the middle). It was 38F and he was only in shirt. Reason????????? Idea is stronger than death!

Seaford DE

2010-01-25T20:56:00.000-08:00

I am tired. Today was the hardest day. It started at 7 am by flying to Baltimore, renting car, driving to Delaware and then playing a concert at 8 pm. I don't mind the challenge except i get very impatient and start losing my brain which i need so much.

At the Raleigh airport there was a long line to shine the shoes.

Curiosity.

A moody bridge to Delaware.

Just a thought

The gap in the sky.

A drama form the window of my hotel.

During the concert this place was full with very responsive audience. Great feeling when 1200 people having fun at your show.

However the pre show was a disaster. I was loosing my marbles. I had to go two times back to the hotel because my creative packing of the luggage messed up all my system and i was missing instruments for my show (not the piano). I was going crazy and ... drinking coffee. During the concert i was on fire and had great energy. Everybody had fun. I could hear it. I didn't know that i had so much energy left after the such a crazy day. Yes, it was an adrenaline!

With the light'n'sound dudes

The evening ended at the bar in Applebee's. I was the only costumer. Bartender Kay kept me company with her chat. She doesn't like to do anything on the weekends. Just to stay at home and have beers. Tomorrow is Tuesday. My 2 days off. I am going to Baltimore and spend them there. Gonna go out and listen some more bands before leaving for Texas and Wyoming.

Asheboro NC

2010-01-24T20:05:00.000-08:00

The last concert in N Carolina. I didn't see the town. I just came, played and left to Raleigh. It was dark and rainy. My type of a day. It was Sunday matinee concert. If you follow my blog you know my feelings towards matinees. Plus the piano was brown. Did they match seats to the piano or opposite?

Should i start sound check? ... so brown.

The tech guys were young and fun.

We had less than half of the house. Not good. I felt an extreme seriousness in the hall. That makes my performance very hard and no fun. By the end of the show audience figured me out and we finished as usual. Tomorrow flying to Delaware. Time for change. I love airports.

Goldsboro NC

2010-01-22T19:56:00.000-08:00

Today was very dynamic day. In the morning i didn't take shower. I just packed, took coffee and left for Goldsboro. The drive was very relaxing.

The coffee was working, the radio was blasting, the rain was pouring and i ... was not in a hurry. I absorbed everything around me.

I usually do that where ever i am but this time i observed myself doing that. Soon today's upcoming events will destroy all of this. The life is always like that. Be aware when you enjoy things. Soon you will be in the dump (short or long term). I promise you. Its a rule (not mine). That's why i am afraid when things going smoothly for me. You might ask if i enjoy my low points. The answer is ... yes! They make me grow and the most importantly to THINK. Sometimes i take my brains for granted. Just like all of us ; ) BTW on the radio Kaiser Chiefs were singing their latest song " its cool, 2 know nothing". That was a warning for me.

In Goldsboro i checked in, took shower (you thought that will never will take it?) and left for outreach concert. The area looked a little frightening. I am not a wimp but i know when streets look bad. LA experience. At the school an upright piano was waiting for me. Ooooooo keyyyyyyyyyy?!?!?

I didn't understand the spaces between students and also

teacher's commands with the whistle which pierced my ears. I started my show with enthusiasm,

tried to give all i could on this junky piano.

also tried to involve kids

however i felt that i was rejected. It never happened in my outreach concerts before.

I was hating every minute but i didn't give up.

The honkyness of the piano wasn't helping either. I felt that there was someone interested but they held back because it was "cool, 2 know nothing". At the end of each piece it was very annoying to hear teacher's claps louder than students. How nerdy! I was sweating. Of course its not students fault. It was me. I simply wasn't ready for them. I also didn't know their lingo therefore i couldn't earn their respect. I got spoiled by the student attention from nice schools. However the teachers were very sweet and helpful. This lady took pictures and this guy did the sound. The guy in red just tickled the ivories.

To be honest, i was sooooooooooo happy to get the hell out of there.

The night show had much better experience. First of all it was an amazing hall with a huge chandelier above the piano.

Liberace time!

I had the best stage manager who took a good care of me. She made sure that i would go to the green room and eat before the show. So cute!

The acoustics were excellent. Didn't need any miking. This theater was rebuilt 2 years ago after the movie theater burned. It was a new and shiny venue. Almost full. The audience couldn't be better. I am still amazed how dressy N Carolina's public is. Tomorrow is a ... heavenly day off.

Washington NC

2010-01-21T11:27:00.000-08:00

Only when i arrived to Washington i found out that this area has a long history. The begining of Carolina starts in the tiny town Bath NC (20 miles away from Washington NC). First settlers built their first church in 1734

... but that's boring. That's what is interesting.

"Blackbeard" had big parties with his sailors. Everyone liked him there. A lot of people from other areas came to Bath to get some "imports". Local governors did some deals with him too and closed eyes on many things. He was a local celebrity and ... he had 13 wives! That's a real history.

On the street i stroke up a conversation with a local man. When he found out where i am from and what i do right away he invited me to his house. He called his wife to tell that ...

"there is a russian in their house and he is going to blow up the house". My kind of guy. I think i was his first international encounter. That made me a proud ambassador of the intercultural exchange.

I invited them to my concert concert and reserved 2 comp tickets. They were very excited. Then i left to explore more pirate grounds.

Time to head back to the hotel. Tomorrow is unknown outreach concert in the morning.

Yes, it was very surprising. I expected 5 and 6 graders but found there 4 year, 7 year and 12 year olds. Change of routine!!! Do i have one? That wasn't a problem. 4 year olds are not demanding or judging type. You just make a couple of faces for them and they are happy.

Getting to know the enemy

piano is easy. just like that

going to their level

using a secret weapon

a new classical music ...

great boots

first touches

discussions

hey, stop laughing! i don't want to drop you

The evening show was at the really great venue.

Piano was so so but i miked it the way that it sounded good in this 900 seat hall. Today was raining like crazy therefore there was less people. Wimps! Even if the hall wasn't full we still had a good crowd. Little less than 700. They were responsive, classy and good looking. Loved them. Cool audiences + Rain = good life! ha ha ha! Tomorrow is Goldsboro. Now its time to run to Walmart for ... you know for what ; ) I deserve it.

Henderson NC

2010-01-19T22:33:00.000-08:00

I love Wallmart! Its always friendly on the way in and out and also it closes late. I never make to the "last call" at the bars because in small American towns bars close when i hit the last chord at the end of my show. Its not fair. Walmart operations are very fair. I guess ... it is all about me. If i am comfortable then i will love it but if i am not ... i ... i ...i will hate it and will try to make it work anyways. I love myself! I deserve it because i have a freedom of pursuit to happiness.

The road to Henderson had a lot of sharp corners and

the road was the last thing that i was interested in.

The old downtown Henderson is almost a ghost town. That's what you see when you get knocked out.

and when you stand up ...

The only area full of people was around the Walmart few miles away. It had minimum 4 or 5 plazas with Denny's and other glorious food chains. I wasn't hungry in Henderson anyway.

The children concert was a great success even though i was placed in the corner of the gym with the fern.

Of course i was amplified. When i saw them to bring K and high school ages i freeked out.

My job is not to freek out but to ... educate, educate ... educate? entertain? So i didn't have a choice. I love challenges and got to work.

Student were very responsive and i was ... dead but... very content.

Needed some time to recover and get ready for the evening show.

Time to go.

The venue was a little run down

and the piano had Coke in it.

The only hope was on number 6. My fave number.

The concert was one of the top 3 on this tour. 3+3=6. The audience made things fun. They were outstanding. Probably they were the parents of these fun children from the morning ; ) At the end there was CD buying madness. I ran out of CDs. Wow! Henderson concert was one of my favorite ones. Picture time! The gentleman with the white hat couldn't believe that he is taking picture with the real cowboy.

What's tomorrow?

Weynesboro GA

2010-01-17T21:10:00.001-08:00

The road to Weynesboro was very contrasting.

Flatness didn't stop the nature to be beautiful.

&*@% happens.

BTW, who knows Waynesboro in Georgia? ... I do.

Usually at the hotels i have to show my ID ... but not this time ; )

After "Grand Check In" i rushed to the outreach concert which was one of the best ones because there was good energy and great students.

At the end there was the second biggest mob during the signing. This time luckily i wasn't put in dubious situation at the high school like in Shelton WA ... where i was asked to sign jeans on the legs ; ) My FB friends are growing very rapidly. I love it!

The evening venue was very unusual. I would call it spiritual industrialism. The sound check was very intimate.

At this moment didn't know that in 8 hours i will be in huge physical pain and ... totally alone.

My true fans arrived early and got the best seats.

Time to chill before i give all myself,

It was great. Loved my audience. I think i took Moonlight Sonata to the different level. Academia would hate it ; )

At night started horrific pains and lasted for 14 hours. I couldn't move. Medication didn't help. Thanks for Kay (the president of the concert organization) who called me in the morning to thank for the last night's performance. She offered her help right away and was at my hotel with fruits and meds. She was my only contact with the outside world. Not only that. Later in the day she and her husband George hooked me up with the home made soup and the nurse Lonna who raised me from the dead. Here we are at the end of the day. I am standing and smiling.

These people broke the limits of kindness. It was something more. Lonna and her family were so wonderful. Donna is on the right.

I came as a stranger and left like a part of the family. I will never forget them and southern hospitality.

Next day i left to Charlotte NC healthy and full of appreciation for life. On the way i saw an interesting road. I decided to turn there and see where it leads. It was an amazing community.

The combination of drizzle, nature and the architecture was magic. I was jealous to them who lived there.

Wow!

Downtown Charlotte NC.

I went out of course and found Charlotte very compact and modern.

No special events except for ... i was called "supremacist bitch" by the bum because i didn't answer to his "happy new year" shout. I really enjoyed my solitude among the downtown crowd which was squeezing the last drops of the Sunday fun before week began.

North Carolina is beautiful but ... Georgia is on my mind.

Sandersville GA

2010-01-14T09:09:00.000-08:00

5 am. Next 3 weeks will be on the road. It was hard to leave my beautiful AND pregnant cowgirl. I hope i will make home on time. Sofia should come also in 3 weeks. Its a gamble. Whom will she look like?

I landed in Augusta's GA airport which was incredibly clean.

Even shiny hardwood floors at the airport in Copenhagen (Denmark) don't look as good as the these shiny granite ones in Augusta GA. How cool is that?

Airport landscaping?

The next surprise was the rental SUV which i got for the price of sedan. Go Georgia!

Its not finished yet. At the hotel i was greeted by the nicest "big mama" with a heavy southern accent. I did a lot of "sweeeeeeet tawking" with my Litho accent and ... got a room with jacuzzi for the price of the regular room. Ha ha ha! Time for classy relaxation with bud light.

Don't be jealous. I deserve it!

Next day was time for explorations. Since i got confused with the high school concert time (i came 4 hours earlier) i had all this time to burn. Guess who is in town.

I went for a walk and somehow my first destination was the jail from 1890's. It just pulled me. Luckily this time not inside ; )

Some of its prisoners were hanged. Not my type of the show. Next to it there was a very formal municipal court.

After that it was time for cemetery. I love cemeteries. They are the most romantic places because there is a lot of history plus you can let your imagination go wild and create your own stories.

Look at these years. ........ sad ; (

There was a very nice guy who worked there. We talked shop (dead bodies) and split for good.

A wide U turn

I could spend the whole day here.

OK, i'll tell you a secret that ... hmmmm ... that once i had a date in the cemetery during my teenage years. That was a girl's proposal. Even if it it didn't work i still recommend.

The outside.

On the way to lunch i skipped this beauty salon - for now - because i just got a fresh hair cut from Lily who is the best at that. Most important is to be brave and to chop spontaneously against the rules. Real salons suck!

The lunch was a challenge. "Which buffet to choose among those two in town?" All both of them looked awesooooome! I went for less fat floating food. Damn California! It destroyed me. Now i can't enjoy my food anymore. I didn't choose all you can eat $7.50. I went for single item menu $2.50. Now i look like cheepo too? Ladies didn't understand how person can eat so little. All of them genuinely were encouraging me to eat more but i was strong ... even though the food tasted heavenly. One of the ladies told me in barely understandable southern accent "you are sweet like a lady". That was the best compliment i got in my life.

Not only people are beautiful here but also the architecture.

Children concert was another world for me. The most friendly and polite high schoolers i ever met. Wow!!! Great principal too!

The concert started as always with scanning and trying to figure me out.

Later i "evened" them out

and did what i usually do - shred.

In the evening i came back for the evening show preparations.

and some cleaning in Chopin

The show was very intimate. I felt great and under control because i improved my playing a lot. Today was the best day in the whole tour. I inhaled every moment what life had to offer for me at the moment. Love life!

CHRISTMAS BREAK

2009-12-14T16:48:00.000-08:00

I WILL COME BACK IN JANUARY

FOR MORE ADVENTURES

I PROMISE YOU!!!

Baltimore MD

2009-12-05T21:37:00.000-08:00

WARNING!!! Don't read this if you are tired! It might cause dizziness, nausea or mental itchiness. Ask to your doctor about this blog.

The trip to Baltimore couldn't be stressful. It started with the 3 hour drive from Sunnyside to Seattle to catch my plain. I arrived to car rental 50 min before my flight. In these 50 min i had

- to return the car

- to take the shuttle to the airport

- to check in the luggage

- to go through the security

- and to get to the gate.

I am a Superman! I made it to the airplane 5 min before the take off.

On the plain i was sitting in between the girl from Memphis

and the guy from New Orleans.

We had the best discussions about Snoop Dogg, P Diddy, the blacks in America, their education and their place in society. I was very excited to hear from black southern guy how motivated and passionate he is about becoming an educator and his determination to make a difference for impoverished black America. I asked what was the turning point in his life. His answer was - traveling. He was sent by military to Germany and Bosnia. I don't think that Afghanistan would have the same effect.

It was a lot of fun with my both "costumers". Poor girl! I "pushed her buttons" without mercy. It was just too much fun because she was such a traditional southern girl and i needed to kill the time ; ) I am bad. At the end of our trip i was shocked because i think she even liked me.

We couldn't say proper good byes to each other because i thought that Delta lost my carry on bag with

- tuxedo

- tuxedo shoes (more expensive than tuxedo)

- Nikon camera

- CDs

and

- the hard drive with all my life in it

i had 30 min before my next flight. Nobody knew where was my bag. I exited security, checked the baggage claim without results and came back through the security. The return of the Superman! Although i was loosing my cool. I was back in my next airplane 1 min before the take off. I took the best free seat and had a most nerve wracking flight. I really didn't want to play concerts in jeans and T shirt. The only hope was that my bag will arrive with the rest of the luggage. Guess what! It was there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to kiss it, to hug it and to introduce it to everybody who were waiting for their luggage. Everyone thought that i was a weird cowboy.

I got to my hotel at 12 am mentally and physically exhausted. I sat for a minute, took a breath

and went out. I didn't eat all day long. Baltimore was just beginning the life. At the blues club i made friends with the guitarist guy

and when they closed the club he took me to another one where the beer and action was. The old guys were playing classic rock songs. They sounded really great!

But they closed that club too and it was the time for me to go back to the hotel. Tomorrow i am coming there back. I have one more day off. ha ha ha

Sunnyside WA

2009-12-05T13:19:00.000-08:00

In the morning i was very tired. Not enough sleep (as always). The coffee at the hotel was horrible however when i saw this ... i woke up right away.

This was a new car window design. It helped me not-to-see the road to the children's concert. It was awesome.

It always takes long time for them to get seated. I use that time to observe them and to plan my strategies which usually i have to change during the show anyway.

Before the night show i was not in the mood to talk to anybody except

to the sound guy who was very intelligent and creative hombre.

Before the show we tried to figure out which "one" should go on the stage.

The concert went well and after i was invited to the reception. Once my german RIP friend told me that if you want to have a conversation at the dinner table there shouldn't be more than 8 people . So we were 8.

It was great until i was asked to show a photo of my wife. Not Again!!! ......"you don't ??? ...... no picture of your wife ???" I am not in the damn war!!! I have Skype! Helooooooooooo! Also i hate this artificial and cliche picture bragging. I would rather talk about why do i love my wife but... nobody EVER asked me that. We dropped that subject and went on with patriotic and soviet discussions. For me the highlight of the dinner was when everybody left and i stayed for the "americana" part.

That was my bluegrass harmonica debut. When i left i felt more american than after the citizenship swearing ceremony. At the end of our evening the host (banjo virtuoso) told me something that really moved me and made me very proud (not for blog, it would be too much bragging and too many people would be jealous). I returned the hotel and went to sleep very late.

Thanxgiving Break

2009-12-02T23:36:00.000-08:00

It was soooooooo great to reconnect during the Thanxgiving break.

Somebody looked full even before the Thanxgiving dinner

Was THIS the highlight of the dinner?

or THIS?

no. It was THIS ...

Oliver's party. He sure knows how to throw ... parties and is very photogenic too.

Also the best of my visit home was my "home coming" party at the house of my managers. Elisabeth and Mark are the best! Its impossible to catch E on camera. Mark is better (when he doesn't look).

I was put on the spot. I have no idea what i was saying. Californian wine does magic stuff.

My friend catholic priest went along with the flow except he knew what he was saying (as always).

Lots of people, catered food, limitless wine and gorgeous sunset.

My friend Marco loves me. He drove from LA for the party. Tibest drove from Ethiopia

but i guess they came for the ... after party.

With Marco there are no dull moments. At the parties he always wants to play piano. Thats nice but ... what my neighbors will think? I guess they already know that i have that playing visitor.

After that everybody left, Lily went back to LA. All the fun died out. Its time to work. Back on the road to the state of Washington and Pennsylvania. I flew in very late to Seattle (that's why no pics), rented a car and drove to Sunnyside for 3 hours. Guess what! Its 22F in here. I like it! and also i like to blog with you!

This is so classy maaaaaaan!

Finish Line!

2009-11-26T01:16:00.000-08:00

the last trip through the swamps of Louisiana.

Here we are at the finish line. We said our good byes and went home where the pillows are soft and the cats are fat.

Somebody was very surprised that i came back.

Next day we were very busy x 2.

in between i worked on a new project,

Brunhilda was getting ready for holidays and semi enjoyed it.

An urban look is in style in this house. At least she doesn't look like turkey.

Happy Thanxgiving everybody!!!

Keep checking me. For the next few days i will update you with my home adventures and next week i am going on the road again for 8 days. I might be a little inconsistent but i will continue my blog. Its ... holidays!!! Happy naps to you all!

New Iberia LA

2009-11-23T20:32:00.000-08:00

It is a last day of this madly long tour leg. I am done for a moment. Tomorrow flying home. I feel weird. The endings usually have big bangs but this time ... i didn't have one. The life pulled out another trick on me and turned my excitement upside down. Or maybe it gave me another kind?

My celebratory concert was hmmmmmmm ... ahhhhhhhhh ... hmmmmmmmmmm i don't know what to say. OK there was almost no people. Maybe 40 in 300 seat hall. It was pathetic. I got spoiled by the audiences on this tour. Today i tried to fill the venue with energy but there was too much empty space. It was hard. The last day and ... no big bang? Now i am packing and feel strange. I feel very excited to go home to my girls but at the same time i feel some emptiness. For me its hard to take endings. Yes, i know its not an end. Its just a middle of my adventures but still its hard to stop the stimulation of constant changes. Actually that's what i like about my life. I always need to be in action. Always! I would hate vacations in Caribbean with lazy beaches and the ocean without waves.

Today in the late afternoon we went to look for a place to have a lunch. Yesterday Keeth had frog legs and

today was eager for more but today was a problem. One restaurant didn't have food anymore (?), another wasn't open on mondays and the third had so so food but great service. The waitress/bartender was the nicest southern girl who didn't need small and boring talk in order to have a conversation.

Next to us we had a fun company except their lunch consisted of more fun menu than ours.

On the way out the doorman showed us our way out. Great service!

Since we had a little bit of time we took a drive around the town. There was something about the humidity, the vegetation

(can you hear crickets?)

and the architecture.

I never experienced this combination. It felt quite romantic but very foreign for me. I think it was America that i know so little about.

Unfortunately our rendezvous was very short. I had to get ready for my ... grand show

and Keeth for huge crowds

Here they are.

I didn't care and tried to give a good time for those who came.

Some of them drove for 2 hours to get to the concert.

This is it!

I am sad and excited.

My next news will be about ... Brunhilda ; )

Livingston TX

2009-11-22T16:39:00.000-08:00

The last concert in Texas. We arrived there 2 hours before the show. I liked the atmosphere at the venue. The teenagers that ran the place were very amusing. There was one in the back stage with me all the time. He was the smartest kid. His language was very eloquent and he had very interesting points on every subject. I got involved in our conversation so much that i forgot it was time for me start the show. Ok! Are y'all ready?

We had a great turn out but the audience was completely different from the night before. Maybe they needed more time to get use to my accent? Who knows?

Next day we left on the road for Louisiana. The nature of East Texas was very green and lush

and there ... i found a great property. I got on the phone with my real estate agent right away.

I think i would look great on this front porch but i didn't know about those giant mosquitos which attacked us non stop.

We proceeded on our trip. Louisiana was looking great from the far

but when we arrived there... ahhhhhhhh. I am too hungry now.

Irving TX

2009-11-22T08:41:00.000-08:00

Luckily the concert for children was in the afternoon otherwise we wouldn't have made there. When we got there we were asked show our IDs. Well, i didn't have one. Two Texan receptionists made clear that i can't enter the school then. They meant serious business. I was afraid even to make sudden moves. So i stood there and observed negotiations which lead to nowhere. Suddenly the principal of the school appeared in the horizon. He was our hope although he wasn't the type that you "shmooze" with. I felt helpless. The only time i feel like that is when i deal with police (don't worry no incarcerations ... yet). Well i don't know how but i was let in ... to perform for the children. The school was very nice: shiny, clean and bright. When the students started to poor in and i knew that it will be a fun concert. They were very diverse and had a good energy. I like to work with middle school age. For the first few minutes they scanned me carefully.

but soon they were mine.

Even the principal (in the grey jacket) came. I liked this man a lot. He does his job very well and keeps his school in a good shape. I wonder if he likes Jim Carrey movies.

I was excited about the evening show at this really nice theater. They have different kinds of cowboy shows there. This is a Dallas area!

At the loading dock there were 5 or 6 tough dressed in black Texan guys. They were waiting for me to arrive. They didn't crack a smile nor gave me a fanfare. I told to Keeth "oh, ohhhhhhhh".

It is very important for me before the concert to be in a good spirit. When we started to work on sound and lights i realized how exterior can be deceptive. Its all in our brain. The stage crew was not only fun and extremely professional but also very artistic.

They were my best crew ever. Still some time left for couple of asanas.

There was a lot of people

but not everyone made inside. Somebody forgot their ID (i can relate to this).

I really enjoyed the show. The audience was elegant and very responsive. That always gives me lots of extra energy. I needed it now because my intense 2.5 month travels and performances wore me out.

Oh, i almost forgot the soup! I never eat before the show but this time ... i couldn't resist the soup that was served in the green room. It was heavenly! It was worth to break the rules! It gave me some extra more energy. This concert was one of the best in all respects. I finished my day at the country style restaurant with my friend and her mother. They came to the concert from Fort Worth. We didn't see each other for 9 years.

I barely could keep up with her mother who was emptying those Shiner Bocks one after another. She was ... 86 years old.

Kilgore TX

2009-11-19T20:12:00.000-08:00

Kilgore TX is an oil town which was very vibrant until the oil wells dried out in 1983. In these towns the audiences are usually smaller more quiet. In order to get their reactions i have to work triple hard but now i am at the end of my first half of the tour and i am extremely tired. I am counting my days already: there are 4 days and 3 concerts left.

Yesterday was my day off. I went to see Michael Jackson movie and also the famous in this area country music club. It was real deal there: lots of line dancing and Bud light. I didn't get blue eyes. Yeah!

When i got back to the hotel i had a chat with concierge who was very bored at her desk.

Next morning was a concert for the kids ... at 9 am. These monsters woke me up very quickly.

I tried to get something out of this ... upright piano.

At the end i was very energized and satisfied with one more victory against children ; ) Following that we were taken to the one of the concert organizer's home for breakfast. It was a true old America experience: the hospitality, the food and the conversation.

The night concert was my concern.

Does it look if i am attending my own funeral?

All of a sudden ... out of nowhere ... a Fairy Lady landed next to me and told me to play Fur Elize.

She didn't mention anything about my hat.

last nite in Arkansas

2009-11-17T20:54:00.000-08:00

I think that South Arkansas is more about ... ahhhhhhh ... the nature and the people ... living in it rather than comfort. So we had to open our minds and to embrace it.

Today i went for a jog in the forest by the lake and guess what? I saw a real turtle! Since i was jogging i didn't have my camera (use your imagination). I never ever met a turtle in the nature. He was so cute. His actions were very delayed therefore i had to spend quite a long time to get to know him and see him to come out of his closet. Well, when came out he was gorgeous. He had orange dots around his neck and very long toe nails. I called him Ruprecht. Unfortunately i had to go back and get ready for the show. I said goodbye to Ruprecht. It was very sad because i knew that will never see him again. I still think about him. I wonder if i made a good impression on him?

We almost didn't see any person in the town. So we didn't expect huge crowds at the concert. Time for sound check. Ewwwwwwww ... brown piano /open mind/open mind/open mind/

The acoustics were great for this brown and untuned piano. The sound guy was fun. He invited me for a cigarette outside. Sorry, i don't smoke! So I stayed and tried to get friendly with piano. But i like the smell of the cigarets though.

Its show time! First, you must love those colors! Second, the crowd didn't take front seats. Of course, how would they know that i take regular showers?

There were only 3 teenage girls (besides the sound man) in the front seats. Obviously they were there for fun and adventure. They were very good audience and after the concert they were following me seeking for attention.

They got it. I signed my CDs and went back to the hotel. I wonder how is Ruprecht? Does he have enough to eat? Is his shell warm enough?

day off in Arkansas

2009-11-16T20:43:00.000-08:00

It was the usual routine of laziness (breakfast, TV in bed, nap) with one exception. The walk. In the afternoon i found strength to get up and ... left to the woods of Arkansas.

Of course the sign told me where to go.

Since i was alone i felt like turning deeper into the woods for camouflage .

It was really good to be in the wilderness.

I heard some noises there and that worried me a little. If i was in Lithuanian forest i would have been fine but here ... in Arkansas. Also i was not ready to die from the hunter's bullet. I started to whistle a semi happy song with occasional stops. Luckily a hunter wasn't there. I think that the scary sound was coming from there.

I left this place quickly because for once i didn't want to interact.

It was so great to be in the moment and observe everything around. I forgot who am i and what am i doing here.

After 2 hours of disappearance from the world i was ready to go back.

During the lunch the older waitress was interested in where i was from. After i told her then she growled with her raspy voice "where the hell is that?". I invited her to the concert and arranged for her 2 free tickets. I guess i will see her tomorrow.

Greenville TX

2009-11-15T21:20:00.000-08:00

Today we had only a 2:30 pm show (you know my feelings about the afternoon concerts). The morning was free! It didn't mean that i missed the breakfast at the hotel. No! I had a great breakfast and ... back to bed for TV time of course.

"OMG!!! here she is!!! i am so excited"

i couldn't skip that either!

Oops! It seems that i revealing too many of my secrets. I actually liked this male polka dancing too

but the yodeling competition was my favorite.

It was time to get up and do something. Maybe i should go to this?

The entrance of the venue made me feel better.

There were a lot of people

and the pianist didn't get shot.

I guess it was a success!!!