TY STEPHENS: News

Amazing how the years have passed! Here we are 10 years into the new Millenium, and all the hoopla of computer glitches and such have faded away.

This New Year begins on a promising high: a lovely feature with a local Viennese Symphony orchestra in Paterson, NJ with Maestro Manfred Knoop, thanks to a recommendation by my good friend Janet Hubert (yes, the original "Aunt Viv" on The Fresh Prince of Belair!). Please check our calendar for more upcoming dates, including the Columbus Jazz Orchestra in February!
Life is constantly refining and reminding of what's important and how short and precious it is. We lost my father's last remaining sibling, my Aunt Clara Myers-Howard, just days before New year's Eve and my maternal Grandmother's last remaining sister, my dearest Aunt Esther-Mae, back in June, not to mention the countless others we read about or hear about, daily. LIVE! ENJOY YOUR LIFE! WE ARE SO BLESSED TO BE WHO WE ARE, EVEN IF WE DON'T YET KNOW WHY, YET. LIVE LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS UPON IT! IT DOES!
Namaste, Ty

WOW! It's been a long Summer, but lots of great things to report! We're back here in Monte Carlo, just finishing at the Sporting Club, last Sunday, with a line-up of some more great names and performances!!!

This years headliners included one big surprise and even some prestigious audience members! I'll list our favorites and then tell you a few of the other names on the roster and our big surprise: (in order of our favorite performances)
STEELY DAN, GRACE JONES, GEORGE BENSON, MOBY, and the surprise...PRINCE!!!! Yes, we get to add them all to our list of Opening Act and we got to see them for free, too! Can't beat that gig!
Some of the other acts were: Duffy, Enrique Eglesias, Simply Red, Lenny Kravitz, Lily Allen, Leonard Cohen...

And, in the audience for Grace Jones, and leonard Cohen were DAME SHIRLEY BASSEY AND SIR ELTON JOHN!!! Got to meet Dame Bassey, briefly, and she was very nice, and Sir Elton gave a his attention, and his applause and a nod, from the stage during our performance! He was right at the foot of the stage. We ended up doing the cocktail of a 60th birthday party at which he was the special present.

Now, we get to move on to Moods, the nightclub, where WE are the headliner, and get to BLOW IT UP!
We're there for 2 weeks beginning Sept 1st and finally home Sept 13th,
where we hope to see you out at one of our gigs: Parlorjazz on Sept 19th and The Priory in Oct.! Check our listing here for details or go to myspace.com/tystephensromantasy

You may have seen the notice I posted awhile back that "Romantasy is dead", well we have been reborn as (the) SOULJAAZZ, so look for us with that in mind!

That's it for now!

Namaste, Ty

DIVINE ONES!

As you can see, I have not been on this site much, lately. Between Facebook and Myspace, and this page and my others on SAG, ASCAP, Jazznetwork, CDBaby, and all, I find it a bit overwhelming to keep up with it all!

I do check in, but my updates seem to be fewer and further between. So, please check in on Facebook and Myspace, as well, since I visit them a lot more these days.

Now, for the update! We had a very successful return to Monte Carlo for New Year's, where we were feature entertainment for a lovely wedding at the Sporting Club, and then our week back at Moods, which was amazing!!! Our female vocalist, this time, was Audrey Martells, with a warm, sultry sound and some great original tunes and covers!
We are headed back for the Summer at the Sporting Club, again, then another 2 weeks at Moods, doing our thing! This time our female vocalist will be Gisela Adisa!
She's got a classy, brassy, sexy style that will do well at both venues and fit well with the band, too!

Meanwhile, I've gone back to Russia with Oleg Butman trio (and headed back in June!) and then to Belarus, with their National Jazz Orchestra! I was invited by their wonderful Conductor and Director, Mikhail Finberg, and had a fantastic time, especially with all the big band charts I got to use for once in a long while!

Life is good and always getting better. Never give up! Namaste!

Ty

You may notice that some of the recent NEWS has been removed. It was brought to my attention that some of my personal comments may have been misinterpreted. So, as a gesture of gratitude and apology I have removed them.

If you read them, I hope you understand that, although we had a few challenges, we had a wonderful time this Summer and learned a great deal about patience, purpose and humility while we were there.

The gifts that we receive are often packaged in different wrappings from what we may expect.

Now, for the latest....I had a great gift, recently, of performing at NJPAC (NJ Perf. Arts Ctr) in their "Prelude" performance series, as entree for my friend SAVION GLOVER! I got to see his lovely and fantastically talented mom, Yvette Glover, just before the show and sent my hello and love with her backstage to him. Then, another gift followed, when I was part of the backing vocals team with my dear friends Branice McKenzie, LaTanya Hall and Keith Fluitt, for Black2Broadway's gala fundraiser for our beloved Adrian Bailey and BJ Crosby! We had the joy of rocking harmonies for the incredible Jazz/Soul shooting star, Ledisi and contemporary gospel maverick, Ton3x, as well as our dear friends, Jazz diva Tina Fabrique and our dear R&B queen Alyson Williams. It was an honor, a joy and a pleasure!

Namaste, Ty

DIVINE ONES!

Stay strong and keep the faith! That's the biggest challenge we can face, especially as we grow older and the day-to-day challenges become more identifiable, if not more manageable. That's what I have been evdeavoring to do. Knowing fully that we are what we eat.. we think, therefore we are...etc., we become what we believe we are and we experience what we believe to be our set of circumstances. Our minds are very powerful tools and when we work in concert with our desires, Spirit manifests those desires into form....yeah, yeah, what is he talking about????!!!

After a very difficult Winter of diminishing work opportunities and financial struggle, things are happening!!!

First, general work, such as weddings, Gala events, etc, are picking up and so is the weather, but also higher profile, more prestigeous work is finally being offered to us! In June, I'll be accompanying Oleg Butman and his trio in Moscow, Russia for a weekend! Then, shortly following, my band and I will be spending the Summer in Monte Carlo, as the house band at the world famous Sporting Club, opeing for all the headliners, including Celine Dion, Dianna Ross, Alicia Keys, Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton, Jill Scott and more...! Also, Richard and I just joined our old boss, Harry Belafonte, in a lovely 75th birthday gala for communications giant Ted Rogers, in Toronto, along with Harry Connick, Jr and Paul Anka!

This is the plateau we've been working so hard to reach. I know this is the beginning of more such high-profile and lucrative work and continued travel!

More to come!

Namaste, Ty

I can't believe how long it's been since I posted here! Things are pretty promising, but, at the moment, it's been a real challenge to keep things afloat. I put out a plea of help and was blessed to receive responses and some "help from my friends"

I can't wait to tell you more about what's on the menu for the future. But, for now, just a note to say "thank you" to all you wonderful, blessed, precious beings....DIVINE ONES!

Love, Ty

DIVINE ONES!

Seems a little early in the season for such reflection, but, that's where I am, right now. Things are fairly quiet, where my music is concerned, although many things are in the works. We've been in contact with a few more Radio stations, happily, who are interested in my music, thanks, in good part, to Aziza! She's finally on a campaign to get her music heard and it's working...and we're sharing resources, as we often do!

We're still in contact with clubs and festivals we've come across, or who've come across us, and are working on making that happen for the near future!

But, mostly, having just gotten back from Monte Carlo and India last month, I've been rethinking alotof things, picking up my guitar, again, and revising my video footage for publicity. The "visual" is even more important these days, as we know.

India was revealing, in that, I was not sure what or how an audience would respond to the Ray Charles show, but they were very vocal and animated. I guess I thought they'd be fairly conservative...they partied!! I did get to see some of the sites, but not nearly enough. The Gandhi house was inspirational and the poverty that exists amongst the opulent is shattering. I'd love to visit a Spiritual center next time....

I've put more energy behind my teaching, too. My connection to the younger generations has become more important to me, especially given all the violence they have been experiencing of late, here in the Newark/New York area. Very sad, but WE "conscious" adults MUST step forward, speak up and wake others up to the fact that WE "make our own Heaven and Hell, right here on Earth", and WE MUST choose to create Heaven before we perish in our self-made Hells!

Anyway, I'm revisiting music I began in Japan last year, and looking for more work in the Arts Education field, to sustain my desire to be "of Service" and my pocketbook. My jazz CD "Sentimental" is just about complete and Pre-Mastered, but still not officially done and delivered. We'll resolve that during this time period, too.

So, WELCOME TO AUTUMN, enjoy the beauty of the changing leaves and temperature. Spend time with yourself and in service to your community and family--they need you! WE need you!

Don't forget to immerse yourself in good music, it is so good for the soul, and....CHAKA has a new CD, JONI MITCHELL, DONNIE, RASHAAN PATTERSON, LEDISI, all have new music for your heart and soul...ENJOY!

Namaste! Ty

JON LUCIEN PASSED THIS WEEK. It's funny how we have been having conversations about him, more affirmatively, lately. I wonder if we had some idea this was coming. This one hurts big. I have no words to express...("if I only had words, I would say all the beautiful things...")!

I'm still away on the Ray Charles revue gig, just coming from our second leg in Monte Carlo and on our way to India. It has been a wonderful, although, challenging, situation. Good things are showing their faces because of this trip and exposure, so there'll be more to report later!

Namaste. Open your heart and ears to the beauty of music, melody and lyrics and delivery. There are artists and there are geniuses. Jon was both, and more.

Be Love, Be Peace, Be Well, Ty

Yes, Monte Carlo surely categorizes as a paradise! Awesome beauty and opulent affluence. I felt quite at home with all the grand style and elegance....gave me a chance to get dressed and "sharp" to fit in with the "locals"!

The Ray Charles show, "I Can't Stop Loving You", went quite well---it was HIT! We made the cover of "Nice Matin/MONACO MATIN" (www.nicematin.fr) on July 10th, the day after our opening, and then the cover of its Entertainment section the next week. July 16th! We get to go back in August for another 2 weeks and then on to India for a week (see our calendar!)!

I'm back home, safe and sound (truly grateful!) and catching up on email and cleaning (fun!), and listening to some vintage Al Green, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (that's right, I love the full spectrum of music and the inspiration and sweet memories they conjure!).

We'll be back in the studio to finish the new Jazz CD, "SENTIMENTAL" and have it ready for you at our upcoming return to PARLORJAZZ, our Brooklyn home, on August 4th! Samples are being sent out to our radio contacts throughout the world, and we have liner notes being done by our new friend, WBGO's SHEILA ANDERSON! We hope to also have a release celebration at Birdland...yes, an offer has been made to us!

Master Bassist Jon Burr's fantastic CD project is nearing its completion, as well, and I am featured on about 7 or 8 cuts! I'll keep you posted on its title and where you can find it when it's done!

I'll be finally doing some real major upgrades to this site and to my Myspace site, so keep your eyes open! Meanwhile....HAPPY BIRTHDAY to BRANICE and Namaste, to YOU!

Love, Ty

DIVINE ONES!

And I DO mean that. We are all divine because we are all of THE ONE! I am in that more spiritual place, as often happens when a dear one passes on. Such is the case with my very dear buddy, GEORGE MORTON, who made his transition last Tuesday (5/30), after a short bout with something as yet unexplained that he contracted while in South Africa with his Church/Choir. Georgie was a fighter! He succeeded in keeping himself together thru many health challenges, and in fact, always had the most amazing body! He was the envy on many of us. He NEVER looked defeated or ill, so it truly came a surprise that something took him under! Onstage, Georgie was the engine, the energy that drove the whole cart. He and I had such a chemistry, a primal balance together. We never had to discuss anything, especially movement. One just followed the other and we ALWAYS looked like we had spent hours in the studio choreographing our stage moves! And, the harmonies we made were tight and sweet, again, never having to think, just listen and follow! Never had that with anyone else, honestly! Then there was his humor...he could make you laugh so hard and so much that you'd have to beg him to stop, you just couldn't breathe! He had the best characters in the world! "I LOVE ME SOME GEORGIE!" That was and is always they way I say it. When I think of my Georgie, I always smile or even laugh. WRAPPED IN ALL OUR LOVE AND SAFELY IN GOD'S ARMS.

Now, of course, the music keeps me going and keeps on going. The Jazz CD is still moving forward. We should be done in time for my trip to Europe at the end of the month. I head back to LONDON to rehearse "THE GENIUS OF RAY CHARLES", again! This time it's doing a stint in MONTE CARLO and INDIA in July and August. We are looking into venues in the area where we can do another live hit and promote the 2 CDs.

Meanwhile, I'm this year's MASTER OF CEREMONIES at the 2007 JAZZMOBILE/ANHEUSER-BUSCH JAZZ VOCALIST COMPETITION, being held every Monday night in June (Black Music Month) this year. So far the contestants are formidable and 4 have been eliminated. Check Jazzmobile.org for details.

Don't forget to check my calendar for upcoming dates, and check your Myspace bulletin, as well!

DON'T HESITATE TO SHOW AND TELL THE ONES YOU LOVE, THAT YOU LOVE THEM! I MAKE IT A POLICY AND I'M SO GLAD I DID. GEORGIE KNOWS I LOVE HIM, I TOLD HIM EVERY CHANCE I GOT! Namaste.

Be Love, Be Peace, Be Well, TY

DIVINE ONES!!!

I'm sure you know, by now, how good (NOT!) I am at this technology thing! I sometimes forget its something that has to be maintained on a regular basis, Hell, I forget to floss, how am I going to remember this stuff?! Ha!

ANYWAY, alot has transpired over the past 2 months....I FINALLY got my Jazzmobile trophy, and it's absolutely gorgeous! I'll post a photo of me with it as soon as I can. The honor was bestowed at Pier 2110 in Harlem this past April 12th (we were originally going to be at the legendary Alhambra Ballroom, right next door!).

The other Finalists, Charenee Wade and Greg Porter, were on hand and my trio (Richard, Ron and Damon) provided the support for all! Lots of photos were taken and I'm awaiting copies to add to this site and my Myspace page.

More local bookings are happening (see calendar page!) due to this wonderful honor!

As you may know, I went back to Tokyo with Toshi for the great honor of his MTVIcon award, where we played for all of the artists who came to celebrate him by singing his music! Some were fantastic and others were cool, but you REALLY got to see how Toshi (and his music) stands up against the rest! He's the Man!

Of course, I was lucky to have 2 booking while I was there, with the help of my buddy (my manager in Japan) Mance. B Flat club and Cha Cha House both went very well and we are awaiting live footage from those gigs as well as London's Jazz After Dark, to put on these sites!

I am in the studio with my friend, Bassist Jon Burr, with his new Jazz CD! Some of the coolest music I've heard in awhile. I'm so honored to have ben asked to record along side Houston Person and other Masters at their craft, including Jon, himself!

MY new Jazz CD is moving closer to being ready (you KNOW it's money, again!) and we are looking to have a sampler of 5 or 6 songs ready and available for the upcoming gigs (did I say see my calendar?)!

Aziza has been back and forth on live dates with Natalie Cole, again... Rondew just got back from Paris with another jazz artist (I'll have him remind of whom), and Richard has been hitting with Tsidii Loloka (of Lion King Fame)...R.T has been recording with Ne-Yo on tracks produced by his amazing Sax-playing son Shea Taylor...Tony has also been hitting pretty hard with some other great artists, since I haven't been able to secure him for a gig lately, but, not to worry, we've been hitting it hard with Damon at most of the recent gigs!

That's seems to be all the news, for now! Namaste!

Be Love, Be Peace, Be Well. Ty

DIVINE ONES!!!

"The trip is smoothe, and we gently glide..." as Donny put it! The trip to Japan was smoothe and quite successful! Toshi was honored with the 1st-ever MTVIcon Award Japan! He was serenaded by many prominent Japanese R&B, Pop, Rap and Hip-Hop Artists, as we backed them, and then, he tore it up with 3 on his own! He really shows why he's the Icon! He's the premier Soul Artist in Japan and it shows! The others were good, but nobody holds a candle to Toshi (and I'm not just saying that because he's my boss or because I know him--it's FACT!)!!

MY gigs went amazingly well, too, all things considered! Philip (Keyb) and Jay (Drums) were both on Toshi's gig and had little time to devote to learning my music, until after the MTV gig on the 8th. But, being the professionals that they are, they pulled it off brilliantly, with 3 of mine for the CHA CHA HOUSE gig on the 11th and a total of 6 for the final show on the 14th at B FLAT! Our wonderful fans from Toshi's tour spread the word and had both venues pretty full to the brim! HATS OFF TO: PHILIP WOO (Keyb), CLIFFORD ARCHER (Bass), JAY STIXX(Drums), ISAMU "SAM" UMATANI (Guitar), REDDYO (Vocals) and YURI (KAMINO) (Vocals/Special Guest)!!! I was able to relax and "do my thing"! I love and thank you all!!!

EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS TO MANCE THOMPSON, my "manager" in Japan! Hard workin', good lookin', Japanese-speakin', readin' and writin' brother from St Louis!! Very effective and organized and a task-master! He gets the job done! And, we're working on more bookings, and the radio/media/retail support that will be the crucial factor in further success for my return later in the year!

There is great video footage and we'll share that with you when it becomes available, so keep posted! Meanwhile...

BE LOVE, BE PEACE, BE WELL, Ty

DIVINE ONES!

This year has begun with a great bang! Not only did we begin with another A/K/A Sorority gig, my next move was London and gig at Jazz After Dark with my trio, and we BLEW IT UP!! Our deepest gratitude to Larry Patterson for all his help and hard work on our behalf, and to all our U.K. friends/family for packing the place! We're working on going back asap!

I have resumed my workshop teaching gigs in NJ and NY public schools, and the gift is truly mine. It is an absolute pleasure to see, first hand, that the future doesn't belong to a bunch of shut-down anti-socials. These kids are bright and eager, contrary to what we are lead to believe!

Next, I'm back to Tokyo with Toshi, for his MTVIcon AWARD! And, I have a booking of my own while I'm there, most likely! Thanks to Mance Thompson & Yuri Kamino for their help! Gotta keep this momentum going!

Meanwhile, we're still working on the NEW JAZZ CD and making slow progress. It won't be much longer, since we are keeping it simple, like the old days of jazz recording.

Make sure you check our calendar here for all the upcoming events!

BE LOVE, BE PEACE, BE WELL, Ty

Well, things are flying along, of course! The year has ended, and many wonderful things await us all in the New Year!! We take the important things we've learned and plan a magical present and future!

The Jazz CD is getting back underway, after a brief hiatus for the Holidays. 3 or 4 more songs to do from scratch, and then overdubs on the existing tracks of Sax, Guitar, etc. We're keeping it simple, like the old days of Jazz recording, with one or two live takes with the rhythm section! It's been like magic, with the initial recording being done at Morace Landy's studio in his home in northern NJ.

On the live performance front, dates are coming in and you can check our calendar for those, and we're setting up opportunites for exposure in London and Tokyo, since I return there with other work in January and March, respectively. In each instance, I have the enthusiastic help of local friends: Larry Patterson in the U.K. and Yuri Kamino & Mance Thompson in Japan. It makes things so much easier and logical with people knowing the spots and contacts to get things up and running!

We'll be sending out a blast to let ya'll know what's up, and look forward to seeing you at the upcoming events! Until then, be well, be love and peace! Namaste.

Love, Light, Peace and Music, Ty

DIVINE ONES!

Today, we FINALLY started the work on THE NEW JAZZ ALBUM!!!!! Richard, Rondew, Tony and I went into Morris Landy's Studio in here in NJ, to lay down songs for the (long-overdue), as-yet-to-be-titled Jazz Recording!!
After winning the Jazzmobile-Anhueser-Busch competition, we realized that I could no longer afford to be without a tool that represents that part of my musical personality! I won't reveal the song choices, yet, but I WILL say that you won't be disappointed, if you've been waiting for certain songs we've only done LIVE!
The doors are open for us, and now, with even more musical ammunition, we can actually KNOCK THE DOORS DOWN!!!

We are still waiting for the bookings and publicity that comes with the Jazzmobile win, and once that kicks-in---WATCH OUT!!!

On another tip, I have opened myself up to more service, these days, and the opportunities are coming in! I have joined the team of instructors at CREATIVE OUTLET (thanks to my dear friends Karen Calhoun & Anita Thomas) in Brookyln, where I'll be teaching an afterschool Vocal Workshop for High School-ers (sure to be an education for me, too!), and I'll be taking over another Workshop program started by my pal Adam Wade, here in my town of Montclair, at the Sharron Miller Academy of Performing Arts, for local Middle School students, 2 days-per-week. AND, I'll be returning to Steve Adubato's "Stand & Deliver" Communications Program as a Workshop Leader in Newark Public High Schools! I'm looking forward to what life is bringing my way through this connection to young people. It's sure to be wonderful! Last, but not least, I have been actively seeking more work in Voice-Overs, Commercials and Print, through my old agents, but landed a nice voice-over through my good friend Gail Nelson-Holgate, with the American History Workshop. I'm the voice of "David Ruggles", an African-American abolitionist and businessman, in the "Slavery In New York II" exhibition. Keep posted, and, by the way...NAMASTE!

Love, Ty

DIVINE ONES!!!

I WON!!! I CAME IN FIRST PLACE IN THE JAZZMOBILE/BUDWEISER SOLO VOCALIST COMPETITION 2006! THANK YOU, SO MUCH, TO ALL who came out to cheer me on and those who sent their wonderful vibes from home! We expect more wonderful things to come from having been given this honor! Already, I was called (last minute, but we came thru, as usual!) to appear at the EBONY FASHION FAIR GALA LUNCHEON at The NEW YORK HILTON! We got to shine among the stylish and fashionable elite, including Mercedes Ellington and Kent Drake, Altovise Davis (Sammy Davis, Jr.'s widow), Wendy Williams and more! It's nice to be received with so much respect and dignity (although, I did have to schlepp my own sound system and set-up/knock down the whole thing---See? LIFE!)!

The night pf the Finals was really surreal, with lots of photographs and accolades; a beautiful award trophy and a check which will certainly come in handy to keep my life going forward with a little more breathing space! The other vocalists are amazing, and this was no easy win! We all had to "step up to the plate" and these are voices you have GOT to hear: CHARENEE WADE (the 1st Runner up!), GREGORY PORTER and EVE CORNELIOUS!!! I sincerely hope our sponsors will create a tour and/or CD featuring the 4 of us!

In the excitement, I neglected to thank: God for the gift(s); my dad, Herman, for the love of Jazz, and Stewart for all the support anyone could ask for! This is truly a validating moment! Those of you who received my "panic" email earlier this year, know how much this means to me! Thank you for being there!

AND, LIFE HAS IT'S SADNESS AND LOSS: In the same week, just a day before I won the prize, I received news that my dear friend Marsha Scales-Prescod was murdered in her home in North Philadelphia. She was one of my dearest and longest friendships, and one of the staunchest of my supporters from the very beginning, even before I began my singing career. She was initially a student of mine when I was teaching dance in Philly, years before I moved to NYC., and our friendship blossomed and grew. We shared a profound love for Minnie Riperton, which she passed on to her daughters Kimiko and Kyomi, and I am blessed that Kimiko "chose" me to be her Godfather! Marsha was a very giving and healing person. A very gentle and kind spirit. It is inconceiveable that anyone would want to harm her. But life is full of inconceiveable things, some wonderful and some tragic. Marsha was one of the wonderful things about this thing called life.

LOTS OF GOOD NEWS! I have been busy working out the way to return to Japan with my music! The contacts I thought were a bit more solid, are not as I had hoped! So, we're trying others!

Meanwhile, I have been participating in the JAZZMOBILE/BUDWEISER SOLO JAZZ VOCALIST COMPETITION, each Thursday in September, in clubs around New York! Most of you are receiving the E-Blasts I've been sending, keeping you abreast of my progress. I am proud to be in the FINALS this coming Thursday Sept 28th, with 3 other INCREDIBLE VOCALISTS!!!! All the vocalists have been fantastic, and no reason to lay back--we all have to be on our stuff! I love that! See the Jazzmobile site for more details: www.jazzmobile.org!

Still looking for a suitable venue for Release Events in NYC (waiting to hear from Joe's Pub and BlueNote!) and Philly (any ideas?)! The ideal would be to have the event(s) before the weather breaks and the Holiday Season descends upon us. We still have a bit of momentum left from the Japan tour and the earlier Release Events in April, but now's the time to kick it back up!

The CENTER FOR CONSCIOUS LIVING (West Orange, NJ), just kicked off it's GRAND OPENING in our NEW LOCATION at 471 Pleasant Valley Way (alt. addr.: 662 Eagle Rock ave)! Look us up at www.njccl.org for details and info!

DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUR CALENDAR FOR UPCOMING DATES! NAMASTE! Ty

DIVINE ONES!

Well, time does fly, when you're having fun, they say!We had a ball, but time did move kind of slowly when we sat in Tokyo! So glad to be home and resting. Contemplating the next moves and reviewing the contacts we made in Japan. Of course, we must "strike while the iron is hot", as they (there "they" are, again!) say, before we are "out of sight, out of mind"!!

We did some side gigs on some of the days off we had in Tokyo, and really turned the clubs (Mobius, Cha-Cha House and Motion Blue) OUT! We got great written reviews (which we have had translated) which can be seen on our PRESS page, right here!

Just a quick note to thank everyone for their warm wishes and care! It'll be good to see you. We are planning THE BIG Release Event (we're in talks with a well-known and prestigeous spot, which should heighten our profile even more, so keep your positive vibes going!) and will keep you posted, of course!

Hope you're enjoying the sane and glorious Summer weather!

Namaste, Ty

Divine Ones!

We are ever closer to getting home, and I can hardly wait, yet, I am having such a great time! We have finally made a break in the scene here, due to our man, Phil Woo. We've been hitting for the past 3 weeks at local spots, as the New York Allstars, with each of us sitting in on the others' gig. Felicia has been the featured vocalist for the past 3 gigs, but Yuri ans I have been hangin' at each and WE BE JAMMIN'!!!! It has been one of those dream gigs, where you get to soar with the best players and, enjoy each performance and then your turn comes, too! NICE! Toshi's fans show up there, too, and are equally supportive and enthusiastic! I know we're laying the foundation to return and hit with my own tunes and with my guys! Feels good.

The CD sales are still doing well, and the hand-shaking and photo-taking continue. The cold and the cough are long gone! Thank GOD! Been getting radio play in the U.K., here in Japan and online, tho', I've yet to check out any of the locations. The response has been great! We got a review in German, which has yet to be translated, and our friends Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault are keeping us in rotation in Bridgeport, Conn.! I'll post the stations and locations here, too, and maybe you can check them out?! I'll send out a mailing with that info, too.

Lastly, I hope you have been finding good, loving, positive and artistically fulfilling music (besides, mine, I mean---Ha!), here are some that I recommend:
"A TIME 2 LOVE" Stevie Wonder (aside from a few unsingable melodies, it is a return to classic Stevie!); "TESTIMONY: VOLUME 1" India.Arie (a very perspective-oriented lp, with more good, positive messages and great music and vocals); "ON THE JUNGLE FLOOR" Van Hunt (you can see, I'm a big Van Hunt fan! You gotta listen to his lyrics, along with the great music and musicianship, he is quite the poet, brilliant!); "3121"
Prince (he manages to keep the kinky, the funky, the sensuous and the sacred all in tact without losing the funk!); "ILLUMINATION" Earth, Wind & Fire (my concern about this one was unnecessary, once I heard it! I worried that too many (young) producers would take away their sound and identity, as current producers do. Didn't happen! The are EWF thru and thru, and it seems the producers respected that...or maybe Maurice insisted! Ha!); "MORPH THE CAT" Donald Fagan (Steely Dan)(great words, music, perpsective and as always, great session cats, including our own Jerry Barnes!!!), and ""IF YOU COULD LOVE ME" Mica Paris (when's the last time you heard from her? I have been keeping my eye out for her since she left the major labels, because I am one of her biggest fans! That voice and those confident blasts of vocal bravura!! She's a force! Underrated, as are so many of the best! She and Jeffrey Osborne have both recently released cover albums of classic Soul material. Both are good, because they are both top-notch, but I still prefer their original expressions, and often, that of the original artist they cover).
Enough rambling. Gotta go!

Namaste, Ty

Divine Ones!

We are past the halfway point in the tour! I can almost see my bed and garden....! Ha! The shows have been more regular, so the time is moving faster, now! The CD sales have been going VERY well. I am out at the concession stand after every show, signing autographs on my CDs and taking pictures with the fans. I will have some posted here when I return home. I am not able to do it, yet, from here, but if I can, I will.

I have had a minor cold or something, and it may have been encouraged by so much hand-shaking with Fans; the persistent rain; the air-conditioned bus... but also, we spent a few nights in a hotel that I think was actually making me sick, I felt so strange there the whole time (just 2 nights, but..). Other band members felt it, too. We think it was mold. I am wondering if that is the cause of this lingering cough I have. If it persists I will see about it, I promise!

Other than that, the sales at CDBaby are going very well, and I am looking into more live performances to expose the album when I return home. The majority of our sales are from right here in Japan, the rest are the U.K.! We have a great response from the Soul Music media community: websites, radio and publications in London, Germany and Finland have been requesting CDs and Bio info! Very exciting and encouraging!

We just got word that we are returning to Japan in October to perform at the MTV Asia awards with Toshi! That will be nice, and, who knows, I may be able to hook some kind of gigs up, for then. I was finally introduced to a sister here who is connected to the scene! Been getting out to see as much local entertainment as my budget can afford.

I nearly forgot, (THE) Phillip Woo (one of our keyboardists) has been gigging around Tokyo and has invited each of the vocalists to join him. I will be doing a hit here on August 2nd! We should be doing a few of my tunes, along with the covers we have planned. Phil knows as much material as I do, and we are same generation Americans, so we know all the same stuff. Should be easy and fun! Well, that's all for now!

Namaste, Ty