The End Of The Tour//Return Home//Departure Anniversary
Hello my AllOne Family!
Today, February 2nd, 2014 marks a year since I left for the little piano//BIG MOUTH tour with Alexa Dexa. I can't believe it, what a year! I've missed the road nearly everyday, and a lot has happened. We have reached the end of our chronicles, it seems appropriate to close out our accounts on the anniversary of our departure.... 2014 is going to be an important year in my life and I'm excited to use this space as a way to keep you up to date and involved in the various adventures and progress being made!
The Importance of Family
Alexa and I hopped on our last Megabus to NYC. It was surreal to see New York City again after all of our travel. New York city is foreign to me despite the fact that I live so close. A funny assumption that happens to people around the country is if you say you are from new york, everyone assumes you spend all your time in the city! admittedly, I've probably only been to the city two or three dozen times in my life. It is a 2014 goal of mine to remedy that. I got on the train, returned to Valley Stream and my grandmother picked me up. It was wonderful to see her and be in her arms again and for the first person to be her was just wonderful and humbling. We ate together a nice home meal in my grandma and poppy's house.
It has taken me a long time in my life to truly understand and appreciate the uniqueness of family. It is easy to take it for granted, and in America with our traditions, it is easy to feel like family is an obligatory group of people, each with their own dynamic and as a youthful individual, you're longing to rebel from it. Also, perhaps as you age, tradition is now encouraging older generations to push the younger ones on into the world, which is a little different these days, and more difficult to make a go at. I've also been young and stupid. Regardless of this side-tracking of excuses for why I might have had a diluted understanding or appreciation for the bonds of family, I'd just like to impart that I think it is beautiful to have a group of people you're bonded to by blood and by genetics and tradition. No matter how much the black sheep you are, you will never been closer to anyone in the same ways that you are with family. I have been fortunate enough to have a supportive family and be brought up in a safe environment.
Then again, any one group of people can be a form of family. It is incredible what it can do to a person's motivation, and resolve, just to know that they have a rock of Gibraltar in their life! I sincerely and hopefully consider the movement I'm making with this whole music and poetry and storytelling "AllOne" thing a family gathering. I long to cultivate a group of people, through my friends through listeners of my music, with my family, who can feel as safe and in sanction knowing that we will each be there for one another. We all have so much to offer, something having someone to offer it to helps you know that it is there. Stop feeling afraid and awkward...the great majority of us, (if not all of us) are yearning for connection and experience, for knowledge and safety.
After spending a few peaceful and warm hours with my grandmother, I drove out to the Pape House, to see my friends and family and perform the very last show.
The Pape House (The Tour's Last Show)
The Pape House, is a Babylon home owned by, if you might have guessed, the Pape family. I met Charles and Leah Pape at a show randomly at Beanberry (now Crazy Beans) in Miller Place. They are a brother and sister who are both wonderful musicians, intelligent thoughtful people and proactive human beings. Through them and several other friends, I got involved in a beautiful community called the Common Courtesy Collective which serves as a place for independent musicians to set up and perform house concerts all over long island. Robbie of Beach Moon//Peach Moon started this, and it is what every community needs. The Common Courtesy Collective is how Alexa and I ended up meeting (at Centerville Studios in Bellmore, you can read about that initial show here by clicking HERE.) It was only right that we finish off the tour that would not have happened due to Alexa and my meeting due to CCC, by performing a show they'd hosted! They do a great job of promoting and highlighting their artists, tumblr periodicals which Leah Pape writes eloquently and masterfully. Feel free to read their AllOne Artist Spotlight! We arrived and so many of my friends from work and music and everything were there. The CCC family was there and it felt like the warmest most wonderful homecoming ever. Heather lovingly ran over and jumped on me, nearly tackling me over with excitement and I just barely was able to keep my balance! I was also barely able to keep myself off of her! The performers were really good and this was one of the most gratifying shows of the tour. To come home and to feel so missed and loved, to meet so many new people and yet to feel so at home even in a place where I've only visited a few times...was just an incredible experience. They say that it is not the destination but the journey that is the true prize and goal, and while that is certainly true, my goodness does it feel wonderful to be home and feel enriching and gratifying to be among the family I've grown.
Never Stopping
I played a long passionate set list that everyone involved themselves in, my freestyles were fun and on point in this little wonderful home space that was set up, Alexa did fantastically, and we eventually retired, exhausted, to our homes.
From there I haven't stopped, I've performed dozens of shows the past year and been writing and writing and working with musicians on my new projects constantly. I have two albums coming out this year in 2014 which I will be informing you on regularly and thoroughly! I've done podcast interviews (one with Brooklyn Props. AllOne Brooklyn Props Podcast as well as the Taleteller podcast that will be up soon. I've released a new compilation project called "We'll Make It Together" among other things. Thank you to everyone who has helped me along this journey. We are all works in progress, lets keep working and progressing! Life is growth, and I hope we all grow together, I will be eager to help you along the way however I can!
Keep pushing and Pull Through!!
Love Always and all ways,
AllOne
Today, February 2nd, 2014 marks a year since I left for the little piano//BIG MOUTH tour with Alexa Dexa. I can't believe it, what a year! I've missed the road nearly everyday, and a lot has happened. We have reached the end of our chronicles, it seems appropriate to close out our accounts on the anniversary of our departure.... 2014 is going to be an important year in my life and I'm excited to use this space as a way to keep you up to date and involved in the various adventures and progress being made!
The Importance of Family
Alexa and I hopped on our last Megabus to NYC. It was surreal to see New York City again after all of our travel. New York city is foreign to me despite the fact that I live so close. A funny assumption that happens to people around the country is if you say you are from new york, everyone assumes you spend all your time in the city! admittedly, I've probably only been to the city two or three dozen times in my life. It is a 2014 goal of mine to remedy that. I got on the train, returned to Valley Stream and my grandmother picked me up. It was wonderful to see her and be in her arms again and for the first person to be her was just wonderful and humbling. We ate together a nice home meal in my grandma and poppy's house.
It has taken me a long time in my life to truly understand and appreciate the uniqueness of family. It is easy to take it for granted, and in America with our traditions, it is easy to feel like family is an obligatory group of people, each with their own dynamic and as a youthful individual, you're longing to rebel from it. Also, perhaps as you age, tradition is now encouraging older generations to push the younger ones on into the world, which is a little different these days, and more difficult to make a go at. I've also been young and stupid. Regardless of this side-tracking of excuses for why I might have had a diluted understanding or appreciation for the bonds of family, I'd just like to impart that I think it is beautiful to have a group of people you're bonded to by blood and by genetics and tradition. No matter how much the black sheep you are, you will never been closer to anyone in the same ways that you are with family. I have been fortunate enough to have a supportive family and be brought up in a safe environment.
Then again, any one group of people can be a form of family. It is incredible what it can do to a person's motivation, and resolve, just to know that they have a rock of Gibraltar in their life! I sincerely and hopefully consider the movement I'm making with this whole music and poetry and storytelling "AllOne" thing a family gathering. I long to cultivate a group of people, through my friends through listeners of my music, with my family, who can feel as safe and in sanction knowing that we will each be there for one another. We all have so much to offer, something having someone to offer it to helps you know that it is there. Stop feeling afraid and awkward...the great majority of us, (if not all of us) are yearning for connection and experience, for knowledge and safety.
After spending a few peaceful and warm hours with my grandmother, I drove out to the Pape House, to see my friends and family and perform the very last show.
The Pape House (The Tour's Last Show)
The Pape House, is a Babylon home owned by, if you might have guessed, the Pape family. I met Charles and Leah Pape at a show randomly at Beanberry (now Crazy Beans) in Miller Place. They are a brother and sister who are both wonderful musicians, intelligent thoughtful people and proactive human beings. Through them and several other friends, I got involved in a beautiful community called the Common Courtesy Collective which serves as a place for independent musicians to set up and perform house concerts all over long island. Robbie of Beach Moon//Peach Moon started this, and it is what every community needs. The Common Courtesy Collective is how Alexa and I ended up meeting (at Centerville Studios in Bellmore, you can read about that initial show here by clicking HERE.) It was only right that we finish off the tour that would not have happened due to Alexa and my meeting due to CCC, by performing a show they'd hosted! They do a great job of promoting and highlighting their artists, tumblr periodicals which Leah Pape writes eloquently and masterfully. Feel free to read their AllOne Artist Spotlight! We arrived and so many of my friends from work and music and everything were there. The CCC family was there and it felt like the warmest most wonderful homecoming ever. Heather lovingly ran over and jumped on me, nearly tackling me over with excitement and I just barely was able to keep my balance! I was also barely able to keep myself off of her! The performers were really good and this was one of the most gratifying shows of the tour. To come home and to feel so missed and loved, to meet so many new people and yet to feel so at home even in a place where I've only visited a few times...was just an incredible experience. They say that it is not the destination but the journey that is the true prize and goal, and while that is certainly true, my goodness does it feel wonderful to be home and feel enriching and gratifying to be among the family I've grown.
Never Stopping
I played a long passionate set list that everyone involved themselves in, my freestyles were fun and on point in this little wonderful home space that was set up, Alexa did fantastically, and we eventually retired, exhausted, to our homes.
From there I haven't stopped, I've performed dozens of shows the past year and been writing and writing and working with musicians on my new projects constantly. I have two albums coming out this year in 2014 which I will be informing you on regularly and thoroughly! I've done podcast interviews (one with Brooklyn Props. AllOne Brooklyn Props Podcast as well as the Taleteller podcast that will be up soon. I've released a new compilation project called "We'll Make It Together" among other things. Thank you to everyone who has helped me along this journey. We are all works in progress, lets keep working and progressing! Life is growth, and I hope we all grow together, I will be eager to help you along the way however I can!
Keep pushing and Pull Through!!
Love Always and all ways,
AllOne
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