lessa’s Neighborhood

Departed from Bangkok and arrived in Krabi in about 1hr30min.
Worst landing of a plane ever!

We're staying at the Krabi Resort in Aonang, which has the same feel
as Phuket did way back in the day. Our bungalow is 5 meters from the
beach. We wake up to stunning views.  The massages which are fantastic
cost 300 baht for an hour which is about R75!

Yesterday we took a long tail boat to Rei-Leh West beach to organise a
snorkelling day trip.  The entire area looks like it does in the
post-cards. It almost doesn't look real it's so beautiful. Truly
paradise. Went swimming in a cove, blue, calm, warm water.  Had dinner
twice at a great Indian restaurant across from the resort. We ate and
ate till our seams were bursting.

leaving on our snorkelling day trip in 10min

Later!

its our last night in bangkok. actually feeling a bit sad about
it.today we were on our own... just browsed around siam, bought a
couple t-shirts (that will probably end up shrinking in the wash), had
lunch
at a great food court.

Believe it or not, the highlight of today was watching the new Avatar
movie in 3D. What an amazing movie. James Cameron seriously has outdid
himself. A must see movie - and if you can see it in 3D at IMAX. its
amazing

how time flies when you're in those huge never-ending multi-level
shopping malls.

south africa can learn a thing or two from the thai people about service and
tourism.

the smell in the city is vile (the mix of the food being cooked by the
street hawkers and the stench of the drains/air pollution) the air
pollution is really bad. jhb air seems clean compared to here. it's
probably
the humidity that doesn't let the fumes rise but instead just lingers.
for some reason there are not many flies around despite the seafood
being cooked on the side of the streets. And litter is also minimum
with a very few public bins available. south africa has tons of
litter on the city streets with a lot of available public bins

at the cinema, just before the movie starts, everyone stands up and
pays homage to the king. its strange to us but cool - instilling this
feeling of oneness with your country people.. that's patriotism.

Got to th e hotel at 11:15pm. Gotta check out in the morning. Leaving
for Krabi. Watched a show on the History channel this morning about
the Tsunami in 2004. Scary stuff.

last night after we arrived and showered, carol and i walked from our
hotel about 2km to Chit Lom station, then caught the skytrain to Siam
square. from there we walked to MBK. Met up with the chundras at Siam
Paragon afterwards at about
9pm. they were having Burger King. Paragon is this really larney
shopping centre a lot like Harrods. Got to the hotel late, then
showered again Oh yes, took a tuktuk back (scary exciting fun)

we had a really good day today. had a good breakfast then met up with
jow wendy and shameme at about 11am. Took the skytrain to the Central
Pier then got a ferry taxi boat thing to the Grand Palace. Spent most
of the afternoon there. The best part was going to Wat Po where the
reclining buddha is and afterward going for massages. Best best ever.
Took the boat back, then skytrain to chundra's hotel (which is on the
other side of town from our hotel). We found a really nice local place
to eat and had an amazing supper. Even that whole deep fried fish with
chilli and lime like the one we had the first time with dad in Phuket.
The whole bill for 7 of us came to 2200 baht. food was better than
wang thai.
we just got a taxi back to the hotel now. its about 11pm.

This is special on two counts: one since I didn't bring you a InspirationSounds podcast last month and second I have been blessed to be the GRAMMY community blogger for the 52nd GRAMMY Awards for the Gospel genre so what else to do but to bring you GRAMMY edition podcast. You know how I love blending Gospel/Christian with some of the best instrumental tunes but this one has a little twist: each of the Gospel songs are up for a nomination for a GRAMMY.

It's pretty cool the power of instrumental music and when it's blended with men and women of God that loves the Lord it's a win-win situation. When you really think about it how many times have you been in service praising and worshiping the Lord and when the choir has stopped singing and the musicians are playing you still are caught up in the spirit, they two go hand in hand.

The tracks featured in this podcast is from their past work to let you that success did not come to these Gospel Nominees over night...it took years for these artists to achieve what they have today and I also feel in order appreciate a person in the present you have to sometime check out what they have done in the past. The artists that are nominated are:

Vicki Winans

Jars of Clay

Smokie Norful

Third Day

J. Moss

Donnie McClurkin

Mary Mary

Kierra "KiKi" Sheard

Sheri Jones-Moffett

Donald Lawrence

Karen Clark Sheard

Israel Houghton

This is only a handful of the talented men and women who have done remarkable work in composing, song writing, arranging some of the best Worship and Praise songs that are nominated this year and if I'm granted the opportunity to participate I will have more tunes in the podcasts.

Big, BIG thanks to the Academy of Music for allowing me to express my feeling in regards to the wonderful talent of the incredible men and women who love the Lord of lords and the King of kings.

Be Blessed, Be Safe,

& Have a Wonderful Day. :-)

Sounds Unlimited: GRAMMY Edition LP1

{to listen: click here | to download: right click}

to download from iTunes - copy this rss feed into iTunes

[Track Title - Artist or Group]

o1. Long As I Got King Jesus - Vicki Winans{Nominated for Best Traditional Gospel Album}

o2. WindSurfer - Steve Kindler and Teja Bell

o3. Nobody Loves Me Like You - Jars of Clay{Nominated for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album}

o4. Till We Meet Again - Special EFX

o5. Celebrate - Smokie Norful{Nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album}

o6. With You In Mind - Acoustic Alchemy

o7. I've Always Loved You - Third Day{Nominated for Best Gospel Song}

o8. Chinnok Winds - Chet Atkins

o9. Livin' 4[Remix] - J. Moss{Nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album}

10. Thy Kingdom Come - Special EFX

11. Speak to My Heart - Donnie McClurkin{Nominated for Best Gospel Performance}

Bonus Podcast

Sounds Unlimited: GRAMMY Edition LP2

{to listen: click here | to download: right click}

to download from iTunes - copy this rss feed into iTunes

[Track Title - Artist or Group]

o1. Incredible - Mary Mary{Nominated for Best Gospel Song}

o2. All Laid Back and Stuff - Andy McKee

o3. You Don't Know - Kierra "KiKi" Sheard{Nominated for Best Gospel Song}

o4. Cruise - Eddie Daniels

o5. God Will Take Care - Ted & Sheri{Nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album}

o6. Dance With Me - Govi

o7. Healed - Donald Lawrence{Nominated for Best Traditional Gospel Album}

o8. Your Love Has Lifted Me - Special EFX

o9. You Showed Me - Karen Clark Sheard{Nominated for Best Gospel Performance}

1o. Those Eyes - Michael Deep

11. Again I Say Rejoice - Israel & New Breed{Nominated for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album}

Intro Underscore music: Todd Kelley "The BigLa"

Outro Underscore music: Nicolay

photo: Snow Blind

By Mathias NEVIERE

InterfaceLIFT.com

Funny, when checking out the genre category for Steely Dan they are placed in the "Rock" category and to me they should be placed in the Jazz category. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker are true music geeks and are not ashamed it at all. They are not getting Botox treatments or getting face lifts. They focus on what they know best, bringing quality music, intelligent lyrics to the masses. You have heard me say this time and time again in regards to how Steely Dan and solo projects from Donald Fagen lifts my spirits whenever I'm feeling down and it kinda weird considering that some of their work is about depressing matters, go figure.

When growing up listening to their music it always strikes me in awe with the "Who's Who" of session musicians that show up on their albums. Not only can these musicians hold their own when it comes to improvising but are on point when writing music. I love the trilogy LP from Fagen because it goes from the wild ideas from a young man to a middle age man coming to terms to his age to finally tackling and embracing that touchy subject, death.

"The Nightfly" is one of my favorite LPs in the since of I can remember being young and being fasinated with sci-fi movies, digging science, wondering when we would have flying cars(which I'm still waiting on). This album was released the year I was a junior in high school and was beginning to discover my taste in music, the time I realized that I was different when it came to my taste in music and was not ashamed of it. (I saw this because growing up in a place where you were thought being weird when listening to music other than R&B).

Reading through the list of musicians that performed on The Nightfly brings a huge smile on my face and I am so blessed I read liner notes because if I didn't I would not have known about Rob Mounsey who would later produce for Michael Franks or Marcus Miller and Will Lee, two of the baddest bassist around who has recorded with so many great artists and Marcus Miller who would later produce albums for the late Luther Vandross and Will Lee is the bassist for the Paul Schaffer Band on Late Night with David Letterman and both bassist has performed for David Sanborn. Then there is Greg Phillinganes, Jeff Porcaro, Chuck Rainey, Valerie Simpson, Steve Khan, Larry Carlton, Randy Brecker and the list just on this album is just mind-blowing.

I could go on but I'm not...just check out these tunes and enjoy. I hope you dig this line up as much as I did putting it together.

Be Blessed,

~DarrenKeith

{to listen: click here | to download: right click}

[Track - Artist or Band]

01. Pixeleen - Steely Dan

02. Ruby Baby - Donald Fagen

03. Slang of Ages - Steely Dan

04. Brite Nitegown - Donald Fagen

05. FM - Steely Dan

06. Security Joan - Donald Fagen

07. Third World Man - Steely Dan

08. The Nightfly - Donald Fagen

09. Lunch With Gina - Steely Dan

10. New Frontier - Donald Fagen

from the LPs...

Everything Must Go

The Nightfly

Morph the Cat

Gold

Gaucho

***Bonus Podcast***

{to listen: click here | to download: right click}

[Track - Artist or Band]

01. Peg - Steely Dan

02. Snowbound - Donald Fagen

03. Time Out of Mind - Steely Dan

04. Mary Shut the Garden Door - Donald Fagen

05. Almost Gothic - Steely Dan

06. Tomorrow's Girl - Donald Fagen

07. Jack of Speed - Steely Dan

08. Florida Room - Donald Fagen

09. West of Hollywood - Steely Dan

10. I.G.Y. (International Geophysical Year) - Donald Fagen

from the LPs...

Aja

Kamakiriad

Gaucho

Morph the Cat

Two Against Nature

The Nightfly

to subscribe via iTunes copy and paste this rss feed

intro underscore music: Todd Kelley

outro underscore music: Nicolay

***for my first Steely Dan/Donald Fagen spotlight click here***

The cool thing about being a Follower of Christ is that sometimes we as Christians may not agree on some issues but many times we want the same thing. I have to admit I may not agree with Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family on many levels. I don't question his love for God because I know he is a true believer but by us being from different cultures I feel we will never see eye to eye but hearing this 2 part message is something many parents today need to hear in regards to wayward adult children.

Allison Bottke is the author of the book, "Setting Boundaries with Adult Children" is not only talking the talk but is walking the walk in regards to this matter. If there is any message you should check out this is the one.

Help for Parents of Adult Prodical Children (Part 1 of 2) 

Help for Parents of Adult Prodigal Children (Part 2 of 2)

I am going ten pin bowling just now. Haven't done that in a long while.  

Couldn't find "The Chronicles of Riddick" at Best Buy but I found these gems...

Funny how this month has slipped outta here...or maybe by me getting older and being a grown up time just zips by every year. Over the years my music horizon has grown but when it all boils down for me it comes back to the basic in regards to where my love for this type of music came from back in the late 80s - early 90s. This is Volume 3 of a four volume set. These songs are coming from the albums...

Windham Hill Sampler '86

The Narada Collection, Vol. 2

Blue Chip

Windham Hill Records Sampler '88

Flying Home

Slice of Life

Passionfruit

There were other albums of course over the years that set my foot down the contemporary jazz/new age/fusion path and I have never looked back. But these albums take me back to a time when I could go into a record store and see rows and rows of cds of artists from Earl Klugh, Mark Egan, The Braxton Brothers, Will Ackerman but alas, those days are long gone. You will not hear their music on the commercial airwaves and the only way to find their music now is online stores or satellite radio or internet radio which now that I think about is a blessing. But it's still sad because there are people out there that still do not know about these gifted artists or do not have access to the web. I know I can't stay in the past but sometimes it's cool to vist there.

Hope you get a chance to take you some "me" time and kick back and relax to the sounds of these artists.

Be Blessed, Be Safe

& Have a Wonderful Weekend

~DarrenKeith

{to listen: click here | to download: right click}

***Track Title/Artist(s)/Title of Album***

01. Another Country - Shadowfax{from the "Windham Hill Sampler '86" LP}

02. The Long Riders - Richard Souther{from the "The Narada Collection, Vol. 2" LP}

03. Ariane - Acoustic Alchemy{from the "Blue Chip" LP}

04. Toys Not Ties - Nightnoise{from the "Windham Hill Records Sampler '88" LP}

05. Bright Tiger - Acoustic Alchemy{from the "Blue Chip" LP}

06. Brooklyn At Midnight - Stanley Jordan{from the "Flying Home" LP}

07. Bethany Beach - Special EFX{from the "Slice of Life" LP}

08. Horizons I - Ralf Illenberger{from the "The Narada Collection, Vol. 2" LP}

09. Never Say Die - Michael Franks{from the "Passionfruit" LP}

10. Formal Invitation - Special EFX{from the "Slice of Life" LP}

11. Gwenlaise -  Eugene Friesen/Scott Cossu{from the "Windham Hill Sampler '86" LP}

12. Because It's There - Michael Hedges{from the "Windham Hill Sampler '86" LP}

13. Stairway To Heaven - Stanley Jordan{from the "Flying Home" LP}

14. Sunday Morning Here With You - Michael Franks{from the "Passionfruit" LP}

intro underscore music: Todd Kelley

outro underscore music: Nicolay

photo: InterfaceLIFE/MasterChief

It has been many moons since i have posted. I have sold my apartment,
a huge step for me, my home since 2002. Been house hunting. 1.5 yrs
away from 30. Have given up my safety net letting go moving on moving
out of my comfort zone