from df to nz to nyc - a world music conversation/visions of funk

on new year's eve i wasn't sure where i'd end up.  certainly that's a concern of most of the world on new year's eve, but in the sense that i wasn't sure what i was going to do or how mellow or not new year's eve would or wouldn't be.  i'm not a big new year's cat and my type of new year's is usually a good homemade meal with plenty of wine and good friends.  that, of course, was possible here in aotearoa, and though many a good folks here in whaingaroa were gone to their families over the holidays, it probably wouldn't have been the same anyhow.  there is just something about getting a fire going and sipping red wine with the possibility of sledding that recalls days of yore...

times change and change and change and you know what, keep changing, such is the way this earth spins. so i played the evening by ear, having a lovely dinner with my roommates and their mom who was in town from holland.  we had cambodian food in this little new zealand town i live in after watching the annual new year's eve parade that pops off before the late summer sun sets and goes around the block at least twice, though i think is was three times to well, make it last. this town is small and parades gotta loop round the way to make it worthwhile for both the spectators and the participants.

after dinner, i linked up with my lovely landlord and friend from my last crib on rose street and then made my way through back streets and side alleys up to the raglan club, technically a private spot, it's always open to all and i wasn't sure what to expect.  i walked in to meet my dutch amigos and felt the love immediately, probably round three hundred senior citizens, local raglan residents and a few youngins were grooving to just a love local band, pure, fronted by two singers, one being big dane from tron-city, a waikato university student i later read, who made it to the finals of new zealand has got talent.  and it does, something about this south pacific corner of the world produces some soulful singers and good vibrations. forget djs, 20 dollar cover charges, expensive beer, the need to dress to impress or even wear shoes, the raglan club was where it was at on new year's eve.

even, geoff, my buddy who djs before my thursday show was there with his wife and leaned into the dutchies and said something to the effect, last time i saw you all, i was out of place, the oldest cat in a venue of young peeps and now you all are the youngest people here...

i'll tell you, everyone seemed to be young and grooving, whether dancing or sitting or standing and chatting, it was a great scene...

this week's across 110th street can be found here: http://across110thstreet.podomatic.com/

it's a special and beautiful episode as my amigo xavier meade rolled through with deep crates of latin love and good world beats, it's a musical conversation between the two of us, both metaphorically and actually, and though there is a touch of technicalities when we commence, it's well worth it, the two hours were grand and xavier has put me on to more musica del mundo than possibly any human on this earth. so if you're cruising over new zealand, pop that parachute and drop in and we'll dance and swim!

love and health to all...