Tuesday, January 27, 2009

good things...

are comin'. =D i feel it.

but theres a storm happening tonight and early tomorrow.. a big snow storm.. we're supposed to get like 6-12 inches. crazy!!!

anyway, i joined a stage performance class today... and it was awesome. its taught by Livingston Taylor... and he's James Taylor's brother. crazy right?! he sings almost just like him, and he's the most interesting character i've met here at Berklee. it's ridiculous. his teaching method is awesome. he tells awesome stories, and just interacts with us in a unique way its so dope. im very excited. that was from 2-4.

4-6 is my bob marley ensemble. and i got lots of work to do. hahah. i mean i listen to bob marley a lot but always just in a playlist and only the choruses stick in my head. so the melody of the verses are hard to absorb. especially bobs crazy melody lines. he's freakin genius... so im gonna need to step up my game. the life of Bob Marley is so interesting and inspiring... Matt Jenson, our teacher, spoke about his beginnings and his family and everything like that... Bob Marley was the man... he still is the man. cant wait to learn more from that class.

but foreals what im excited about is the band i put together to start playing shows with me. we already got a gig in new york on march 7th, and hopefully we'll have some more in Boston. shiori, noah, and bobby, and andrew rhim even tho he couldnt make it today, are all awesome. we jammed to showstopper, i just want you, starlit nights, and midKnight. i wish ya'll could hear how everythings turning out. im really excited. we just jammed out, the music spoke for itself, and we all were on the same page which is a very good thing. shiori, the drummer girl =], was super nice and HELLA good at feelin' the vibe i was just puttin out with my hands on the piano... noah, ive played with him before in a classic rock ensemble and he's just an exciting person to play with.. and bobby is one of my best friends out here in Boston... he's just the clown of the band who happens to play really good guitar. hahah.

watch out for good things from us!

oh! and i got a callback for Singer's Showcase.. again... so hopefully this time i actually make the show. that's on thursday, and also on thursday is Singer's Night (there is a difference) auditions.. and then after that is my first acoustic show out here in Boston! at Bill's Bar!!! busy day... but all about the MUSIC..

always about the MUSIC.
much love ya'll...
-AJ

Sunday, January 25, 2009

singers showcase..

remember when i first started writing these blogs? i talked about an audition i had for 'singers showcase' one of the biggest most hyped up show at berklee?! and i was all bummed cuz i made the callbacks but never made the show.. well im trying out again.. and i hope this time i make it. its tomorrow around 630 if i dont, no sweat, i just know then for sure that they are not looking for someone like me and i can accept it easier. hahaha. i'll let yall know how it goes. =] thanks for all the support guys foreals tho...

ok random story. i walked my friend amanda home last nite, well not really just across the scary ass park directly across my apartment... and it was 230 am and the most random thing happened.. a guy on a unicycle rode past us rubbing his hands together cuz it was cold. we both looked at each other and 5 seconds later we busted out laughing. i told her "that was the most random thing i have ever seen in my entire life".

so weird.

hahahah a freakin unicycle! i didnt even know those existed really outside of the circus. thats talent right there i guess..

i have my first show in boston this thursday. unfortunately it wont be with the band, but it'll be acoustic and its gonna be dope! i hope. lets climb a rope. i want a cantaloupe.

wowww ok anyway heres the info. Bill's Bar. thursday the 29th. doors open at 9 and its 5 bucks before 10. come watch if ur in boston! thanks to Tim Luckow for gettin me this show. i play around 930-45.

woooo! anyway heres the newest video for the series.

-AJ

Friday, January 23, 2009

first week of spring semester..

so things have been going well so far. havent had my monday class yet, but its only one class from 4-6. tuesday i had my bob marley performance studies ensemble class. it was awesome. wednesday i had my private lesson, an accompanying/singing class, and flo-ology which is so freakin awesome. thursday i had lyric writing and jazz/blues lab. my jazz/blues lab was amazing... its with this new teacher rhiannon, and she just made us improvise over a random musical language she made up. it was awesome. i will have to show you guys sometime her technique of teaching. it is awesome. and fridays i dont have any classes so far.

being back in boston is refreshing. i must say the snow hasn't bothered me too much, but enough for me to complain about it. first of all, most of the shortcuts are blocked from the snow so i must walk all the way around something i would have normally walked through. thats like an extra 4 minutes added to my total time of walking to school. ahaha. omg ok not too big of a deal. but damn there are so many puddles that look like that its powdered snow but end up soaking ur feet and getting ur socks wet. sucky.

i miss California weather right now, but not so much Cali i guess.. for NOW anyway... i know i'll be missing it dearly in about 2 weeks but for now im enjoying the vibe here in Boston. i'm liking it and thats rare so i'm trying not to screw it up. stepping in puddles still gets me kinda mad though.

OMG but WOW the other day i think it was wednesday.. i was walking thru a little thin passage that didnt have that much snow because it was where people walk through to get to the other side of the road... and i freakin SLIPPED and fell for a long time. like i couldnt get up. my hand kept slipping as i was trying to use it to get me up. and the whole time i was looking at the guy behind me who just turned and walked around the island. it was messed up. omg i laughed and made a scene for myself because nobody asked if i was okay. the people walking towards my direction started laughing out loud cuz they probably couldn't hold it in. how EMBARASSING. i am scarred for life. i step with dear care now, as if i might die if i step without thinking. i look at the ground with so much focus now its ridiculous. i hope this never happens to you.

heres the 2nd video of the series. my next one will be a beatles or carpenters one. i think. love yall
i know this is not that old but i would still consider it a classic.

-AJ

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

red, white, & Barack.

inauguration was an awesome thing to watch. literally history in the making. although you can argue that every inauguration is history in the making, this one is very different and more significant. Obama has overcome so much to be where he's at. he is truly an inspiring person and not only because he's the first black president, but because of his ability to just BE. he graduated from Harvard, at the top of his class, and has achieved so much during his lifetime-- i am proud to say that he is our president.

i dont care if you're against him, but you can't really do anything now. he's been sworn in and its official. America has its first black president. and people are getting so upset because we are celebrating it like that. but i say, why not? it just shows how much America has done to overcome the barrier of RACE. and how much we've grown. racism hurts EVERYBODY. and racism has struck me too. and i'm tired of it. the story of Barack Obama has shown me that human beings are beginning to accept that it doesn't matter what color you are or who your parents were or whatever. if a black man can finally be president in this white-dominant country, i think an Filipino-American can finally top the billboard charts. what do you think?

before you argue with me, read about him, and read his story and i promise you'll be inspired. don't be close-minded just because he's something different from the norm. i believe that he's definitely going to change the world. and he will whether you agree with him being President of the United States or not.

sorry that i brought politics into this blog, its just that in my flo-ology class today, we were just flowing and talking about how we feel, and i just feel so good that somebody has overcome the idea that not everyone has to suck up to the white man in this world. we're our own people, but we all share one thing-- we're American. and i can definitely say that yesterday during the inauguration i was very Proud to be one. and hopefully now i can be everyday. because i know that America has come together to elect someone who they believed could bring change to this country, regardless of his race.

anyway, started a new video series. this one is 10 songs your parents probably know. "Classics" Video Series. 1 of 10. "As Time Goes By"

-AJ
-AJ

Friday, January 16, 2009

my soldier...

my first music video.


hope you guys enjoy. thanks for watching me grow as an artist, and for supporting me, hopefully one day a music video of mine can end up on MTV. can't explain how fun this was, met lots of cool people, renewed friendships haha, and just had so much fun. i know its kinda corny sometimes (my acting! hahah) but yeah love you all. i'm leaving to Boston tomorrow... catch ya on the East Coast.

-AJ

Saturday, January 10, 2009

tired and INSPIRED

i told you guys about recording in SD, and it was awesome. im going back monday but i got most of the stuff done. staying at jesse barrera's house for a couple of days was an awesome experience. jammin in the middle of the mornin, having breakfast at hash house, meeting all the family and friends, it was awesome. so whats it like hangin out with a rockstar? the same as hangin with a brother or best friend. so chill, no cockiness, no arrogance, just the same ol' vibe i get with all my close friends, it was so humbling and just DOPE.

special thanks to clint for recording me, and thanks for letting me hit it up one more day on monday. jesse, (myspace), is a talented songwriter and singer who is also in the band My American Heart. him and larry soliman started the band back when they were like 15. those are two filipino-americans who have successfully broke the barrier for the rock music scene. the last night i was in SD i chilled with larry, jesse, our good homie alan, and the girls gracie, michelle, and tin cagayat!

anyway, i had a show last night at Ocean Java, a coffee shop that Jesse's mom owns. and it was just awesome. met a lot of BlogTV people, a lot of fans, and a lot of new faces. it was so dope seeing so many people crammed up in the coffee shop (even though at times i know it must have been uncomfortable) but thank you to everyone who came. the adrian william project opened it up with 3 awesome songs and me and jesse were screamin like girls for em hahah. then yultron, then the kneehighs (a dope rap group), then alan ladan, who plays sickk jazz piano and did an old school R&B jam set. jesse went up and i sang "Sweet Time" with him, an original he wrote, and he did his set with alan on the keys and me occasionally. we sang our new song that we wrote on monday "She Was Mine" at the end of his set and i messed up on the words but its all good! hahah

my set was up, and i played Starlit Nights with Jesse, So Quiet, Something Happens, MidKnight, then hopped on the guitar to play Showstopper, How's San Diego Pauli-Johnny Rocket's, My Soldier, and then I Just Want You =] and that feeling when everyone is singing your songs is just unexplainable. thank you so much for that. jesse and i convinced larry earlier to sing with us, so the last song of the night was like a freakin dream come true man. we sang TIRED AND UNINSPIRED by MY AMERICAN HEART. larry (lead singer), freakin jesse (lead guitarist), and me, aj, who has been a fan of them for years. i remember buying their ALBUM in best buy with RB because i saw their "Process" music video. i never thought i'd be playing and singing a song with them. it was truly an inspiring moment for me.

so many people from moval/riverside came down, including cathy nguyen and christine concepcion, two of my favorite people to sing with, and my sister among others. the car ride there was me, my best friend rb, and kris l and cathy. and another car followed us with my other best friends dusty kris and fred with christine and jasmine. adrian william project and tabitha came from the valley too, and nicole, caroline, serena, and kim also making long drives. but special thanks to kelvin, elissa, and friends for coming out from freakin LA!!! ya'll are so awesome. =)

shoutouts to the BLOGTV people, genesis, goshnicole, rheza mae, huskyboydrew, sweetserenade, and many others. ya'll rock.

heres a video of the surprise encore performance of "Tired and Uninspired"

-AJ

"search ocean java aj rafael" to look up all the videos from last night!

Sunday, January 4, 2009

happiest place on Earth...

went to Disneyland for 2 days in a row! =] my mom got us annual passes for an extra Christmas present so i'm really excited. we gotta get like a blogtv meetup or just a hang out day with EVERYONE in the summer! haha. even though it might be chaos.

my new years was great, chilled with family, so that's really all that matters. not too crazy like everyone else that i ask but yeah. haven't been up to much lately, but i have started shooting my music video for "My Soldier" =D im excited! scott yoshimoto of Movemediaproductions.com is directing and doing the camera work for it so it'll be really dope. (check him out on my top friends on myspace)

we're havin a little dillemma tho.. we need to shoot a "show" scene. so i need YOUR help. for NOW, the location is in Chino, at St. Margaret's, on MONDAY the 12th of January. i know its a monday, but we need to try to see if we can get enough people. but hopefully we can get FRIDAY the 16th instead of the 12th... because mondays dont really feel right to me.. something about friday is exciting and fulfilling. its like finishing the week off with a BOOM or a BAM hahaha. the 17th is the day i leave to Boston.. so that would be pretty cool. let me know what you think!

exciting news: also, i'm spending this week, 3 days to be exact, in San Diego to record my EP to put on iTunes! i'll be in the studio that My American Heart, one of my inspirations, record their demos at. my good friend Jesse Barrera, who's the lead guitarist of the band, is gonna be helpin me with the recording cuz he does his EP stuff there too, so thats gonna be awesome. we're gonna be practicing for our show on friday, the 9th. in national city - san diego. check out my myspace for more details. please try to make it out! i'd love you FOREVER! hahah

to everyone who is at For Your Soul right now, hope it was awesome and that ya'll had a good time! and hope you loved my video that i made for the event! hahaha. peace ya'll.

heres a throwback video.. with chris cendana and derek portea

AJ