I am currently on the train back to Boston. Took a day trip to New york today. I went to film as part of "The Simpsons 20^th Anniversary” special which will hopefully be playing on FOX in early Jan if I don’t end up on the cutting room floor. That is always a real possibility with these things. It will be documentary style and I will be playing part of the theme song. They asked a bunch of artist to play the theme and are planning to splice it up and cut to different artists throughout it. They have some big artist doing it too, also a gospel choir, sitar player, a big range. It should be really interesting to check It out..ill keep you posted on the day it airs. I’m playing Lisa Simpsons part (since she has a little solo in the song!) But no, not on Bari…Its still on alto.

We started shooting at 2 and got done like an hour later. They wanted to shoot outside next to a red brick wall. The only problem was that there was traffic in the street right next to us. Everytime we thought we got a great take a horn would beep or an ambulance would go off. It is indeed a tricky thing to film outside in NY city. However, we did get it done and they got what they needed. It was fun..we did lots of different shots and in some of them they wanted me to really milk , turn away from the camera and walk off bouncing while I played.

After I went over to the Vandoren studio to try out some new reeds and mouthpieces. That’s always fun, its like walking into a candy store or getting new toys. So exciting, I know, im such a nerd.

Waiting in the airport to go back home to Boston! We have been on the "JAZZIZ Cruise” for a week now. The whole quintet went, Jason, Doug, Eric Doob on drums and Edward Perez played bass. Eric played with us previously in Croatia and a few gigs at home. This was the first time I played with Edward, I knew him through the other musicians. Nice to play with new cats, there’s always some fresh idea they bring to tunes we’ve been playing. It creates a different dynamic and chemistry in the band...really great. Mom and Dad went too.

We played 4 nights. Phil Woods was our special guest in two of them. I also got to play with Bobby Watson, Eric Alexander, Phil Woods and Donald Harrison in a "tribute to Dave ‘Fathead’ Newman.” Mr. Newman was scheduled to be on this cruise before he passed away. The cruise ship was HUGE. It held about 3000 people. Out of that there were about 300 jazz listeners. We started in Miami and went to several countries and islands including the beautiful Belize. We would dock in the morning and people got out in the afternoon to go to the beach and shop. I went out the last day. (I’m not much of a beach person) However, have to say the water was so warm, clear and beautiful.

(11/19/09 and 11/20/09) Played again both nights for an enthusiastic audience. These people were staying up all night to catch every last note. The clubs on the boat were pretty cool. We played in this one called "Fiz” a couple times. They decorated it to look like outer space…a little out but it was an intimate venue.

I feel like one of my best friends I made on the cruise was the wonderful doctor. Doctor Lonnie Smith. I can’t begin to tell you how sweet this man is. Music, groove everything just flows from his bones. He touches that organ something starts bubbling. I personally had great fun seeing him several times since he is also very much an entertainer. The two of us got to talk a lot and I sat in with him on one of his sets. It was so wild, and so fun. He is a total jokester but such a gentle soul. I also saw Donald Harrison play on a couple of his sets and just rip it up. Quite an inspiration. Besides the saxophone players who were on the cruise, Junior Mance the legendary Pianist was there along with Deborah Brown an amazing singer, Hod O’ Brien, and a some other acts. It was really fun and a nice hang as well.

I currently still feel like I’m rocking on a boat but I hope that goes away in a couple days. It’s nice to be back on land though. There’s something so beautiful about looking outside in the morning to the massive ocean, but its also slightly scary. It made me really think about how small we are and how large the blue around us was. Its pretty intimidating if you think about it.

Played our first performance on the ship in the middle of the afternoon. There was no rehearsal time so the band just hit. Everyone was getting use to the situation, it was cool but I have to say the rocking of the boat really threw me off. I had to take off my shoes to play!