A Glimpse Into People’s Souls

I was playing ‘Danny Boy’ at the 14th street subway station when a man approached me with such a look on his face. He told me he is a writer and was just coming back from a meeting with a publisher, who accepted his first book. The book is about Ireland. He walked into the subway…

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Vox Humana

When I got to the Union Square subway station today I had a few minutes to wait before taking over the busking spot from musicians Zack (banjo) and Scott (violin) (who btw will be playing with me on January 23rd at the http://www.spikehillmusic.com/event/198839/?utm_source=fb1 ). I set on the bench next to a homeless man named…

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Music Under New York Auditions – 2010

About 300 people who wish to perform in the NYC subway with a permit submitted an application to audition for Music Under New York. 69 of them passed the first stage of the audition and were chosen to audition live at Grand Sentral Station last week: The Doc Scanlon Trio played swing music on bass,…

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Fashion Week

Many people think that buskers (street performers) only perform on the streets and subways. In reality, busking is only a part of every street musician’s career. Last week I played at the NYC Fashion Week, for designer Yeohlee’s runway show: (please stop the player on the right hand side of the blog before playing the…

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You See Me Here All the Time

A nice couple helped me bring my busking gear up the stairs at the subway station. Turns out he is a bass player and she is my friend on MySpace! As I was setting up at the 59th street subway station, a Norteno musician was waiting for the train, practicing his guitar quietly on the…

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Pass the Hat

Every now and then I come across poems about busking. I really like this one: Photographer: © Nicholas Loomis Pass The Hat/DubbleX You stand in hot uncomfortable noisy subways Underneath the city Musical notes intermingled with your passing jingle Dollar bills and spare change find their way into your hat You play and play until…

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Certificate of Conduct

A gentleman helped me bring my busking gear up the stairs at the subway station. He told me that he has seen & heard me numerous times at 14th street and at Times Square. I told him I’m on my way to 14th street now and he asked how I determine where to go to…

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Hypnotizing Victims

While waiting for the train on my way to my busking spot of the day, a lady told me she saw me at Times Square. “I heard this strange sound and I said to myself – this sounds like a musical saw”, she said. I told her Times Square is where I am heading to…

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Without Them I Can’t Smile

It was 99 degrees. I was sweating buckets just walking to the subway. A nice guy helped me carry my busking gear all the way up the four flights of stairs to the train platform. He told me that he is a musician, too – he plays guitar, and he knows how hard it is,…

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Subway Musician Comic Strip

Every now and then I come across a painting or a poem about a subway musician. But how about a comic strip? copyright Derek Lieu, “Kick in the Head” blog, printed with permission Cartoon artist Derek Lieu says in his “Kick in the Head” blog in the post about this comic strip: “I’m thinking specifically…

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