A New York Moment

I was packing up my street performing gear at the end of my busking day at the Union Square subway station. A lady came up to me saying “I was just talking about you!” She motioned to a few friends who were with her and said: “I was just telling them how mesmerizing your music…

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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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Music Under New York Audition 2011

Every year subway musicians who are members of Music Under New York help with the annual audition for musicians who wish to play in the subway under the Music Under New York umbrella. While it is legal for any musician to perform in the NYC subway, many musicians find it easier and helpful to have…

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Subway Music Telepathy

Going up the subway station’s stairs, a guy refused to help me bring my busking gear up… While setting up to play at the Music Under New York busking spot at the 14th street subway station, a guy dressed flamboyantly asked me if I was sponsored by Duracell. He said a long time ago Duracell…

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Rat & Roach Poison

When I got to the terminal of the ferry to Staten Island, the guard with the bomb sniffing dog greeted me: “Saw Lady!” Two men on a tall dolley were fixing the big running sign above the entrance to the terminal. It had numbers from 1 to 9 all along. As I was setting up…

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Playing for Pocket Change

When I was playing at the Music Under New Yorkbusking spot at 59th street & Lex subway station, Mark and Michael of ‘Suddenly Tragic Productions’ stopped by to chat with me. They asked me a lot of questions. Of course I knew they were filming, but what I didn’t know at the time was that…

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This is New York

A man sitting on the stairs leading to the subway station was smoking a cigarette. He offered to help me bring my busking gear up the stairs “as long as it’s not a baby”, he said. At the top of the first flight of stairs he fell to the floor. He immediately got up. “Are…

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New York Curiosities

How many people do you know whose resume reads: musical saw player, bell ringer, New York State attraction…? Well, my resume doesn’t actually say the last bit, though now it officially can: A new book (available at major book stores) is ‘New York Curiosities’ by Cindy Perman, recommends the most interesting things to see in…

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