w a n d e r l u s t » music

Anything once, and twice if it tingles

Jeff Nguyen — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 04:01:59 +0000

I’ve been flipping things inside-out lately, getting in the middle of the crowd rather than observing it. Somehow it quiets my mind. Maybe it’s for the same reason I like reading at a noisy airport and feel eerily alone in a crowd at a concert. Maybe thats why I haven’t written much.

I believe that I write partly because I want to experience things again, “to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospection.”

I am gonna go marinate on that a bit.

In the meantime im gonna share my latest crack, The Take Away Shows from LaBlogotheque.

Soundtrack of Mi Vida: Hymne à l’amour- My Brightest Diamond(see above)

Rasta Rugrats

Jeff Nguyen — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 19:04:31 +0000

Uncle’s gift to the kiddies.

Yes D, love and affection is a competition. The reigning “Cool Uncle” 2 years running.

Soundtrack of Mi Vida: Walked Out this Morning-Neon Heights

Audio Sunshine for the Mind and Soul

Jeff Nguyen — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 18:56:34 +0000

Radiolab – Radio show for my fellow geeks who like to know the science behind morality, love, and music brought to you in This American Life like format

Bird and the Bee and Sia live at the Troubador. Damn, why wasn’t I there?

Soundtrack of Mi Vida: See above

A little Madness in the Spring, Is wholesome even for the King…

Jeff Nguyen — Wed, 16 May 2007 06:53:56 +0000

S: Spider-MAN Day. Movie was entertaining but can’t say it was good as 1 or 2. Everyone seemed to look chubbier in IMAX.
M: JiRaffe. On the taster menu was mini keishes (tasted like cha trung without the nuoc mam), calamari salad on french bread (good but totally doable at home), pork ossco bucco with apple cider reduction and butternut mash (too rich, and unbalanced), and for dessert pb&j cake (novel, but not impressed). Off night for the chef? Everyone made fun of me for eating exactly half of each dish. Didn’t do it on purpose just felt like I had enough, taste and amount-wise. JiRaffee wasn’t all bad; ambiance was nice, bartender makes a good grayhound, and oh, the tall skirts at the next table weren’t too hard on the eyes.
T: Sarah Barielles & Aqualung. Night started well with me scoring a sweet meter spot right next to the Fonda *breath on and buff nails on my moobs* Sarah had a mature, jazzy sound with pop. I liked. Aqualung was surprisingly louder than I expected, still I kinda got sleepy before the end of his set. I’m getting old or it was tiring to the ears? Maybe both.

W:”Comfort” dinner at home with friends. Been told that cooking “takes the edge off me” since I can be an “intense” person, especially after a tough day at work. Well, feeding the faces of people I love always did brings me solace.
R: Run Jeff Run. Well shucks, I think I’m starting to like this running thing. Doesn’t hurt when this juicy caboosey gets called “perky”.

F: My pharmer boys graduate! About time to cash on this investment…free drugs and fancy drug rep dinners!!!!

S: “Mommy Day” brunch for my ladies. Made fritatta, roasted baby taters, blueberry melon salad, and D made waffles. Day of grub and love for the moms in our lil but growing familia

Soundtrack of Mi Vida: Gravity – Sara Bareilles

You hold me without touch
You keep me without chains.
I never wanted anything so much
than to drown in your love and not feel your rain.

The end of the FIRST week of the REST of my life (dramatic ain’t I)

Jeff Nguyen — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 10:00:31 +0000

Body’s tired. Mind’s tired. Heart’s really, really tired. Even Tiki is feeling little stressed out. Been going all out the last few weeks. Sometimes I think I have a tendency to live my life like it is a battery that you have to use all up so before you recharge. I have a feeling this time around, it’s gonna take awhile longer.

“…never today, just dream your life away.”

May 13th

Soundtrack of Mi Vida: Be Be Your Love – Rachel Yamagata

Nothing in life that’s worthwhile, comes easy

Jeff Nguyen — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 14:48:06 +0000

…a pitcher and half a box of parlaiments gets the head a little soft but somehow, it helps me get back to the core of things.

Soundtrack of Mi Vida: Loving Me – Paulo Nutini … second verse, same as the first,
Back off loneliness and hello tenderness
i’ve been waiting for your call for so long
and it must been hard just to follow your soul
to stick to the road that your heart wants you to go
and as you slide through the door
with your morals on your sleeve
and i think it’s time for all those morals to leave
so lets get down and freaky baby
let’s get restless baby come on get crazy with me

WJFF @ SXSW

Jeff Nguyen — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 07:19:38 +0000

Well, someday soon.

In the meantime I will dream (and scheme) that I am there bobbing my head, orchestrating the melodies with a pint ‘o’ beer as my baton.
Some of my favorite artists performing this year:

Money Mark
Bic Runga
The Pipettes
Brett Dennen
Junior Senior
Palomar
Grimy Styles
Fujiya & Miyagi
Spoon
Paolo Nutini
Quincy Coleman

Soundtrack of Mi Vida: Desert Sunrise – Brett Dennen

I remember this morning that I really love jazz

Jeff Nguyen — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 21:12:36 +0000

Midnight Groove

My little boy likes a few notes
but he loves the chill of free sax at midnight.
To warm him up he eats his special
soul food gumbo—
a side of saxophone, a pinch of trombone,
and from church to juke joint
a hearty helping of Hammond organ.
All leading to his 9-year old groove—
free and easy— boy it makes him move.
And it makes him smooth, too
asking questions like,
“Daddy why do I have to learn to read music
and who was the bird anyway?”
I tell him,–
your bedtime is 8:30,
the story of Charlie Parker is too sad
and that
love comes naturally
but sometimes you need a little help
to repeat its rhythm.

-Leo Victor Briones

Soundtrack of Mi Vida-Happy Blues-Gene Ammons