Watercolor Impressionism: Lee Erickson

Lee Erickson painting


Interview with Lee Erickson

Artist: Lee Erickson
Medium: Water color
Location: Union Square West and 16th St. outside Coffee Bar

Lee Erickson – painter, psychic, biker – paints in the street because he likes New York. That is, he likes the subject matter “I just paint from life and the city works for me.” Although he was born (and the emphasis is on born) in Bridgeport, CT, Lee is a self-avowed city person and now lives on the outskirts of New York.

The son of an illustrator and a graduate of Silvermine College for fine arts, Lee now goes all around the city painting on location and from life. But you won’t see him painting hackneyed images of Times Square. “I got a list of places I go, 42nd St. ain’t on the list…Central Park is definitely not on the list.” Instead, you might catch him at 11th and 6th, Ave, 18th and Irving or Perry and W. 4th. “I’ve got about 50 places I go.”

Lee will also go where people send him on commission “if it falls within the kind of painting I do, I do it.” Lee doesn’t do portraits and really hates doing paintings of places without people and cars (although he’s open to the job) – “as far as I’m concerned it’s stupid, how you gonna paint NY without the people?” However, Lee admits that he does like painting horses and he’s happy to do a picture of a scene without people and cars as long as it’s true to life.

Lee has been painting in water color and oils for 35 years and says the street treats him pretty well. To compare, over an eight month period during which Lee went to Louisiana, he sold 52 paintings on the street while a gallery featuring some of his work sold none. But “that’s how it works” he explains, “people like to see…performing artists. They come on the way to work, they come back and see it’s finished and they buy it.”

Like what you see? Check out
Lee’s influences – Degas, Manet, Monet, Morceau, Delecroix

Really like what you see? Commission a painting
917-923-8832

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Voice, guitar, kazoo and washboard: John Roundcity

John Playing


Interview with John

Artist: John Roundcity
Medium: Vocals, guitar, kazoo and washboard
Location: Washington Square Park

When John Roundcity says he’s a native blues player of the “great black swamp” he’s talking about Toledo, Ohio. John has left his hometown swamp to search for opportunity in the Big Apple. “The Midwest is dying out,” he explains, “the jobs are leaving, no one wants to pay good money to listen to decent music…Even Detroit,” he laments, “Detroit’s a shithole, everybody knows that.” Remaining true to his roots, though, he adds “…but you gotta love it.”

So did John come to New York make money in the music business? “Ah, not so much… I’d rather play music…[but] there’s all this other opportunity around me.”

Although searching for any kind of opportunity, John Roundcity loves his music. He caught the music bug from his grandfather who was a harmonica player. His grandfather liked the blues so he says he naturally gravitated toward that. After learning the harmonica John taught himself the guitar. “I play the harmonica and I like to sing, so I figured I’d pick up guitar. Something to accompany my voice, I guess.”

John just moved to New York about a month ago but he’s not stranger to the place. He was usually here two to three months out of the year anyway visiting his brother. John loves playing in the streets of New York and enjoys it more than he being on stage, stating that he likes to be loud on his own and that after losing some hearing from performing on stage too much, he finds it hard to get back into it. He also has this to say:

“When you’re playing in a club or a bar it’s hard to get peoples’ attention…but if I could get just one person to stop when going from point A to point B and pay attention to what I’m doing, that gives me more satisfaction than playing in a room full of drunk people who necessarily don’t even give a shit. It gives me more satisfaction to be down here on ground level…I love it all.”

Like what you hear? Check out John’s
Influences – Harmonica: His grandfather and Sunny Terry
Guitar: Charlie Patton, Skip James and many old blues cats

Really like what you hear? Check out
www.myspace.com/lonesomejohnroundcity

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Dulcimer, cahone and bells: Max ZT and Rich Stein

Max and Rich playing


Max and Rich discuss how they got into music and how they make a living


Max and Rich talk about their style of music and their influences

Artists: Max ZT and Rich Stein
Medium: Dulcimer, cahone and bells
Location: Union Square on the steps near 14th St.

Max ZT says it’s not world and it’s not progressive, Rich Stein adds it’s just what you get when a couple of white boys roam the world and then you throw them together and let them make music – there’s no real defintion. Max and Rich have a good synchronicity in their description of their music, which is a good sign considering these two only met last November.

Prior to playing with Rich, Max played Dulcimer for 16 years. After seeing the instrument at a festival when he was tiny, Max concluded it was awesome and that he must have one. Successful in that first endeavor of acquiring a dulcimer, Max took lessons for about 10 years in Chicago and has come to New York to pursue another endeavor, success in music. Having lived in Chicago and Seattle, and having gone to school in upstate New York, Max contends “the music scene [in New York] compared to Seattle or Chicago is just leaps and bounds above.”

Rich Stein hails from Virginia Beach, VA and plays all kinds of percussion. He got his start at the age of 10, stating it was a typical instrumental style for a kid since he was always banging on pots and pans. Even at that early age Rich knew he wanted to rock for a living and began to take drum lessons. Rich played in school band and continued percussion throughout college in Boston. After Boston Rich felt it was a “natural progression…to move down [to NY] and do music professionally. Where else are you gonna go if you wanna play music?” To that end Rich keeps himself busy playing anywhere from 7 to 10 gigs a week. Not that Max isn’t equally serious, “we’re both…professionals. This is all I do, this is all [Max does].”

In their quest for musical inspiration both Max and Rich have traveled the world. Max cites Senegal as a major influence in his life, having studied there on several occasions. Rich has also studied in Africa, drawing attention an experience with a powerful drummer in Ghana while handling a worn wallet he received as keepsake from the encounter. Rich also notes that his teachers Jamie Hedad and Joe Galiota have had a strong impact on his musical career.

For both their parts, Max and Rich love playing in the street. With a healthy respect for the tradition of street performing in mind, they cite the sun and opportunity to meet people and see old friends as their impetus for getting out in the open. As Rich put it – “if you’ve go the time, why sit around at home when you can be outside playing music?”

Like what you hear? Check out
Influences and favorite artists - Samone Shaheen, west African, Marley, TV on the Radio, Tumane DiAbate, Umu Sengare

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R and B Vocals and Keyboard: Sean Fingers

Sean playing


A Sean Fingers original


An interview with Sean Fingers

Artist: Sean Fingers
Medium: Vocals and keyboard
Location: 59th Street Station on the downtown A, C platform

For Sean Fingers it wasn’t really a choice, in his family “if you didn’t play and sing something you were black sheep, oddball.” This Queens native comes from a long line of musicians, including one of his greatest influences, Thomas McClary, who played guitar with the Commodores. But music wasn’t forced on Sean, rather “it was always inside of me but my family influenced it to come out.”

Despite his connections to many musicians, Sean taught himself how to play and sing. “I watched the greatest people, man…and I asked them to teach me and they wouldn’t show me nothin’…when they saw me do what I do they felt like school would take away the love, and I understand that now.”

Sean says he loves playing in the streets and subways. “This is a spiritual connection with people. God has got me out here just to touch the hearts, I believe.” Although he frequently plays gigs and is currently playing for The Legendary Intruders, he contends that he’ll never stop. “I could have a million dollars in the bank and I’ll still come down.”

Although he has been deeply influenced by his relatives like Thomas McClary and his personal favorites like Stevie Wonder, Sean also gives props to anyone who has their heart in their work for inspiration. “If you could bang a can, and I feel you…yeah.”

Sean started his love of music by writing original music but stopped playing his own songs in public for fear of being ripped off. The exclusive original track here, however, carries his message that “if you don’t have love in your life you’re not living.” Also, Sean has these words for his fans: “Look into yourself for the truth, look to God for the love, and the rest will follow…you gotta have some kinda faith, you can’t live every day thinking it’s promised to you ‘cause it’s not.”

Like what you hear? Check out
Sean's musical influences - Stevie Wonder, The Commodores, The Legendary Intruders

Really like what you hear? Contact Sean
718- 404-5146

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Musical Saw: Natalia Paruz

Natalia playing


Natalia playing


Natalia playing


Natalia talks about how one picks up the saw


Natalia talks about her style of music

Artist: Natalia “The Saw Lady” Paruse
Medium: Musical Saw
Location: 42nd Street Times Square by the S train

Born in Israel Natalia came to the United States many years ago with her parents. Once here, she began training for a career in dance with the Martha Graham Dance Company. Unfortunately, her career was cut short when she was hit by a taxi. While she was trying to figure what she was going to do with her life post-accident, her parents took her to Austria to cheer her up. There, Natalia saw a show in which a man played the saw. Captivated by it’s unique sound and mesmerized by the distinctive dance like quality of the saw’s full-body motion, Natalia decided that she would learn to play the saw, if just for fun.

After the show, Natalia approached the saw player and asked if he would teach her his art. “No,” he said. Turning down Natalia’s money he told her “’pick up a saw, imitate what you’ve seen me do on stage and you’ll figure it out’, and he was right.” Thus, Natalia taught herself the saw.

Natalia started her training on an old carpenter’s saw. Due to rusting, however, the saw could only play six notes. In search of better instruments, Natalia went to a hardware store and began testing their saws (to the bewilderment of the owner and shophands). Having accumulated 17 different saws, Natalia finally has isolated her “ultimate saw.” It’s the one she plays in the subway, capable of playing two octaves, outfitted with a comfort enhancing handle and stripped of its teeth which, as Natalia learned the hard way, make it a weapon worthy of a $150 fine; regardless of what you’re using it for.

Natalia began playing in the street about 14 years ago and in the subway in the winter of that first year. Initially apprehensive about playing underground, she quickly found that she loved it for two reasons. First, having playing in Avery Fischer Hall at Lincoln Center and a variety of large orchestra houses across the world, Natalia swears that the Subway has the “best acoustics ever”. Second, Natalia loves the people and finds the proximity to them intoxicating. “When you’re on stage you’re up there in the lights and the people are in the dark and you don’t really connect. In the subway…you can see the transformation of their faces…it is so nice, it feels like you’re getting so much love. Like a collective hug from the city.” Despite a happy career of playing in orchestra’s, recording studios and movie soundtracks, Natalia plans to play in public forever.

Even when Natalia is playing gigs, she makes the effort to get out in public and has played in some of the most illustrious streets of the world, including Paris, Prague, Rome and Tel Aviv. “I love it because it gets me to connect with the people of the country.”
In Prague, for example, Natalia didn’t know anyone, didn’t speak the language, and generally felt like a stranger. After half an hour of playing, though, she had tons of friends, people inviting her to go places and started picking up the language. “[B]efore I knew it, I felt at home there.”

Natalia plays a variety of music. Although much of it has a classical feel she plays a of lot original works which her husband composes which range from pop, to jazz to new age tunes. Natalia does enjoy playing classical music a lot, though, especially since, as a saw player, she has the ability to introduce people to it in a new way. Case in point: once Natalia was playing her saw for a group of teenagers on the 1, 2, 3 platform at Times Square. When she finished the group broke out in applause and asked what she had played. When she told them it was Choral Prelude by Bach they responded “this was classical music? No way! Classical music is boring, this was cool.” Apparently it took some convincing before they accepted it really was Bach’s work.

Natalia is active in the saw community organizing saw player gatherings every year. She plans to keep playing forever.

Like what you hear? Check out
Natalia’s influences - Sam Moore (a famous saw player from the days of Vaudeville when saw were popular), Clara Rochman (a theramin player), Jacqueline du Pre (a cello player)

Her website - www.sawlady.com,
Her blog - www.sawlady.com/blog,
Her myspace - www.myspace.com/thesawlady,

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Violin and Viola: Calebe Arruda and Earl Dean Alexander

Calebe and Earl playing


Interview with Calebe and Earl

Location: Union Square Station (Calebe's interview), Grand Central Station lower level by the coffee bar (performance)
Artists: Calebe Arruda (violin), Earl Dean Alexander (viola)
Medium: Classical violin

After 25 years Calebe still can’t pin down the reason he came to New York, “the music, I guess” is his answer as he shrugs. Calebe comes from Rio di Janero, Brazil. After a little warming up, though, he explains that he left Brazil when he was 19 because “I could not be a musician in Brazil,” citing that 25 years ago things were very different from today.

A classical Spanish guitar player since the age of eight, Calebe decided to branch out and began to teach himself violin five years ago. Now he splits his time between the two, playing the guitar, which has mastered, and challenging himself with the violin, which he is in the process of mastering.

Calebe has been playing in the subway for about 22 or 23 years but also plays gigs, including weddings, parties and the like. He also teaches music. Caleb plays in the subway for mostly for self-promotion and to meet people. He likes playing in the subway because it’s “contact with real life. In a concert people put on a mask.”

Influences: Bach

Earl Dean Alexander is from Brooklyn. Although he started on the violin when he was 10 and a half, Earl plays viola, which he’s been studying since he was 15, with Caleb. Earl studied violin under the tutelage of Sylvia Bedford Anderson and studied viola at the Henry Street Music house under Alexander Richter who was assisted by Manny Molton.

Earl met Caleb at the Mendelssohn night club where Caleb asked him to coach him on his violin. After working together for a while Caleb invited Earl to play with him through Music Under New York. Although he would rather be playing the violin (his first instrument), Earl says that “it’s more a credit to [Caleb] to play the viola, so I never complain about it.”

Earl has “got a lot of satisfaction out [playing in the subway]” but his main job is as Assistant Minister of Music at Bethany United Methodist Church and as an accompanist at Song Service and Sabbath School at Mount of Olive Methodist Church. For both he plays the piano, violin and viola.

Like what you hear? Check out
Caleb’s influences – Bach

Really like what you hear? See Earl Dean Alexander play
975 Bushwick Ave., Brooklyn - Prayer Service Wednesday evenings at 7:15; Song Service Saturdays at 9:15 and Sabbath School at 9:30

Folk rock and freestyle rap: Ande Sedwick, Yoriko Fukui, Tyreke, Trip

One of Ande's songs


An Ande encore


Insane freestyle rapping


Interview with Ande, Yuriko, Tyreke and Trip

Location: Washington Square park by the fountain
Artists: Ande Sedwick (female guitarist), Yoriko Fukui (female drummer), Tyreke (male drummer), Trip (male guitarist)
Medium: Folk rock, rap

Sometimes I think it’s really lucky that I’m around to capture impromptu music that would otherwise have been lost to the ages. Generally speaking the artists feel the same way. My meeting with Yoriko, Ande, Tyreke and Trip was one of these times.

Initially I found Yoriko and Ande rehearsing for a gig. It wasn’t really clear they were performing, there was no tip collection device and they weren’t being very loud, but since someone was watching them I figured I’d what I do best and start filming. As it turns out they weren’t performing, they had met less than a week earlier and, since Yoriko had agreed to drum for Ande at a gig that Friday, they were practicing together for the first time.

That all changed, however, when Tyreke and Trip entered the fray. Having just met each other a few hours ago, they were ready to throw down and jam; and that’s exactly what happened. After accompanying Ande in a few of her songs, Trip then led the group in seven minutes of uninterrupted freestyle hip-hop rap combining Ande’s soulful voice and guitar with his own chill rhymes and six-string skills, all laced with the improvisational drum skills of Yoriko and Tyreke. Check it out, I’m sure you’ll agree it’s a good thing I was there.

Ande Sedwick: Although she loves rap, Ande is usually a folk rock kind of singer and hails from Indiana near its border with Kentucky. She’s been singing and writing music for quite some time but taught herself guitar only three years ago after figuring that if she’s gonna sing she should play guitar as well. Ande has a penchant showmanship and spontaneity, especially making up lyrics on the fly (you should have heard her at the gig on Friday). However, she says that sometimes it takes a little prodding to get her to play in the street since it’s a “risky and gutsy” kind of art. She admits, though, that “it’s fun and I’m having a good time.” Ande has come to NY to pursue a career in Music.

Yoriko Fukui:
Yoriko the Salsa Drummer comes to us all the way from Tokyo, Japan. Originally a salsa dancer, Yoriko hurt her knee and was unable to continue down that path. Luckily, her friends convinced her to turn her rhythmic abilities to the drums, which she now plays with much fire. Yoriko is only in the U.S. for the summer but she comes nearly every year. Currently, she’s taking drumming classes in Harlem. she has also studied in Cuba. Normally she plays gigs with a salsa band back in Tokyo.

Tyreke:
You might not know it from his accent but Tyreke was born in St. Croix Virgin Islands. Now a resident of Newark, New Jersey he brings Washington Square Park some across-the-river flavor. Tyreke comes to New York for atmosphere and the music, describing himself as a “connoisseur, I’m like a sponge for music and I absorb it all.”

Tyreke is a staple in Washington Square Park and has played with a number of musicians there in the past. Interestingly, Tyreke’s friend loaned him the money on this very day to get a set of drums so he could get back in the habit – and look what happened. “It’s been a stoned trip, yo.”

Trip:
A self-proclaimed local stoner, Trip “come[s] out to New York City for its beautiful jazz music and beautiful vibe.” Like Tyreke, Trip comes across the river from Asbury Park, NJ but says he’s hitchhiked around the country and “represent[s] every single beautiful place, every good vibe, every beautiful person.” Trip says he got into the guitar at a peace protest in Washington, D.C. about 10 years ago and it’s just stuck with him.

Like what you hear? Hire the artists
Ande Sedwick: andesedwick@gmail.com
Yoriko Fukui: yolita@forest.dti2.ne.jp
Tyreke: 973-622-4549 or 973-622-2755
Trip: myspace.com/capptrip or elephanttrip@gmail.com