Passion Party #590 - Warren Buffett, Dr. Oz, Joe Stumpf and 9 Things for the New Year

I love learning. And I love reading lists. So I love reading lists of what other people have learned.
These bits of knowledge do not transform my life. That is, unless I take them and make them part of my daily routine, so they become a habit.

Today is Rosh Hashanah, the start of a week of reflection and repentance. Here's my list of 9 Things for the New Year, culled from three pretty smart people, my business coach Joe Stumpf, Dr. Oz, and a word from Warren Buffett as well.

1) Create a morning ritual to get centered: Stretch, meditate, write, share
2) Stop eating by 8PM each night.  Start eating again after 8:00 AM the next morning
3) Get enough sleep (7-8 hours night)
4) If you feel lonely, pick up the phone and call a friend.  If your friend is not available, make a new one! 
5) Reduce calories to lose weight.  exercise to build strength and stamina, not to lose weight.
6) Have a Date Night with your significant other at least 2 times a month
7) Spend at least 5 hours each week learning something new
8) Always have a project you are passionate about to work on.
9) Give more than you get, every day!

Have a happy, healthy and blessed New Year!

Passion Party #589 - Competeition vs. "Rising Tide"

As I go through life I have many choices.

Every day, every minute I can choose the direction I want to take:

Go to work or go to the beach

Go to the gym or eat bon-bons in bed...

In a similar way I get to choose the people I surround myself with, my "tribe"

In my business there is a tribe called the Competition Tribe.  This tribe has leaders and followers, a few winners and many losers.  This tribe measures itself by the sales board, or perhaps how many push-ups you can do.  This is not a bad thing, but in a Competition Tribe there can only be one first place winner. If you come in second, you are a loser.

I have chosen to build a "Rising Tide" Tribe. This tribe has leaders and followers, but no winners or losers. The game we play is to get better at our craft each day, and bring others along with us so that everyone improves. The tribe measures itself by the quality of life we live, not by how many units sold this month.

Of course I still love to become better, smarter and stronger.  But the competition is only with myself. The question I ask is not "who can I conquer today?", it is "how can I improve the well-being of each person I plan to see today?"

Passion Party #588 - The End Of Romantic Militarism

"Romantic militarism" refers to a widespread, European intellectual phenomenon that made its appearance at the time of the French Revolution and carried through our two world wars, a belief that war was THE way to enforce justice. The only solution for the injustice in the world is a redemptive cataclysm that will bring total freedom and self-expression.

The fact that war brought enormous death, destruction and man-made disaster was secondary.

But after many conflicts the romance has been drained from war. We realize more and more that human life is precious, and the days of glorifying war are behind us.

Perhaps it is time to not only beat our swords into plow-shares, but to also change the traits that we value most. Glory, honor, per-eminence, manliness, heroism and other symptoms of excess testosterone can be downgraded.

Today I will focus more on communication, empathy, collaboration, vulnerability, intuition and patience. This is where I will find my romance.

Passion Party #587: Information Technology and De-Materialization

We have too much stuff.
One of my mantras whenever I go to a shopping mall is "I don't need anything.  I already have everything I need to live a full, rewarding life".
For all the complaints about the crazy time we live in, one thing that is taking place with younger people in particular is the lack of need to OWN things, and to BUY tangible objects.

The cubic yards of vynil that used to be my music collection gave way to cubic inches of compact discs and then to the "nothingness" of MP3s. The shelves full of newsprint and books has been replaced by an iPad.  Now we no longer need to buy the 40-odd consumer products that one "smart phone" contain (telephone, answering machine, phone book, camera, camcorder, tape recorder, radio, alarm clock, calculator, dictionary, calendar, encyclopedia, flashlight, fax, and compass, etc.).

Why buy a car, tools, a bicycle or even a house when you can affordably share these items with a click of your finger on an app?

We are creating a way to de-materialize the material world, and with it the possibility of a more free, more balanced life not so tied to the things we own, as to the experiences we have and the interactions we have with other people.

An Amazing Thing

An amazing thing happened today.  

A month after the release of my new Jazz Trio album, STRAIGHT AHEAD it is now #16 on the JazzWeek radio charts.  If you don’t have you copy yet, you can get it on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Straight-Ahead-Acu%C3%B1a-Medeiros-George/dp/B079HRL1XY

We have a CD RELEASE Celebration planned for Saturday April 28, and I’d love for you to join me.

George Kahn – Piano

Pat Kelley – Guitar (Pat is on the faculty at USC School of Music)

Lyman Medeiros – Bass (Lyman tours with Steve Tyrell and others)

Alex Acuna – Drums (this is a rare club appearance for one of the top percussion studio cats in town)

You can hear and see a sample of our music here:

https://georgekahntrio.com/

Herb Alpert's Vibrato Grill, Jazz, & Etc.
2930 Beverly Glen Circle, Los Angeles, CA 90077 
(310) 474-9400

Saturday April 28

Three sets: 6:30, 9:00 and 10:15 PM

No cover for the 6:30 dinner show; there is a $20 cover for the late shows

RSVPs for the early shows a must – we sold out last time we played here
For reservations, please call or make your reservation quickly and easily online by clicking HERE.  For parties of 7 or more please call the Vibrato front desk at  (310) 474-9400 during business hours of 5pm - 10pm to speak directly with a host. 

-George Kahn

To be removed from the music list, please reply with DELETE in the signature line

Passion Party #586 – What Is Your Mission? (The Journey So Far)

My creative mission has been to share my musical gifts with the world on the highest and most professional level and to create joy for others and myself.

1n 2016 I had an idea that it would be fun to record a music album in the classic Jazz Trio format (piano-bass-drums).  I called my two favorite musicians, Alex Acuña and Lyman Medeiros and they agreed to join the project. Alex is a legendary Latin percussionist and jazz drummer (you can hear him on the early Weather Report albums) and he has played on my records since 2003. Lyman is my first-call bass player.  I just love his sound and talent.

This album was a special journey. We began with 2 days in the studio in April 2017 with a video crew, recording and filming our live performance of 4 songs for YouTube videos.  A fifth video was created for a Kickstarter campaign.  We ran the Kickstarter last summer and successfully raised $10,000 (thanks to many of you!) to complete the project.

Then it was back into Clearlake Recording Studios to record eight more songs – mixing – mastering – photo shoots – artwork – package design – video slide shows – replication...

Finally, in January 2018 STRAIGHT AHEAD was complete.

Was it all worth it?

On March 19 the album was released on various music services (CDBaby, Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, etc.). Three weeks later the album hit #30 on the JazzWeek radio charts.  It is being played on 84 jazz stations across the US, as well as Jazz After Hours and Jazz Variations (syndicated jazz shows carried by 89 affiliates). At last count songs have been streamed on Spotify over 3000 times. 1,500 YouTube videos have been watched.

Was it worth it?  Hell Yes!

P.S. We have two CD Release gigs coming up in Los Angeles, and I hope you can join me.

SATURDAY 4/28/18 – VIBRATO, 6:30 – 11:15  GEORGE KAHN QUARTET

Three sets: 6:30, 9:00 and 10:15 PM

No Cover for the early show, $20 cover charge after 9:00 PM, plus $25 min per person RSVPs for the early shows a must - it sells out every time we play here

For reservations, please call or make your reservation quickly and easily online by  clicking HERE.  
Thursday 6/7/18 – CATALINA JAZZ CLUB HOLLYWOOD – 8:30 PM GEORGE KAHN TRIO
$25 cover charge, plus $20 min per person 

Click here for reservations

You just have to create!

The new album has been released, and is available today on Amazon.com, iTunes, CDBABY, Spotify, etc.

George Kahn, Alex Acuña and Lyman Medeiros featured this week on ALL ABOUT JAZZ.com

http://bit.ly/2FV5beu
Please enjoy the first video from the new album

The Music Never Stops

My good friend Alex Acuña once told me that his definition of retirement is just choosing which music gigs he wants to do, and turning down the rest.

The never-ending pursuit of passion, creativity and joy is what keeps me going and keeps me young.
With this in mind I have lined up four gigs over the next few months to celebrate the release of my new CD, STRAIGHT AHEAD.

I hope you can join me in celebration and love

1) Another Swinging Sat. Night 2/24

George is joined by Pat Kelley for a return engagement at Herb Alpert's Vibrato Grill, Jazz, & Etc. This is possibly THE premiere jazz club in Los Angeles now, great sound system, great lighting and great food.

- There is NO COVER CHARGE for the dinner set, $20 per person starting with the 9:00 PM  and 10:15 sets

- The band: George Kahn - piano, Pat Kelley - guitar, Jamey Tate - drums, David Hughes- Bass

Herb Alpert's Vibrato Grill, Jazz, & Etc.
2930 Beverly Glen Circle, Los Angeles, CA 90077
(310) 474-9400

Three sets: 6:30, 9:00 and 10:15 PM

RSVPs for the early shows a must - it sells out every time we play here
For reservations, please call or make your reservation quickly and easily online by  clicking HERE. 

2) Future Dates for the George Kahn Trio

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SATURDAY 4/28/18 – VIBRATO, 6:30 – 11:15  GEORGE KAHN QUARTET

Pat Kelley- guitar, Me – piano – Lyman Medeiros – bass, Alex Acuña – Drums 

Three sets: 6:30, 9:00 and 10:15 PM

No Cover for the early show, $20 cover charge after 9:00 PM, plus $25 min per person 

RSVPs for the early shows a must - it sells out every time we play here
For reservations, please call or make your reservation quickly and easily online by  clicking HERE. 

Thursday 6/7/18 – CATALINA JAZZ CLUB HOLLYWOOD – 8:30 PM

GEORGE KAHN TRIO

Lyman Medeiros – bass, Alex Acuña – Drums  

$25 cover charge, plus $20 min per person 

Click here for reservations