ZUMBA! (dance your @$$ off...literally!) Music, Books, Aerobics choreography, NFL and College Football, Working Out, Writing, Plants Gardening, Decorating and Fashion Design, Long drives on the quirky backroads when I have the time to get off the interstate!
Here's Winston!
Music
Pretty much anything from any genre as long as it's not too old. Pat Metheny, David Wilcox, Pierce Pettis, October Project, Sara Gazarek, Bonnie Raitt, Al Jarreau, Steve Oliver, Mindi Abair, Safri Duo, Kumbia All Stars, Brian Hughes, Jeff Golub, Nelson Rangell, Richard Smith...a lot of random songs I stash in my iMixes. Guitar Geek always: Frank Gambale, Michael Landau, Buzz Feiten, Robben Ford, Dean Brown, Steve Vai, Eddie Van Halen, Blake Aaron, Randy Jacobs, Kaki King, Jeff Golub, Craig Chaquico, and more..
Movies
Does PM's "The Way Up" DVD count? Bull Durham, Almost Famous, Remember The Titans, Field of Dreams, The Color Purple, Friday Night Lights, any sports movie and anything where stuff blows up and there are a lot of chase scenes. No romantic comedies please...
Television
24 (going through withdrawal!), House, Family Guy, Boston Legal, Freestyle on HGTV, What Not To Wear, Project Runway, Sunday Night
Books
Favorite Writers: David Sedaris, Anne LaMott, Alice Walker, Ntzoke Shange, Barbara Crafton (www.geraniumfarm.org), Tim Dorsey, Randy Wayne White, Carolyn See, Connie Mae Fowler, Tina McElroy Ansa, Joyce Thompson, Patricia Cornwell (but not the new one)
Desert Island Books:
Bingo-Rita Mae Brown
Practicing Resurrection-Nora Gallagher
Traveling Mercies-Anne LaMott
The Temple of My Familar-AliceWalker
Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs
Heroes
Literacy advocates, protectors of animals, plants and open spaces, educators who find a way to reach and teach kids something more than preparation for standardized tests, fitness instructors and presenters everywhere, writers who meet their deadlines, anyone who finishes writing their book, anyone who finishes making a quilt...
I am part of the fabulous group of writers who launched
and probably continue to be our...well...quirkiest writer. I grew up reading Lester Bangs, Richard Meltzer and Hunter S. Thompson so compared to my influences it could be a lot worse.
I also write for AbyssJazz Magazne and will be contributing to the fabulous new JazzSeries.com blog when it goes online later this spring. I do freelance writing, podcast production, quick promo blurbs and some cool MySpace pimpin' for musicians I love. After all, they've done a lot for me. Like kept me sane.
I have a "daytime job" but my other passion is teaching group fitness classes. Anything cardio - kickboxing, step, boot camp, strength training, etc but my first love is Zumba. I started out in dance fitness and the Zumba craze has a lot of people shakin' things they didn't even know they could shake. Music is supposed to move you, emotionally and physically, and dance fitness lets you do just that - dance your @$$ off without having to worry about how your hair looks. I teach with the lights low and the music loud..
**********
Oh, did I mention that I am a total NFL addict. Obviously the Jaguars are my favorite team. Not being monogamous as a fan my other teams are the Packers and Raiders, the teams I grew up with before we got our own. Yeah, not much fun watching the Raiders recently but loyalty builds character. Sigh.
Hey, thanks so much for the add and the friendship, I truly appreciate it! I’m back in the US to finish my debut album (feat. Take 6, K. Whalum, A. Laboriel, V. Colaiuta, P. Jackson Jr.). I’ll keep you posted :))
Greetings from a Swiss brother in Nashville,
blessings,
Vlada
http://www. vladamusic. com
J Soto's "Slammin'" is now Top 10 on the Smooth Jazz Charts!!!
Come check out this exclusive FREE Download of "SLAMMIN'"! From the new Jay Soto album "STAY AWHILE" Available for a limited time only at: www.JaySotoExclusive.com
