Today was my favorite day this week. I sat in on a studio session with Patrice from 10am-4:30pm. She took a student’s song and coached the students through the studio session recording live band, background vocals and lead vocals. It was so amazing to be in her presence and watch how she gently but firmly commands the room. She is so knowledgeable with everything and I learned a lot about managing time in the studio, special grids to help the producer and engineer and certain sound design. I got to talk with her after and she gave me her email to send her my music. I almost died. What a sweet lady!!
Later that night there was a Berklee showcase. Ahhhh I remember the days. It was a trip right back to my Berklee days. Several students performed at a really cool club called the Jerusalem Club which used to be a movie theater in the 1940’s. I was going to go back to my hotel when I noticed a very familiar looking small man. I approached him and asked his name and he said “Victor Mendoza.” I knew it!! He was a teacher when I attended Berklee and in fact from my high school days when I attended the Berklee in LA summer program. He is a phenomenal vibraphone player and we needed up talking for a while. Turns out he recently retired, but was one of the founding faculty members for the Valencia campus. He then introduced me to the owner of Jazztone Records, a great recording studio here in Valencia and I also met his girlfriend, a music teacher for primary school. They were all so nice I asked if I could tag along with them. Then we went to meet with the Berklee DJ instructor who was spinning for the after party at Club Oven. I suddenly was VIP and on the guest list. Didn’t have to wait in line or pay. This nightclub was the epitome of everything I don’t do. Late night, electronic music, laser beams, smoke machine. I was like - who am I right now? But it’s the only night I’ve really gone out with people. By the way the club didn’t open until midnight! We hung out for a while until it got too crowded then we went upstairs and on the stairwell I ran into my new BFF Berta! I ended up staying and hanging out with her until about 2:30am when we shared a cab back to our places. What a great night ✨