What Inspires Richard Allen?

I met Richard Allen at Union Square to talk about his wedding plans where I'll be singing and performing. Salieu Suso was set up to perform and we had an amazing day jamming together.
What Inspires Richard? Poetry, film, music and Isabelle of course!

what's your inspiration?

 

Shanta Thake inspired 2011 MUNY judge

May 17, 2011. The annual Music Under New York (MUNY) auditions is such a wonderful event from every perspective. For the organizers and judges, it is a long day, but well worth the effort.  For the performers, it's a chance to perform for some pretty wonderful judges chosen from the amazing cultural fabric that makes up NY. Of course there are always MUNY artists on hand as volunteers and as judges too.  I have been a judge in the past and have found it an interesting role to play. 

What inspires judge and Joe's Pub director Shanta Thake's "Seeing people do what they love."

Aubrey Lynch Arts Educator

Cathy’s Question

I had a thought about one of my favorite questions that Cathy aka NYCsubwayGirl asks regularly. “What inspires you?” I was thinking that what inspires you today may terrify you tomorrow and that is okay. In fact, when the thing that drives you begins to frighten you, this is a sign that you are alive and pushing towards your fullest self. You finally started that business and you know in your heart that the only way for it to grow is to quit your day job. That’s pretty scary. Or, maybe you have lost your job and the hobby you did for fun is now looking more and more like the way to make a living. Not so bad until it comes time to figure out how to make money doing it. How about this one? You’ve been at the same job forever and you know it is time to go. You have no idea where to go or what to do but you know you can’t stay where you are. Deep stuff. So many of us are living these realities including me! What should we do? Look to our inspirations. There is light there.

However, I find that inspirations aren’t so inspiring if we attach outcomes or goals to them. In my current life transition I have faced this a lot. I turned to my inspirations and found fear where I once saw possibility because there was an expectation that these inspirations were supposed to do something for me, propel me forward into the next phase of my life. The most important thing that I could have done was to notice this way of thinking and turn the lens just a bit to refocus.

Remember, while you are looking to inspiration look FOR inspiration and nothing more. Does that make sense? I mean, look for inspiration and expect to find it but just leave it there before you like a sunrise. Inspiration will be everywhere. When I caught myself and did this, I even found inspiration in my fears.

In fact what would it be like to look for inspiration in each other, in each other’s eyes while expecting it to be there? If we all did this right now everything would change. We couldn’t think of hurting someone purposefully if we looked for inspiration in them. What would it be like to look for inspiration in the eyes of our enemies? There’s a scary one. Not an easy thing to do. However, even the thought of doing so starts to open the mind. Okay, I’m pushing the envelope here but we’re going to have to if we hope to get our planet back on track. This need for global awareness starts within each one of us. We can do this.

So what inspires you when you expect to see it? I would guess almost everyone and everything...

Update

on 2011-06-06 21:38 by NYC Subway Girl

check out a part 2 clip from Aubrey and my conversation in LIRR Station

Aubrey Lynch stopped by LIRR station while I was performing. In this clip he describes what he's up to now. Another spontaneous interruption provided us with a touching moment. This month Aubrey is my guest blogger   

Check out Aubrey's What's Your Inspiration? clip. See how he has taken a career of dancing, choreography, and producing to now mentoring and using dance art to heal people.

Lindsay Dragan 2011 MUNY audition

May 17, 2011. The annual Music Under New York (MUNY) auditions is such a wonderful event from every perspective. For the organizers and judges, it is a long day, but well worth the effort.  For the performers, it's a chance to perform for some pretty wonderful judges chosen from the amazing cultural fabric that makes up NY. 

Here's a clip of Lindsay who's audition performing her song "Next Step," earned her a spot in the coveted MUNY program.  Welcome aboard Lindsay. 

What Inspires Lindsay? "Everything…..looking inside and outside myself."

What Inspires Roberto A. Sanchez?

I met Roberto and his wife Mary Jo who were traveling through LIRR station while I was singing. Inspired to listen to my song Jungle, they stopped and we had a chance to chat. A LEED certified Architect, he gave me a passionate and spontaneous conversation about the environment and his definition of Sustainability. Continuing our conversation, he shared what motivates him to want to make a difference in the world.

So what Inspires Roberto A. Sanchez? Doing something for future generations so they can breathe, so future generations can grow things.

And a saying from a Cherokee Chief, "We did not inherit our land from our grand parents. We are borrowing it from our grandchildren and great-grand children. What are we going to leave for them?"

check out Roberto's other clips on my Sustainability page, very inspiring indeed.

What Inspires Aubrey Lynch?

Happy to find Aubrey Lynch at Penn Station one afternoon. He is a celebrated dancer turned choreographer, producer and now arts educator, certified life coach, master teacher, spreader of wings.

What inspires Aubrey? To do what you do and not worry of the outcome.

The Aubrey Lynch Experience: 

Lessons in Art and Life A Unique Perspective from an Uncommon Journey

Life Coaching, Workshops, and Master Classes

AubreyLynch.com  "Dance is a Metaphor. Spread your Wings." 

Aubrey is my guest blogger this month.  Check it out

Clown Happy, Times SQ

Life of a subway performer continued. Clowns in NYC subway March 18, 2011
Arriving at my scheduled spot to perform in Times SQuare, William Ruiz the amazing native american tongue drummer and percussionist was still performing. As he was playing along passed clowns Dolly Dimples, (Sacramento CA) and Sparky The Clown, (Lake of The Ozarks, MO aka Jackie Newton) on their way to the 2011 World Clown Convention  What inspires Dolly and Sparky? "Smiling...we have to learn to laugh at ourselves." "My grandson, and dogs..." 

Who says the subway isn't full of fun and fascinating people. For musicians, it's our office so we hang and chat. Water cooler chat subway style.

Check out William's What's Your Inspiration clip

What Inspires Ruth Reichl?

NYCSubwayGirl was happy to see Ruth Reichl  (writer, eater, cook, former Gourmet editor) at Columbus Circle 59th st station. Seeing a friend in the subway, "makes the city feel comfy."

What inspires Ruth? Walking around the city and looking at peoples faces.

Ruth speaks and writes about food in ways that can make even the most jaded or obsessed step back in wonderment. 

What Fools Do words/music C. Grier SESAC singerfish publishing

Bobby rescued Carriage Horse

Invited by Equine Advocates board member Elizabeth Hess, NYCSubwayGirl visits Bobby II Freedom former NYC Carriage Horse saved from slaughter and now a permanent resident in Chatham, NY. She also introduces PMU Mares-rescued from pharmaceutical co labs making hormone drugs using live horse urine, and proven to be cruel and inhumane to horses and fatal to women.

What's Susan Wagner executive director and founder of Equine Advocates Inspiration? "fear of doing something I can't stand, so I did something I like."

to learn more about rescued equines and horse sponsorship

Update

on 2011-04-08 01:41 by NYC Subway Girl

Equine Advocates benefit that I performed in raised about $11,500 on Saturday...which included six new sponsorships! - Two for Harry (slaughter-bound Thoroughbred) and one each forMelanie (PMU offspring), Jeremy (Quarter Horse rescued during a cruelty case), Sophia (former PMU mare) and Connor (PMU offspring.

I was featured on the cover of the Chatham Courier

What Inspires Ingelou and Gila?

Hunter college students, Ingelou and Gila two women from Holland, came by and filmed me at Grand Central Shuttle recently, they had great questions and even captured a spontaneous jam from trumpeter David who was playing down the corridor.  They also feature other NYC subway musicians.  They did a wonderful job of capturing the feeling of being a subway musician.

What Inspires Ingelou and Gila?  "music, people."

Here's the film they created about their Inspired subway filming

What Inspires novelist Ridley Pearson?

NYCSubwayGirl chats with novelist Ridley Pearson after the first preview of Peter and The Starcatcher, (based on his novel) at NY Theatre Workshop. Ridley revealed what inspired him to write the book. "One question from my daughter." and "Everything around me is inspiring." "Thrill of getting in the action."

I attended the first preview of Peter and The Starcatcher at the New York Theatre Workshop Friday February 11th.  A play based on Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry's wildy entertaining book Peter and The Starcatchers, is the back story on how Peter Pan got his name. Theatrically speaking for me, it's Gilbert and Sullivan meets Monty Python. This very clever play by Rick Elice has the audience in stitches keeping up with the giddy puns, double entendre and fast paced dialogue. The cast hardly ever leaves the stage, and often they even become props. Like a well staged high flying act, starstuff directors Roger Rees and Alex Timbers thread an even keeled cast through the amazing story of magical star dust called starstuff, orphaned boys, (sadly only one girl) shipwrecks and enchanted fish. With a ship called the Neverland and a feared pirate named Stach who has just a slight case of sea sickness, and as one could guess, a future of onehanded skulldugery, it's hard not to be captivated. In Previews, Opens March 9th.

One staging element to note, the Scenic Design by Donyale Werle uses mostly recycled materials. And a 2nd act opening showstopper with costumes that integrate basic kitchen stainless steel steamer baskets to hilarious wit.

and here's a clip I made of the first preview sidewalk chatter