Boffa: "I read the reviews of your CD. Congratulations."

Me: "Thank you!"

Boffa: "So what's up...Let me guess. You're getting a lot of positive feedback from your own music and you're not sure you can commit to the function band."

Me: "Well, that's part of it. But the other news I wanted to share with you is that it looks like I'm going to have the opportunity to study and travel abroad this fall."

Boffa: "Go. Just go."

Me: "Yeah...Well, you know, I'm still not sure exactly what's going to happen, but right now the most important thing is to respect our relationship by being forthright about anything that comes along that might jeopardize what I can commit to the band."

Boffa: "That's why I hired you."

Me: "I know. Thank you. And the other thing that matters so much to me is to let the band know that my bowing out has nothing to do with their potential or that I don't believe that they're going to make it..."

Boffa: "Oh yeah...These guys are going places."

Me: "I just know how important it is for the group to have a solid, committed, group of people who can start building relationships now before things get crazy."

Boffa: "Listen, I knew when I hired you that there was a 50% chance you would be pulled in another direction. But I wanted to see what would happen and to give you the opportunity. I've been in this business a long time. There are no surprises for me. Plus, I wanted to have someone who wasn't a project. I needed at least a few solid players to get things started."

Me: "Thank you. It's been a blast. And you know, when I was thinking about all this, my greatest hesitation was missing the opportunity to work with you...I'm just so glad we're connected again..."

Boffa: "Listen, if we lose touch, it will be because of you. Consider me a friend for life. You know, just this afternoon, I had lunch with one of my former students who's studying to get a Master's Degree in Business..."

Me: "Yeah, that's what I'm going to do..."

Boffa: "Are you serious?"

Me: "Yes, I am."

Boffa: "That's great. It's just great. You know, I am just sitting back and looking at all of these students and these people from my past. I'm just watching the circle of life and it's just....It's beautiful."

Me: "It is. I knew you would understand. I knew I could tell you where I was coming from and that if anything came up you would understand completely."

Boffa: "Well, you're wise beyond your years. I wish other people knew that."

Me: "How are you doing anyway?"

Boffa: "I'm exhausted. I had a wedding last night, and I have two more coming up...It's a beautiful day and I want to be out on the golf course. I just want to play golf."

Me: "Soon enough, my friend."

Boffa: "Yeah, I know. So, listen. You're going to tell the guys on Wednesday?"

Me: "Whatever you think is best."

Boffa: "I think that would be best...I think that would be best. You know, all you gotta do is follow your passion and things will just fall into place. That's all. It's so simple. We complicate everything, don't we?"

Me: "We do. But I'm experiencing first hand what you mean about following your passion. That's all I'm trying to do these days."

Boffa: "I know...I've seen you on stage with your own songs. You're singing from your heart. And if technical skill was all that mattered, no one would have heard of Bob Dylan."

Me: (laugh) "It's true." (pause) "Thank you."

Boffa: "We'll make music together, okay?"

Me: "Okay."

Boffa: "Okay, kid. I'll see you on Wednesday."

Me: "Tonight is a special night for so many reasons...You know, it's been over two years of perseverance to get this CD done. Two years of details and work and follow-through.

We love what we do. We love music. It is our life, our food, and our passion. But it's work, man. We have cried and doubted and sweat and bled and all of that. And it takes balls to get up here and do this. It really does take courage.

Tonight we are celebrating music. We are celebrating accomplishment. And since I have a microphone, I want to take a moment to share this quote with you. It's a quote from Martha Graham who was a bold choreographer and artist.

She said,

'There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium; and be lost. The world will not have it.

It is not your business to determine how good it is, not how it compares with other expression. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.

You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time.

There is on a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.'

So, that's what we're here for tonight.

It is now my pleasure to bring to the stage Ms. Sara Cox, Justin Maxwell, and Mark Butterfield..."

WMPG: So tell us about your history...I mean, I know you were connected very early on with (some big-name musicians...)

Michael Gulezian: Well, you know I was 16 and we went to see (this big show) and my friend was like, "Aw man, you gotta go up to him and play a song...you're going to blow his mind...you got a go tell him about your music..."

And I was thinking, "How about some humility here?"

But I went out to where (he) was and he was just standing in the yard and saying a prayer to the setting sun and I introduced myself and told him I was a musician and he just kindly said, "Well, go ahead and play me a song." And I did, and that's when I got connected with the record label."

WMPG: "Wow, that's a big nod to you."

Michael: "Well, that's just what happened. You know, things happen for reasons we're not always aware of at the time..."

"I'm just...an old sack of moldy beans...I have a lot of things I'm working on myself, a million things I need to work on. We all have a gift that we bring into the world. I play this guitar"

"You know, I don't care about a person's technique or theoretical ability. Just move me. Make me laugh. Make me cry. Inspire me. Teach me. Make me think about something. Move me. Just move me."

The Boff: "Listen guys, I'm telling people about this band, you know. We got the owners of The Mets coming in on Thursday. And if you think you can pull something over on them, you're out of your mind.

I'm selling this band, telling people that it's gonna be better than my band. But you gotta do the work. This is not a hobby! And if this is a hobby for you, you gotta respect the rest of us and walk out the door right now.

Listen, if you are not at your house, matching pitches every night...every night...you're not gonna make it.

How often did you match pitches last week?"

Trombone player: "I don't know...Just every time I went into my room..."

Boff: "Tell me the truth! How often?"

Trombone: "Maybe 5 or 6 times..."

The Boff: "You'll never make it!" (to the sax player) "Play me a C sharp."

Sax: "What?"

The Boff: "Play a C sharp on your horn right now."

(He plays)

The Boff: "Did you have any doubt that you would play at C sharp?"

Sax: "No."

The Boff: "Could I convince you that that wasn't a C sharp?"

Sax: "No."

The Boff: "That's how certain you have to be when you're singing!

Listen, you guys are young. If you want to work in this business you gotta know how to sing. I'm telling you. You can play the horn like no body's business but if you can't sing, you're absolutely replaceable!

But if you can sing, you'll get any job you want. You'll walk into the room and other horn players that can't sing will tremble.

You've got to commit to this thing.

All my life...For 40 years...I've heard, 'Tony Boffa talks too much' and 'Tony Boffa this' and 'Tony Boffa that.' You're always gonna have people standin' in the corner, eatin' popcorn, and talkin' shit. And you know why? They're jealous. They're jealous because we've got gigs and they're in the corner eating popcorn.

And if Megan is singing a ballad and you get the giggles because one of your punk friends is in the audience trying to get you to laugh...Leave. Leave right now. I won't have it. You will stand with integrity and you will support her as she sings. You think it's easy to sing a ballad? It's hard!

I've been doing this 40 years, and I'm still practicing. I'm singing all, every day. Right now I'm trying to learn a new tune and I'm singing it every single day. You know why? Because I want to sing a high A. Because I'm determined to sing a high A. Because I refuse to give up.

Have I offended anyone? Listen, I want you to look me in the eye and tell me if I've offended you? You know why I'm telling you all this?

Because I know how good you can be. Because I know how much fun you're gonna have when you get it.

But there's a time for business and a time for play. And this is business. All right, now let's do it. We got a lotta work to do before Thursday..."

This is not a fake smile.

This is:
4 glasses of wine + homemade guacamole + four amazing women + wind the temperature of blood + guitar + nothing mandatory to do in the morning.

It's feeling very far away at the moment. Sigh.

It's all a gift.

Her: "Mole is the most traditional of Mexico dishes...and there are many kinds of mole. This is the recipe of my family."

"You can never have a green mole because mole is always made with chilis and tomato."

"Don't be rude to the peppers when you are cleaning them because if the seeds come out of the pepper you will cough for sure."

"Mole is only served with chicken, turkey and pork. Never with beef or seafood, so don't try it."

Mom: "I've seen it with potatoes and some kind of green..."

Her: "Yes, it can be with potatoes, but that's all."

Me: "It's tastes completely different after adding the tortilla..."

Her: "Yes...we never in Mexico thicken the salsa with flour. We use tortillas, nuts and other things to make thick the salsa."

Me: "Que sabroso."

Her: "Gracias."

Me: "We are pigs."

R: "PIGS!"

Me: "You got any t.p. over there?"

R: "Roger."

Me: "I don't have a receptacle to throw it in."

R: "Give it to me..."

Me: "It's all covered in piss!"

R: "Well, wrap it up and hand it over."

Me: "K."

R: "Wow. I am drunk. Those drinks were stroooong."

Me: "Wooooaw."

R: "I gotta blow my shnoz."

Me: "Do it!"

R: (blowing) "Oh god...oh yeah...that's the ticket."

Me: "Perhaps I should take a photo."

R: "Photografia!"

Me: "Siiiiii."

R: "Siiiii."

Me: "Ok...we gotta figure out where the GD hell we are and get out of here. They're trying to close up shop."

R: "Don't tell me what to do..."

Me: "Shut up a-hole, I'm taking a picture."

2:15pm Phone call.

Me: Hi!

S: Hi.

Me: What's going on? We miss you! We need to know how to make coffee like you did last time...How do you do it?

R: Is it 2 Tablespoons per cup?

S: No! More than that.

Me: How much?

S: I don't know, I didn't really measure.

Me: You just trusted your coffee intuition?

S: Yeah.

Me: Hi.

S: Hi. I have good news.

Me: What?

S: I just sent the e-mail confirming the details of your CD and it's in production.

Me: Are you serious?

S: Yes.

Me: Are they still sending it on the 17th?

S: They're estimating that it should arrive on the 16th.

Me: Ahhhhh! Oh, thank god. Thank god, thank god, thank god!

S: That gives us four luxurious days before your release show.

Me: I can't believe it! My mom was just saying prayers this morning...Literally saying prayers up on the deck.

S: Yeah...Apparently the old project manager is out of the office this week and the woman I spoke to today was so cool and helpful. She said she could see no reason that it would arrive later than the 16th.

Me: Oh god, my shoulders are relaxing. I feel like a cooked noodle. I can breathe, I can breathe. Oh god, I could not have done this without you. Thank you for making this happen. Thank you.

S: You're welcome, sweetheart. You are so welcome.

Me: Thank you.

S: You're welcome.