I was contacted by Bodog Music to assemble a band for an artist named Nazanin. Nazanin is a remarkable person. She was born in Iran and raised in Vancouver. She studied Political Science at UBC and speaks three languages. A former Ms. Canada and Ms. World runner up - she has received accolades from around the world for her humanitarian efforts.
She was instrumental in the release of a young Iranian girl whose name is also Nazanin. While walking with her 15 year old niece, three men attacked and tried to rape them. In self defense, she stabbed one of the men who later died in hospital. She was charged with murder and to be executed until Nazanin (the artist) collected over 350,000 signatures and through pressure from the UN and other organizations the young girl was released.
In order to strengthen her voice for humanitarian causes, she recorded an album which will be released her on April 24. A few showcase gigs were set up for publicity's sake - Vancouver at Ginger 62, West Hollywood at an amazing home one block off Sunset in the hills and New York at the Plumm Club.
The band was a pleasure - great friends all of them. I played bass and some piano, Chris Meister on drums, Lee Worden on guitar and vocals, Rick "Boink" Bazuin was our road manager and Carly Mckillip on keyboards and vocals (you may know Carly as the star of CTV's "Alice I Think" or from the singing duo with her sister "Saving Grace" - she's also the daughter of producer Tom Mckillip). It was Carly's first trip to NYC and we had a lot of fun. I learned a lot from her on the basic principles of cell phone texting - something I was not that versed in before.
Being fans of Woody Allen, Chris, Lee, Boink and I made certain we visited the Carnegie Deli, made famous on Woody's movie 'Broadway Danny Rose'. We ate some great food - I went for the Blintzes. Chris ordered a Rueben snadwich - the size of which had to be seen to be believed. Therefore - I am posting it .... and no, he did not finish it. The two pictures are before and after....
Nazanin is a pleasure - we had a great time. The gigs went well and everyone who met Nazanin fell in love with her and her message. She is a beautiful person inside and out. I hope we can do it again sometime soon.
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