CURRENT MISSION

My current mission is to see just how much of this world I can see through music. I want to teach and be taught. I want to show and be shown. And along the way I hope to meet many new friends!

ABOUT ME

I am currently a traveling musician and freelance writer based in Cincinnati, Ohio. I am generally outgoing and open to new people and experiences and love that I've been able to travel as much as I have. Obviously, there's so much more to do, which is why I decided to join this community in the first place, as this seems like a great way to do it!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

So far I've mostly participated by hosting and attending CS potlucks in the Cincinnati area. I've hosted many people at my house (mostly other traveling musicians), but not formally through the CS process until recently.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

While I am new to Couchsurfing as a website, the concept itself is something that has been part of my reality for about 7 years now. Traveling with my group, the Pinstripes, has found me staying on floors and couches everywhere from Montreal to New York and from Texas to Michigan. Up until now I haven't tapped in to the Couchsurfing community...but the more and more I travel, the more great people I meet who tell me I should really look into it. So here I am!

Interests

As a musician, I'm obviously into many different styles of music, but also the studio of how different styles and eras of music are products of their environment and vice versa. I like learning the history of different styles as much as I like listening to them. My main group, The Pinstripes, plays a combination of classic Jamaican music and mixed with vintage American Soul, R&B and Pop... So I'm particularly interested in those, but that's far from all I listen to!

Aside from music, I love to cook, especially for small groups. Gathering together for a meal is one of the simplest of life's pleasantries, but often ones of the most valuable. In fact, one of the reasons I was compelled to join the CS community was through the Cincinnati CS's weekly potlucks, which I found myself attending before I even knew anyone there! Cooking for me is not only a chance to explore my own creativity, but it is a chance to spark good conversation with friends, family and strangers alike.

I also enjoy spending time outdoors whether just walking, hiking playing, sports or whatever else it may be. Unfortunately my current schedule sees me doing less of this than in the past, but it's still something I value highly!

As I said above, I love to meet new people, make connections and to learn. Even in my own city, I'm constantly learning more about its past, as well as its present and future.

• writing
• singing
• performing arts
• concerts
• environment
• cooking
• walking
• traveling
• music
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• sports
• freelancing
• history

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

It's difficult to only list 2, so I'll list the most recent moments:

1) Sitting in with Zvulun Dub System in Tel Aviv - While in Israel in Feb of 2013, I was lucky enough to catch a great Reggae band called Zvulun Dub System live in concert. I met the drummer before the show and we got to talk music, something that was a great privilege for me. The show itself was amazing...a bunch of people were packed into this small venue at the edge of the market area in Tel Aviv during the holiday of Purim, which meant everyone was also in costume. Then during the middle of the set, I was called up to the stage to sing with the band, something that was thrilling beyond belief. To be in front of a crowd in Israel, half a world away from where I usually perform and to look into the faces of the crowd and see their excitement was truly indescribable.

2) On my same trip to Israel, about a week beforehand, I was chaperoning a trip and we went to a retirement home just outside of Jerusalem. This was a fascinating experience for many reasons: The stories I heard and the interactions our group had with them were very special. We ended up doing lots of singing together and I again had the chance to help lead the group through that, which was unexpected and totally gratifying in a completely different way than some other musical experiences I've had. This way of communicating through music across language and cultural barriers is truly amazing and inspiring to me.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Israel, Turkey, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Israel, United States

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