Are you allowed to be tired?
Of course you are. But you are also allowed to push yourself. One of my favorite concepts is from Coach John Wooden, something along the lines that some kids need more whip cream, some need more discipline. The same thing applies to yourself. For example, tonight I would like to livestream, but I feel tired...
Run toward opportunity
A couple sayings that I’ve bookmarked recently: “You can lie down for people to walk on you and they will still complain that you’re not flat enough.” Oof! “Don’t run away from problems, run toward opportunities.” This was in the context of working on your career. If you feel like you’re being ignored, before you...
Get rich slowly
In a society obsessed with speed, we forget the power of going slowly. Here are a few riffs on applying that concept to practice, exercise, diet, life, travel and wealth.
Youth is wasted on the young
Traveling through Europe in 2018 and 2019, I was able to do whatever I wanted — and mostly be completely left alone. Contrast this to my experiences as a 20- and 30-something traveling nationally and internationally for work. Then, I worried constantly about unwanted attention and had many strategic conversations with men to avoid misunderstandings...
Financial Relief for Musicians Affected by Coronavirus
I received this information from wonderful Oakland blues and soul singer Terrie Odabi. Here are resources that can provide financial relief for musicians whose gigs are being cancelled due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19): Musicians Foundation Helps professional musicians who have worked five or more years in the U.S. by providing emergency financial assistance in meeting...
How To Stay Sane While You Work From Home
For most of my career as a writer and songwriter, I’ve worked from my home office. Thanks to Coronavirus quarantine, a lot of people are working from home for the first time and wondering how to stay sane. Here’s how I maintain razor sharp social skills so that people find me irresistible and not at...
How to Prepare for Disaster or Quarantine | Supplies for 2 Weeks
I buy bulk ingredients for delicious, healthy homemade food. Coronavirus or COVID-19 has us all frightened and the government has recommended we be prepared for a pandemic with two weeks’ worth of food and supplies so that we can quarantine if necessary. Here’s what I’ve bought without spending much more than normal, focusing on bulk...
What makes a great story song?
Skyword recently interviewed a number of songwriters about storytelling. I made the cut along with songwriters for Phil Collins, Aretha Franklin, Jonas Brothers & Selena Gomez! Here’s the piece by Jon Simmons on what brand marketers can learn from songwriters, with tips from eight troubadours (David Pack, Air Traffic Controller, Alexa Weber Morales, Joshua Hyslop, Jess Domain, Emily Hecht, Ed...
Book review of ‘The Insanity Hoax’: You don’t have to be a nutty artist!
I recently read Judith Schlesinger’s book The Insanity Hoax: Exposing the Myth of the Mad Genius. What a relief! With a gallivanting, witty writing style, Schlesinger doesn’t just debunk, she pulverizes that annoying meme that mental illness is more common among artists than the general population. Interestingly, every time I’ve brought the book up to...
We did it! So how the heck did PMO go from zero to Grammy-nominated in 3 years?!
I was taking a break from a private jazz gig at the De Young Museum in San Francisco when the text messages began flowing. I couldn’t help whooping with pleasure, even though I was standing in an art gallery being watched by a guard. Pacific Mambo Orchestra had done it: We were nominated for best...
Story Passage interviews Alexa Morales on why musicians shouldn’t ignore Soundcloud!
Corey Fischer recently wrote an article on Story Passage that grew out of his experiences with the online community SoundCloud, which is where he’s been sharing songs, spoken-word pieces and digital compositions. Among others, he interviewed me about my SoundCloud profile and postings. With his permission, I decided to post our complete interview here, but...
You don’t have be a freak to master music! Q&A with mastery expert K. Anders Ericsson (from my new book!)
Since the release of my album I Wanna Work For You, I’ve been writing a book about practicing. More specifically, I wondered how I could finally get better at things that had eluded me despite a lifetime of effort. Were there keys to motivation, method or memory that the virtuosos knew? After much research, I...
