Best of 2005

I've finally had a few days to relax after a very busy end to '05. It was a good year, for sure. It was the year of 'The Funky Supervillain' as my first recording session was in January and the CD came out in November. I saw Syriana yesterday. All I can say is WOW. This movie is fantastic. It's disturbing and moving and makes you really think about the corruption in our government and big businesses.

So here's my favorite stuff from the past year (in no particular order):

MUSIC: The Bad Plus Suspicious Activity?, Brazilian Girls Brazilian Girls, Robert Glasper Canvas, Beck Guero, Kanye West Late Registration, Brad Meldhau Trio Day is Done, Happy Apple The Peace Between Our Companies, Jason Moran Same Mother, Nels Cline Singers The Giant Pin, Mike Doughty Haughty Melodic

MOVIES: Syriana, Crash, Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic, Sin City, King Kong, War of the Worlds

COMICS: 'Optic Nerve' by Adrianne Tomine, 'Stupid Comics' by Jim Mahfood, 'Girls' and 'Ultra' by the Luna Brothers, 'Conan' by Kurt Busiek and Cary Nord, 'New Avengers' by Brian Bendis and Brain Hitch, 'Daredevil' by Brian Bendis and Alex Maleev, 'Ex Machina' by Brain Vaughn and Tony Harris

SPORTS: The Colts thrashing the Patriots on Monday Night Football and going 14-2 their best record ever, Jose Cruz Jr. leading a late-game comeback by the Dodgers in one of only two Dodgers games I attended this year, the Colts defeating the Jaguars in their home opener (a game I was at-thanks SueAnne!), Kobe Bryant scoring 62 pts. against the Mavs

COOLEST GIGS: The Jazz Kitchen in Indy with Steve Tyrell, my first time playing at home in a long time ... the people that showed up were fantastic; Langer's in NYC with Quincy Davis, in the midst of a long gig at the Carlyle it was great playing creative music with an old friend of mine; Overstreet in Newport Beach with Gary Matsumoto, some musicians you just click with, Gary and I click; Grand Concert Hall in Moscow with Steve Tyrell; The Blue Note in Tokyo with Steve Tyrell; Corky's in West Hollywood with Quinn Johnson and Chris Wabich; Blues Alley in Washington DC with Steve Tyrell

There you go!