YouTango, a popular website focused on women’s issues and interests, solicited and published my article on Ashli Babbitt and the history of women’s protest movements. Here is an excerpt, with the full article available here.

“Why History Will Not Look Kindly Upon Ashli Babbit & The Women Of The Insurrection”

The images of Ashli Babbitt’s violent death shocked the nation. Owner of a San Diego pool supply company, she led a crowd of rioters to the Speaker’s Lobby of the United States Capitol on January 6, in snow boots, sporting a Trump flag as a cape. She was shot dead by a Capitol police officer as she tried to intervene in the congressional validation of the 2020 presidential election. 

The crowd of protesters, invited to D.C. and directed to the Capitol by the President of the United States, was heavily male, adding a poignant, unsettling dimension to the scene. A suburban businesswoman, traveling from California to the people’s House, shot by a government agent during an act of political expression. 

What to make of Ms. Babbitt? Women have been in the vanguard of social and political change since the country’s founding. Was Babbitt a model of political protest, laying her body on the line for truth, justice, and the American Way? And how, after all, do we choose our battles, ensure that we achieve what we pursue, and evaluate success?  

FOR MORE, click here. 

An astounding and quite generous review from the esteemed UK Vibe. I had a nice chat with reviewer Glyn Phillips today, thanking him for the review. Here are some excerpts. Please do check out UK Vibe and the full review here. 

The review of this book has given me problems like no other. Not from a dearth of things to say, but a very surfeit of them. I wanted to deliver a well-structured review with a natural flow and a coherent overview. However, just like it’s subject matter the style and structure of this book is like no other. But, after all, we are talking about the long musical life and successful career of the living legend that is Billy Cobham here – and if you think you know everything there is to know about him then think again, because this book will almost certainly make you reappraise it all.

… it is rich in anecdotes, colour and insight and is a real labour of love.

The first thing to say is that if you’re a fan of Billy Cobham, then you must read this book. If you’re a fan of jazz and/or jazz-rock, jazz-funk, fusion, Latin or any of the myriad popular forms that Billy Cobham has performed in over the last 60 odd years, then you’ll find masses of first-hand anecdotes and observations to pique your interest within this book. If you’re a drummer of whatever persuasion, you’ll get a lot out of it too – the sub-title might make it sound like a lecture, but it’s not, you will widen your mind by a process of osmotic narrative(!). And finally, if you’re a muso of almost whatever kind then you’re bound to instinctively recognise the descriptions of gigs (big and small), rehearsals, band dynamics, bandmates, agents, promoters, venues, recording studios, money issues and touring that this book so graphically brings to light…

You will feel like you are front row in the audience at Ronnie Scott’s as the hush descends and you’re about to be bathed in musical ecstasy…

This is a very accurate insight into the life of musicians that most fans never see, illustrating both the excitement of creating exhilarating art in the moment and the sometimes comic contrast with the utter banality of a musician’s day and concerns at other times…

To aid with further investigation there’s a Billy Cobham Discography at the back stretching from 1973 to 2016 and each chapter is linked to a Spotify list to illustrate it musically (Billy Cobham 1, Billy Cobham 2, etc)…

But, overall it is packed to the gunwales with anecdotes about all kinds of jazz legends that are almost household names and the editing always assures that another “Wow! Really?” moment is always around the corner.

I will be moderating a panel with three Myanmar political activists at Karma Kafe in Srithanu, Koh Phangan Saturday night, March 6, at 8pm. I will share my experiences holding a “writeshop” with a social justice project in Yangon, and leading a tour of NGO initiatives in country with senior EU reporters (including forums on journalism and the rule of law), in conjunction with the European Journalism Centre. 

We will also host a presentation by the Amnesty International campaign leader for Myanmar. 

The event is being put on by the restaurant’s proprietor, Brogan Dinsdale, and Roxy Nagarwalla. 

Please join us! The event will conclude with specific ways to support the Myanmar community on the island and their efforts to restore democracy back home. 

Fascinating perspectives on the vital role of percussionists like Mister Cobham on The Gears Page forum. Here is an excerpt from comments by FlyingVBlues and a link to the full thread.

I recently read “Six Days at Ronnie Scott’s: Billy Cobham on Jazz Fusion and the Act of Creation” by Brian Gruber. It was a series of interviews with Billy, Jan Hammmer, Ron Carter, Randy Brecker and others. Billy said that when he was in Mahavishnu “he was just a drummer in the band” and “he was the guy that no one expected anything from”. This set of interviews made me greatly appreciate what a driving force a really dominant drummer could be, and how such a drummer could be the difference between a good band and a great band. As a guitarist I greatly admire and respect Eric Clapton and John McLaughlin, and I love the music of Miles Davis and Parliament/Funkadelic. But I don’t think any of those artists/bands would have been as powerful in either their records or in their live performances without an outstanding drummer.

… And in Mahavishnu when you think about the performances, and not the compositions that McLaughlin wrote, Cobham and sometimes Jan Hammer were way more important to the sound of that band then McLaughlin was. If you listen carefully to John McLaughlin he has a problem keeping time. He has a tendency to speed up the tempo, and Cobham deftly anchors his playing to keep the time where it should be. Billy can play in a groove that sets and maintains the rhythm and tempo of the piece, which is something that McLaughlin doesn’t so well. And listen to Cobham’s playing on the “Jack Johnson” album. Billy Cobham brought a funkier approach to Miles’ recordings, and the groove on “Right Off” and also “Corrado” on “Bitches Brew” are among the strongest Miles Davis ever recorded.

The International Policy Digest published my article on the January 6 insurrection attempt at the United States Capitol, along with a solid dollop of promotion of the “Surmountable” book. Here is an excerpt with a link to the full article. 

How Americans Surrendered the Mantle of Artful Peaceful Protest

I have been privileged to work with Aaron Wexler on his new book, a fascinating guide for young athletes seeking inspiration and a balanced life. While coaching Aaron, he started a podcast which has had marvelous success. Check it out. And thanks Aaron for the shoutout. The complete interview can be found on Shout Out LA. Here are excerpts.

Within The Game Podcast is all about learning about what tools others use to stay inspired, and how you can best relate the information back to your own life. For me, the work has been 2 fold: researching and learning about my guests to be best prepared for our episodes, as well as implementing what I learn from each guest into my own life. During this process, I have found that I am becoming more inspired in my own life, more creative, more focused, and I flat out am having more fun with my journey as a writer and business owner. Looking back on my journey, I am most proud of the relationships I have created and grown. I love connecting with other people, especially those who’s stories’ really inspire me. I am proud of knowing that I am making a positive impact on my community with the content I am putting out by sharing their stories. I am also proud of the questions my writing coach Brian Gruber and I came up with because they are truly unique & eccentric, especially for athletes, coaches, and entrepreneurs!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

I would like to dedicate my Shoutout to my writing coach, Brian Gruber (grubermedia.com)! I met Brian in Thailand at a yoga ashram, and after taking a creative writing workshop led by him, I signed up for his coaching services. Brian has been with me every step of the way in the writing process of my forthcoming book, as well as in the creation and structure of my podcast. I can’t thank him enough and highly recommend him for anyone looking for help with their own book or idea for a book! I would also like to give a shoutout to my team of editors Olley Thorpe & Garette Shaun of DAF Global (dafglobal.co.uk). Olley has been instrumental in helping me setup a vision for my podcast and coaching me through the nuts and bolts of its operations, and Garette is an absolute pro when it comes to editing.

My friend and coaching client Satyama Ratna Lasby is raising funds for the production and marketing of her new book. It is worth a look, and, hopefully, your support, Check out the project here. A short description:

The campaign is to fund the development, production, editing, marketing, distribution of life-long research on spiritual practice in the form of a book I have written to make the connection between practicing yoga and authentic tantric practice to heal the world. In this auspicious time of change, I need your help to make this happen and for more people to wake up to the potential that lies in ancient wisdom that can only be realized by the practitioner themselves.

The book, The Tao of Tantric Yoga is a provocative and direct account of the study, embodiment and leadership of BOTH yoga and tantra. The Tao, meaning “the way” is the way I have lived an intentional life based on love that have defined this alternative way, which I hope to share with the world. The study of meditation and intentional communities is strongly accounted for in the book, as are the principles of meditation. The book looks at life from the big picture, and through some real-life tantric lessons I account for, one can come to their own conclusions as to what makes life expansive, exciting, valuable and meaningful.

I had the pleasure to coach Wendy May through her process of writing and publishing her book Regenerative Purpose. She also conducted a highly successful Kickstarter campaign to support key aspects of her product launch. I was privileged to write the book’s Foreword. 

Wendy recently announced the launch of her audio book. You can purchase the audiobook – and all other versions – here. 

She is also leading a workshop that may interest you. This from an email she sent out today:

2020 has certainly tested us… with physical, emotional, financial and egoic death. We’ve had to meet our limits and transcend them. We have been permanently changed. 

Are you clear now on what’s next? How do you want to shape 2021?

For me, so many questions have arisen about…

MY PLACE IN THE WORLD
What is the nature of life and death? What makes a human life worth living?
How do I speak my truth when the word “truth” itself triggers confusion?

MY RELATIONSHIP WITH SELF
How do I measure my value in the world when I’m not actively working? 
What does it feel to take up space when I’m not confident in my direction?

MY LIFE LESSONS TO LEARN
Can I love and give fully and fearlessly, without knowing who will receive it?
Can I boldly walk to the edge of my discomfort and expand from there?

AND, HOW TO KEEP GOING
Can I step forward into what’s next without being able to see the whole path?
What is it to be a leader in the new planetary paradigm? Am I ready for that?

SO MANY QUESTIONS

Maybe you have been considering some of the same questions.

I don’t know any of the answers.

But I do know that when we come together to ask these kinds of questions, magic always happens. I’m inviting a small group of devoted souls to join me in kicking off 2021 with Regenerative Purpose Co-Lab.

Announcing… REGENERATIVE PURPOSE CO-LAB

• It’s an 11-week journey to support the living integration of Regenerative Purpose.
• It’s not coaching. It’s not an online course. It is a group r/evolution co-creation lab. 
• It’s limited to 6 people, to make sure there’s spaciousness for sharing and reflections.

The purpose of the Co-Lab experience is to come together in community and find clarity, while releasing the need for control. We are pointing each other towards that sweet spot of creative contribution that is active (not pushy) and receptive (not passive).

This work helps us get clear on what we want in life, how we want to live and serve, and what choices we’re willing to make to realize that reality. Yet we can relax the normal management and control functions that create stress around striving. We learn the art of reading and responding to life, so we can shape our path with ease.

For experienced coaches and facilitators, there is also the possibility to get trained and licensed to lead Regenerative Purpose Co-Lab circles yourself.

If this sparks something in you, you can read more and apply here.