2024 wrap up

Salut Les Amis! Been a minute since I last sent out a newsletter. After finishing up all the live gigs for the season, I was on a much needed breather from the continuous hustle of creation in all its forms. Excited to get back into this writing habit as I have missed this so much!

Here are 10 thing worth sharing this week!

• After wrapping up my last show at Nostalgia, Fishtown, the 2024 tour for Ameyaxoxo Live has concluded. In total, I had the opportunity to play 7 live gigs with different artists. This meant that I ended up playing 6 more than I had planned at the beginning of the year! Thank you to all of you for supporting my journey throughout. There is so much more to come and I cannot wait to share updates as we go!

• The India Tour begins early in January. Show dates, tickets and RSVPs are all available on my website. (www.ameyaxoxo.com). All of these shows are free to attend so make sure you RSVP as spots are limited!

• Since rehersals for the shows have ended, I have pivoted my practice regimen to a few basic theory elements to improve several technical aspects of my guitar playing. Here is a list of resources I am currently reading through. (Guitar Theory and Learnings )

• I have also been reading Story by Robert McKee which is a comprehensive guide to mastering screenwriting, emphasizing story structure, character development, and narrative techniques for creating compelling, emotionally engaging scripts.

• Lately, the idea of "being local" feels more important than ever—craving real, meaningful connections. I’m thrilled to finally get the opportunity to watch some of Philly’s finest local jazz musicians, sharing creativity and passion with neighbors who love jazz as deeply as I do. 🎶 Here are some of my favorites and links to their works.

  • Daniel Spearman

  • Elijah Cole

  • Atomic Fizz

• For the past 4 months, I have recorded my thoughts after each practice session and shared my thoughts and experiences about how as a musician working with a variety of artists, my focal points of practice have kept changing. An in depth version can be found here.

• I finally finished editing the footage from our recording session at Oxford Recording Studios, Philadelphia. The full version of the songs and its playthroughs are now available for streaming.

• My favorite work along playlist -

• RIP jazz giant Roy Haynes, who drummed with John Coltrane, Lester Young, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, and so many more. “The human manifestation of whatever it is that the word ‘hip’ was supposed to mean” died at 99. “Do drummers live longer?” asks Ted Gioia. If they do, maybe it’s because they keep playing…

• A quote from James Clear, author of Atomic Habits that I read every day!

  "The more an idea is tied to your identity, the more you will ignore evidence it is false. People seem to have no trouble finding reasons to ignore the merits of ideas they dislike.

  To continue to grow and learn, you must be willing to update, expand, and edit your identity. In many ways, growth is unlearning."

• An album that has been on repeat since I found out about it.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter is an ad free, AI free, anti-algorithm oriented piece of my writing where I will continue share all my thoughts and experiences in my creative journey!

-xoxo

Ameya

For tour dates, gigs, and other inquiries, please visit www.ameyaxoxo.com.