Sometimes we need a blessing…

Today was pretty “dead” in the subway when I was playing at the Times Square station. A drummer who came to say ‘hi’ to me said it was “dead” at his spot by the Grand Central Shuttle, too. “Mondays are slow”, we agreed. I was contemplating leaving early, but thought I’d hold on for a…

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Spirituality in the NYC Subway

At one moment when I busked at the Times Square subway I intended to stop my play-list and go back to the beginning. But before I was able to do so, ‘Moon River’ started to play, and I found myself playing it. I was thinking to myself: “why am I playing this song now? I…

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Off the Streets

When I got to the Times Square subway station, a sanitation worker rode the elevator up from the platform with me. He greeted me with a cheerful ‘Hello’. He asked where I’ll be playing today and said he’ll come by to hear me because he always enjoys listening to me play. Buskers were asked by…

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Cops Photographing Buskers

I held the elevator doors at the Times Square subway station for a slow walking oriental gentleman. He said to me: “you play the musical saw”. Saw Lady: “You’ve seen me?” Gentleman: “Yes. I play violin”. The elevator doors opened and we said our goodbyes. I sat up at the Music Under New York busking…

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She Has Three Cell Phones

Getting up the four flights of stairs to the subway platform was hard for me today because I am recovering from having strained a muscle in my back. I was hoping somebody would offer to help me bring my busking gear up the stairs, but everybody just walked on past me 🙁 While on the…

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Worst Busking Day

When I arrived at the Music Under New York busking spot at the Times Square subway station, Agua Clara, the Andean band, were playing at the spot, with Graywolf selling CDs for them. “I’m inside now”, Graywolf told me. Graywolf has been homeless for some time now. He’s staying at 115th street and soon will…

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Adventures of a Homeless Lady

The Chinese dulcimer player was playing on the platform when I arrived at the Music Under New York busking spot at Times Square. Rich, who is a photographer trying to get a job as one, told me he was told by a newspaper that in order to be hired as a photographer he also needs…

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A Little Mermaid

Walking towards my busking spot at Times Square, I ran into Erubay, an Andean busker who told me that there will be a memorial concert at the Grand Central Station for Arturo, the Andean busker who died recently. I was on my way to the Music Under New York spot by the mosaics, while Erubay…

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Hypnotizing Victims

While waiting for the train on my way to my busking spot of the day, a lady told me she saw me at Times Square. “I heard this strange sound and I said to myself – this sounds like a musical saw”, she said. I told her Times Square is where I am heading to…

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Buskers Overflow

On my way to busking at Times Square, through the open doors of the train at 59th street I could see and hear the older Chinese guy playing a hammer dulcimer. Luke Ryan, the singer-songwriter who plays guitar, was at the Music Under New York spot by the big mosaics. Juan Castillo passed by, carrying…

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