Kiku Collins: New Blog

APAP was a blast this year. I got to play 2 shows with Al Chez and the Brothers of Funk. Yep. They let a Sister in! Love those guys - amazing chops and, even more importantly, amazing personalities. I play in a LOT of situations, and for a band to have that much talent, you might run into issues of ego wars and weirdness. Not here. I've done a few gigs with them now and am looking forward to many more! If you have my album "Red Light", you'll hear Al on track one - Blue Patrol. He's a God. Yep. I said it. Anyway, I am really enjoying my choices of always enjoying work. I love surrounding myself with good vibes and great music.

Speaking of good vibes and great music, I also played for an amazing dance piece, BEGINNING OF SOMETHING by RoseAnn Spradlin. We did a run of it in the fall, and it was just as interesting and magical and soul searching. I hope it will run again and again! Nothing says Modern Dance like playing some good old Burt Bacharach. http://www.newyorklivearts.org/blog/?tag=roseanne-spradlin
So, [...]

Here we are. What are you going to do with your brand new calendar?

I'm thrilled to be alive. True story.

Quite a few battles ahead, a lot of exciting situations brewing, the love of my little family, my friends...

I do know that I want to live the best quality life that I can. What does that mean? It's different for everyone. Sometimes life throws you a curveball, just to get you to look at what you have, what you need, what you enjoy, and you get to re-evaluate life. My good friend Debbie likes to say, "How do YOU measure success?" And I agree with her answer, but yours might be different. People's jaws drop from time to time when I let them know of some professional and personal decisions. Because they measure success differently than I do. And that's cool. Just know your truth.

Enjoy your success the best way you can. Wake up with a smile, go to sleep with a smile, and in between? I suggest a smile.

Sometimes life throws us some real crap - but that doesn't mean we need to lay [...]

From now until ???, I'll be donating 50% of cd sales (directly from my website) to benefit the Dooley Family. Please paypal $15 per cd to kiku@kikucollins.com and specify which cd you'd like (Here with Me or Red Light). I'll pay shipping! You can read more about Ana, a wonderful young girl who is fighting cancer, here: www.anadooley.com . Thanks in advance. Please pass this message along so we can help this amazing family out during such a hard time.

It's been a while, or a minute as some would say... I never got that, because it's been a whole pile of minutes, really.

I can't believe it's the middle of November! What happened??? We're gearing up for our annual Thanksgiving Misfits party. A few days after Thanksgiving, we do it all over again. Turkey, stuffing, the works. Why? Not everyone has a family. Some have and don't enjoy them. It's nice to choose who you can share a meal, stories, laughter and hugs with. I feel fortunate to finally have a wonderful family to share my life with, every day. Not everyone has that. So, we spend a day having fun and getting fat! Even though our food is all organic and what not. At least it's healthy fat!

Amazing to think that the holidays are around the corner. I've been busy online shopping, thrilled to not have to leave home and endure the shops with the holiday muzak blaring, the sales people with jingle bells on who clearly want to go live in a secluded cave in the mountains rather than [...]

After 2 hours of sleep last night (one at the hotel after getting back from after-parties before my lobby call and one on the train ride home) I've had an action packed day. But let's talk about The Kennedy Center.

Ellen DeGeneres. Winner of the 2012 Mark Twain Prize. Well deserved. Comedic Rock Star.
Show guests: KRISTIN CHENOWETH, STEVE HARVEY, SEAN HAYES, JIMMY KIMMELL, JOHN KRANSINSKI, JOHN LEGUIZAMO, JANE LYNCH, JASON MRAZ, LILY TOMLIN AND LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III.

Holy Crap. I was on stage with not only the Royalty of Comedy, but also a kick butt band: Crispin Cioe, Leon Pendarvis, Ian Hendrickson-Smith, Susan Didrichsen, Brent Carter, Shawn Pelton, Binky Griptite, Hagar Ben-Ari, Tuffus Zimbabwe and one of my regular section mates, Elizabeth Dotson-Westphalen.

Damn. Pinch me. Or not...

Airs next Tuesday, Oct 30 on PBS. Funny, funny bits, speeches, musical numbers. And tonight, I look back on the past few weeks - taping 2 big tv shows (don't forget Black Girls Rock is on BET November [...]