Nifty Noodles/ The Treehouse
4/28/05 Riverside, CA
Finally after six months of organizing my new digs… setting up the warehouse for Red Road Product … I’ve furnished my new writing studio… dubbed the Treehouse.

It’s in the loft of the “west coast office”… a tiny little fort of sorts with my keyboards and wireless set up for computer… and my sound system and playback monitors sound great

Twenty feet off the ground so to speak…it’s classy with a hint of “rainforest café” in it’s décor hopefully it will suggest “inspiration”… yet to be seen but we’ve begun to get serious about writing for the new Debut project scheduled for next year.. with the NehoSoul Band…

we have eight finished songs so far and we’ll write and look at many more I’m sure… but right now the songs look good… some of the keeper titles are: Second Chances, Papa Ain’t Gonna Quit, If Only I, Chains and I’m Still Dancin…. We are considering re recording I Never lied To You and also looking at doing an outright “Love Song” called “Don’t Leave Me In The Dark”… penned my Bob Carlisle and myself.

Phil has written a piece of music for another artist that I really like and we’re hoping to “Re arrange” his idea enough to make a new song out of it… that starts with “I Love You So”

So far the songs are mostly about redemption and recovery and perseverance in the long haul… a fitting story I think in light of my recent life story…

Phil has begun work on “This Christmas” with a nehosoul approach for a Christmas record due out this year. Songs we’ve agreed on so far are: “Silent Night”,” This Christmas” (by me)

“Oh Holy Night”,” Walkin in a Winter Wonderland”, “Christmas Comes But Once a Year (by Charles Brown)

We’re also looking at This Christmas a version by Donnie Hathaway…”Christmas Time is Here”.. from the Charlie Brown Christmas movie (my favorite)

And a song by Michael McDonald called “Peace”. We’re in the early stages and there will be many changes I’m sure… but enthusiasm is growing and work has to get done…

So I’ll be in the Tree house for the next few months except to Waltz with Matilda and do concerts… and pay Bills!....

O.K. So there’s that…. Bryan Duncan

Nifty Noodles/ "Congraduation"
4/28/05 West Coast Office
Here’s one for the books… Elizabeth Korcz has made it through medical school using “Yes I Will” as her theme song. Here’s an application of my songs I never expected.

I received an email from her Husband who filled me in on her struggle to get into med school when she found my song from “The Last Time I Was Here”… It seems it took her a few tries to get accepted. One more reminder that failure is not permanent! And I might add… Music outlasts it’s immediate popularity.

I tend to see the first six months of a song as it’s “life time”… and then I need something new… but lookie here! This song has been out for several years and it was on a record that went down in history as one of my worst selling projects (to date) 8) .

Well I didn’t graduate from med school this week but I did pass my Motorcycle Safety Classes. I had the third highest score on the final course riding evaluation… that’s the good news… but I did get out ridden by two girls!!!! Still I feel confident that I can do all I know to keep Matilda shiny and on her wheels. And of course keep myself out of any physical rehab or that pine box everyone says I’m headed for!. Truth is I look good in a leather jacket and gloves and my cool chrome helmet and glasses. I look like the CHP in your rear view mirror and I’m hoping it keeps other people driving safe around me.

I’m looking for a summer concert schedule that might allow some Harley Davidson rental time… Anyone in Colorado, Utah, South Dakota, Or Pennsylvania in the fall should call in for the special concert deal. 8) the contract will require a HD dealer in the vicinity!

Yes I am Yes I Do and yes sir yes I will…. Bryan D congrats again to Elizabeth Korcz….

Nifty Noodles/ North Of San Diego Part 2
4/23/05 Oceanside, CA….
Maybe good things come in threes too like disasters on the news… just fifteen minutes away from Vista AG is New Venture church in Oceanside. They had an outdoor gig in the late afternoon in there own little “amphitheater”. I was stunned at sound check…this might well be the best sound system I’ve heard in my life! Outdoors is a hard testing ground for sound… you lose the bottom end outdoors cause it takes a lot to move the air.

This church has a wide range of ethic backgrounds “red and yellow black and white”… and it has a decidedly black gospel flavor to the worship but the church looks very high end contemporary like Saddleback or Harvest Christian Fellowship. Lester Abrams led the band and mini choir. He wrote the song “minute by minute” with Michael McDonald some years ago. And he put together one of the deepest Pocket bands I’ve heard since the Colorado Mass Choir. Drums and bass were tight and the funk was drippin… I think I could go to this church if it was closer to me. The senior pastor Sean Mitchel, is a young black man with the enthusiasm of five motivational speakers. He loves to just stop and pray in the middle of little conversations.

He introduced me as a “Surprising vocalist with all the power of Luther Vandross” quit a compliment. I came off more “spiritual” than I ever have been. Due, in part, simply because of the focus of the congregation here. “You were incredible” one woman said… “I just felt the electricity” she continued… “oh..That wasn’t me” I replied…’ I felt like I was just watchin the parade!!!”.

I didn’t do anything different than I ever do. In fact I had very little to say… I played a tight 50 minute set and let the songs do the singin…The enthusiasm was already here.. and the “presence” of God was like watchin the sun break through the clouds.. effortless! The high notes for me were also effortless… I hit everything… even the hard stuff.

I’ve been discounted over the years in “Pentecostal” environments… held in suspicion for my lack of enthusiasm and my cynical humor in the past and I think there was some trepidation in having me here even now as one pastor mentioned how long “they’ve been ‘tryin’ to get me here”. Upon leaving though there was talk of having me back already.

I was reasonably comfortable in my own skin.. I felt no need to be a “chameleon” as I have in some church settings. This marks a noticeable sense of healing from a long history of “spiritual abuse” that I am in recovery from.

O.K. So there’s That. Bryan Duncan

Nifty Noodles/ North Of San Diego Part 1
4/22/05 Vista CA
I thought nothing could be better than the Portland gig two weeks or so ago… but then came Vista California and a third anniversary for their Celebrate Recovery program. A warm sanctuary with great soft lights and a good sound system set a great tone for the event.

Maybe this was the most enthusiastic recovery program I’ve ever seen too. The leaders there were of a fine disposition. Vicky… opened the evening with some humor and photos…one of a cat face down in his food dish… asleep or passed out.. the picture was priceless but her commentary on her identification with it was above that. She also showed two other pictures that reminded her of where God found her. One was a dog with his nose stuck in a can he was drinking from… and the last was a picture of a severely overweight cat sitting upright propped against the wall , belly hangin out everywhere… pathetic but humorous… This program at Vista Assemblies of God was a shining example of hope for recovery. They celebrated the future successes of a life lived well without avoiding the truth about the failures.

Everything clicked for me too. All the songs were wonderful and the dialog stuff just rolled from a happy place. I even got a standing ovation in the middle of the show… for “I’ll always Have Jesus”. At the end it was like a wedding reception… complete with food and cake and ice cream. Of course the “overeaters anonymous” group have an extra meeting right about then.

Nifty Noodles/ Celebration of a Life Lived
4/18/05 Upland, CA
I played a couple of songs at the Mad Dog Pub yesterday. It was a meeting of the friends of Debbie Schlenz. Debbie was a long time fan of my songs and a 440 club member who died last Monday from an aneurism in the brain. She was at almost everything I did around Southern California, a familiar face and name as she wrote letters to me often as well. She was a member of the infamous “Red Hat Society”… a fellowship of women. I didn’t know her friends really but I wanted to pay my respects simply because we shared a faith in God and a disillusion with others.. and finally an acceptance of “This sinful world as it is”. I will miss her support from a distance and I’m always aware, in the death of an acquaintance, that the world is never the same place as we all pass through it.

Yesterday was a reminder to me… “For the Love Of God… Live” Live like it means everything today. Love those around you and attempt to support others regardless of the circumstances. I know Debbie will save me a place in Heaven in the balcony of the “Dis- illusioned” . She’ll be the one in the red hat!

Thanks for being here Debbie…. Bryan Duncan

Nifty Noodles/ Waltzing Matilda
4/16/05 Waltzing Matilda
I had this Saturday off. After GMA I needed the time to recover and Matilda is becoming the great stress relief. James Bowles, my personal friend and radiorehab webmaster joined me for my first day long motorcycle trip to the Idylwild wilderness. A perfect day in California and a slalom course up into the local mountains above the desert floor. Idylwild is hog heaven and we found ourselves in a parade of Harley Davidson’s all decked out. Matilda looks like the ugly step sister next to a lot of em.. but she sounds good and rides better than most I think. I’ve waited for 22 years for the honor of riding motorcycles…as I promised my wife not to buy until the boys were out of the house. I’ve endured at least fifty friends and acquaintances “you’ll kill yourself” comments in the last two weeks. My life insurance is paid up and the bike is insured now though and I start my California Motorcycle safety course this week and next. It’s five hours of classroom and two days of course riding and then… improve my conscious contact with God!

Sanity is growing on me and I’m wearing it well. I’m putting some good things down on the ledger of my life. The ugly list has been pretty long in the last few years and I have deserved a good depression. But I’ve only seen God’s grace because of the realities of hardship and for that I am grateful. I’m free of most of my old self righteousness as I have been “humbled” in every direction. My expectations are currently reasonable and I hold out hope for the surprises of God. One of em is the opportunity to get to know Matilda! There’s a lot of “quiet time” on a motorcycle and a long ride. No talking… and my mind is free to whirl in the wind. Matilda is a great worship leader! She’s inconspicuous and allows me to find my own relationship with God, myself and others. I’m gonna repaint her eventually and put a heart on the tank breaking through the cold metal with a ribbon on it that says “Redemption”!

O.K. so there’ s that…. Bryan D

Nifty Noodles/ Hell Week
4/14/05 Nashville TN
Just finished my week of Gospel Music Association Convention… what day is this? Runnin on maybe eight hours of sleep in the last three days. Misplaced my cell phone, lost my Flight schedule, and my watch at some point. The NehoSoul Band played five times in three days… two club dates: Café Milano and NV. We did one morning church service and a morning session for international distributors of Christian music product. Sold some 5000 units of Music City Live in one day after they heard the band. We only did one song too.

Picked up endorsements from Peavey equipment and Fender. Talked to keyboard companies about endorsements. Met hordes of other bands doing their thing. I didn’t see too many of the old guard this year. But I did run into Morton Strand from Norway who, after seeing the NehoSoul Band with me, plans to have us over to Europe next summer.

Best hang time with a band goes to “By The Tree”… they came to see us play twice. Best performance I saw was Phil Keaggy by himself! The Most interesting new artist at least to me was Fusebox. Best interview out of some twenty that I did was a three way tie… 700 club/ James Robinson ministries/ and Rockline Magazine. By now I’m so tired of talking though I’m gonna take a silent sabbatical for the next three days.

Lived on Coffee and McDonalds hamburgers mostly. Spent a lot of money on incidentals and rentals. I’ll need new shoes too after this I walked everywhere.

Still the most productive week I’ve ever spent at GMA… it’s short this week for “Get My Album”! 8)

OKsothere’sthat…. Bryan D

Nifty Noodles/ Powerhouse in Portland
4/8/05 Portland, OR
I was beginning to think that Oregon had seceded from the union. I haven’t played here in years. I always lost my voice here come to think of it maybe that’s why they never had me back… didn’t know I could sing. This time was the charm and one of the best concerts I’ve done all year. I played a full two hours to a full house. I hit all the high notes too right when everything is in bloom. The streets were covered in those little Cherry blossom pedals. It was beautiful weather and I left happy. I would have loved to have Matilda up here that’s all.

OKsotheres’ that… Bryan Duncan

Nifty Noodles/ Matilda
4/4/05 Rancho Cucamunga… Abundant Living Church
After the fiasco of two nights ago… this gig was a little piece of heaven. The sound was great. I had David Rowe mixing and he makes the vocal sparkle. And I fell in love with the music and the songs all over again. This church is a diverse mix of races but with the large contingency being black… everything just grooved. They clapped and danced and sang better than I did… of course I had the mic and the cool effects.

I was so happy to be alive, I almost went forward at the alter call they gave in the middle. I think they did the alter call and then the offering… I guess you wanna get as many new believers in before you take up an offering! 8) The gig was over by 8:30 and I met some friends for a birthday celebration cause I’m only thirty minutes from my west coast office. It’s absolutely great to do a gig and be home on the same night… it’s rare but really cool. I never lose contact with my friends.

I bought my first ever real motorcycle this weekend too. I went down to Temecula to “just look” at this bike and within 30 minutes I was writing a check. And so a new era begins. The 1956 Porsche Speedster is sold and I now am an official “biker”. Her name is Matilda! She’s a two year old 1100 V Star Classic. She’s all platinum and Chrome with all kinds of extras including modified pipes that just scream! Because as you might not know “loud pipes save lives”. I’m at an age where speed is not the important thing and I will do some cruising for the stress relief it brings. It’ll save gas too running around town. The sun is back for the first real time since Christmas so now I’m set. I’m ready for my own “Abundant Living”… it’s been a long time coming.

OK So There’s That. Bryan D

Matilda