Harry and Gus get psyched for Santa

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Mexidelphia

Once again in Mexico with 98.1 WOGL's Breakfast Club, watching the World Series in Spanish and enjoying the local color and a little Mezcal. Making several videos for WOGL, but the finest yet has to be this mastercard priceless spoof:

McNabb

Had the pleasure of working with Donovan McNabb on a Vitamin Water spot last week. The finished spot is Rovion that will air soon at 94wysp.com. Cool stuff! Too bad about Da Bears...

70,000 screaming Eagles fans

Here's a pic of our latest work, shown on the Jumbotron at Lincoln Financial Field during last Sunday's sold-out Eagles home game with the Rams. Which also happened to be a total blow out.



And here's the video itself:

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Jazz News

I have been honored to be on the advisory board of Jazz Bridge for the past 6 months, and we have finally established their youtube non-profit channel. Here is a clip from a recent benefit:

Jazz Bridge is currently embroiled in Charlie Rice's legal battle. and is asking for the financial support of jazz fans everywhere to help clear his name. The legal fees to defend the 88 year-old jazz legend are estimated to sail into 6 figures. Click here to contribute.

And my newest board appointment is to the Philadelphia Jazz Heritage Project, spawned by University of the Arts professors Vic Shermer, Rick Lawn and Don Glanden. The goal is to compile an archive of all past and present Philly-area jazz legends, so the continued video documentation of the local jazz scene is assured.

Kids Jog to help the Homeless

This heartwarmer is our latest production for Need in Deed, a Philadelphia non-profit that trains teachers how to integrate service learning in their classrooms. The Bache-Martin 4th Graders chose homelessness as their number one social issue and staged a Jogathon to raise money for the homeless, partnering with Back on my Feet, a group that inspires the homeless through running.

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West Oak Lane

The 5th Annual West Oak Lane Jazz and Arts festival this year was a jamming good time, with over 450,000 people this year over three days. This year's headliners included Benny Golson, Kevin Eubanks, and Mandrill, who I first met a year ago courtesy of WRTI's J. Michael Harrison, who not incidentally is part of the internet's finest new radio station. Mandrill rolls with a deep posse, and they and the Wilson Brothers are a warm and generous bunch to work with. Slife Productions is honored to have been invited into their circle for a few bright moments. More moments from the festival in weeks to come, including Barbara Lester with Philly Legends Sam Dockery and Butch Ballard, Ashford and Simpson, Kevin Eubanks and Rented Mule.

Good clean fun

Slife Productions has been fortunate to continue producing video clips for CBS Radio affiliates 98.1 WOGL and now WIP has joined on as a client. 610 WIP is one of the most popular sports radio stations in the country, and puts on "Wingbowl" every winter - a competitive eating event with lots of wings and barely dressed ladies. This latest clip features the world's largest bubblebath inside Steven Singer's jewelery store, a contest featuring barely dressed ladies diving into a huge pile of bubbles to win diamonds, a boob job and/or a Harley, not to mention guys getting engaged in speedos. And for Father's Day, WOGL puts on the annual Muscle Car Show, a great fundraiser for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia with tons of cool cars, thousands of families, and local celebrities.
Bubblebath:

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Muscle Car Show:

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Spring '08

Harry and Gus are growing up fast, getting along most of the time. See some antics and high-def spring in the Morris Arboretum, set to the latest Fonksquish tune, a cover of Team Facelift's Dippin' Chicken, produced by Slife Productions and featuring Grant MacAvoy, Micheal Cain, and Matt Davis with Fife on bass.

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Bienvenidos al Playa del Carmen

Slife Productions is in Playa del Carmen Mexico this week, producing a series of web videos for CBS Radio's 98.1 WOGL. Hanging with "The Breakfast Club," chowing and getting tan at the all-inclusive Sandos Caracol. I'll be on the radio with Ross Brittain, Valerie Sestito and Frank Lewis the morning of April 8. Here I am working hard with Val:


And here is a brief video clip from our first morning in Mexico:


Many more fun clips to follow at http://www.youtube.com/woglphilly and at http://www.wogl.com
Sign up to be a member of the Listener Club and listen to win a trip to the Caribbean! Many thanks to Cindy for the hookup and look for another trip to Mexico in October...

Northwest Philly TV

Slife Productions launches Northwest Philly TV (http://northwestphilly.blip.tv and http://youtube.com/nwphltv) – online video sites featuring the latest news, lifestyle, events, arts, culture, education and recreation in Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy, Germantown, East Falls, Roxborough and Manayunk. Here's the latest episode on THE story in the region, the big dig on Germantown Avenue:

The Campaign song

Our pals the Philadelphia Blues Messengers have put together the ultimate campaign song this presidential election year, and here is a glimpse LIVE ahead of their new CD:

Sofia Negron shot my family!

Sofia Negron Photography: Holiday Family Portraits...still time
and she did a great job!

Gus, Jazz Bridge, Hot Club

Little Gus is still laboring to get healthy, not quite there yet but seems better. While Harry adores his little bro, it's probably wise to encourage your toddler not to drool on your infant...

I have been asked to join the advisory board of Jazz Bridge and they have been accepted into the youtube non-profit program, which I will be helping them spearhead. My first meeting is Jan. 19, when I will be "voted in" or not! Advisory board members are then in line for board appointments should anyone leave. Current board is comprised of a who's who of jazz in Philly, including Mike Boone, Kevin Eubanks and Bob Perkins. This should be fun, but more volunteer work...such is the nature of jazz I suppose.

Heading to catch the Hot Club of Philly and John Jorgenson show at World Cafe tonight, thanks to a personal invitation from MC Art Howe. Should be a good networking opportunity with some great gypsy jazz.

Ill baby

And I don't mean ill in the beastie boys sense. Little Gus managed to get bronchitis in his micro lungs, and undoubtedly with help from his big bro has contracted dual cochlear infections. Pretty serious roster of disease for a 6 week old infant. We took him into the pede's office on new year's eve morn, and they promptly steered Daph and Gus to the ER at Abington Memorial. He was admitted and was all tubed up with oxygen and ampicillin by 2pm. Baby Gus was a fussy nightmare, draped and taped up with cords, tubes, and IVs, but thankfully RSV negative. He was up all night and screaming, and Daph was about to lose it when she found out they had laced his O2 with ephedrine, I guess S.O.P. for kids with breathing problems, so he was jacked up and truly unable to sleep. They were thinking he may have developed pneumonia but released him today with the diagnosis of bronchitis and a scrip for antibiotics. He is home now, smily and relaxed now that he is free from his chains, sleeping soundly in my arms as I write this. Scary stuff, we will be closely monitoring him.

Harry was great the last two days while Gus and Mom were cooped up, and though he wanted to visit them, we wisely kept him away. New year's eve he was in the capable hands of our gracious neighbors Mike and Allison, and they said he was a true gentleman and the life of the party when I went to pick him up at a little family-friendly soiree down the street just before his bedtime.