My admiration for Dr. Oliver Sacks is no secret. He was just on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart last night talking about the effects of music on the brain. I am thrilled that he was discussing this on mainstream TV as more people watch The Daily Show than have read his excellent book, Musicophilia. [...]

Music must be one of the most powerful forces of nostalgia!
Yesterday, I had a lot of fun dancing to the gypsy music of Goran Bregović, a Sarajevo-born musician and composer. He has collaborated with Iggy Pop and Cesaria Evora and created the soundtracks for Emir Kusturica’s films (Time of the Gypsies, Arizona Dream, Underground).
While listening [...]

There’s proof that music leads to learning!
Last week, I was helping my friend David Mathison at his booth at Book Expo America. David was selling his book, Be the Media, a guidebook for authors, musicians, film makers, radio hosts and other creative people to create their own media companies. David’s aim is for people to [...]

(I gave this speech in Doha, Qatar last month at the Doha International Book Fair while on a panel about interactions between US and Arab cultures. The US was the country of honor at the fair.)
Thank you to His Excellency Ahmed AL KUWARI and to the Director of the National Library Mr. Abdullah ANSARI for [...]

Yesterday evening, I gave a presentation at the “University of San Francisco Center for Global Education (www.usfca.edu/acadserv/academic/services/abroad/index.html) about my books, Travel Happy, Budget Low (www.kaleidomundi.com/travel-happy-budget-low) and Language is Music: (www.kaleidomundi.com/language-is-music).
After spending months writing the books, working with the graphic designer to get them printed and strategizing on marketing, it was invigorating to make my [...]