The Musashi Trio: Kens B day and Chop Bar Pig Roast review

The weather was perfect. The location was great. An amazing crowd showed up right on time and filled the Linden Street Brewery grounds. Chris from the Chop Bar knows about party planning. Ken, our bassist knows everybody. Add 4 roasted pigs, beer, wine and live music and it's a REAL LIVE party.

We started our first set at 5pm and some where in there we all sang Happy Birthday to Ken. The crowd was in a festive mood. Parents who brought their children were seen milling around the giant Bounce House. Kids hopping and bopping inside. At some point during our first set break, it started deflating. I don't know why, but all kids were removed from the Bounce House safely thank goodness. Someone must have unplugged it. Or maybe it was done intentionally. I don't really know. Luckily The Oakland Soft-Rock Choir was on stage doing their thing entertaining the masses.

Our second set included all songs form upcoming album "Sideways" and it turned out to be a crowd pleaser. You can always tell by how many people start pulling out their camera and video phones. It makes the band feel appreciated and even more juiced to perform. And everybody got in to it, man. And the women. (pause) Oh bless the women that come see us play. The fine assortment of women dancing was an amazing show in itself. I saw a couple of dudes snappin pics of just them. Don't blame them either. Good times. The sun started setting and I could feel its warmth like a spotlight in the sky as if to say, you have just torn the roof off the suckah. It was good times, I tell ya...

And we can't wait to do it again...soon!

Thank you everybody!

Yours truly

The Musashi Trio

Stay Strong J Lo

Music heals hearts. And the problem is that they have to break first. So while all the news and media are antagonizing her affairs like little children, I wanna send out a message of hope, strength and determination.
 This is from my little hat of demo'd tunes. And I'm sure the band will back me on this one when it is time record the next album...

Here's to you Jennifer Lopez...and all the folks who need a little reminder during hard times.

Give it up To Get It Back by

Your truly
Musashi Lethridge of
The Musashi Trio

Where Do The Musashi Trio Songs Come From?

I, Musashi Lethridge, am the sole song writer for The Musashi Trio. There are many ways to write a song and no artist has the same method. We know this.

  Some songs have been written in the after math of an argument or break up. Some in the moments of pure bliss and happiness. Or even upon request. I have heard Jack Black say that he waits for "Insperatu" to write songs for Tenacious D. And those dudes are awesome! We all know that.

 There is no "one way" to write a song, is what I'm saying. In fact, I have used all of the above mentioned techniques and methods. Many times. And I am always thankful for the song, subsequently. No matter what the process was. No matter what.

 The amazing part of song writing, to me, is the moment before a song is written. Because it doesn't exist anywhere in the scope of reality...yet. What was the world like before Jimi Hendrix wrote "Purple Haze?" There are some people who remember, I am sure. But who has the time to think about that?  Or what was the world like before Prince decorated this planet with melodies, grooves, hooks and rhythms for all to covet. Or before Earth Wind and Fire sang us that reminder of September?

When I think about songwriting, it's as if there is an invisible song tree somewhere in our minds and it grows just as we do. It produces and replenishes just as we do. And it sits at the end of some unknown journey that you must always take to get there. Sometimes that journey takes a long time. But once you find it, you become familiar with its whereabouts. And the more you visit, the easier it is to travel back to it. Again and again and again. Sometimes in the blink of an instant. I have worn a deep groove in this path and know exactly where this tree sits in my mind. And as a result, all things come to fruition in light of this beautiful wonderful tree. And no I'm not talkin' about weed. That's the beautiful wonderful PLANT. The song tree is simply my long winded analogy and metaphor to describe my method and theory for songwriting. And where the songs come from.

 But we will never have just one answer. We know this. I am just thankful the songs keep coming. I have so many now. In fact, I started using digital storage places to keep them all. Here a few that I have recorded and placed on a Reverbnation website. Most of these are future Musashi Trio songs. If you have any opinions to share, please let us know which songs you would like us to play first. And we will gladly oblige your request from this queue.

Be well in the world. Fill your soul with music.
And we hope to see you at the next gig...

The Musashi Trio

What Music Means To The Musashi Trio

When the show starts I feel the crowds anticipation in my heart. I think about all the worlds problems and issues and the endless questions that people have. I wonder for a moment if music is indeed the one true remedy for all of this. Then I begin to feel it all surge through my fingertips. And into my voice that I am allowed vent my ideas with. The many hours spent brooding, pining and searching for all and any answers that people can accept in one continuous moment of music. Yes. The music. And in this particular case, my music.

Our music. A true sword in a victimless battle of musicianship where everyone wins. And we The Musashi Trio are on stage in the heart of it. I look to my left and see The Rev. Ken Roussell with bass in hand. He looks up and acknowledges me with a subtle nod of his head.




We both feel the steady rhythm of the kick drum as we begin to play. Jim Richards lays down the beat as solid and fluid as the ocean waves pounding a beach. Yet the song is like a ship that carries us out and beyond, relying on the timing of each surge. The rhythm is so essential. It is the line between utter chaos and comprehension of sound. Without the rhythm, the music would be a cluster of melodies, scattered in the wind. It would be as empty as a movie with no music or soundtrack. Void of depth. Linear and flat.

And as we play into the night, each song is a journey. A spiritual trip in and out of the moment. An escape from the woes of reality. A temporary relief from the daily stress of life itself. We mean to take each and everyone in the room with us out and back again until the show is over. Sometimes I finish a song and I feel my spirit floating back down to the stage the way a leaf floats from limb to earth. 

And at the end of the night I am satisfied. Everything makes sense to me when I have made people enjoy music. There is no amount of fame that will ever be worth more than just that. Making people happy with music has been a long tradition in all cultures since the dawn of time. If you have time to think about it, all culture relies so heavily on its music, that when ever it become a lesser priority to money...society begins to decline. It may not collapse, but it starts to slide away from its root. And that is why I feel it so necessary to do what I do. We are part of large organization of souls who continue to provide music for the masses. It's 2012 and we have just begun here in America. And because there is such a world wide connection of people on line, there seems to be no limit in the direction music travels and speaks. Always to our hearts when in need. To our minds when in doubt. And forever in our souls... is the music. And we, The Musashi Trio are going to play our part.

See ya at the next show and be well until then.

The Musashi Trio

Photography: Amelia Kennedy

Artwork: Les Toil

Musashi Trio Mp3s

CD cover Art by Les Toil

We have Mp3s available for listening here at our MYSPACE SITE

And if you like what you hear, you can buy them here at our Reverbnation STORE


Domo Arigato!