azsamad's Xanga

Laundry Bar performance (Thurs, August 11 2011)

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 02:26:50 GMT

I had a gig at Laundry Bar last night and it was really fun. There were four acts with funky names (yes, I consider my name pretty funky too): Gabba Gabba!, Bassment Syndicate, Bihzhu and myself. I started off the show and played seven songs - a mix of old and new material. Setlist was:

Hit Me Up
Letter From Tahoe
Lagu Royalti Belum Datang (remix)
Rainbow Cotton Candy
Smells Like Teen Spirit (Az Samad covers Eric Roche's cover of the Nirvana classic)
Yin's Song (that segued into:)
The C Factor (remix)

Hit Me Up, Letter From Tahoe, Rainbow Cotton Candy and Yin's Song are tracks that are likely to be on my next CD, hopefully to be recorded later this year and released by end of this year/early next year. My fave amongst those is undeniably Letter From Tahoe. I played it two days before at the Hello on Two TV show (live on RTM2) and I play it a lot more than my other DADGAD songs of recent times.

Anyhow, it was a fun gig and t'was a blast watching the other bands play - awesome music from everyone and especially killer showmanship from Gabba Gabba!. I really think I should join or start some kind of indie or punk project so I can jump around the stage with an electric guitar. It's so much fun. I also should really start playing more electric again - I miss messing around with effects and noise.

Note to self: It's fun to blog again. Somehow tweets and status updates have a different feel altogether and typing out things like this still has an old world charm. Ha.

Cheers.
Love.
Peace.

Az Samad - New videos, CDs & tour dates & FREE Guitar Lesson+mp3s!

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 20:08:25 GMT

Hi!

It's been awhile since my last update - so here is a slew of goodies including lessons, videos, new music and more!

Audio/Video:

I just recorded a new video - a solo acoustic guitar track with my newly aquired Lowden that I bought from Thomas Leeb. Here's the video:

VIDEO: Az Samad - Letter from Tahoe

I am also currently in a new Jazz quartet project led by drummer Adam Everett, a frequent collaborator of mine since I met him almost three years ago at San Jose State University. We just recorded twelve songs under the moniker of The Adam Everett Quartet which includes the very talented Ben Flood on tenor sax and Fred Paclibon on bass.

Listen to a few of the tracks here:

AUDIO: The Adam Everett Quartet recordings

and watch a video from our debut performance at Caffe Trieste, San Jose here:

VIDEO: The Adam Everett Quartet - Black Nile (Wayne Shorter)

I'm also excited to be on Jazz-Funk band, Planet Loop's second album tentatively titled 'Cubed'. A full length track that I played on is available for download on their website:

AUDIO: Planet Loop (feat. Az Samad) - The New Three

Lessons:

I also recently started a new monthly FREE exclusive guitar lessons page in collaboration with William Jeffrey Jones Guitars. The first lesson includes the music/pdf and mp3 files. In the future, I'll be recording video segments for some lessons too!

William Jeffrey Jones Guitars - Guitar Lessons by Az Samad

Upcoming Performances:

I've been performing and recording a lot on electric guitar and to add to this is a Cumbia-Dub-Reggae gig with Oakland-based band Candelaria this Friday night. It's pretty exciting music and I'm glad to be able to perform with them. Also in the works is a California North Coast tour with classical guitar virtuoso Steve Lin slated in May. Will post updates as soon as we confirm concert dates.

Fri, March 25: Bay Vibes Presents at Rassela's Main Stage: Candelaria, San Francisco, CA (w/ Cumbia-Dub band Candelaria) 9pm-2am

Sat, April 2: KALX Live with Jazz-Blues band The Blue Fur Monkeys, 9pm-10:30pm

Wed, April 6: The Cannery at Del Monte Square, San Francisco, CA (Solo Guitar) 12noon-3:15pm

Fri, April 8: Private Event, Oakland, CA (w/ The Lychees - Jazz/Pop guitar-voice duo) 4pm-6pm

Wed, April 27: The Cannery at Del Monte Square, San Francisco, CA (Solo Guitar) 12noon-3:15pm

Sat, May 14: Theatre on San Pedro Square, San Jose, CA (SBGS Guitar Showcase concert w/ Yuri Liberzon and Steve Lin)

Sun, May 15: Local ZabFest, Cera Una Volta (w/ Tara Linda) 7pm-9pm

Sat, May 21: Rhytmix Cultural Works, Alameda, CA (w/ Tara Linda)

Thu, June 2: Contra Costa County Fair, Antioch, CA (w/ Latin Reggae-Rock band Renee Asteria)

Sat-Sun, June 4-5:Garberville Summer & Arts Festival (w/ Tara Linda)

Mon, June 27: Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (folk-rock singer-songwriter Reza Salleh featuring Az Samad, Liyana Fizi and Providence Brown)

Upcoming Releases:

I have about three new CDs (with a possible fourth maybe) coming out this year:

1. Tara Linda (Title TBA!) : I recorded with Tara and The Charles Hearn Band in South Texas which was a great experience. I love the material - all original music by Tara, Jazz-Blues inspired.

2. Planet Loop - Cubed : I will be on three tracks on the album, probably the noisiest electric guitar playing from me thus far! Haha...

3. Untitled third Solo Acoustic Guitar CD - currently in pre-pro, I'm recording demos and practicing the arrangements! This will be all composed material, probably more of an extension of Acoustic Gestures, my first CD, rather than my more improvised explorations in Emo Attack Turtle.

4. The Adam Everett Quartet (Untitled) - I don't know whether Adam will be releasing this collection of material but I do like the tracks and would love to share them with you.

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Thank you for reading and do write to me if you have any questions about any of this! Pretty exciting times....

Take care and till next time!

Best wishes,

New Az Samad Jazz Projects: Listen online!

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 04:43:52 GMT

Hi!

It's been awhile but I've been busy with a lot of gigs and musical collaborations. Here are some recent recordings from these projects:

The Adam Everett Quartet

This is a project by one of my friends drummer-composer Adam Everett. This group comprises of me on electric guitar, Ben Flood on tenor saxophone, Fred Paclibon on bass and Adam on drums. The music consists of rearranged jazz standards and originals that draw from jazz, funk, reggae and rock influences. We are currently in preparation for upcoming shows in the SF Bay Area.

Listen online here: Music by The Adam Everett Quartet

Planet Loop

A project by drummer Carrie Jahde and guitarist-bassist Michael Schaller that often includes a rotating third band member including myself! They are currently in the final stages of releasing their second album that will feature me on three tracks. One of the tracks that I played on is already on their website!

Listen here: Planet Loop Second Album Preview!

I'm on the track entitled 'The New Three'.

The Lychees

My guitar-vocal project with singer Teresa Tam! We recorded five songs as part of our online EP. You can listen to all the tracks and purchase the tracks on our website:

We are The Lychees: Jazz & Pop - Guitar & Voice Duo!

Enjoy and do leave a comment and share the links with your friends too!

Much love,

Emo Attack Turtle played on Midnight Guitar Journeys KUSF 90.3fm

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 16:24:39 GMT

I'm extremely excited to have a track off my new CD 'Emo Attack Turtle' played on Teja Gerken's Midnight Guitar Journeys radio show. It's a real honor to have my track played alongside music by Sungha Jung, Pierre Bensusan, Thomasz Gaworek, Steve Baughman, Bob Bonastre, Leo Kottke, Richard Smith, Laurence Juber, Guitar Republic, and Eric Skye!

Missed it? Listen online to the archived show. =)

Listen online here!

Az Samad @ Whole Foods Market Berkeley

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 02:50:02 GMT

Poster designed by Tetsuro Ichii!

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Az Samad - Solo Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar

Sunday, October 24 2010
11:30AM - 3:30PM

Whole Foods Market Berkeley
3000 Telegraph Ave
Berkeley, CA, 94705

www.azsamad.com

RSVP on Facebook here!

Updates galore!

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:05:17 GMT

Hello!

Lots of things have been in motion - so here's a cliff note version of new Az-related news:

1. New Awesome Website!

I now have a new website with up-to-date news on my upcoming shows, workshops and new releases. Check it out at www.azsamad.com

2. Upcoming Freight and Salvage Workshop on 10/10/10

I just confirmed that I will be teaching a workshop at the very cool and awesome Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, CA. If you're in the Bay Area and interested to study Percussive Fingerstyle Guitar with me - this is a great opportunity. Also, please do tell your friends who might be interested. You can register for the workshop online. =)

Here's the details:

Percussive Fingerstyle Guitar w/ Az Samad

Sunday, October 10, 5:00-6:30 pm
$25.00
Register online

Learn percussive fingerstyle guitar techniques used by guitarists such as Michael Hedges, Andy McKee, Eric Roche, Thomas Leeb, and Jon Gomm. We will start from the very basics, uncovering the different percussion sounds available on the instrument, play basic guitar drum grooves, and learn how different guitarists exploit these textures in their pieces. Combined with alternate tunings, harmonics and other cool guitar tricks, you'll learn how to incorporate these ideas in your own music, arrangements and performances.

*Guitar players of all levels are welcome!

http://www.thefreight.org/percussive-fingerstyle-guitar-az-samad

3. Concert and Tour Dates Galore!

I'm playing lots of shows, including a show with Reza Salleh next year (yes, next year in June 2011 - at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia). Full tour dates on my website: www.azsamad.com, some close upcoming shows here:

Sept 1: Morocco’s Restaurant, San Jose, CA
(w/ Steve Lin) 5pm

Sept 4: 5th Annual Women in the Redwoods Festival, La Honda, CA (w/ Tara Linda)

Sept 7: Concord University, Athens, WV
(solo guitar concert) 8pm

Sept 9-12: Culturefest World Music and Arts Festival 2010, Pipestem, WV
(solo guitar performances and workshop)

Sept 17: Ashkenaz, Berkeley, CA (w/ Tara Linda) and Vagabond Opera

Sept 25: Sonart Concert Series, San Bruno, CA (solo guitar and Duo Brasileira (w/special guests Rick Vandivier on guitar and Jason Lewis on drums)

Oct 6: Strings, Emeryville, CA (Player's Night - solo guitar w/ Teja Gerken, Doug Young, Marc Silber and Pete Madsen)

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Also, I just did two tour of Northern California, one with classical guitarist Steve Lin and another with singer-songwriter Tara Linda. Am planning to post photos from the tours sometime in the near future! For now, I am preparing for my upcoming shows in West Virginia next week! Super excited.

Will blog more soon!

Much love from Berkeley, CA,

Az Samad Upcoming Performances: August and Sept 2010

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 06:21:08 GMT

Upcoming Performances:

Aug 17: 95.9 fm “The Krush” hosted by bill bowker, santa rosa, CA (w/ tara linda) 3:00pm

Aug 22: 20th cotati accordion festival, cotati, CA (w/ tara Linda) 5:45pm

Aug 26: king tsin restaurant, Berkeley, CA
(w/ jazz mine) 6:30pm

Aug 28: starry plough, Berkeley, CA
(w/ tara Linda) pete anderson and kate burkart

AUG 29: downtown Berkeley Music Fest @ amanda’s restaurant, Berkeley, CA
(solo guitar) 6:00pm

Sept 1: morocco’s restaurant, san jose, CA
(w/ steve lin) 5pm

Sept 7: concord university, Athens, Wv
(solo guitar concert) 8pm

Sept 9-12: culturefest, pipestem, wv
(solo guitar performances and workshop)

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Az performs on:
William Jeffrey Jones ‘Proteus’ electric guitar (www.divine-jones.com)
Tony Yamamoto baritone acoustic guitar (www.yamamotoguitar.com)

Music: Az’s solo acoustic fingerstyle guitar albums Acoustic Gestures and Emo Attack Turtle are available on iTunes, Cdbaby.com and all major digital download websites. 500 numbered limited edition collectible “Emo Attack Turtle” CDs available at live shows.

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BIO/MUSIC/PRESS: www.sonicbids.com/azsamad VIDEOS: www.youtube.com/azsamad
For Bookings/lessons/workshops: talktoazsamad at yahoo dot com twitter/facebook: azsamad

NEW CD: Az Samad - "Emo Attack Turtle" is now out!

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:06:01 GMT

Hi!

My new CD entitled "Emo Attack Turtle" is now available on CDBaby.com! This is my first concept record featuring two solo guitar suites and an epilogue that brings together the two works. This album was recorded just over a month ago and now it's out in the world for you to enjoy! I had a lot of fun recording it - all the tracks are solo acoustic fingerstyle guitar improvisations and it definitely something different compared to my first album Acoustic Gestures. For now, the album is only available on the website for digital download sales. Please do check out the album, purchase a copy and tell your friends about it. Every sale will in turn fund my future recording projects of which I have a few lined up! =)

Thank you all and it's been way too long. LOL.

Best wishes,
Az

E    m    o         A    t    t    a    c    k         T    u    r    t    l    e
a    z        s    a    m    a    d

E    m    o         T    u    r    t    l    e         S    u    i    t    e
i) These are broken smiles (5:20)
ii) Hidden within summer's laugh (5:37)
iii) A disguised giggle (5:31)

A    t    t    a    c    k   T    u    r    t    l    e    S    u    i    t    e
i) Welcome (3:30)
ii) Battle Prep (2:28)
iii) Attack Mode (2:34)

E    p    i    l    o    g    u    e
Convergence (of the emo attack turtles) (4:45)

This is a concept album about the elusive emo attack turtle.

All tracks are solo acoustic fingerstyle guitar improvisations.
Recorded June 20, 2010 in Berkeley, CA.
Tuning: Standard Tuning EADGBE

(C)(P)2010 Az Samad
email: talktoazsamad at yahoo dot com

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Listen to audio clips and get your own Emo Attack Turtle here!

Two shows this week in San Francisco, CA and Sunnyvale, CA

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:35:23 GMT

Jul 28, 2010 Wednesday

7:00 PM

Bazaar Cafe

San Francisco, CA

Bazaar Café
5927 California Street
San Francisco, CA
(415) 831-5620

http://www.bazaarcafe.com/

Acoustic Guitar Showcase Teja Gerken with Steven Stein and Az Samad Bazaar Cafe, San Francisco, CA 5927 California Street (between 21st and 22nd Aves.)

Jul 30, 2010 Friday

9:00 PM

Senzala Restaurant

Sunnyvale, CA

Senzala Restaurant
250 E Java Dr, Sunnyvale, CA 9408

http://www.senzalarestaurant.com/

Brazilian Music Project 9pm-10:30pm Kiyoe Wakabayashi (voice) Jim Schnedier (Sax, Flute) Az Samad (Guitar) Jeff Hanson (Percussion)

News and Upcoming Az Samad Performances - mid July 2010

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 03:19:48 GMT

Hi!

I'm starting to get busy with performances again after recently graduating from San Jose State University (SJSU) with my MA in Music (Jazz Studies). Exciting times indeed! In fact, just this past weekend I had the opportunity to study with one of my musical heroes, fingerstyle icon Alex De Grassi for his Summer Guitar Workshop in the heart of the Santa Cruz mountains. I learned a lot, played guitar and made a lot of new friends.

I've also started work on a new solo guitar piece that I'm pretty excited about and have been sketching out some new solo jazz guitar repertoire as well. Some interesting projects are coming up including my first Northern California tour with classical guitarist extraordinaire Steve Lin in August! CD Release shows for Tara Linda's new CD Tortilla Western Serenade will also follow along with another performance at the Cotati Accordion Festival in mid-August.

Around April this year, I received my first official guitar endorsement via luthier William Jeffrey Jones. I am currently playing a Proteus semi-hollow electric guitar that you listen to me play here via a recording from my Graduate Recital at SJSU: http://williamjeffreyjonesguitars.com/Over_The_Rainbow_Getaran_Jiwa_Medley.mp3

More exciting performances are coming up but here are three that are up first:

1. John Rybak + Friends (w/Az Samad and Eli Harrison) LIVE AT Giordano Bros, San Francisco!

Saturday, July 17th 2010

Az Samad (8:30p - 9:15p),
Eli Harrison (9:15p - 10:15p),
John Rybak W/Perry Spinali (10:30p - 12a)

Giordano Bros.
303 Columbus @ Broadway
North Beach, San Francisco 94133

415.397.2767
FREE Show - no cover!
www.giordanobros.com

myspace invite:
http://tinyurl.com/2atf3q7
facebook invite:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=141804855831972

http://www.giordanobros.com/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/giordano-bros-san-francisco

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From John:

Hello friends!

Very excited to announce the great FREE night of music we have lined up for a special Saturday night show @ Giordano Bros. this Saturday July 17th 8:30PM in North Beach! Opening the night will be Berklee schooled Malaysian guitarist extrordinaire and educator Az Samad from 8:30p - 9:15p. Following at 9:15, we introduce a great new addition to The John Rybak + Friends family, singer/songwriter Eli Harrison. Then I will be headlining the night with longtime friend, collaborator and Fiddle accompanist Perry Spinali from 10:30PM - 12AM with all the favorite 1930's and old timey blues, improvised swing and american roots music with of course Perry on Fiddle, and yours truly on acoustic guitar, vocals + harmonica. Its a great deal, a free show of live improvised music at a very fun happening location, come try one of the delicious Pittsburgh/E.Coast style sandwiches w/choice selection of IPA or domestic beers. It all starts @ 8:30 + wraps up @ 12am so we'll see you then!

www.eliharrison.com
www.sonicbids.com/azsamad
www.youtube.com/azsamad
www.myspace.com/johnrybak

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About John Rybak:

my name is John + i am from Rochester, New York (about an hour's drive from Buffalo + 1 1/2 hrs from the Canadian border) where i spent the first 30 years of my life. Yes the crisp snowy freshness of the great white north.. except for that week in July when its 90+ degrees with a million percent humidity and all of New York loses power because suddenly everyone is running air conditioners + fans all at once! or that week in april when it goes from 50 degrees to 0 degrees in a day and everything turns into a chrystaline wonderland or if you're a news watcher "an ice storm". then of course it all melts in one day and there is mass flooding. it is a place of extremes that i come from. I am french canadian indian (french canadian/blackfoot native american), ukranian, german, and polish. i am a guitar instructor (12 years teaching - currently looking for students!! hint hint), genuine music lover and love to play guitar (21 yrs.), piano, hand drums, ashiko, djembe, tabla, congas, gu zheng, sitar, harmonica, sing, and dance to live music/dj's with the damn funky beats! i am very very proud of my cousins + their "largest music store in the world" house of guitars! hey, they're my family! my dad was even one of their insane commercials! i love building huge roaring bonfires meditating reading running contemplative deep thought and ultimately, creating/performing live music! after many years teaching guitar, leading my own "groove-rock/jamband" South Central opening for such prolific thought provoking acts as schleigho + gordon stone (who often guested on phish albums playing banjo or pedal steel). also playing major upstate ny music festivals like scottypalooza 7.0, soul flow 2 + 3, and the park ave festival. i decided to pack my entire life into my jeep and drive across the country out here to land's end, california. spent some time homeless + jobless until i moved in with a very kind generous elderly couple in san francisco + started work as a mover. eventually landed an optical technician job in a mall in Daly City by letting my fingers do the walking + selling myself over the telephone! continued pursuing the life's dream of being a successful musician playing solo in coffee shops + open jams + accompanying the very talented Derek Hayward. The glasses guy in the window in the little mall store job ended abruptly after about 11 months. now currently doing precision optical work for tinsley laboratories/nasa/ball aerospace - landed a much much better job January '05 grinding/polishing/cryo-testing beryllium mirror segments for the James Webb Space Telescope (the next hubble - www.jwst.nasa.gov). this is the best job i ever had + quite possibly the biggest challenge i've ever faced. guess that is quite often a package deal.. when the mirror segments are complete the telescope will be sent 1.7 million miles away and we will be able to see further into space than ever before (the equivalent of "almost back to the big bang").

http://www.myspace.com/johnrybak

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About Eli Harrison:

photo credit: Jesse Hayes

zodiac: gemini
colors: green, gold, rust
home: norcal (sfbayarea)
tools: voice, guitar, bass, keys, percussion

San Francisco State University - SF, CA: currently
Music to My Ears - Cotati, CA: 2008
Berklee College of Music - Boston: 2004-2007

pro: sincerity, community
con: high-frequency noise

http://www.eliharrison.com/

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About Az:

Currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area, guitarist-composer Az Samad's music has taken him to festivals and venues in the United States, Austria, United Kingdom, Singapore, and Malaysia. Az has performed/recorded with Grammy winners Flaco Jimanez and Max Baca; singer-songwriter Tara Linda; guitarists Matthew Montfort, John Stowell, Stuart Ryan, Teja Gerken, Rick Vandivier, and Hristo Vitchev; world music ensemble Bogofusion; electronic jazz-funk group Planet Loop; and string jazz ensemble JazzMine.

As an educator, Az has been on faculty for Berklee College of Music's Summer Guitar Sessions since 2007 and has also taught at San Jose State University. In addition to his musical outreach work at SF Bay Area schools with Sonart Group, Az has taught workshops at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT; Culturefest in Pipestem, WV; International College of Music, and Malaysian Institute of Art in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He received his MA in Music (Jazz Studies) from San Jose State University, and BM degrees from Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA, and University of Westminster, United Kingdom.

http://www.sonicbids.com/azsamad
http://www.youtube.com/azsamad

2. Poetry reading by Eileen Malone to launch her new book, I Should Have Given Them Water

(with special guest Az Samad on acoustic guitar accompanying the poetry!)

"I Should Have Given Them Water" book event, Sunday, July 18th!

Florey's Books invites you to meet local poet Eileen Malone as she signs and reads from her new book "I Should Have Given Them Water".

***Sunday, July 18th, 2-4 pm***

About the book: 'I Should Have Given Them Water' is a challenging new collection of poetry by poet Eileen Malone. With an unflinching generosity of lush imagery, Malone turns nouns into verbs and verbs into nouns with carefully honed incongruity. She navigates the abstract, messy, expressionistic and humanistic, while maintaining tough, straight forward intensity. These poems are packed with powerful, penetrating struggles by a well-seasoned Feminist (mental health activist), feminine (wife, mother, daughter) poet with an amazing capability for risking, loving, and suspecting her world, all at the same time.

About the author: Eileen Malone lives in Broadmoor Village. Over five hundred of her poems have been published in literary journals and anthologies, many earning awards and citations and recently two nominated for Pushcart prizes. Her book on Writer’s Groups was published by Wiley and her award winning chapbook Letters with Taloned Claws was published by Poet’s Corner Press. She founded and directs the Soul-Making Literary Competition; is a voting member for the Northern California Book Reviewers Association; a branch officer for the National League of American Pen Women; an activist for the National Alliance on Mental Illness; and serves on the Advisory Committee for Caminar (support services for people with disabilities). She also hosts/produces a television interview show on creativity, now streaming on the internet.

Come join us!
***Sunday, July 18th, 2-4pm***
Florey's Book Co.
2120 Palmetto Ave.
Pacifica, CA 94044
(650)355-8811
http://www.myspace.com/floreysbooks
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pacifica-CA/Floreys-Book-Co/141885967885

http://floreysbooks.blogspot.com/

3. Andrew DiRuzza & Az Samad Guitar Duo at Morocco's Moroccon Restaurant, San Jose, CA

Tuesday, July 20, 2010
7:00pm - 9:30pm

Morocco's Restaurant
86 North Market Street
San Jose, CA

Dinner Reservations: (408) 998-1509
http://www.moroccosrestaurant.com/

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About Andrew:

Originally created by his parents in 1978, Andrew DiRuzza began to grow, eat solid food, get into life's little dramas, play guitar, etc. He enjoys long walks on the beach, relaxing with a magazine and a cup of hot cocoa, dog shows, model airplane building, fondu sets, and laughing with friends over a game like charades or pictionary or getting a good laugh out of looking in the mirror. You can usually find Andrew in most of the local pawn shops and check cashing places, online at most of the dating sites, walking around town usually accompanied by a shopping cart full of junk, and in the woods in the middle of the night chanting verses from the cult he's currently in.

http://www.myspace.com/andrewdiruzza

About Az:

Hope to see you there!

Best wishes,

Az
www.sonicbids.com/azsamad
www.youtube.com/azsamad
www.achordaday.com