Monday, June 1, 2009
It was such a treat last night to be at the Fame Route Party, featuring an open bar by Rose’s Cocktail Mojito, Marani vodka, Barefoot wine, and Stella Artois beer, produced by David Manning and the team of A-List Communications at Guys & Dolls in West Hollywood, and in particular to listen to the music styling of Mr. Eric Lewis, otherwise known as ELEW. For those of you that don’t know, ELEW is a rock jazz master pianist. And is he a master! Watching him work the piano keys, as well as tweaking the strings inside the piano frame, while projecting a high energy, fireball performance, you really have never seen anything like him. He takes songs previously written by other songwriters, retools them, and makes them all his own. He has already played for the likes of U2, President Barack Obama, and Quincy Jones. Get familiar with him now because in a few years he will be a household name.
As he related to me about his passion, I understood how he transforms himself for his performance. “I saw a soft spot in the industry. A lot of jazz players who were attempting to do rock were avoiding the physical element of it. I have deep seeded heavily embedded passion, fiery feelings and I have to get it off my chest. I churn and make the piano throb and the room throb.” Does he ever! He will be embarking on a European tour this summer and is working on his version of “Live to Tell” by Madonna and Coldplay’s “Life in Technicolor.” Where will he be in 5 years? Without hesitation, he declared”Rich!” I have no doubt about that. Please take a moment and watch Eric’s handiwork in the video below.
Fame Route co-owner Gil Peter, couldn’t have been more impressed with ELEW’s performance. “You hear Eric and your jaw drops. He is that good of a talent.” Thrilled about his own company that provides a luxury transportation service to members who want to fly private while sharing the experience with other members. And at $155-$5500 per ticket for a cross country flight, the price is quite comparable to that of first class service on a commercial airliner, but without the hassle of long security lines and large airport hassle. Plus you have the added bonus of networking with other members while you travel. Literally, business on the fly! Recently signing up 600 members in 55 days, this concept is gearing up rather than slowing down in this lousy economy. Who would Gil like to fly next? “The general public. Those are the people I care about.”
“Desperate Housewives” star, Fame Route member, and fellow Texan Ricardo Chavira and I had a good laugh commiserating over the lack of “real Tex-Mex food” in California. He was in attendance to support his buddy Gil Peter and to hear piano master ELEW. I can hardly wait for the next season of “Desperate Housewives” which promises to be intriguing. Look for new addition to Wisteria Lane, Ana Solis (played by Maiara Walsh), stirring the pot and acting up as a rambunctious teenager in the Solis household, sure to create drama and tension between her Uncle Carlos and Aunt Gabrielle. Ricardo isn’t taking the summer off, but rather filming the remake of “Piranha.”
After this lively party wrapped, the MTV post awards shindig officially began. Tom Arnold came in and assumed his position on one of the banquettes. Actors Jonathan Schaech, nominated for an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain in “Prom Night” but lost out to Heath Ledger for “The Dark Night,” and Nick Gonzales chatted with one another and then each individually worked the room. Singer Ryan Cabrera arrived with a posse that included Diana Ross’ daughter Chudney, fellow singer Jesse McCartney, and not 1 but 2 meat head bodyguards. Hmmm, maybe one of those burly boys was hired to protect his hair? You know how dangerous and threatening a bunch of 20 something hipsters, 30 something professionals, MTV Movie Awards attendees, various celebrities, and a sprinkling of WeHo locals can be. Fierce!
