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After paying for and abandoning one cab for the #6 train downtown only to jump into another cab to walk in on the middle of the first song, I had finally arrived at the Sidewalk Caf in New York City's famous and tres artsy lower East side on June 7th, 2007 for an 8pm performance by Dan Manjovi. Every effort I had made to get there was rewarded in a night of music by an artist who is as comfortable playing solo as with his band, and flips easily from playing guitar to piano.

Dan started his packed house show at the Sidewalk Caf with his first song Everybody's Got An Agenda. This was a strong opening as he demonstrated his accomplished ability on guitar as well as his powerful, vocal production. His next song, Forgotten How To Dream was a sad lamentation of a person who has temporarily lost his way and ability to create a sense of hope in his dreams of better days ahead. By the end of this song, I had a sense that Dan may have been a bit inspired by the Eagles while growing up as he specifically had a Don Henley style to his guitar and vocal work. Let's face it. Don Henley is not a bad master to be inspired by.

Heading into the third song of the 11 song set, Dan changed instruments and showed his rather fluid, second natured ability on the 88's. I have to say right off I was impressed with Dan's piano ability because it surpassed just standard piano accompaniment by digging deep into the roots of jazz, blues, and rock arrangements and chord structures. The first out of the gate on piano was his jazz infused song Stay which had a very uplifting, positive, feel about it in its love based lyric. This song brought to mind another master and likely childhood influence, the Piano Man himself, Billy Joel. Dan's next song, Sunday, was a true romantics song about all the things lovers do on a lazy NYC Sunday morning like staying in bed late, snuggling and such sans any pj's, the leisure stroll through Central Park and taking in a bit of shopping at Saks. This rollicking, playful and somewhat teasing tune offered the audience an opportunity to play out on the movie screen of their minds who they would spend their Sunday with. For a songwriter to accomplish such a journey the entire length of a song is quite a feat. Is Anybody Watching was a polite song about the obvious and often careless obsession we in America seem to have with pop culture coupled with acquiring the latest, the greatest, and the biggest gadgets. I say polite because it could have easily and justifiably

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