Last Sunday, the Yoga Solution studio was filled with the relaxing sound of "namastes," "oms" and a meditation gong. But what spoke the loudest, perhaps, were three chants of "Chi." On Oct. 4, 10 people came together to practice yoga and send "chi," or life force energy, to Chi Cheng, bassist for the Grammy-award-winning Sacramento band, Deftones. Cheng has been in a coma since Nov. 4, 2008, after being involved in a motor accident. The event was organized by yoga instructor Julie McKechnie, who normally teaches classes for members of the Gold River Racquet Club. Her friend Jennifer Sadugor, the owner of Yoga Solution, 887 57th St., allowed her to use her studio for the fundraising gathe

It was 9:00 am when I got the call. “Sonny, it’s Abe. Hey, you want to play guitar for a session with Brian Wheat and me? The session is around noon today. We’re doing a Lennon song and it would be great if you could do it. I’d really appreciate it.” Hmmm, let me think for a second. Play guitar at a fancy recording studio with multi-platinum Grammy-winning rock star Gods or sit in front of a computer at work. Hmmmmm, tough choice. “I’d be honored,” I told Abe. That was how I came to be a part of creating this rendition of John Lennon’s classic reaction to the Vietnam war, Happy Xmas (War Is Over). So this is Christmas And what have you done Another year over And a new one just begun O

As you have read from this storyline, Deftones bassist and good friend Chi Cheng was ejected from a car and seriously injured, resulting in a coma, a state he remains in as I write. Even though comas have been known to last as long as several years, they rarely last more than 2 to 5 weeks. Chi has been in his for over four weeks now. To augment the amazing medical care he is receiving, a band of brothers and sisters came together in Sacramento on Tuesday, December 9th to raise some much needed funds and send some positive chi to our good friend Chi. Benefit shows are a strange thing. On one level, you have a friend lying in an uncertain state, hopefully healing his way back to this world.

Tuesday, November 4th was to be like nearly every other Tuesday in my life. Head into the office, do some email, make some connections, then get picked up by my best friend Abe Cunningham for our weekly lunch at Tuli Bistro. But when Abe called fifteen minutes before our meeting time, I wasn't prepared for the news he would deliver. Chi Cheng, our good friend and brother, was in a severe car wreck in Santa Clara and is in a coma. For those of you who know him, you know he's a man mountain of positivity and all smiles all the time. For those of you who don't, Chi is a native of Stockton and Sacramento, a poet, a musician, and a father. As the bassist for Deftones, he's helped elevate Sacra

Time and time again I am totally shocked when I hear of a well known band being from the Sacramento area. Are you like me? I mean, Sac-town isn’t that massive, so how come we didn’t hear about them before they became a household name? I’ve constructed a small list, with names of various artists who will probably surprise you… Also - to make your life just a little easier, each link is a song by that artist. - The Deftones - http://search.playlist.com/tracks/deftones%20change I'm sure everyone has heard their song called “change." They have got this really hard, yet umm… well, almost brainwashing sound. This band is huge as far as underground music fans go, though they have alternated ba