OK, I ride the subway to and from work almost every day. Occasionally, I'll run into this subway musician, Theo Eastwind. He sings and plays guitar on the platform as commuters wearily wait for their usually late trains. Last time I ran into him he told me that he just released a CD on highly respected NY record label (Mia Mind Music) that hit the stores this April.

He's a bit of a Big Apple icon these days but still gets hassled by the cops for trying to sell his CDs to his outdoor audience. So much for 1st amendment rights, right? Anyway, hopefully his new record deal will help the local law find more time to focus on more important issues like, let's say…crime!

Anyway, when I received an email from his publicist at the label about a CD release party that the tunnel troubadour would be crooning at I cleared my calendar and headed (by subway, of course) to Brooklyn. Destination: Galapagos! And the first thing I noticed when I entered the club is that it was packed mainly with young girls who went wild when Eastwind hit the stage.

The evening opened with Theo playing solo and performing a song from his older release as well as few numbers from his latest CD "The O". The standout tune was "Moving On" with its jangley guitar and winsome melody. Not only is he a fine musician but he possesses a relaxed, laid back attitude that carried over to the crowd. A true entertainer for sure.

Taking a break after his short solo set while the clubs video screens lit up with scenes of the artist on shows like "Good Day New York " on Fox TV, cuts from various films he's appeared in as well as footage of him serenading in the subway. It also show him and his ACLU lawyer being interviewed about his arrests and trials for the serious crime of, are you ready for this… singing in the subway and selling his CDs to waiting strap hangers!

Returning for a second set he was accompanied by a bass player and drummer to play almost all the remaining songs from "The O". The room was really rocking now! During the mandatory tune-up around mid-set the musician joked that he loved the audience, and that the bass player loved the audience, but that the drummer, well, percussionists are never that easy. They then lit into the ska flavored "Marlena" which was my favorite cut of the whole night.

It's said that Johnny Cash once ran into Theo in the subway and that as the man in black stated as he dropped a dollar in the busker's guitar case, "Kid, you're going places". And I'm sure he wasn't just referring to the next train uptown!