Collaborators

TEDxDU | Radical Collaboration

TEDxDU
“Using a bold mix of humor, science, technology, music and more, the TEDxDU event will feature a combination of DU students, alumni and faculty, along with other innovators who are taking action to improve the world,” Robert Coombe, chancellor of the University of Denver, says. “We envision TEDxDU as a gigantic collaboration engine to share our commitment of improving the human condition.”

ABOUT TED
TED is an annual event where some of the world’s leading thinkers and doers are invited to share what they are most passionate about. “TED” stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design—three broad subject areas that are, collectively, shaping our future. And in fact, the event is broader still, showcasing ideas that matter in any discipline. Attendees have called it “the ultimate brain spa” and “a four-day journey into the future.” The diverse audience — CEOs, scientists, creatives, philanthropists—is almost as extraordinary as the speakers, who have included Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Frank Gehry, Paul Simon, Sir Richard Branson, Philippe Starck and Bono.

TED was first held in Monterey, Calif., in 1984. In 2001, Chris Anderson’s Sapling Foundation acquired TED from its founder, Richard Saul Wurman. In recent years, TED has expanded to include an international conference, TEDGlobal; media initiatives, including TED Talks and TED.com; TEDx, a program to license TED to independent organizers around the world; and the TED Prize.

To date, there have been over 600 TEDx events, with over 700 more planned, in 88 countries. TED videos have been viewed 319 million times since the launch of TED.com.

John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light

We work with Love Hope Strength whenever we can.  They're a cancer fighting charity that connects bone marrow donors with cancer patients who desperately need those donors.  They also provide support to the wider cancer community through their international assistance work.  And the best part is they raise awareness about their cause by working with musicians from all over the world.  Also, they have this penchant for climbing mountains.

Please consider supporting them with a donation, by volunteering or best of all -- by registering with their bone marrow registry.  It's quick, painless and it could possibly save a life!

Here's a picture of us playing a Love Hope Strength event on the very TOP of Pikes Peak in Colorado:

John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light

Evan is an inventor, bass player, designer of instruments, and cracker of jokes. He also promotes and helps to book JCBFoL.  He's also frickin' hilarious.  Bueno Huevo.

Larry Ciancia | John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light

Meet Larry Ciancia.  He's our manager.

A little background: he grew up in an unnamed Eastern Block country.  He worked for the "bad guys", investigating revolutionaries and helping them "move on to better things".  There wasn't a lot of money in official party security, so he moved to where the action was: Iraq.

With grim determination, he rose rapidly through the ranks of the Republican Guard.  He was known as an "uncommonly talented interrogator" (yes, like Sayid from Lost).  An uncanny sense of timing led Larry to barely escape Bagdad ahead of oncoming Coalition Forces, carrying nothing but a suitcase filled with solid gold toilet handles, a ham radio, a ham sandwich and a wrinkled sandwich bag stuffed with 100 euro bills.  He landed in Los Angeles three days later and immediately found work as a "cleaner" for a local drug lord, pursuing his own "shock and awe campaign".

After losing a small fortune and 6 months of freedom as the result of an FBI sting operation, Larry found that he had a natural affinity for the music business. He brings all of his experience and skills to the job.

He often quotes an Albanian proverb: "Ai që ndërton me djersë, mbron me gjak."  (Loose translation: He who builds with sweat, defends with blood.)

Larry is a Virgo, enjoys Italian cooking, and water color painting.

Danielle does promotions and marketing for JC&BFoL.  And God bless her for that.  She's the perfect mix of sugar and "Do not fuck with me."  And God bless her for that.  She loves music and musicians.  And God bless her for that.  She used to be in Up With People.  I bet God already blessed her for that.

Beautiful Empty

Sam Hill was born in a forest made of blown speaker cones and old rusty radio towers.  She grew up in the hollowed out trunk of an eucalyptus tree tucked in a magical valley about halfway between here and there.  To stay warm, she made her nest out of old three quarter sleeve concert T's and pages torn out of mid century British romance novels.  She raised herself with guidance from discarded comic books and National Geographic mags from the very early 1980s.  These days, she makes her living translating the dreams of tourists and strays.  You can see her just about any day down by the quay.

John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light

Eryc is a fantastic writer. Seriously good. He's so good, I even forgive him for being a 'music critic'. He's also freakishly smart and genuinely hilarious. You should go drinking with him sometime. It's good to have friends like this -- they help you keep the pin in the grenade.

John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light

Jennifer Newell is "Just a little bird floatin' on a hurricane."  She also frequents all things digital.

John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light

Adrienne is an incredible designer, flower sculptor, jewelry maker, seamstress and maker of beautiful things. She's been a big help to us as we try to come up with some band merch that is creative and original and supercool.

It's a little known fact that Adrienne organized every detail of the United States European invasion at Normandy during World War Two.  It's true -- she was the mastermind behind D-Day.

John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light

Haleigh... What to say about this woman? Everything she touches becomes smarter and more elegant and beautiful and funky. She's put me and my friends up too many times to count. I owe her a thousand bottles of wine and a lifetime of music. She also runs THE COOLEST cashmere company on earth.