During my music travels, I have been taking the time to visit some very esteemed Jiu Jitsu Academies along the way. I first met with blackbelt Carlos Agustos Vasconcelos de Andrade (cousin of my LA instructor Evaldo Lima) at Red Forest Jiu Jitsu in Beijing, China. Later that week, I made my annual stop at Robin Gracie’s Academy in Barcelona, Spain. Finally, I dropped by Marcelo Garcia’s Academy in New York City for some early morning grappling. The world jiu jitsu community is surprisingly welcoming. These guys look like beasts, but they are friendly, generous souls.