JazzWriter

sites alive!

2011-10-02T20:54:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time coming, but I've finally created a website to promote my group, Cassie Hart & Friends. Right now it's through webs.com which is a free site, but if I decide I want to have more flexibility, I may look into building/hosting it elsewhere in the future. We'll see about that. For now, though, I'm just thrilled to have a live site. I'll keep it short here so you can go ahead and check it out!!

September songs

2011-09-22T20:23:00.001-07:00

With the demise of the economy, and therefore reliable club gigs, there hasn't been too much to say. Add the time commitments of motherhood and there's been less news to report on my end. I did, however, play a nice gig recently at the Uptown Normal Farmer's Market. We were actually supposed to play earlier in the summer, but it would have been during one of those horrible heat waves that overtook the area, and the whole market was canceled that day. It worked out for us musicians, though, since our rescheduled date was early in September and it was b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l. I personally enjoyed hanging with musicians again and I was relieved to discover I had not, in fact, forgotten how to play the saxophone! All was well.

On a different note, I have to share how cool it is that our 2-year-old is totally into contemporary jazz. Instead of role playing with her being a cow and me being a farmer, or whatever scenario typical toddlers come up with, she approached me the other day and said, "You're Lee Ritenour. I'm Ernie Watts." Ha!

And I do have one bit of newsy-news: I'm working on a website for music stuff. It's been a long time coming, and my DH has finally talked me into putting one together. It is very much a work in progress, but when it's live I'll share with the world. So, check back soon (pretty please)!

handful o' gigs

2010-08-16T09:16:00.001-07:00

This blog, dead? No way. It was just on a long hiatus, and with good reason. I really haven't played many gigs over the past year. Haven't had the opportunity to see/hear much live music, either. When a new baby is added to the family mix it makes it tough for us mother-types to get out much. However, daughter #2 (who loves music, by the way, just like her big sis) is approaching her first birthday and it's getting easier to leave her with another caregiver, so slowly (but surely) I am making a comeback in the music world. I just hope I don't embarrass myself too much or offend anyone whose ears listen overly discriminately.

I've played a few gigs this summer--two CEFCU Stage dates on the Peoria Riverfront (with Billy Cook and the Swing Daddies) and an Uptown Farmer's Market date with my own group. Thought I'd share a couple pictures taken by local music lover/talented photographer Ralph Weisheit. You'll see local favorites Kevin Hart, Andy Crawford, Tom Marko, and yours truly in the band.

If anyone's still checking in here, thanks for looking, and I hope you have survived/are surviving the cutback of music since the economy took a dive. Keep on playing!

Da band.

Awesome rhythm section.

So cool he's gotta wear shades.

Piano man.

Compare to pics in last post--the baby belly is gone!

preggo jazz pics

2009-05-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to spice up this blog by adding pictures in addition to mindless content. Of course, the pictures are mostly of me so they're not all that interesting...unless you note these new ones, which aren't so much interesting as unusual--they feature a pregnant saxophone chick. (It's just not that common, ya know?) So anyway, here's a couple shots from the Illinois Jazz and Wine Festival. The group is Kevin Hart & the Vibe Tribe. I'd credit the photographer, but I don't know who he is. However, you can view pictures from the entire event here: http://www.villageofmanito.com/Winefest_photos/index.html

I'm 26 weeks (roughly 6 months) pregnant in these shots. I just checked some of pics I posted when I was pregnant with my daughter, just two weeks before I was due. I think I'm bigger now than I was at full-term with her...although I've gained much less weight at this point.
http://jazzwriter.blogspot.com/2006_03_01_archive.html

jazz kid

2009-05-14T21:24:00.000-07:00

This is too cool not to share! My daughter, at the tender age of 3, is totally on her way to becoming a jazzer. Check this out, from about a year or so ago:

And this recent one:

I also have to mention that the other day a young black man came to our door, selling some cleaning product. When he left, she asked, "Who was that Mama? Kenny Garrett?" LOL!

for real

2009-04-27T12:58:00.000-07:00

Wow! Two gigs in one weekend! And I've got pictures to prove it! (I remember the days where I sometimes had two gigs in one night--that's been a while.)

The first is the annual Rootabaga Jazz Festival hosted by my alma mater, Knox College. I was only able to attend one evening of the 3-day event, the Thursday night Faculty & Friends Jam session, but as always, it was a blast. That's DH in the background on vibes...and why is it I often look like a zombie when playing? Photo credit goes to Sue Dickinson.

Here's the next night at the Peoria International Beer Fest with band jazzchocolat. I'm still not sure why these people hire a jazz group to play for this event, as it's got to be the LOUDEST event ever (not the band, but all the people packed in a warehouse yakking at the top of their lungs) but we played it last year, too, and they wanted us back. But hey, there's free food and beer (not that I could partake due to my current state but I did score a free sample glass) so who am I to complain? Photo credit goes to Pam Eaton.

the gigs, they are a-comin'

2009-04-21T12:38:00.000-07:00

Slowly but surely, my calendar is starting to look a little less bare for the summer. I just booked a couple of new dates for the awesome CEFCU Jazz Night concert series, which takes place annually on the Peoria Riverfront during the summer. (See my schedule at the left for dates/times.)

I have been hesitant to book too far into summer, though, as I'm expecting Baby#2 in late August. When I was pregnant with our daughter, I played my last gig 2 weeks before my due date. This time I'm declining all gigs in August (except for maybe my steady monthly) primarily because most of the gigs are outside and our summers tend to be hot and sticky. Playing in late July heat when I'm roughly the size of a beached whale doesn't sound all that appealing either, but I gotta earn a living. So, I'll suck it up thru the end of July, then in August I guess I'll be out of the picture for a while.

Hope everyone is doing well musically and otherwise!

lag time

2009-04-03T13:26:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted much lately mainly because there hasn't been too much going on. The economy has had a tremendously negative effect on local gigs, so I haven't been playing as often as I used to. Sadly, the weekly stint at Panache has been discontinued, although I am hopeful that once things look up, maybe we'll be asked to return. We had a lot of good years there--would have been 12 years this summer. That's quite a run!

I haven't attended many performances lately. It's difficult when most big gigs are in Chicago (2 hours away). I'd love to visit the new Jazz Showcase but haven't made it up that way yet. Things were easier when we didn't have to arrange for childcare! I wish there was more jazz going on in my hometown, Bloomington-Normal, where I'd feel perfectly safe hiring a sitter and going out for a few hours. But leaving town when someone else is in charge--that I'm just not comfortable with. Guess it's the mom in me, outweighing the musician.

I do have a few gigs on the books, which I'll update here in a moment. In the meantime, please make a little extra effort to seek out gigs near you, where ever you may be, and try to attend them. Musicians (and club owners) need your support now more than ever!

i'm firing myspace

2009-01-31T07:27:00.000-08:00

Yeah, that's right. MySpace is no longer My Friend. Now I've had TWO pages deleted. The first was one I created for myself, just to see how the system worked. It lasted about two weeks before I noticed it had disappeared. I figured, okay, well, maybe it was a fluke...so I created another page for jazzchocolat, a group I play with. All was going well until a month or so ago, when that page ceased to exist as well.

WTH? I don't understand how this social media site is so popular if this keeps happening to people. There was no inappropriate/obscene content posted. And both times, I received no warning that the page would be deleted. They simply just vanished.

Apparently others have had this problem as well. One of the more interesting complaints I found was this: http://freemyspace.com/?q=node/89

Thanks, MySpace, but I think I'll stick with Facebook. It's much more fulfilling and entertaining, anyway.

slow times, hard times

2008-11-20T09:06:00.000-08:00

Has anyone else been experiencing a downturn in your gigging world? Besides my weekly jam at Panache--which I fear may become a bi-monthly gig after the first of the new year--my calendar has been fairly empty. I don't even have any Christmas parties booked--a first in the 10 years or so I've been working.

Part of this is my fault. I'm not making any effort to book new gigs. In fact, I've actually passed along some work to others because I didn't want to bother with it. I'm at the point where it's more trouble to book the band, plan the set list, find charts, deal with the contract, etc. etc. than I want to deal with. Making arrangements to have someone watch our 2-year-old is not always easy, especially since many gigs are out-of-town and some don't end until late. Yes, I realize this admittance makes me sound lazy, but that's not it, really. I'm just not in the music mindset these days, I guess.

The other part is the economy. I see it at my weekly gig every week...there just aren't as many people going out. You can't blame them. Those couple of bucks are probably better served to keep a mortgage from going under anyway. I mean, which do you need more, a roof over your head or a cup of coffee? (In the morning I would probably answer the coffee, but after I've woken up and begun to think clearly I'd venture the more practical response.)

So how about you, fellow musicians? What's your calendar look like for the holidays and after the new year?

neal hefti obit

2008-10-15T06:54:00.000-07:00

Just saw this on MSN. Anyone who's ever playing in a big band setting has probably played one of Mr. Hefti's charts:

http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx/?news=334672&GT1=28103

2008-10-14T13:10:00.000-07:00

october update

2008-10-07T13:23:00.000-07:00

Of the 11 years that I've gigged professionally (post-college), I've never had any serious mishaps (by my fault or default) until this year. What is it about 2008 that's brought on bad luck (or in one case, stupidity)?

Over the summer I got to a gig, unloaded my stuff, and discovered I forgot my sax. Duh. It's not like I have a ton of equipment to haul around...I bring, like, 3 things. One of which I forgot. Thankfully, that gig was in town.

Last week I was playing with jazzchocolat at Fat Jack's and I had a serious horn malfunction. My G key took a dive and made the horn unplayable. I had to get by for the rest of the set on flute (it's always in my case) until Kevin brought my tenor to me. Again, thank goodness it was an in-town gig! (And thank you thank you thank you Carl's Pro Band for doing a quick fix the next day...I needed my sax for a gig the next night!)

Maybe it's just the law of averages. The longer you do something, the more chances arise for something to go wrong.

Anyway, just thought I'd muse a little. I'm going to update the gig section next. Not a ton of stuff is going on really, but I know some folks check in here so I'm doing my best to stay current. Hope everyone is enjoying fall!

310 and counting

2008-09-07T21:12:00.000-07:00

Fellow bloggers: do you ever check to see how many profile views you've had? I do occasionally, and apparently this blog has been viewed 310 times. I don't think that's a lot considering it's been active for 4 years now, but then again, my postings have been somewhat infrequent. Funny thing is, my mom blog has 311 profile views. It's newer but I tend to update it more often. I know this info has nothing to do with music but I thought the fact that the numbers are so close was interesting.

I just finished putting together the latest issue of the Central Illinois Jazz Society's newsletter and discovered I was hard-pressed to find local, non-steady gigs to list (we are fortunate to have a variety of regular jazz performances in the area, however). Seems now that summer is over and the glory of outdoor gigs is a thing of the past, we're back to club-only performances. So, if anyone in the Central IL area has a public JAZZ gig to announce, please let me know and I'll include it in the next issue!

gig update

2008-08-21T14:04:00.000-07:00

I've been terrible again about updating my gig list, and I don't have time to get into the nitty-gritty behind-the-scenes stuff right now, so here's a quick update summed up in this post:

Sat., Aug 23 - w/ Kevin Hart & the Vibe Tribe at the Taste of Bloomington, 2-4 pm

Thurs., Aug 28 @ Panache, 8-10 pm

Wed., Sept 3 @ Fat Jacks w/ jazzchocolat, 5.30-8.30 pm

Thurs., Sept 4 @ Panache, 7-9 pm

I guess the big news is that starting in September, the time of music at Panache will change. On both Tuesdays and Thursdays jazz will be featured from 7-9 pm. Mark your calendars, everyone!

And since I've been thinking I ought to add more pictures to keep this blog interesting, here's a recent one of moi from a gig at the Sugar Creek Arts Festival with the Swing Daddies. (Not that I'm interesting, but it is my blog...:)

Photo by Ralph Weisheit.

iowa city jazz festival

2008-07-26T07:09:00.001-07:00

I wish I had gotten around to posting about the Iowa City Jazz Festival sooner, when it was fresh in my mind. But I suppose some notes are better than none, so here we go.

First I should say that it was great that the city was still able to put on this event. Iowa City and its neighbor, Coralville, experienced severe flooding in June. By the first weekend in July, many parts of the University were still underwater. In fact, roads just a few blocks from the festival area that were closed due to flooding. Downtown Iowa City was high and dry, so the festival was able to continue.

The past few years have been sort of disappointing, IMHO, from a musical point. I'm not into super avant garde styles, and a lot of groups of that nature have been featured in the past. This year, however, the selection appealed to my own taste much more heartily.

My favorite groups this year were two of the headliners, John Scofield and the Scohorns, and Joshua Redman. I've seen Scofield before--one time at a previous IC festival where he was unfortunately rained out--and while I don't love love love his music, I do find it very interesting and enjoyable to listen to. Redman, on the other hand, I had never seen and was glad for this opportunity. I would provide a more thorough report on his performance, but at that time (he was the last act of the evening) I was tending to an increasingly crabby 2-year-old who hadn't had a nap in two days. What I did hear was outstanding, though. Redman is a very talented musician. Great sound, great approach to musicality, fun to listen to. I hope to see him again sometime soon.

I also enjoyed Brent Sandy's group. Brent is an Iowa-based trumpet player, whom I met during my college days. He and fellow musician Steve Grismore (guitar) would perform occasionaly at Cherry Street, the weekly jam session, with their group at the time, The Odd Bar Trio. They would often hang out afterwards and were always very encouraging to us younger aspiring musicians. Brent and Steve have fronted a variety of groups of the years, and they're always great to listen to.

Didn't get to IC this year? Some folks have already posted some clips on YouTube of the festival. Check these out!

And more info on the festival from the local newspaper.

myspace, mygone

2008-06-21T07:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I don't know why but apparently my new MySpace pqge is gone. I went to check my page the other day and got a message that the account is invalid, deleted by the user. *I* didn't delete it, I really don't know what happened. So someday if I get some free time again I may recreate the page. If this is what's going to happen 7 days after I work to put up information I think I'll say buh-bye MySpace. Can't be too mad, I guess...you get what you pay for, after all.

I did something last night I've never, ever done before. Had a gig with the Swing Daddies at Swinger's Grille. I was in sort of a rush to leave the house so it should have been no surprise to discover, once I opened the car door to unload my stuff, that I forgot something. Not a Real Book or music stand, mind you. I forgot my freaking SAXOPHONE. So I had to go back home and retrieve it. I'm so glad this was actually an in-town gig. If it had been in Peoria like most of my work I'd have been screwed.

I guess that's not quite as bad as the time Kevin forgot his entire drum set on the way to a gig in Chicago and had to find a set at a pawn shop...but that's his story to tell!

fun in the sun

2008-06-16T09:24:00.000-07:00

With nice weather comes outdoor concerts, which can be an all-around fun experience. Here's one from last week when Kevin's group, the Vibe Tribe, performed at the new outdoor amphitheater in Normal. Sometimes I'll play with the group if he's expanding to a 5 or 6 piece group. It's always fun...I love the selection of tunes, but I definitely have to practice beforehand.

Thanks, Dad, for snapping this picture.

Kevin has several more outdoor gigs lined up. Check out his schedule!

And speaking of outdoor shows, we'll be attending the Iowa City Jazz Festival this year again. I think this will be our 9th year...I've lost track. This year headliners include Medeski, Martin & Wood, John Scofield, and Joshua Redman. Good times!

more myspace

2008-06-10T05:58:00.000-07:00

Since I got my feet wet creating a MySpace account for one of the bands I play with, I decided to bite the bullet and finally put up a page of my own. So, folks, here it is (drumroll):
http://www.myspace.com/cassiehartfriends

I would like to add a few more tunes to the playlist and of course get some friends, but it's functional and will hopefully eliminate the need to send out CDs when requested by potential gig-hirers.

finally! a concert recap!

2008-05-27T11:48:00.000-07:00

After a fairly extensive hiatus from seeing any type of formal performance (having to arrange for a babysitter when the show is out of town—as most shows are when you live in the middle of farm country—makes doing this sort of thing very often difficult), I was fortunate to attend a concert in Springfield on Sunday, which featured one of the most talented musical groups ever to grace the stage/studio: the Yellowjackets.

I love this band for so many reasons. First, the level of musicianship is phenomenal. Each player is an amazing talent in his own right and when you put the four of them together—look out! I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a group of musicians play together so well, picking up on every nuance, merging individual sounds to create an appealing, collective musical package—everything just fits. Feels good, too. There’s sensitivity, appreciation, respect, and enhancement of and for each other on both a musical and personal level, all the time. And they always seem to have fun. AND they’re all nice guys. I’ve had the opportunity to chat briefly with each musician and they are very friendly and down-to-earth.

We’ve seen the Jackets (fans often refer to the group by this affectionate shortening of the band name) probably half a dozen times now. Every time I fall in love with their music again. For those of you who don’t know, the lineup is Russell Ferrante (piano/synths), Bob Mintzer (sax), Jimmy Haslip (bass), and Marcus Baylor (drums). Being a sax player, of course hearing Mintzer is always a treat. He wasn’t able to play this show, however, due to his son’s graduation. While he was missed, I certainly wasn’t disappointed by the Jackets’ sub choice, Eric Marienthal.

Marienthal is also a West Coast musician, probably best known as saxophonist with Chick Corea’s Elektric Band in the 80s. But he’s put out a lot of his own material too (mostly smooth jazz) and has played with many notable groups. He’s an amazing musician and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone play with so much energy! Total control of his instrument, too. He may be known as a smooth jazz guy but his playing was far from the often vanilla-sounding diatonic lines many players pigeonholed in this genre exhibit. It was a thrill to hear him play.

The Jackets have a new CD (Lifecycle) out featuring guitarist Mike Stern. I’m somewhat familiar with Stern’s work but not overly. Should be interesting to hear what it sounds like with a guitarist in the mix again (the original Yellowjackets featured Robben Ford who founded the group).

Check out tour dates, recordings, and bio info on http://www.yellowjackets.com/. I see they’ll be in Naperville on June 7…I know we just saw them, but we’re thinking of checking this gig out, too. It’s so close to home, I’d hate to miss it!

Special thanks to Nat Radwine who had a huge part in putting this concert together—and who left two free tickets for us at the box office. :-)

And ok, I wasn't going to post this but I think I will anyway...it's a clip from the show. They're playing "Revaltion". The sound/picture isn't very good so sorry about that.
http://s69.photobucket.com/albums/i67/cahart/?action=view&current=068.flv

our "prodigy"

2008-05-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

That title is totally a joke. I worked in a music store for several years and met many parents who swore their offspring was some sort of prodigal child. Heard a lot of, "But she's so talented...why can't my 2 year old play tenor sax?"

So I doubt Miss M is a prodigy...but she's awfully cute now that she can play the rhythm to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on floor tom. Check it out!

http://s69.photobucket.com/albums/i67/cahart/?action=view&current=2008-04-14_twinkle_drum_384.flv

myspace, anyone?

2008-05-02T06:31:00.000-07:00

So I'm probably one of the only musicians in the nation that does not yet have a Myspace page. Apparently that will change in the near future as I volunteered to create one for a band I play with (so it won't actually be my page, I guess...more like our page). We're making plans to take some recent pictures and come up with a few recorded songs to add to the site. I'll keep you updated on any progress!

UPDATE: jazzchocolat MySpace URL: http://www.myspace.com/jazzchololat

On a different musical note, my 2 year old is becoming an expert at singing and banging out rhythms to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. She has just started singing pitches and is singing the right ones most of the time, and she can wail out the rhythm on the table with her bare hands or on the floor tom in our living room with her little drumsticks. It's pretty cute! Perhaps she will be a percussionist...oh help us!

hello? hello!

2008-04-17T12:47:00.000-07:00

I received a comment on this site yesterday so that shows I'm still getting some views, even though I've been quite delinquent in posting. Nothing like a little nudge to get me back into updating mode!

What's new? Oh, I dunno...a scattering of private gigs here and there, with hopefully more to come this summer. Outdoor venues often open up and provide an opportunity for more gigs. I have a few things lined up, though none of them are my own gigs.

Crap. I just wrote and entire paragraph but I deleted it by accident. I'm supposed to be working so I don't have the time or inclination to start over so...I guess that's it for now. Sorry, y'all.

This is turning into one of the many sad blogs out there that delivers irrelevant and uninteresting content. I'll try to do better in the future. I should have an actual concert review coming up in late May as the Yellowjackets will be performing in Springfield and we are hoping to attend the show.

outta the loop

2008-03-05T12:40:00.000-08:00

Somebody asked me the other day about jazz gigs in Peoria. While I could name several places they could go to hear music, I couldn't tell them much more because I haven't been to any of the venues. I don't live in town any more (haven't for about 7 years) and having a child limits the amount of time I can travel 45 minutes just to hang out. I'm feeling a bit detatched from the scene, I must admit. In fact, I'm feeling detatched from music in general these days. I play on Thursdays but other gigs have been few and far between, and I am fine with that. For now, anyway. Every now and then I'll pop in a CD and think, man, if I could just practice I could really play some cool $hi! Then the moment passes and real life takes over, leaving about two minutes each day to work on, well, anything. And by the time I get my horn together and find a reed that plays well those minutes have passed.

But if you're looking for live music along the I-74 corridor, I'm at least in tune with what's going on, even if I can't tell you much about it. Here's a few spots to hit if you want to hear jazz:

Peoria
Tuesdays - Panache w/ Kevin Hart & Mike Nellas 8-10 pm
Wednesdays - Peoria Pizza Works w/ the CIJO 7 pm (?)
Thursdays - Basta O'Neill's (in Washington) w/ Larry Harms' Trio
Thursdays - Panache w/ yours truly and various guests 8-10 pm
Fridays - Panache w/ David Hoffman's Trio 5:00-7:30 pm
Fridays - Emon Patricks w/ Todd Kelly Quintet
Saturdays - Panache w/ Bradley Jazz Combo (every other)

Bloomington-Normal
Wednesdays - Cosi w/ Kevin Hart's duo
Fridays/Saturdays - Swinger's w/ misc. jazz groups

concert news!

2008-01-19T19:30:00.001-08:00

It isn't often that a premier jazz group comes to Bloomington-Normal, so when one DOES rear its head--which is but once or twice a year--it's definitely worthwhile to make plans to check out the show. This year's JazzMaster's Cocncert sponsored by WGLT will feature Bill Charlap's trio. Charlap plays piano...we heard him a few years ago at a jazz festival and he's pretty darned good. Check out GLT's website for info on ordering tickets.

kudos, panache

2008-01-11T13:36:00.000-08:00

Panache, our jazz home of 10 years now, had a nice write-up in the Journal Star this week. Check it out if you haven't already: http://www.pjstar.com/stories/010808/BUS_BFEATVL0.004.php

With live music 5 nights a week and 4 of those nights being jazz, we've got a pretty nice thing going on in Peoria.

And while you're reading, here's a recent article from Art & Society magazine about the Peoria jazz scene: http://www.peoriamagazines.com/as/2008/jan-feb/finding-jazz-peoria

last post of 2007

2007-12-29T19:30:00.000-08:00

I have to admit I haven't been listening to much jazz lately. I usually get the most listening time in when I'm driving, and now that my playing schedule is pretty minimal (once a week mostly) my driving time is also limited. I did get a Yellowjackets fix in over the holiday, as Kevin bought me Peace Round, the YJ's Christmas CD, for my birthday. Good stuff.

Wish I had more to say here. But hey, it's a post, right? Can't say I've been neglecting this blog entirely. More when it happens...happy new year, all!

loooong time no post!

2007-12-19T10:04:00.000-08:00

It's a record, folks...almost a year since my last post here. Well, I've been busy, it's true. Not so much with gigs though. It's been kind of slow in that department (though I did just have the opportunity to play behind the Temptations this past weekend, cool gig). Mostly I've been playing at Panache on Thursdays and dabbling in an occasional private party here and there.

I have a stack of CDs a jazz promo company has sent me in hopes of receiving reviews, so I hope to get to some of those soon. Soon being in the next couple of months, anyway.

For now I just wanted to let anyone checking in that yes, I AM still alive and so are my horns, and I have high hopes of becoming a more active jazz-blogger in 2008. I also hope to create a MySpace page, as I seem to be the only musician on the planet without one.

Happy holidays to all, and see you in 2008!

i'm baaaack

2007-01-15T10:39:00.000-08:00

Woah woah woah, it's been waaay too long since my last post.

Do you notice a pattern here? I seem to have started every entry the same way over the last year or so.

Life sometimes takes a turn and priorities get shifted around. In this case, my Jazzwriter blog took a backseat to life in general. Also, there haven't been a ton of gigs (except Old Faithful, Panache) and we haven't gotten out to see many performances in Chicago or elsewhere, so there just hasn't been that much to say. In 2007, however, I hope to turn that around. That said, also will try to post more regularly around here. So...hope to see ya round the jazz table in the near future!

update, finally!

2006-10-24T19:55:00.000-07:00

I've been neglectful of this site, and for that I apologize. I don't think anyone's overly upset, but I'll apologize anyway. Let's see, what shall we discuss today?

Rather than talk about the gig Kevin and I were supposed to play this weekend that got cancelled that the bandleader forgot to tell us about—after we drove an hour to get there and made arrangements for our daughter to be in someone else's care, which turns a 3 hour gig into a 10 hour day, no joke—I'd like to wonder why management decided to book an outdoor gig in late October, anyway. The day was miserable and while I don't mind not playing outside (45 degrees and windy)…what do you expect for late October? This same venue begins booking the season in March. That's March in the Midwest, where we're still on snowstorm alert until mid-April.

I probably shouldn't complain. After all, all I have to do is say no to outdoor gigs that don't fall when the chance of having at least some seasonal support is better. But I can't help but wonder what goes through the minds of these people. The first twenty days in March it's still winter, technically. And by the end of October there aren't even any leaves on the trees usually. Why would having outdoor music be a good idea? Intonation goes out the window on a cold and blustery day, not to mention any sort of dexterity.

I hope I don't sound ungrateful. I really do cheer any establishment willing to hire live musicians. I'm just having a "what were they thinking" moment. Must be due to the Topinka ads plastered all over the television these days (local politician).

Oh, and I hope you feel better, Sweetie.

i suck

2006-09-27T21:16:00.001-07:00

I am a big lame-o, it's been so long since I've posted.

I will try to update my gig schedule soon, but other than Panache there really isn't much to report. I'm afraid jazz may be dying in Central Illinois.

More later....

i suck

2006-09-27T21:16:00.000-07:00

2006 iowa city jazz festival

2006-07-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

Recently we made our annual trek to the Iowa City Jazz Festival. My husband and I have been attending this wonderful festival for the past eight years. The past couple of years we’ve also talked our parents and various friends into coming, and this year we also had our daughter in tow.

Every year I write an overview of the festival and publish it here. I had every intention of doing the same this year. As I settled into my lawn chair, I made sure to keep at least one of the fifty free programs handed to us by festival volunteers clean and unrumpled, and I had my brain tuned into what would soon take place on stage. And then…

“Waaaah!”

Hmmm, somehow I began to think it wouldn’t be quite as easy to direct my undivided attention toward the music this year…not with a baby along. It turned out that, of course, this inkling was correct…I think I heard exactly two bands all weekend. And I didn’t hear enough of them to attempt writing about their music.

Was I disappointed? Well, yes, somewhat. There were a couple of groups I had really hoped to experience. But then I remembered that this was DD’s (dear daughter) first festival experience, and I wanted it to be a good one for her. I certainly didn’t expect her to sit comfortably in my lap while I took in the grooves emerging from the main stage…even this first-time mom isn’t naive enough to think that was even a possibility. So we strolled through downtown Iowa City, we danced to the music, we observed the crowd around us. And you know what? I may not have experienced the festival exactly the same way as in the past, but I ended up tuning into a lot of new aspects that I had missed before. And I can’t say I regret this new outlook at all.

jazz(less) news

2006-06-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to provide a quick update on "stuff."

Gigs are slow, so there isn't much to report on that front.

However, I did recently have my interview with Nicholas Payton published in Windplayer Magazine. Windplayer's website (www.windplayer.com) doesn't provide content from the magazine, so you'll have to actually look for a physical copy on the shelves.

And for those of you who love to read blogs, I thought I'd mention that I'm considering starting a new blog on the trials and tribulations of parenthood. This is probably a crazy thought as I don't seem to have time to update *this* blog regularly--nonetheless, I'm gonna give it a shot. More details as they become available will be posted here.

Hope everyone's having a good summer. Happy 4th of July!

revelations

2006-06-04T20:48:00.000-07:00

It's been a looong time since I posted. I'll blame it on the perils of motherhood. While the days don't completely run together anymore, I still feel as if I'm busier than ever. In just 2 months I've:

Realized I can't wear nice clothes anymore b/c they'll be stained with drool, spit-up, or poop.
Given up doing my hair. I'm strictly a pony tail gal from now on.
Learned that babies may have tiny stomachs when they eat, but endless intestines in which they store the goods. I changed DD's diaper 3 times in 10 minutes the other day. Holy crap (literally)!

Sorry. This stuff has nothing to do with jazz. Especially since 2 of the 3 points I made had to do with excrement. Ah, converstaions with a parent of a wee one. I'll get back to the main topic here....

I've started to gig again. Been back at Panache since the beginning of May. If I ever made excuses for not practicing more before I take them back, since I'm pretty certain I won't have a chance to practice again for at least the next 18 years.

The first gig was pretty rough...I hadn't played in 8 weeks and I showed up as sucky as could be (thank you Larry and Jaimie for being very forgiving that night). Things are a bit better now but I still feel out of sorts somewhat. I guess I'm just coming to terms with the fact that I really am a very mediocre musician and now it's virtually impossible to do anything to improve. I'm lamenting about not practicing more when I had time...I shoulda put in at least 16 hours a day when I was in college, no less than 3 when I started working full time, and 5-6 when I began my work-from-home writing biz, thanks to my flexible schedule. Oh well...hopefully I won't suck forever. Or at least I hope the folks that play with me don't beam me with rotten tomatoes every time I hit a big fat crappy note. Or the audience for that matter. Oh wait, nobody really listens to jazz anyway.

Well, that's the news from the homefront. More later, and I assure you it won't be another month before I post again.

Happy gigging/listening!

back in the saddle again

2006-04-22T11:16:00.000-07:00

Well, almost anyway. I'm planning on returning to Panache in May, but the other gigs I take will be a bit more sporadic. I've got a little one to look after now...for those of you who don't already konw, Madison Ann Hart was born on March 21. She was 6 lbs 12 oz and 19" long. At her 2 week checkup she had gained 2 lbs and 2 inches, and now, 4 weeks later, I'm sure she's a little bit bigger yet. The girl can eat and she's really filling out. We're enjoying her so much!

We're even working on getting her jazz appreciation chops up to par. She attended her first live gig already (went to hear Daddy play at Panache) and we're slowly introducing her to some instruments, as you can see! If anyone's interested in seeing other pics here are a few:

smiling Madison
sleeping Madison
everything's a-ok

Anyone keep up with the All About Jazz website? Here's an interesting article called "What the F*#! Happened to Black Music?" by Kenny Drew. Definitely worth a read...it's humorous but oh so very true...enjoy!

a little Q&A

2006-03-11T07:10:00.000-08:00

Had a good discussion via email this week with a friend who attended a jazz concert recently. He brought up some very good points about listening to jazz in a live setting, questioning the element of entertainment beyond music and such and...well, I'll just let you read for yourself. Posted below with permission (and including some minor editing to protect the innocent).

Q:
Ok, I'm a novice jazz listener. I can tell you the names of about three songs AND correctly identify them by title when I hear them. So, I suck. Regardless, I love listening to it. So, me making the following statement is like me commenting on thermonuclear fusion.

The "opening act" was quite good...played a wide variety of styles and let most of the members solo. MC-ing of the songs, etc. was quite entertaining.

The main act. His trumpet playing was awesome. Now, I know this wasn't a Sammy Hagar concert and even though the music was great, it had to be the most boring concert I think I've been to. Would have got more movement out of four mannequins in a wind storm. They were all pretty much motionless. It was really hard to watch regardless of how great the music was. As this was my first "true" jazz concert, is this normal?

A:
As much as it pains me to admit it, yes, your reaction is actually very typical for someone who has just attended his/her first "real" jazz concert. And that is where the problem lies.

Jazz isn't really intended for concert halls. Sure, the cushy seats are nice and the non-smoking atmosphere is comforting, but more often than not the room is just too darn big. Sound bounces around and rarely are the acoustics decent. If there happens to be a sound guy, chances are he has only worked with rock bands (you'll hear a LOT of kick drum & bass in these instances, which can ruin the entire show). Also, folks are used to seeing a concert with lots of visual stimulation...lights, fog machines, people jumping around stage, etc. This is pretty rare in the jazz world, with the exception of all the Pat Metheny shows I've attended. Well, these guys don't jump around the stage like maniacs but the group has its own crew and REALLY knows how to use effects tastefully. And the music is absolutely amazing.

Jazz really belongs in a club venue. It's smaller, there's booze (we can talk about jazz & the Prohibition later), and moreover, very intimate. The music reaches the people in a better way. You can walk up to the musicians and actually poke them while they're playing, although I don't advise doing this. You can talk to them during breaks. The music surrounds you and the energy level is much higher. The audience feeds off the musicians and the musicians feed off the audience. You really get a chance to FEEL the music.

A classic comparison case, I think, actually occurred a few years ago. An up-and-coming organ player brought his trio to a small club. It was one of the most intense shows I've been to, and I'm not saying that just because the organ player got a little showy by playing with many of his appendages other than his hands that night. I saw the same group later that spring in a larger concert hall setting. It was boring (and not just because the organ guy didn't attempt to use his elbows, knees, or head this time). The sound was wimpy. The audience was dead. And it wasn't because the group couldn't play or didn't have any energy...it just didn't come across the same way in a concert hall designed to hold a thousand people. The sound was bad. The audience stiff. If this had been the only time I saw this group, I probably wouldn't have been impressed.

Of course these are merely my observations, derived after attending a myriad of concerts in both types of venues. But I've actually had the same discussion with other musicians and they agree, concert halls are not the ideal place for most jazz groups. I'm glad you gave it a shot, though. Lots of folks aren't even willing to do that.

panache update

2006-03-07T20:01:00.000-08:00

Well, we had every intention of going to Baga this past Friday. I really wanted to be that crazy chick who showed up hugely pregnant and playing in the alumni band. But alas, I ended up with some cold/flu bug that knocked me on my butt all weekend. I'm still recovering, got a nasty cough and some congestion. If anyone has any stories and/or pics please do send them my way!

Last Thursday was my last gig at Panache for the next couple of months, before my self-proclaimed Jazz Maternity Leave. Here's the schedule for March/April:

March 9
Adam Wilhelm (piano), Robert Kurtz (bass), Donovan Hill (drums)

March 16
David Hoffman (piano/trumpet), Jaimie Jenkins (bass), guest TBA

March 23
Steve Degenford (guitar), Jaimie Jenkins, guest TBA

March 30
Larry Harms (piano/sax), Jaimie Jenkins, guest TBA

April 6
Mike Nellas (guitar or bass), John Miller (guitar)

April 13
Larry Harms, Adam Larson (sax), Jaimie Jenkins

April 20
Adam Wilhelm, Robert Kurtz, Donovan Hill

April 27
Larry Harms, Jaimie Jenkins, guest TBA

And on a non-musical note I just updated my pregnancy blog with some pics from my baby shower. If anyone's interested you can read the blog or view the pics. We've got just a week and a half to go!

2006-02-24T11:42:00.000-08:00

Gigs have definitely slowed down, which is one reason why I haven't posted much lately. No gigs, no stories! And to be honest, I haven't really been thinking much about music lately. Since my due date's creeping up (March18) I've been busy preparing for the arrival of our daughter, Madison Ann. Anyone want to take a stab at what instrument she'll play?

Next weekend is the Knox-Jazz Rootabaga Festival, held at my alma mater. I encourage anyone within driving distance of an hour or two to attend. This year's lineup includes:

Thursday, March 2
Knox Faculty & Friends Jam Session
8 pm - midnight, McGuillicuddy's

Friday, March 3
Knox Alumni Big Band, 8-9 pm
Ashanti, 10 pm - midnight
McGuillicuddy's

Saturday, March 4
KJE performance & Jim Rotundi/Eric Alexander
7:30 (?) pm, Orpheum

Also, next Thursday will be my last night at Panache for a few months. I'm starting jazz "maternity leave" on March 9 and will take off thru April. I hope to be back in May, but we'll see. Be sure to keep coming out, though, as I've got subs lined up each night. Email me for details, if you're interested!

is jazz dead?

2006-01-16T07:30:00.000-08:00

It's time to wave goodbye to another jazz gig. Farewell, Friday night happy hours with the Fulton Street Gang at the Hotel Pere Marquette. The hotel is undergoing a major renovation project and when the lounge is finished, management has decided to offer food instead of jazz. I guess the two can't co-exist, so one of us had to go. As usual, it's the music portion.

For me, the timing is actually ok. I was planning on playing thru February and then either cutting back after the baby is born or having someone else take over the gig for me entirely. But I feel bad for 2 reasons:

(1) The guys in the band have been playing a Friday night gig together for nearly 15 years--first at the Grill (across the street) and for the last 3 years at the Pere. That's a LONG time. They're actively looking for a new happy hour spot so readers, if you've got any suggestions please do send them in. I'll pass the info along the Gang.

Although every long-term gig warrents complaints from time to time, I really have appreciated the opportunity to perform with the Gang. We've shared some magical musical moments of various types and have, in general, had a good time together. These are the boys who welcomed me into the local jazz scene when I was a clueless college student with minimal abilities, initially learning about jazz, hoping for an opportunity to sit in with anyone more experienced than myself (which was everyone). They taught me tunes and pushed me to strive to be a better musician. They turned me on to new artists and new venues. For that I am grateful....thanks, guys. We'll share the stage again sometime soon, I am certain.

(2) This instance ends yet another chapter in the live music scenario. So many places now are cutting back on their music and their pay (which of course directly affects the type/size of band that can be booked). Many venues have ceased to support live music completely. What's going to happen to jazz as a live art form? While there are some folks who truly appreciate the music, many more would rather head to a club to hear pre-processed beats and throw back a dozen Red Bulls. It's sad, really. As the average age of jazz-appreciative audiences inches upward, what can be predicted for even the near future...just 10 years down the road?

Fortunately, I have other interests. My writing career is going well and with these upcoming life/family changes, I had planned to focus more on this area anyway. But my love of music and performing isn't going anywhere...I still want to play when I can. And what about the musicians who live for music 100%? Sure there are recording projects to tackle and clinics to be given, but that's not the same thing as working with a live band--your own live band--and creating something that sounds good, feels good and is appreciated by a real audience.

So that's my rant for today. Hopefully things will look up soon...maybe a new venue will open and decide to support live music, and give it more than 2 weeks to take off. Until then...hope to see the locals at Panache (which has been supporting live jazz for almost 9 years!) and at other occasional spots. Oh, and on a side note, here's a link from the folks at AllAboutJazz to recommended listenings.

january blooz

2006-01-01T09:05:00.000-08:00

Whoo-ee, 2006. The most challenging feat when it comes to welcoming a new year is--no, no, not the post-New Year's celebration hangover (although it's worthwhile to note that a quarter pounder w/ cheese from McDonald's is indeed the ultimate cure)--remembering to write the correct year on checks & other important documents. This wasn't much of a problem when I worked a job where I was always writing the date on a daily basis--on instrument rental contracts, payment slips, and other misc. forms--but as a freelance writer I might actually pen this information once a week. So I feel this year will be a particular challenge.

Spent a relaxing evening last night at home. Neither Kevin nor I had gigs, so we took the opportunity to rent a couple of movies. Our film of choice for the evening: a bizzare and psychadellic film from 1968 called Candy. The description on the DVD box stated "a sexual satire" which we thought would be fun and entertaining to watch. The verdict: entertaining yes, to an extent, but I truly felt that we also needed to feel the effect certain recreational drugs to "get" this movie. Funny, I don't remember Walter Matthau, Richard Burton, or Marlon Brando listing this film in their movie credits in any interviews. Hmmmm. Oh, and for you Beatles fans, Ringo Starr makes an appearance as well. Check it out and you'll soon understand why his movie career didn't take off after this point.

Once I have the January Panache lineup set I'll update the gig calendar. Beware that it'll be a bit sparse. Other than Panache (Thursdays) and the Pere (Fridays) I don't have anything lined up for the next couple of months. An opportunity for a Swing Daddies gig did arise near the end of February, but I'm uncertain as to whether to take it or not. That's getting close to the big due date and I don't want to leave anyone hanging last minute if I have to head to the hospital to deliver our firstborn. I also don't want to end up going into labor on a gig. Wonder what the odds of that happening might be?

Happy new year to all...hope 2006 is a fantastic one for ya!

little drummer boy(s)

2005-12-23T15:41:00.000-08:00

Last night turned into a bit of a jam session last night at Panache. Some nights you never know who's going to show...I was taken by surprise when I arrived to see a drumset sitting near the band area. A local drummer decided to come out and play with us. This would have been fine and dandy...provided he had asked if it would be ok to play before simply showing up with his equipment. I had already spoken with another drummer who wanted to come out and play with us that night--a young guy who is just looking for opportunities to play--and we had agreed that Thursday would be a good night. So then I was put in the position of having to tell drummer #1 (the one who brought all his stuff out) that we had someone else coming and drummer #2 (the young guy) that another fellow beat him to it. Everything worked out...we just made sure both drummers got playing time by having one play the first half of each set and the other taking the last...but it was still kind of awkward at first. Again, gig etiquette rears its head. Sigh.

We had fun though, and the crowd dug it. Kevin brought his vibes and we decorated them with Christmas lights. See the picture above...you'll see the lights, the Mallet Man himself, and yours truly, complete with prego belly.

Well, it's Friday night and since the Pere Marquette happy hour was cancelled I'm actually home. It's going to be a very exciting evening. Kevin has a gig in Champaign, so I'll be spending my time doing laundry and baking the final installment of pizzelle cookies. Hope your evening is as relaxing as mine...happy holidays to all!

quiet nights

2005-12-17T07:25:00.000-08:00

Greetings, all.

I don't have a lot to say but it's been quite a while since I last checked in, so I figured I should at least update with something.

All the Xmas parties I was scheduled to play have passed. I also had a chance to play for my friend Derek's wedding, which wasn't-really-but-sort-of-was a holiday party, too, since he got married so close to Xmas. So we made sure to throw in a few festive ditties here and there. Now my gig schedule is waning...just Panache on Thursdays until the end of the year. The Pere Marquette (Fridays) even got called off because the hotel didn't have many events booked and they're afraid there won't be anyone hanging out in the lounge. So the Fulton Street Gang is off until the new year.

I've been in baking mode (cookies, cookies, cookies!)...I usually make cookie plates and give them to friends for the holidaze. Still have some shopping to do. The tree is up and the inside of the house is decorated, but we haven't done anything with outside lights because of the early snowfall we got this year.

Geez, this is the most boring entry ever. I'll spare you any more exciting details (and a nap) and report back when I can at least word these uneventful events in a moderately clever manner. Happy holidays to all!!

Xmas time is (almost) here

2005-11-27T08:19:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone's recovered from the holiday by now. It's the last day of the long weekend (or not if you work retail, where there essentially are no weekends from here until after Xmas) and I plan on enjoying it to the fullest. It's kind of rainy out anyway, so it'll be a good day to stay indoors and get stuff done.

I didn't have any gigs last week due to Thanksgiving. Which presented me with the perfect opportunity to finally take my poor alto in for some maintenance. I practically have no low register anymore and some of the pads on the upper stack look as if they've been through a minefield. My wonderful repair tech is suggesting a repad, but I'm opting to just get the thing in playing condition for now. I'll have more time to leave it for a complete overhaul in the spring when I'm on "jazz maternity" leave.

This coming weekend the Xmas parties begin! I have one scheduled for Sat. night, and a couple for the following week. I guess this is an indicator that it's time to start writing Xmas cards, dragging out the decorations from the basement, and thinking about shopping. I enjoy everything except the shopping part...dealing with crowds of people, standing in line for 12 years, and trying to find a parking spot are not among my favorite things to do. This explains why, over the past several years, I've started making a lot of gifts (and not entirely because I detest the shopping experience...this rather adds a personal touch, dontcha think?) and occasionally cruising Amazon in my online purchasing endeavors. But there's always something that can only be obtained from a retail establishment, and that's when I take a deep breath, grab my shopping list, and plan my routes around town so that the most efficient paths are used. If there's one worse thing than dealing with in-store crowds it's driving along Veteran's Parkway, trying to change lanes to gain access to one of the thousand, brightly lit strip malls, and dealing with people that are too stubborn, rude, and just plain anal to let you into their lane. It's a good thing I don't live in Chicago...I might end up on trial for doing something terrible to these people.

Sorry to go all bah-humbug on ya. I think it's because I'm hungry. Ate breakfast #1 about 2 hours ago and my stomach is rumbling for more. (Ah, the joys of pregnancy.) But I'd better be smart and forgo picking at the leftover stuffing and such and stick with my plan to snack nutritiously...a cup of yogurt with a few Grape Nuts sprinkled on top should suffice. And I'd better eat this away from the keyboard, else I'll end up with those micro-sized Grape Nuts wedged between the keys. Which would NOT make my dear husband very happy. So I'll sign off for now. TTFN....

another one bites the dust

2005-11-21T13:33:00.000-08:00

Another gig, that is. The Creole Cafe, Bloomington's home to jazzchocolat's monthly Tuesday night gig, is now closed Mon-Wed. That means the gig is defunct. I'm not sure exactly how long this gig lasted--I didn't begin playing in the group until last spring--but I'm pretty sure it was under 1 year.

Sadly, there just aren't that many long-standing gigs around these days. Many clubs decide that they want to have jazz, try it for a period of time, then decide it's just not for them. Some either switch to blues/rock after a while or discontinute music entirely.

One exception is Panache, which is a fabulously tolerant coffeehouse/cafe owned by Peoria's illustrious John Valentine. I say tolerant because of this: I've got to give kudos to John, who has supported musicans such as myself and other locals for 8 years now. When he first decided to have music, John made a committment. "I'll do it for one year," he said. "Then we'll see how things are going."

It's a good thing he offered a year's worth of gigs, because just because a venue has music doesn't mean it's guaranteed an instant crowd. It takes time to build a following. It won't happen in a month, or even three. But with a consistent schedule and some patience, live music can indeed draw a crowd. We have regulars who come out on Thursday nights. We've seen folks come and go, new groups of patrons form, disband, and others that begin to take their place. And there are still people in town who don't know about the music schedule at Panache, but when they come out and catch us by accident they're pleasantly surprised. And many of them come back again and again. We appreciate all of them. Thanks, y'all. Thanks, John & staff.

On a different, completely unrelated note...I just ate an entire sleeve of graham crackers while typing this. The little one must be hungry! Now I need more milk...so I'm off to pour myself a glass. Be good, and I'll see you back here soon.

free press!

2005-11-17T09:09:00.000-08:00

Somehow I managed to land an interview with Journal Star writer Scott Hillyard. We did a phone interview (I wish I could say I'm more articulate, clever, and witty when I speak!) and it's available for viewing here. Enjoy, and don't flame me if you happen to be a Kenny G fan. Thanks for the publicity, Scott.

a day in the life of a fool

2005-11-10T14:38:00.000-08:00

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler lends his voice to a jazz recording? Say it isn't so!!

Sadly, it's true. While I am an Aerosmith fan (my first rock concert was the Permanent Vacation tour) and believe that Tyler's raspy vocals suit the band perfectly, I have to say I'm less than thrilled to hear him try his hand at jazz. Then again, isn't that the trend nowadays? Pop stars must be bored with their own genre, because they all seem to be coming out with jazz standard albums. Most of them just don't sound that good. (e.g., Rod Stewart...and he keeps coming out with subsequent recordings!) The jazz stylings of truly great vocalists like Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holliday, and Mel Torme are missing. I'm convinced that these pop gurus haven't listened to much--if any--jazz at all.

While I'm going off on vocalists, I need to say a word about smooth jazz guy Chris Botti (this is the recording Tyler appears on, by the way). His new album isn't much better. It's a carbon copy of Chet Baker's stuff...and that's precisely the problem. Baker already did the muted trumpet/wimpy vocal thing. Why does Botti need to emulate this? Can't he come up with his own concept? Granted I haven't listened to the entire album, but based on the tracks I've heard: B-O-R-I-N-G.

One more artist I'm disappointed in: the great pianist Herbie Hancock. Caught him on the Tonight Show the other night with the buttocks-bearing pop diva Christina Aguilera. While Aguilera sang well (and I do have to give her credit for dressing appropriately...she was even wearing a dress with sleeves), I can't understand why Hancock needs to use pop stars to generate record sales (the new album, Possibilities, also features Sting, John Mayer, and Annie Lennox). He's a genius and should be worshipped as such. He doesn't need these other guys. He's proved himself--many times over. What the F*#$! ???

Maybe it's pregnancy hormones, but this sort of thing is really starting to irritate me. There are tons of jazz artists who don't feel the need to copy someone else's style or align themselves with current hotshots. Why don't these people get the recognition that's due to them? Why is America dumb when it comes to choosing intelligent, thoughtful music?

The rant is over. Wonder if there's anyone I haven't offended?

autumn leaves

2005-10-30T06:04:00.000-08:00

Daylight savings time. I wish we had eliminated it this year instead of the planned 2007. Messing witht he time really screws up your schedule (that's why I was up at 7 am on a Sunday). Plus the whole getting dark at 5.00 thing stinks. Prozac, anyone?

Random thought: I'm excited about Halloween. For the first time in years I'll be able to hand out candy! Bought some Snickers and Paydays the other day for the occasion. I have no idea how many kids will be showing up--there aren't that many in the neighborhood--so I guess if we get only a slow trickle there'll be lots of goodies left to eat. Can't complain about that. (The pregnancy diet is basically an excuse to eat what you want, right?) I've done a little decorating...bought a couple of really cheap skull candles for the window, and last weekend I got together with a friend for our second annual pumpkin carving event. The little orange dudes are sitting in my front yard right now. So far, nobody's gotten the urge to smash them.

With November on our tails I'm realizing that other than the regular gigs I don't have that much going on. (Note the updated calendar to your left for updates.) I'm still planning on playing as much as possible through Feb. at least, or until I get so huge I can't even hold my sax without help. Still not sure what to expect in this area, but it'll be interesting to find out.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone. It's supposed to be beautiful.

beneath the mask

2005-10-27T12:59:00.000-07:00

Since I can now post pics, I thought I'd add another just for fun. This corresponds to a couple of posts ago and was taken at the Dave Weckl concert. That's Dave on the right (minus his cool 80s hair), Kevin next to him, and two of Kevin's students on the left. Enjoy!

kenny, kevin, & me

2005-10-25T19:27:00.000-07:00

I'm experimenting with pictures again...if this takes, it's a shot from a couple of years ago at the Indy Jazz Festival. That's Kenny Garrett with Kevin and me. If not, forget I mentioned it. On to other things....

I'm watching Game #3 in the World Series as I type. Sox are leading, 5-4 in the 7th. This pleases most folks I know...my in-laws, because they're near Chicago and are huge Sox fans. My dad, because he hates all teams from Texas. And the local Cub fans, because their team didn't even come close to making the Series--for them I think the Sox are the next best thing. I'm rooting for 'em too...been to a couple of games over the past few years and enjoyed the experience. Well, except for the 2-hour rain delay earlier this year. There really isn't much to do at a ballpark when the game's not going on. You can eat, I guess, if you want to blow 6 months worth of salary. Or gig money (whatever it is that you do--however you get paid).

Hey musicians...do you ever set up gigs exclusively via the Internet? I'm playing a private party on Friday night that I booked about a month ago. I just opened an email one day asking if I'd be available to play on Oct. 28 for a cocktail hour. I didn't know this person, and I don't think she knew me--now that's having faith--what if I couldn't put a decent band together to save my life and if I sucked big time? Fortunately, I'm usually able to assemble a group of musicians that anyone would be happy to play with, and we work pretty well together. And I don't always suck...just the occasional gig here and there. :-)

Seriously, I've booked a few gigs this way. Sight unseen, sound unheard. Usually I'll send a demo CD out upon request, but this time there was no request. It's interesting. Just wondering if anyone else has come across this booking method.

My battery's low so I'd better sign off. More as it happens....

armando's rhumba

2005-10-13T13:51:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I feel incredibly lucky to have the good fortune to have opportunities to see some the best jazz masters at work. Last week yielded three unbelievable concerts: on Oct. 8 we scored tickets to see the Pat Metheny trio at U of I's Krannert Center. The group featured, of course, the guitar whiz himself on various afflictions, and also Christian McBride on bass and Antonio Sanchez on drums. There was even a surprise guest saxophonist during the second set: David Sanchez (no relation to Antonio). What else can I say but that this group was nothing short of amazing? Fabulous musicians, arrangements, technique, sound...you name it, it was integrated in the show. I gave it an A+++.

The following Friday we headed to Springfield (well, actually we were already there for a Swing Daddies gig) to catch the Dave Weckyl Band. If you like fusion (ala Chick Corea Electrik Band) you'd have loved this. And I've never seen so many drummers in the same room--it was kind of scary actually. The music was fast-paced, energetic, and believe it or not, not too loud. These guys were tasteful and friendly to boot. I wish them well (like that means anything, but still...) as they continue their tour to promote their latest CD, Multiplicity.

Last but not least, last Sunday Chick Corea was at the College of DuPage in Chicago. Kevin and I had a gig in Peoria that afternoon, which is about 3 hours from the City, so once that was done with we high-tailed it northward to witness this keyboard master at work. Great stuff...Corea has teamed up with a bunch of native Spaniards (and an American drummer) to produce some tasty flamenco-style jazz. Corea is a jazz giant, and definitely someone every musician should see at some point.

Am I listened out? No way. It's been great. Besids, I need to get this out of my system before March and babytime. Jazz concerts in auditoriums and screaming children are a big no-no (see, I've got the lingo of parenthood down already). We'll be sticking with outdoor concerts for quite a few years, I think.

More as it happens. Happy listening & gigging to all!

that's my baby

2005-10-04T12:50:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a much-needed break from working on various writing projects to catch up in blogworld. Actually, a much-more-needed break would entail me leaving this computer, but I'll do that in an hour or so when I head out to teach some lessons.

Just updated the October calendar. My schedule is starting to be a bit less hectic now that many of the outdoor events are winding down. As I've mentioned before this summer was pretty hectic. It'll probably be the last I'll see of that type of schedule for quite some time due to the upcoming life changes that are in the process occuring...we're expecting our first little jazzer in March. That's right folks, you heard it here first.

Actually, I'm hoping anyone that knows me doesn't actually find out via this blog--I hope I've been able to tell you in person. But I know there are a couple of friends I haven't been able to reach yet, so if this is your introduction to the news...sorry!

Not sure yet how this will affect my gigging. I do still plan to play, but probably not as much as I have been. What I'd really like to find is some other woman who has dealt with performing and pregnancy because I don't know what to expect. The many questions I have include things like how long will I be able to play--comfortably--before having the baby? Right now I'm planning on taking gigs through February, and probably leaving March-May completely gig-free. We'll see what happens after that.

Well how do I top that news? I can't so I'll just get back to work. More later...

quick note (no song title today)

2005-10-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the crazies out in cyberworld that post meaningless advertisements in the comment section, I've had to implement Blogger's verification system. If you decide to comment you'll have to prove you are a real, live person by first typing in the letter/number combination shown. Please don't let this minor adjustment deter you from commenting...it only takes a second to complete the process.

I've got news but no time to share right now...I'll try to post later in the week.

do you know what it means to miss orleans?

2005-09-09T09:16:00.000-07:00

Just got a note from a friend about the New Orleans Musician's Relief Fund & thought I'd share it here. If you'd like to learn more about how to help displaced musicians from this region, check out this link.

Also, a list of musicians who have been accounted for can be viewed here.

september song

2005-09-07T12:51:00.000-07:00

September must be the month for private parties. I've got two lined up for this weekend and at least one each weekend for the remainder of the month. Events range from weddings to general banquet-type things. This is where musicians make decent money, which makes up for (at least some of) the gigs that don't pay much and now cost an extrordinary amount of cash to cover transportation. In defense of the lower-paying gigs, I must say that they are usually the most fun to play, so paying out the wazhoo for gas is a minor inconvenience. (I say this now, anyway, until I have to fill the gas tank again.)

Most of my work is still in Peoria (90-mile round trip) but I seem to be playing more in town, finally. Part of this is due to recently joining jazzchocolat', a local vocals-sax-trombone-guitar-bass group that's been together for several years. The band plays once a month at a local club, and the occasional private party (also mostly in town). A few other things have come up also, thanks to several WGLT-sponsored events. So at least some work is local. I just wish the Bloomington-Normal scene was better. Heck, I wish B/N had a scene!

Other news that doesn't really include me but may be of interest to other musicians: Kevin's new CD, The Road to Everywhere, is doing well. He's sold copies on CD Baby, at gigs, and at the locations that agreed to carry a local independent artist. And GLT has been playing several tracks. In fact, we woke up to his version of Foolish Heart yesterday morning. Not the standard My Foolish Heart, but the Journey variety. If you haven't done so yet, check out Kevin's website. He's got sound clips of all the tunes, so be sure to take a listen while you're there. Good stuff!

Seeya onstage....

when sunny gets blue

2005-08-31T12:33:00.000-07:00

It's been a couple of miserable days. Been dealing with a migraine, one of those terribly annoying & painful headaches that just don't let up. I can't take anything other than Tylenol, which has never worked for me, nonetheless I keep trying. So I've been sleeping a great deal and watching really bad daytime television through hazy lids. I've seen the aerial footage of the destruction of Hurricane Katrina a million times on the news (morning, noon, 5 o'clock, 6 o'clock, and 10) and I feel badly for all those who have been displaced from their homes and businesses. Those of us in other parts of the country are suffering somewhat too, the authorities tell us, since gas prices have risen yet higher. That sucks, and I've done my share of complaining about it, but at least we still have our homes and families in tact.

Thought I'd update the blog since I'm beginning to feel as if I can concentrate on something for more than 5 minutes and the pain in my right temple is becoming slightly more sporadic. I don't have much music news, except to state once again that certain people really need to step back sometimes and realize that when it's not their gig, they have no right to make demands. Like the drummer who told me that he's coming out to play with us at Panache this week, and requesting that we please start on time and play til the end. (The gig is 7.30-10.00 and sure, sometimes we start at 7.45 but it's really no big deal...even the biz owner is fine with this...and we always play until 10.) ARRRRGGGGHHH. This is the same guy who recently played a gig with some friends of mine (sitting in, once again) and got tired of the ballad they were playing so he quit in the middle of it. What is with people?!

So anyway. Maybe I'm not in the right mood to be writing so I'll sign off for now. More as it happens....

perdido

2005-08-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

Title post inspired by the wonderful jazz duo I'm currently listening to live at Panache. I think the pianist is hot. I'll be taking him home tonight. (That's not as crude as it sounds. Anyone who knows me also knows that I'm married to the guy.)

When I logged onto Blogger a moment ago, I saw a note about adding word verification to avoid comment spam. Interesting, isn't it? Why would someone spam in comment form? I've gotten a couple of non-sensical responses in my guestbook...mostly stuff saying, "Nice site design! " What's the point of this? Needless to say I haven't followed any of the links. Do others do this? Weird stuff.

This has been a generous summer for gigs...but I must say I'm getting kind of tired of playing outdoors. (I know...musicians are never happy.) Then again if it weren't for the outdoor gigs I would probably just be playing my 2 steadies (Thurs. & Fri. nights) and the occasional summertime wedding reception. I've got outdoor stuff booked through October, so I hope the weather is kind once fall arrives. The summer has been so darn hot that it just hasn't been any fun to play. I've noticed on those hot, humid days that I often feel short of breath for the first half of the first set. I can't hold notes out for very long and I have to keep phrases fairly short, otherwise I get dizzy. Guess that's a surefire way to keep solos short, anyway. After I get used to the heavy air I'm fine. Sweaty, tired, and grumpy, but fine.

But I digress. From what I'm not certain...I don't particularly have any useful insight to share today, so I'll keep this post short (like those solos). Have a great week, and make sure to get out and support some live music this week/end, wherever you are!

one note samba

2005-08-14T08:19:00.000-07:00

What a slacker I be. Almost 3 weeks, I believe, since my last post. I'll spare you the details of why I haven't bothered to check in more frequently...let's just say things have been very, very busy.

This summer has been quite productive in terms of gigs. Lots of outdoor opportunities, and since we've only had a total of about 3 inches of rain in the last 3 months, all gigs have taken place with little concern of the weather causing cancellations. Unless you count the risk of heat stroke...we've had a number of 90+ degree days (15 I think) and it's been humid to boot. Kind of a miserable summer. I'm ready for fall!

Last week a unique & notable event occurred: I appeared as DJ for a Day on WGLT. This summer the station has invited a number of local musicians into the studio, allowing us the opportunity to pick tunes for an hour and talk a bit about our influences, the music scene, our experiences, and a host of other things. Everyone's done a great job and it's been fun to see what sort of jazz other musicians really like to listen to. Thanks to the staff at GLT and the hosts, Jon Norton and Mike McCurdy for making everyone feel at ease and allowing us the opportunity to share our thoughts with listeners.

A couple of folks have responded to previous posts re: the great prodigy debate and interesting comments mentioned at gigs. Check out the comment section to follow up on these insightful posts. Thanks for responding...it's great to create a dialogue about this sort of stuff.

My gig schedule (see left column) has also been updated. Since we're halfway through August already I figured it was about time.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend, all!

it's just talk

2005-07-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

Or is it??

So today's discussion will be about the strange remarks conveyed to band members during (or after) a gig. I've got a whole list of 'em, but will only address a few here.

The most recent comment came from a fellow at a nice outdoor performance this past Thursday, after the band I was playing with, the Swing Daddies, concluded the first set. This man seemed to genuinely enjoy the music, and I was glad he said so, except his choice words were a bit annoying: "You're the best girl sax player I ever heard."

Ok. I realize this is a compliment. Sort of. I'm glad he liked the band...and my contributions to the music. But why stick the "girl" thing in there? That's like saying, 'You're the best black basketball player I've ever seen' or 'You're the smartest Jewish guy I know.' And I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the best all-around sax player he--or anyone else--has ever heard, but what's wrong with a nice, neutral, 'I really enjoyed your playing'?

I know it's a bit unusual to see a chick playing horn in a band. Most of us seem to gravitate towards piano or vocals. Not sure why that is, but rest assured that there are plenty of female instrumentalists out there. Check out Virginia Mayhew (alto, tenor, soprano saxes), Terri Lyn Carrington (drums), Kathy Jensen of the Hornheads (bari sax, alto sax), Clora Bryant (trumpet, played with Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, and recorded with Dizzy Gillespie), to name a few. I've been fortunate to play with musicians that don't really care one way or another what sex their band members are. They just care that the musicians show up to the gig on time, play their best, and in general, take care of business. That said, we all get along just fine. And that's all that should ever have to matter.

BTW, here's an interesting story I found about a woman jazz musician who lived her life as a man, partially in order to be able to play the kind of music she enjoyed without judgment:
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_009.html

Other interesting comments at gigs:

"Can you play Old MacDonald had a COW??? Ha ha ha ha ha...." (Walks away laughing. Yeah. Ver'funny.)

"Oh, so (insert name of other local sax player here) couldn't play today?" (Um I always play with this band. There's more than one saxophonist in the area, ya know.)

"Gee, sure miss the bass player." (Comment directed to keyboard player playing left-hand bass on a gig...as well as or better than many actual bass players!)

There are many, many more where this came from. I'm sure you all have comments of your own. Feel free to share 'em!

well you needn't

2005-07-14T08:23:00.000-07:00

Just a bit of news here: for anyone who hasn't yet heard, Kevin's new cd is FINISHED. That is, he's got the actual cd in hand and online, and he's ready to share it. There's lots of great music on this recording, including many original tunes and just for fun, a couple of jazzy 80s tunes (ah, nostalgia). Check out sound clips on Kevin's website. If you want to actually watch/listen to the band, check out the video clips section. Some cool stuff here.

More as it happens.

body n soul

2005-07-08T22:00:00.000-07:00

I actually had a request to provide an overview of the Iowa City Jazz Festival, so of course I must oblige. Was planning to do this anyway, but a little urging never hurts....

This was the 7th year we attended the festival. While I've heard a lot of fantastic groups over the years, I'm not sure this was my favorite year for featured performers. Of course everyone was excellent, musically, but some of the groups got a little too "experimental" for my taste. I'm by no means a jazz purist, but for me, a little bit of dissonance goes a long way. Here's the rundown:

FRIDAY
United Jazz Ensemble, The FunkDaddies (didn't arrive until Sat., so sorry...no feedback!)

SATURDAY
Ashanti
This group apparently began in 1983 by a bunch of Berklee students. Founding member Gabriel Espinosa moved to Iowa and resurrected the band in the Heartland. I liked Ashanti a lot. Excellent "authentic" Latin grooves and a good deal of variety. The group had a female vocalist but used her sparingly. When she sang she sounded good. She could also play a shaker in time (it's true, not all musicians can do this!) This was one of my favorite groups...great way to start the Saturday portion of the festival.

JUICE Big Band
FYI, it's pronounced "juice" not "juicy." (Juicy sounds cooler though.) A local band led by composer/trombonist John Rapson. While the musicians were obviously very accomplished and the arrangements were quite intricate, this was the day's introduction to some bizarre jazz. The tunes were lengthy and each supposedly had a story to tell. I did begin to get tired of clashing chords, sparse melodies, and solos that were sometimes just plain weird.

Kim Richmond & Clay Jenkins Ensemble
Why did I think Richmond was a smooth jazz guy? He's anything but. He sounded good, but for some strange reason I'm not recalling much from his performance. I will say that somehow he reminded me of John Lithgow, both in appearance and the way he spoke.

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey
These guys are crazy! Really. A trio of piano, electric bass, and drums, they really put on a show. Though the music was a bit zany I have to admit I liked it quite a bit. The sound guy, however, ruined it by cranking the bass drum, causing listeners to receive a slam to the chest every time the drummer used the kick drum. This was annoying and definitely detracted from the band's esoteric yet totally creative appearance. I'd check them out again if the opportunity arose.

Kenny Garrett Quartet
Go Kenny! Woah, Kenny! Always the energetic altoist with a larger than life, robust sound, Garrett entertained us with his fast fingers, intense solos, and calisthenics (if you've ever seen him perform you know what I mean). He had several young players with him, including the most animated drummer I've ever seen. The kid knocked over a few cymbal stands at one point in time, causing 2 stage hands to rush forth and try to put the set back together. The band primarily performed hip-hop stuff, not so much the burnin' tunes like you'll find on "Songbook" or the light, melodic jazz on "Simply Said." I think it was because the group was headlining on Saturday night and the audience likes to hear something a bit more partyesque. It was good though. Gotta love the "real" Kenny G!

SUNDAY
Susie Miget Group
Unfortunately, we missed Susie. (And I guess it's pronounced "Mih-shay" not "Midget"...oops.)We were having lunch at Panera and it was raining at the time, so we didn't venture downtown until after her set was over. I heard it was good, though, even though the band played intermittently between showers. Susie sings and play bass, as my dad learned while they were outside catching a smoke together at the Super 8 earlier that morning.

The X-Tet
Led by saxophonist/composer/educator Chris Mertz, this 10-piece group also performed a host of original compositions that were quite involved. Great soloists, interesting arrangements, and an overall good band. I was left longing for a nice, easy melody by the end, though.

Henry Threadgill's Zooid
I heard my first-ever oud on this day. The other musicians played acoustic guitar, cello, tuba, drums, and flute & sax. This was definitely weird stuff and we had to get up and walk around at this point. I was really starting to crave something melodic...

Eric Alexander Quintet
...and I got it with Eric. These guys saved the day! Swingin' sax, organ, guitar, and drums were literally music to my ears. I think I'm going to become a big Eric Alexander fan. He's got a beautiful tenor tone and plays the way I'd like to. He knows jazz, for sure, and he doesn't abandon melodic statements because he's bored with them. Fabulous job!

Conrad Herwig & Brian Lynch: The Latin Side of Miles
This band sounded excellent, too. A nice way to end the festival...I liked Herwig, and Lynch sounded fabulous too. The drummer & conga player worked extremely well together, and left my head spinning with their rhythmic interpretations of Latin fare.

All in all it was a good festival. Of course we'll be back next year. I just hope they have the vendor with corn on the cob there (he skipped town this summer). I did sample an excellent pork chop sandwich and some superb black cherry ice cream at Whitey's. And the porta potties were clean. (Hey, it ain't all about the music!)

c jam blues

2005-06-29T14:27:00.000-07:00

It's been a pretty exciting day in the music world. I ended up booking a number of gigs: a jazz n' steak fundraiser and several potential gigs with a group that may be losing its regular sax player, at least for a while. The best part is that every single one of these gigs will be in town. That's right, no driving the I-74 westbound construction-based disaster zone (I think the crews are on strike or something) for these gigs!

The other big news doesn't concern myself so much as it does my superbly musically-talented husband. He got to be a guest DJ for a day on GLT and...here's the really big news...he got the first shipment of his new CD today. It's called "The Road to Everywhere" and will be available shortly on CD Baby. His website is also about ready to go live and when it does I'll post the link here. If you're in the area, you can catch his group (Kevin Hart & the Vibe Tribe) this Thursday night on the Peoria Riverfront (7.30-9.30pm) as part of the CEFCU/ParkDistrict Summer Jazz Series. Yes, I know I'm promoting a gig that competes with my own (Panache). I'm just glad that this week it's not me who has to be outdoors in 90+ degree heat performing! I'll be indoors, in the air-conditioning, sipping iced tea in between solos.

The Iowa City Jazz Festival is this weekend. We'll be attending, for like the 5th or 6th year in a row. It's a great, FREE, festival in the heart of downtown Iowa City. This hear promises to be another fabulous time with a host of fantastic musicians, including Eric Alexander, Conrad Herwig, and my favorite living altoist/headliner: Kenny Garrett. If you are anywhere within a day's drive of Iowa City, I urge you to make a point to attend!

Blogger is very slow today so I'm going to sign off before I get too annoyed. Have some swingin' dreams this week, all.

musings in Dm

2005-06-23T13:46:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I contributed any sort of thoughtful commentary. Been too darn busy to think about stuff, let alone write it. But in the spirit of conversation (and it can be two-way conversation, if anyone cares to post a comment or sign the ol' guestbook), I've got something now.

Word of the year: prodigy.

This has to be one of the most overused terms these days. The definition, according to Webster, is "(a) an extraordinary, marvelous, or unusual accomplishment, deed, or event (b) a highly talented child or youth." While I'm on board with example (a), I guess I'd have to beg to differ with (b). There are a lot of parents who think their kid is a prodigy (I used to work music retail and can't count the number of moms/dads that went on and on about how their precious 3-year-old Jimmy-poo could sit down at the piano and play just like Oscar Peterson. Uh-huh.) I suppose this is natural. But when this word is used to label every kid who plays a little above average, it begins to lose its meaning.

For example, last week a local restaraunt/bar had signs plastered all over the place announcing this 15-year-old guitar player from Chicago who had a gig lined up for Saturday night. We had the night off and considered checking him out, but due to laziness we couldn't decide whether to go or not. The deciding factor would be, we said, what we thought when we heard the sound clips on his website. Preparing to be blown away, we tuned our ears eagerly towards the computer speakers.

Hmmm. The kid sounded ok, but he didn't sound like a prodigy. He was actually kind of sloppy and didn't really play anything out of the ordinary. (We didn't go to the gig.) In all fairness, I realize it's probably not cool to judge someone based on a few low-quality sound clips on a website. But I did talk to a friend who attended the show and asked what he thought. "Kid sounded all right," he said. "Better than average, maybe. But no wow factor."

Shouldn't a prodigy have some sort of wow factor? (See definition [a]). Shouldn't something about their playing make you stand up and say, holy crap, this is unbelievable? Shouldn't you be envious of their ability, as you've been playing for many more years than this youngster?

I can honestly say I've known exactly one prodigy...a young saxophone player from Peoria. He was amazing at age 13. Blew most--if not all--of the adult musicians away. Today he still sounds great...he's grown in many ways--his approach to music, the type of music he plays, etc--but you know, anything he plays now (technical, general sound, improvization-wise) he could do then. It really is amazing. I've known other kids who were really good for their age, and who work hard and have become fantastic musicians, but I wouldn't describe them as prodigies. This is a special term that should be reserved for really exceptional individuals.

Like 13-year-old Kit Armstrong, a classical piano player who was recently interviewed on NPR's Weekend Edition. (He's also taking graduate-level classes in math & physics.)

Or a kid I just heard on the radio today, 18-year-old Eldar Djangirov. Now he sounds like Oscar Peterson!

And 16-year-old Julian Lage, a guitarist touring & recording with vibraphonist Gary Burton these days (I wrote about him before).

So am I writing this out of jealousy? Maybe. But not really. I'm a wordsmith in addition to being a (very mediocre) musician, and misuse of terminology bugs me.

Every prodigy (both real ones and those who are mislabeled) has one thing in common: one day, he/she will grow up. Then that wow factor will wear off. While she'll certainly be regarded as an excellent musician, the special attention that was lavished upon her will cease. (Well, maybe not for "her" if she continues to perform wearing skimpy outfits and long, flowing blond hair...but for the guys, definitely.) Will he be confused? Will he think he's no longer good enough? How does all this special attention affect the kids?

All I'm saying is to think before labeling.

My $.02...go ahead, hit me with your commentary. I'm ready!

dolphin dizzle

2005-06-15T10:09:00.000-07:00

This is so great I just have to share it right away. A friend just tipped me off to this super fun link: www.gizoogle.com. Go to this page and type in any URL...you'll be transported to the page of your choice, only it'll be translated into ghetto speak. This is hilarious! Warning...you could spend all day laughing.

I just fixed the link above...I accidentally typed in the wrong URL before. Do try this site!!

in walked betty

2005-06-10T07:13:00.000-07:00

Played a really nice gig last night at Panache with Steve Degenford on guitar and my staple bass player, Jamie Jenkins. Dave Hoffman also came out and played some trumpet. It was a relatively small crowd, but a few of the regular Jazz Society folks showed up and stayed the whole night, and there were some students that hung around also. The local community college (ICC) offers American Music classes for Humanities credit--these classes focus on jazz history. Students are required to attend two performances and have to write a paper about what they hear. I took this class when I was at ICC, so it's kinda funny now that I'm on the "other" end, I'm the one who ends up being reviewed instead of doing the reviewing. I wonder what they write? Some nights It's probably better that I don't know.

Some students try, but don't dig the jazz thing much (you can tell). Some don't even try to get it. But a few become quite interested in this "new" music (new to them, anyway) and are curious about it. They'll ask questions, try to incorporate terms they've learned in class in converstation, and every now and then you'll see them out again, even after class is done and they don't have to write any more papers. And that's great. We've reached another one! Now go buy some jazz recordings and boost that 2% to 2.5% or something.

I updated the gig schedule the other day, so all public gigs are listed thru June. This summer is just crazy, with lots of outdoor events and a few private things. This weekend is busy...going to a jam session in Springfield tonight, tomorrow I'm in Peoria for a country club thing, and Sunday I've got two gigs. I guess jazz isn't dead, after all. Cheers, everyone.

summertime

2005-06-05T08:28:00.000-07:00

It isn't yet, but it sure feels like it. I wish it would just rain already. The grass is going dormant and the air feels like a giant cotton ball. A giant, wet cottonball. Ick.

I'm always on the search for other jazz blogs, and it's always great to come across those that are insightful, useful, and entertaining. Here are a couple to check out--I even noticed they've got this blog linked to their sites.

Jazz Authority - saxophonist discusses all things sax...and jazz in general. Great tips for players.
Xanax Taxi - mp3-based site with commentary
I was doing all right - trumpet player talks jazz improv and describes his return to playing after taking time off

Also...
If you were a saxophone, what kind would you be? Take this quiz and find out. Of course, I was hoping for a mint-condition vintage Mark VI, but I ended up as a Yamaha student model alto. Wonder what that means.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend, all.

all of me

2005-05-31T20:24:00.000-07:00

Found a couple more jazz blogs, both written by DJs of sorts:

Jazz & Conversation
Jazz Portraits

Summer is about here, and gigs are picking up. I'm "on call" for a wedding for Saturday. The group's sax player is out of the country and if he's not back by Friday night, I guess I'll get the good word. It's a private event---in town!---and the only gig in my book for the weekend, except for the regulars: Thursday at Panache (w/ Dave Hoffman & Jamie Jenkins, and I just heard Dr.Bob may be showing up) and Friday at the Pere with the Fulton Street Gang.

My eyes are watering and my head is swimming from staring at the computer screen all day. Been working nonstop today to finish some web content for a client, with the exception of heading over to the store to teach lessons. 2 students didn't show today, and I'm pretty sure one of them thought it was Monday. The other is hit or miss...he's here one week, not the next. He missed last week too---I'm not sure of his interest level. He doesn't practice, or converse, and he likes Good Charlotte instead of Benny Goodman.

Which brings me to a question I posed to Kevin yesterday during our drive to his folks' house: if anything can be sold if marketed properly, why can't jazz be successful? If the media would take an artist--not a Diana Krall or a Jane Monheit (Kev's examples)--let's take someone really talented, not watered down musically and perhaps even ugly (my example) and tell the public that it's the next big thing. Kids have got to download it on their iPods and they've got to check out the next live show. Couldn't jazz make it? Why not? Why do bands with little musical talent and lots of tattoos and makeup rake in millions while artists who play insightful, complex music are struggling to make a living?

There's got to be a way to make this work. We listen to the media. We rely on the media to tell us what's hip and what's not. Just glance at the magazine rack next time you're at the checkout counter and you'll see it's true: People, Star, Nat'l Enquirer, various fashion mags. I want to do a project, a research project. I want to convince the media to sway the general public to listen to Joshua Redman and Nicholas Payton. I want record sales (jazz) to surge past the 2% they currently make. I want I want I want. Guess I'm just like everyone else, after all.

Hope everyone had a nice weekend. Look, we're almost halfway thru the workweek already!

altered state

2005-05-27T12:57:00.000-07:00

It's been over a week since I posted to the blog, partly because I've been swamped with work and partly because I haven't had much to say. Until now, that is.

Wednesday we (Kevin, myself, and drummer friend Greg) took a trip to St. Louis to see the Yellowjackets at the Jazz Bistro. I'm not sure I'll be able to adequately convey the magic that happened on stage that night, but I'll try.

Actually, it wasn't really magic. It was quite simple, really: enter four talented musicians who can play their @$$es off individually but who play equally as well when performing in and ensemble. These guys listen to each other. They respond. They leave space and fill it, too. They play original music that, on the surface, sometimes sounds simple but is really quite difficult to play. Some of it doesn't sound simple, though, and surely isn't easy to play. But they pull it off. And they sound better every time I hear them.

They are all super nice guys, too. They'll hang out after shows and talk to everyone. We chatted with Bob Mintzer (sax) for a while, and it was just like talking to your best friend. No attitude. No pulling rank. No superiority complex. Just a regular guy. And they're all like that. Sorry for these really short sentences. I'm. Just. Trying. To. Make. A. Point.

So if you get a chance, I urge you to make an effort to catch the Yellowjackets live. I promise you will not be disappointed. They'll be back at the Bistro next April, and I'll be there to cheer them on once again. In the meantime, check out these 'Jackets-related websites:

Yellowjackets official website
bios, performance schedule, cds & transcriptions for sale, more!

Yellowjackets fan-made site
dedicated fans provide another great 'Jackets resource

Bob Mintzer's site
read notes from Bob about the 'Jackets, the Bob Mintzer Big Band, and music in general. he's also got a discussion forum...and he replies to just about every post. ask him something!

caravan

2005-05-17T18:22:00.000-07:00

Does anyone else think the dude on the Burger King commercials is creepy? It's not just his giant plastic face (which at first glance appears to be smiling openly--take another look, however, and notice the hypnotic state of his eyes) that make my skin crawl but a combination of his frozen features and the raspy voice . And I'm not the only one who thinks this way...I just found some other folks who fear the King:

King Chat
Homoerotic analysis of the King (this honestly never crossed my mind...but well, ok...)

So anyway, I guess we need crazy days to balance out the days where nothing at all happens. Today was certainly one of those. I'm in the middle of a lesson (with one of my 4 students) when the manager/lesson coordinator sticks his head in and asks if I mind taking a new student in the 5.30 slot...tonight. I say sure, since I have a half hour to kill until my 6.00 student shows anyway. So that's one new student. A while later he comes in to let me know that 3 others have just signed up (today??!). I guess my Tuesday afternoons/evenings are booked now...no tagging along to Panache with Kevin unless the last student decides not to show. Attendance as a whole has been less than stellar, although lately everyone has shown up on time.

Other news: the Gilmore Girls season finale aired tonight, which I faithfully watched. Loreli propoed to Luke in the last few seconds of the show. His response was a shocked & baffled "What?" Such a cliffhanger! Of course they should be together, but that may change the dynamic of the show, so I'm sure the writers will throw some sort of wrench in the process. Guess I have to wait until September to find out!

darn that dream

2005-05-11T18:58:00.000-07:00

Truly, this afternoon I composed a rather insightful post about musicians & clubowners and whose responsibility it is to publicize gigs, but Blogger went nuts, froze up, and ate my post. I'm not feeling like recreating it in its entirety right now so here's my words of advice on the subject (the abridged version):

Clubowners should promote gigs that take place in their venues. Don't complain about a lack of an audience if you do nothing to promote your business and the entertainment you've chosen to sponsor.

Musicians--you should also promote your gigs. Don't leave it up to the club to do all the work. Want people to come out and hear you? Make flyers and post them around town, start an email list, get a website or a blog and list your gigs, etc. If you advertise it, they will come!

Speaking of which, come out to Panache tomorrow night and catch yours truly with Dave Hoffman and Jamie Jenkins!

april in paris

2005-05-04T14:19:00.000-07:00

Most of my life I've been a closet percussionist. And I'm just about ready to come out.

I think it started when I was real little. I had this Snoopy lunchbox--one of the metal ones--that I liked to beat on. Eventually I acquired a pair of drum sticks and was overjoyed at the rat-a-tat-tat noises--as arhythmic as I'm sure they were--that emerged when I pounded on the box's flat surface. My sister had a set of 4 variously-sized blocks, so I'd set these up all around me, place the lunch box in the middle, and pretend I had a drum set. This provided hours of entertainment for me and hours of headaches for my parents.

I'm sure this is why when it came time to join band and I wanted to play the drums, my folks said, "But the flute is such a nice [quiet] instrument. And all your friends are playing it...."

I didn't care about quiet, but in fifth grade you become aware of your social status, and your friends certainly rule (at least mine did), so I consented and got my grubby hands on a flute. Played it for years, moved to the sax, and the rest is history.

Until I married a drummer. Then I finally had a "real" drumset at my disposal. And I've been playing it...it's quite fun (see previous post outlining adentures in percussion exercises). Now we've added congas to the mix, and I'm excited to learn a few basic grooves so I can lug them with me to Panache and play a bit during the [drummerless] trio sessions. Jamie, the bass player, will love me for it and I'll feel as if I'm adding some substance to the performance when I'm not playing heads or soloing.

Lessons with my dear husband will begin shortly and I'll keep you posted on my progress. I promise I won't type if my hands are bruised and bleeding. Hmmm, maybe I don't know what I'm in for?

Later,
Conga Cassie

impressions

2005-04-29T09:33:00.000-07:00

Two new CDs have graced the disc changer in the living room: the new Yellowjackets recording, Altered State, and a Gary Burton's Generations. Both are superb. The 'Jackets sound as good as ever, and I'm looking forward to hearing them again live next month at the Jazz Bistro. Gary Burton has with him Julian Lage, the 16-year-old guitarist who plays up a storm. The kid was only 15 when the CD was recorded, and the liner notes notate that "Julian is currently a high school sophomore and is looking forward to getting his driver's license." That kills me!

Summer is looking good, gigwise. Have several Shoppes @ Grand Prairie gigs lined up, a couple of weddings, and a few misc. other things in addition to the regular stuff (Panache, Pere Marquette). Of course this means that between Kevin's and my busy schedule, we won't have much time to take off and actually go anywhere for a weekend (except the Iowa City Jazz Fest, which we reserve time for every year). That's what's nice about being self-employed (me) and working as a teacher (Kev)...we can take a couple days in the middle of the week during the summer and take a mini-trip. We've been talking about taking the train to Chicago for a brief getaway, so maybe that'll happen this year.

That's it for now. If anyone's out and about this weekend, we're at the Shoppes on Saturday from 4-7 pm. Let's hope it doesn't rain!

2005-04-26T20:46:00.000-07:00

I'm back. Didja miss me?

Seems like I did a gazillion things today, yet I don't feel as if I really accomplished anything. I ran around all morning to meetings, attended a ribbon cutting, made a delivery, and finally headed back home. By then it was lunchtime and I had a few hours to work on some web content for a client before going to the store to teach lessons. Here's the frustrating thing. I've got 4 students now, supposedly. The first is relatively new. Before today he was 2 for 4...showed up for 2 lessons on time, with horn in hand, ready to go. There were excuses for the other 2 times, but at least he came by to deliver them in person. Today he didn't bother to show up at all. So I sat around for a half an hour. Student #2 is reliable as can be and since she actally started practicing, we're making strides so things were a-ok. Student #3 was supposed to start last week, turned out to be a no-show, and decided this week that she didn't want to take lessons after all. This is a pain because we moved student #4 to a later time slot to make room for new student #3. Oh, and student #4 couldn't make it today at all (but at least I already knew about this). Out of four scheduled lessons, I taught only one.

I hate wasting time. But at least I got home early enough to trim up the lawn before my Tuesday night show (Gilmore Girls) came on. Been working on the Jazzscope newsletter ever since, tho I did take a bit of time out to visit the drumset downstairs that continues to call my name. Been working on a few bossa nova grooves from one of Kevin's teaching sheets, playing along to a few piano trio (drummerless) CDS, and trying to figure out how to coordinate all four limbs when playing in general. My right hand (ride cymbal) and left foot (hi-hat) are decent. The left hand (snare) is coming along better. My biggest deficiency is the right foot (kick), although this particular appendage is certainly responding better than it used to. I'm just not sure what else I'm supposed to do with it, other than slam it when I hit the crash or drop a bomb of sorts, which I don't really know how to do yet in a non-awkward and timeless, groove-busting-but-not-in-a-good-way fashion. Maybe it's time for a real lesson.

The eyes are getting heavy thanks to this morning's 5.30 am wakeup call, so that's about it for now. Stay tuned for new, ramblings, and whatever else have you. I'll update the gig list soon to include new performances.

time after time

2005-04-26T11:48:00.000-07:00

Feast or famine. That's the motto of a freelance anything.

As a writer, I encounter this sort of thing regularly with writing projects. As I finish up one or more pieces of work, I'll look ahead at my calendar(post due dates) only to see that I have no more immediate assignments. Will I ever work again? I ask myself. Fortunately, a dry spell hasn't lasted more than a couple of weeks, and I've used this time to pump up my marketing efforts.

Same thing with music. I haven't booked a new gig in about a month, then within 5 days I received calls resulting in a wedding reception, a couple of summertime outdoor functions, and a Christmas party. Crazy. I'm grateful, of course. This summer is shaping up to be a very busy time.

More later, as it happens....

road song

2005-04-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

I've been a bit lax about posting this week due to a jam-packed schedule. Maneuvering my way around meetings, writing work, gigs, and practice time left but a few measly seconds, it seems, to update the blog. But now it's Saturday and I'm grateful. I have no real plans to do anything today and hope to keep it that way.

Today let's talk about something anyone with a vehicle--those who venture out beyond the city limits into interstate territory, anyway--is forced to deal with once the winter months begin to fade: CONSTRUCTION. This is going to be a killer year, at least for anyone traveling on I-74 between Peoria and Bloomington. Since I make the journey anywhere from 2-4 times each week this is an issue that deeply concerns me. I'm convinced that IDOT (IL Dept. of Transportation) has it in for those of us who want to visit either town.

First, the interstate bridge in Peoria closed for the next 6 months, which in all honesty, doesn't seem to be nearly as bad as I had anticipated. There are plenty of alternative routes to take, and if you don't follow the alt. route signs that the construction crews posted, you'll actually get where you need to be much faster. Fortunately, I'm from that area and know how to get around without any of this generous "help."

No, my big complaint now is that about 15 miles of road--on and off between Morton and Carlock--is down to one lane in both directions. I guess this is to make way for a new paving job. That's cool. I'm glad the State wants to provide us with pothole-less roads with smooth black surfaces. But I want to know...WHY NOW? Instead of the usual 45-50 minute drive to P-town, it's going to take probably just over an hour. All because there's always someone who has to drive 35 when squeezed between orange & white barrels, causing the rest of traffic to keep the same pace. And then there's the idiot who likes to ride your @$$, knowing full well that you can't go any faster than the person in front of you. Or the driver who sees that the overall speed has picked up a bit and floors the accelerator to hurry up and pick up 1/16 of a second, thinking he'll reach his destination that much sooner, only to realize that traffic isn't really picking up...and he has to slam on the brakes to avoid kissing the bumper in front of him. Problem is, he forgets this scenario quickly and the next time he gets an inch, the cycle repeats itself. Steer clear of these thoughtless drivers and make sure you leave plenty of space between the two of you, should you happen to get stuck in the rear.

The message for today, then? Please be careful out there. Drive safely. Watch for construction crews. Happy driving!

sleep all day

2005-04-14T14:51:00.000-07:00

Jazz aficionados and musicians are probably scratching their heads and saying, "Well now, I don't recall that one," and frantically searching Google to find a jazz standard with this title. Or not. For those of you who remain puzzled, however, I should explain that I've bent my own rules here. As of late I've been straddling the fence of popular music. Hey, at least it's good popular music. Perhaps I should explain...

I've been away from the Top 40 scene for quite some time. Since my first year in college I think. Ever since I discovered Bird, then Coltrane, and Stitt, and on and on. Every now and then, however, I'll turn on a local radio station to see if anything interesting is being put out there. Most of the time the results are quite disappointing...but there are a few artists that I find intriguing (Black Eyed Peas, Matchbox20, and even a bit of Green Day...even though I just saw them on Saturday Night Live and they didn't sound very good). About a year ago I discovered Jason Mraz, who has a fantastic voice and actually writes his own music. I've never paid much attention to lyrics before, probably because most of the time they're mindless and dull. Mraz's words, however, are quite poetic and catchy and makes you really want to listen to see what he has to say. Wordplay, analogies, near-rhymes, and themes that we can all relate to (mostly love) weave in and out of yes, simple song structures, but there's something more. At first I couldn't put my finger on it. Then I found a live CD/DVD combo of his last tour and I realized, (1) the guy really loves music, (2) his band plays really well together, (3) it's not about showmanship, and (4) Mraz is isn't just another iconic rock star, he comes across as a truly down-to-earth individual. Just visit his journal to see for yourself.

So with this in mind, I'm going to try to attend the first non-jazz concert in many, many years. Mraz is coming to ISU at the end of the month and if I can find someone to go with me, I may pick up a couple of tickets next week. Any takers?

My admiration is so great that this artist has earned a spot on my "Other Links" section. Check it.

The weekend will be busy, with a gig tonight, 2 gigs tomorrow, a wedding to attend on Saturday, and a gig on Sunday. I'm looking forward to making some good music and will be sure to report anything inspiring, unusual, or humorous next week.

TGI(almost)F! See ya back real soon.

body & soul

2005-04-13T07:59:00.000-07:00

Title post inspired by a book I picked up from the library last weekend.

Every now and again I get an urge to rummage through the stacks to see what's up with jazz fiction. Sadly, there isn't much out there that I've discovered, although I did read an interesting novel entitled The Bear a few years ago. So Saturday I was searching for one book in particular. I had heard an archived interview on NPR's Fresh Air with novelist Frank Conroy (who recently passed away) and he was promoting his book--Body & Soul--about a young piano prodigy and it sounded interesting, so I decided to see if the local lending library had it. Found it, checked it, and I'm in the process of reading it. It's got a good, solid story (so far), descriptive writing (but not so attentive to detail that I lose my train of thought--tends to happen when 27 adjectives are strategically placed in each sentence), realistic dialogue, and accurate presentations of the thought process of a musician. I guess. I was no prodigy, but I have known at least one, and some of the characteristics seem to mesh.

What else in the news...Britney Spears is pregnant (says the MSN home page this morning) and the flags are resting at half mast for the recently departed Pope. Hmmm...do you suppose anyone has ever mentioned Spears' and PJP's names in the same sentence before? This just might be the very first time ever. We're makin' history here folks.

Short post today...gotta return to the working world. I've got two new clients to please this week plus an overdue issue of WriteTips to write/distribute. So it's back to work for me. Take care, peace 'n love 'n jazz to y'all. Hope you have a kick@$$ week.

time after time

2005-04-08T09:48:00.000-07:00

Post title inspired by the tune I'm currently listening to on the radio. Coltrane's version. Very cool.

I didn't have a chance to report on last Friday's gig at Robbie's in Springfield with Crain & crew. It was a good time...again, it felt great to play an entire gig of someone's original tunes. Nice to do something different. I love standards and I've by no means mastered any of them, but when you play the same tunes at gig after gig it's certainly refreshing to have a few jobs here and there where you can make use of some of the locals' talents. I don't have any (music) writing talent myself but there are several folks in the area who do. We should be helping them get their music out for others to enjoy!

Last night at Panache was fun also. We had a nice crowd and our trio (Steve Degenford, guitar; Jamie Jenkins, bass; and myself) worked well together. Good times.

ISU had its annual jazz festival last weekend. We went to the concert in the evening, which featured the ISU Jazz Ensemble with the guest artist: Benny Golson. If anyone claims to not have heard of Mr.Golson before, I'll prove you wrong. He's written lots of tunes--not just jazz, but also stuff most everyone has heard of, including the themes to M*A*S*H and Mission Impossible. The man plays smoothly and man, you should hear him speak. He's got the most soothing voice imaginable, and he's a great storyteller. I'd love to record him reading a book or two, then play it before I go to sleep at night. Anyway, it was great to see yet another big time jazzer perform. Many of these guys are getting up there in age...we're making a point to see them while they're still able to play. Some of the notable musicians I've had the good fortune to hear in the past few years include:

McCoy Tyner
Ray Brown (about 1 year before he passed)
Sonny Rollins
Elvin Jones (a couple years before he passed)
Roy Haynes
Curtis Fuller (he was guest artist w/ the KJE in '95)
Buster Williams
David "Fathead" Newman
Cedar Walton
Dave Brubeck

There's a lot of new talent out there, too. Making an effort to see this level of musicianship is always worthwhile and ever-inspiring.

For info on jazz festivals w/in a day's drive of Central IL, check these out:

Indianapolis, IN: Indy Jazz Fest (June 17-19)
Iowa City, IA: Iowa City Jazz Fest (July 1-3)
Quad Cities, IA: Bix Biederbecke Festival (July 28-31)

mysterioso

2005-04-05T11:17:00.000-07:00

I just offered up a pledge to WGLT 89.1 fm (that's the station's call letters and no, they don't stand for anything) to support the only full-time jazz format in the state. Every year Kevin & I contribute (usually in the fall but now I guess we'll be on the spring schedule) as it's definitely a worthy cause--esp. for us musicians--and we're able to glean new ideas for tunes. If you haven't pledged yet (and if you listen faithfully to this station) please do so now!

Added a couple of new dates to the April gig schedule (look left): April 17 & 24 with the Swing Daddies at the Shoppes at Grand Prairie. These are outdoor gigs, so I hope the weather is nice. April seems a bit early to be booking outdoor performances, but then again this is the Midwest--who knows what the weather will be like. There's a 50/50 chance of having a 90 degree heatwave or a viscous snowstorm.

I must return to work now. It's been a crazy couple of weeks--packed with meetings and project deadlines. Got 3 things due this week, not to mention my ezine, which is delayed due to my busy schedule of late.

battle royal

2005-03-31T06:21:00.000-08:00

It's only March, but it's not too soon to start planning summer trips. If you haven't yet been to the Iowa City Jazz Festival (Iowa City, IA) I urge you to make a note to attend! This year the festival will be on July 1-3.

This is one of the best jazz festivals around. First of all, it's free. Second, top names in today's jazz scene are featured--in the past few years headliners have included Christian McBride, the Yellowjackets, Patricia Barber, John Pizzarelli, Roy Haynes, Joey DeFrancesco, Joe Levano, Greg Osby, Charlie Hunter, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and many other fabulous musicians. (You can see them all for free.) Third, it's held outside on the streets of downtown Iowa City, a wonderful combination of independent shops, bars, and restaurants mixed with a casual college vibe (Univ. of Iowa). Did I mention it's free?

The lineup this year looks good, as always. Kenny Garrett will be the headliner Saturday night and Conrad Herwig takes the stage on Sunday. Lots of other great performers will be featured throughout the weekend. Check out the schedule for more info.

Until next time....

conga blue

2005-03-29T07:07:00.000-08:00

I've been listening to this great CD by Poncho Sanchez (Conga Blue) lately and absolutely love it. If you like this sort of music and even if you don't, you'll not be disappointed by these cool Latin grooves.

Random note: For those of you who use Mapquest faithfully, I urge you to try Google's new location finder. It's super simple to use and downloads much faster than MQ.

Been busy here with the writing gig. Just as I finish up 2 assignments and begin to get worried that more work might not come my way (such is the life of a freelancer) I receive 2 emails and 1 call yesterday from folks wanting to talk business: a letter for a local realtor, possible brochure & letter work for a photographer, and potential marketing materials for an insurance company in Peoria. I love days like this!

My good mood remains because the weather is improving. Today it's supposed to be 72 degrees and sunny. If I get through my list of work tasks today I think I'll head outside and begin cleaning up the yard. Might be able to get an hour or so in before heading over to the store to teach some lessons. Supposedly I have a new student starting today, which will bring the grand total up to 3.

I also have to work in some practice time this evening. Got a gig coming up on Friday in Springfield doing a bunch of tunes I haven't played before. I'm looking forward to the gig--it's a CD release party for Sam Crain's new disc, "Bird' s Eye View." (Read more about it here.) The tunes are really great, but not all of them are simple. I'm transposing (for alto) from a C lead sheet which isn't usually a problem, unless the tune is up-tempo and accidentals are plastered all over the place. A couple of the tunes are like this, so I need to spend some extra time making sure I don't biff every other note. I've been playing along with the CD and that helps, but I might have to write some stuff out in my key. This is good for me, though...I've been slacking in the practicing department lately. It seems that with everything else going on I really have to make an effort to carve out practice time in my schedule, which I don't always take time to do.

It's times like this when I wish I were back in school--or at least wish I had worked harder when I was a student. Every time I stop and think about what I need to practice I begin to feel as if I should know this stuff already. Which is true in some instances, but in others not so much. After all, we're always learning and we can't ever know everything. Even the best musicians are always finding new ways to express themselves and discovering new ideas as they improvise.

I've added a section for gigs--look to the left if you haven't already. Thought this might be a more upfront way of keeping track of upcoming performances. Maybe someday I'll put up a music-specific website, but for now this'll have to do.

As always, thanks for reading!

here's that rainy day

2005-03-25T10:37:00.000-08:00

By now you've probably noticed I tend to use weather-related post titles (tune titles) quite often. Don't ask me why 'cuz I don't have an answer for ya. Maybe it's b/c we're in this transitional period between seasons--which can be so gosh dern depressing. I'm not depressed, mind you, but it's sure hard to be Little Miss Sunshine when gray skies are continually dampening the days.

Anywho. Played last night at Panache and had a really good time. Had to find a drummer last minute (thanks, Mike!), but that worked out fine. Actually, I rarely use drums at Panache due to financial constraints, but every now and then it's nice to have someone kick a groove. And this week I really wanted to have that full group sound. Doug drove from Galesburg to play some bass & Kevin and I trekked from B-N as usual. Doug's sounding good...he's an excellent trumpet player, and about a year or so ago he also decided to take up the bass. Doug bought Andy's rig when before he left for Guatemala so he's got a nice setup. I've played with him occasionally over the past 6 months or so and I'm noticing steady improvement...too bad he's thinking of moving back to St. Louis! We can certainly use more bass players--esp. upright--in the area. BTW, Doug's got a real creative blog that combines life stories, ficticious events (i think) and rhythmic musings. Some good stuff here, check it out.

Playing today at an open house/sale-type-thing for a car dealership. Sounds like they're gonna feed us, which is always a bonus. I'm just happy to have a gig in town!

Other news...got an email from the Yellowjackets mailing list today--the group's new CD, Altered State, was just released. I'm hoping to head to Borders tonight and pick up a copy. I know it'll be awesome.

Ok, chat time is up. Back to work for me. Just finished a couple of assignments for DGM and I've got to get to work on a newsletter for a new client. Hope everyone has a good weekend and I'll see you back here real soon.

a foggy day

2005-03-23T14:20:00.000-08:00

And foggy ineed. And gray. And cold. It's spring, now, what's going on? It snowed last night!

At Baga a couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to reconnect with fellow musician/college pal Marc Piane. Actually, we chat online ocassionally but hadn't seen each other since last Baga, or maybe even before. Marc is a great bassist living in Chicago. He plays in groups ESP and QBlue (among others), so if you're ever in the Windy City be sure to check him out. Another Knox alum, tenorman Gabe Patti, also plays in ESP. We're all over the map, I tell ya.

This'll be short as the mailman just pulled up and I'm anxiously awaiting a PO for a writing job, so I'll leave you with gigs for the weekend:

Thursday @ Panache with Kevin Hart (piano), Doug Falk (bass), and Mike Krusa (drums)
7.30-10.00 pm

Friday @ Suds (car dealership, corner of Towanda & Ft. Jesse in Normal) w/ Trefan Owen (guitar) and Kevin

Kevin's group, Kevin Hart & the Vibe Tribe, will be at the Rhythm Kitchen on Saturday from 7-10 pm. I'd offer a link to the RK, but I just noticed that the site's no longer functional. Sorry!

joyspring

2005-03-19T09:10:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd mess around a bit with font size here, just to see if anyone complains about not being able to read tiny text on a computer screen. I think I can make it even smaller...there, is that too difficult to read?

Sorry, just being goofy on this overtly overcast Saturday morning. Spring's tomorrow and that's a good thing. My tulips (planted by the former homeowners) have been pushing through the ground for a few weeks now, and that's another sure sign that we'll be leaving the doldrums of winter behind shortly.

Played last night at the CAC. The crowd was intimate. That's a polite way of saying the attendance wasn't very good. I think that since the CAC has been having music every Friday night (instead of twice monthly like before) that the number of folks coming out has dwindled. That's my second gig there since the CAC instituted this change and the results have been the same both times.

It was an ok gig...kind of weird in a way. Usually folks are talking the entire time, which generates some noise in addition to what the band is doing. Some folks think this is annoying...but I kind of like it. I don't expect anyone to show up and devote their attention entirely to the band. Music is a social thing, so it's good to come out with your buddies, talk a little, listen a little, laugh a little (but not at the music please).

Anyway, last night the crowd was SILENT and it was sort of odd. I'd speak on the mic in between tunes and feel like everyone's eyes were drilling right through my head. The crowd was appreciative...they applauded after solos and tunes, but they didn't seem very excited. I guess that's what really seemed strange. I couldn't tell if they liked what we were doing or not.

William, the guy who runs the show at the CAC, paid us a nice compliment, tho. He said that most jazz groups show up, play standards all night, and plaster every tunes with long solos. "I know jazz is about improvisation," he said, isasmany words. "but it's nice to hear songs, too...you know...."

I do know. He meant songs with actual arrangements. And songs where everyone doesn't take a 20 minute solo. He even noticed that we added some new tunes to our repertoire, even though he didn't know the songs per se. We didn't play a jazz standard all night. Which the band liked, and apparently William liked, but I'm not so sure the crowd liked it.

Well I'm off for the rest of the weekend, which is nice because I seem to have picked up a cold and I'm going through Kleenex like crazy. I'm pretty sure I contracted whatever virus that's making my days and nights miserable from playing Knox's soprano at Baga. The reeds in the case weren't exactly fresh and the mouthpiece probably hasn't been cleaned in years. I would've brought at least my own mpc & reeds, but of course we left in a hurry and I didn't even think of it. So here I am, sniffling, sneezing, and honking. Poor me.

Enjoy the weekend, all. I'll see you back here soon.

someday my prints will come

2005-03-17T07:15:00.000-08:00

Actually, they already have. Picked up prints of my digital photos from 'Baga the other day. As always, the power of the lens has captured a number of once-in-a-lifetime events.

Speaking of 'Baga, for another take on the weekend, check out fellow alumni/sax chick Meghan Rutledge's blog. Great review (better than mine). And she's got pics on the way, too, so be sure to check back.

And just one more quick bit of news...Kevin is on his way to posting his new website. There's just a temporary page up now, but very soon this space will contain all sorts of exciting info about my talented husband and his musical endeavors, including his soon-to-be-released CD, "The Road to Everywhere." Once the site is completely functional I'll post it in my links section. Until then, check out the temp site for a brief bio.

Thanks for checking in. Hope to see you out and about this weekend! See previous post for gig schedule....

2005-03-15T19:26:00.000-08:00

Ah, well, another 'Baga has come and gone. I didn't have a chance to report live from Galesburg, so I'll try to recapture the eventful weekend as I remember it a few days later.

Thursday night--the Faculty & Friends jam session--was a ton of fun. I did make the suggestion for next year to rename the session Faculty & Friend (singular) since everyone who participated either teaches at Knox currently or has taught there in the past. I guess I should feel special knowing that I'm the only one invited (voluntarily?) as a friend, not an employee. Ha.

It was a little strange not having the jam at Cherry Street, which is where 'Baga has always been. The combo is playing at McGillicuddy's this year, so that's where most 'Baga events took place. It's a nice establishment. Though not as intimate as Cherry Street, there is a nice stage area with lots of room for the band. And there's a bigger bar. Can't beat that, now, can ya?

Friday night the alumni big band kicked off the evening and the Youngblood Brass Band finished it off. The guys in the YBB are super energetic--and super loud. I really liked what they were doing...it was different, mixing elements of second-line drum beats, funkified tuba lines (he was the bass player), a couple of wailing trumpets, and a tenor man, who was the only guy in the group who could have been a bit louder. The snare guy/vocalist delivered some rap-type-stuff which was actually pretty neat (I do wish I could have understood what he was saying tho). Kevin had to retrieve some ear plugs from the car (fortunately I had a pair in my sax case, which we sliced up to make enough for the two of us) about a quarter of the way through the show. Must be getting old.

We stayed for 4 am hangs both Thursday and Friday night, and headed back to Normal on Saturday afternoon. I hear the concert Sat. night was good...it featured the current KJE lineup and Matt Wilson's Arts & Crafts group.

Managed to take some decent pics with the digital camera. I wish I was smart enough to figure out how to post the darn things here. If anyone knows how to work this "Hello" program please share your expertise...I've got it downloaded on my computer, but I haven't had time to mess with it to see if I can actually get things to work properly.

I think I've finally recovered from this two-night adventure. I conked out real early the past several nights. We 30-year-olds don't bounce back like we used to in college! I guess by now I should know better. :)

I'll go ahead and post gigs for the weekend because it's going to be a busy week and I'm not sure I'll make it back here again to add more stuff:

Thursday @ Panache w/ Dave Hoffman & Jamie Jenkens, 7.30-10.00 pm

Friday @ the Contemporary Arts Center w/ Cassie Hart & Friends, 5.30-7.30 pm

We've got a few new tunes to debut on Friday so be sure to check us out! Hope to see the locals out and about--and thanks, as always, for supporting jazz.

spring ain't here

2005-03-09T12:32:00.000-08:00

Hey readers & jazz fans. Thanks for checking in and posting comments & signing the ol' guestbook (GB). It's great to hear from you. But I'm wondering about the last message in the GB:

Great website. Everything looks fine. The only I'd change is your homepage font color. Keep up the great job! Welcome to my site online resource about health insurance or [url]http://healthinsurance.ruwww.ru/[/url].

Huh? At the risk of sounding defensive, I gotta say this at least...I don't get the comment re: font color. It's black. How can you go wrong with black? And what's up with the health insurance plug? Doesn't this guy know that musicians can't afford health insurance? (j/k...that's why we need to have "real" jobs in addition to the music thang.) I'm thinking this is a general comment that's posted randomly. I don't think it's specific to this site at all. And no, I didn't follow the link.

Looking forward to this weekend! The Rootabaga (affectionately called BAGA by us alums) Festival is gonna be great. If you haven't seen the schedule yet, here it is.

Thursday night will be the Faculty & Friends jam session. I'm a "friend," as I don't teach at the college. My former roomie is the current jazz director, however, the piano/percussion teacher is my husband, and the sax teacher was my best friend (we also dated for a year or so) in college--we're still good friends--though, so you can see how my connection to my alma mater has remained strong.

The whole weekend will be a large time. That's a Scott-ism. Speaking of Scott, our former jazz director will make a return appearance to direct the alumni band on Friday night. Scott is now getting jazz program off the ground at Ashland Univ. in Ohio--has been for the last 2 years. Haven't talked to him for a while, but I'm sure he's doing a great job.

I do have subs lined up for my regular Peoria-based gigs: Thursday at Panach will be Billy Cook (guitar) and Steve Thomas (flute). Steve will also be subbing for me Friday night at the Pere Marquette.

I'll have all day to kill on Friday and I'm planning on bringing my laptop, so I'll try to post an update while I'm in the 'Burg.

Later!

question & answer

2005-03-01T19:27:00.000-08:00

Title inspired by the recent trip to see the PMG, even though they didn't play this particular tune. Also...

Question
Why, after spending all day in front of my computer, do I opt to plop down in front of the monitor at night, too? My eyes already hurt.

Answer
I have no idea. But I did just find something cool online. I've already mentioned that I'm a huge Gilmore Girls fan, and after watching tonight's episode I visited the GG fan site I found a "link this site" section. I'm gonna copy the HTML code and see if I can put the banner under my own links section. Sorry, it's not music related, but that's the way it goes. I'm addicted to this show! BTW, Luke & Lorelei are back together. :-)

Ok, on to the music stuff.

The Knox-Rootabaga Jazz Festival is just about here! Those of you who've never heard of this festival (and I'll bet there are a lot of you), you're probably asking (1) what's this festival all about? and/or (2) what's a rootabaga?

I'll try to provide better answers for this set of questions.

(1) The Knox-Rootabaga Jazz Festival takes place in Galesburg, IL at my alma mater, Knox College. For a dinky 'lil farm town, this is one cool festival, and if you're anywhere near the area I highly encourage you to attend. Wonderful musicians have been featured over the years, including Curtis Fuller, The Hornheads, Bobby Shew, Joey DeFrancesco, Benny Green, and others. Here's the schedule for this year:

March 10 - Faculty & Friends Jam Session, 8 pm to midnight

March 11 - Knox Alumni Big Band directed by former Knox Jazz Prof. Scott Garlock (8 pm), Youngblood Brass Band (10 pm to midnight)

March 12 - Knox College Jazz Ensemble directed by Nikki Whittaker, Matt Wilson Arts & Crafts (7.30 pm)

'Baga is like homecoming for the jazzers. We hang for the weekend and forget we're now self-respecting adults...and regress to the sloppily drunken habits of our college years. (hic) It's a blast! Won't you join us?

(2) This is courtesy of Dictionary.net:

rutabaga
noun1: the large yellow root of a rutabaga plant used as food [syn: swede, swedish turnip, yellow turnip] 2: a cruciferous plant with a thick bulbous edible yellow root [syn: turnip cabbage, swede, Swedish turnip, rutabaga plant, Brassica napus napobrassica]

Cool, huh?

Jazz this week:

Thursday @ Panache w/ Trefan Owen (guitar) & Jamie Jenkins (bass), 7.30-10.00 pm
Friday @ Pere Marquette w/ the Fulton Street Gang, 5.00-7.30 pm

Sat. is free but I think I'm having a rehearsal for my group on Sunday. Got a gig coming up at the Contemporary Arts Center in a couple of weeks and I'd like to do some new material.

Enjoy your week!

the way up

2005-02-22T19:42:00.000-08:00

I seem to be making new friends in cyberspace all the time. Some are writing pals, some are music fans and musicians. It's all good. I love meeting new people, even if they're "virtual." Check out the links section on this page to see who I'm visiting these days.

So Sunday was the PMG (Pat Metheny Group) concert at the Chicago Theater. I hadn't been to this theater before, and it was amazing! Very old and very ornate. And huge. The sound was decent...it did seem to get a bit loud up in the balcony where we were sitting at times. But as always, this group was phenomenal. They pulled off the 68-minute composition just fine. In fact, Kevin overheard Lyle Mays saying how he had to concentrate 110% during that piece, else he might get off track.

Speaking of overhearing a band member talk to fans, that's what's so cool about jazz. These guys (and often gals) are accessible. They'll mingle with the audience after the show and no burly security dude will try to beat you up for simply asking a question. This was a big concert, and most of the band did pop out into the audience for a bit. This is a regular occurence at the Jazz Showcase (Chicago), too. And the Jazz Kitchen in Indy.

You see, to a select few these jazz icons are just that--icons--but to the rest of the world they're simply nobodies. That's because the media stinks and the radio stations only play canned pop music that has, for the most part, no talent and no integrity. I guess it's just as well that there's a select few that appreciate jazz--most folks wouldn't know what to make of it anyway. I'm not being snobbish. I'm tellin' it like it is. Sorry if I appear offensive. It's just my opinion and nothing more.

I've decided to talk about this because anything I write about this concert simply won't due it justice, so I advise y'all to try to see the PMG yourself. Tickets are admittedly pricey at times (we paid $67 each including the rip-off $12 Ticket Master charge) but it's a show worth seeing. Always.

Here's the lineup from the concert. Check out their bios.
>Pat Metheny >Lyle Mays >Steve Rodby >Cuong Vu >Antonio Sanchez >Grégoire Maret >Nando Lauria

And here's just a few random observations:

- To honor Metheny both Kevin and I wore striped shirts. (That's his style...check out just about any picture!)

- Antonio Sanchez looks like Luke from Gilmore Girls somewhat. Doesn't he?

- I think the girls like Cuong Vu. When he came out to talk to fans there were a bunch of girls all around him.

- The seats in the Chicago Theater were made back when people were shorter. I'm only 5'4 and I felt scrunched for the 3 hour duration.

- The PMG crew must be the fittest people in the world. There's always someone running out with a new guitar, and taking one that isn't in use anymore backstage. Although Metheny probably played 8 different guitars all night, there were never more than 2 on stage at a time.

- Nobody in the band ever just stands there with nothing to do. The non-rhythm section guys are all multi-instrumentalists and are always singing, shaking, blowing, or hitting something.

Want to see the PMG? Check out their tour dates!

That's enough for now. Gigs for the week are minimal:

Thursday @ Panache
w/ Kevin Hart & Donovan Hill, 7.30-10.00 pm

Friday @ the Hotel Pere Marquette
w/ The Fulton Street Gang, 5.00-7.30 pm

Saturday is gigless, which is fine b/c it's our anniversary! (5 years & going stong)

Have a great week, all!

correction

2005-02-19T15:35:00.000-08:00

After revisiting my last post I realized I spelled poor Pat's last name incorrectly every time I worte it. Should be Metheny with just 2 "e"s. I'm a bad, bad jazzer. Y'all won't tell him, will ya?

blues for alice

2005-02-19T07:45:00.000-08:00

Why Alice? I don't know, actually. It's just the first tune title that came to mind.

It's been another crazy week which is why I didn't get around to posting anything earlier...that means I missed a chance to plug Thursday and Friday night gigs. But both went very well, thanks (Panache and the Contemporary Arts Center, respectively).

Sunday we're heading up to Chicago to catch the Pat Metheney Group (PMG). They're on tour promoting a new CD, The Way Up. This project is a bit different...it's a 68-minute composition, for starters. The philosophy behind the recording is also unique. See for yourself here, as Metheney explains the motivation behind this collaborative (w/ keyboardist Lyle Mays) project. The show, I'm sure will be spectacular. Saw the PMG twice on their last tour and of course everything was simple awesome.

Enjoy the weekend, all. Until next time....

on the sunny side of the street

2005-02-14T14:14:00.000-08:00

That's right...the sun is finally peeking out from behind gray skies, and there are shadow on my street, which means there must also be a sunny side to it. My mundane Monday mood is improving already!

Had a nice, relaxing weekend with minimal obligations. The Swing Daddies gig on Saturday went well. We had a nice crowd at the Rhythm Kitchen. You can catch us again this Friday at the Contemporary Arts Center Five Spot Jazz night (5.30-7.30 pm).

I've been trying out tenor mouthpieces lately. I usually play alto, partly because I hate the two tenor mpcs I currently own. But I've got a tenor student now, and I'm tired of bringing my sop to lessons to play along with him (easier to play together if I don't have to transpose on alto).

So I talked to a fellow sax player in town the other day and he offered to let me borrow a few mouthpieces he's no longer using to try out. I thought he'd give me 2 or 3 to blow on, but when I met him at his gig the other night he presented me with a large box and told me to take my time, he's happy with his current setup and is in no hurry to get these back. Turns out he's quite the collector...I've now got about 17 mouthpieces sitting on my kitchen counter. I've started playing on them but haven't gotten around to trying out all of them yet. So now they're organized in 3 categories: one tupperware container labeled "good/decent," one labeled "not so great," and one labeled "not tried yet."

Most of the metals are Links of various facings, some of which are ok, some of which I didn't like much at all. My two favorites so far are a hard rubber Meyer (6) and a metal Sugal (don't remember the facing). I've always been partial to hard rubber...I don't like the edge I get playing on metal. But then again, I don't have huge lungs and I'm not a large person, so sometimes I can use all the help I can get to get a bigger sound & fill up the horn. Maybe metal's the way to go. But the Meyer has a nice full sound and offers little resistance. I think I like it best. Maybe I'll see if I can buy both and then I'll have a choice should I decide to play more tenor. I hate it when you buy a mouthpiece and think it's great, then after playing on it for a month or two you decide it really isn't as super as you originally thought. Then you're out $80+. Or more. Last time I looked at a WB catalog Sugals ran around $400!

Folks are starting to find my blog, and some comments have been posted. One fellow even posted to my blog, then followed a link to a friend's blog (see link section to the right!) and commented on his blog. I love how we with similar interests can stay connected simply through email, blogs, and the like. Doesn't matter where we live. Music really does create a bond with folks; it's a great way to make friends, "virtual" or whatnot.

Thanks for reading, all. And have a happy Valentine's Day!

like someone in love

2005-02-11T09:27:00.000-08:00

Post title is inspired by a tune that's currently playing on my radio dial. I suppose it's also appropriate b/c Valentine's Day is approaching. For tips on how to wow your sweetheart, check out Jason Mraz's blog.

So I haven't yet mastered the Hello download for posting pics--actually I had it installed on my computer but it started messing with my Messenger program so I uninstalled it--but I have managed to track down some code to post links. Check the left hand corner under the archives & you'll see some additions. More to come later...these are just a few URLs I posted to test this feature.

I worked really hard yesterday getting some promotional stuff in line for the writing biz. I'm getting set to do my first postcard mailing of the year--plan to stick with this at least quarterly this year. I did one last year and out of about 300 postcards sent (about 25-30 were returned due to outdated addresses...this is what happens when you compile a list yourself using the Yellow Pages) I only got one new client, but that paid for the printing/postage costs so....I'll give it another, more regular, go this time. I've also got several potential projects pending, one of which is a newsletter. This is ideal, b/c newsletters are regular publications, which means regular work = regular paycheck for me! I just need to land about 4 or 5 more regular newsletter clients. Also, a couple of brochures are in the "maybe" stage, and I'm meeting a graphic designer next week to see if we might be able to scrounge up some work together.

TGIF! Hope everyone enjoys the weekend and remember, if you're out and about in Peoria this weekend, check out the SwingDaddies at the Rhythm Kitchen tomorrow! 7.30-10.30 pm...join yours truly, Kevin (keyboards), Mike Nellas (guitar), and leader/drummer Dan Diefendorf for an evening of fun, fun, fun.

winter waltz

2005-02-10T07:22:00.000-08:00

That's the title of an original tune by good friend and trumpeter Dave Hoffman. Since it snowed yesterday, I think it's fitting for a post title.

Last Saturday we went to the David "Fathead" Newman concert. It was great to (1) have something cool to do in town and (2) to actually have some jazz happening around here!

"Fathead" (I don't feel badly about calling him by his nickname...he apparently likes it. I guess I can stop putting it in quotes, then, too) sounded great--I really like his approach to playing. He's not flashy (although he may have been more so in his younger years) but plays stuff that sounds good, and he's got an incredibly rich tone on alto, tenor, and even flute.

Fathead gave a clinic in the afternoon, too, in the typical Q & A format most clinicians adopt. I was pleased that nobody asked the usual questions, like, "What kind of reeds do you use?" "What's your mouthpiece?" Many useful questions were asked instead, like how does he approach playing alto and tenor differently, if at all, and what up-and-coming artists does he listen to today (fyi, he likes Mark Whitfield, Nicholas Payton, and even Dave Koz). At the end of the clinic he invited students up to jam on "All Blues." About 15 horn players got up (plus a rhythm section of ISU students) and performed the longest version of this tune ever.

Finally had time to take a listen to Sam Crain's new CD, "Bird's Eye View" in which I was honored to have been asked to make an appearance on a tune. The CD sounds really good...all tunes are Sam's originals and the musicianship is excellent. In fact, I just sent an email off to the alto guy who played on most of the recording. I like his playing a lot...I should try to get a lesson or two with him. Would do me good, I think. It's kinda cool to have been captured on a "real" recording...I'm ok with my work on the track I played on...there are things I could've done to sound more interesting but I didn't hit any big bad notes, so all's good. Listening to yourself really is a humbling experience.

Got a couple of gig notices for anyone who is interested:

Tonight @ Panache with Dave Hoffman & Jamie Jenkins, 7.30-10.00 pm

Saturday @ the Rhythm Kitchen with the Swing Daddies, 7.30-10.30 pm

I'm taking Friday night off from the Pere to help my good friend, musician buddy, and former college roommate Nikki celebrate her birthday. We shall eat, drink, and be merry.

Have a great weekend. I'll report gig stories should anything notable arise.

2005-02-08T09:11:00.001-08:00

jammin' at panache

2005-02-08T09:11:00.000-08:00

jammin' at panache

hello

2005-02-08T08:53:00.000-08:00

Ok, so this isn't a jazz title (that I know of, anyway) but it is a Lionel Richie hit from the 80s.

Actually, the title has nothing to do with tunes. I'm trying to figure out how to work the Hello feature so that I can post pics to my blog. So far, it's not working. The caption shows up but not the picture. Please forgive any mistakes and annoyances here until I get a handle on this thing!

spring is here

2005-02-05T09:53:00.000-08:00

Well, not just yet it isn't. But it's pretty warm out for a February in the Midwest, so today I'm pretending.

Ha. Just saw on Blogger's news page that someone's got a blog called Tequila Mockingbird. That's awesome. Not only is TKM one of my favorite books, but I think this would be a great name for a jazz group: The Tequila Mockingbird Quartet. TMQ. Hmmm...I've been tossing the idea around to rename my group (which is, for lack of a better title, Cassie Hart & Friends) for a while now. Maybe this would be a good choice? Let me know what y'all think.

Caught up with two Knox alums this week as I found their blogs. Both are pretty cool; one author shall remain nameless, as his name isn't posted on his site so I assume he wishes to remain anonymous, but he's got some good rhymes/stories available for your reading pleasure. Check out MC Post.

The other is (and her name appears so I'll use it freely here) Meghan R. in Chicago. Good, entertaining stuff about music, food, the Windy City, and other stuff. Check out the Existential Doctrine of Slar for more.

Both are former KJE members and remain dedicated to jazz, either by playing or listening.

I gotta get outside and take advantage of the weather. David "Fathead" Newman is giving a clinic at ISU this afternoon (pre-concert) so I think we'll take a stroll downtown for some eats and jazzspeak. Maybe I'll get inspired.

Enjoy the weekend!

just friends

2005-02-03T09:05:00.000-08:00

I've decided to be oh-so-very original and start titling these posts after tunes. Unless I'm feeling overly creative and have a better idea, that is. Don't bother reading into them...I can assure you that they won't have any significant meaning.

Playing tonight at Panache with guitarist Steve Degenford and bassist Jamie Jenkins. Tomorrow at the Pere with the Fulton Street Gang. And this weekend...I have off! That's actually a good feeling, given the last couple weeks that were busier than hell and last week when I played 5 gigs in 7 days. Far be it from me to complain. It's just that everything seems to happen at once rather than being distributed evenly throughout days, weeks, months, etc. Which leads to stress, and makes me bite my nails more than I already do and what's a woman to do with nasty, chewed-up nails?

Ok, that was kind of disgusting. Sorry.

So about the weekend...there's a jazz concert in town: David "Fathead" Newman. Sponsored by the local jazz station. Tickets are only $12 and Kevin and I are going, since we both have the night off, and we've invited his parents to join us. When I picked up the tickets yesterday I asked how many seats have been sold so far, and the gal at the desk replied, "Oh, about 600." That's great news, because last year's concert (Jazz Master's Concert) was pretty dead, attendance-wise. Ron Carter was the featured artist and I guess Central Illinois isn't too hip to him. There were only about 100 people there at most.

So this concert should be fun. Saw Fathead a few years ago at the Iowa City Jazz Festival with a group of All-Stars...Buster Williams, Billy Hart, Curtis Fuller, Cedar Walton, and a few others I wasn't familiar with at the time. He sounds good.

Will try to come up with a review of sorts to post here after the concert. I should probably get something else to All About Jazz to. It's been a while since I wrote anything for the site...not that they need my content, but it's a nice outlet to do some writing & jazz stuff, together.

Gotta get going on my ezine. It was due out Tuesday and it's late b/c of the DGM article.

Cheers,
C

delta bali blues

2005-02-01T19:54:00.000-08:00

Kenny Garrett is so cool.

Got a bit o' "Songbook" nestled in the CD player and it's literally music to my ears. For the first time in 2 weeks I'm doing something leisurely...updating my blog of choice (I really also need to update my biz blog) while enjoying KG. Well, I did make time for guilty pleasures Gilmore Girls (it's Tuesday night, after all) and One Tree Hill. I'm a true GG fan but have become addicted to OTH as well, since it's on right afterwards. Silly, I know, as it's just another teen drama and I'm too old to get into that stuff, right? Shhh...don't tell anyone. Anyhow, the character development is pretty good--or at least interesting.

Played Sunday night at the Pub in Galesburg--good times. I took my horn out today to teach a couple of lessons and it reeked of smoke, though. Hope I didn't leave a bad impression on the kids!

Just finished an article for Dynamic Graphics mag and I'm heaving a huge sigh of relief. While the subject matter was quite interesting, I think I spent almost too much time on the manuscript. Normally I just do product reviews, but this time the editor offered me a feature article and of course I said yes. Even though journalism isn't really my thing--I'm focusing on marketing/promotional copy--I knew it would be a good experience. And it pays well. But since this was the first "major" assignment I've had of this nature for DGM, I wanted to do a bang-up job. Not sure I did this exactly, but I sure tried. There comes a point when you just have to say STOP---I can't read this again or revise anymore. You can always find a better word or change a comma or something. The process never really ends by itself, and no piece is perfect. The author will always find some fault with her work.

Kinda like a musician listening to his own solo.

I'm tired. My eyes hurt. I'm goin' to bed. See y'all back later in the week.