Watch: Deborah Crooks | Brand New Video for "Wishing Tree" - Pint of Soul

Announcing the release of the video for one of my newest songs,"Wishing Tree!" I wrote "Wishing Tree" after coming upon several such trees in the Bay Area (like this one in Port Costa, left). 

"A wish tree is an individual tree, usually distinguished by species, position or appearance, which is used as an object of wishes and offerings. Such trees are identified as possessing a special religious or spiritual value. By tradition, believers make votive offerings in order to gain from that nature spirit, saint or goddess fulfillment of a wish."

"Wishing Tree" is part autobiography and part wish for everyone to breakthrough oppression, be happy and free.
 Shot by Pint of Soul at Amado's in San Francisco in January, the song features Art Khu on piano, Kwame Copeland on dobro, and Kim Xuan Nguyen on bass. Let me know what you think, and please share!




 

Thursday June 9: A Night of Americana at The Ivy Room

This week's fun: Thursday, June 9 at the Ivy Room in Albany, Bay Station shares a with Kate Burkart and Nate Jones & The Sloe Sippers, it's going to be a fine night. Three bands, $7, good vibes; hope to see you there!

Thursday, June 9th, 2016

Bay Station (full band) at The Ivy Room

with Nate Jones & The Slow Sippers, Kate Burkart Band

858 San Pablo Ave
Albany, CA 94706
510-524-9299
 Show starts at 8pm;  Price: $7. Bay Station plays at 10:30

 

Coming up Friday: Alameda Songwriters Roundup, Friday, January 30, 2015, 7pm

Please join me this Friday in Alameda for night of original songwriters playing in the round, featuring some of my favorite Bay Area songwriters. 

Alex Walsh, Amy Obenski, Dan Seidel, Deborah Crooks, Johnny Nash and Paige Clem  LIVE 

High Street Station Cafe

1303 High St,

Alameda, CA 94501

$5-10 sliding scale. High St. offers a full dinner and beverage menu. Kids welcome. Call for a dinner reservation! 415 355-7888

 

Hear Alex's latest at his Blog

FAR-West Fun; Coming up on KZSU & @ The Cottonwood Truckee

Well, FAR-West in Oakland turned into a song-soaked, musical fun ride. I had a great time playing PGS rooms hosted by Bohemian Highway, Maurice Tani & Jim Bruno, Kyle Alden and Amy Andrews Music, as well as the pre and post-conference events at High St. Station and Awaken Cafe, and the gig with Kate Burkart at High Street on Saturday between everything. I heard SO MANY GREAT songs and met a slew of great folks. I feel both replete and reinvigorated for more!
On that note, I went straight from FAR-West to a rehearsal with KCDC. We'll be playing LIVE this Wednesday, Oct. 23 on KZSU Stanford 90.1 FM. Tune in!
Thursday, I'm hitting the road with Kwame to play in Truckee, CA. Got friends in this fun, mountain town? Send them our way as we'll be holding down The Cottonwood from 7-10pm. The award-winning restaurant "has it all; a rich and vibrant heritage, a lively music scene, a full bar, and an adventurous menu created by the Executive Chef of 17 years, David Smith."
Deborah Crooks in Truckee @ Cottonwood - Thursday, October 23rd, 2014 7pm Off Brockway Rd.(Old hwy 267) Truckee, CA 96160 (530) 587-5711

Thursday, October 23rd, 2014

Cottonwood

Deborah Crooks in Truckee - 7pm

Off Brockway Rd.(Old hwy 267
Truckee, CA 96160
(530) 587-5711

- See more at: http://www.deborahcrooks.com/shows/#sthash.UyYOb5vn.dpuf

Thursday, October 23rd, 2014

Cottonwood

Deborah Crooks in Truckee - 7pm

Off Brockway Rd.(Old hwy 267
Truckee, CA 96160
(530) 587-5711

- See more at: http://www.deborahcrooks.com/shows/#sthash.UyYOb5vn.dpuf

Guitar talk: Desio Guitars & The Secret Identities

Last week,  I was privileged to take part in a night of guitars at The Monkey House with a dozen or so other Desio guitar owners. For the past several years now,  local luthier Mario Desio has quietly been building custom guitars for a lucky group of musicians. It was a real treat to see and hear a bunch of these artist-owners discuss and play their very special no-two-alike acoustics. From my little parlor model to baritones and everything in between, it was an inspiring display of artistry and commitment on many levels. Yay Mario!
Mario of course, was a guitar player long before he became a guitar maker, and he'll put aside his luthier orders Friday, September 5, to perform at the CD release for his band The Secret Identities at the Starry Plough. More good music — The Secret Identities are sharing the bill with Shelley Doty X-tet (Shelley's a great guitarist & gifted performer) — and another chance to see Desio guitars in action.

FRIDAY:: September 5th - The Secret Identities (CD Release) with Shelley Doty X-Tet  @ The Starry Plough, 3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA http://www.thestarryplough.com

• 8:00pm – 11:59pm

 

Bay Area New Music O'Rama: Desira, Garibaldi, Heartache Sisters & The Welcome Matt Debut CDs & Singles This Week

Bay Area musicians are packing a big punch this week as a quartet of local acts celebrate the release of new recording efforts. I've either shared shows with or happily applauded performances by these artists, who represent the full spectrum of songwriterly tendencies and deserve many ears.

Jeff Desira is eagerly anticipating his CD-release party at Amnesia on July 19th, 8pm, for "Weathervane." Produced by Scott Mickelson and mastered by Michael Romanowsk, expect some quality hook-laden tunes. (He'll be part of the Alameda Songwriter's Roundup on July 26).

While I was up playing in Oregon, Katie Garibaldi celebrated the release of her new — and seventh (!) — CD "Follow Your Heart," a collection of pop and country-tinged tunes recorded with great care at Tiny Telephone and featuring the string work of Magik Magik Orchestra

The Heartache Sisters are hard not to love with their multi-instrumentalist cool, sweet harmonies and Americana style. They've just debuted two new singles — Please Be Kind and Living Machine _ which can be found across the Inter webs. I also highly recommend seeing them live if you're in Fresno, Pasadena or Oakland in the coming weeks. Check their tour schedule for a date near you.

I recently interviewed The Welcome Matt about "POP JUNK FLUFF & HYPE," which is packed with memorable lines and is officially released July 16. This music rocks.

Good stuff all around, I say. Get ye to iTunes quick!

Music on the Water at Barkissimo 6/22

Barkissimo is a 'floating oasis' in Emeryville, aka a 80' yacht, 'St. Augustine trawler,' that has been transformed into a multi-use venue.  This Sunday, 6/22, Barkssimo will be in form as a music venue, and I'll be part of an (early) evening of songwriters performing our originals. I'm honored to be in the company of this crew of artists--join us!

MUSIC ON THE WATER 6/22 on BARKISSIMO

Alexis Harte • Rick Didia • Deborah Cooks • Maurice Tani

Port opens at 5:00 • Concert begins at 6:00 pm • $22 Donations at the door • Bring Food to share • Beverages are available •Reserve through EVENTBRITE link OR go to Barkissimo.EventBrite.com

New Music: KCDC Preview

In the interest of both creative challenge and ego erosion, my partner Kwame Copeland and I took the RPM Challenge, aka co-write-an-album-in-a-month, in February 2013. Employing an Allen Ginsburgian/Beat Poet/first-thought-best-thought approach to writing, we sat down and wrote a song together every day for two weeks. It was a pretty straightforward effort: we threw whatever we had against the wall and kept what stuck, culling the results to songs we found interesting enough to complete.  After the RPM Challenge ended, we kept going with most of the material, rallying a rhythm section and recording the basics of what has turned out to be an eclectic batch of tunes that dips into country, latin, post-punk, straight-ahead rock as well as balladry. Over the past several months we've been completing overdubs and mixing the tracks with Mike Stevens at Lost Monkey Studio...and we're just about finished with KCDC 1.0 (in the middle of recording and mixing songs from RPM 2013 we did the RPM Challenge again in 2014, so yes, there will be a second collection). It's been an organic and refreshing project, a departure in many cases from our individual work, and we've had a lot of fun. We'll be releasing the first KCDC collection of songs sometime this summer. In the meantime, here's a preview of the intro track, Go Through That Door:

Willie Nelson, Shovels & Rope @ The Greek 4/12/14

I first saw Willie Nelson 10+ years back at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 3. I wasn't expecting to like him, this favorite of my best friend's mom growing up. Instead,  I stood in the lowering sun amid the gazillion other fans as he walked onstage and greeted the crowd with a sly grin and open arms, and went, 'oh' as my ignorance was elucidated. My husband remembered seeing him play a marathon 3+-hr set from years earlier. "He just kept going...' So when we saw Willie, now 80 years old,  would be playing opening day of Berkeley's Greek Theater we said yeah!
Shovels & Ropes opened the evening on Saturday with a raucous set of their high-energy rock, playing like gleeful children let loose in the instrument room and appreciating every moment of their time on the Greek stage. Cary Ann Hearst has a voice like Dolly Parton's wayward niece, matched nearly word-for-word by her husband Michael Trent's harmony vocal, each playing guitar, drums, harmonica and a synth bass and singing lead as the song dictated. They lit a fire under the crowd and it wasn't even dark yet, and their song 'Birmingham' has been in my head ever since. 'rock of ages....'
I'd never seen the next 'opening' act, Drive By Truckers playing as a 5-piece....and was completely underwhelmed.
 Fortunately, everyone was keeping to the schedule and Willie came on soon enough, starting with what seemed to be one big medley of every great song you forget you know — Crazy and Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain and Always on My Mind. It didn't feel like a country music concert rather than a performance of the revised edition of the Great American Songbook by one of the Great American Songwriters of our time. Jeepers. And like a large engine, Willie just ran smoother and hotter as the set progressed, playing several instrumentals to better display his guitar prowess, singing a few new songs amid his well-burnished hits,  his voice undiminished by time, laughing and tossing bandannas and hats to the crowd and generally making a good case for playing music and doing what you love to stay happy and healthy.

TONIGHT! Chickapalooza! A Benefit Concert for VH1 Save the Music Foundation

Amber Snider & Silo's Music Club present: Chickapalooza! A Benefit Concert for VH1 Save the Music foundation.

Featured Performers & Show Times:
Kristen Van Dyke 7-7:45pm
Katie Knipp 8-8:45pm
Deborah Crooks Trio 9-9:45pm
Amber Snider Trio 10-10:45pm

Doors 6p. $20 Gen Adm, $25 Reserved Seating ($14 Club Member Reserved) - Ticket price includes one raffle ticket. Additional raffle tickets can be purchased for $5 each. Several raffles will be held throughout the night after each artist's set for a chance to win their CDs / Merchandise and wine donated by Silos. Tickets available at www.silosnapa.com or at Door - 530 Main St, Napa, CA 94559

About the charity: A 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring music programs in America’s public schools, and raising awareness about the importance of music as part of each child’s complete education

The benefits of music education are astounding, and studies have consistently exposed the tremendously positive effect music education has on a child’s academic performance, sense of community, self-expression and self-esteem. But as schools across the nation increasingly face budget cuts and pressures, music is often one of the first subject areas to be cut. At VH1 Save The Music Foundation, we develop strategic partnerships with school districts to build sustainable instrumental music programs by providing grants of brand-new musical instruments to public elementary and middle schools. Our goal? To give every child in this country access to a musical instrument. Your help matters!

Tickets available at www.silosnapa.com or

Rehearsal!

Treebones Resort 'Sounds in the Round' Music Series in Big Sur, March 3, 2014

I love the ocean, I love the coast, and one of the best ever places to experience the Pacific Coast is in Big Sur. So I'm super delighted to be a  part of Treebones Resort Sounds in the Round Monday Music series next week. If you're up for a get-away, I recommend booking a yurt pronto. We play Monday, March 3, 2014 6:30-8:30pm.

Treebones is a premier Glamping resort. Glamping is defined as a luxury form of camping, blending natural experience of outdoor camping with more glamorous amenities. 

 71895 Hwy 1 Big Sur, California 93920 | (877) 424-4787 | treeboneslodge@yahoo.com

Welcome Matt Wednesdays #2 with Deborah Crooks and Kwame Copeland

Amid a prolific 2013 which included collaborating with modern dance choreographer Christine Cali, touring throughout the US, signing a publishing deal with Wixen Publishing and releasing several original videos,  The Welcome Matt, aka San Francisco artist Matt Langlois, self-produced POP JUNK FLUFF and HYPE, a 10-song collection full of indie pop-rock gems. Kwame and I were privvy to learn one of the tunes from POP JUNK FLUFF and HYPE, the catchy "The Key of G,"  as a part of a laid-back recording of the Welcome Matt Wednesday video series. Can you tell The Welcome Matt knows his way around a hook? Find out more about The Welcome Matt at his site: http://www.welcomemattsf.com & view the video here: http://youtu.be/8gFrTV30nno 

Heartbreak Hell in Berkeley

Valentine's Day has always felt a bit like a setup, a lot of pressure whether one is in or out of a relationship.  So I was delighted when songwriter Ira Marlowe put together a night of sad songs by other local troubadours to commemorate this pseudo holiday now associated with romantic love. Plus it's a benefit for Bay Area suicide prevention efforts.
Come take a listen. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you may or may not eat too much chocolate...and you're always welcome to bring flowers:
HEARTBREAK HELL @ The Monkey House,
February 14, 2014 7pm Berkeley, CA
with music by Ari Fellows-Mannion, Donna Lou Stevens, Jhene Canody, Kwame Copeland, Deborah Crooks, Monica Pasqual, Caylia Chaiken, Paul Griffiths, Ira Marlowe, Dawn Oberg and Mokai.

Austin Never Sleeps: MEOWCon Recap

Playing Cedar St. photo by Katie Garibaldi

We had another great time in Austin, playing at MEOWCon13 and getting completely inspired by all the other artists (hello Leni Stern African Trio*, Bluebonnets & Suzi Quatro), while catching up with new and old friends (Katie Garibaldi, Sue Quigley, Willow &The Embers) with gigs at The Driskill and Cedar St Courtyard to bookend the conference experience. Along with the live shows, there were several films that screened during MEOWCon. We met Seattle filmmaker Kay D. Ray on the shuttle to the hotel and were very happy we made a point of seeing her 'director's cut' of Lady Be Good: Instrumental Women In Jazz. Containing extraordinary footage of, and interviews with, pioneering women musicians from the 1920s to the 1970s, it's a deep, inspiring, troubling and enlightening film all at the same time. In other words, make sure you see it. You can find out more and support it's release at Kay's site.
Very big bow of appreciation to Carla DeSantis Black, who rounded up an extraordinary mix of women in music that was the inaugural MEOWCon. Here's to many more!

And thanks to Austin itself, which doesn't seem to get much rest. Between MEOWCon, the Austin Film Fest, the Austin Ironman and The Texas Book Fair (as well as a bunch of stuff we didn't know about) going on at the same time, the city was constantly buzzing. Ole! 

MEOW Showcase, photo by Jo Wymer

MEOW Con 2013

*We were especially blown away by Leni Stern, a masterful and transcendent guitarist whose trio brought the conference to an entirely new level. Bay Area residents take note: She's bringing her act to Oakland, November 2 @ Restaurant Duende & Bodega

Keeping the songs going: Songwriters Roundup in Alameda, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013

I'm still getting settled after the run down to So Cal for FAR-West with pitstops in Culver City and Silverlake on the way home. Fun playing, good music, some allergies (oh well), good food (see Bell Street Farm in Los Alamos and Elf Cafe in Silverlake), enough yoga to keep me honest combined for an overall inspirational and invigorating trip. While I'm waiting for the UPS truck to deliver my new CDs, I'm getting ready for the next Songwriters Roundup at High St. Station in Alameda. Six songwriters playing their original music in-the-round. This Roundup features Bay Area songwriters Andrew Page, myself, Katie Garibaldi, Kate Burkart, Kwame Copeland and Wilson Wong. Come take a listen! Starts at 7pm. $5-10 sliding scale at the door. Plus High Street has food, wine and beer. Kids welcome, too.

Far-West Folk Alliance in Irvine Oct. 10-13

 We're heading to FAR-West 10th Anniversary Conference!! on Friday to play, schmooze and help celebrate he 10th anniversary of FAR-West.


The weekend will open with a Venues’ Choice Concert (on Thursday), and include Official Showcases, Best Of The West luncheon, Private Guerrilla Showcases, Panels and Workshops, New Voices Showcases, Susanne Millsaps Memorial Coffeehouse (which I'm helping MC on Saturday afternoon). It's a real celebration of original music and always inspiring. 


The 10th Annual FAR-West conference, October 10-13, 2013 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Irvine CA.  http://www.far-west.org/

My schedule at Far-West:

FRIDAY OCTOBER 11, 2013

11:00pm            Bohemian Highway PGS                RM 337

12:30am            Sane Lunatic Productions  PGS     RM 335

SATURDAY OCTOBER 12, 2013
12:00am            John Roy Zat & Friends PGS          RM326

3:20pm              Susanne Millsaps Coffeehouse      Salon C (Ballroom)

Folk Alliance Region West (FAR-West) is the West-coast region of Folk Alliance International.   FAR-West is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization incorporated in the State of California in 2003. The organization is run entirely by volunteers; there are no paid staff members.

Maurice Tani/77 El Deora @ The Freight & Salvage Sunday 8/18/13

If you're wondering what to do with your upcoming Sunday night, do as I am and get yourself, and any self-respecting music-loving friends you have, tickets to Maurice Tani & 77 El Deora at The Freight & Salvage. Maurice is one of those Bay Area treasures who the whole world should really know about (and probably will soon). He writes great songs, he has a killer voice and he knows how to wield a guitar to best effect, whether the song is a rocking honky-tonk number or sensitive ballad. He also is a rare combination of great artist and nice person. Yes, I'm a big fan (Click here to read the interview I did with him three year ago.)

This year, he released not only one, but two, new excellent CDs, Blue Line and Two Stroke. Sunday's show at The Freight (the optimal place in the East Bay to hear this music) is the official release party for those projects. Be there if you can.

From the Press Release:

Wry-to-Romantic American Songwriter Maurice Tani Releases Two New CDs and Plays Freight & Salvage Sunday August 18 @ 8:00 p.m.

DOUBLE CD RELEASE SHOWSan Francisco veteran singer-songwriter Maurice Tani and Freight & Salvage in Berkeley announce a double CD release show on SUNDAY AUGUST 18 at 8:00pm. This show celebrates the simultaneous release of Tani's fourth and fifth albums: a new studio album, “Blue Line”, and “Two Stroke”, an album of acoustic duos and trios with bassist Mike Anderson and a variety of others. 
Sunday, August 18 

Doors 7:00. Concert 8:00.

Freight & Salvage 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA 510 644 2020 

$16.50 advance/ $18.50 door. 

Advance tickets available online or from the Freight & Salvage Box OfficeOr online from ticketfly http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/323347

3/23 Live @ The Plough & Stars: Secret Town and Deborah Crooks

Last minute-ish add to the March calendar, we'll be playing in support of our friends in Secret Town at SF's favorite Irish pub, The Plough and Stars. Sure it's a week after St. Patrick's day but why let that stop you? Come lift a glass and enjoy live Americana music. Cheers!

Live Music @ East Village Lounge in Monterey 3/2

I haven't been to Monterey in a while, so I'm looking forward to playing there, this Saturday, March 2. Please join us!

Saturday, March 2nd, 2013

East Village Coffee Lounge

Deborah Crooks in Monterey - 7pm

498 Washington Stree
Monterey California 93940
US 831.373.5601

Price: FREE

 We'll be playing new and old songs. Our first time at East Village Lounge!  Please join us.

Alameda Songwriter Round-Up: March 1

High St. Station @High St & Encinal in Alameda, CA

I moved to Alameda —the 'Island City' of the Bay Area—two years ago, since meeting a host of new musicians and songwriters who have called it home. Friday, March 1, High St. Station Cafe hosts the Alameda Songwriter Roundup, featuring six artists who live here or are from Alameda.  Edie O-Hara, Francesca Lee, Johnny Nash, Kwame Copeland,  Steve Waters and myself will play our music — covering a full range of folk, rock, pop and Americana — in the round in Alameda's dinner club listening room.  Please join us!
$5-10 sliding scale show cover.
Call ahead to reserve a table (510) 995-8049!

Friday, March 1st, 2013

High Street Station Cafe, Alameda, CA

Songwriter Roundup - 7pm-9:30pm