Dance Anywhere is Friday March 28

Just think if everyone, danced and sang and laughed a little more each day. Say maybe 5 minutes? A jig in the kitchen, a tune at the bus-stop, laugher...everywhere. Sounds good to me. Toward that effort, Friday is Dance Anywhere, "a simultaneous worldwide public art performance" which finds many of the pro dancers of the world strutting their stuff in unexpected places. Take a break Friday and take a look around.

DSDT @ SF Jazz 12pm in SF

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

TONIGHT! Summer Night Speakeasy w/Kate Burkart, Francesca Lee & Deborah Crooks

Taking its name from “the great creator god in the pre-Inca and Inca mythology in the Andes region of South America,” Viracocha follows suit doing double duty as an exceedingly cool antique store and hub of arts & literature performance . While the upstairs offers a storefront selling quirky antiques, furniture, vinage books and jewelry, the downstairs old-time speakeasy/live music venue provides an ideal stage for the discerning listener...and an ideal venue to hear three original, highly literate and nuanced singer-songwriters — Francesca Lee, Kate Burkart and Deborah Crooks — spanning Americana, The Blues, Folk, Pop and Jazz. This is a show not to miss!

Kate Burkart
http://kateburkart.com/
Singer/songwriter/bassist Kate Burkart is known for her powerful and evocative songs, exploring themes of love, faith, and loss. Her voice combines strength and sweetness, with an honesty that brings the songs and the listener closer.

Deborah Crooks
deborahcrooks.com/
Deborah Crooks's lyric-driven music draws on folk, rock, Americana and the blues. Often compared to Lucinda Williams and The Cowboy Junkies, East Bay Express described her music as "...a more diverse take on Americana with a distinctly female tone, and quite charming."

Francesca Lee
http://www.francescaleemusic.com/
Confiding narratives and striking melodies illustrate the songs of songwriter, vocalist and recording musician Francesca Lee: "Her vocals were achingly heartfelt, and sung with an emotional resonance... more a jazz chanteuse than a typical pop singer.—SF Indie Examine

Read.Eat.Listen: Deception

Oh Lance, did you have to? What an ugly story Armstrong's has turned out to be, especially for those of us who love the sport of cycling. I hung up my bike racing shoes more than a decade a go, but having been double-dipped in the sport for a time, I'm at once fascinated and revolted by Lance's 'coming clean' on Oprah (or 'Doprah' as the Twitterverse deemed it). I was racing bikes and working an editorial job at VeloNews in Boulder, CO when Lance won the 1993 world championship and signaled what a powerhouse (albeit now exceedingly tarnished) of the peloton he would be for the next 12 years. When the finish line photos came in, we all poured over them in awe. The world couldn't help but be thrilled and impressed by his achievements. And even long after I'd stopped riding competitively, I kept track of Lance and his victories.  I'd learned enough from those in the know that the accusations had merit before this week's Oprah 'event' ...but the depth of his lies is truly astonishing and oh-so-disappointing.
READ: The Secret Race: Inside Hidden World of the Tour de France: Doping, Cover-ups and Winning at All Costs
EAT: Crow? Nah, will stick with something real, but deceptive in it's own way (i.e. no dairy about the cream, no white sugar, no cooking) ala this raw triple chocolate cake recipe.
LISTEN: Miles Davis - Deception-Davis

Powered by mp3skull.com Big news for SF music lovers is that the new SF Jazz Center is opening January 21. Located in the heart of Hayes Valley, close the the symphony and ballet, it's exciting and accessible.  NPR will be streaming the big opening night concert which is star-studded and, alas, SOLD OUT. Thank you NPR!

Portland: Go west, near east

It's no secret that one of the many great things about Mysore-Style Ashtanga Yoga is the global tribe of Ashtanga practitioners. Visit nearly any place in the world and you can likely scare up at least a couple Ashtangis with whom to share practice. I've found practice groups everywhere from living rooms in Santa Cruz found by word-of-mouth to the most bustling urban capitals. Portland is no different, with at least two established Mysore groups. When I visit Portland, I call up a local I met in India in 2008 to set me in the right direction. This go Karen graciously shepherded me to Near East Yoga, a Northeast Portland studio led by Casey Palmer, which has been going strong for a good number of years. On-point instruction, good vibe, friendly community...what else does an Ashtangi need?

Well... food. We found post practice eats at Bijou Cafe which knows how to make a kick-ass, authentically French omelet. Plus they'll serve with a salad.  Très bon. (Yogis know better than to enter the Voodoo Donuts outpost up the street from Bijou, but I can't tell you how many Portland residents told me about Voodo so I'd be remiss not to mention it. Voodoo is renowned both for wacky flavor combinations as well as anatomically correct donuts. The actual Voodo donut features a pretzel stick stake through it's doughy heart.) Back to Bijou, the cafe not only serves great food but hosts a weekly Supper Jazz series on Friday's. Next time...Visiting on the front end of a week, we missed a whole slew of Portland's musical scene (other than the visiting guitar in the hotel room). Fortunately, Jimmy Mak's Jazz Club, in the Pearl District, hosts an interesting program of resident and touring artists nearly every night of the week. We enjoyed an early show by a young Portland ensemble on Tuesday in its cozy dinner club listening room. Yes, life is good in Portland.

Artist Interview: Roberta Donnay's Got Sugar

I met jazz singer Roberta Donnay more than 10 years ago through West Coast Songwriters, discovering one of the Bay Area's most multi-talented singers, songwriters and producers in the process.  Soon after meeting, I sought out the Washington, DC native's help producing an EP and received an education in musicianship, studio work and Buddhism as well as a finished project. Having written for film, TV and the UN, Roberta has an abundance of songwriting and vocal chops, working as a music supervisor for film and singing with Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks when she's not fronting her Prohibition Mob Band. However, Roberta's first musical love was jazz, and for the past five years she's been focusing her energies on the genre. On November 13, Motéma Music officially releases her latest CD, "A Little Sugar," a showcase of vintage jazz, blues and swing. Roberta discussed her latest project as she got ready for her CD release and tour with her Prohibition Mob Band.
Q How was the process of making your new CD different from your other productions? What can listeners expect?
RD: "A Little Sugar " is meant to transport the listener back in time, to educate, to inspire. Back to a time in music which is the roots of almost all of what we now listen to.  Born out of the blues, this was the music of the people, reflecting a time of great creativity, new inventions, the breaking away from stagnant thoughts and rituals of the past, the beginning of a certain freedom for women... and, of course, a time of great struggle, not unlike now.

Q What led to your decision to go back to focusing on jazz? How did your Prohibition Mob Band come together?  

RD: I grew up listening to Louis Armstrong, George Gershwin and Broadway shows as a young child.  But when I discovered Billie Holiday and the early women of jazz, this had my full and complete attention.  I've based my own sound and my own place of study on this era of music since the beginning of my musical life. I was always a huge jazz fan.  I was singing and studying jazz when I first moved out west.  My goal was always to become a great jazz musician.

My vision with this band came together organically. This music just made me feel happy. And I wanted to work with my friends, and with those whose style and ideas I admired.  I searched high and low to find some songs which weren't as well known, and picked the songs on this record from that perspective.  But the band itself was years in the making.  We experimented with the music in our live shows for two years before recording anything, and I based much of what we ended up recording on the reactions of the audience.  This project was literally focused on our audience more than anything else.  And being able to create a project with a great musical partner and bassist Sam Bevan, well, that made the whole thing easy.

Q How do approach balancing life touring with Dan Hicks and Hot Licks with doing your own material and shows?

RD: Carefully.  And I work long hours!

Q You’ve truly spent a life in music. Who and what keeps you inspired?

RD: Studying Buddhism, philosophy, history, the writings of Nichiren Daishonin (a 13th century monk) and the writings of Daisaku Ikeda has been a major inspiration for me for many many years.  I have always had a seeking spirit to discover the truth.  I would not have lasted this long in music if I hadn't found a way to grow as a human being and to be able to focus on the inside as my primary goal. 

To raise my life condition and to become the person I wanted to become and fulfill my true potential, well, that is a struggle against my weaknesses, my doubts, my fears, and the eternal struggle of good against evil.  I finally found that I had all this unlimited potential but when my major focus was on external things, I grew more dissatisfied with my life.

I believe that when we grow closer to our core existence, when we focus our energies on this relationship first, then the superficial existences have a tendency to melt away and what we find is an energy of pure light which is at the core of our being. If I feel joyful, hopeful and inspired, then maybe I can help another just by being there, to help make this feeling possible for another person.  But one has to be willing to dig deep, to throw off the transient outer layer of ego, and focus on (possibly) a higher purpose and create who we truly want to be.

If one can do this, then that is absolute freedom.  And so that is my goal for myself and others.  I wish  freedom for every living being equally in this world.  

Music which saved my life and inspired me to go forward.  Other great musicians inspire me and I'm thankful to all of them...  I believe that my musical ancestors—Billie, Ma Rainey, Bessie, Louis, etc —  are the ones who truly raised me, [and] I feel I owe a huge debt of gratitude to them.   

The great, great musicians who I've had the honor of working with, cause me to listen, [and] add to the joy I already feel.  Imagine being able to perform in an environment such as this!  I am very grateful for this life in music.  I actually can't imagine a more wondrous existence here on planet earth.  And, of course, having a wonderful partner to share this life with, that makes everything a million times sweeter.  

For more information about Roberta and "A Little Sugar" go to http://robertadonnay.com/

Last Sunday's Fest: Music on Telegraph in Berkeley 9/25/11

If you love listening to music in a cafe setting, come to Telegraph and take part in the first Cafe Music Stroll Sunday, September 25th, part of Berkeley's monthly Last Sunday's Fest. For the music stroll, four cafes between Bancroft and Parker, as well as sidewalk venues, will feature hour long performances by a variety of musical artists playing jazz, pop, blues, tango and classical selections. I'll be holding up the Americana end of the musical spectrum, performing near the Berkeley Hat Company at 4pm.

Rickie Lee Jones Redux

The rep from SF Jazz* requested 'absolutely no video or photos, please' before introducing the evening's honored guest to the stage of Davies Symphony Hall.  I don't know if I was the only person in the crowded hall with an iPhone who heeded this request; nonetheless, I have no photos of Rickie Lee Jones, eccentric and exultant in her pink beret, pajama- esque pants and platform heels, as she took the stage with a crack band to perform her first two albums more than 30 years after their release. Nor can I post any video or recordings of her voice — primal, in control, emotion and hair raising — as she scatted and vamped her way through the set whose order she mixed up according to her whim (and often her band's surprise). I can tell you she is a master: songwriter, mood-catcher, musician and performer. The crowd loved her. Moody, demanding, a little grouchy, she was having a great time, directing her band on the spot, enjoying their generous solos (her horn section was worth the price of admission itself) and giving it all to each song (she had no problem stopping a tune after an ever-so-slightly lackluster first verse to take it again from the top and get it right), despite how many times she may have played them over her rich and varied career. I think it was the 4th or 5th time I've seen her live in the past 25 years and, like every time before, she blew me away with her talent and energy.

*It was heartening to hear that SF Jazz was enjoying its best, most well-attended season in all of its 28 years. They recently broke ground on its new center for jazz.

Bird's Nest Jazz Parties

The weekend came with one of those happy, local discoveries: Bird's Next Jazz Parties in Oakland. One of my voice teachers, the master vocalist and jazz singer Faith Winthrop was performing at the concert series curated and run by singer and host Cathi Walkup. What a treat to sit in a loft living room with a bunch of other music lovers as Faith entertained and wowed us — she is really one of the best and most erudite singers I've ever heard live — with a set based on the work of Mabel Mercer and Johnny Mercer. Backed by Art Khu on piano and Chuck Bennet on bass, it was truly a GREAT afternoon of music (and it included a break for a home-cooked meal!). Faith mentioned some more local shows coming up in the next 6 months: check her website for info. Likewise, Bird's Nest presents its listening concerts 'in support of jazz community, with the finest in music, food & friendship' each month.

LA, Chez Mana, Recording

I came home from a fun run through Los Angeles (thank you Cinema Bar & Java w/Javelyn) & San Diego to preview a song at Chez Mana's inaugural art & music soiree at The Fremont Hills Country Club. The event was a great success, featuring music by Larry Vuckovich, Mike Hallesey, Akira Tana, Sana Craig and Kay Kostopoulos. Kay also recited poetry about jazz, while Larry shared stories from his personal experiences with jazz greats. Dinner, the paintings of Nilou Farzeneh and sculpture by Fabienne Bismuth rounded out a pretty lovely show. I'm looking forward to playing at Chez Mana's Art in Context November 7.

In the meantime, I'm pulling together a variety of recordings I've started in the year and recorded a brand new song with my band "Off Sides" for a new EP I just might have ready by then. Projects are us!

Rockridge Summer Wine & Jazz Festival

My summer of community music events continues at The Rockridge Summer Wine & Jazz Stroll tonight in the very pleasant Oakland neighborhood. I'll be playing a short set amid Kaitlin McGaw's feature in front of Heartware @ 6309 College Ave from 5-9pm. Billy Schafer & Gentry Bronson will also be taking musical turns at this venue and I'm expecting a whole lot of other cool cats will be playing along the stroll. Come join the party!

Rockridge Summer Jazz & Wine Stroll

Time: July 16, 2010 from 5pm to 9pm, College Ave, from Broadway to Alcatraz, Oakland, CA