Salutations from Ms. Marian Call. The following announcement is terribly important. If you hate to read, skip to the pretty pictures at the end.
I have come to an important decision informed by seven particular observations:
1) There can never be too much good music in the world. So making a little more won't hurt. (Someone has to step up and artistically/karmically compensate for all the new ringtones -- in order to keep the universe in balance.)
2) I find myself longing for a little breathing room to play, experiment, fingerpaint if you will, without having to commit to a genre or direction.
3) If I have to wait another year or two to record more music, I will get mad (in the Shakespearean sense).
4) I have not yet found a twelve-step group for perfectionism, and until I do I need to implement some sort of personal recovery program. This chaotic endeavor will do nicely. Builds character and all that.
5) I love sharing tasty treats with all of you, and since I can't bake, this is all I can bring to the potluck of life.
6) Everyone has gotten too gorram serious about art lately. Including me.
7) I just really really really want to do this.
I am going to produce a little home-baked song for you guys once a month.
This will go on for...well, maybe six months, maybe more. It will go on approximately as long as I feel like it, since the point is to have fun and stretch myself. The songs will be little bagatelles, like hors d'oeuvres or tapas instead of main courses. They will come in all different styles and flavors; some will be new originals, some will be covers, and most will be collaborations with individuals who are fun to work with. This is an audio diary of me playing around.
This month's song, for example, is the result of hanging out and having lots of fun with bass player Nathan Levine. We've been doing some quirky reinterpretations of standards and trying to get our respective (slightly rusty) jazz chops back. This tune is "Ti Guardero nel Cuore" by Nino Oliviero, Riz Ortolani, and Marcello Ciorciolini (you may recognize it as "More"). The track is nice and raw, very simple, very straightforward. This is a bonafide slinky dress song, and I love to sing it.
This crunchy little cannoli may not look quite as spectacular on the outside as the mass-produced sweets that comes from Starbucks, but I did make it just for you, from scratch. So drop in once a month and enjoy the very real, raw sound of a home-cooked tune hot out of the oven. It's certified organic, fair trade, and free range. If you like a tune, either download it or spread the word. I always make plenty to share. But the point is play. Musicians should get to play more, no? Everybody should.
Bon appetit!
In other news:
I will be playing in probably five or six venues around Anchorage before Christmas, including some laid back freebies and some "serious" solo shows. Drop in and say hi! If you can ever find out where they are, since the myspace gig thingy is bustid. There should always be updated info on my official site.
NPR play is a reality! Thanks to KSKA. More to come soon, hopefully.
In even bigger news, á la Little Engine that Could -- throughout 2008, I hope to be seen and/or heard in as many of the following cities as I can conceivably get to:
All over Alaska
Seattle
Tacoma (and surrounding)
Bellingham
Vancouver, BC
Portland
Eugene
Austin
San Antonio
Palo Alto/San Jose
San Francisco
Fort Bragg/Mendocino
Eureka/Arcata
All of these are very real possibilities, and I will try to make them all happen. On the wish list are Colorado, Maine, SoCal, and more of Canada, if the musicians and the money turn up. And everybody cross your fingers for SxSW in 2009!
Requests? For cities or songs? Send 'em here. You guys rule. Thanks for all the support so far!
Comments (4)
i'd host you in nyc!
Give me a date in Vancouver, darling. Your house concert awaits.
marian,
i want u on a future podcast!
:O)
ted (everett, wa)11 May 2009
mountaintopcafe on i-tunes
Such a nice post.waiting for more.