It's been awhile since writing and so much has been churning around in my life. I have been madly working to make my concert at La Peña Cultural Center on Dec. 21 a success. Not only will there be a concert of the Sephardic music we have been developing, but there is also a companion art exhibit in the lobby of the center. Just getting 13 artists organized was stressful enough. Everyone needed to have their artwork to me by Nov.30 so it could be hung on Dec. 1. Needless to say, many of the artists missed that date. Some came the day of the hanging, other art didn't even arrive until Dec. 2. BUT, I got it all, it has been hung in the lobby and it is really amazing to see how each artist approached the Hand of God. They are all really beautiful and I am thrilled that it all came together so well. Since the hanging of the artwork, I had a photographer--David Belove--come and photograph each piece. I then created a poster calendar and a postcard, each of which will be for sale at the concert. All of this is to help raise funds for the SME recording project. I have applied for grants to help pay for the recording, but I still haven't heard the results and I'm not counting on much--especially in these tough economic times. So, I'm trying to think of creative ways to raise the funds. I will also be doing a raffle the night of the concert with some really nice gifts that have been donated to the cause. I'm pretty confident the concert will be spectacular and the overall evening will be jampacked with lots of fun stuff. It's taking a lot of work to prepare for all of this, but it's been fun, and I'm sure worth every effort.

As of January 5th I will be substitute teaching music for 6 months. one of the music teachers at a school near my apartment is takng a sabbatical to go and tour and record a CD. Lucky for her--and lucky for me! I will be teaching K-3 grades. I think it will be a lot of fun and really good for me to get back into the classroom on a regular basis. And of course the money won't hurt either! As I said previously, we are in tough economic times and my money situation has been precarious at best. Places to perform on a regular basis here in the Bay Area are becoming more and more challenging to find. This is the time that being able to think out of the box in order to survive becomes imperative. I'm not worried, though, I know that I'll be fine. I just hold on, pray a lot and trust that the Universe is watching over me. When I am able to let go and TRUST I am usually well cared for. It may sound somewhat hokey, but I believe in a higher power and time and time again it has been proven to me that the Universe watches over me--and I imagine all of us. Maybe you call it by a different name, but nevertheless there seems to be something bigger than each of us that oversees our existences.

Seattle and Beyond

Seattle was fantastic. Andy Gilbert wrote a really nice article about me and my music in the Seattle Times that significantly helped to attract customers to Bake's Place--particularly for the Saturday night concert. Bake's Place is such a beautiful jazz club. The most challenging thing about it is that it is located within a gated retirement community. A lot of people are put off by that fact and don't want to go there. But if they could just get beyond their own perception of what that must be like, they would realize what an awesome place Bake's Place truly is. The acoustics are wonderful, the environment is very intimate--it only seats 72 people, and the musical experience is probably like no other in Seattle. Many of the people that came out this weekend had never been to Bake's before. It was because of the article that they came (power to the press!!). I was very grateful and happy to have such fantastic audiences both nights. I made some great new fans and the band, as always, played spectacularly. Traveling with Murray, Peter and Paul is so much fun. They all have such great senses of humor and we all get along very well. I was also happy because the hotel I chose for us to stay in this time was close to the Sound and so we were able to walk down to the water and explore a different part of the Seattle area. While down at the water we saw a couple walking their cat on a leash! Peter got video of it--I'll see if I can post something here soon. So bizarre.

The whole weekend was a huge success. The Jewish Film Festival concert was completely sold out to the point where people had to be turned away. What a thrill that was. And the septet played beautifully. We are all now settling in to this new music and it is beginning to take on a life of its own. That is when the magic really starts to present itself. Even over the weekend in Seattle we played some of the Sephardic songs. As a quartet it was a little more of a challenge for the band, but we figured it out and created some new and interesting sounds around the songs. I guess for me it just really doesn't matter in what context I get to perform--I just LOVE to sing and any and all opportunities are a blessing and a treat for me.

Now I have a month to prepare for the La Peña concert on Dec. 21. The artists are submitting their artwork for the art exhibit by Nov. 30. the art gets hung in the lobby on Dec. 3 and the art reception will be the night of the concert. I also have to contact all of the JCCs in this area to drop off flyers for the concert. The goal is to sell out for this event. I think it will be a truly special evening of art and music and I need to make sure it is well organized and as wonderful as I am envisioning!

Let me say first off that in the first time in my life I have never felt more proud to be an American! I truly feel the country finally got it right this time in electing Obama and he seems to already be proving that, even before his inauguration. As I've spoken with many people over the course of the past week, both in the SF Bay Area and in New York, I hear and feel a new sense of community, positivity and HOPE. It's fascinating to me that an election such as this historic one, can change a country's entire attitude towards life. Now I'm sure there are people who are very disappointed in the outcome, but I am confident that they, too, will see the change in the world's feeling towards us. And I must say that McCain gave a beautiful concession speech that really seemed to help to bring the country together. Okay, enough about politics.

After spending a few days in Brooklyn and NYC I am back home madly preparing for this weekend. Thursday, at the Cubberly Theater in Palo Alto, I will be performing after the showing of a documentary about an Israeli singer, Yasmin Levy, who is trying to keep Sephardic music alive. The Sephardic Music Experience will be performing a one hour concert after the movie. I love the idea of combining the arts in this way. AND to top it all off, I was featured in the Palo Alto Weekly and put on the cover of the paper! Check it out: http://www.paloaltoonline.com/weekly/morguepdf/2008/2008_11_07.paw.section1.pdf

And then the next morning me, Murray, Peter and Paul will all head up to Seattle to play at Bake's Place in Issaquah for a two night stint. I'm looking forward to returning to Seattle to perform. The audiences there are very receptive and friendly. AND it will just be fun to be on the road with the guys for a couple of days. Lots to prepare, lots of practicing to do, lots of excitement in the air!

Waiting, Hoping, Praying

I must admit that I will be relieved when this election has been finally put to bed. I am so excited about the prospect of having an intelligent president who actually might turns things around and instill a new hope into this country. But what if Obama isn't elected? What if the country chooses yet another idiot to run things? Are we really a country of so many ignorant people that we can't see who is the stronger candidate? Is it a color thing? A liberal thing? Shouldn't we decide on the candidate who will lead us in an even mannered way, who has the education and the willingness to grow and learn? Shouldn't we choose someone who is actually in touch with everyday people instead of someone who has lived with a silver spoon in his mouth? And don't even get me started about how frightening it would be to have Palin in Washington. No, I just don't even want to imagine how even more screwed up the United States will become if McCain is elected.

I don't usually spout about politics. Before now it was never something I wanted to be involved in. But what has happened to this country over the past 8 years has awakened me. And to have someone like Obama appear and instill so much hope for change and a positive future has changed me. For the first time I am excited about the election. It's not about the lesser of two evils, but about choosing someone who will lead us into a future we can be proud to be a part of. Right now I have to admit I'm a little embarrassed to be an American--especially when I leave the country. I don't want to feel this way any more. I want to know how it feels to be a proud American. I want to be able to hold my head up and not have to make excuses about why a country as large and strong as the US would be stupid enough to choose an idiot like Bush--TWICE! PLEASE, oh PLEASE make the right decision tomorrow and vote for Obama. If he isn't elected then I am very seriously going to start looking for a new country I can call home. I can't fathom what life would be like under another regime as we have had. Now I just need to figure out which country to move to. I really hope it doesn't come to that.

Last night I met a bunch of friends over at the Yoshi's in San Francisco to attend Edgardo Cambón's CD release concert. it was a fantastic concert, very well rehearsed, great songs, great band and great energy. Edgardo was in fine form as a band leader and performer and he was glowing with pride and fervor for the music he was presenting. He also included tango dancers, flamenco dancers and bomba dancers in the concert which added a really nice different element to the music. And to top it all off, the attendance was phenomenal. To be able to pack Yoshi's on a Tuesday night--for both the early and late shows-- is a huge accomplishment and one to be very proud of. So my congratulations all around goes out to Edgardo for such a successful evening and a fantastic new CD.

I have been busy getting my musical life organized. I wonder if I'll ever really get organized!! :) But I am trying to get grants written for the Sephardic Music Experience CD recording project as well as organize various trips that are coming up. The day after the election I'll be flying out to New York to visit with my son for a few days. I'm so excited to see him and to see where he is now living. He's been living in Brooklyn since June of '07 and this will be the first time I am able to go and visit him. It will be so much fun to see him in his new element and also to be in NYC again. I love that city and its energy. I'm also hoping to meet up with some musicians while there, make some new connections and possibly new contacts for places to perform. I would really love the opportunity to do an east coast tour next year sometime, and if all goes well, it will happen. I can't imagine playing on the east coast and not doing something in New York. That would be sad!!

I'm also getting ready for this Sunday's concert at the Little Fox in Redwood City (4pm). The Hearing Voices concert produced by BeasWa productions. It should be a really fun and eclectic kind of concert, filled with a variety of different styles of music. So if you're anything like me and love to hear many different sounds in one sitting, this is the concert for you!! I will have some different players with me that day which I find really exciting. When I play with new people I always find some new treasures within the music that I hadn't found before. Melecio Magdaluyo will be playing the piano--yes the piano!!, Sam Bevan on bass and David Flores on drums. We had a rehearsal the other day to prepare for the concert and I'm excited! These guys are all such consummate pros that I know that the concert is going to be amazing!

Jazz Vespers

Jazz Vespers is a concert series put on by Ed Klitsch here in the Bay Area. The idea was started in New York so musicians could play for musicians in a more sacred environment on Sundays. A time to reflect with jazz music. The services happen from 5-6pm--when musicians are finally waking from their weekend haze :) --and the format is really nice. The pastor, usually in a non-denominational church, says a few words of greeting and the musical group plays a song. The concert/service continues in this manner with the pastor sharing ideas with words and the band sharing ideas with music, back and forth, creating a celebratory aura within the confines of the church. It's really quite a nice way to present music and ideas. My group, Murray, Peter and Paul, performed last Sunday at Jazz@Peace in Danville and will again perform this coming Sunday at Noe Valley Ministry in San Francisco. I really look forward to these concerts. They give us a chance to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.

Another really cool concert series I am a part of is through BeasWa Productions. Wendy Waller and Matt Beasley have been producing jazz style concerts at the Little Fox in Redwood City for almost two years now. It's not easy putting these shows together and uniting the group of talented musicians they do, but somehow they pull it off and it is always quite a stellar program of music. I am honored to be a part of their next concert, Hearing Voices. There are three "acts" performing on Sunday, November 2 (4pm): my latin jazz ensemble, Wendy Waller and Her Fine Band, a mix of jazz, creole and folk music, and the Clockwork Singers, an a capella group of four singers. It is an eclectic mix of music and musicians and should prove to be an engaging afternoon of a variety of sounds.

The concert was an amazing success! We had a fantastic turn out of people, it was a completely gorgeous day in Golden Gate Park and performing outside in a beautiful setting was just icing on the cake. The only problem was that there was so much going on in that area that parking was practically impossible. I had a few people e-mail after the fact to tell me that they had driven to San Francisco specifically to see the Sephardic concert only to have to turn around because there was no parking within miles of the park. That's a bummer and that's what makes me most crazy about SF--parking! It's such an amazing city but not if you're driving a car!

The music itself was very well received. There are certainly some wrinkles to iron out but overall the body of work is fantastic and I'm really excited about this project. I'm also really proud of myself and the other musicians involved with how well the music was performed. We pulled it off! Two rehearsals, all new music and a lot of dedication and hard work. It's a beautiful thing working with these musicians and seeing my ideas come to fruition in such a spectacular way. It's also a huge relief that we were able to present this music as well as we did. :)

So now the big push will be to see if I can get funding to record a Sephardic CD. I am selling sampler CDs at my live shows that will help to fund the recording, but I will definitely need to find larger sources of money to be able to record this CD. I'm hoping there are still grants out there that will be willing to help support a project like this. I'm pretty confident there are and I intend to find them so we can get this music recorded and out into the world. I think it deserves a wider audience. The big message I received at the concert on Sunday was that there is definitely an interest in this music and people were asking for a CD with only Sephardic music. And the journey continues....

The Sephardic Music Experience

This day has finally arrived. The day that we premiere The Sephardic Music Experience. We had two rehearsals this week and everything has come together amazingly well. I am so impressed at how seriously everyone has taken this music, how dedicated they have all been to learning it and how much they bring to the table when playing it. At some point during the first rehearsal I just sat back and listened to the body of work we were bringing to life. I thought to myself, "I couldn't have chosen a better team of musicians to make this happen." Everyone has risen to the occasion and together they sound phenomenal. I am truly blessed to work with such talented and NICE musicians.

So today we will perform this music for the first time in front of a live audience. At 2:30 pm in the Barbro Osher Cafe at the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park my newly formed 7 piece band will present what I feel to be a truly spectacular repertoire of Sephardic music. I am really hoping that more than just Jews and friends come to this event. The music has been arranged to encompass a world music sound, ranging from flamenco, to afro-peruvian, afro-cuban and even a little reggae thrown in! How about a little samba with your Sephardic music? :) We cover the world and it seems to work really well! I can't wait to get a sense of how the general public will respond to the music. of course it is sung predominantly in Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) so there will be explanations and translations given so people can truly experience the richness of the music and the stories they tell. Can you tell I'm excited? So much so that sleep has eluded me for the past few nights. No matter, the music and adrenaline will drive me throughout the day.

Ray Vega is in town today to perform with the Latin Giants of Jazz. Now this would be very exciting for me if his concert weren't happening at the same time mine was!! Now I won't be able to see him perform. If only I could split myself in two for the day! I'm hoping that we can at least meet for dinner after our respective concerts. He leaves back to Vermont tonight so there is a very small window of opportunity. He is such a good human being. Not only talented as a musician but as a friend. He has been one of my greatest supporters since I began this latest leg of my journey and I am grateful to him for that.

It's going to be an amazing day filled with surprises, adventure and best of all, music. It just can't get any better than that!

Austin, Texas

I'm here in Austin, Texas to be a support for my friend as she awaits the birth of her first baby. I thought the first time I'd come to Austin would be to perform in some cool jazz club, but the universe had different plans for me!! My friend is a little over two weeks overdue and very much ready to have this little creature come out and introduce itself. But he/she is taking its sweet little time!! We got up at 4am today in order to be at the hospital to start inducing her labor. When we got there at 5am they sent us back home because they didn't have any beds available for her. It is now almost 10am and still we are here, waiting to hear from them so we can go and get her started on the path of labor. It just goes to show that nothing and no one is in control of any situation. Things just happen as they are supposed to and we all have to learn patience and keep our senses of humor in the process.

This brings back so many memories of my own pregnancies and labor and boy am I glad that part of my life is over. This is truly a beautiful experience to be able to be a part of my friend and her husband's new baby's life. I feel honored that they both want me in the labor and delivery rooms with them. She was supposed to have a home birth but because the baby is so late it was decided that there needed to be some help in convincing it to come out. IU'm really hoping that he/she decides to enter this world before I have to leave tomorrow night. I'd hate not having the opportunity to meet my "nephew/niece" (I'm honorary "zia"--auntie in Italian)

Austin is a nice city, from what I've seen of it. It is quickly being developed to accommodate all the people moving here for business. There are buildings being constructed all over the town and tons of pregnant women ready to populate the city even more!! I swear there's something in the water here that makes women more fertile! Luckily I don't have to worry about that happening to me! :) I do hope, however, I get the opportunity to come back and perform here. I've applied for the SXSW festival for next year and hope my group is chosen to be one of the performers. If we get the gig then I'll try to book other gigs in the area while here such as in Houston, San Antonio and beyond. It all depends on how finances look at the time. Right now my main focus is to work out a deal with some people on the east coast so we can go out and perform in Massachusetts, Wash, DC, NYC and the likes. We'll see if that pans out for next year. i really hope so.

Okay, time to go and practice my Sephardic music while I can. The first rehearsal is this coming Monday night and I want to be ready! Ciao.

Time is passing and the Sephardic Music Experience premiere concert is quickly approaching. The challenge is always how to create enough time and space to learn the new material while still trying to make a living teaching and gigging. I took a substitute teaching job at the JCC in San Francisco for the next few weeks. I had never taught preschoolers music before and it is definitely a fun experience. These children are so incredibly wide open to the experience of sound and movement. It is truly a pleasure to see their faces light up when they have a chance to play instruments and learn new songs. Where along the path do the children begin to get jaded about all of this? When does the novelty and excitement wear off? And how can we as parents and adults help to keep refreshing the adventure of music for our children? Maybe it's when the parents start telling their kids to practice. Or maybe we just have so many stimulations for our children that they can't do everything. I really don't know the answer, but I do find it interesting to see how different parts of our experiences change and sometimes shut down as we get older.

Ten new songs have been arranged for my new Sephardic project. All the charts, however, have not yet been sent to me so I'm beginning to get nervous that the musicians won't have enough time to learn all of the material. BUT, I also need to remind myself that I have chosen a group of musicians who are very talented and dedicated to their art and will do a fine job on Oct. 5th--and beyond. I am the one who is nervous about my own personal performance. Some of the songs are quite challenging for me and learning all of these lyrics can also get overwhelming at times. But I know this is my process: I obsess and obsess and obsess until the music encompasses my entire being. I listen to nothing else but the Sephardic music now so I won't be influenced by anything else. I guess it''s like an actor immersing him or herself in their role, I'm immersing myself in the Sephardic music so I can present it as authentically and honestly as I am capable.

Yesterday I attended a Town Hall Meeting in San Jose that was run by the Center For Cultural Innovation (www.cciarts.org/). San Jose has committed to helping artists in the South Bay. What does that mean exactly? Well, they have realized that the arts and music scene has deteriorated significantly enough in their community that they need to find ways to entice artists to stay and other artists to want to come to San Jose. They are looking at ways to better support the artist by creating work/living spaces, more performances spaces, studios, possibly financial support. It all sound really good on paper, and spoken out loud, but can they do it? Can they really create an environment in the South Bay where people can actually survive as artists? It will be interesting to see if they can achieve this goal. I truly hope they can. Would I then move back to San Jose? I asked myself that question while at the meeting yesterday. The answer would have to be answered much further out in the future. Right now being in the East Bay is the best possible place for me. But anywhere that wants to support musicians and artists gets my vote!

Arranging the Old Into the New

Last night I met with David Pinto who is arranging two songs for my Sephardic Music Experience project. David is Susana Baca's bass player as well as musical director. He is an incredibly talented man who is very soft-spoken yet strong in his ideals of the music and how it should be performed. We met at my apartment where he brought his portable studio. He wanted me to record the vocals over the arrangements he had created in GarageBand. He has quite a nice little set-up and it was fun to see how detailed you can get with that program. I definitely need to learn how to use GarageBand to help me compose and arrange ideas I have for new songs.

Anyway!! The arrangements he has created are exquisite!! I am so excited about how this whole project is coming together. Each arranger--and I've engaged four different people--brings something completely unique to the table. My dream of creating a "world" sound for this music is being realized right before my eyes. I was worried that I might not like tackling all of this music, but I am infused with a new energy of pure unadulterated excitement! :) Now I can't wait to get all of the arrangements to the musicians and hear how it will all sound with live instruments. I feel like we are beginning to create something very special here and I look forward to presenting these pieces to the world. All that remains is making sure we get enough rehearsals in so we can present the music how it is meant to be played.

Labor Day Weekend. I can't believe it is already fast approaching. Next week I will take on a substitute teaching gig at the JCC in San Francisco, teaching preschoolers music for a little over two weeks. I think it's going to be a blast working with such little guys, playing music and just generally having fun for a few hours each day. But first I have my first gig at Anna's Jazz Island in Berkeley this coming Sunday evening where I'll get to play with the quintet and SiNG!! I love performing with these guys so much because there is always some kind of magic that happens on stage. They are not afraid to take chances and explore the depths of the music. They constantly and continually inspire me to rise to higher levels within my own self and for that I am grateful.

Talent and Decency CAN go Hand in Hand!

One of the things I appreciate most about the people I work with, besides their incredible talent, is what nice people they are. I have certainly met some "divas" in this business who believe that because of their talent they can be rude to others. But not so with the people with whom I work. And that is for a reason; I won't work with nasty people. Why should I? To me there is a certain kind of energy that I want to surround myself with and if I am playing with a musician who is rude and full of him or herself, then they create a negative energy that does not generate good "vibes." I want to be able to come to a gig--or a recording session--knowing that I am surrounded by good positive energy. This way I think we all perform to a higher level. I have been told that if I want to play with some of the best musicians of the world then I will have to tolerate some nasty behavior. But I still say no! I would rather play with lesser known musicians who bring their true, good selves to the gig, than have to be agitated by divas.

So why am I talking about this? Did something happen recently that caused me to get all riled up about this? No!! :) I was just thinking this morning about what wonderful, decent musicians I work with and how incredibly blessed I am to be able to share the same stage with them. So it got me thinking about what my musical experience could have been like and I became even more grateful that I have surrounded myself with such talented and nice people. Is the BAy Area a unique place for this? I think not. The musicians I have met elsewhere have all shown me that decency abounds in the musical community worldwide. What a relief that is!!

Tonight I will be performing at the Village California Bistro in Santana Row in San Jose from 6-8:30pm. Joining me will be Murray Low on piano, Peter Barshay on acoustic bass and Michaelle Goerlitz on percussion. This is going to be a fun and eclectic night of music in an intimate venue where we can really shine close up and personal. Playing with these very talented musicians is inspiring and exciting. I'm really looking forward to singing in San Jose again and hope you will come out and support live music.

The Family Arts Bridge Camp was a fantastic experience. The camp was created to give families of all types, straight, single parent, gay, etc., a place to bring their families and feel accepted and comfortable to be who they are in a safe and loving environment. The bottom line is family and how much each of those families love and support their children. My friend Wendy brought up a really good point about "alternative" families: their children are more likely to be accepting of others as well as feel more comfortable--and supported--in exploring who they are as individuals. What I saw at the camp was a wonderfully tight community of people who deeply love their children and who are committed to giving them the best life possible. And it was evident in the way the children behaved and reached out to each other, becoming fast friends in the process.

My role as music teacher, drum circle leader and expressive arts practitioner was a blast. Everyone seemed to respond very positively to what I presented and the children were completely adorable in their enthusiasm and talent. I had a great time, met a lot of new people and experienced something a bit out of my own comfort range--which is always a good thing to do! I hope I am invited back there again for next year.

This month is proving to be a busy one for me. On Sunday I will be going up to Carson City with Wayne Wallace, Orlando Torriente, Carlos Caro and Javier Navarrette to once again perform with the Reno Jazz Orchestra. We will be the closing act for the Carson City Jazz Festival. Although we will travel the same day of the gig (4 hour drive), it should be a lot of fun to get to perform with this big band again.

I then come home the next day and then travel down to San Jose to the Village California Bistro in Santana Row on Tuesday to perform a couple of sets. This should be a lot of fun as well as I am playing with Murray Low, Peter Barshay and instead of Paul VW I'll be using Michaelle Goerlitz on percussion. I like switching things up to see what kinds of interesting new things occur on the gig. And besides, Michaelle is such a dream to work with--as are Murray and Peter--I know it will be a blast. AND I get to sing!! How much better can it get? :)

Reno Jazz Orchestra and now Gualala!

Going to perform with the Reno Jazz Orchestra was a blast. They have been together for 10 years and have created a non-profit organization out of their group. They are very well organized and a really fun group of guys to perform with. Orlando tore it up as the other lead singer. He's got fantastic stage presence and really knows how to work an audience. We had such a fun time playing outdoors next to the Truckee River--so pretty. AND it was nice to be able to play in an area where smoking isn't allowed!! I now realize how lucky I am to live in California where smoking isn't allowed indoors. I literally was quite ill bu the time we left due to all the smoke in the hotel/casino where we stayed--yuck!!

This Wednesday I leave for Gualala, California to go and teach music at a the FAB Family Camp. It should be really fun. I'll get to work with children as well as adults at this camp and also be able to hang out in the redwoods for a few days. I'm looking forward to spending the weekend with these families. I will also get a chance to do some Expressive Arts workshops while I'm there. This is something I have been wanting to get more involved with and so this will be a great start for me. Hopefully when I get back I will be able to put together some more workshops that people might be interested in.

The Sephardic Music Experience concert series is moving along quite nicely. La Pena has given me the lobby space to display the art I want to have created for the Winter Solstice concert on Dec. 21. Now it's up to me to find a group of artists interested in creating these pieces. I think this is going to be a really fantastic combination of art and music and how we all need each other to create a more vibrant and cohesive existence. It's really fun putting these concerts together and making them into a reality. The music arrangements are going to be exquisite and I'm excited to get to play with a full group--7 of us--for each concert.

Sephardic Music

Last week I went to see Yosvany Terry perform with his group at La Pena Cultural Center. He was given a grant to develop music of the Arará tradition and it was an amazing concert. Pedro Martinez, along with Yosvany and all the other very talented musicians on stage, tore it up. Pedro is an incredibly talented percussionist as well as dynamic singer and he had the crowd going wild. The music had the crowd going wild. It was interesting to hear Yosvany talk about his research, following tradition, asking Sandy Perez for guidance and then creating jazz music over the rhythms of the Arará music. Needless to say it was very inspiring to hear as I am developing Sephardic music. As I research it more and more and learn more about the traditions of the many cultures that made up the Sephardic world, I am inspired to continue its development. But I am also inspired to put my own stamp on the music. For awhile I felt that I was tied to the tradition of the music and that I shouldn't stray far from what has already been established. But I now realize that is all wrong. I can almost guarantee that anyone approaching this music does so with their own flavor. And so why not me as well? :) I am a world jazz vocalist, interested in many different world rhythms and this music definitely lends itself to a world music sound. It has been influenced by many different countries all over the world and my goal is to show that in the repertoire of songs we are developing.

As of this writing there are now 3 Sephardic concerts that have been booked and confirmed. One at the De Young Museum on Oct. 5th, one at La Pena Cultural Center on the first night of Hanukah, Dec. 21, which also happens to be the Winter Solstice! and one at the Yerba Buena Gardens in May of 2009. These are all very high profile and prestigious concerts and I am thrilled to be able to bring this music to such varied audiences. I am still trying to book more concerts around the time of Hanukah and hope that we can perform this music throughout the Bay Area, but for now I am very content with what we have accomplished so far. I am also excited about the arrangements that are being developed and can't wait to add the music to my ever-growing repertoire of songs.

Next Wednesday, July 30, I perform with the Reno Jazz Orchestra along with Wayne Wallace, Orlando Torriente, Javier Navarrete and Carlos Caro. It should be a blast singing with a big orchestra like that. I've been diligently learning new songs for this gig and hope I don't forget the lyrics when I perform them!

Back from Mexico

Wow! What an amazing and fun trip to San Cristobal de las Casas. The people of the city are wonderfully warm and friendly, the city itself is beautiful and the surrounding terrain and mountains are breathtaking. I had never been in the state of Chiapas before and I was very impressed with its beauty.

The festival itself was a huge success. I played in el Teatro Zebadua in the center of town and packed the theatre. It was very exciting to perform to such a fantastic audience--over 300 people present. We (Murray Low, Paul VW, David Belove and Wayne Wallace) all had a great time playing together. the music rose to a higher level and the response was of excitement and energy. I was called back for two encores. The first encore we played Quitate la Queta. I insisted everyone get up and dance--and they did!! How cool to have everyone on their feet dancing to one of my songs! :) The second encore was a duo version of Imagine. Murray has reharmonized that song and it is completely lovely how it sounds. The audience responded very positively, not only to how we performed that song, but to all of the music. They told me they like the variety of it. And it is nice to be able to explain to them what they are listening to. I feel fortunate to be able to communicate in more than one language. It opens up so many more doors for me.

Traveling with everyone was so great. I feel that we have all created a stronger bond with one another by being on the road together. Everyone brought their significant others (except for me and Wayne) and it was great hanging out with them as well. I love traveling, I love the fact that the entire band was able to be present and that we all got along so well. I hope that I will not only be invited back to San Cristobal, but that many more trips abroad, as well as in-country, will take place in the months to come.

San Cristobal de Las Casas, Mexico

Well now that I'm finally settling into my new place, it's time to take a trip to Mexico!! I'm actually getting very excited about my pending trip to San Cristobal. I've never been to that part of Mexico and it sounds fantastically gorgeous. I spent a good part of the day yesterday organizing my gig bag, getting all the charts ready for the musicians, packing CDs to sell, creating the set list for the songs I'll perform. It's one thing performing close to home because if you forget something you can easily find it. But when I'm traveling and I've forgotten something then it becomes a bit of an issue. That's where improvisational skills come in very handy!! Also learning to be flexible and not let the little things get to you. Of course there will be some bumps along the road, it's how they're dealt with that makes the trip either a nightmare or a pleasant experience. I strive for the pleasant experience and try to leave the nightmares at home!

It will be fun traveling with the entire band to Mexico. Most everyone is bringing their significant others with them, so the parties will be even wilder each night! I'm looking forward to the Jazz Festival and hearing all the great music that will be going on this week. I'm also very excited to be able to perform as a part of this festival. I think the music will be well-received and a good time will be had by all.

Tonight is Wayne Wallace's CD release concert/party. I am of course going to go and support the crew. It will be held at the new Yoshi's in San Francisco and I'm sure it's going to be an amazing evening of music. At some points of the evening he'll have up to 19 people on stage performing. Pretty wild. His new CD is fabulous--The Nature of the Beat--and has been getting a lot of really nice and positive attention. I'm excited for him--and for the label. I feel very honored to be a part of Patois Records and all the successes we as a group have achieved since its inception.

KQED's The California Report Reviews my CD, Azucar de Amor

Wow! The amazing power of PR!!:) Andy Gilbert reviewed my new CD, Azucar de Amor, on KQED public radio last Friday and the response has been overwhelming. People from all over have been contacting me to let me know they heard the review, and even more people flocking to both CDBaby.com and Amazon.com, not to mention iTunes, to purchase not only the new CD, but also the first one I recorded--Birds in Flight. This has been an amazing experience--and also very rewarding. If you would like to hear the review you can go to:
http://www.californiareport.org/archive/R806271630/c

Andy has been such a great support of what I'm doing since I took this giant leap of faith almost three years ago. He not only said very nice things about the music I am performing, but also about my voice. And to top it all off he gave Murray Low wonderful compliments about his stellar arranging abilities with the Sephardic music. Murray deserves this and so much more. He is so talented, not only as a pianist but as an arranger, musical director and educator. I'm so glad he's starting to get the attention he deserves.

Today I perform a Jazz Vespers concert at the High Street Presbyterian Church. What a perfect time to thank the higher powers for these wonderful gifts that I have been given! I do believe there is something bigger than all of us that watches over, protects and guides us. As long as I trust in that power I will be fine. And right now I need to do a lot of trusting!! Moving to a new city and then getting laid off from my teaching gig in Campbell! Now I've got to see if I can replace that teaching gig with another one up here. I'm dusting off my resume and starting to contact places up here and hoping--trusting!!--that something will appear before the school year starts. I also really want to start putting effort into creating my Creativity Workshops and find a space where I can do them. Lots of possibilities, lots of unknowns and LOTS of excitement all at the same time!

Performing This Week

It's been a few weeks since my last gig but it feels like forever! I'm really excited to perform again this coming Friday at Stanford and on Sunday at the High Street Presbyterian Church. Both performances are based on uplifting spirits. At Stanford Hospital the Bing Concert Series is a way to ease the pain of people that are in the hospital as well as their loved ones who go there to visit them. As well, the staff have a wonderful outlet to relax and forget about their difficult and challenging jobs for a bit. Stanford really does such a great service to everyone who enters their hospital doors. It is good to see how much they appreciate the power of music as a healing tool. They even have roving musicians who visit people in their rooms to serenade them. I feel very lucky to be included in this series and love the ability to perform in front of such deserving people. The concert is from 12:30-1:30pm in the Stanford Hospital atrium. Admission is free.

The High Street concert will be mixed with a Sunday afternoon service. The theme for this service is Tolerance. I also feel honored to be a part of this service. Yes, I'm Jewish but the message of peace and tolerance transcends all religions and brings us all closer together. I am thrilled to get to be a part of that message, even if only for an hour-long service. The service/Jazz Vespers will be held at the High Street Presbyterian Church from 5-6pm. Admission is free.

I am also beginning to ramp up my Sephardic Music Project. I am thinking of calling it the Sephardic Music Experience and am trying to create a concert series that will showcase this music all over the Bay Area. I really hope I can pull this all together in the timeframe I am hoping for. I met with a marketing consultant yesterday in San Francisco and he motivated, inspired and charged me up for this project. He was wonderful in reinforcing that my idea is a good one and entirely plausible. I'm also hoping that through these concerts I can generate enough interest in the music to get donations for a recording. But first things first! I need to put together this concert series and find enough venues that will support it. Wish me luck!! :)

Oakland, California

I must say that this move is probably one of the best things I've done for myself in a long time. I already know this is the right place for me. There are so many more things that go on up here than in the South Bay and it's up to me to tap into all of the resources available to me. The woman who is my "land mistress"!! :) has been living in Oakland for a very long time and has been an invaluable source of information and guidance for me as I maneuver my way through the newness of this city life. My dog Tito has also been good for me as we need to take walks everyday. Each day we set out on a new path in order to explore more of my new neighborhood. I'm having so much fun discovering new things.

Last night I went down to the Lake Merritt Dance place and took a salsa class--SO much fun. And it felt really good to be dancing again--it's been way too long. I am planning on taking classes there on a weekly basis and then also going to the Allegro Ballroom on Sunday nights. Salsa at least twice a week--Wow!!! And then of course I want to get more involved with the music scene up here. I am planning on tapping into La Pena's vast resources as well as the JazzSchool. Whereas these places were always available to me before, now they are a stone's throw away and so I have no more excuses to procrastinate (or at least less excuse!)

I love my new place! I only have a couple more boxes to empty and everything seems to be finding its place here. The animals have all been adjusting amazingly well and it's been a lot of fun decorating and organizing my very own place. In actuality this is really the first time I have lived in a place that is all my own. I've always shared my space with my children but now this is a place that has my own personal signature all over it and no one else's. It's been fun discovering my own voice within these new walls. Even the artwork I have been putting on the walls tell a new story. Yes, a new story, a new beginning, a fresh start! All of that along with all the other things I have already achieved create a rich, vibrant and exciting existence in my life.

Living Bi-Residentially!!

I'm now sleeping in my new place in Oakland. I really love it and will love it even more once I have unpacked everything. But I'm also still driving down to San Jose to finish closing up the house. I still have some stuff there, repairs are being made, painting is getting done, the hardwood floors refinished. So I'm still not quite done with the South Bay.

It's so ironic to me spending so many weeks packing boxes only to arrive at the other end of the journey and have to unpack them all over again. It's like a never ending circle of chaos!! But I'm happy in my new place. I really love the location and close proximity to shops and restaurants. This is what I had been dreaming of; to be able to walk out my door and easily access all sorts of different places. I know this is good for me--this big move. I must admit, however, that before we got the U-Haul van on Saturday I started to have an anxiety attack!! It's been a very long time since I felt so scared and panicked. But I'm okay now and am very clear about how good this move to Oakland will be for me. And just to seal the deal, as I was getting ready for bed last night I heard someone practicing their conga drums across the street from me. MAybe some people would have been perturbed at the extra noise in the neighborhood, but I was excited and started dancing around my new place.

The development of the Sephardic Music Project has begun. I am gathering up a cadre of arrangers to help create an interesting assortment of sounds and rhythms to compliment the music. I am getting really excited about working on this new/old material and evolving it into something that can be accessible to the general public. Now all we have to do is book some concerts in the late fall/winter to showcase the music and what we're doing with it. This is going to be another fun ride!

Fresh Start, Fresh Life

It's odd to begin again in so many ways after so many years. Am I too old to do this? Or does change welcome you at any age? I have been packing for weeks and selling off most of my furniture to anyone willing to come and get it. Craigslist.org is amazing in aiding me to cleanse myself of so many material objects. I am learning to let go of "things" that no longer serve a purpose in my life. Simplicity is what I search for and hopefully will be able to hold onto in my new place.

This Saturday is moving day. I'm a bit nervous about living in a new city and having to learn where everything is. But I am also very excited at the prospect of exploring new territory and discovering new things. I really love my new place and think I can make a nice home for myself, my dog and two cats. I know it will be most difficult for the animals with this huge transition, but we'll get through it. My mantra: change is good, change is good!! I just feel there will be many more opportunities for me in the East Bay than down here. And I also feel that it will spark more creativity within me as I am confronted with new experiences.

Lots of exciting musical happenings in the works. But in the meantime, no gigs until the end of June. I think I'll be going into some serious withdrawals by then. I pretty much planned it that way, though, so I could get myself settled into my new place with as little stress as possible. Then I'll be ready to sing my heart out! AND it will be so much fun to perform in my new city-Oakland-at the High Street Presbyterian Church. And then off to Mexico to the Jazz Festival in San Cristobal. What a fun time that will be!

Moving to Oakland

The house is about 2/3 packed up at this point. What an incredible undertaking to pack a full house after living here for 9 years. It's definitely been a great cleansing of both the soul and all the clutter I've accumulated over the years. Yesterday I had a garage sale and half of the house was out on my driveway and lawns. After it was over it didn't look as though I had sold hardly anything! But in actuality I got rid of a lot of stuff. Now today I pack up my car and take the rest down to Goodwill and donate it to charity. Hopefully the things I donate will land in the hands of people who will truly appreciate and need those items.

Saturday I performed in a "Battle of the Bands" type competition that was sponsored by Burger King--"Tu Ciudad, Tu Musica". What a funny thing to do, but fun nevertheless. I was invited by the event organizer to compete. We were the only latin jazz group. There were 5 bands "competing"; us--the latin jazz group consisting of myself, Murray Low, Mary Fettig, David Belove and David Flores, a merengue group, a latin rock group, another 70's sounding latin rock group, and a latin hip-hop group. Needless to say the hip-hoppers won the competition. But no matter. It was a fun experience and a great way to expose my music to a new audience. People seemed to really enjoy the music and I made a really good contact for booking in Chicago. Every experience is a great opportunity to learn more and meet new people and this was definitely one of those moments for me.

So two weeks left of teaching the children at the school where I work and then I pack up a U-Haul van and move myself up to Oakland. I am going to be living in an apartment/house near Piedmont and am very excited about the change. My new landlady--whose name is Cat!!--is a really great person and her house is beautiful. It is going to be such an adventure learning about my new surroundings and acclimating myself to the new environment. The prospect has me both scared and thrilled simultaneously. I'm really hoping that this change will spark more creativity in me and help me to connect more to the musical community of the Bay Area. Life is an adventure and I love it!!

Change Is Good

I'm in the process of packing up my house. This is a truly daunting task for me as I have lived here for a little over 9 years and have accumulated too many things. I constantly find myself reminiscing about this or that as I go through drawers, cupboards, closets, etc. My goal is to simplify my life and possessions and to clean out/throw away the things I no longer need or use. If I think clearly enough about this there really isn't a whole lot that I NEED to keep. But I am sentimental and so this cleansing process is somewhat painful for me. My oldest son Pat is also struggling with my readying to move. This is his safe haven and he doesn't want to lose his comfort zone. But I think the change will do us both some good. And besides, wherever I live he is always welcome!

My goal is to have everything packed up by the end of this month. I need to rent my house out and then find a place for myself in either the East Bay or in San Francisco. I really think I would like living in SF but for the parking challenges. I have been combing through craigslist.org trying to find the ideal location that allows for dogs and cats, has parking, is safe, and is located in an area with easy walking access to stores, cafes, etc. I know this is a tall order, but there are definitely some possibilities out there. Now the question is when to commit to a new place and how much I will be able to afford.

Change. I need change. I need to be in a place where the atmosphere is more vibrant and the music pulses with a stronger beat than here in San Jose. I need/want/desire/hope to be nearer to fellow musicians with whom I can work and play. And hopefully a change will spark more creativity within me. I feel that living in San Jose has begun to make me complacent and I hate feeling like this. But staying in the Bay Area for now is important for my career--at least for now...

Aftermath

The house is quiet again. Kate Smith, my friend Deliane and my son Pat were all at the house over the weekend to help celebrate the CD release concert. It was a weekend filled with music, planning, organizing, a little stress and a lot of fun! The concert was a great success. The musicians all were as amazing as I had hoped they'd be and my voice and spirit were in good form. I was very pleased with how things turned out. there were a lot of people who had never come to hear me perform that day and Juan Flores, a DJ from Houston, was even in the audience. He was so excited to be able to see so many of his favorite Bay Area musicians all on one stage performing together!

After so much planning for such a big event I must admit it's a bit of a letdown after it is all over. I kind of went into a daze after the concert and needed a day to recuperate from all the energy needed to pull it off successfully. But now that the fog has cleared, I can proudly stand tall and be happy with the outcome and the body of work that I have developed over the past couple of years. In such a short time I have come a long way. Now that's not to say I don't have a long way to go yet, because I know there is SO MUCH more to learn, but if I stop for just a minute, I appreciate all that I have been able to accomplish since making the decision to be a full-time musician.

Now I've got to start planning my trips to Mexico, Perú and Argentina. Mexico is a for sure thing, now I've just got to make sure I can make Perú and Argentina happen as well...

Readying for the CD Release Celebration

Yes, it will be a celebration as well as a kick-butt concert!! 14 musicians on one stage! It's going to be a true grandiose production that will allow me to honor the musicians and their talented contributions to Azucar de Amor. Yesterday I was interviewed by Jesse "Chuy" Varela on KCSM 91.1. I think the interview went very well and the feedback I received from friends and family afterwards was very positive. I love interviewing with Chuy because of how incredibly personable he is and so very supportive of the musicians of the Bay Area and beyond. He is so great to talk to because he encourages me to keep moving forward with this dream.

Today I will be interviewing with Brad Stone at KSJS in San Jose. Hopefully this will also get more exposure for the upcoming concert. I'm hoping to sell it out. This is going to be such a fantastic show with so many of the Bay Area's most talented musicians supporting me on that day: Wayne Wallace, John Santos, Michael Spiro, Paul van Wageningen, Peter Barshay, Masaru Koga and on and on and on!!

I'm starting to get really excited about the concert and all that will be leading up to it. Kate Smith is flying in from Chicago and a few other friends are flying in from different parts of the country to come and celebrate this concert with me. Now I've just got to organize everything so it all runs smoothly and so I won't have to stress on the day of the concert. This will be on top of teaching this week, rehearsing and doing another gig in Pacifica before the big concert. Life is busy, but so incredibly exciting right now. I am completely convinced that if I maintain a positive outlook on life, opportunities and good positive occurrences come my way. It's all about trusting in the universe and believing that I am following the right path for me!

A Brand New Week!

After a week off from teaching I am ready to jump back in and get things rolling with my students again. I am preparing them for the end of year concert and I'm really hoping we can pull it off. I know they've got the talent I'm just hoping they have the "ganas" to work hard on making this a success. I think we can do it and I'm pretty confident they will do a great job when the time comes. The biggest challenge is the STAR testing that is coming up and how much time it will take away from their music classes. Somehow we'll just have to make it work!

When I am feeling down, depressed, frustrated and unsure of myself, I am reminded that there are many people in my life who are there to support me and lift me back up. I performed an in store concert at Down Home Music in Berkeley on Saturday. It was a fun event and the music was very well received. People walking by on the street stopped and hung out to listen. Jovino Santos Neto just happened to be hanging out there at the time (big surprise!!) and so sat in with us for the first song. The whole idea of doing the in store concert was to promote the new CD and sell lots of copies. But that isn't what happened! Not one person bought one CD!! I couldn't believe it. Is it a sign of the times? Should I take it personally? I did take it personally!! But then I got an e-mail from my good friend Ray Vega and I began to feel so much better. This is what he wrote to me:

"don't worry about them buying the CD's in the store...they'll buy them when they come to see you at a club, etc...don't let it get to you....your game is way above that small stuff.

If I haven't told you, your CD has wonderful energy.....sit back, relax and breathe.........things will come together without you getting anxious.....let them figure it out.
Your art is documented.
let it go where it will."

Thanks Ray. This is what I need from time to time to center myself--I just have to remind myself that the universe will take care of me and that I MUST trust that or I'll make myself crazy. It's people like Ray Vega and Jovino Santos Neto--two amazingly talented and well-established musicians--that help put it all back into perspective for me. I am truly blessed to have people like that in my life!

A Day in the Life

Some days I struggle to find my place in this crazy world. Not only with the music but in the world in general. What do I bring to the table? What do I contribute to help improve the planet? What can I do everyday to feel that I am a part of a the bigger picture? Of course I could find little details that I could justify as being a contribution to this earth, but it never quite feels like enough. So what to do? I try to live a healthy life and treat everyone with the kind of respect I want to be treated with. I recycle! and I drive a hybrid. But I want to give something more of myself. I like to think that my music is helping to send a message out into the universe of unity and peace--and I hope in it's little way it does. I would love to more involved with concerts that are for good causes and I definitely need to look more into things like that.

Since I'm not teaching this week I think I just have too much time to think about things! I am trying to organize my upcoming CD release concert and looking into ways to go out into the world to research Sephardic music. I was in contact with Dr. Judith R. Cohen--the authority on Sephardic music--and she basically told me that the majority of authentic resources of the music are either getting too old or are already dead. How sad to think that the music might die. I can't let that happen and really want to continue on this quest of keeping not only the music alive, but the language as well. I do have a couple of resources here in the Bay Area and I need to tap into them, but I also want to travel to farther reaches of the world to explore this music. While in Mexico in July I'm going to at least try and visit some of the Jewish temples that exist there. I am also contemplating a trip to Cuba--we'll see.

Day Three in Washington

We all met downstairs in the lobby of the hotel to start our two hour drive up to Bellingham on Sunday morning. The sky was fairly clear and it looked like it would be a nice day to travel. The drive was a little rainy, but overall smooth and uneventful. The scenery was lovely with snow on the mountains around us and beautiful waterways alongside the freeway.

We arrived in Bellingham with enough time to have lunch. Bellingham is a quaint town with a lot of charm. Our gig was in the Museum of Radio and Electricity which turned out to be a really cool location. Apparently one of the founders of Microsoft, along with another man, had been collecting old radios and record players for many years. They combined their collections into one big building and began this museum. The items inside are beautiful and amazing. The RCA dog, alongside one of the bell record players was even present and accounted for.

The gig itself was very well attended with over 100 people. The crowd was attentive, engaged and fun to perform to. The band sounded awesome that day, my voice was in good form and a good time was had by all!! Jud Sherwood puts these shows together in Bellingham under the name The Jazz Project. He has done an amazing job with this jazz program, bringing people from all over to perform in Bellingham. It is definitely a very worthwhile program and greatly appreciated by people such as myself who strive to bring live music to as many people as I possibly can.

After the concert Jud and his girlfriend Monique took us all out to dinner at a very nice Italian restaurant. They were both fantastic hosts and fun to hang out with. Afterwards we said our goodbyes and headed back to Seattle. The weather again held for us until we were just about to exit off the freeway to our hotel. Whew!! Then the rain came pouring down--hard!

All in all this was a fantastic tour of Washington. The music was well received, the band was fun to hang out with and I was able to spread my music to another little corner of this world. Hopefully there will be much more of this in my future. I absolutely LOVE to perform in front of live audiences and am heartened by how well my style of music is received by people who don't necessarily understand everything I sing. It seems that they are "getting" it through the emotion of each song I perform. It's a very good feeling!! :)

Day Two in Washington

We all met late morning to go and have "real" coffee as Paul specifically requested! We ended up going to this Las Vegas style restaurant called the 13 Coins. Very bizarre and dark decor. We had a decent breakfast and then Murray had to go back to the hotel to work on his computer for the day. Paul and I wanted to go sightseeing, but Peter wanted to stay and watch the NAACP games on TV. So we dropped Peter and Murray off at the hotel and Paul and I proceeded to drive into Seattle to the Experience Music Project museum. This is an incredible museum that showcases music of the United States, a lot of Rock and Roll, Jimi Hendrix, lots of guitars and an incredible sculpture of instruments that reaches at least 40 feet into the air. The building was designed by Frank Gehry and so is very interesting on the exterior with a lot of colored metal bent and twisted into many shapes.

We also wanted to take a ride up to the top of the Space Needle but when we saw it would be almost $20 to just go up and then come back down, we decided that going to Pike's Market made much more sense. So off we went in the rental car and drove a little ways next to the docks where the ferries go. We parked the car and walked for a bit until we finally found the market. It's a pretty crazy lively place. Very much the tourist attraction. Paul had to show me the fish tossing guys--definitely one of the highlights of the day!! So funny. Luckily the weather was holding pretty well until we got into the car to go back to the hotel. Then the skies opened up and it began to pour buckets.

We all decided to meet up at 8pm to go into Seattle for a nice meal, but when we were about to leave the hotel it starting snowing really hard. None of us wanted to drive in that weather. The shuttle driver overheard us and suggested we go to this "great" place down the street where they serve steaks and have karaoke. Since he was offering to drive us there we all blindly followed him into the shuttle and allowed him to drop us off at the Bullpen. Oh my God!! It was like entering the twilight zone. The people were definitely from a different world than what we were used to. A lot of beer drinking, overweight, rowdy, some of them mentally challenged, dart playing, karaoke singing people. It was at least very entertaining to watch all the activity. I think we all were nervous about eating there, fearing that we would end up with food poisoning, but we were basically stranded in a snow storm and didn't have many other options for escape. So we stayed, ordered the safest looking things on the menu, tempered it with a pitcher of beer and watched people get up and sing their hearts out to these karaoke songs. To say it was a bizarre experience would be a huge understatement. After we had had enough (which really didn't take long) we all opted to walk back to the hotel instead of waiting for the shuttle driver to come back and get us. It has definitely made for a lot of laughs on this trip!

Day three will be the next blog--our journey up to beautiful Bellingham to perform for the Jazz Project.

Day one in Washington

Murray and I flew out from San Jose, CA while Peter and Paul flew from Oakland, CA. They were supposed to arrived 10 minutes before us but ended up having their flight delayed. They arrived a little more than a half hour after us. Not bad. BUT it did make me relieved that at least I had my pianist with me in case the bassist and drummer couldn't make it. (Those little details that one forgets to think about can be pretty intense if something were to go wrong.) Murray and I decided to go and pick up the rental car and then go back and pick up 'peter and Paul after they got their luggage. When we got to the rental place they wanted to give us a PT Cruiser. 4 adults and tons of luggage was NEVER going to fit in such a tiny car. I got a little upset since I had assured them that the car I had rented guaranteed me that 5 suitcases would comfortably fit in the back. The woman attending to us said, "2 big suitcases and 3 small ones!" NO, that just wasn't going to work for us!!. After asking to talk to her manager, we were able to get into a Ford Patriot which comfortably fits all of our luggage and seats 4 with lots of room--all for no extra charge. After dealing with AT&T for that past few weeks, I just really couldn't tolerate any more crap!!

So after getting the guys and checking into our hotel fro 1/2 hour, we were back on the road again to issaquah to go to Bake's Place and set up for the gig that night. What we didn't know, and to our surprise, Bake's Place is located within a gated retirement community!! It is actually a completely lovely room for jazz and particularly vocalists. Craig and Laura Baker, the owners, are wonderful people and fantastic hosts. They took particularly good care of us and made us feel very welcome within the walls of their establishment. It actually feels like a very high end house concert. The sound was great and I think we played very well that night. People are served a very nice dinner while we perform our music for them. Although the turn out was not what we had hoped for, the people that came seemed to be very happy with the music. We definitely gained a few new fans while there. The best part is that Craig wants me to come back in the fall for a two night stint at Bake's Place. That would be fantastic and I hope we can work it out so it can happen.

When we left the club it was snowing like crazy. I asked Murray to drive because I was too scared to drive in that kind of weather. It was pretty tough getting back to the hotel, but we made it in one piece. I think everyone was pleased with the evening, especially after stopping at David's Diner for a quick snack, a little alcoholic imbibing and Murray at the jukebox finding incredibly obscure music to play. It's been fun hanging out with the guys.

Day two tomorrow...

Off to Washington

Today's the big day! Murray, Paul, Peter and I all fly up to Seattle to perform tonight at Bake's Place. I'm getting really excited about playing in Washington this weekend. The only bummer is that SNOW is in the forecast for the weekend!! I can't believe it. Rain I was ready for, but snow? When I saw that it was going to be so cold I had to repack my suitcase with my winter clothing. Oh well, hopefully the rental car has a really good heating system!

I have been battling my allergies all week and have been trying to get my voice into the condition it needs to be in order to do my best work. It's been kind of scary not being sure if I would be able to sing this weekend, especially after all the planning that has gone into making this happen. I'm happy to say that, although I am still somewhat congested, my voice is feeling much better and I am confident I will be able to perform to the level I want.

These are the situations that really make me realize how precarious a singing career can be. If I don't have a voice I can't sing and then I can't make a living. I have become incredibly vigilant this week about taking care of my voice, exercising, eating healthy, no coffee (that hurts!!) and no dairy. It seems to be working and so I will definitely continue this routine through the weekend and then try and be better from here on out.

If you're in the areas where we'll be this weekend (Issaquah on Friday and Bellingham on Sunday) please come by and say hello!

Can I Get Some Bragging Rights Here? !! :)

I woke up this morning and checked my e-mails to see what had happened in the world overnight. In my inbox was an e-mail from Wayne Wallace showing me that my new CD, Azucar de Amor, is currently ranked at 300 on the barnesandnoble.com site. What this means is that of all of the latin jazz CDs for sale on barnesandnoble.com, mine is currently ranked as the second most sold CD!! Right after Kenny G's new CD. Man this feels good!! :) After working so hard to make a musical mark in this world, even these little victories are huge for me. It just helps to reinforce why I continue along this path and that maybe it's not such a crazy dream after all!

This week I will preparing for my trip to Washington State to perform on Friday at Bake's Place in Issaquah and then Sunday at the Jazz Project in Bellingham. I'm pretty sure everything is in order at this point, logistically speaking. Now all i have to do is get my allergies under control so I can sing to my very best ability. Although it is a huge expense, I'm really glad I'm taking the trio with me: Murray Low: piano, Peter Barshay: bass and Paul van Wageningen: drums. Having them on the gigs will relax me even more and allow me to do the kind of job I want to do instead of worrying about whether they'll be able to play my charts. It is going to be a very exciting and fun weekend. If you're in WAS state. PLEASE come to one of the gigs and introduce yourself. :)

Internet Connection

It's been quite a while since posting here due to the fact that I didn't have internet connection in my house for two weeks. I have come to really appreciate being "connected"!! I have been trying to catch up on all of the things I was unable to do while the internet was down and am still in the process of updating my new website (www,katparra.com) and readying myself for the Pacific Northwest tour that takes place the last weekend in March.

My new CD, Azucar de Amor, officially hits the stores tomorrow, March 18th. I've been joking that it is the CD that keeps getting launched!! First it hit the radio airwaves to great response all around the world, then it landed on iTunes and now it will be available everywhere!! This is all very exciting. Billboard has already done a review of the CD, Jazz Improv magazine interviewed me for their next national edition, jazzreview.com is interviewing me, I was interviewed by Chicago Public Radio that will air in April and more exciting things keep coming down the pipeline. I am ecstatic about how well the CD is being received. Of course I am very proud of the music, the musicians who played on it and my performance, but one never knows how the rest of the world will respond to something as personal as your own music. I lay my heart and soul out before the world and hope they will honor and respect the work I do, and, as it turns out, that is exactly what is happening! :) So I have no complaints whatsoever, just a ton of gratitude.

Many important concerts are coming up. First Washington State where I"ll be a part of the Songbird Series at Bake's Place in Issaquah on the 28th and then The Jazz Project in Bellingham on March 30th. I'm really looking forward to performing in Washington for the first time. Then we come back and have a dance party at the Stage Dor in Sausalito on April 4th. That should also be a ton of fun as I am able to add Masaru on saxes and flutes and Michael Spiro on percussion. As april moves forward I'll be doing more CD release-type concerts with the culmination of the BIG CD release concert on April 27th with many of the stellar musicians that recorded on the CD. That will be an amazing day.

Living it up in Chicago

Kate Smith (my radio promoter) has been an incredible host and support since I arrived in Chicago on Wednesday. She has the patience of a saint and has been driving me around to interviews, gigs and rehearsals. I can't thank her enough for how great she has been to both Murray and me.

Yesterday was a truly amazing fun-filled and packed day of performing. Murray flew in on Thursday night and Friday we did two performances; one at the Cultural Center and the other at Katerina's. Both shows were a HUGE success! The concert at the Cultural Center was packed with people who really enjoyed the 45 minutes we performed. We actually met Steve Hashimoto on bass and Luis Rosario on drums right before we were to perform our first gig with them. I had sent charts and CDs for them to go over long before we arrived in Chicago, and I knew they were both very talented musicians so I wasn't too worried about how things would go. We performed more straight-ahead latin jazz music and they were fantastic!! At the end of the concert we got a standing ovation--VERY nice!! :)

After our first concert we made our way to the neighborhood where Katerina's is located. I took everyone out to lunch before we were to go in to an intense rehearsal to prepare for the evening's gig. We ended up rehearsing for three hours and still weren't able to get to all the material. Some songs had to be cut from the set list and others we were just going to wing it. By the time we were done rehearsing I was completely exhausted. Kate came and picked Murray and I up so we could go back to her place and get in a quick nap. Our gig didn't start until 10pm last night so it gave us some down time in order to recharge our batteries. 8:45 we're back in the car heading back to Katerina's to perform. BTW: Katerina is a wonderful person and incredibly open and friendly. It was fantastic performing at her club. We had another fantastic turn out and people seemed to really respond well to the music. Both Steve and Luis rose to the occasion and played amazing. Murray, too, was fantastic in both his playing and his musical directing.

It's 2am and Kate wants to take us to the Green Mill, the hottest jazz spot in Chicago. Sure, why not!! We're all pretty wired from such a successful evening and it sounded like fun. So off we went to the Green Mill where Barry, the Baritone sax player was leading a group of fantastic musicians. When we arrived the place was packed. We found a table right at the front of the stage and planted ourselves. Pretzels and lemon drop martinis make a great combination, by the way!! :) Thanks to Kate's infinite connections in Chicago, Murray and I were invited to sit in with the band. We played Au Privave and Besame Mucho and had a blast playing with these guys. By the time they were done playing (3:30am!!) I was pretty well spent. We arrived back to Kate's place around 4:30am and we all collapsed into a comatose heap in our respective beds, happy and content that the day had gone so incredibly well.

This has been a great introduction to the Chicago scene and I hope to be able to return here often to perform in the future. Thank you to the Chicago people for being such warm and friendly people.

Fun Recording Session

Yesterday I spent a good part of the day in the recording studio. Wayne is putting together a demo of the musical "Imperialism" and he wanted singers to perform the music in order to shop the musical around. The music and lyrics are fantastic and it was really fun learning the parts. This style of music, although latin based, is quite a departure from the kind of music I usually perform so it was a great challenge. Performing music that has to be sung as written is actually more of a challenge for me than "interpreting" the music as I do when I perform my own music. So for this reason I had to spend a good amount of time learning the songs before stepping into the studio. All the work paid off in the end as the recording went smoothly and it was relaxed and fun. Along with Wayne Wallace and Gary Mankin, there were three other singers present to represent the different characters of the play. (I seemed to represent the peasant woman more than anything!! Hmmmmm) Bryan Dyer, a fantastic vocal and musical talent, David Chaidez, also a fantastic singer and musician, and my label-mate Alexa Weber Morales, who has a beautiful clarion voice. Wayne was nice enough to let me record all of my music first so I could leave a little earlier than everyone else.

This was a good thing as I wanted to attend the memorial of an ex-coworker. Barbara Walters (no, not that one!) was a graphic designer with whom I worked at Cisco. She was a very kind and talented woman. She passed away just shy of her 60th birthday of lung cancer. Her family had a lovely memorial at the Golden Gate Yacht Club in San Francisco and I'm glad I was able to get there to pay my respects. This was a woman who lived her life in the way she wanted and didn't sacrifice her integrity along the way. She is a great inspiration to me to make sure that I too live my life to its fullest and not take it for granted.

I leave Wednesday for Chicago. Yesterday before the recording session I did a quick interview with Rodolfo Sanchez of WHPK radio in Chicago. When I arrive in Chicago I'll be doing two interviews that same day: one for chicago Public Radio and one at WIIT radio at 6pm. All of these interviews will hopefully help to generate the kind of buzz I want to get people to come out and hear me at both the Cultural Center at noon and Katerina's at 10pm--both on Feb. 22. I'm really getting excited about going to Chicago. I'm just hoping my vocal cords don't freeze!!

Azucar de Amor is CHARTBOUND!!

Kate Smith is such a great radio promoter as well as friend. She is a hard worker and truly cares about her clients and their success. Since the CD has been sent out to all the radio stations she has been tirelessly working to get them to give Azucar de Amor a lot of airplay. Now that's not to say that those who already are familiar with my music weren't willing. The response from the DJs has been overwhelmingly positive and I'm tingling all over with excitement!! BUT, the fact that so many DJs are playing the CD has gotten it attention by the JazzWeek charting folks. This is HUGE for me!! This puts me into a whole new category and I'm crossing my fingers that the CD--and me, of course!--get on the JazzWeek Charts. There are two charts: JazzWeek World and then the JazzzWeek chart. Right now I am chartbound for the jazz chart. It will be interesting to see if the CD also is able to chart on the World chart. Either way, I'm having a FUN ride with this new CD. AND the cool thing is that Birds in Flight is also getting renewed attention.

So much is going on right now and I need to prepare for my impending trip to Chicago. I leave for the windy/freezing/COLD beautiful city next Wed. When I arrive I will be doing an interview with Chicago Public Radio, then later that same day I'll be interviewing with WIIT radio on El Caobo's show. I also have a telephone interview with WHPK--Rodolfo Sanchez's show--on Sat. Feb 16th. This interview will be taking place during a recording session I will be doing with Wayne all day. I'm just going to sneak off into my car for a half-hour and talk to Rodolfo on my cell. I hope the connection is good!!

I'm really getting excited about my trip to Chicago. I can't wait to meet the musicians Murray and I will be playing with. It's going to be a roller coaster ride since we'll meet for the first time at our first gig at the Cultural Center. We'll then get to have a REAL rehearsal and then go and play the gig at Katerina's. I'm actually feeling calm about all of this since I know that the guys I hired--Steve Hashimoto on bass and Luis Rosario on drums--are excellent musicians and come highly recommended. Life is an incredible adventure and I am loving every minute of it!

Launching Azucar de Amor

The CD has been shipped out to around 400 radio stations across the globe and already DJs are playing Azucar de Amor on their radio shows. This is VERY exciting for me as my latest musical project is "birthed" to the world. The response has been incredibly positive and enthusiastic. I am very proud of what was achieved on this CD. There are a lot of magical moments and the talent pool is so immense that even I get overwhelmed listening to it at times!!

On Monday Murray Low and I went and did an interview at KUSP in Santa Cruz. They have a new policy that if you go there for an interview you have to perform live. So Murray was kind enough to accompany me to the radio station and play the piano while I sang a few songs. It was fun!! I've never performed live on the radio before and wasn't sure how well it would go over. But I think it went very well and the audience seemed to enjoy it based on the amount of calls that came in when a pair of free tickets were being offered!

After driving to Santa Cruz to do this interview, I then made my way up to rehearse in Oakland at Paul van Wageningen's house. It was very nice of him to open his house to all of us: me, Murray, Peter Barshay, Masaru Koga and Michaelle Goerlitz. We had a great rehearsal and I feel very confident that the concert at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center tomorrow night will be really fun and exciting. I am so blessed and honored to be able to play with these amazing musicians and I think their talents and chemistry has a way of emanating out to the audience and enthralling them. At least, that is my hope for tomorrow night--and every concert I perform.

Whirlwinds Swirling Around!

It's been way too long since I posted anything here and I'm sorry for that. The last few weeks have been extremely busy and then I got a really bad cold which laid me out flat for a week. I'm finally starting to feel myself again and the whirlwinds continue to swirl around me. But it's all good stuff. My new CD, Azucar de Amor will be shipped to radio stations around the world this Friday, Feb. 1st. I can't wait until radio stations start playing the music and seeing the response the music gets. So far the response has been spectacular and I hope to continue in this vein for many months, if not years, to come!

I did an interview last night on KKUP with Afrikahn Jamal Davis. I kind of piggybacked on Rick Vandivier's interview. He was promoting his new stellar solo guitar CD and I was slated to come in right after him. It was a great segue for me to come in while he was still there because he also performs on both my CDs. It was a fun interview, with Afrikahn playing some tracks from Azucar de Amor. What was also great was the DJ after Afrikahn--Cristina Boyd, a peruvian woman--wanted me to stay for a bit longer so she could interview me too!! So I stayed for her latin american music show and she interviewed me in Spanish. So I got a double interview last night and the music from Azucar de Amor was very well represented!! This was mainly to talk about my upcoming concert at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center on Feb. 7th, but it was also to present the new CD to a new audience.

Speaking of Rick Vandivier!! I went to the Little Fox the other night to their Sunday Night Jazz Series produced by BeasWa Productions. BeasWa is a collaboration between my good friend Wendy Waller and Matt Beasley--my artist rep. They have joined together to create a jazz music series for Redwood City and beyond. Rick played many songs from his new CD, which is quite beautiful. Wendy Waller also performed an amazing set and Nate Pruitt brought the house down with his energy and fire. It was a great night of music and I would recommend to anyone to go out and support these kinds of events. We need to keep live music going in the Bay Area and it gets more and more difficult as time goes by.

So on that note, I hope to see you at the Kuumbwa on Feb. 7 for "Cookin' at the Kuumbwa" This will be a pre-release CD concert where the CD will be for sale for the very first time. I will also be giving away posters for free with the purchase of any CD. Hope to see you there!!

Happy New Year!

So many things have been going on. I feel as though I've been caught up in a tornado and I'm being swept around into many different places. Last Sunday I returned from one of the more relaxing vacations I've ever taken. I went to a spa with my mother and sister for a weeklong indulgence. It was heaven. We were in the mountains outside of Guadalajara, Mexico at a natural hot springs. It was rustic, beautiful and best of all, relaxing. I had the best time hanging out with both my sister and mom. It's not often that we can all get together at the same time for an extended period. There was lots of hiking, swimming, yoga, massages and some very serious Scrabble playing at night. I definitely want to return there again.

When I returned home everything seemed to hit the fan. The press release for the new CD needed to be finalized and a grant proposal needed to be completed by a Jan. 11 deadline. And on top of that, teaching, rehearsals and gigs. Needless to say, I was extremely busy all week and now today I can finally stop and come up for some air before it all begins again. Maybe I can even finally clean up the chaos that is my house.

I played two gigs yesterday; One lunchtime concert at Stanford hospital and then the other at the Hedley Club Lounge in the De Anza Hotel. Both gigs went very well. It was fun getting to play with Murray, Peter and Paul after not having seen them for a month. Since it is my birthday tomorrow, I decided to play a trivia game with my audience last night. I asked two questions about myself and whoever got the closest answer won a free Azucar de Amor CD. The first question was how old I will be tomorrow! Now, what woman in her right mind would have people guessing her age? :) But I never said I was in my right mind! I got some pretty funny--and flattering--responses to that one. And no, I'm not going to tell you how old I will be tomorrow--you'll just need to figure it out for yourself! The other question was where I was born. No one could figure that one out either. Nevertheless, I gave out two of the new CDs that have not yet been released. Hopefully the two people that received the CD will let me know what they think of the music. I'm extremely excited about this CD and it is already generating a buzz and excitement. I can't wait until it is available online, in stores and at my gigs.

Now comes the preparations for the release of the CD--concerts, promotion, radio. The next few months are going to fun, busy and exciting.