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.