Musings from Story Jam Land

7/8/09

Uncomfortable Genius

If you're moved by music, you probably have your faves. I remember the summer-driven moment I first heard "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys. I loved Carl Wilson's vocal tone and the break down section. Just listen to the first note he sings: "I..." which he made more like "Ahhhhh..." Is it not astounding?  



So, music can have this power, this emotional pull. And one artist in particular has always roused my deepest core: Miss Rickie Lee Jones.

Some people recognize the true genius that is Rickie Lee Jones; some think she's bizarre; others haven't heard of her. I am seated solidly in the first category. No other pop singer on this planet, in my mind, encircles the soul of music like RLJ. She is an un-studied jazzer at heart, who accesses some other world and creates rich harmonic structures, singing with pained clarity in a mostly pop format. It floors me. I've heard Rickie live probably 30 times and as any RLJ fan knows, you could get a moderately grumpy, pained performance as she chastise an upright bass player for his intonation, or tell the audience to hush it, but then again...you get a glimpse of her incredible creative bag. She is always an edge-of-your-seat experience. 

One time she hired a coupla guys who didn't have time to rehearse for Orchestra Hall in Chicago, so she had them work by EAR. She would start a song on piano or guitar, and the instrumentalists (a guitarist and upright bassist), just followed along while Rickie played in and out of strange time signatures, forging chords no one had ever heard, while she signaled what to do with her vocal cues. To me, it was breathtaking! My hubby and our two friends were upset by the free-flow of this, however, and took to drinking vast quantities of alcohol. Maybe it is kinda hard to "get" Rickie and what she's about, but I like her for her pop sensibilities (I'm a pop singer for crying out loud!) and her depth and complexity within the format. She actually has lots of very palatable, hit-type songs and is a two-time Grammy winner. Satellites Video.


And maybe the reason I have never toured is because of Rickie. Unlike my musical idol, being out of a certain comfort zone whigs me out. I couldn't handle living "on the jazz side of life," or partying with Tom Waits at the Tropicana Motel all night. But, would I write cool stuff if I unleashed my "demons" the way she so openly conjures hers?  Would I have access to musical brilliance if I didn't allow myself the conventions of comfort and happiness?

My favorite RLJ is her at the piano, doing her jazz thing, in that pin-point sweet soprano.



I wonder if she thinks all her wounds are worth the transcendent music we are so fortunate to hear her make...

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6/18/09

Happy in the Crowd

In addition to singing a lot lately, I've been going to lots of shows. I've been to Ravinia a few times, and I can be found lurking in the back of many a Chicago club (or theatre), checking out the bands, the singers, the acts. I love live performance!

But I get the feeling that some performers feel uncomfortable when fellow artists show up. Being a performer watching performers isn't any different than being a "person" watching performers, other than a performer might have more understanding of what went into the performance and rehearsal, technique-wise, and how things sound.
I do know that seeing performing colleagues in your audience can sort of boost up your energy. You feel you have to bring your game a bit more, and you know that all your "tricks" are pretty transparent. It might make you a little more self-conscious too, but there is something titillating about singing in front of fellow singers.
Often it just feels cool and communal, and I personally know that if I'm "on," onlooking performers can really appreciate the work, maybe more so than the average audience member. Most of us performers are easily entranced by live works, which is why we have chosen to do it ourselves! I believe mostly we love hearing each other and seeing each other. 

I think we also learn from watching others do their thing. Would you agree?

When I was a kid, my parents used to take us to New York City to see what was happening on Broadway (I know, how lucky, right?). I was mesmerized by the people on stage - Who were they? Where did they live? What did they do in "real life?" I thought they were special and fascinating and I still think performers are interesting. 

Sure, if the show I'm attending stinks, my mind can start to wander and I imagine all the ways I would like to see it improved, but for the most part, I am in awe and think it's a blast to get out and see artists do their thing. 

And, sometimes I'm a little jealous that I'm not up there too! 

6/2/09

Read Your Crowd


Conversely, the other night's gig was sorta sad. The band leader, a formidable jazz singer and earnest-enough drummer, also served as the sound guy, emcee, event planner and music director (doh!). He also didn't really gauge the crowd. This is very key at any party: Read your crowd!. 

He started out the night playing the usual mellow dinner music standards and instrumentals, and after the dinner ended, he kept playing the same kinda mellow dinner music standards and instrumentals (doh again!). They are ready to rock now, dude! Time to play something UP. Thrill the crowd. Even dare to play something upbeat during the dinner set! Just know when to back off the slow-tempo and mid-swing thing (classic mistake of playing what you love versus what they want to hear).

Of course, there were two older couples on the floor this whole time, but the young peeps (the majority of the guests) were at the bar...

That is, until we played DANCING QUEEN three hours into the night. I know, this is a cliche and so pre-fab, but guys, it works. The familiarity of it, the recent ABBA revival, and the just...girliness...of the tune gets people going. And, when the chicks wanna dance, guess what the guys wanna do?

So, I said to the band leader: "Hey Leader, they seem to really like pop, disco and uptempo rock!" So, what does he play? He plays Fly Me To The Friggin' Moon! Now, Fly Me is a great song, a classic. But, this crowd wanted to PARTY, to blow off steam from a stressful day that wasn't going well (we were told the wedding was wrought with problems). So, give these 20-somethings some r&b, some rock, some pop, give them their "Let's Get Loud," their "Crazy For You," their "I Will Survive" (another sure thing). Give them whatever they need to bring some energy to this partalia!

So finally! All of us in the band are insisting he call some current hits and thankfully he listens. Okay! We're rocking it on some groovy Pink number, and all the kids come racing to the floor, and I'm all - Yes! Now, we're cooking! And then what happens? The bandmaster-sound-guy-drummer-crooner's PA system goes wonky and suddenly, shoooooooo...we blow a fuse.

20 minutes of silence...

At this point, we have a bride in tears. She's already had a stressful day and just when her wedding started becoming modestly enjoyable for her, the music dies! Seeing this, I frantically get into the crowd, start clapping my hands in time like a wild hyena and scream: "LINE DANCE!!!!" 


Ay yi yi.

Thank GOD the sound eventually came back and we ended the night, five hours later, with the dance floor full. But, ugh, such an odyssey and what a great example of why it's important to read your crowd and play what they want to hear. In the clubs, when we're playing originals, artistic liberties are all ours in my opinion, but at a party where you are hired, please just make 'em happy!

5/30/09

Orchestral Highs



I write songs and sing in dive bars, but quite often, I am a "jobber." In Chicago, jobbing means you are hired by bands or orchestras to play parties, fundraisers, weddings, and other fancy affairs. In New York, apparently it's called "playing clubs" or "clubbing," presumably named for the country club circuit. 
In Los Angeles, they play "casuals." It's all the same thing, however I am told that in NY and LA, "jobbing" (or "clubbing" or doing "casuals") is completely UNKEWL. However, in Chicago, the BEST MUSICIANS job (verb form of "jobbing"). And believe it or not, you may often find yourself playing cheesy wedding music, but with a hot band and good arrangements, this can be extremely fun.

Fun was the case last week, when I rocked it with The Chris Sarlas Orchestra. 


First and foremost, Chris is a very classy guy who is endlessly grateful to have such an awesome band. The band - Tom Leddy (drums), Wayne Jones (bass), Paul Coscino (keys), Dave Berger (guitar), Mark Hoffman (trumpet), Mike Pendowski (sax) and Tim Coffman (trombone) - is replete with super nice people who play their asses off. How rare and amazing! I have worked with a lot of popular Chicago bands, and this was a highlight. Another amazing element: Chris's singers, most notably Opal.  


Opal is pure astoundingness. I know, that's not even a word. She has earned the creation of a new word to describe her! Her energy is infectious and upbeat, sweet and generous. She threw me leads when she could have sung them herself quite easily. And from the minute I met her at rehearsal, she was all "Hey Steph! I got your back Stephie! Sing it Steph!!!!" Damn, she made me feel so welcome. And, Opal is a singer of stratospheric high caliber. No lie. Maybe she could be like a Whitney or a Mariah. 

Sometimes it sucks being a sub on a gig. You don't know how things roll and the songs might be arranged uniquely. You're trying to look like you've been with the band for years while following signals and watching the other singers to match harmonies. It can be awkward. But, Chris, Opal, Barry and Dick (his other singers) were all incredibly smooth and inclusive and I was on a high for three days after hanging with them. 

5/22/09

Set Up

i would have snuck quietly under the radar, humming along time (i have blogged since 1999, see musings). but, i've now given in. i have an artsy mom blog. sheesh. 

quick set-up for those who are new to the artsy mom blog scene. 

this is where i started. all naive and intense, a student in boston. the floppy sweater and careless hair give me away as a theatre major. what you don't see are a very practiced lauren bacall smolder and the myriad hippy jewelry.

i spent one year at the school for the arts at bu. it was a fun time, punctuated by flirting in the student lounge between cigarette drags and rolling around on the floor in acting class - you're a snake! you're a mammal! you're going through the birth canal!

i wasn't ever lonely. i was surrounded by about 80 other like-minded nutters. i remember most of them fondly. thespians can be extremely generous and cool. lots of tarot, conversations about jung and chekhov, journaling, and plenty of cheap red wine. yum!

in spite of all the fun to be had in boston, i transferred to northwestern university after one year, which is where i wanted to be in the first place. a steady decline in grades and a penchant for trouble-making delayed my entree, so i came in as a soph. this is me here during junior year, playing ann margret—i mean the mom—in tommy, my first and, to date, only musical theatre role.

i was in a band then and another after graduating. i consulted famous psychic sonia choquette to see what to do next, music or acting. She told me " just do not move to los angeles, no matter what." 

despite her warnings, i was on a plane two weeks later to find fame and fortune.

 I don't think there was an actor in LA back then who was less famous or less fortunate. I got cancer and had to hike it back home to Chicago for some medical interventions. 

Then I met the guy. Then we had the baby. Then some other stuff. 

The rest comes next.