small miracles This note isn't about music, but I have such a worthwhile story to share, I thought maybe this would be a good forum! In the spirit of the holidays that have just recently passed... I stayed in NYC through Christmas Day, as I have a job singing for a church (and that's a pretty necessary time of year to have great music in your services!) I flew out to Nebraska in the morning of Dec. 26, in order to spend some time with my family. I'd decided a week before this that I had to get my vintage winter coat re-lined, as the lining was becoming a bit threadbare. I had a seamstress in Astoria, my old 'hood, do the work for me; I knew her and knew she'd do a good job. I'd stopped by once during that week to pick it up but it wasn't finished yet, so we agreed I'd pick it up at 7:00 a.m. when her laundromat opened on Monday morning, 12/26, when I was enroute to my flight to Nebraska leaving at 8:10 a.m. from LaGuardia Airport. That early morning, I grabbed a cab and headed to Queens, making the promised stop at the laundromat. Alas, the woman whose responsibility it was to open the laundromat wasn't there! (I envisioned poor Bob Cratchit, the day after Christmas, having to "be there all the earlier the next morning" to his job... wasn't probably the easiest morning to get out of bed!) Anyway, the cab driver and I waited till 7:15, still no one. Finally, I decided I had a flight to catch, so we left. On the way to the airport, I called the woman who'd done my alterations for me and said, hey! Nobody was at the laundromat! What gives? (I was now traveling to frigid Nebraska clad in only a sweatshirt.) She replied, the woman is there now, go back and pick up your coat! But, of course... I was pushing time as it was, and figured it'd be more trauma to miss my flight than to arrive in Nebraska, sans coat. Surely there'd be one I could borrow from someone, or something... The cab driver was overhearing my conversation, and as we approached the airport, he said to me, "Let me go back and pick up your coat." I was so touched that he'd offer to do that, and said I'd be extremely grateful if he would! So (MIRACLE ALERT #1) I called the seamstress and told her the cab driver was coming back, and would it be ok for me to pay her for the lining upon my return? She agreed, and let him pick up the coat without pay. Then (MIRACLE ALERT #2) the cab driver drove back to the laundromat, picked up my coat, brought it back to me at the airport, handed it to me and began to jump back in his car while I was still saying, "What do I owe you?" "Don't worry about it," he replied, and with a friendly wave, drove off. Perhaps Santa's traded in his sleigh for a New York City yellow cab? Thanks, cabbie, you really showed me the message of the holiday in that selfless act, bless you. The first stop I made upon my return was to the laundromat, where I immediately settled my bill and promised more work to the lovely seamstress. How is this world not made up of magical people? :) I'm attempting to remember the spirit of these generous acts and carry them with me into 2012. Happy New Year, one and all!
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oh, you. I write entertaining e-mails to my mailing list (or, at least they're entertaining to me!) You should sign up for it and find out for yourself. ;) For our upcoming show on Tuesday, Dec. 13 (Bowery Electric, 7:00 p.m.) I wrote a little spoof on something that I'm kinda proud of. It's below. Enjoy! Shall I compare thee to a New York day?
Thou art more lovely and way more temperate.
Rough subway vibrations do shake the darling bones in my body,
and my apartment's lease hath all too short a date.
Sometime too bright the Times Square light shines,
And often is his gold complexion suspiciously a little too tanned;
And every taxi fare sometime declines,
By chance or traveling to an outer borough's course refused;
But thy eternal razzle-dazzle shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that parking ticket thou ow'st;
Nor shall Wal-mart brag thou wander'st in its aisles,
When in eternal lines to the Starbucks bathroom thou grow'st:
So long as New Yorkers can still breathe or tap dance or gesture obscenely,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. ~ahem~ That's right, I am waxing ridiculously poetic for YOU, the lovely people of my mailing list, in this, what will probably be my last e-mail of 2011. Thank you, to those of you who have come to a show, bought a CD, become my fan on facebook, or told another living soul about my music. Or just, you know, smiled. :) That's really enough, and that's pretty awesome! THANK YOU! We've got a show on Tuesday!
gratitude It's the eve of the 10th anniversary of 9/11. I was here for that day, I hadn't been in New York long and was doing temporary office work in the Chrysler Building. I took the 7 train from Astoria into the city, and glimpsed smoke coming out of one of the World Trade Center towers... I've had a lot of emotional life in the past week and I wonder if somehow it's not connected to this anniversary--at least in a small way, I think it is. Wow, a decade, *poof*, gone! I'd say it was a few months after 9/11 when I began in earnest my journey towards establishing myself as a singer/songwriter in New York City. I didn't know a thing about it, only that I wanted to do it. :) In many ways, it seems like yesterday; in other ways, it's a lifetime ago--so much has happened. Yes, there was a sense of, it's now or never, baby, we don't have unlimited chances... so live while you can! I've become a bit more settled since that time, which I don't like. I shouldn't have to experience a disaster in order to urgently live life to its fullest. I never want to take anything for granted. I taught a new voice student the other day who had ardently loved to sing in high school, then entered the military in 2003 and virtually gave it up (he didn't think he'd be able to make a decent living as a musician, so chose the military instead. ;)) He was overwhelmed with excitement and gratitude to be singing again after so much time away, I could tell it was like coming home for him as we did vocalises and discussed breathing, etc. Gave me a renewed appreciation for how lucky I am, to be making music on a daily basis. I sometimes forget, but I don't ever want to. Today I attended a 9/11 memorial choral concert which one of my backup singers sang in, and heard this amazing work by Lee Hoiby, called "Last Letter Home". It was composed using text from a letter written by a private first class a few days before his death in Operation Iraqi Freedom. I was in tears upon listening to the piece and reading the text of the letter; as I listen to a performance now on YouTube, I'm again in tears. I'll post a link and the text of the letter below. Perhaps this is the best reminder I could have on this occasion to not take anything in life for granted. I am a lucky girl living a charmed life, and I'm so grateful. xo.
====================================================== "Last Letter Home", by Lee Hoiby, performed by U. S. Army musicians in Trinity Church Letter by Jesse Givens: My family, I never thought I would be writing a letter like this, I really don't know where to start. I've been getting bad feelings though and well if you are reading this.... I am forever in debt to you, Dakota, and the bean. I searched all my life for a dream and I found it in you. I would like to think that I made a positve difference in your lives. I will never be able to make up for the bad. I am so sorry. The happiest moments in my life all deal with my little family. I will always have with me the small moments we all shared. The moments when you quit taking life so serious and smiled. The sounds of a beautiful boys laughter or the simple nudge of a baby unborn. You will never know how complete you have made me. Each and every one of you. You saved me from lonliness and taught me how to think beyond myself. You taught me how to live and to love. You opened my eyes to a world I never dreamed existed. I am proud of you. Stay on the path you chose. Never lose sight of what is important, you and our babies. Dakota you are more son then I could ever ask for. I can only hope I was half the dad. I use to be your "danny" but no matter what it makes me proud that you chose me. You taught me how to care until it hurts, you taught me how to smile again. You taught me that life isn't so serious and sometimes you have to play. You have a big beautiful heart. Through life you need to keep it open and follow it. Never be afraid to be yourself. I will always be there in our park when you dream so we can still play. I hope someday you will have a son like mine. Make them smile and shine just like you. I love you Toad I hope someday you will understand why I didn't come home. Please be proud of me. Please don't stop loving life. Take in every breath like it's your first. I love you toad I will always be there with you. I'll be in the sun, shadows, dreams, and joys of your life. Bean, I never got to see you but I know in my heart you are beautiful. I know you will be strong and big hearted just like your mom and brother. I will always have with me the feel of the soft nudges on your moms belly, and the joy I felt when we found out you were on your way. I dream of you every night, I always will. Don't ever think that since I wasn't around that I didn't love you. You were conceived of love and I came to this terrible place for love. I love you as I do your mom and brother with all my heart and soul. Please understand that I had to be gone so that I could take care of my family. I love you Bean. I have never been so blessed as the day I met Melissa. You are my angel, soulmate, wife, lover, and best friend. I am sorry. I did not want to have to write this letter. There is so much more I need to say, so much more I need to share. A lifetime's worth. I married you for a million lifetimes. That's how long I will be with you. Please keep our babies safe. Please find it in your heart to forgive me for leaving you alone. Take care of yourself, believe in yourself, you are a strong, big hearted woman. Teach our babies to live life to its fullest tell yourself to do the same. Don't forget to take Toad to Disney World. I will be there with you. Melissa I will always want you need you and love you in my heart, mind, and soul. Do me a favor, after you tuck Toad and Bean in, give them hugs and kisses from me. Go outside look at the stars and count them. Don't forget to smile. Love Always
Your husband Jess
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Rosanne I just realized that my last blog entry on this website was dated DECEMBER. Wow. I knew it'd been a long time, but... THAT long?! I guess with the dormancy of MySpace, so the dormancy of my blog! Well, let's see if I can wake the dead here... What can I tell you? Last week I attended a book signing/question-answer session with my friend John Presnell at powerHouse Books in DUMBO (that's Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, for those of you non-Big Applers!) with Rosanne Cash. She just released a book of her memoirs entitled Composed. She answered questions from a mediator and then from the audience, and even sang a few bars a capella. I found her lovely, so personable and genuine and giving. Rosanne seemed to me a truly open soul, not necessarily a performer who was always "on", but just a person generous with her observations and experiences in life. Later in the line for her to sign books, I told her how impressed I was with how personable she was during the questions, and I felt like she was genuinely grateful for my compliment. And of course, I gave her a copy of The Opening Band. Hope she enjoys it! There were a couple of things that really struck me during the event, and the first was, how "her own person" she was. Now, perhaps this is something I should have expected all along! But, you know... this woman is the daughter of one of my favorite musician/entertainers ever, Johnny Cash. Johnny Cash seems pretty larger than life to me, such a big personality with such great music... one of those people for whom "icon" seems a more appropriate title than "human being". I admit I'd probably view Lisa Marie Presley or Jacob Dylan in the same way, I'd perhaps place some sort of unfair expectations that these people should conjur up near-exact replicas of their famous parents and bring them to life, a bit, in front of me. Well, Rosanne Cash is quite admirably a fantastic person, and definitely not Johnny Cash, ha. :) And I appreciate what strength of character it must have taken for her to become a truly legit musician in her own right, a real artist in her field... apart from, and out of the shadow of, the lore of her father. That can't have been easy. That said: she had a few flashes where I saw Johnny Cash, in her facial expressions and in her verbal delivery. And man, did I love catching those! The second thing that really hit me is how passionate she is about life, and especially about MUSIC. It takes one to know one, perhaps, but that woman is obsessed with music... how much fun is it to see that she's The Real Deal, not some celeb's kid going the career path of least resistance--oh no. This woman was the president of the Beatles fan club at her high school, ha! And in hearing her talk about her own music and others' music, I think it's fair to say she's completely infatuated. She's not in the game for the celebrityhood, she's in it for her ardor of the art. I appreciate that. In fact, I felt she was a kindred soul during a variety of moments, as in the way she expressed her love for the country while being compelled to live in New York City, the draw she has for lyrics in music, the fact that she was an oldest daughter who shared a special bond with her father (do you know the story of how she came to record her album The List?) and, well... I think she's a very intelligent woman. I'd like to think I can relate to that too. ;) I haven't started to read the memoir yet, but I look forward to it. Regardless, I learned a lot already from the signing. Give me more smart women musicians to use as examples, please! AND she's got a husband, AND she's got four kids, AND... !!! :) I've got to sign off here, I've got a bunch of stuff to get done! (But I promise it won't be eight months again until my next blog!)
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this blog has absolutely nothing to do with the Strokes I have a certain friend whose Christmas letter I eagerly await every year. He's a farmer in Nebraska, and one of those people who really, passionately loves what he does in life. I hope it's not a violation of his trust if I share a bit of his letter right here (I'll omit the personal family parts)--I want to share it because I feel his perspective is one that is increasingly not heard in our culture today, and by that I mean, the perspective of a very intelligent, literate farmer. Maybe I've just been a New Yorker for too long :) but when I read his letters, I'm reminded of how dependent rural existences are on nature, and how beautiful that dependence is. We in New York are surrounded by man-made structures, and I think it's easy to lose perspective on the fact that we're really NOT in control of most things. Great to be reminded of our smallness (especially on tonight, Dec. 21, 2010, the first winter solstice coinciding with a total lunar eclipse since 1638; that event is WAY bigger than any of us!) ========================= "Dear Kathy, Looks like 2010 is about history. It's been quite a year weather-wise. We had to delay Christmas supper here because of the Christmas day blizzard. I spent most of the next day digging out and managed to get the 4430 stuck twice. Once my wife was able to pull me out with the pickup but the second time I had to call my son and he came over with a four wheel drive tractor to get me out. We had drifts 12-14' deep around the house and yard. The last of the snow in the shaded areas did not melt until mid-April. In June, we had the wettest month by far we've ever had. On the 12th a very wet week was culminated with a massive downpour that flooded the creek. It washed our bridge out, basically ruined the pasture bottom with silt and trash, washed out a lot of trees including the huge cottonwood where the eagle nest was. It will never be the same. It is heartbreaking to look at the mess. It was such a beautiful stream. The new bridge is under construction but will not be completed until spring. We have a shoo fly bypass but if we get snow like last winter it will be drifted in. Until they built the shoo fly, we had to go to Ord through Burwell. Made it 27 miles instead of 11. We finished the month of June with about 14" of rain. My wife decided to start deer season a week early this year. She bagged a nice four point buck with her car on the way to work. Totaled the car but she wasn't hurt. The deer was still alive and my son dressed him out. Kind of a high priced way to hunt deer. We found a replacement car in Omaha and it seems to be a good car. The garden was excellent again this year. It was so cold in May I was beginning to wonder. Once it warmed up, things really took off. We had a very late frost so we were able to enjoy it much longer than usual. We actually ate our last fresh produce just a couple of weeks ago. I'll be planting peppers in less than 90 days. As I wrote at the beginning, the eagle tree washed out in the flood. There were two chicks again this year and we are pretty sure they were old enough to survive the storm. I imagine that will be the last of the eagles nesting on our property. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll rebuild in our pasture. Time will tell. Guess that's about it for this year. Hope life is treating you well." =========================== (Back to Kathy) Happy Holidays and love to you in 2011! I gotta stop writing and go look at the eclipse! :)
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Levon I've been in a huge The Band phase lately, and what I mean by "phase" is, there comes a moment when I find either a piece of music or the entire body of a musical act that REALLY resonates with me, and I just can't get enough of listening to it. I take it in over and over, sort of devouring all the different layers of the music (what are the backup vocals doing here? what are the strings playing? what are the lyrics? etc.) Usually my phases end up being music I site as an influence on down the line, and I start calling the music one of my favorites. I've always known certain songs of The Band and loved them, but recently it really hit home to me what a great ensemble they were, how they played together so well as a unit--the goal, really, for any band, to combine their distinct instruments and play together almost as a single instrument. That, and I fell in love with Rick Danko. :) Maybe I missed my calling in life and I really should've just been a groupie, ha... ;) a groupie 35 years ago... ;) Coincidentally, Levon Helm was playing with his band at the Beacon Theatre here in NYC this past weekend (Thanksgiving weekend--the same time of year The Last Waltz was filmed.) So I went to see him. (More like: there was an irresistible magnetism drawing me to the concert...) Levon Helm is 70 years old, almost double the age he was when The Last Waltz was filmed. He's gone through cancer treatment, and as a consequence his voice is greatly altered. He also looked frail to me, from my seat up in the rafters... all long limbs and smaller body... however, his drumming was still fantastic. And though he wasn't able to sing much in the show, and he left that up to other members of his awesome band, he still sang "Ophelia" and the first verse of the encore, "I Shall Be Released." Tears were streaming down my cheeks as I listened to that encore in the dark, and all I could think of was, how much does this man love what he does? There have been times when I was sick or, recently, when I've overdone it a bit and have lost my voice. I always start off those bouts patient, confident that my voice will come back... and then my patience wears thin and I think, what if it doesn't come back? What if this is it? What if I can't ever sing again? And honestly, that's one of the grimmest thoughts I can imagine for myself. For better or for worse, or maybe more because it chose me, music is my life. Some of the highest moments of my life have occurred while I was making music, and the thought of having all that joy taken away (not to mention my livelihood) is potentially very depressing. So Levon Helm has faced that, for real. And it seems to me that simply his will to sing, his desire for it, has carried him through. He can't do it like he used to, but to the extent that he can still do it, he does it; he YEARNS to do it, you can tell. And the spirit of that man astounds me, not to mention the depth of passion he has for music. Not even considering the singing, but just thinking about his desire to still keep performing, to keep making music and to drum--I mean, I want to be him when I grow up. :) What I took away from that show is: life is short. Our capacity to do what we do in life exists for a brief time, especially any act that requires some sort of level of physical involvement. For as long as we are able to do it, we are lucky. And to step away from it while we're still able is a tragedy and a mistake, really. So, keep on keepin' on. This is especially good for me to remember during times when I get discouraged in my own music making. It's not easy, there's a reason why not everybody tries to make a living as a musician! But just remembering Levon's performance this past Friday I think will give me tenacity for the journey. And by the way, the whole entire show and band was great, so if you ever get a chance to check them out, I highly recommend it. The reward is in the act of making music, not in the arrival of being a rock star.
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The Opening Band Just re-read my last note, which was from back in June, pre-recording of The Opening Band. Always interesting to go back after the fact and see what actually transpired! I'm SO proud to say that, a week from today, I'll be releasing The Opening Band at a performance at the Bitter End here in NYC (just down the street, in fact, from where I'm typing this!) Fri., Nov. 12, 8:00 p.m. The CD turned out real good. :) The five songs featured are "Fairy Tale", "On My Way to You", "67 Caliente", "Place Holder" and "Winter". "Winter" was previously released on my EP dreamin'. I've always felt that the lyrics I wrote to "Winter" remain some of my best, but in the first recording, the sound of the song came out a little too jazz for my tastes--one of those times where I didn't really realize what was happning until after the fact. This recorded version has sparser instrumentation and is a bit weirder... which is how I wanted it. :) My intent with this EP was to keep just that sparse, very acoustic vibe for all the songs. In the end, what we created is acoustic but actually much more filled out than originally intended--and I couldn't be happier about that! I had great players in the studio with me, great ears involved and most of all, I knew what I wanted. Finally! Right now, this EP is in the lovely stage of being "perfect" in my mind; nobody has heard it yet (well, a few biased people). It hasn't been reviewed, I haven't put it out there yet for sale so I don't know how it will sell. It's how I wanted it, right here and right now--perfect. It's a nice place to be. We'll see where it ends up after next week! As far as personnel for the recording: I sang all the vocals and played the acoustic guitars. Andrea Longato did a very nice job playing electric (my personal fave from his axe was "Place Holder"). Yayo, my dear friend who has been present on all four recordings that I've made thus far, killed it on percussion. I asked for interesting sounds, and he gave it to me. When I think back to the first recording that we did, Under Your Spell, I realize how far we've both come in this process! We've both improved. :) Nate Tulenson was a surprise addition, through the wonders of modern technology he was able to record his violin in Cleveland and just e-mail his tracks for them to be added to "On My Way to You". Nate is a friend of mine from back at grad school at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Through his beautiful playing I feel for the first time I was able to combine some of my classical music experience with the music I create now--finally, symbiosis! A cure for schizophrenia! And he was a part of my personal high point in this process, which was realizing that I was capable of arranging for strings. I'd never done it before, but it made sense to me and I love how the arrangement turned out . Yay! Annie Lim outdid herself with the album artwork, as I knew she would. The artwork is hand-assembled and features a mini pop-up stage. SERIOUSLY. God bless Annie Lim. I should also mention, since pop-up artwork is difficult to convey in a web image, I'm using a few pics that were taken by Danelle Manthey on sites that will sell the CD and sites that will review, etc. Danelle told me awhile back that she thought I had a good old-fashioned look, and I agreed, so we did a vintage-esque photo shoot. Tons of fun! Oftentimes, I feel just as old-fashioned as I look in these pics. ;) "On My Way to You" is present here on the music player for your listening pleasure, and soon I'll add a few more songs. I'll also let you know when the music is available for purchase online--until then, you'll just have to come to the release next week to pick up a copy! I hope you won't be disappointed. In this moment at least, I think it's perfect!
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working on something new I'm planning a new recording. :D This is the first thing I've recorded since the 2007 release of Spare Key, and I am fairly boiling over to get something new to share. Let me relate to you my big fancy grand scheme, let's see if it all actually plays out like this! I intend for this new release (tentatively entitled The Opening Band, five songs in length) to be VERY acoustic, very simple. Though I'll stand by all of my previous recordings, I've often gotten the comment that people feel that I get lost in the mix of production on those recordings... that there's an awful lot of OTHER stuff, instrumentation and such, that end up detracting from the core of what I do. So, I'm gonna keep this simple! Lead vocals, backup vocals, my guitar, another guitar, some occasional percussion and *maybe* a flute or some reeds here and there, very sparsely used. I have a loose-yet-precise sound in mind... and that's right, I'M gonna produce it, too! First venture into producing, and anybody who's recorded with me before might find this attempt on my part surprising! In my previous recordings, I've been extremely timid with asserting what I had in mind for the "sound"... what can I say, I didn't have the self confidence or really even the clarity of vision to be able to assert my opinion, or feel safe enough to develop it. I think I've grown. :) At least, I hope I have! Cause I'm in charge here! The songs to be used are ones that haven't been performed with my band, because I didn't want previous parts they'd come up with influencing my thoughts on sculpting the sound--with the exception of one song that I'm re-recording from a previous album, in an effort to change the sound & feel. You'll just have to see which song that will be, o the suspense... I'd like to closely follow this scaled-back, simple recording with a fully-produced album, with full band, maybe even full length. We'll see what happens. The beauty, too, of this acoustic EP is that hopefully it'll be economical! I seem to operate best on a shoestring anyway :) that's kind of the only way I've ever functioned! So hopefully we can craft something great in its simplicity. I'll be recording again at the Buddy Project in Astoria, Queens, a couple of blocks away from where I live, with engineer Lowell Thompson. Andrea Longato, a beautiful and talented Italian guitarist I've recently begun playing with, will be the other guitarist for this venture, and we've spent some quality time really defraying the songs and carefully working out parts. He's playing like a dream, and I hope we can capture that in the studio. I so appreciate his enthusiasm for my project, and his willingness to go the extra mile with developing it... that means SO much. Of course there will be lots of particulars that will be worked out as we really get going with the project. One extra thing I know is that my dear friend Annie Lim will be involved in the design of the packaging of the CD, and I have confidence she's going to come up with something creative and great, like all the other projects in which she's involved! Man, sometimes I just look around me and shake my head in awe at my luck in being associated with such talented, good and generous people. Some force in the world somewhere is looking out for me... To get the people I'm working with on this project in the right frame of mind for my desired sound, I've compiled a mix CD of different reference songs that I love and that I'd like to hold up as paramours for certain sounds to aspire towards. The mix includes Phoebe Snow, Nico, the Low Anthem and, of course, Joni Mitchell (the For the Roses album). Sure is a good mix. :) Some of my favorite sounds in the whole world, in fact! Not that I want to copy any part of those songs... just be influenced by, in the creating of my own sound. EEK! I feel kind of in the zone with this, but it's a little scary... you never know exactly what's gonna happen! I guess if it all falls apart in my hands, well... live and learn. Hopefully it'll do the opposite of fall apart, and gel like the Caro syrup in a perfect pecan pie instead. ;) I'll keep you posted! WISH US LUCK!!!! (p.s., don't get too excited, we're not going into the studio for another couple weeks yet...)
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street cred I've been in NYC at this point for a few years. I've also been doing my thing as a singer/songwriter for a few years, and in small ways lately, it's being drawn to my attention that I've earned some street cred. ;) YES! ha! Before you know it, I'm going to have my own gang symbol... And, I'm not even talking about onstage, though I do think that, these days, when people hear me perform, they can tell that I've been at it long enough to know what I'm doing, and boy, I could not be more pleased about that. I feel it, too--in my confidence level, in my ability to maneuver through unexpected events onstage (in the music or otherwise), and in my comfort level with the audience... frankly, my dear, I just no longer give a damn. :) And that has freed me up to SAY something. Do you know what I mean? The surety that I as a musician and performer "can handle it" has taken away my fear. (MOSTLY. Let's be real here, certainly there are still things that could happen that I would feel incapable of handling, but in the realm of normal experience... I'm ok.) (I'm feeling quite a bit of satisfaction in reviewing the above paragraph. I think it's ok to allow myself that. :)) BUT ANYWAY... this street cred thing is all of the sudden popping up in other ways. I've lost perspective on this, but apparently my guitar case is looking like it's seen some life, ha! It is pretty nicked up at this point, and so shows the miles it's traveled, both literally and figuratively... but it looks normal to me! However, people keep commenting on the case, noticing that it's showing wear & tear. Huh. I remember when I first moved to NYC, I was making music with another guitarist who actually said to me, "Your guitar looks so... NEW. Can't you just, like, scuff it up a bit?" ;) Oh, if he could only see me now... And then, twice in the past 2 days I've encountered someone I didn't know who knew me because they'd seen me perform. That blows my mind, ha! Met someone at a party last night who said, "You're Kathy Zimmer! I'm on your mailing list! I've seen you perform! You were good!" :D And then, my friend Timothy Dark, who I occasionally sing with onstage, was showing a new acquaintance of his pictures of his last performance, and that person said, upon seeing a picture of me, "Oh, I've seen her sing! I know that girl!" Mark Twain once said, "I can live for two months on a good compliment." I sometimes think I can keep a music career going for years on a few moments of anonymous positive recognition. :) So, yeah, I guess I've been around some. *sniff*
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hands I happen to love hands. I appreciate what they tell you about a person, about who that person is and what they do. Some characteristics of your hands, you're born with; the others, you create. The most amazing set of hands I have ever been acquainted with were my grandfather's. He had been a farmer his whole life, and his hands were the largest, roughest, most calloused hands I've ever felt. Whenever I put my hand in his, I was awed by the sheer presence of his hands, they honestly made me feel very small. Also, he'd lost half of one of his thumbs in a farm equipment accident, so even visually, his hands showed that they'd experienced quite a bit of life. I have my mother's hands, save her very fair, freckled skin and her sweaty palms, ha. :) I don't know that I have quite the same nervous inhibitions that my mother's sweaty palms betray in her. But I do have the same hand shape and the same abilities--my mom has very fast-moving fingers, a trait which enables me to play guitar as I do, as well as type very quickly (a talent which helped me earn a living for a couple of years, as I typed transcripts for TV shows. :) Thankfully, I no longer do that.) Those are the inherited aspects of my hands. The created aspects of my hands, of course, reflect the music that I make; my left hand has callouses on the tip of every finger, which is inherent to every guitarist. I keep the fingernails on my right hand decently long, to enable the fingerpicking I do, and the fingernails on my left hand very short, of course in order to firmly press down strings. I have no idea how Dolly Parton plays with fake fingernails on both hands, I surmise it must be sheer determination on her part to maneuver around them. Comparatively, apparently, I'm not as resourceful or as ladylike! I'm so happy my hands are filled with the work they show. Perhaps they're not as gorgeous as some hands (I hardly ever paint my fingernails, because the difference in nail length looks silly painted, ha!) but I'm happy to report they are able, young, strong in their way and yet still sort of soft. I can deal with that combination.
www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
one song in my life Covering songs other than my own makes me a better performer, musician and songwriter, it's true. I think somewhere along the way we songwriters got so hell-bent on the idea of putting OUR vision into the world that we forgot how valuable it is to study the craft of songwriting, to study other work-of-art songs and learn from them, before writing our own. This past Thursday the Sunshine Banned and I were honored to play for the National Down Syndrome Society Annual Gala here in NYC, and along with playing my songs we were asked to do several covers of our choosing. One of them I'd like to mention here especially, as it's been a standard thus far in my life. And the song is, "Leaving on a Jet Plane". Oh man how I love this song! :) This is one of the first songs I remember performing with my sister, we first performed it at the Friday night home talent show that's put on every year in my hometown as part of their summer celebration (I suppose I could write a whole blog on the summer celebration, actually, but let me just focus on the home talent show.) I honestly don't remember how old we were at this particular performance, I think perhaps I must've been in junior high and she was in about 5th grade, maybe? A background on what made up the program on those Friday nights: my hometown used to be home to the oldest existing band in Nebraska, the Beechville Band, which performed Sousa marches and the like. I don't remember what year it formed, I believe it must have been around the turn of the century (20th century, that is!) Anyway, in recent years the band has disbanded, due to the rising average age of its members and the absence of new members to fill their places (due to the dwindling population at large of rural Nebraska--again, I could write a whole blog on this topic. Perhaps another time.) The Friday night home talent show used to begin with turtle races (another blog), followed by a Beechville Band concert, (named "Beechville" after the long-defunct rural township where it had originally formed), followed by a program put together by various skits and musical numbers from members of the community, followed by a cake walk, ice cream and pie in the social hall, maybe then followed by a beer at the bar and late-night finishing touches to the floats for the parade the next morning. :) It's always a good time. I like to think my hometown, small though it is, is awfully special, and has a population with a special creative strain in it--mostly people weren't afraid to get up onstage and poke fun at themselves and their neighbors, or share their special talent. I'm so glad to have grown up in an environment like this which encouraged performance and community. Anyway, believe it or not, I learned "Leaving on a Jet Plane" from sheet music of my mother's, not from a recording! In later years I heard the John Denver version and the Peter, Paul & Mary version, but initially, it was just notes on the page. I think I came up with an alto part and my sis sang it, and I played guitar and sang the melody. I just loved the song, and couldn't get it out of my head. I remember one community member telling me the song had been her and her husband's favorite song when they were dating. That same husband shot himself in his pickup right off the highway two years ago. You can't make stuff up like this, folks--no fiction ever surpasses reality. That's really small-town life, knowing the intimacies of other community members' complete life histories like that, for better and for worse. The next time I performed "Leaving on a Jet Plane" was at the Custer County Fair in Nebraska when I was a senior in high school. This particular year, they'd hired a professional country band from Nashville with the idea of showcasing local talent in front of the band. I guess they thought to ask me to perform because I'd sung the national anthem at the Custer County Fair's parade the year prior (I have no idea who asked me to do it or how they even knew about me!) Anyway, to my best recollection that was my first performance with a band. I sang one solo, and I chose "Leaving on a Jet Plane". I remember at the rehearsal, I didn't know what key to tell the band I sang it in :) but we figured it out. Following the performance, I went back to sit in the stands and found a member of my high school class who had turned a bit starstruck, ha! That was weird and admittedly a little cool. Again, so glad to have had this performance opportunity. The song stuck with me and years later, I performed it again at one of the first concerts I ever did in NYC, it was at this place called the Orange Bear, a huge, cavernous (and empty) bar/venue in the financial district in Manhattan, of all places! I remember very clearly that I had one person in attendance for that show, my roommate, ha! :) There were a few other brave souls in the audience who were there for the girl booked to go up after me, and for some reason one of them requested me to sing a John Denver song (it was that intimate. They felt perfectly at ease calling out requests!) SO, I pulled out "Leaving on a Jet Plane", and actually they might've even sung along. Glad to have had it in my back pocket. When we were asked to do some covers for this gala this past week, "Leaving on a Jet Plane" was the first song that popped into my head. It works with my voice, and is so familiar to me--simple chords, simple narrative, but oh... the visualization of LEAVING. Shedding something familiar for something excitingly unknown, mixed with qualms about stepping away from something beloved and familiar. And leaving, not just on any plane, but a JET plane... doesn't that sound way more exciting? :) I remember singing the line about "when I come back, I'll wear your wedding ring" when I was a kid... it seemed so sweet, glamorous, grown-up, and, I don't know... easy in its romanticism. Optimistic. It's a timeless song, I think--at least, most definitely in my life, it is. Hope to sing it again sometime.
www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
gotta change the bio. it's late afternoon on Halloween, 2009. I was just out on the streets of my neighborhood, and it's jam-packed with kids getting a headstart on the festivities. Good thing the clock falls back tomorrow, so they get their extra bit of sunlight today. I'm more of a witching hour person myself, so gonna go out a bit later. In the meantime, let me muse... I had a really lovely phone interview this morning with Radio Mike. We began with him asking me to recant my background, and then we proceeded from there. I told my story, which always begins with the fact that I grew up in rural Nebraska in a town population 200, with 7 kids in my graduating 8th grade class and 19 in my graduating high school class. I told how I got my beginning in music, which was by basically being a member of a musical family and learning to appreciate and participate in music through their influence. I then went to school for music (classical), gaining a bachelor's degree and even a master's degree in it, and then proceeded to move to NYC, which is when I began to create MY music in earnest. Ok, this is all the truth. And, I admit, it's a pretty darn good story... I realize there are people who have tried to make up stories like this (Bob Dylan) in order to sound more... authentic, more vagabond, salt of the earth, the real deal, or something. Though sometimes there's a collision in my head caused by the different environments in which I've existed (you should see how schizophrenic my facebook page is, ha... talk about a VARIETY of friends! I love them all) I wouldn't for one second change an iota of my experience. The only thing, of course, is that I wish I had more time :) but I regret nothing and appreciate everything. HOWEVER. If you were to hear about a girl with a background like me (save the college part, because people never hear that info, after I mention the "population 200" thing), what would you think she'd sound like? Here's what I predict: you'd think she'd sound very, very rustic, with a kind of cracked yet charmingly sweet voice; you'd assume maybe she'd be strumming an autoharp with some fiddle behind her; you'd predict she'd be singing songs about nature and unfaithful lovers and, you know, coal mines. :) Well, you WOULD! And here's the thing: though I do sing about nature and unfaithful lovers, ;) (covertly, sometimes) I don't sound much like that above description. Though I DID grow up in a town that hosts an annual rodeo, where the overwhelming source of income was agriculture (from individual small farms), I mean... I've always had a layer of something else, maybe call it... Great Plains gentility? (just coined a term, ha!) Add the classical music influence to that, and well. So, I think when people hear the first few sentences of my bio, they get transported... and then when they hear my music, they get confused. Sigh. I ain't changing who I am. I like who I am, and I couldn't change anything even if I wanted to, I'm incapable of that. But apparently, I need to rethink how I tell people about myself, because I need them to hear my music FIRST--that's what I'm doing. If I was selling myself as a personality or something, perhaps I could do things differently, but you know... I have no desire to be a celebrity! I'm a musician, dammit. Ha! And then, AFTER people are introduced to my music, they can find out all about the rest of the story. I guess like, you know... we didn't find out Sufjan Stevens was a staunch Episcopalian until AFTER we'd heard Seven Swans, you know? ;) (That's a weird example, ha, let me think of another one, um...) We didn't know Johnny Cash watched his brother die until AFTER we'd heard "I Walk the Line". Or something? Work with me here. ;) New bio coming soon. In the meantime, the last incarnation of my bio: Raised in a rural Nebraska town with an entire population of 200 people, Kathy Zimmer grew up singing folk music with a musical family. She learned guitar at an early age and accompanied herself as she sang for church services and various small town gigs, including rodeos, parades and county fairs. Determined to travel the length of Nebraska State Highway 2 in order to experience the rest of the world, Kathy Zimmer’s winding road of musical explorations eventually led her to classical music. With that layer of influence she now creates music she calls “cosmopolitan folk”—music that is sophisticated yet naïve, polished yet quirky. “Cosmopolitan folk” ends up sounding reminiscent of the days when female singer/songwriters were at the height of their creative powers (think 1970s folk-pop warblers Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez and Laura Nyro.) Kathy Zimmer is astonished to wake up every morning and find herself now a resident of New York City. She performs often with her two backup singers, the Sugar Bowls, and her band, the Sunshine Banned. She has independently released three albums, all to critical acclaim--Under Your Spell, dreamin’ and Spare Key. She is a featured artist on www.jeffbuckley.com.
www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
into the mystic I just had my numerology chart done, and though it's very long, I found it accurate enough to want to share it with others! So, here it is, in its entirety, read at your own risk ;) : Life Path = 5 You are about freedom, independence and the right to follow where your heart and gut-instincts lead you in life. You are an inquisitive soul with many questions that can only be answered through travel, exploration and experiencing a variety of life situations. For this reason you are likely to relocate to various cities or countries during your life and also entertain a number of life partners as opposed to just one soul mate. You are best suited to freelance work or being your own boss as stuffy offices and rigid routines are deadly to your imagination and soul. You are a great lover of human nature as well as one of its greatest observers, which is why you would make a good archaeologist, historian, writer, journalist, reporter or artist. You are great at dealing with people and also do well in any "front line" occupation. For instance many crisis workers, emergency care workers and leaders of self-groups are fives. You need a job that allows you to meet a lot of people as well as brings you a variety of interesting experiences. You also have quite a spiritual bent to your personality that may send you on many personal vision quests. It is not unusual for a 5 to also belong to many different religions during his or her life or suddenly in mid-life to drop everything in pursuit of a life-style that is the complete opposite of the former one. One of your challenges is learning how to not waste time. Your perception of time is somewhat distorted which is why you are often late to meetings or sometimes unable to meet deadlines. Novelties and new ideas also easily distract you so sometimes it is difficult for you to choose a career or lifestyle and stick with it. As a result, others may also find you indecisive and frustrating to deal with. Another challenge that you face on your life path is being overly irresponsible. Many 5's have a habit of taking off when the going gets rough. You tend be quite casual about your relationships and have a great deal of trouble managing any type of emotional crisis. You may even experience panic at the idea of commitment, as you don't like the idea of being responsible to another person. For this reason, many of you have a number of serial relationships rather than just one life long love. If you are unable to physically escape circumstances that you can't emotionally handle or don't like, you are also prone to escaping through substance abuse. This is part of the unpleasant self-indulgent trait that is part of many number 5 personalities. Finding one focus and sticking with it is definitely your biggest life challenge. Most 5's are multitalented but they never stay in one place long enough for one of their projects to grow and blossom. Seeing things through to completion is the best way to make sure that you don't suffer poverty or bitterness in your later years. One of your greatest talents is the ability to communicate, either verbally or through the written word. Your expansive observations of life plus your ability to see all points of view makes you an excellent teacher. Most 5s end up teaching at one point in their life so others can benefit from the rich tapestry of their life experience. You are also a daring spirit that has a love of adventure. You are usually very physically fit and enjoy good health for your entire life if you stay away from overindulging in drink and food. Birthday number = 1 Having been born on the 28th of the month, your Birthday Number is 1. This means that you are forceful, ambitious and a self starter, who, regardless of career, strives to get ahead in life. Some may even consider you aggressive, but you really are affectionate and sometimes hide exactly how considerate you really are. Being comprised of the cooperative two and the forceful eight causes you to be somewhat fast at making friends, but friendships last for you, and because of your logical and self-interested nature, usually are supportive at least, and allies at best in your professional life. You tend to be inclined towards material pursuits, especially during the Cycle of Productivity. Expression = 1 You are a doer, not a dreamer. You express yourself through definitive choices and deliberate action. Nothing irritates you more than people who procrastinate, are self-indulgent or spend too much time analyzing a situation before acting. You are a courageous and natural born leader who is not afraid to makes things happen. The penultimate in self-expression for a number 1 is the outward manifestations of success: rewards, recognition and material abundance! These are the things that define you, not the opinions of other people. You are naturally aggressive by nature, but a charm and a talent for persuasion temper it. You are an incredible multi-tasker and project manager. For this reason many of you thrive in such positions as producers, leaders, sales executives and administrators. You retreat from situations where you feel you are not in control and may express resentment of authority or be uncooperative. This is why you need an occupation where you can act on your own without too much restraint from others. You can be quite blunt in your approach to things to the extent that others can perceive you as being too controlling or heartless. These traits help you make a killing when it comes to business, but your frankness is not often appreciated in personal relationships. One thing that many number ones need to master during their lifetime is the fine art of tact. You also have a tendency to jump to conclusions or make assumptions about others without fully analyzing the matter first. People are often startled by your tendency to "look before you leap." For this reason, you need a right hand man or woman or some kind of best friend to encourage you to sleep on important matters before you make a split decision. Your natural physical grace and beauty often has you excelling at dancing and athletics. As you are a very proud number, you are always meticulously groomed and putting your best foot forward in life. People are often very impressed by the consistency of your habits and routines. However sometimes an over preoccupation with fashion or your looks can make you seem shallow to others. You are very clear and concise with your speech and body language. For this reason you often come across as being very forthright and honest, even if you are not! In love you tend to be the one to take the lead as you are usually eager to express your feelings so that the matter is taken care of in the future. This is sometimes too pushy to loved ones who may process their feelings at a slower rate than you. You may also have a bad habit of deciding how someone feels before asking them. When it comes to fashion and style you prefer the simplicity of classic tailoring and traditional styles. However you also love anything that can bear your initials or a signature so many of your items may bear a monogram. You may also express your individuality by adding a personal unique touch to a classic piece of clothing. Your fondness for things that are one of a kind may also extend to your furniture and heart. You express how proud you are of your achievements by taking good care of your possessions. You also take care of number one by paying careful attention to your physical body and for this reason tend to enjoy good health well into your later years. Soul Urge = 9 The highest expression of your soul's urge is to connect in a mystical way with others. Although your aspirations are lofty, you are also a humanitarian who is often gifted with a sharp intuition and keen analytical skills. Often you give up opportunities that should be yours, simply to help another. This is because your faith in yourself, god and the future is so strong that you live by your conviction that the universe is always unfolding as it should. Others simply do not possess your spiritual sophistication and may be amused or repelled by what they see as your irrational talk or beliefs. You may be accused of being stupid or foolish simply because you won't take the bait (of a job or money) at the expense of your ethics. Compared to the other numbers, you excel at letting go of lovers or opportunities simply because you know you can't take emotions and material goods with you when you die. As you are driven more by compassion than common sense, you are the first to fall on your sword for a worthy cause. You may often be broke because you see money only as a tool of change. You would much rather spend money on art, charity or a trip. In fact, ostentatious displays of wealth anger and disgust you because your ideal is a world where all humans are equal. You might appear very eccentric to others who don't quite understand your fascination with the spiritual world or your insistence on being a seeker of truth. Furthermore nines tend to get carried away when it comes to trying to heal or connect to others. The biggest mistake you could make is to try and be an "agent of karma" by meddling or interfering in other people's affairs. As you are so talented psychically, you often become a liability in business simply because people in authority resent your ability to perceive their secrets. You rarely rise very high on the corporate ladder simply because others see you as a threat to their cloak of political intrigue. You have a soul that must be continually assured and fed with new sources of spiritual information. To stay healthy, your psyche may require that you make special trips to holy or mystical places. You may have to seek out special teaching to help you understand and cultivate your talents so that you are in control, as opposed to terrorized by them. Being able to foresee the future or see through other people is often painful, so some therapy might be required in your life to help you detach from your own sensitivity. One of the sins you are most vulnerable to is spiritual pride. This can bring you situations that cause your faith to be seriously tested or where your pride can take a big fall. Many nines often find themselves subject to a lesson in becoming humble by the cosmos simply because they were too boastful of their talents. Making money off of your psychic talents may also cause you some problems, as part of your path is to heal without the expectation of reward. If you are working professionally as a psychic and are a nine, then remember to tithe at least one tenth of your earnings towards a worthy cause. However the highest calling of your soul urge is to share your intuitive talents for free.
www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
music video for "Whatever Gets U Thru the Day" When it rains, it pours! I am very proud to say I have a second music video to add to my catalogue! This is for my song "Whatever Gets U Thru the Day", and it's viewable here: at YouTube and at Vimeo I really, really love its old world look, I feel like it complements the sound of the song quite nicely! Annie Lim filmed/directed/edited it, what a talented woman. As you can see, it features a gaggle (gaggle?) of origami cranes, which took four of us ONE WHOLE ENTIRE SUNDAY to make around my kitchen table (ok, actually, I didn't fold them. I couldn't learn how to do it fast enough, so I just strung them on the fishing line. But I did try!) This video is the product of a, "go with whatever inspiration strikes" attitude, and in my experience, it always works the best when you just ride the wave, you know what I'm sayin? My favorite part of the filming process was insisting that that disco ball HAD to be present on the stage, and then trying to move it from the place it had probably occupied for 40 years (had to pry open a link on its ancient chain to move it) and then to reattach it, undetected, back in the same spot (I sacrificed a keychain to use towards that end!) Genius. Thanks to Augie Tang, Stephanie Chan, Vanessa Quick and Tony Yee for their technical assistance. Hope you enjoy the video. Spread it around, if you do! :) And though this is a month in advance, come on out and hear the Sunshine Banned at Fontana's on Tues., 9/22, 8:00 p.m.!
www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
an encounter The other day I met up with a fantastic producer and engineer who has worked with quite a few big-name projects for a number of years (for some reason I feel I shouldn't mention his name, though maybe it doesn't matter? I guess I'll be mysterious... ;)) He kinda rocked my world in a couple of ways, which of course I'll relay to you RIGHT NOW... First off, this guy was generous, genteel, gracious, just all-around great and probably some other complimentary "G" words... all of which completely blew my preconceived notion of a big-time music producer from LA right out of the water. He was just amazing, to take the time to meet with me as he did, take the time to seriously sit down with my music and give me feedback on it, and share some of the stories and tidbits he has about various artists he's worked with in the studio. Made me realize that, really, perhaps people at that level in the music industry aren't annoyed with you and your communication efforts; rather, maybe they REALLY WANT to discover something new and great! At least, that's how this guy came across to me, open to new possibilities and actively seeking them out. Amazing and awesome. Second, I feel that he gave me real critical feedback on my music, from his very respectable professional perspective. And let me just say, how valuable is that? I am VERY grateful for the things he pointed out to me, the directions he suggested I explore, etc. He assured me that, the reason he was giving me feedback of this nature and even taking the time with me at all was because he felt as though I was worth the effort (and right now as I type this, that thought makes my toes curl with utter glee! HA!) He even assured me, upon parting, that somehow we'd find a way to work together, and I absolutely hope that happens. What sort of critical feedback did he give me? Ah, now here comes the difficult part, of course. Primarily, he suggested that I was still trying to, literally, find my own voice. I think he feels as though sometimes I am able to lock in to a genuine place from which to sing, and in doing so, find my "real" sound as a singer... but, I'm inconsistent. Also, he suggested that, since I have a powerful voice, I need to learn how to use it to more effect and nuance. Ay. He's 100% right, I know he is. And I have an idea, sort of, of where I need to end up with this sort of feedback, I know what a truly dialed-in singer sounds like... but how the heck do I get there?! Ha. Oh man. Tall order, and a bit overwhelming... I guess I'll just put one foot in front of the other with it. Also, he suggested now wasn't the time to record again, sorry listeners... but honestly, that's kind of a relief to me. I have a ton of new repertoire that I'd love to get pressed, but honestly, I'm an independently-funded artist, and I am not ready to pay for a new project! (And of course it'd have to be not only new, but improved. ;)) So, my friends, look for me to be touring a bunch and playing out as much as I can, and writing even more new songs... and I guess you'll have to come to a live show to hear the new stuff, for the time being. The biggest thing I have taken away from that meeting, honestly, is gratitude for the fact that someone knows I'm alive! Someone knows I'm out here, and someone is listening. Bowl me over, I'm not just sending musical notes into a great big void in outerspace. :D
www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
"Summer" video, on the summer solstice At LONG last, I'm very proud to report, I have a music video. :) It took awhile. Undoubtedly, there's always things to work out... but in the end, when things are supposed to work, they just do! "Summer" is viewable in two places, here it is at YouTube and here it is at Vimeo As it happens, I'm telling you this minutes away from the summer solstice, and so I'm gonna take that as a bit of serendipitous good luck. :) I didn't plan it, so why not? Hope you enjoy. I get by with a little help from my friends... my friend Michael Codispoti is the one who made it all happen, he's the editor and eye behind the camera, and my friend Holly Moore was the director. Also Rob Jones got the ball rolling in the first place by giving me the stop animation--give that boy a hand, I think he put in some hours! I'm so grateful to all of them. The highlight in making it, for me, was walking around in the grand concourse of Grand Central Station at rush hour on a Friday with an open umbrella. :D I was afraid they were going to think I was a terrorist! Lots of love. If you enjoy the video, spread the word! And come out and see us at Fontana's in NYC on Tues., 6/30! www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
(a kiss) Blowin' in the Wind (to Bob Fass) There's this new photo exhibit in the window displays at Macy's here in NYC called something like Art Under Glass, Photos from the Summer of Love, featuring photos taken by Robert Altman (not the film director, but a photographer who worked at Rolling Stone in the 60s-70s.) The photos are pretty cool. I'm a real sucker for anything hippie-related, and these pics really capture a ton of, um, grooviness from that time. I do admit, though, to have serious qualms regarding what I perceive to be the materialistic idealization of not only that period in American history but also music in general--and let me explain that. Seems to me that perhaps the true essence, the true message from that time period--that is, heightened political involvement and awareness of topical events and current issues, embracing of alternative lifestyles and challenging established social and cultural mores, and... ESPECIALLY... challenging the "establishment" (of which I assume a big corporation like MACY'S would be considered "establishment", no?) has gotten a bit lost. All but lost, actually... when photos documenting the Summer of Love are now used to sell clothes and perfume in one of the biggest department stores in the world (even including a new line of handbags by Carlos Santana!) I'd say, the Summer of Love has been bought & sold. Not just the Summer of Love, though, also music in general seems to have been bought & sold these days... I marvel at how many times I see a guitar as an accessory in fashion ads lately, also how many times a pop idol is used to sell clothes (Chris Carabba of Dashboard Confessional appearing in ads for Kenneth Cole immediately comes to mind, but there are a million other examples.) It seriously worries me that people's appreciation for music is really becoming more about the image of rock n roll rather than about the actual music... I feel as though, in times past, perhaps image contributed to musical success, but nowadays, image really is music. What a shame. And I play the game as well, to a certain extent... after all, why was I even at Macy's? Well, I was buying makeup to wear in a shoot for a music video I did last Friday. I am definitely not immune. :P HOWEVER, I want to comment specifically on one photograph that truly made me stop dead in my tracks, completely slack-jawed and bug-eyed. Mind you, this photo exhibit is full of iconic pics of several of my untouchable idols--Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, John Phillips, Aretha Franklin, etc. etc. What made me stop short in the middle of sidewalk traffic, though, was a picture of a young Bob Fass. I know Bob Fass. I've been on his radio show on WBAI maybe three times. Of course I know he's a legend, and I've always been flattered to be chosen to be on his show. This guy, let's see, where to begin... apparently his radio show, Radio Unnameable, was sort of the midnight voice of alternative thinking back in the day. It aired each weeknight from 12-5 a.m. and was a forum for leftist political thinking as well as a showcase for some of the greatest music of that generation--sounds like basically anyone who was anyone was on Bob's show, ranging from Phoebe Snow to Joan Baez to Joni Mitchell to Phil Ochs and, most importantly, Bob Dylan. Apparently Bob Fass dated Suze Rotolo's sister at the same time that Bob Dylan was dating Suze, and through that connection a friendship was formed. Bob Fass himself told me that he spent Nov. 22, 1963 in front of a TV with Bob Dylan, watching coverage of the Kennedy assassination. As he shared that fact with me, in the same breath he also said there were details about that day that he'd never share with anyone, as they were too intensely personal. I mean, this guy's been there, ha. Wow, I can't even quite grasp it... so, basically, I already knew Bob Fass was amazing. However, I know Bob Fass NOW--I'm not sure how old he is, but he's aging, and he has some issues with his health. Though I don't believe the format of his radio show has changed much, the hours for his radio show have been cut back to only one night a week, which undoubtedly can't pay much. In fact I'm not even sure that he has health insurance, as I've been made aware of some fund raisers that have been staged to help him with his health care costs. But the picture I saw in Macy's was of a young Bob Fass, in action, in the studio in front of his mic, completely in command of his abilities and at the height of his influence (Abbie Hoffman was in the chair next to him.) When you suddenly get a flash of an aging person as how they were as a youth, I think you're jolted to the reality of who they ARE, inside an aging body. I saw that in that picture. I saw who Bob Fass was, how he started, and thus was reminded of who he still is. In viewing him both then & now, I see that he's a man who's never sold out, ever. He was serious about his life choices and political beliefs when they were formed in the 60s... he wasn't in it for the trend, he was in it for the long haul. He wasn't joking around. While lots of contemporaries abandoned those lofty 60s ideals in search of some easier way of life, Bob held fast to his conscience. He's still holding fast, in fact, though I'd venture to say it must be difficult, for a variety of reasons, but he's still unwavering. How completely admirable is that? So you know, in amongst the gaudy glitz and glamor that is department store marketing, fashioning images of youth from long ago into ads for American consumerism at its most garish, that picture of Bob Fass gave me some hope. I don't know what he thought his life would turn out to be when he was that young man in that picture, and maybe he thought it'd somehow be easier for him than it is now, but I'll bet that young man never thought he'd sell out his ideals at any age. And you know what, he never has. Kudos, Bob Fass.
www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
grooves I should be trying to resolve a current band issue that I've got for my show on Friday, but I just put a new (to me) Ray Price record on my record player, and I'm in such H E A V E N that I decided to shirk responsibility and blog, ha. Hope that Ray and Kris Kristofferson (whose song he's singing) are both flattered! I am very lucky to have, in my opinion, an awesome vinyl collection, and I hate to tell you all this, but I've bought a total of maybe five albums in it! So it just occurred to me, perhaps I owe it to the muses and the anonymous donors with great musical tastes who have unwittingly created my library to give an official thank-you! Here goes. My record collection began when someone apparently threw out their whole entire vinyl stash onto the mezzanine level of the apartment building I lived in for a stint on Staten Island, NYC. Yes, it's true, for a short amount of time, I was a resident of the OTHER borough, and though my stay wasn't made worthwhile by this great find, at least I have something to show for my incarcerated time, ha. This record collection, truly, was amazing, it's amazing the stuff I acquired--Paul Simon Kodachrome, Bob Dylan Street Legal, McCartney, Joan Baez Farewell Angelina... on and on, such great tastes this collector had. Thanks for upgrading technology, whoever you were, anonymous donor! My second large donation came courtesy my sometimes clumsy, yet always classy, attempts at hand/eye coordination. ;) I was in Brooklyn at a bar with a friend when I saw the DJ pull out Michael Jackson Off the Wall. I mentioned to my friend the fold-out full-length poster on the inside of the album cover, and to prove I knew what I was talking about, I walked over to the DJ's cover, opened it... and out fell the record, CRASH, and promptly shattered. Well, as you can imagine, I felt absolutely awful, and it was obvious that the DJ was crushed! He was a sweet Jamaican guy with a thick accent and long dreds, and bemoaned how long it had taken him to find that copy. As it happened... I had that very same album at home from the previous anonymous vinyl donor, and I knew the DJ needed the album more than me, so I arranged to bring it a few nights later to the bar and give it to him. Though I was sad to give away the treasure, my disappointment was (almost) allayed when the DJ gave me a whole BOX of records that he knew were great but of which he either had duplicates or he knew wouldn't be spin-worthy--so I then acquired a fantastic collection including several albums each from Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Earth, Wind & Fire, Curtis Mayfield... etc. etc.... and even another Jackson brother, Jermaine! Still looking for the replacement album for Off the Wall, but in the end, I'm not missing it too much! In the meantime, a few albums were acquired here and there... I had an older voice student who would come to each of her lessons bearing a piece of classical music on vinyl, and she'd quiz me a bit about the content of each album before she'd hand it over ("Now, this was a Brooklyn-born Jewish soprano named Belle Silverman" (Beverly Sills :))... "Who was the Lady from Philadelphia?" (Marian Anderson)) It was a treat to see what she'd have from time to time. More classical music was attained when someone placed a stash on the sidewalk outside of my former transcribing job on the Upper West Side--the stash included some fantastic 78s, but I didn't grab 'em cause my player at the time couldn't play them--now that I have one that can, I kick myself! Seemed like pristine condition stuff, very old and rare recordings... would have been amazing. Ah well, my apartment is too small for storage anyway... ! The final grand endowment came a few short days ago, when mysteriously a mail carton full of records showed up near the trash bin at my church music job (dontcha love how, apparently, I go through the trash? Ha. Seriously, I don't, there's just something that catches my eye with records!) Someone was getting rid of a couple of albums of the aforementioned dreamboat Ray Price, as well as Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass (who can say no? ;)) and the soundtrack to Stand by Me, which I am ECSTATIC about! Haven't listened to that one yet, all in good time. Perhaps it was a find preordained by divine intervention? ;) Anyway. One man's trash is another (wo)man's treasure! I love vinyl, love the sound of it, the tangibility of it (when I hold an album, feels like SOMETHING in my hands, you know? Not an imaginary, esoteric mp3. ;)) Most importantly, I love the music it contains... for some reason, I am a woman who's a bit time out of mind, and the music from eras past on mediums whose technology has passed speaks to me the most. So, forces that be--thanks for putting this music in my hands! www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
Bob Zimmerman A week ago this last Friday I got the most random phone call from my friend Last Up Larry, who I met awhile back in the scene at the Sidewalk Cafe here in NYC. Larry is a cameraman for a network (ABC? I forget, sorry Larry) and he'd just stumbled upon footage that he'd taken of a solo gig of mine from LONG ago (honestly, it's been so long, I can't even remember when specifically that gig was. To my best guess, it's early 2005--VINTAGE!) I do actually remember that gig well, all except for the date. I remember I had a vicious cold, I'm surprised I sounded decent at all, listening to the footage--at the time, I thought I was sounding pretty awful! It was a solo show at the C-Note, a great dive-y venue at Ave. C and 10th St. in the east village that's since closed--I co-emceed an open mic there for awhile, so it was sort of a home-away-from-home spot. I remember I'd decided to make this particular show my "B-sides" show, and perform a set of songs I liked but didn't really perform much with my band. One of these songs was a Dylan cover, "I Was Young When I Left Home". I've decided to post it on YouTube, here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXR_pCskCDg Hope you enjoy! Anyway, I thought maybe I should take a moment to try to comment here on the influence of Mr. Dylan in my life, given that I'm covering his song. Um, oh boy, how can I begin... Well, I'd heard of Bob Dylan, you know, I think I knew "Rain Day Woman #12 & 35" because it was on the Forrest Gump soundtrack, and maybe I'd heard "Blowin in the Wind" a few times. But I hadn't really ever been properly introduced to this man's music, until one night a co-worker at the art museum where I worked while in Cleveland invited me to take her extra ticket and come with her to see Bob Dylan in concert that night. I think his opener was Kenny Wayne Shepherd, who at the time I was probably more excited to see than Dylan. It was Valentine's Day (now this is serendipitous, as I'm writing this the day AFTER Valentine's Day, years later)--I remember this because Dylan, in his herky-jerky stage patter style, wished three girls in the front row a Happy Valentine's Day ("I'd like to wish a Happy Valentine's Day to you... and you... and you," he said, pointing specifically--nevermind the rest of us. ;)) It was right around when Time Out of Mind had been released, so his comeback was only beginning. We were in the 8th row, and it was at the Cleveland Public Hall (I still have my ticket stub. ;)) Well, this dude blew me away. I don't even remember what specifically about him blew me away, but I was completely intrigued, so much so, that I went out and bought Time Out of Mind the next day (strange, I know, that that late album should be my introduction to him.) I was enraptured, his lyrics were so mysterious and dark, sad, contemplative and... observant. It was as though the entire album was bathed in a blue neon light from a neighborhood bar sign which was sputtering and shorted-out, I couldn't get enough of the vibe. I have no favorite tracks from that album, I loved the whole darn thing. Shortly after that, maybe a week or so later, I went out and bought Nashville Skyline and The Times They Are A-Changin'. These purchases weren't pre-meditated, I probably just chose those albums because I liked the cover pictures! And each of these albums, then, opened doors in my mind that had never before been opened (very different doors, mind you, as those albums are quite different from each other.) The weary lovesick aloneness from "One Too Many Mornings" and "Boots of Spanish Leather" from The Times, They Are A-Changin' hit me right in the heart, as I related the songs to a long-distance relationship I was in at the time--but the desolate eloquence of those songs made me much lonelier than the reality of the relationship ever could have, ha! I think I was actually just pining over another time, lost to me; an acoustic, simple time, filled with steam heaters and manual typewriters. I think, singlehandedly, this album convinced me to move to New York. I was in chase of that lost environment on Bleecker Street, the place from where these songs originated. I knew the environment through the songs, but I'm still kind of trying to find it, actually. ;) Nashville Skyline, conversely, made me homesick for Nebraska. The opening bars of the album, with the thunder crashes and sounds of rain, made me open the windows in my attic Cleveland apartment and wish for a fresh, rain-bearing breeze; when listening to that track, I yearned to be a "Girl from the North Country" again, a rural girl who would work the concession stands at country music concerts at county fairs, and feel completely comfortable wearing genteel country clothing for dress-up, maybe a long Plainswoman skirt and lace-up boots. Again, the beautifully simple elegance and spunk of this album made me homesick for a place that COULD exist; I knew, cause I'd lived it, but honestly, the existence was fleeting at best--really, it was more the music that was able to evoke the place, the music took me there. Plus, Johnny Cash, a voice from my childhood, quaked and quavered in all the right familiar ways, and Bob Dylan sang in a voice that was COMPLETELY DIFFERENT than on The Times They Are A-Changin' ! In fact I remember taking the Nashville Skyline and Time Out of Mind CDs to my favorite teacher (I was in school for classical voice at the time at the Cleveland Institute of Music) and excitedly wanting to discuss with her how it could be that one singer could sound sooo different from album to album... ;) I was obsessed, clearly, ha! I think I probably have to halt this discussion here, though I could probably go through the entire Dylan catalogue... but I do want to make a point that Dylan literally rocked my world. Again, I was at classical music school, studying to be an opera singer. I heard Dylan, and fell in love. Everything that I have done since then has been different than everything I have done before. Isn't that amazing? It's my fervent hope someday to meet this man, in fact I even have an opening line ready for him: "Hey, it's so nice to meet you! My last name is Zimmer!" ;) (Get it? Bob Zimmerman? I'm so suave... ;)) www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
15 Albums That Changed My Life So, over there on facebook, you know there's these "notes" going around where, once you've been tagged, you have to list something. The newest is, "The 15 Albums That Changed Your Life (or made some incredible impact). Here's my list! I listed the first 15, but then had 10 extra pretty essential ones that I had to list below that. Also, may I just say, often what I heard from an artist initially was a greatest hits compilation, and then after I fell in love with that, I went out and bought individual albums... so, that explains all the greatest hits. in no particular order:
1. Laura Nyro--New York Tendaberry
2. Joan Baez--Farewell Angelina
3. Lou Reed--Perfect Night: Live in London
4. Bob Dylan--Nashville Skyline
5. Bob Dylan--The Times They Are A-Changin
6. Bob Dylan--Time Out of Mind
7. Beach Boys--Pet Sounds
8. Beach Boys--Smile
9. Jeff Buckley--Grace
10. Joni Mitchell--Blue
11. Aretha Franklin--Greatest Hits
12. Queen--Greatest Hits Vol. 1
13. The Mamas & The Papas--Greatest Hits
14. Thomas Hampson--American Dreamer: Songs of Stephen Foster
15. Margaret Price--Brahms: Lieder
(16. Elvis Presley--'68 Comeback Special)
(17. Judee Sill--Judee Sill)
(18. Gillian Welch--Time: The Revelator)
(19. Dennis Wilson--Pacific Ocean Blue)
(20. Simon & Garfunkel--Bridge Over Troubled Water)
(21. Merle Haggard--20 Hits, Vol. 1)
(22. Dolly Parton--Jolene)
(23. Kate Bush--The Kick Inside)
(24. Prince--Purple Rain)
(25. Dawn Upshaw--I Wish It So)
*Honorable Mention* (I just can't stop!!!)
Floyd Cramer--Last Date
Guns n Roses--Appetite for Destruction
Dolly Parton--Coat of Many Colors
Joni Mitchell--Court & Spark
Joni Mitchell--For the Roses
Johnny Cash--At Folsom Prison
Patty Griffin--Living with Ghosts
Bright Eyes--Lifted
Sufjan Stevens--Illinoise
Beatles--White Album
Laura Nyro--Eli and the 13th Confession
Gram Parsons (tribute to)--The Return of the Grievous Angel
... and I'm cutting myself off.
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axsenchooayt the positive (WARNING: Contents are positive. This is not intended as some kind of new age, self-help blog. The thoughts expressed herein actually do reflect the intentions of the author. Post-grunge rock n roll takes no responsibility for the non-self-loathing tone of this musician.) A few days ago, a pilot skillfully and miraculously landed a crashing plane in the Hudson River here in NYC. 155 people were NOT killed; in fact, every last one survived. Tuesday, we'll celebrate that a man who was born as an underdog in life DIDN'T look in the mirror and say, who am I kidding, a black man will never be elected President of the United States, why try? Instead, Barack Obama tried. And hey, man, it worked. I mean, this is all a bit extraordinary! Wouldn't you agree? So, in the spirit of all these positive happenings, guess what: I'm making a new year's resolution. I don't EVER make New Year's resolutions, probably out of fear of failure--if I didn't make one, then I can't NOT do it, you know? Not this year. And here's my resolution: I'm going to believe in my dreams. (And, you know what? As I say that to myself, it TERRIFIES ME. Wow. Bring it on, I guess.) Because, though I readily admit I am a hopeless romantic and an avid dreamer, all too often I dream just for the beautifully futile sake of dreaming--I don't actually believe in the dream. That's the truth. However, this year, I'm going to really try to believe in my dreams. Why not? Stranger things have happened... ! A friend of mine had this poem posted on her fridge at Christmas, and it's been in my mind ever since. Ironically, it seems the author now hates this composition and wants it to die, ha... what's that they say about believing in the ART, not necessarily the ARTIST?! But happy new year anyway to Sheenagh Pugh. And to you too, dear reader. Sometimes Sometimes things don’t go, after all, from bad to worse. Some years muscadel faces down frost; green thrives; the crops don’t fail, sometimes a man aims high, and all goes well. A people sometimes will step back from war; elect an honest man; decide they care enough, that they can’t leave some stranger poor. Some men become what they were born for. Sometimes our best efforts do not go amiss; sometimes we do as we meant to. The sun will sometimes melt a field of sorrow that seemed hard frozen: may it happen for you.
www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
a star is... born? last week I had kind of an interesting experience, and I thought I'd try to share it here, as best I can without violating the privacy agreement I signed forbidding me to talk about it, ha. all right. So, I believe I've mentioned this before, I'm happy to say that at this point in my life I'm doing exclusively music to earn my keep. It's taken me a lot of hard work to get to this point, and make no mistake, it ain't like I'm rollin in the dough or anything ;) but I can truly say that, as long as my hands are somehow filled with music, I am happy and (almost) fulfilled. This "working with music" manifests itself in different ways: I earn $$ by performing in a couple of different venues (none questionable, don't get any ideas ;) though that might be more fun) and then I earn the rest of the $$ by teaching private music lessons. I really enjoy the teaching, I enjoy the one-on-one contact with another music lover--being able to share the music-making experience as well as impart whatever knowledge I have. It's a real treat, and I think I'm kinda good at it. SO... through a roundabout connection, last week I was called in for the Bravo network (I'm hoping if I don't actually mention the NAME of the show, I'm safe? Watch me be carted off to jail because of a blog on myspace, ha...) to "audition" to be a voice teacher. Apparently the network is starting a reality show somewhat inspired by "Gossip Girl" in that, they're following around 5 affluent teenagers who live in Manhattan to get a sample of their lives. One of these students wants to be a singer, and is looking for a voice teacher... and voila, entre me. As I look back now, I realize that perhaps the network was just looking for free actors, actually, but at the time I (and all the auditionees) believed it was for real; if the girl/network liked us, we'd get a chance to become her voice teacher on tv. Cool eh? I showed up to the meeting greeted by a whole unexpected camera crew, and the whole interview was filmed. Normally, as a teacher, I take the reins in a lesson. However, in this particular case, I DEFINITELY did not have control! I came in, sat down and the girl started in with, "So, tell me about yourself." Now, folks, I'm just gonna tell you all for future reference: if you're looking for a voice teacher, what REALLY matters is how the teacher can help you. You should sing, and listen to the feedback the teacher gives you, see how your repoir is and try to judge from all that whether or not you could learn from this particular teacher. It's not a normal interview, and really shouldn't be treated as such. In an effort to maintain some sort of professional stature, I turned the question back on her with a, "Well, I wonder if you'd mind if we talked a bit about you first?" So, we did, apparently she wants to be an r & b singer but really hasn't done any performing outside of singing "The Star Spangled Banner" for a sports event at her school. But, she wants to be a big star, and wants to cut a CD, and wants to be in Rolling Stone. OK. I told her I could help her with that, I'd had some experience singing in a studio and cutting a couple of CDs. She then wondered about my performing experience, which I relayed to her--I don't know that she was very excited by my tales of starting with open mics, and then graduating to band shows, and getting started with myspace etc., but anyway, that's my story. I suggested, maybe since she thought her genre was r & b, she'd like to work on a show at a cabaret venue, or something? (Just for stage experience.) Not sure she was too excited about that suggestion either. She then asked if I'd ever worked with anyone famous. Now: have I taught lessons to anyone famous? No, I don't think so, not yet anyway. But I did mention that while doing open mics I worked alongside Nellie McKay, Regina Spector, Nicole Atkins, Jaymay, Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond and Spare Key's own producer Julian Velard. No luck, she didn't know any of those names. Because I figured she'd like to sing something in our interview, but I'd been told she didn't have a piano, I had brought in my travel guitar to use to get pitches for vocalises, etc. She asked about the travel guitar, then asked me to sing a song. I mean, the lessons aren't supposed to be about ME, necessarily, you know? But, coerced by the camera, I obliged and sang a verse of my song, "Teapot". I then finished, figuring we didn't need to spend too much time on me, but she then said, "Oh, were you finished?" And I thought, um, no. So I finished out the whole entire song, on camera. God only knows if it'll make the cut into the final show. :) Anyway, this girl was very, very sweet and nice, but I never did get to hear her sing so I don't know if she's got any kind of a voice or anything. The experience wasn't unpleasant, but I really felt that if people were going to watch her process of finding a voice teacher (I'll bet they had one secured from the beginning, probably some teacher to the stars) viewers would be totally misled about what the process entails! Because I already feel people are misled about "what it takes" to be a vocalist by shows like American Idol, where according to their standards people are either born a star or born not a star with no room for growth in-between, I thought I'd make a comment about it in my own public forum, right here, on my myspace blog. :) So, bottom line, folks: I'm not a star. Not yet, anyway. ;) But I'm a pretty competent musician. However, I've had YEARS AND YEARS of practice with this! Lessons, theory classes, performing experience, oh my goodness. Nobody falls out of the womb and a preordained star shines on them, unless maybe you're Christ or Judy Garland, ha. We've been sold this story of overnight success by Rolling Stone and the like that just isn't the truth! Don't buy it. Success with music is hard work just like everything else worth doing in life. There. Even if I do get fined for talking about this experience when I shouldn't have, if the powers that be read this message and get my point, maybe it'll be worth it. Maybe they'd like to take some music lessons from me to enable me to pay the fine. ;)
www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
Teapot Hello goils and gargoyles, I just put up an outtake from Spare Key, my song "Teapot", for your listening and downloading pleasure. If for some reason you can't download the song from MySpace, it's also available on my website, www.kathyzimmermusic.com, on the music page. Hope you enjoy. When I began recording Spare Key, I had 11 songs. It eventually was whittled down to six, due to time and budget constraints. However, of the five songs cut, there are a couple I'd still like to see recorded and released. I have always liked my song "Teapot", and in fact I like this particular recording, I like my voice on it (which is something I don't often say, in fact.) This version was produced by Ivan Bodley, who also played bass and electric guitar on the track. Jordan Perlson was the drummer, and yours truly did all the vocals and played acoustic guitar. Though I believe this recording could have been fleshed out a bit more here and there with different instrumentals, I sort of like this just as it is, too. Let me know what YOU think! Hey, I'm playing a few out-of-New-York-City shows in the near future, a solo show on Fri., 12/12 at Stir It Up in Mullica Hill, NJ and an acoustic trio show on Wed., 12/17 at The Space in Hamden, CT--if you're in the area, come on out! If you have friends in the area, send 'em out!! Thanks. :)
www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
DJ Special K So, for some reason, people are getting married in my family. I wrote a blog awhile back about my brother getting married over Memorial Day weekend in May, and now here I am writing a blog about my sister getting married over Thanksgiving weekend in November. Busy year. My sis's wedding was great. I didn't sing, was just the maid of honor--Molly (my sis) sings with a couple of choirs in Omaha, Nebraska, her current place of residence, and both of them sang for the service. (Seriously, a whole choir?! Not only one, but two! Crazy and awesome.) My only real musical moment of the wedding (the theme for all my blogs: music) came at the very end of their wedding dance. It's a long story, but I ended up DJing a bit at the very end, which was a trip, certainly something I've never done before. Among the songs I chose to spin were "Sweet Home Alabama", "Chattahoochie" and "Bohemian Rhapsody"--just with the intent of keeping the party going, you know. I have to say, one of my most favorite things in the whole world is a good wedding dance, and that's the truth--good music, good folks, good fun. The best. However, I was quite happy to sit out some dances and watch the results of my song-choosing efforts, that was a pleasure all its own. I'd say the highlight of all of this was "Bohemian Rhapsody", which I can't take all the credit for choosing, as my cousin Natalie and I spied it on the hard drive at the exact same time--but seriously. There's no way to be either graceful, cliche or rote when dancing to that song, and I also don't think there's a way to be non-exhuberant. Try it, you'll see what I mean--it's all air guitar, faux opera singing and balderdash, plus Freddie Mercury rockstar-acting. Oh man. If only I had video. ;) Just the thought makes me want to find my Queen CDs, which I think I'll do right now...
www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
yes we can Last night I witnessed a very able man be elected to the highest office in my country by the strength of his character and not according to the color of his skin. Right now, I couldn't be prouder to be an American. As I watched Barack Obama take the stage last night for his victory speech, I couldn't help but notice his face had a certain kind of solemn gravity to it, and I marveled at what it must be like, all of the sudden, to be given the responsibility of making thousands of people's dreams come true (people who believe you're capable of this feat), and of making a broken country work again. Maybe that weighty responsibility just became real to him as he stepped in front of the cameras for the first time as president-elect, amidst a cheering throng of revelers. Maybe for a second he doubted whether or not he was up to the gigantic task at hand. Maybe he was simply emotionally spent from the whirlwind the last few days have been for him, including the emotional depths brought on by the death of his grandmother as well as the emotional highs of achieving one of the greatest tangible successes the earth can bestow on one of its residents. Whatever the reason for the rather solemn look in his eyes as he began to address the crowd in Chicago, I saw it swiftly replaced by another look, which I interpreted to be: confidence and trust. I'm projecting onto him right now, but I felt he did what he's done this entire campaign, and that was to simply trust in the purity of the moment and in the purity of his intentions--trust that, in the end, it will work out, because he's making his decisions for the right reasons. I always have to work these blogs back to music... ;) and though I realize I'm projecting onto him what I thought that look in his eyes represented, I identify with what I think it was--I have it, sometimes, when I sing. I know the best moments that happen when I sing are when I stop worrying about how the audience will view me, if they'll get the message I'm trying to tell them, if they'll like my sound, if I'm a good enough musician, etc.--when I let all of those worrying judgments go and just trust that, because I'm being honest in my artistry and efforts at communication, somehow, people will get it, and it will work. And during those moments when I trust and just sort of "jump", I sing my best. I think Barack Obama is capable of this job. I trust him because I think he's coming from a good place. I hope that place of purity stays in contact for him throughout his term, and even before he is sworn in as President of the United States, I'm learing from his example. Isn't this the stuff of which heroes are made? :) www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
sweet inspiration I thought maybe I should make a mention of the lovely artwork I have here on my myspace page (with more to come!) An illustrator from the UK by the name of Rob Jones contacted me, said he loved my music and wondered if I had any need for some illustrations. Pretty cool, eh? So I said, sure, I'm always looking for artwork for fliers, etc... so he sent me two really beautiful works, the one shown here currently (inspired, I think, by my song "In the Park with George") and another which I'm keeping under wraps for a bit longer, a whimsical work which I'd like to think is inspired by my song "Summer". Enjoy! I'll do my best to get his work seen by the city and all, on fliers and etc... if you'd like to contact him, his e-mail is listed on the artwork, and his website is www.finalcrit.com/art/robjones. Thanks Rob, you made my day by sharing your talents! Maybe the highest compliment an artist can receive is the knowledge that they've inspired another artist? In that case, maybe I'll have to write you some music... ;) www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
NYC Buddy Walk 2008 On Sunday I was delighted to play a short set at the National Down Syndrome Society's annual event in New York's Central Park, called the Buddy Walk. It's a fundraiser/awareness-creating/awesome celebration for all things and people connected to Down Syndrome. J. D. Samson of Le Tigre was there to serve as the official event DJ, and I have to say I am quite impressed with this girl--not only is she quite talented, but she's an absolute sweetheart in person, and after perusing her MySpace page, I see she's quite generous with her time for other causes as well! Inspirational in many unique ways, for sure! She had brought with her her friend Sia, and what a pleasure it was to meet her too--such a warm person, I gratefully felt like we were insta-friends. Some people have the gift of drawing in anybody through artful conversation, and I think this girl has that talent--that, plus she was completely humble and down-to-earth in her anonimity here, wow. It was raining heavily during the entire event, but Sia is especially adept at making trash bag raincots (which she did for me) and so, undaunted by the rain, I believe she and I and several small children had a hand in convincing Buddy Walk attendees that, in fact, it was pretty fun to dance with raindrops falling on your head (and running in rivulets down your neck, back... soaking your underwear and socks... ah, good times. ) I really hope that somewhere, video footage exists of this event (*10/12/08 update--it does! I uploaded it to my Facebook.com music page, check it out there!*)--ok, here goes, my best attempt at a description of it: picture that awesome 90s video "No Rain" from Blind Melon, the one with the girl in the bumblebee costume... except WITH lots of rain, ha! That was kind of the scene. Everywhere, kids eating cotton candy while the rain melted it almost instantly, families huddled together under umbrellas with big ol' smiles on their faces and feet shuffling to the music, EVERYONE drenched to their eyeballs... and having a great time. Pretty great when people just DECIDE to have a great time, you know? Anyhoo, I played "My Friend to the End" and "Pop Song" (shortened set, due to everything being delayed by, you guessed it, the rain) and I had a ton of fun, as you also may have guessed by now. Here's to more selfless celebrities (and regular people too) who are willing to anonymously donate their energy, enthusiasm, talent and time! Cheers. www.http://web2.nessmp3.com/bands/761/
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock What a beautiful day today is, perfect jacket weather! Small breeze blowing through my curtains, cheerful outside glow... days like today make me feel all right, you know? I'm having a rehearsal with The Sugar Bowls tonight and given that it wasn't the most convenient time for them to meet, I decided, since I had time, I'd make cookies for the rehearsal. :) See, you can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl... I love baking, and on top of the gorgeous day, my apartment also now smells like cinnamon and ginger. Heaven is a fall afternoon. We're rehearsing tonight for a little show we're doing on Friday at the American Folk Art Museum in midtown Manhattan. We've played there once before and had a really great experience, I hope this performance will equal that. Anytime new people actually stop and listen when we sing... well, that's just it, right there, that's what we're going for and that small act makes it all worthwhile. It's hard, though, to grab people's attention these days, and I imagine it's hardest in Manhattan, the epicenter of attention deficit disorder... so much going on around you, it takes such great force of will to STOP (especially for some chanced-upon encounter) and listen! But, you know, if people don't listen... well, what's that Bible passage about, "a noisy gong sounding in the wind..."? I think that verse is about love, but perhaps love translates into an audience for a musician! Basically, if a tree falls in a forest but there's no one around to hear it, does it make a sound? Kind of the same thing with a musician: no matter how many beautiful songs you write or how many beautiful notes you sing, if nobody's listening... who cares? So obviously, an audience is where it's at. I know as time goes on we're more and more a stay-at-home culture of people: we have tv, internet, every comfort we could desire right in our homes. These comforts don't really induce one to get up and go OUT to experience life... also, people work harder, all the time; you'd think those "comforts" like the internet would free up our time, but doesn't it seem like we have less free time than ever? As someone who IS a live performer, I urge you: turn your head away from the screen, and come outside! Think about it like this: how many memorable hours have you spent in front of a TV or a computer? ... EXACTLY. Now, comparatively, how many "events" have you attended in the swim of life that you remember with alacrity? I'll wager the scales tip in this direction. Why not spend time in a way you'll remember? (ha) Seriously, life is too short to not have at least good memories to show for the time you've spent. So for cryin out loud, my friends, come and hear us, the Sugar Bowls and I are singing this Friday at 6:00 p.m. for FREE, and we have a full band show on Tues., Oct. 7 at 9:00, both in NYC. Your presence makes us feel as though our efforts are worthwhile, and I 100% guarantee you'll enjoy the time spent outside of your apartment in this beautiful North American season we have called autumn. Hopefully the music will make you happy too. http://www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
Farinelli dear lovelies, I have just made three new songs available for your listening pleasure on my music page here, they’re from a live recording of an acoustic trio performance ("acoustic trio" means me singing and playing guitar in the company of my two backup singers, The Sugar Bowls.) We made this recording a few weeks ago at a studio/performance space in Mt. Holly, NJ. 'Twas a great time! Thought I should explain the song “Farinelli” a bit: Farinelli was the most famous castrato that ever lived (look it up.) I got to thinking about him when they dug him up a little while ago to study the effects of his condition on his body. I started pondering the fact that, in his time, he was the equivalent of a rock star... and he not only couldn't partake in any of the groupies his superstardom afforded him, but he couldn't even have a wife and kids. Thus, his role in the world was simply to sing, and nothing more; this is what this song is about. This recording session was the one that was funded by selling 25 pre-sale copies of the CD; those who bought a CD were also allowed admission into the taping. Upon completion of the CDs, they were sent to the recipients with the following blurb: Kathy Zimmer: Live at the Blue Light Sessions On Saturday, August 16, 2008, Kathy Zimmer and her two Sugar Bowls, Deanna Lee Davis and Lizanne Lachat, made a long and winding road trip in Kathy’s ’93 Honda hatchback out to Mt. Holly, New Jersey from New York City. It took awhile for them to get there, what with the heavy traffic (probably due to the extra beautiful day), and for some reason getting back into NYC took an eternity (Kathy almost got into a fistfight with a mammoth Highlander who was trying to cut the line for the toll at the Triboro Bridge, that’s no lie!) but in the short amount of time NOT spent in the car that day, something beautiful was created. You’re holding it in your hands! Kathy Zimmer: Live at the Blue Light Sessions is a live recording of eight previously unrecorded songs by Kathy Zimmer, arranged in her signature “Sugar Bowls” style. This was a live, continuous performance: no overdubs, no individual tracking, no breaks in-between the songs—the real deal! The “acoustic trio” setup that was used for this session (just voices and guitar, sans band—no drums, bass, etc.) really highlights the intricate vocal harmonies and colorful lyrics of these fresh songs, and paints them in a stark and intimate light. Though there was a studio audience, the choice was made to have no applause in-between songs (in the interests of keeping the music continuously flowing—so, it’s more like a studio album, except with bits of quirky patter sprinkled throughout.) As the tags for handmade garments often state, “Any quirks in the product should not be viewed as flaws, but rather distinctive markings that lend character and individuality.” Thanks for your support in making this live recording happen. Hope you enjoy it, you are the grease for these squeaky wheels! … video footage from the session is also coming, so stay tuned!
One of Ours Yesterday I was one of about 75 (lucky) people to see Conor Oberst play at Other Music in NYC with his Mystic Valley Band. http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2008/08/conor_oberst_pl.html. Let me explain. One of my good friends bought Conor's new solo album the morning that it came out, last Tuesday, at Other Music. (BTW, this is worth noting: Other Music was just named one of the top 10 music stores in the U. S. by Paste magazine, see here: http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2008/06/the-record-store-a-good-thing.html. It's a small, very exclusive store in Manhattan. It also happens to be carrying MY cd, Spare Key. Cool eh? http://www.othermusic.com.) Anyway, at the time that she bought the CD, she was given a ticket to see Conor at this in-store music performance; but, alas, she had previously made plans to be out of town. SOO... her being the good friend that she is, and knowing that I'm a rabid Conor fan myself, she passed on her ticket to me. So happily, I went! I realize there are some naysayers probably reading this blog right now, but I would like to state, for the record (actually I've already done this a couple of times) that I think Conor is It. I love this boy. He's an amazing poet, and sort of tapped-in, so to speak, to that mystical essence of life (see my Willa Cather blog.) This was a performance in the middle of the afternoon, 1:00 p.m., but in spite of the daylight, he got so deep so quick (also in spite of the Hot Topic girls that were there to see him! Not to diss them. There were also other audience members there, of seemingly all backgrounds and possibly music tastes, but undeniably, the small inappropriate screaming was from Hot Topic girls.) Aside from the awesome intimate concert experience itself, I also went to this concert on a mission to give Conor my CD, Spare Key. I have a bunch of things in common with him, namely: I'm from Nebraska (though, as I stress often, I'm from the RURAL part of Nebraska, he's from the URBAN part. As much as you might want to pass off Omaha as off-the-beaten-path, believe me, I know a place that's moreso!) Also, I went to elementary school with Mike Mogis, the producer for much of Saddle Creek's music and a regular member of the Bright Eyes band (this is true. I have the Kindergarten through 2nd grade class pictures to prove it, ha!) And, I love Conor's music. I'd like to think maybe he'd dig mine. After the concert, I realized something: if I gave him my CD, kind of hung around after the show, stalking, waiting for him to emerge from the back of the shop, and then pounced upon him with the aim of GETTING SOMETHING MORE, sort of, from him... well, I just didn't want to do that. This boy gives a lot of himself already, in his music, in his performances... and I don't want to be greedy and insist on taking even more than that. But I did want him to hear my music. Ah, the dilemma. So here's how I compromised: his band came out of Other Music much before him, so I went up to the guitarist (who was not swarmed with fans) and asked him to please give my CD to Conor, I explained I was from western Nebraska but I now live in NYC, I said I didn't want to ambush Conor, and by the way, he did a fabulous job playing the guitar... and he agreed to give Conor Spare Key. Whether he actually did or not, I don't know, but I think it's possible he did, and I had a decent conscience when I left the scene, which is really the only way to be. Kisses to Conor, hope he gets the CD and enjoys it.
http://www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
old-time radio So, lately I've been doing a bit of radio this and that, getting some airplay, making some in-station appearances, etc. It's a real thrill, to broadcast your music (live and/or recorded) to unsuspecting ears! Yesterday I was a guest on the show Second Saturday on WPKN in Connecticut, with hosts Jo Williamson and Bob Johnson. I shared the airspace with another band, The Low Anthem, who were fresh from their appearance at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival and sounded really great. They were a three-piece band but I believe it's safe to say none of the members played the same instrument twice! They switched around on a dizzying array of random instruments stuffed into the studio--made me feel rather lonely when it was just little ol' me at my turn at the mic! But I think my music came out all right. I did mostly all new material, in preparation of the live acoustic trio CD I'll be recording this Saturday, Aug. 16 at a space in Mt. Holly, NJ of all new material. Wish me and the Sugar Bowls luck! On Sept. 5 I'll be a guest on another live radio show, this for KBBN in Broken Bow, Nebraska. Broken Bow is about 20 miles from my hometown, and this station is not only an amazing little station (its mix of music is truly incredible, arty even--and this in a small farming town in the Sandhills of Nebraska!) but it's also been a great friend to me, playing some of my music on occasion, having me give over-the-phone interviews and such. I've never played for them live, in-studio, so I think it's high time. In fact I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that the folks at KBBN gave me one of my first (if not THE first) professional music gigs! Back in high school, they asked me to sing for the concert held every year at the Custer County Fair, this particular year they were hiring a big-time professional band from Nashville (sure wish I could remember their name) and showcasing local talent to front the band. I was asked to duet with a gentleman by the name of Tim Holcomb on the song, "The Battle Hymn of Love" (hahahahahahaha, that title still gets me) by the country duo The Sweethearts of the Rodeo, and then I could pick my own solo to sing with the band. I picked "Leaving on a Jet Plane" by John Denver. I also just remembered that I opened the concert by singing the national anthem, though I believe that was a cappella. The concert was held outside on the Custer County Fairgrounds, the audience sat in grandstands and a stage was set up in front of the stands. I remember it was QUITE a thrill, it was a rather large audience and besides that, it was my first time in front of a band like that. I believe I was paid $50 for the performance (but honestly, I would have totally done it for free. :)) Anyway, that's a pretty great memory, and it's all due to Bob Bowles and Dave Birnie at KBBN. Looking forward to seeing them again on Sept. 5! I believe you can listen to their station online if you'd like to check it out, at www.kbbn.com.
http://www.nessmp3.com
I (heart) words Ever since visiting her childhood home in Red Cloud, Nebraska on a family vacation (and picking up some books there to read), I've been a fan of Willa Cather's writings. I think about her sometimes, knowing that she wrote her masterpieces about life on the Great Plains while she was cooped up in a New York apartment. I first read her book Song of the Lark, about a plains girl who becomes a famous opera singer, when I was in undergrad, and there was one seminal paragraph in that book that flattened me to the ground when I read it. For some reason it popped into my mind today, I love the earthiness it conjures up in its portrait of an artist (specifically, singer). So, here you go, here it is: "One morning, as she was standing upright in the pool, splashing water between her shoulder-blades with a big sponge, something flashed through her mind that made her draw herself up and stand still until the water had quite dried upon her flushed skin. The stream and the broken pottery: what was any art but an effort to make a sheath, a mould in which to imprison for a moment the shining, elusive element which is life itself,--life hurrying past us and running away, too strong to stop, too sweet to lose? The Indian women had held it in their jars. In the sculpture she had seen in the Art Institute, it had been caught in a flash of arrested motion. In singing, one made a vessel of one's throat and nostrils and held it on one's breath, caught the stream in a scale of natural intervals."
http://www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
make music, New York! About a week and a half ago I participated in this second annual festival here in NYC called the Make Music New York Festival. It's modeled after a festival in France that has existed for years: on every first day of summer, people get outside, wherever they are, and make music. I love the concept! The flower child in me wants nothing but peace, love and music for as far as the eye can see and the ear can hear. I was scheduled for two concerts that day, which was a bit of an honor in itself. The first concert took place, COMPLETELY UNAMPLIFIED, at Verdi Park, which is right outside of the 72nd Street stop on the 1-2-3 subway lines, it's a lovely park in an island at the intersection of 73rd and Broadway. Given its location, there are obvious noise issues with the subway and the traffic. There's no electricity in this park, which is why a concert there had to be unamplified. The classical singer in me was completely undaunted by this aspect; I'm a purist sometimes and I believe that unamplified singing is not only a lost technique (I think it takes certain chops to be able to sing well unamplified that most of today's singers simply don't have) but also a bit of a lost art form (I think audiences have grown so accustomed to amplification that, in a sense, they forget what a "live" singer sounds like!) That, plus I think nobody's created a microphone that correctly captures my voice. That's a whole different paranoia which I'm not going to discuss in this forum, but I'M RIGHT! ha. So anyway, I was ready for the unamplified challenge. My friend Tamara Hey shared the set with me, and we took turns being courageous folkie girls, armed with only acoustic guitars, and sang for the masses of New Yorkers who emerged from the subway. I loved it, actually, and Tamara said she was ready to do it again, too. I think people were alternately freaked out and fascinated by us, mixed with feelings of pity for the poor girls in the summer dresses who were singing into the face of the wind of the industrialized world! People stopped and listened (CHILDREN were the biggest stoppers, and they were also the most fun to watch tip us), some picked up show fliers and bought CDs, and of course, others kept right on walking, unfazed. It wouldn't have felt like New York if it had been otherwise! Some of my friends who have children and aren't up for regular nightlife shows came to hear us, it was such a gorgeous sky-blue type of day that I really think everyone had a great time. Of course, you had to be no farther than 10-15 feet away from us or you'd only see our lips move and our hands noiselessly strum (in my case, FINGERS PLUCK! Though my voice is up to the unamplified challenge, I fear my delicately picked guitar accompaniments are not! Oh well.) The second show I did was outside of an Irish pub in Soho called Mr. Dennehy's. There was a sound system at this gig provided by another act--actually, it was a GREAT sound system, which was fun too! Completely different set of acoustic circumstances. I sang there to the imagined former occupants of the tenement buildings of yore, my songs bouncing off of the old-style buildings across the narrow street from where I stood. Once again, people were receptive at this gig, stopping and listening for awhile and then continuing on their way. One particularly ardent admirer snuck a beer from the pub out to me on the sidewalk (it's illegal to have an open container of alcohol on the street in NYC. Laws are made for breaking, I always say, ha. You all don't realize what a rebel I am, in spite of the nicety of my music. I'm a rebel in a way that society hasn't yet learned to recognize. ;)) Anyway, the point is, it was an absolutely lovely day and I'm so glad to have been able to take part in it. I have some pictures from the day posted on www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer, I'd upload them here but my computer crashed last night and I lost them, that's no lie! Ah technology. Sometimes it's more fun to be no wires attached.
http://www.nessmp3.com/music/bands/761/
dreamin' Does anybody here interpret dreams? My friend Kristie Foster (owner of KrisTees, a lovely clothing boutique here in Astoria, www.kristeesny.com) had this amazing dream about me which affected her so much that upon awakening she took extensive notes and then transcribed the whole thing! I can't believe all the detail, it's impressive and touching. If anybody has any interpretations, I'd love to hear them, thanks! --KZ Kristie Foster's Dream about Kathy You were being honored at a ceremony and wearing the purple feather dress. (This is a dress Kristie sells in her store, it's beautiful. –KZ) The auditorium had lots of young people passing in and out, grabbing snacks and refreshments, sitting down and watching your videos and performances on a widescreen movie screen. The feeling of the auditorium felt like it was in a church reception hall. Chairs were like the card folding chairs in metal. I was sitting down with you by the back wall and you were showing me some older videos of you performing some older songs on an older tv monitor. The first song was about two lovers. It was pop driven and sexy and slow. Vibe was intimate and kind of Sonia Kitchell. You said a friend asked you to write it for his movie. There was a truck horn recording in it somewhere… ??? Second song was a video of you singing a duet with your mom or sister or some family relative? It was a slower acoustic song with more vocals and less guitar. It sounded very innocent but very genuine. Sounded very Colbie Callait with the tempo of the song out right now that she says she "realized what I realized." You were wearing a white vintage blouse with rounded collar and lace edges on collars and so was the other person. You also had a flower in your hair that looked like an orchid. The song made me cry in the dream because it was so heartfelt and "real" between the sound of the duet and the vocals. In the last song you were traveling in the video. You are recorded in a vintage inspired dress and wearing parachute straps standing on a chair in a room like you are going to fly off it singing. I can't recall how this relates or if it was part of the video in the last song but I wrote that there were mermaids jumping offshore into water at one of the beaches where "we" are in Southampton. I don't know if the "we" means I was there with you or you were there by yourself or I was there by myself… But all was very interesting and was very intense when I woke. All the songs really just knocked me over how great they were and I couldn't get especially that duet song out of my head. In the dream it really amazed me and you played down all of these songs because they were older things you had done and I was pushing you to get them out there! You said you would, you would… then I said to you that all these people here at the ceremony were here for you and you said to me, "No, I think they are here for the cake." Very Kathy statement. :) The cake being served was a simple vanilla sheet cake, cut in squares on paper plates. No icing or anything, just very simple.
http://www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
he ain't heavy I sometimes shy away from talking too much about my family or making music with my family, because it's one of those pure places for me, it's a topic that I'd prefer to not hold up to public scrutiny and just keep mine, private... safe, kind of. However, I'm feeling a bit inspired so I'm going to share just a tad bit. This inspiration comes from the fact that my little brother got married a couple of weeks ago. I'm the oldest of five kids, two girls and three boys, and this brother is the oldest of the three brothers. I can't even tell you how proud I was of him, of the man he's become, of his choice of a spouse... and I'm aware you're probably not all that interested in my family pride, ha! But anyway, the wedding was a great time, practically all of my humongous family was there (each parent of mine comes from huge ol' farm families of eight kids each, so you can just imagine the multitudes! And each family knows how to get down as well as pack 'em in. ;)) My sister and I did the music for the wedding service. We both sang, I played guitar, our cousin played piano and another cousin, god bless him, was supposed to join us and sing and play some lead guitar, but he's a starving college guy out in western Nebraska and at the last minute didn't have money to put gas in the tank of his truck (it's a long story) so he didn't make it to the service. It's ok, we'll get him for the next one. ;) My sister and I have sung together for, well, our whole lives. Me being the older (my sis is three years younger), I think I was mostly the instigator for this. I specifically remember sitting with her in the bathroom when we were maybe ages 12 and 9, each of us singing into a little cassette recorder, and I'd insist we record another take of a song under the grounds that she was flat on her harmony part, ha!... hopefully I wasn't much of a slave driver, she seemed to want to sing too. Were it not for these times singing with her, trying to make up harmony parts, learning to sing as well as play guitar at the same time, performing in all the capacities we did... well, I wouldn't be able to do lots of things that I do now, that's for sure. Many of the times I sang in public through college, I sang with my sister. Our voices are very similar, and we have an instinct for what the other is going to do and we act accordingly. Needless to say, a sacrifice included in moving away from Nebraska and following my musical bliss to New York City is that I don't often get to sing with my sister anymore. She now lives in Omaha, and sings in a variety of venues there. No matter how many backup singers I have (or duet partners), I don't think anyone will ever match my sis! (sorry guys!) All I can say is, I'm really lucky to have her, and that statement doesn't even come close to doing it justice. Hopefully we'll find many more opportunities to sing together before everything is said and done.
http://www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
Dolly all right. Well, since I made such a big deal awhile back about going to see the Police, I think I'd be pretty remiss if I didn't mention that I went to see Dolly Parton at Radio City this last Thursday evening.
Again, another good friend, god bless her, hooked me up at the last minute with a ticket. I went, I saw Dolly from orchestra seats (she didn't make use of the two big-screen tvs on either side of the stage... probably a wise decision.) And I loved her.
Dolly Parton goes deep deep deep for me. I remember hearing "Jolene" on the radio when I was a kid and just... LONGING for the next time I'd hear it again, you know? My childhood was not yet the days of the internet when everything was at the tips of your fingers, and I was not yet of the age when I was buying my own music, so I just had to patiently wait for the DJ to spin "Jolene" again. And given that the song came out in... '73, I think? It wasn't in its heyday when I was introduced to it, so it took a long time for it to come back around the playlist! It was elusive and very magical.
I went through a time when I scoffed at Dolly, she was too much fake big blondness for me. I have since grown up and so have my musical tastes.
I'm not going to say too much about her, after seeing her in concert, except that she's just an angel. As a woman who's a musician, I admire how tough she is, I admire her talents and her business sense and the fact that she's an earthy girly-girl who, though she has used her sexuality to her advantage, has at least been unflinching in doing it her way. I think there's no one else like her.
And don't even get me started on how great her music is!
And though I am not from the backwoods nor am I a Barbie ;), I am from a town population 160 and had 19 people in my graduating high school class, seven in my graduating 8th grade class (five girls, two boys, one of whom was my cousin. ;)) So I think that qualifies me to say that I can relate with her story of moving from the country to the big city, even though my big city isn't Nashville. Now I just have to get some gold records and co-star in movies about fun-loving whores with Burt Reynolds and Sylvester Stallone...
I feel like I could write about her for forever, so I think I'd better stop while I can!
http://www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
happiness is a warm gun Awhile back I was asked to complete a "list" for this magazine named Fingermag, based out of Zurich. The whole magazine is a series of lists from a variety of artists, each artist answers their preferences to a set of questions that mostly revolve around musical tastes. In a roundabout way, it gives you a glimpse into the psyche of each artist. One of the questions asked was, "Favorite Beatles Song?" I responded, "In My Life", which is a fabulous song, well crafted and nicely hard-to-pin-down, as far as style and intent, etc. I do love it. However, I'd like to change my answer. About two weeks ago I feel in love, HARD, with "Happiness Is a Warm Gun". Just thinking about it now, I turn all mushy and gooey and warm-feeling inside, ha! Though I'd previously heard the song, I'd never owned a copy of the White Album until now, and the song had never hit me--and then, POW, right between the eyes. I'm still trying to get to the bottom of the song, actually, so I'm probably not ripe to talk about it, but... I mean, the form, the imagery, the way it just, with no warning, yawns into this twistedly sexy chorus that's so smart and witty and... perfect. The song doesn't make sense, structurally, it's not your typical pop song verse-chorus thing (which especially endears it to me, because sometimes my own forms are, um, imaginitive! Off the beaten path, shall we say.) but IT WORKS so well... HOW does it work so well?? How did that happen??!! How did they get the right sound for John Lennon's vocals in the chorus? Aurally, it sounds like red wine momentarily dripping somewhere and then being licked off, ha! IT DOES! And... of course, I'm a sucker for sensual religious references, god knows why (no pun intended ;)) so "Mother Superior jumped the gun" is... such a ripe and obtuse phrase, deliciously so. And don't even get me started on, "She's not a girl who misses much--she's well acquainted with the touch of a velvet hand like a lizard on a window pane." I mean, (... inarticulatable pause... ) (*shakes head and comes back to present moment*) Sorry, language seduces me! And all these pictures conjured up behind my eyelids are as intoxicating as all that red wine in the chorus. Last thing I'll mention and then I'll stop swooning here--if nothing else at least you are being made aware of how my honest reaction to music I love is visceral as well as intellectual!--I just want to know: how is it possible that we travel such a great distance between each short section of the song? Seconds pass as the sections collide into each other, and there is different sonic landscapes set for each section, but even so--nothing seems inappropriately disjointed, it all works together... oh man, I gotta stop typing. Steam is pouring out of my ears as my brain is working overtime, much like the man in the song's hands are working overtime as he's lying with his eyes. Too much greatness for me. One of the first days after I'd fallen in love with "Happiness Is a Warm Gun", I stumbled by accident into Strawberry Fields in Central Park as I was listening to the White Album on my headphones. I left a show flier there in memory of and in thanks to Mr. John Lennon.
http://www.nessmp3.com/music/bands/761/
today is April 10th of the year 2008 In a rehearsal held a bit earlier today (for our show on 4/15), my sweet band pointed out that today is April 10... three years from the date given in the opening line of my song "In the Park with George". What’s more, it’s the first thing they said to me as I walked in the door of the rehearsal studio, I hadn’t even gotten to singing the song yet! I think they thought it a bit of a momentous occasion. ;)
And them thinking that is influencing my view of today, too. I’ve never written a blog in the afternoon (I feel a bit like the Simon & Garfunkel song "Cecilia", ha!) but I’m in such a reflective mood right now that it seemed like a good thing to do, kind of get all of my thoughts out in the sun (and god bless it, it’s a beautiful day, too, just like what inspired the song.)
I knew as soon as I put a date in one of my songs, that it would be outdated. I kind of didn’t care, as I appreciate rear-view mirror perspectives, so long as one doesn’t desire to enter the mirror. Now, three years from the date of composing that song, I’m looking in the rear-view mirror, at myself and my life on and since that date.
Hmm. As of recently, very recently, I’m learning that not only can you not change anyone (I’ve known this for a long time, but sometimes your actions don’t reflect the knowledge in your head) but it’s also not always your own shortcoming that impedes success (in whatever form). Basically, I’m learning to take a good, hard look in the mirror, not even necessarily a rear-view mirror, and gaze at something that is worth it. For real. No more excuses.
I think that’s a pretty great distance to have traveled in three years!
So who knows, maybe I’ll write another song today, on April 10. That one will be a little different, ha! Kisses anyway to George, or maybe, as we were joking in the rehearsal, KISS OFF to George... ;)
http://www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
the urge for going It's 12:11 a.m. as I start writing this blog, and I really should be doing lesson plans for my music students tomorrow. As it is, though, my kitchen window is open and a spring (yet still brisk) breeze is blowing on my face and through my blood, making it impossible for me to focus on anything to do with tomorrow. So procrastinate I shall! Hmm. What's new these days? Well, I bought myself a little travel guitar (a "Trailblazer", made by Johnson) which is inspiring me endlessly to get out o'Dodge (aka NYC) and go travelin. At this point, I'm open to anywhere new--I am a Sagittarius, after all, and the yearning to experience someplace new is in my soul! I can't believe I've been in NYC for as long as I have, actually... I've lived in my apartment for longer than I've lived anywhere else, excluding my parents' home. Settle? Perish the thought! I do know one thing, I'll be performing in September as part of the Mid-American Music Festival, an inaugural year for a music festival in Omaha, Nebraska. I know September is a long ways away (cue Kurt Weill's "September Song", "Oh it's a long long while from May to December...") but I'm already thinking about this show, partly because a) I want to get the heck out of Dodge, as previously mentioned, and b) though Nebraska runs through my blood more thoroughly than does this spring breeze tonight, I've never actually played a show of MY songs there, ever. So this is kind of blowing my mind--in a way, this will be a celebration, a homecoming show; in another way, it's an unnerving exposition (I can't run any longer! All my friends and family will know EXACTLY what it is I do! Time to face the music, so to speak. ;)) Regardless of the nerve-wracking aspect, though, I can't wait to play. I'm hoping to book other shows at out-of-the-way corners of the earth this summer too. If you know of somewhere that'd be itching for a restless NYC singer/songwriter folkie gal to come play for them, let me know! I'm up for it. Here's hoping my car is as ready to wander as I am, ha! Lotsa love to you.
http://www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
Detroit in '68 been awhile, eh? I like to write blogs AT LEAST once every year and a half. Gotta leave people always wanting more, you know! ;) So, what's happening? I released a new album since my last blog. I like it quite, quite a bit. Always striving, reaching for that next stage of artistic development, or next level of self-expression. always always. I've been worried lately about turning into that character from the Joni Mitchell song "The Last Time I Saw Richard". If you don't know what I mean, check out the song, it's such a beautiful heartbreaker, like all Joni songs actually. True to the song, at least I haven't bought myself a dishwasher yet (though I've owned a coffee perculator for, oh, since college!) and what's more, I don't have anyone else to buy it for me. My TV is still off and my house lights are only on bright when I want them to be. Conversely, though, I might just be hiding away at dark tables in corners of cafes, I just might be. That ain't too healthy. Lotsa love to ya anyways, from my candlelit corner (temporary hiding place).
http://www.last.fm/user/kathrynzimmer/journal/2008/02/3/638066/
just a Saturday (a day in the life) Have you ever been in one of those states of mind where you're not really sure what emotion you're feeling? And basically, if you decided to pick ANY emotion, it'd be right there at your fingertips, ready for the choosing. Welcome to Kathy Z at 1:25 a.m. EST on Sunday, Jan. 20! This has been a crazy busy day. I got my hair cut, pondered my reflection in the beauty salon mirror and wondered about it, didn't have the hair dresser blow dry my hair to save a few $$ but then went out in the cold with dripping wet hair (!), bought a new pair of earrings to complement the 'do, went looking for the latest issue of Rock-n-Reel magazine (I'm supposed to have a little blurb in the back of it, but so far all the NY news stands are still stocking December's issue, and I'm in Jan./Feb.) Tried to make a bunch of illegal photocopies of music but only got halfway done cause I broke the photocopier, talked to an old friend whose mother died suddenly on Dec. 8, and surfed the net looking for footage of Tom Cruise making a Scientology speech. Couldn't find it, btw. Ate chili mango (dried mangos coated in chili powder, had some for the first time at a reception on New Year's Eve afternoon, I've been looking for it since.) Drank some coffee. Found out I'm gonna book another NYC band show! Stressed a little bit about various relationships. Didn't go out. It's ok, I'll do that later. That's it, pretty much. My soundtrack for today was the album Jolene by Dolly Parton. I thought a lot about her today, rumors I've heard about her, wondering what sort of a woman she really is (ambitious, obviously... wholesome in some respects or she couldn't write songs with the voice she does, though I wonder how much is really wholesome and how much is "the product." And what does she look like without a wig on? And who did the production on Jolene, anyway? Cause it's great.) Tomorrow: gotta make some music, I hate it when days get away from me when I don't make any. Gotta do some planning. Exercise. Before then: chilllllll!
http://www.nessmp3.com/music/bands/761/
in appreciation of my band
When both of my backup singers showed up in spite of having almost voice-debilitating head colds at last Saturday's band gig at the Bowery Poetry Club, it occurred to me that perhaps I needed to talk them up a bit more than just mentioning their names while onstage--these people are not only talented, sexy AND have great personalities, but they're also DEDICATED! So let me tell you a bit more about these musical beings.
The most dedicated of the band members, hands down, is Sarah Ogden (she's the red-haired backup singer.) I've known Sarah since school at the Cleveland Institute of Music; in fact, she was the one who enabled me to move to NYC in the first place. Sarah lived here first (albeit on Staten Island, but thankfully that was a short stint) and even let me share a bedroom with her for a few months until I got my bearings--THAT is a good friend! I recall a few gigs back in the beginning where she duetted with me, and at one of those first gigs, she was my only audience member. :) ha! All of these things are aside from the fact that she's a fabulous singer and musician. Sarah is a good woman to have on your side.
Two other fabulous musicians share the second backup singer role, depending on their availability. Kari Swenson Riely has also been around since the days of the Cleveland Institute of Music, and she's another invaluable friend (it's hard to sum up friendships in blogs!) The duo of Kari and Sarah have named themselves "The Foxies", they're the ones in the live shots in my gallery here (yes, under the pink wigs). Kari is as equally talented an actress as she is a musician (which is saying quite a lot), check her out at http://imdb.com/name/nm2350994/.
Jessica Tivens (the other rotating backup singer) and I met because it is a small world. We actually met on this very vehicle of obsession, MySpace, but through hookup of a mutual real-life friend. All four of us singers are classically trained (yikes!) which makes for some good music (some of the stuff I write isn't easy!) The combo of Sarah and Jessica have named themselves "The Sugar Bowls", and Jessica is shown in the YouTube clip I've posted on my profile. Jessica is a sweetheart, she's in my top friends here (check out her own music, it's great!)
The bassist and drummer positions have been filled lately by a few different ones, again, depending on who's available. All of these guys are just fantastic musicians, I'm so glad to have them around. Jordan Perlson has played with me for the longest time, and he's the drummer on Spare Key. Joel Arnow and Bennett Miller were introduced to me through my friend Julian Velard (they play in the U. S. version of his band) and they played the Spare Key release show with me. Chris Tarry and Brian Wolfe have been the most recent additions, and what a pleasure it's been getting to know them and getting to play with them. They're all really a blast to make music with, check them out in my top friends here.
Lisa Bianco is a fellow singer/songwriter in her own right, she's got a band and she rocks--but lo and behold, she also plays flute! I think I'm the only one that is currently graced with her flautist talents, and I'm so grateful for that. I've known Lisa for a long time, we kicked around open mics together and hung out before we started making music together. She's such an awesome presence, a spunky girl to have with you onstage (and a great musician--and friend!) She's in my top friends here.
Last but not least at all, Timothy Dark is a rapper with his own band who does guest spots with me. I tell you the truth when I say that every time I've witnessed Timothy performing onstage, he steals the show! This is a very talented dude, another really awesome friend (I've got great people around me, what can I say.) I actually performed with Timothy's band first, I recorded a song with him a couple of years ago called "Dance on My Grave" (very hot track) and eventually he's gotten the chance to return the favor. I'd say that, by virtue of being the most surprising component of my band, he ups my hipness quotient by about 75%. ;) Again, in my top friends here.
Basic gist of this lengthy diatribe: thanks, guys. I have a ball when I'm onstage with you!
http://www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
obscuresound.com review Kathy Zimmer Uses a Spare Key
The transition from serene rurality to urban skyscrapers can be quite traumatic, especially in regard to first-time visitors of New York City. Public transportation, swelling streets with numbered names, the ceaseless commute… what is considered overwhelming to visitors is a natural way of life for natives. For artists, the change of scenery can be a make-or-break affair. Many either find it a struggle to adapt to the swift change of life or scenery, but others embrace it and consider it to be a new experience that will guide them in their upcoming work. As her songwriting shows, Kathy Zimmer can certainly prove in appliance to the latter. Raised in rural Nebraska, Zimmer's childhood seems more like a singer/songwriter stereotype than anything. She grew up admiring folk music, impressing the eager townsfolk with her powerful voice and melodic adeptness. She learned guitar early in her life, singing at a variety of Nebraskan-based functions like rodeos and county fairs. After attending the University of Nebraska as a music major, she relocated to New York City, a place where the word "rodeo" is even more foreign than sushi or Pad Thai. Though her name has yet to reach a significant stage of popularity, those who have known Kathy Zimmer's music since her teenage years should not be surprised to know that she is prospering in New York City. Her musical sophistication and lyrical aptitude makes Zimmer perfect for the city's thriving folk scene, with her occasional implementation of jazz and soul being additional sparks of life that makes her presence even more fulfilling. While her childhood influences based in "wash tub bass-style folk music" can still be recognized under layers of acoustical and brass instruments, Zimmer has become an artist where no specific genre is wholesomely applicable. Zimmer's desire to express herself in a pressured but abundantly talented environment like New York City shows her courage, even attempting to summarize the city and its inhabiting "hipsters" in the soulful "Whatever Gets U Thru the Day". No worries though. Seeing that it would not be wise to insult your prime fan base, she instead focuses on realistic analogies "Like a cowboy feels his freedom, and a hipster needs his thrills," she sings softly over an inviting saxophone, "Like New Yorkers need their pace, and a murderer needs his kills." Hipsters looking for a thrill? That seems to be an endless adventure, though one is viable to come close while listening to Kathy Zimmer's third and latest release, Spare Key. Zimmer's constant analysis spread throughout the lyrical content in Spare Key is one of witty observance and experience. You can thank her bravery to relocate to a thriving atmosphere for that one; many other artists are either reluctant or fearful to adapt to other lifestyles. Since she released her debut album, Under Your Spell, in 2003, Zimmer has built a reputation for building her songs around such aforementioned points of analysis, romanticized innocence, and amiable folk melodies. Spare Key is Zimmer's first release since her 4-song EP, Dreamin', in 2005. Featuring 6 memorable songs, it is displays a remarkable progression of maturity and growth from her earlier works. Though her lyrics have always been thought-provoking and generally amusing, her melodic capabilities throughout Spare Key are undoubtedly an improvement. Whether it be her own backing vocal accompaniments in the brisk "Arms Crossed" or the sensational brass-led chorus in the opening "In the Park with George", moments of instrumental elegance now are intertwined cohesively with Zimmer's seemingly natural use of story-led lyrical intricacy. It makes Spare Key something of a breakout album, both stylistically and commercially. The last aspect, of course, depends on whether or not audiences give Kathy Zimmer the well-deserved recognition. With the majority of the release being enjoyable, it is not a hard task to accomplish. Another component of Zimmer's charm is that she presents her lyrics in a form that is instantly realistic and comparable to real-life circumstances. "In the Park with George" details the "perfect date". Describing a simple but pleasant day date at the park, Zimmer portrays the emotions involved when two people mutually connect. With analogies being a clear interest of hers, it is no surprise when she sings, "In the park, some people were laying in the sun while others sought out the shade, just like some people like to lay it all out on the line and others keep under cover cause they're just too afraid." A bit too analytical? Perhaps, but the infectious chorus uplifted by a sassy saxophone makes it all worthwhile. Her vocals quiver with emotional strain, though dramaticism is genuine in the sentiment that her lyrics portray such humane affairs. While its chorus features an instrumental build-up similar to "In the Park with George", the lyrics in the enjoyable "Arms Crossed" reflects the task of forgetting a recent lover. "If it were winter I'd build a wall of snow, blockade you out of sight and mind," she sings, "Shield from the ice you throw, I'd lie alone in the shape of an angel flying." Her poetic prowess is admirable and the topics, while hardly innovative, are honestly presented. Such sentimental reflections make Spare Key quite an enjoyable listen.
http://www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
questions I was contacted by this magazine in Zurich called Fingermag, and asked to contribute to their next issue. Apparently the magazine is all lists, with artists answering questions in list form--kind of a cool concept. Since this magazine isn't available online, I figured it'd be ok if I published my answers to their list here (but I think you can order the magazine by subscription, so you may wanna check that out. They're at www.fingermag.com.) Questionnaire for fingermag.com
LIST 2: Songs To Remember
(if possible with a short explanation) first record you remember--Elvis Presley Comeback Special (my mom had it. I remember listening to the record and looking into the speakers of our big furniture tv/radio/record player, pretending I could see Elvis stripping inside the speakers. ;) Ah if you could only see inside my mind...) a song that reminds you of school--"Smoking in the Boys Room" by Alice Cooper (sometimes in band class our teacher would let us play a 70s compilation CD he had, and that song was on there. Listening to it made me feel relatively badass.) a record you fell in love to--oh God, the cheese, the horror--"Everything I Do (I Do It for You)" by Bryan Adams. From the Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves soundtrack. Come on, I was really young, give me a break, ok? your ultimate heartbreak song--"Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinead O'Connor a record that evokes the greatest summer of your life--why does Bryan Adams keep popping up here? I'm not sure that I ever had a summer that matches up to this song, but "Summer of '69" seems to evoke great summer feelings. Also "Caroline, No" by the Beach Boys. first record you bought--again, people, come on, I was young. The only vinyl I ever bought and also the first piece of music I bought for myself was Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, "Head to Toe". It was a single. your boozed-up anthem--"Shook Me All Night Long" by AC/DC. Nebraska's all about AC/DC and parties on country roads. a song you wish you wrote yourself--wow, there are so many. "Raspberry Beret" by Prince, any song off of Pet Sounds, "Elvis Presley Blues" by Gillian Welch, "Visions of Johanna" by Bob Dylan... those are a few. song that reminds your friends of you--hmm. Not sure. I once had someone tell me that the Meatloaf song "I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" reminded them of me, ha! I have no idea what that says about me... a record that will make everybody dance--"Twist and Shout" by the Beatles. best concert you ever attended--I just saw the Police at Madison Square Garden on Halloween, and they knocked my socks off, Stewart Copeland is now officially my favorite drummer. Other than that, I'd have to say, I saw Bob Dylan for the first time right when Time Out of Mind came out, and that was sort of my introduction to Dylan, after which there is no looking back and no direction home. a song guaranteed to make you feel depressed--Bright Eyes, "A Spindle, a Darkness, A Fever and a Necklace", first song off of Fevers and Mirrors. your sunday morning song--what's that old hymn from Davey & Goliath? I think it's "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God". best Beatles song--tough to choose. I guess for me it's hard to top "In My Life". the perfect anthem for New York--"Back in the New York Groove" by Kiss, also "Back in New York City" by Genesis. the song to be played at your funeral--wow. First I'd rather pick out music to be played at my wedding... let's see, maybe "Sonata Pathetique" by Beethoven, or the Richard Strauss song "Befreit" or "Du Bist Die Ruh" by Franz Schubert... or maybe "Beautiful Dreamer" by Stephen Foster. My death seems like it'll be a solemn occasion, so classical music seems fitting. Then after the funeral everyone should get drunk and sing "O Danny Boy", even though I'm not Irish. ;) Or at least just get drunk.
http://www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
under arrest, happily Hi my friends! It's been awhile. :) First I should say, thanks so much to those who came out to the CD release and also to those who have bought CDs or downloaded tracks, I appreciate your support and I hope you've enjoyed the music! It seems as though I'm often inspired to write blogs regarding someone else's music as my subject matter. Don't exactly know why this is, but at least you should understand, then, that I am a true fan of music, all kinds--mine, other people's and maybe yours too! Halloween night I had the nicest bit of luck via a dear friend, here's the story--I think I've mentioned I have other music-related employment here in NYC besides my lovely singer/songwriter self, and one of those jobs involves singing at a church across from Madison Square Garden (this job makes use of my classical music incarnation. If you don't use it, you lose it--plus, it's great to get paid to sing, what can I say.) Anyway, I was sitting in the music office at the church waiting to sing for the 6:30 p.m. service when my phone rang, on the other end was a friend WHO OFFERED ME HER 2 TICKETS TO SEE THE POLICE for that night, concert at 8:00, at Madison Square Garden. dude. I mean, I admit I just had extremely low-key plans for this Hallow's Eve 2007, and that upped my plans by about 300%. SO, elatedly I sang for that service ("Pie Jesu", from the Faure Requiem) and then scampered across the street to the concert. I don't know how much the rest of the house paid for their tix, but these were listed at $250--seriously more than I would've ever been able to pay to see, like, um, anyone. I'd called a friend who has done me many favors in the past (I was so glad to be able to pay her back somewhat) and she and I sailed into MSG. A couple of years back I'd gotten another random free ticket to see Sting live in Central Park (don't know why I get hooked up with Sting tix always) and, you know, I mean... it was FINE and all, but Sting as a solo artist is A TOTALLY DIFFERENT STORY than Sting with the Police! (I'm sure I didn't need to tell you that.) Anyway--this band was so tight, wow. What an awesome opportunity to see some world-class musicians in a world-class venue, performing on a holiday, no less! All three members of the Police were in costume, Sting was a harlequin/court jester, Andy Sumner was Charlie Chaplin (wiggled his fingers while playing guitar) and Stewart Copeland was an Egyptian mummy, complete with garish, bloody face makeup that complemented his facial expressions while he played drums. (And may I just take this moment to comment on the hotness of Stewart Copeland? His drumming prowess might now just make him my favorite drummer, besides the fact that, honestly, this dude is just hot. :)) ANYWAY, the whole point of this lengthy story is that, while listening to the Police, realizing the virtuosic skills of each person on their instrument, not to mention the killer songs they were playing, etc., I realized that something just might be lacking in popular bands of right now, and that's musicianship. Honestly, I feel as though a lot of bands who are hot right now, though their songs may be well written, they're not exactly masters of their instruments, to put it mildly. I'm not sure, but maybe that's partly an aesthetic of punk music--the idea that you don't have to be fantastic on your instrument, you just have to play it with feeling (real or manufactured). I mean, I appreciate that point of view too, the idea that anyone can make music--that's how it should be, every music lover regardless of skill level or musical education should be allowed the joy of making music. That's actually quite a beautiful sentiment and I do feel we've lost that in our present day-to-day life (remember, in the old days before tv, people used to sit around and make music for their evening activity. That definitely does not happen anymore.) However, I also appreciate someone who's a master of their instrument, and I rail against the aesthetic in popular music right now that doesn't necessarily reward that. I appreciate the breed of musician who is a musician's musician. Just wanted to put that out there. ;) As much as I can, I'll always play with musicians like that in my bands. Hope you all had a Happy Halloween!
http://www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
loca-promotion So, the release show for Spare Key is this coming Thursday, Sept. 27. I have been, and still am, deeply in the trenches of promoting it, the CD and the show--which, for me, is the hardest thing to do with this music! Making the music is, you know, a joy, and definitely why I got involved with all of this in the first place--but the name of the game is MAKING PEOPLE AWARE, getting your music out there to people's ears, etc. Now, I'm doing my best, but this is coming from a girl who's essentially pretty shy (yes, my current profile picture tells the story!) I mean, I love meeting new people and making friends, truly, but I'm also the girl who hid behind her mother's skirt (literally!) on the first day back to school. And this promotion stuff doesn't just cover meeting people, it's also more, like... SELLING your product (your music, even "yourself") and convincing people that you're worthwhile. I do think I'm worthwhile, I mean... I know I'm creating music that's a bit time-out-of-mind, to quote a famous poet--for some reason I've always been drawn to making music that, essentially, was in its heyday before I was even born. I don't know why I'm drawn to make that kind of music, but that's just what speaks to me. And in the honest artist fashion, I think in order to create something that's your best work, you have to be honest to yourself. So that's what I do. So basically, I do recognize the fact that not very many people sound like me, and because people aren't used to hearing this sound in a contemporary setting, that's gonna throw some setbacks my way. I know this, and that's ok. But that doesn't in any way diminish the quality of the music that I think I'm putting out into the world. I do believe in my music--but SELLING it to someone else is another story! Or maybe it shouldn't be... actually, as I write this, putting the thought down in words makes me a bit more confident. :) Cool. Hopefully that bit o'confidence will carry me through the next few days... so, um... (*ahem*, draws line in sand with toe) come on out on Thursday!
http://www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
BUY THIS MUSIC NOW! yippee skippee here it is. :) feel free to wear it out. and forward it too! digital download link: Apple iTunes, http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=261971918 the "buy the CD" link on CD Baby is: http://cdbaby.com/cd/kathyzimmer3 also, via the wonders of MySpace, I got my first review! Here you go: To say that Kathy Zimmer is only a folk singer would be doing her a great disservice, for she is that and much more. She continues that well-established tradition of artist-as-storyteller, but differs with a vocal style that is steeped in church music and irregular phrasing—a style more reminiscent of European folk music than American folk music. Her songs display elements of folk, pop, jazz and gospel with simple uncluttered arrangements and imaginative use of backing vocal harmonies. The subject matters of the songs are bittersweet tales of human relationships. Kathy has incorporated all of the above elements and presented a set of songs that on the surface may be simple, but are almost cinematic in their lyrical imagery. This no doubt is a tip of her musical hat to someone who used to go by the name of Zimmerman. There is a lot to enjoy here and I hope it achieves the broad exposure it deserves. www.myspace.com/ericsegerstrom, Australia
http://www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
CD IS DONE!!! All right, well, I'm on a roll! Why stop now! (see previous blog) OH MY GOSH SPARE KEY IS FINISHED!!! I have a copy next to my computer right now. I'm so happy with the finished product I can't even tell you. Four of the songs are here on my page right now, check 'em out! Also, the CD is for sale on CD Baby and will be (if it's not already) on iTunes and other internet distributors soon. Buy a copy or two, for heaven's sake. I hope you enjoy it. And come to the CD release performance/party! We're doing it at Crash Mansion in NYC on Sept. 27 (details in the gig listing on this page.) There's an open bourbon bar and we're gonna sell the CD at live gigs with a radical pay-what-you-want method... my whole point for making this CD was simply to get the music out there, and I'd like you to own it. So either 1) pay according to what money you have to give for it, or 2) pay according to what you think the disc is worth. For real. Bring friends, let's make it a great time! All right, I have to give a bunch of thanks to people who should have been noted in the CD credits, but I didn't have space to fit 'em all in, so here we go now: My friend Julian Velard produced this CD. It's always neat to see friends in situations where you haven't previously seen them, especially situations where they're completely in their element. JV was in his element, to say the least, in this situation, and it was impressive. :) Also, this guy ended up putting in wayyyyy more time than he ever anticipated he would, I know, so extra thanks, JV. I felt like a very lucky lady indeed to have the attentions of not one, not two, but THREE talented engineers! How all three were involved is a long and winding road of a story, you'd need something like a Cliff's Notes Guide to the Wagnerian Ring Cycle to get everything straight, but at multiple junctures, Brian Bender, Michael Trepagnier and Lowell Thompson really came through for me. Thanks, guys, I so appreciate it. Everybody go check out Jojo's artwork right now (SicArt, in my top friends). Her amazingly cool artwork speaks for itself. Thanks girl! Alan Carroll has been taking awesomely creative and great pics for me for a little bit now... go check out his pics too (Alan, in my top friends). I mean, for one photo shoot we went all the way to Canada, and not only was it great fun but the pics were seriously worth it. Thanks Alan. Nachi Gutierrez revised the graphic design for this CD like, what, I don't know, 574321029348756473322 times? The design looks fabulous and Nachi was such a calm, easygoing presence the whole time. Not bad for a guy I first met wearing a Speedo onstage with a python wrapped around his neck. Thank you Nachi! Jim Saxa, Lisa Bianco and Tamara Hey are three great musician friends who lent their ears to provide valuable feedback on the rough mixes of these tracks. Thanks guys! Tamara Hey also updates my website continually with an unflappable yet artistic aplomb. (I'm not sure what that means but it's appropriate.) She rocks. Mark Pracht has been a friend for eons. Through the wonders of MySpace, we recently reconnected and he's been a really supportive presence, thanks Mark. I first met him when he was a dog. Jon Berger came up with the band name "KZ and the Sunshine Banned". It took me about three years to understand he meant "banned" and not "band", and thus, it took me about three years to truly recognize his genius once and for all. Thanks Jon. I have many incarnations of my musical self, one of those selves sings for her supper at a church in NYC. Thanks to St. John the Baptist Church and music director Laurence Rosania for the extra thoughtful publicity. Extra thanks to Vanessa Quick and Holly Moore, two friends who've been supportive in so many ways. I did mention them in the liner notes but they've done so much that they deserve another shout out. In conjunction with that, thanks to Mike Nolte for the awesome banner-o'-birds that he created for me, which is proudly displayed on this page. Ok. I feel like I'm forgetting someone, I'm sure I am, and when I remember them, I'll be back! THANKS FOR LISTENING, I HOPE YOU ENJOY!!!
http://www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
Mr. Springsteen’s dreams All right. Well, I'd been resisting writing a new blog to draw attention to the fact that my new songs are up on the page and therefore the CD is DONE!!! (more about this in the next blog) until closer to the live CD release performance in NYC (Sept. 27), but something happened last night that inspired me. I am an ardent advocate of following inspiration when it happens (and I'm NOT an advocate for patience!) so I'm writing a blog! The inspiration for this blog comes from none other than The Boss himself, which I consider a bit ironic. You see, though I've always "appreciated" Mr. Springsteen's music, I'd always sort of considered him not-Bob Dylan--an unfair assessment, to be sure, but for some reason there was something in his music that made me run from it. I'm still not sure exactly what prejudice was in my mind, all I knew was that Springsteen music made me depressed in a strange way, and I always knew that it shouldn't--yet, it did. Then last night I went to see one of the Sugar Bowls (my backup singers), Jessica Tivens, perform in an opera at the Paramount Theater in New Jersey's Asbury Park. It didn't really register with me that this was THE Asbury Park until I drove past the most beautiful ghost of a building I've ever seen in the dark, the Metropolitan Hotel, on my way to the boardwalk... and immediately I was drawn into the most romantic memory I'd never experienced. Like a very old woman who doesn't deny her age but still takes great pride in her appearance; who puts herself together and commands dignity while holding up her head proudly in the face of time; this building retains all of the beauty I imagine it had in its heyday without denying that its heyday has passed--its paint is peeling, its windows are broken, its style is so outdated that it's a veritable time capsule of what once was, if only you can use your imagination. Lives were lived there, and how. It took my breath away. The really strange thing about this is, my reaction with seeing that hotel brought me back home. It gave me the same feeling that looking at a certain building in my hometown does. This building in my little hometown in Nebraska is referred to as the Mooney house. It's a sprawling mansion, really, the only one in the town. Its paint is all but gone, windows are broken--there's been a sign in an attic window for years that was probably put there by some prankster, it says "HELP!" ;) --and looking at it, you see the unlimited dreams of the person who built it, who expected it would be their legacy in the undoubtedly bright future of the town. However, the bright future of my hometown died long before I was born, and in fact the story about that house goes that the builder--a banker--faked their own death after the stock market crash. They had a funeral and everything, but old timers say there was no body. Shortly thereafter his family moved away, and then a large sum of funds came up missing in the bank. The house has remained vacant for years, the owner won't give it up and they also won't do anything to maintain it. Wow, that was a digression. ANYWAY, the point is... I saw Springsteen's world (although, perhaps it's a bit more of a ghost town now than it was a couple decades past... or maybe not? I'm not sure.) I saw what inspired his songs, and all of the sudden it was driven home to me WHAT A BEAUTIFUL VIEW he has of life. He dreams the dreams and knows that, as they're being dreamt, they're folly; yet he dreams them anyway. And you know what? Replace the boardwalk with Nebraska State Highway 2 and the Paramount Theater with our opera house that's now buried beneath the Beechville Band grandstand, and on a smaller, less theatrical scale, the ghost of Asbury Park is my hometown. I shouldn't say on a smaller scale, though, because (and forgive this grandiose statement) who is to judge the capacity of dreams? I think it's pretty plausible that I've been running from Springsteen's vision because it hit too close to home, but last night, seeing his setting in the flesh made it ok, somehow. Kind of like looking in the mirror and for the first time being ok with the reflection looking back at you, because you saw someone else who has a big nose like you do also being ok with their reflection. ;) Kinda. It's hard to describe.
http://www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
a taste ok my friends, here's just a little taste (since I've been a tease about it for, oh, about a year now.. !) here's an unmastered song from Spare Key (unmastered basically means, you'll have to turn up the volume.) I'm proud of this! I think my favorite moment in the song happens at a moment that can only be described as "Bacharach"... you'll have to listen and see if you can figure out what I'm talking about! The completed (mastered) rest of the tracks will be coming along shortly. In the meantime, since I had something to share, I basically couldn't get my cursor on the "browse" box soon enough! I'd love to hear your thoughts on this (but be gentle! The baby hasn't even been born yet!) also, I should say, the artwork you're seeing next to the song is an alternate cover for Spare Key done by none other than Sickart (in my top friends). Thanks chickadee. We ended up using this lovely keyhole elsewhere in the graphic design, but not on the cover. I feel good about things right now. This is the first time in my life I can honestly say that I'm making my entire living off of being a musician, which makes me feel very independent in a great Mary Tyler Moore kind of way. I'm making a go of things with a combination of teaching and performing, and that combined with the lovely spring sunshine on my shoulders is making me sickeningly happy. :) I hope that didn't just make you gag. ;) love to you!
http://www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
o happy day Hi. :) My life has been, for the past eight months (count them, EIGHT!!!) focused on, more or less, one goal: getting my newest CD recorded. It's been quite a process. Not saying that we were in the studio for 24 hours of every day (that might have been something like a complete dream come true... well, not entirely, but it does sound comparatively pretty fun) but instead it was more about MAKING THE MONEY to fund this independent project. I'm sure most of you dear readers (yes, this is you, dear) are aware that it's a costly venture, living in New York City, and an even more costly venture making a go of being an artist in NYC, and what's more, insisting on being an artist that's not necessarily of the most commercial nature... and so in order to produce proof of your artistic force (in this case, a CD!), unless you've found the pot o'gold at the end lf the rainbow, you have to focus your creativity on ways to make money to put towards making your dream project a reality. Enter my life for the past eight months. :) And now, my friends, we are nearing the end of the process. Sing with me now, O happy day... !!!!! Currently the CD is being mixed. After that, it'll be mastered and finally pressed into a CD. And then it will be released into the world like those cheesy doves some people release at weddings, or the hot air balloon at the end of The Wizard of Oz, or like you're supposed to do with something you love (set it free.) I can't tell you how happy I am to be at this stage of the process, mostly because making money is not my strongest talent in life :) and I'll be glad to have the pressure off. But already, in listening to the rough mixes of the songs and looking back at my efforts to be economically prosperous in the past few months, I know it's been worth it. I had great people working on this project with me, all of whom actually are worth far, far more than the dollars they were paid, but for some reason all of them were ready to put in their best efforts towards making the best music possible. I'm not sure why they were all ready to do this, perhaps it was because they, like me, believed in this music... I hope so! But whatever the reason, my heart pounds in gratitude. and now starts my process of being able to refocus my creativity from making money towards writing new music again. Maybe some people are able to divide their attentions better than I am and they wouldn't feel the need to completely turn off one faucet in order to turn on another... I, however, am and always have been one-track minded (I blame it on growing up in the country with relatively few diversions... I never grew the necessary blinders to be able to shut out some distraction in order to focus on another... there weren't any distractions to shut out! :)) Anyway, interestingly enough, it's gonna be a challenge for me to begin being creative again in a writing process, and to get to my soul's core again, enough to be able to expose it through my art (which is oh so necessary). but... I can't wait! CD will be ready soon. :) I'll keep you posted!
http://www.myspace.com/kathyzimmer
www.kathyzimmermusic.com Um... so, hey, what's happening? I actually normally really like writing my stream of consciousness down, but there's something sort of imposing about blogs... like, being- funny-on-cue expectations. I suck so bad at being funny on cue, but if nobody expects anything, I can sometimes be quite clever... it's like that. So if you don't pay too much attention to this whole little spiel, I might sneak up on you and getcha like Blondie. Or maybe not. :) We'll see.
http://www.last.fm