cali-forn-i-a...

...was awesome. I'm not a big fan of California in general, but if someone offered to sell me a big bottle of Cali weather I would say, "Yes, please." The show at the House of Blues with Stephanie Smith was quite awesome. The house was packed. The lights were low. The booze ran freely like a bacchanalian revel. I quietly sipped my vintage bottle of Arrowhead water c. 2008. Steph turned to me, her own bottle of water in hand, and said, "I feel like we're the mathletes at the cool kids party." The show itself was fantastic.

We spent one luxurious morning on a secluded beach in a cove in Laguna. The stretch of sand was maybe 100 yards across. Besides the six in our traveling party, there were maybe ten other people. It was mah-velous. I was sitting there slow-roasting my feet (something I discovered later) when someone spotted a pod of wild dolphins just off the shore, dipping and diving in the surf. Magical.

I finished my new song and I will play it at my next show. I'm already working on another.

hair

I debated growing my hair out because I knew that if I did, it would make my album look dated. My hair grows fast...I mean really fast. But I was thoroughly sick of short hair...and thus, sometimes when people look at my album and I'm standing right next to them they say "Who is this?" And "Wow, this is you? This album must be old." Yes, it has happened more than once. And no, the album hasn't even been out for a year yet. My follicles can't be stopped. I need to update the home page.

It is supposedly spring. I even had a vernal equinox party with my friends to celebrate the official emergence of spring. If it is truly spring, why is there still snow on the ground? And why is snow still haunting me? And why won't it GO AWAY? Just wondering.

daylight robbery

Someone stole an hour of sleep from me...and I want it back!

Last week I did a little road trip up to Moscow for a gig. Moscow, Idaho that is. Gotcha. I'm hilarious. The gig was at the University of Idaho which is the home of one of the country's most prestigious jazz festivals. The Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. I missed the fest by a couple weeks...sadly...but there were plenty of other things in Moscow to entertain me. Like...uh...there was a Jack in the Box...and...I think I saw a hawk....maybe not. It was nice to get out though. We were even greeted by an Idaho State Trooper! He told us not to drive so fast and told me to break a leg at the show. I didn't. Oh, and then he told me I look like Lindsay Lohan. Lindsay Lohan? I mean...really.
All kidding aside, thanks to Vandal Entertainment with the University of Idaho for bringing me out! They treated me like the queen of America and were extremely accommodating. Thank you! It was truly a pleasure.

I'm working on a song right now but I'm agonizing over the lyrics...as usual.

Hark the Herald

Yesterday's issue of the Daily Herald UV Entertainment insert featured an article on tomorrow's show. Take a look here:

Clicky!

Also, I've decided to make a single of my song Subtraction and sell them at tomorrow's show. I've had a lot of positive response for this song and a lot of requests for a recorded version...so...I hear and obey.
Speaking of hearing, I'm really looking forward to hearing Russ Dixon play. It's been a while since I've had the privilege. I'm going to see if I can get him to freestyle rap. He's so good at it it's ridiculous!

I hope you all had a fantastic Valentine's day yesterday. Mine was...so, so wonderful. :)

I'm working on a new song at the moment. Not sure what it's going to be called yet, but I'm pretty durn excited about it. I love this feeling. There something about creating and shaping a song that is so fulfilling emotionally, spiritually, physically. I'm an addict.

Valentine's show

I've been wanting to put together another concert at the Noni auditorium for a while now. I loved playing there at my CD Release concert. So...without further ado...I'm doing it. Two days after Valentine's Day, I will be performing a "low lights and love songs" themed concert with the band at the Tahitian Noni Auditorium. That's Brandon Cummings on the drums, Trevor Gorton on the bass, and John Kovalenko the violin. (Those of you who haven't seen John play with me yet are in for a major treat.)

We'll be giving away "romance prizes" throughout the evening to concert goers. We'll have drawings for multiples prizes, including a dinner for two at Magleby's restaurant, a Swedish massage, European facial, and cut/color from Katumba's salon in Orem, and other great prizes. Buy your tickets right here online and you'll get one free for every one you buy. Tickets won't be shipped to you. You can pick them up the night of the show at Will Call.

And, as a long-time veteran of Singles Awareness Day, I can empathize with the Singles among us. I will play some just for you.

I'm also very excited to have the amazing Russ Dixon (of the band Colors) joining us for the evening. Russ is one of my favorite people. You don't want to miss him.

a new year

Well, it's time to bid adieu to one heck of a fantastic year. 2007 will go down in history as one of the best on record. But I am looking forward to 2008. I'm already doing more songwriting than usual because I've made the commitment to write at least one a month. So far I've done quite well. I'm working on a new idea right now that I'm quite excited about. I'm looking forward to exploring the possibilities.

Right now it's bleak midwinter in Utah and it's snowing. To quote Christina Rossetti, "Snow on snow. Snow on snow." I think I whined about snow in my last entry...but I'm not finished. I wouldn't mind snow so much if I didn't have to drive in it. My boyfriend tells me that if I had an Audi Quattro, my driving in the snow woes would be over. I can dream. I won't tell my Chevy Cavalier because he'd get jealous and start complaining about all his battle scars and snooty German engineering.

I'm looking forward to my show in February. It's at the Tahitian Noni auditorium where I held my CD Release concert. (Some people get confused and think it's the Noni building off I-15 near American Fork. Nope, that is their factory. This is in their corporate building in Provo near the Riverwoods.) The show is on the 16th, two days after Valentines. I planned it that way on purpose...because guys...you need to take your girls to a concert. Seriously. And singles...what better way to forget than to immerse yourself in music.

More on the show later.

december

Happy Holidays! It snowed here in Utah somethin' fierce this weekend. I went to a concert at Temple Square on Friday with some friends... and the snow was INSANE. I'm glad I wasn't driving. Last year Stephanie Smith and I had to drive home from a gig in SLC in white-out blizzard. I couldn't see the road; I couldn't see the median; I couldn't see the signs. Yeah, I thought I was going to drive off the edge of the mountain and die in one terrific fireball. By the time we reached home (safely) I was visibly, physically shaking and I had to pry my hands off the steering wheel.

But snow signifies other things besides instant death...Christmas! To ring in the holidays, I posted a recording of my arrangement of Good King Wenceslas on my Myspace profile (which you can access from the Links section). I will be posting a new Christmas arrangement every week until Christmas! I've also posted a demo recording of my newest song, Subtraction. I recorded these tunes in my closet on my MacBook so don't expect any stunning sonic wonders. Also, you may want to check the Calendar page. I've added some new gig dates. Merry Christmas!