Been in bed with the stomach flu for a couple of days. Which is why I have time to blog, after months of silence. Guess this post can be a general update on what's going on for me lateley (in the musical sense).
WORK:
Working on Winter Family Night performance for my ACAMM (Academy of Choral Arts and Modern Music) class, which will include full band and full choir performances of Bowie's "Changes", Corine Bailey Raye's "Put Your Records On", Stevie Wonder's "Sir Duke", Arcade Fire's "Wake Up" and traditional folk songs "Shannondoa" and "Martine".
Also, designing and aquiring funds for uniforms for these 60 kids has been a pet effort as well. Cool automotive-style work shirts w/ a logo printed on back and above the front left pocket.
Still teaching a guitar elective to 20 students and teaching private guitar lessons on the side.
BAND:
Trying to book shows through the winter is a chore.
Just signed a record deal and working hard at getting all the components in place for the label (album art, legal stuff, bio material, photo shoots, etc). Exciting time, but a lot of work. Febuary will see the release of a piece of work that took three years to create.
Spring looks exciting with shows to promote the new record.
PERSONAL:
listening to- Delta Spirit, Daniel Lanois, lots of 90s math rock (as usual), can't stop listening to Best Coast's "Boyfriend" song even though that band is not really my style, theology and philosphy podcasts dominate my iPod, though.
reading- Daniel Lanois' "Soul Mining". This is the guy who produced U2 stuff and Dylan, Young, Harris. I am a fan of his pedal steel instrumental stuff. This autobiography is very engaging. Also chipping away at my usual bookstack of spiritual lit.
singing- With the way my daughters go to bed now (hard to explain, but there'sa system since they share a room, but go to bed at different times), I can't play guitar to them like I used to with Lily. Which I really miss. Heven't gotten to sing to or play for the Lils in months and it creates a lack of intimacy with her that I can't explain. Am forntunate enough to be able to sing to Magnolia as I rock her after giving her a bottle most nights. "The Water is Wide" puts her out every time, but I need variation, so lately I've been doing Vic Chesnutt's "Rabbit Box" among many others.
making musical instruments- have one gourd shaker I haven't shown on this blog. Installed a pick-up in my Alvarez "dove" copy acoustic guitar. Making plans to make Jill a bamboo wind chime with a gourd resonator top.
