February 5th, 2008
I was recently asked what I want to do with my music.. My answer kind of rambled around describing grooves that I'd transcribed and paired with haunting harmonies that I've written for my sister and I to sing together, and explained the importance to me of being a part of the tapestry, being involved with the band on many different levels - singing lead, and then vocally comping someone else, and then jumping in on shaker, picking up guitar, etc.. And I realized after my long-winded response that they were asking for the one main reason I was doing this.
Ahh.. Funny how you can scoot around on the surface and rarely ask that of yourself.. I later wrote her and shared that I want to make music that uplifts people.. music that makes people feel love and gratitude and hope. These are ways of being that I value and try to practice. I do this by writing and covering songs and lyrics that resonate with me, and by singing with as much honesty as I possibly can. It's Super Tuesday and I'm going to vote for the candidate who speaks honestly and instills hope. Mr. Obama.
January 8th, 2008
I'm back! My new year's resolution is to be a better blogger. I do always get voted "least likely to respond" when my friends send me a survey.. Looks like I last wrote in June and a little bit has happened in these past 7 months.
Later in June I went to a Bobby McFerrin workshop and sang with him and members of Voicestra for a week! Here, get comfortable, I have a good story. 3 years ago while I was studying at FSU, Bobby McFerrin came to do the "Seven Days of Opening Nights" series. I was chosen to be his driver to and from the hotel and school. One day, he gave a Q&A with the whole music department and asked for a volunteer to sing "Oleo" with him. Well, everything went into slow motion for me at this point. I whispered, "eyeee knnnnowww Ollllleeeeeooh"... You have to understand, I have sung along with Bobby albums since 6th grade and consider him my biggest musical influence... So, during my molasses moment, someone else jumped on stage of course, and sang "Oleo" with Bobby. I had a mini melt down needless to say, and it didn't help that half the student body came up to me afterwards and said, "Inga, you should have gone up there! I thought for sure that you would have jumped up.."
Now, skip ahead to 2007, summer workshop with Bobby and "Straws".. He comes down second morning of the workshop and says, "I wanna sing some Bebop". Let's do "Oleo", anyone know "Oleo"? Well, I'd like to say that having learned my lesson, I leapt into the center of the circle before he finished saying the title. But I am shy and I had to use a crane to raise my hand, but I had better placement this time, oh best beloved.. And I was seen and called into the circle. Life is beautiful like that. Here, try again... So that catches you up to June 17th, 2007.
June 1th, 2007
I've just finished a series of performances with one of the most creative individuals I've ever worked with. She is a dancer named Diana Stanton. It was a spontaneous art performance titled "Impulse". Diana created five "danced paintings" by using her body as a painting tool as I created the soundtrack. Her movements were influenced by my vocals and vice versa. It was such a joy to PLAY!
The gallery walls were blank at the start of the first performance, except for the word IMPULSE. With each show, the gallery was filled with the energy of movement and sound, resulting in walls, ceiling and floor being painted. It's pretty fun to fling brightly colored paints on a pristine white gallery wall. And then find a sound to go with that!!
March 5th, 2007
Today, a typical day, up at 7am, oatmeal and tea. Sang for a couple hours, returned some phone calls, taught class and a lesson, went to rehearsal, ate dinner late. I'm playing some duo gigs soon and am working on accompaniment lines. It's so much fun to vocally comp another player while they take a solo. I appreciate that it breaks me out of the usual role of the singer and allows me to sing the changes as an instrumentalist does. I've got to start writing these blogs earlier in the evening..
February 6th, 2007
It has started off to be a great new year. I've been spending lots of time with family and friends which always grounds me.. Last week I hiked with my friend who is a dancer and we created this little song with movement on the side of the mountain overlooking the valley. More of that in 2007!
My husband and I are attending a conference in LA this weekend for independent artists where I will hopefully learn a few more things to help broaden my distribution.. I continue to write new material for my next album and will begin to rehearse a few of the tunes soon. Yippee!
Dec. 6th, 2006
Tomorrow I head down to LA to sing with a very special group of vocalists.
Moira Smiley & VOCO: Beautiful songs written by Moira and fully realized by her group VOCO. They incorporate movement, improvisation, and music from all cultures - I cry every time I see them live!
I went to college with one of the group members, Christine Enns, a very talented jazz singer and teacher. And it was fun to be reunited after some years!
Eva Salina Primack - Ecstatic singer of Gypsy, Bulgarian and beyond.. I have not yet met Eva or Aurelia and I look forward to hearing them..
Aurelia Shrenker - Other-wordly siren of the Caucuses and Appalachian Mountains
We will do some solos and also group improvisations. I am very excited to see what sounds we make together..
The concert is:
Thursday, December 7th at 8 p.m. - $15
Church in Ocean Park
235 Hill Street (corner of 2nd & Hill) in Santa Monica, CA
Moira’s website is moirasmiley.com
Dec 1, 2006
My first blog! Tonight I played a duo concert with tenor saxophonist Anton Schwartz. That's right, just voice and saxophone all night. It was very fun, very sparse and completely rewarding! We played a mix of originals and standards. Anton is an incredible player, composer, arranger and friend who brings so much beauty and versatility to every song, every project he works on. He hosts loft concerts in his home, which is a converted school built back in the nineteen-teens... And the people that attend make such a warm and receptive audience. You must check him out, his website is www.antonjazz.com.
I can hardly keep my eyes open! Must sleep.
