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October 2006

September was a glorious month; particularly the past two weeks. Autumn colors and warm sunshine easing the way into the winter months ahead. In my new program for the concert “With A Song In My Heart” I get to sing about that very thing in the tune “The Summer Knows” by Michel Legrand. What a beautiful song! Here are the lyrics:

The summer smiles, the summer knows and unashamed she sheds her clothes
The summer smoothes the restless sky and lovingly she warms the sand on which you lie.
The summer knows, the summer’s wise, she sees the doubts within your eyes
And so she takes her summer time, tells the moon to wait, tells the sun to linger
Twists the world ‘round her summer finger.
Lets you see the wonder of it all…
And if you’ve learned your lesson well
There’s little more for her to tell.
One last caress, it’s time to dress for fall…

The debut of my “With A Song In My Heart” concert took place near the end of September in Port Ludlow Washington. I performed this with my quartet with Bill Coon on guitar, Paul Rushka on bass and Dave Robbins on drums. I love singing with those three men and there are more than musical adventures to be had while traveling on the road with them. I had worked all summer long on this new program, researching the music and researching the artist’s lives as well. There are things I might choose to finesse but for the most part I am so happy with the music and the over all flow of the program. I have a new found appreciation for the artistry of Peggy Lee, Anita O’Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra after putting together the debut concert. They were each such unique artists and so multifaceted in their talents. Such inspiration for a vocalist such as myself! Their talent makes me choose to strive to be a better singer and overall better performer as well.

I will be performing this program again as I tour Northern BC and locations in the States this coming November.

On the listening front I have FINALLY discovered the magic of guitarist Ralph Towner. I have heard his name mentioned over the years and for some reason just did not purchase his music until now. I am completely blown away by the overwhelming beauty in his playing and in his compositions. The first time I heard his piece entitled “The Reluctant Bride” I could barely contain my emotions. Ralph Towner now lives in Italy but for many years lived in the States. It’s so exciting to discover an artist for the first time when their music moves you and resonates with you. Ralph specializes in playing the acoustic guitar and the 12 string acoustic guitar and for my money there is nothing more intimate sounding than that of an acoustic guitar played by someone that can make his instrument cry, sing and express the emotion of the tune. Ralph Towner does that. His original pieces are evocative; they surprise you with their seemingly simple melodies and beautiful harmonies.

Lately I have been thinking about the healing power of music. It really does have that ability I believe. This past year I experienced that first hand when my friend Wendy, who is a music therapist asked me to sing for people who were in palliative care in the hospital; basically these are the people who are waiting to die. I thought that would be really difficult for me to do but somehow once I realized just how comforted each person was to hear some music, I felt better about it as we traveled from room to room performing our tunes. It was still difficult because I am an emotional person but it was the first time I actually witnessed a type of soothing that music can create and I did feel that we were contributing to some healing. Faces lit up with joy or simply showed some serenity as they listened.

On a much more selfish and simplistic level hearing the music of Ralph Towner has had a type of healing power for me. When I first listened to his music I was really missing and mourning the loss of someone and hearing the piece “The Reluctant Bride” somehow made me sad and happy at the same time. Listening to music this way is a type of cathartic release I suppose; the music enters you and your emotions begin to work their way through and then out of you. I know this has occurred with me before too but I hadn’t analyzed it in that way before. I do feel a similar thing when I listen to Bill Evans’ “Peace Piece” and certain compositions by other artists too. It isn’t always a plaintive tune that can be an emotional release. Sometimes it can be a real groove tune or rhythmically driving composition that somehow gets into you and energizes and revitalizes you. Sometimes if you listen to a piece that is composed by a musician that you know personally and if they are playing a solo you can actually feel them near you as you listen to their note choices and phrased contours in their improvisations. That is to say if you know someone quite well you might be surprised sometimes to recognize their personality come through their playing. I suppose it happens even if you don’t know the person if the music is connecting with you but with someone that you do know personally it’s as if they are right there speaking to you intimately and sharing their deepest feelings about something but instead this occurs through their notes and not through their words. With imagination then the music reaches out and touches you in the same way as you might give a friend a hug in person. It actually touches you. I have found that listening to a couple of friends’ recordings lately and discovered how close to them I felt as I listened to the musical conversation.

I haven’t been composing much in the past while but I do have some ideas that I hope to use this fall. This was the first summer in a long time that I wasn’t at my parents in Saskatchewan for a week or more. Circumstances just didn’t allow that to happen. Usually that is when I can get some substantial inspiration for writing new material. I have been storing up some ideas and hope to find time to devote to some new pieces this fall.

There are several upcoming concerts that I will be going to this fall, which I am excited about. First I will be seeing Toronto vocalist Heather Bambrick perform at The Cellar this coming weekend. I got to sing with Heather at the Real Divas concert at this past year’s Toronto Jazz Festival and loved every moment of that experience. Heather is greatly talented as a jazz vocalist and also happens to be witty and wonderful with an audience. Besides being a wonderful jazz vocalist she is also a radio personality, hosting her own popular program on Jazz FM in Toronto.

Next, another Toronto musician will be on tour across Canada. Drummer Joel Haynes whom I recorded with last January is coming to Vancouver. He is hitting the road supporting his CD, which features Vancouver locals Tilden Webb and Jodi Proznick. Joel is a wonderful and versatile drummer and I am so excited that he finally gets to come to our city.

I will be going to see vocalist and guitarist John Pizzarelli in a couple of weeks as well. He and his group will be performing with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. I don’t really know so much about what kind of artist he is but thought it would be a nice way to spend an evening with a friend of mine. I look forward to hearing what he will be performing. I truly have no preconceived idea about what he might be like other than to have heard the odd tune on the radio so that is kind of different as well. Typically when I go to a concert I might have detailed ideas about an artist’s music from listening to their recordings but in this case I don’t own any of his music so I truly don’t know what to expect.

As with each fall I am hoping that just as school aged children head back to school to learn and grow and university students study hard to achieve their career goals that I too as a mature adult will learn and grow as well in this school of life. Some life lessons are difficult it seems but perhaps if we are good attentive students perhaps we will make it through and wisdom will be the reward. That is what I am hoping.

Karin