She sang and played with a bunch of friends in one of the biggest parks in the world one night. Some guy named Eric played guitar and sang a little ditty called "White Room" with her. Three chicks from Dixie harmonized with her. Another guy named Keith played some obscure tune he wrote called "Happy" with her. Best of all, a beautiful gypsy named Stevie shared the stage doing one of the great rock music mood paintings, "Gold Dust Woman". Stevie even went on to write a song about this friend of hers called "Sweet Girl".
Of course, we are talking about the lady who "likes a beer buzz early in the morning", former school teacher as well as background singer for Michael Jackson, Miss Sheryl Crow. The evening described above is captured on a project called "Sheryl Crow and Friends--An Evening in Central Park" and includes not only star power cameos, but a great retrospective of her hits.
It's interesting to consider how the songs for such a project, or any concert or recording, are chosen. Luckily for Miss Crow, she has amassed an incredible body of work from which to choose, since the days of the "beer buzz" song--her first hit, "All I Wanna Do (is have some fun)". And luckily for us, her considerable singing, writing, and arranging talents have been preserved for us through the magic of recording.
That's a powerfully potent achievement worth aspiring to by us all, a body of musical work that contributes some kind of positive vibration to the world. Miss Crow is one example; through the magic of recording, you could be next...
05 February 2009
27 January 2009
Another January, Another Genesis
The book of the Bible that me and the general public have read the absolute most is...GENESIS. Because you know how it is, you hit the big month number one again and it's time to start over (like Charlotte's Sex In The City book -- Starting Over Yet Again--don't you love how I just linked the Bible and Sex In The City in the same sentence?). Anyway, it is that kind of time for Kaleidoscope and all of its CreatiVEntures, so here my dears is the scoop, the skinny, the straight from the horse's mouth update:
BUSINESS:
In the last few months, we have been investigating a number of properties and still haven't settled on the one that is, in the words of the 3 bears, "just right." We have also been working on an overhaul and reinvention of the budget structure and management system that was at the foundation of our days at 2771 104th. Happily, along with our good-intentioned mistakes, we have been discovering the things we did well, that are now providing a kick-ass foundation upon which to build Kaleidoscope Phase 2. A reminder that we are still serving many musical needs including vocal coaching (coming soon--a vocal coaching jam!), songwriting and arranging, event consulting, etc. In short, even though we are temporarily out of the studio, the studio is definitely not out of us.
BAND:
Drum roll please...the name has been chosen! That's all you get here, but suffice it to say, it has been met with great response to the few who do know it, and we're excited to officially unveil it at the appointed time. The new repetoire will include the best of both the Groove Merchants and Lady Blue eras, plus some new and familiar covers--surprises galore are coming, and of course our babies--the original compositions. Meanwhile, Brandon has stepped up on a short-term basis to play with one heaven of a rhythm section, Ernie Terrell on bass and Reggie Upshur on drums, in the area's most soulful power trio, VooDoo3. So between that and our own gigs, here's where we hope to see your friendly faces soon--check links for gig details:
Deacon and The Lady:
Fri 1-30 Cory's Irish Pub/Bondurant
Mon 2-9 3rd Annual Deacon's Day Bash at Blues On Grand--the birthday blowout for Brandon!
Sun 2-22 Botanical Blues Series
Brandon with VooDoo3:
At The Main Gate--info link
Sun 2-1, Sat 2-7, Sun 2-8
(and every Sunday night they host the jam)
also w/VooDoo3:
Fri 2-6 Hessen Haus
another jam we want to promote:
Thu 2-5 at Corys in Bondurant led by our friend Kyle Dean Patten (last time we went was absolute magic--good vibrations galore, and we'll be there with bells on!)
There's more to be shared but this is enough for now, and we wish you all blessings as you "make your own kind of music, sing your own special song, make your own kind of music, even if nobody else sings along..."
Bye for now, friends--peace and prosperity in all your kaleidoscopic creatiVEntures!
BUSINESS:
In the last few months, we have been investigating a number of properties and still haven't settled on the one that is, in the words of the 3 bears, "just right." We have also been working on an overhaul and reinvention of the budget structure and management system that was at the foundation of our days at 2771 104th. Happily, along with our good-intentioned mistakes, we have been discovering the things we did well, that are now providing a kick-ass foundation upon which to build Kaleidoscope Phase 2. A reminder that we are still serving many musical needs including vocal coaching (coming soon--a vocal coaching jam!), songwriting and arranging, event consulting, etc. In short, even though we are temporarily out of the studio, the studio is definitely not out of us.
BAND:
Drum roll please...the name has been chosen! That's all you get here, but suffice it to say, it has been met with great response to the few who do know it, and we're excited to officially unveil it at the appointed time. The new repetoire will include the best of both the Groove Merchants and Lady Blue eras, plus some new and familiar covers--surprises galore are coming, and of course our babies--the original compositions. Meanwhile, Brandon has stepped up on a short-term basis to play with one heaven of a rhythm section, Ernie Terrell on bass and Reggie Upshur on drums, in the area's most soulful power trio, VooDoo3. So between that and our own gigs, here's where we hope to see your friendly faces soon--check links for gig details:
Deacon and The Lady:
Fri 1-30 Cory's Irish Pub/Bondurant
Mon 2-9 3rd Annual Deacon's Day Bash at Blues On Grand--the birthday blowout for Brandon!
Sun 2-22 Botanical Blues Series
Brandon with VooDoo3:
At The Main Gate--info link
Sun 2-1, Sat 2-7, Sun 2-8
(and every Sunday night they host the jam)
also w/VooDoo3:
Fri 2-6 Hessen Haus
another jam we want to promote:
Thu 2-5 at Corys in Bondurant led by our friend Kyle Dean Patten (last time we went was absolute magic--good vibrations galore, and we'll be there with bells on!)
There's more to be shared but this is enough for now, and we wish you all blessings as you "make your own kind of music, sing your own special song, make your own kind of music, even if nobody else sings along..."
Bye for now, friends--peace and prosperity in all your kaleidoscopic creatiVEntures!
15 October 2008
Soundtrack to the metamorphosis...
Everything old is new again...what goes around comes around...there is nothing new under the sun.
The NEW current soundtrack to our in-progress business and personal metamorphosis is...OLD. Specifically, VINYL, baby, VINYL! For instance this morning, the soundtrack to our morning ritual was Jeff Beck's version of "Goin' Down" by Freddie King and others--on vinyl. Recently my husband, AKA lovable frankensteinian vinyl monster, has purchased for me some estrogen vinyl: Rita Coolidge, vintage Amy Grant--that I bopped along with in my childhood bedroom-- she and I have basically grown up together, and of course--Bella Donna by my she-ro Stevie Nicks. It's fun to see more and more limited edition vinyl as part of the marketing for musical products. What can we forecast from this? Maybe what I've been saying all along, that the music industry is poised for a major backlash against the shallow destructive status quo. Maybe the "wild dog on a leash" called the music industry is ready to be "yanked back into submission" by--you?--me?--passionate musicians fed-up with mediocrity force-fed into our psychic cultural veins without alternative or escape? If you resonate with this sentiment, connect with us. You will find kindred spirits on the move toward higher levels of musical truth and prosperity, fueled much more in some ways by the days of musical old than the "daze" of musical new.
BUSINESS UPDATE: 3 words: location, location, location! Still finalizing our search for the perfect spot to set up shop, and tying up loose ends for old business from the Urbandale office days. All the stuff with both the business and the band are integrated in this same new endeavor, as well as other key ingredients in the new multi-faceted project we're working on. Items have been steadily falling into place, as a "fuzzy picture coming into focus" slower and more difficult than we expected, but with a clearer vision of what is coming, and increased potential for even bigger and better results. Though it's been more than a little frustrating to keep the details under wraps all this time, this continues to be critical to the successful launch that is forthcoming. But be assured, Kaleidoscope is alive and well, and will be back in your face at the appropriate near-future time. Until then, we're still here creating, consulting, networking, and growing. Your info for connecting with us for all things Kaleidoscope is here:
Kaleidoscope CreatiVEntures
4110 12th Street
Des Moines, IA 50313
(use the comments section of this blog to reach out and touch us!--THANKS and take care!)
I hereby pass the baton of this discourse to you, cyber-friend...
The NEW current soundtrack to our in-progress business and personal metamorphosis is...OLD. Specifically, VINYL, baby, VINYL! For instance this morning, the soundtrack to our morning ritual was Jeff Beck's version of "Goin' Down" by Freddie King and others--on vinyl. Recently my husband, AKA lovable frankensteinian vinyl monster, has purchased for me some estrogen vinyl: Rita Coolidge, vintage Amy Grant--that I bopped along with in my childhood bedroom-- she and I have basically grown up together, and of course--Bella Donna by my she-ro Stevie Nicks. It's fun to see more and more limited edition vinyl as part of the marketing for musical products. What can we forecast from this? Maybe what I've been saying all along, that the music industry is poised for a major backlash against the shallow destructive status quo. Maybe the "wild dog on a leash" called the music industry is ready to be "yanked back into submission" by--you?--me?--passionate musicians fed-up with mediocrity force-fed into our psychic cultural veins without alternative or escape? If you resonate with this sentiment, connect with us. You will find kindred spirits on the move toward higher levels of musical truth and prosperity, fueled much more in some ways by the days of musical old than the "daze" of musical new.
BUSINESS UPDATE: 3 words: location, location, location! Still finalizing our search for the perfect spot to set up shop, and tying up loose ends for old business from the Urbandale office days. All the stuff with both the business and the band are integrated in this same new endeavor, as well as other key ingredients in the new multi-faceted project we're working on. Items have been steadily falling into place, as a "fuzzy picture coming into focus" slower and more difficult than we expected, but with a clearer vision of what is coming, and increased potential for even bigger and better results. Though it's been more than a little frustrating to keep the details under wraps all this time, this continues to be critical to the successful launch that is forthcoming. But be assured, Kaleidoscope is alive and well, and will be back in your face at the appropriate near-future time. Until then, we're still here creating, consulting, networking, and growing. Your info for connecting with us for all things Kaleidoscope is here:
Kaleidoscope CreatiVEntures
4110 12th Street
Des Moines, IA 50313
(use the comments section of this blog to reach out and touch us!--THANKS and take care!)
I hereby pass the baton of this discourse to you, cyber-friend...
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