West Texas sunshine ... plus pickles (Andrea)

Spent last weekend in Big Spring Texas, and I wasn't prepared for a few things.

Big Spring is the first place I've ever seen a "pickle in a pouch". It's a single, giant pickle in a clear plastic bag (think the way you bring your new goldfish home from the pet store) and they come in varying spiced flavours. People who know me know that pickles make my heart sing, and won't be surprised to hear that this new discovery has altered my hotel room noshing forever. Thank you Big Spring, for introducing me to my new favorite salty single serving snack while away from my own refrigerator.

I also wasn't prepared for how lovely and generous the friendly folks associated with the orchestra would be. Dathan and Suzanne, who are orchestra board members and also staff at the Big Spring YMCA, took exquisite care of us. (Being a proud YMCA member here in Canada, I was so happy to hear about the wonderful work the Big Spring Y is doing.) The orchestra was a delight to work with, as was Milt, the most high tech gadget sound man I have ever met.

And finally ... I really wasn't prepared to get a wicked sunburn on my shoulders on this trip to Big Spring. Kathryn Rose and I set up shop (laptops and wifi and catching up on work) just outside the hotel the afternoon before the show. The weather was so beautiful, we couldn't bear to stay inside. I'm not complaining, but these shoulders just aren't tough enough for that gorgeous West Texas sun.

It was a great show, and I sure hope we find ourselves back in Big Spring before too long.

-AK

tips & tricks: makeup brushes

After having spent a lot of money on makeup brushes over the years — many of which I left behind in hotel & dressing rooms, and one particularly expensive set that was lost mid-flight — I finally wised up and started buying my makeup brushes from art supply stores instead.

These come in a huge variety of shapes, sizes, bristle types (synthetic and natural), and price ... many of the inexpensive choices are better quality than the low-end brushes you can find in a drug store, and even the most expensive ones cost less than a typical "professional" makeup brush (and in my experience last longer).

So next time your eyeshadow brush needs replacing, head to your local art store ... it's worth the trip anyway (art stores are divine)!


xo Lis

tips & tricks: iVoice (iPhone music app; key/tempo changes)

Sometimes when we're learning material for Jeans 'n Classics shows the the key of a song changes from the original, usually because it's not in the right range for the person who's going to sing lead on it. For both lead and bg vocalists, it's best to have something in the right key to practise with, but often there isn't a recorded version in that key.

However, we found an iPhone app called "iVoice", and gave it a try for the Canada Rocks show last week with Orchestra London (all Canadian songs — fantastic show!). Katalin and Kathryn and I were rehearsing in the hotel on Thursday night and realised Kathryn would be singing "Let Go the Line" by Max Webster a third higher that the original, so we fired up iVoice.

It worked beautifully, a very useful tool for anyone who might want to hear/practise a song in a key other than the original; in the old days (last month, that is ;-) changing the pitch of a song meant either speeding it up or slowing it down to make it higher/lower.

It does take a little time for the processing (the message reads "Please wait. We are doing our magic."). However, the resulting file can be saved into an archive for later playback.

The app is $1.99; definitely going to get my money's worth out of that one! Perhaps some of you could find a use for it too — check it out here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ivoice/id403483119?mt=8#

... or search 'iVoice" in the iTunes App Store.

Cheers,

Lis

p.s. Kathryn did a beautiful job of "Let Go the Line", BTW. :-)

A Gift For You ...

Happy Holidays!

Please accept our gift to you in appreciation for the wonderful times we've had in your fair cities ... this is the first of what will hopefully be a new Jeans 'n Classics tradition, and the platform that we're using (Bandcamp) means that we will be able to include extra files like PDFs, videos etc.

For our first offering Katalin is sharing a new family recipe (PDF included when you download the EP), and there are six fresh holiday tunes from Leah, Rique, Kathryn, Lis, Andrea ... and guest "Woman of J'nC" Jean Meilleur. :-)

http://jncwomen.bandcamp.com

Click on the "free download" link to immediately download the entire package; choose MP3 for the quickest download, and other formats for higher-quality audio (be warned that these can be quite large!). If you'd rather not download the files, you can hear the full song versions streamed.
Hope you enjoy, and have a fantastic 2011!

Zeitgeist anyone?

I thought the JnC Ladies' blog might be a good place to share this kind of cool turn of events. I wrote a song called "I Married Myself" a number of years ago. It first appeared on my 2nd solo album (of 4), "My Little Flame."


Some friends recently sent me a Reuters link to an international news story about a woman marrying herself in Taiwan on Nov 6/10: In defiance of tradition, Taiwan woman marries self


I decided to see if I could contact her and see my song could be of use!


I found her page on Facebook: Only&Only's Wedding


I dropped her a line and after some very nice correspondence (her English is excellent), she now has 2 versions of my song and plans to use it in the proceedings! She has received thousands of messages from all over the world. Perhaps her use of my song will generate more interest in it! David Letterman even mentioned this woman on his show. Of course he wisecracked about her nuptials, but still...


I wrote the song in the spirit of making a commitment to yourself whether or not you find (or have found) a mate. I like that this woman has embraced the deeper meaning of this act (based on things she had said in the press and online about her decision) while sliding down her public school slide in her fabulous gown! (See the photo shoot on her Facebook page.)


This is not the first time others have used this song, but certainly the farthest afield. Check out my MySpace page to hear the fun dance version of the song I just recorded last summer for an actress doing a play called "Oneymoon: A Honeymoon For One."


...Maybe I'm onto something. Zeitgeist anyone?


Here is a link to see a video of me rehearsing the song on YouTube. Kathryn Rose rehearses her song "I Married Myself"


You can buy the song on iTunes! Just look for "I Married Myself" by Kathryn Rose.


Thanks for reading, and linking!!
xo KR

it's all about the shoes...

hey all.

i recently spent a lovely weekend in grand junction colorado, performing the music of the eagles, with some dear jnc friends. it was the canadian thanksgiving weekend, and while i was on the myriad of airplanes it took to get there and back, i spent some time thinking about all the things i am thankful for. (fyi this was the actual turkey that was waiting for me when i got home. verging on lewd...and very tasty...)

so...as all that contemplation of gratitude was going on, i was struck by how thankful i am to be part of this fabulous musical team. i have learned so much over the few years that i've worked with jeans 'n classics, and this new insight is something i can't imagine living without.

for example...

- i am now able to make that nifty little double safety pin and elastic band contraption, that can be added to any outfit, and holds your pack for in ear monitors! (patent pending)

- i now know that if i'm having an existential angst filled travel day, when I get to my hotel room, the movie that just happens to be on tv is always titanic.

- i've also learned firsthand that one can go a really long time eating nothing but apples.

- and fishnet stockings are just plain practical! they survive any and all abuse you throw at them. (and they're perfect for carrying your apples if you've run out of reusable bags...)

but there's one thing i've learned from this gig, that i feel the need to share (in my post thanksgiving stupor)...if i'm gonna shake my booty all night long, i've gotta be wearing some seriously happening shoes. if i can't run 5 k in those suckers, then i might as well just spray 'em with stucco and call it art.

this thanksgiving, i am truly thankful for all the fun i get to have on the road with jeans n' classics. i am also truly thankful for my green dancing shoes. (and the genius of john fluevog.)

see you around...

-AK

Motown Special in Kitchener Postponed

Just a quick note to say the Motown Special in support of Centre In The Square that JnC was to perform on Nov. 13 at Bingemans Hall has been postponed until Spring 2011. Check back to confirm the new date. A little bird might have said it could be in April...

Thanks!
-Kathryn

Who Is Norman?... and Motown Special in Kitchener

Hi friends,


This is my first post in the Women of JnC Blog. Hats off to our own Lis Soderberg for getting it started in such fine form. I look forward to contributing more as we delve deeper into our new concert season.


In addition to the various shows I will be singing in this year, I myself have been very busy in another aspect of JnC affairs... This past July I began assisting Peter Brennan behind the scenes with some admin. duties, including a special website devoted purely to the JnC band and singers! As we are a touring ensemble after all, I pitched a "Virtual Road Manager" concept to Peter and in typically sunny, supportive PB fashion, he said, "Go for it!"


Peter's web designer Tara Bowd/Sonic Notes and I put our heads together and created a tailor made website named after our brand new imaginary road manager "Norman." I had an artist friend of mine create some paintings of our man "Norman" in action, reminding us to "Keep Calm and Carry On", telling us when to check the Flights folder, tapping away on his laptop in an airport lounge... Norman even has a sidekick, a roadie named "Quasar." Over the past few months, writing Norman and Quasar back-stories and envisioning their likenesses... I must admit they are becoming real to me!


All our travel information for every concert we do is now housed in Norman's capable hands, and the band response has been great. We launched Norman to the gang a few weeks ago. Early responses:

"I like Norman a lot, he makes life so much easier." 

-Katalin (Kiss)

"Wow - Norman's pretty groovy. ;-) Looks good. Great job on the site! Very convenient!" 

-Gavin (Hope)

"Kewleeeooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love Norman!"

-Rique (Franks)

"Hey, Norman is great!"

-Don (Paulton) 

"Very cool site!!" 

-Denise (Pelley)

"This is genius. Thank you!"

-Leah (Salomaa)

"Fantastic job. It's nice 2 b informed."

-Jean (Meilleur)

Now, after all that, I'll bet you'd like to see this Norman, but... sorry, no dice! I won't give out the link as it is a private site for the band only, but suffice it to say it's chock full of content both practical (rehearsal schedules, flight etickets, itineraries) and silly (in-jokes, band sayings, a gallery where the band can post real-life "Normans" they spot walking down the street!)... All of which would either bore or baffle most everyone else, but to us, well, it's golden!


**********************************************************************************

Now, for Something Completely Different, if you live in and around Kitchener Ontario and would like to see JnC at a special event supporting Centre In The Square, here's an invite to an upcoming concert we'll be doing on November 13, 2010.

The show will feature: 
Vocalists Gavin Hope, Denise Pelley, Lis Soderberg, Kathryn Rose, and Andrea Koziol, Peter Brennan (guitar), Mitch Tyler (bass), Don Paulton (keys), Paul DeLong (drums).

Perhaps we'll see you there!

All the best,
-KR
(Kathryn Rose)

...Read on:

You have asked for it for years…and so here it is

The Kitchener Wilmot Hydro

Electric Thursday’s™ Dance!

Sat Nov 13th, you will be able to dance the night away to the music you love played by the Jeans N’ Classics Band, at Bingemans Marshall Hall.

Bop, boogie, tap, tango and salsa your night away. Bring your dancing partner, put on your party shoes and plan on dancing the night away. We see you dancing in your seats during the shows at CITS; here is your chance to strut your stuff on the floor. You will be treated to the music of Motown, R&B, '80s, '90s and dance. Played by the one and only Jeans 'n Classics Band, so you know it will be a great sound.

Tickets are $35 for Subscribers till Oct 1. $45 for Non-Subscribers, Purchase your tickets today as quantities are limited. Plan on being there when the doors open @ 7:30. There is no reserved seating for the tables of eight.

Join us on the 13^{th at} Bingemans in your best dancing duds as we dance the night away in support of The Centre’s Performance Development Fund.

Buy Tickets

Ticket Centre Telephone: 519-578-1570 or 1 (800) 265 8977


(PLEASE NOTE: THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL SPRING 2011.)

Calgary, Sept. 24/25: "Thriller - The Best of Michael Jackson"

We had a wonderful time in Calgary last month — love that city and the CPO (resident conductor Mélanie Léonard even showed off some Michael Jackson stage moves!), plus the Jack Singer Concert Hall is a favourite performance space. Jack Jamieson has been doing exquisite sound at front of house since before we first started performing there in 1994.

For Gavin Hope — who channeled MJ — this show had a personal connection; Calgary is his home town, and he sang to very appreciative sold-out audiences both nights. (Gavin is a talented photographer as well as a gifted singer; you can see more Calgary pics on his Facebook page.)

We were, as usual, very well taken care of by Laura Garrick and the rest of the CPO personnel, and were very happy to attend an after-party at Teatro on Friday night, complete with DJ “D-Fresh”, Michael Jackson-attired breakdancers (Dustin "Homeage" Lee, Chad Doherty and Matt Ball) and dangerously addictive nibblies. Plus champagne. :-)

(The generous sponsors who made it happen are listed below — thank you!)

However, earlier Friday night it became apparent as I went on stage that my left boot heel wasn’t necessarily going to stay for the party ... so during that evening’s performance I tried not to put too much weight on it and hoped I could find a repair place on Saturday in time for the second show. Calgary, of course, is a place where you could reasonably expect to find a boot repair shop, and I did: the Calgary Shoe Hospital, which fixed the heel in about an hour and put a nice shine on both boots as a bonus.

We stayed again at the luxurious Fairmont Palliser and indulged in some very tasty after-gig snacks at the Oak Room (we sure do eat well in Calgary) while catching up with visiting friends & family ... like I say, it’s a living.

Jeans ’n Classics will be in Calgary again in January 2011 with Canadian guitar virtuoso Rik Emmett ... enjoy!

Cheers,
Lis
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After-Party sponsors:

Teatro

Stardust Event Group

Visual Concepts & Design

Brinkhaus Jewellers

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