Ultimate Symphonic Saskatoon!

Hello! Kathryn Rose here!

We were recently in Saskatoon, where for the second year in a row Jeans 'n Classics joined forces with the Saskatoon Symphony to appear at Evening Under The Stars, a fundraiser for the St Paul's Hospital Foundation. Last summer we brought our Queen show to this awesome outdoor under the prairie skies, and this time (on Aug 13, 2014) we presented our Ultimate Symphonic Rock show featuring the music of Moody Blues, Electric Light Orchestra, Peter Gabriel, Jethro Tull, and David Bowie.

As I like to say, "the safest place is on the stage", and so too sometimes is the best vantage point… Singing David Bowie's Space Oddity with a supreme view of the gorgeous sunset, jet streams swirling overhead were all the natural drugs I needed for a mind altering experience!

Pretty sure I was tripping out watching jet streams...
[JnC left to right: me (Kathryn Rose), Leah Salomaa, Peter Brennan, Mitch Tyler, Jean Meilleur, also Don Paulton and Jeff Christmas just out of the shot.] Thank you to the brother of our favourite twins Mary & Katherine for the photo! How cool that you live in Saskatoon!!  :)

We flew into Saskatoon the day before the show with enough time for a patio supper, where this pic was snapped of Jeans 'n Classics founder / guitarist / orchestral arranger / Chief Braintrust Peter Brennan caught sweeping up. Savvy Jeans 'n Classics friends and fans who frequent our Facebook page may have noticed that we opened this photo up for a contest of sorts for the best caption. 

Here's the photo and the Facebook thread that ensued:

• 
  

  SM Field: Because that's what he always does at home.
• Jeans 'n Classics Nice, SM Field! Here's one we came up with: "Realizing he's left his wallet on the plane, Jeans 'n Classics' Peter Brennan picks up the closest broom, saying, "Big show tomorrow night, I'd rather avoid Dishpan Hands." ...Anyone else? 
• Leah Salomaa I think the woman in white is asking Peter Brennan to move in with her!

Many of we artists in Jeans 'n Classics do other voice work here and there, whether singing or speaking… It seems to be The Law that my voice agent will always email me on the day I am leaving town for a Jeans 'n Classics concert/trip with a voice over audition for a big paying commercial or something, "for tomorrow". 

All Hail the Self Tape! Self tape-ing is when one does just that: Esconsed in their hotel room, one seizes their iPhone and revvs up one of those new fangled professional voice recording apps (or) busts out their laptop and USB microphone, and records themselves over and over until it starts sounding good/not weird:

"Delicious crunchy clusters of whole organic oats with flax and pumpkin seeds….Nature’s Path Organic Pumpkin Flax Granola. A step on the right path."

After which, one emails it like wildfire to their agent who will send it to the casting person for the commercial! Done!

On this trip in Saskatoon I got comfy in my suite at The James (great hotel!) and proceeded to set up shop. After a couple of test reads and playbacks, I noticed the sophisticated AC/air vents in our rooms was creating an audible white noise issue in my audition recording. My solution?

Grabbing some towels from the bathroom I made an Instant Vocal Booth. (Very nice plush terry cloth towels... to die for…)

Here I am playing Peekaboo

I seem to recall another similar, hilarious snap from one of our older Blog entries showing singer Stephanie Martin in such a voice over hurry that she couldn't even wait until she got out of the airport… huddled with iPhone and her whole head under her coat to create something close enough to a cone of silence in an airport food court, eloquently elocuting (is that a word?) in both English and French no doubt.

LITTLE LIMO ON THE PRAIRIE

It's not everyday that one sees a limo or two gingerly dodging prairie dogs until it reaches a giant stage in the middle of a field, nor is it everyday that one rides in said limo. I like the anachronism of this image.

Here's singer Leah Salomaa and myself (Kathryn Rose) at sidestage waiting to go on for our first song in the afternoon rehearsal.

Hopefully we'll get our hands on some of the professional photography of the night itself. There were 2 or 3 photographers shooting the show. From the terrific Whitecap Dakota dancers and singers' Opening Ceremonies, to the lovely morphing skies, and receptive crowd who clamoured for a repeat of our take on Peter Gabriel's Solsbury Hill as encore, it really was a dreamy Evening Under The Stars!

On behalf of the Women of JnC… who keep the class in Jeans 'n Classics,

xo kr