Andrea Koziol performs "Rain" on "This City Live"

The lovely and multi-talented Andrea Koziol recently did a show with "This City Live", where they host a weekly web series featuring Toronto musicians.  Check out her fabulous performance here (accompanied by Davide Direnzo, Ian De Souza and Joel Schwartz), plus a Q&A after the video!

(from "This City Live/In One Take"; view original page here)

On May 12th we had Andrea Koziol in with her band to perform her song 'Rain' during a fittingly rainy day. Andrea’s latest album, “Half Way Sweet,” is available through iTunes and CD Baby and you can keep up on her upcoming shows at www.andreakoziol.com.  Andrea is joined by Davide Direnzo (Drums), Ian De Souza (Bass) and Joel Schwartz (Guitar)

Interview with Andrea Koziol

Andrea Koziol is an impressively well established singer/songwriter based in Toronto who has spent the last decade both recording and playing her own material all over the country as well as collaborating with a myriad of other musicians. After shooting one of her newest songs for In One Take, I sat down with Andrea and discussed managing songwriting and parenting, the value in occasionally embracing bad experiences, and the necessity of backstage massage therapists.

How’d you like shooting with This City Live?

Andrea: I loved shooting with This City Live because the vibe is so good and Warren doesn’t make you feel like he’s there when you’re working, so you can just be yourself. That’s really pleasant.

What can you tell me about the song that you did today?

Andrea: I just finished it a few days ago and it’s very nice that these guys got together and played it with me. It’s was just dumping rain in Toronto last week, just pounding, like a west coast storm that had lost its way here. I was contemplating how that felt perfect in light of some really bad shit that people I knew were experiencing. It seemed like everybody around me was having a hard time. So it’s a song about how it’s not a bad thing to just get down and let it rain every now and again. It's actually good for you.

So how does songwriting work for you in general then? Are you one of those people who can regimen yourself or is it more like in the case of this song where something inspires you and you just have to get that song out of you immediately?

Andrea: It really depends. I have two little kids so I need to be a little bit disciplined about trying to get into the basement where nobody is listening to me after they go to bed. I have to make myself work at that point, even if I don’t feel like it, because it’s necessary and it feels good when something happens.

What’s the best show you’ve ever had? Not necessarily your best performance, but what’s the best time you’ve had playing?

Andrea: There’s one particular show at the Vancouver Folk Festival. I was on a stage with ridiculous people. People that I felt completely humbled by and that I felt tiny beside. It was crazy because I felt out of my league. And it was a Sunday morning gospel show and I’m just a white girl, so what the heck was I doing there? I played my first tune and before my next one I was just thinking, “What am I going to do?” Looking out at a couple thousand people sitting on the grass, waiting for something from the girl who clearly didn’t belong. I ended up singing Amazing Grace acapella. I sang it really, really loud, and I didn't feel an ounce of self doubt, and I've never been the same since. It was awesome...and then I had a great massage.

Not sure what the connect there is, but okay.

Andrea: Oh! Backstage at that festival they had massage therapists for the performers. Play your show, then lie down in the grass and get a nice massage.

Okay, that’s in my rider for every gig from here on out.

Andrea: It’s pretty sweet.

Alright, I hate to ask this one sometimes, but what do you think is the worst show you ever had?

Andrea: The kinds of gigs that I don’t play anymore are shows where people don’t listen. Like weddings, or anytime you have to take what you do and what you love, and put it into a scenario where it just becomes a commodity. I’m not fond those gigs. But having said that, I had a pretty lousy date at The Rex years and years ago where I just thought, “toss in the towel at this point." If you don’t get a good crowd it can be brutal, but that's the thing about playing live music...it can be the most fantastic experience in the world, or it can dump you down on the ground and step on your head. You don’t know what’s going to happen that particular night, but you have to keep hoping for the best...expecting the best.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten from another musician?

Andrea: Understand what your own voice is before you give it other people. Don’t try to sing like anybody else, don’t try to play like anybody else, don’t try to do anything based on a convention or anything you think you should exist inside of. Find out what you sound like, then make that sound.

What are some of your favourite Toronto acts?

Andrea: I’m a big Kevin Breit fan. I love the Sisters Euclid. Of course I love Kilometre (This City Live's head engineer Andrew McCready’s band). They’re like my favourite boy rock band. I try to catch them whenever possible. Whenever the kids let me out at night. I also have a lot of friends who do the same sort of thing that I do, a whole host of singer songwriters, and we all support each other. It’s a great scene for that. I should also mention that I'd make time any night of the week to hear the guys that played this tune with me tonight - Ian De Souza, Joel Schwartz and Davide Direnzo. They are obviously amazing, they all have their own incredible projects on the go.

Last question: what are some of your favourite places to eat in the city?

Andrea: Oh man, really?! I like a lot of food. I love eating Ethiopian at Africa Palace. Barque is utterly fantastic. And I love Foxley, it’s fantastic. And Enoteca Sociale is one of my faves, especially when they have the artichoke fries in season. You know what else? Caffe Brasiliano because they do a hot table lunch everyday and this really nice family the place. They make home-cooked, fantastic food, and their super nice people. I love them.

Andrea’s latest album, “Half Way Sweet,” is available through iTunes and CD Baby. For more information, visit her website atwww.andreakoziol.com and follow her on twitter at @andreakoziol.

Thanks for reading,

Aaron “DangerFriend” Florendo

feedback from our shows in Kitchener performing the music of Annie Lennox

We loved performing the songs of Annie Lennox with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony on March 20-21, and we've had great feedback, thank you! So glad you enjoyed the shows as much as we did.

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"I would just like to say how much I enjoyed last night's performance. It was probably one of the most enjoyable my wife and I have seen in the 6 or 7 years we've been coming. The vocal teamwork and obvious joy of the presentation left us leaving wanting more...and craving pancakes! It was great seeing all of the very talented women take centre stage, literally.

Thanks, Greg & Marianne Noakes"

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"I have had a subscription for Jeans n Classics in KW since it began at Centre in the Square I think 11 years ago. I have often commented on the fact that the women are primarily backup singers with the odd solo until this past show (there was another one in the first or second year, I think at Christmas)! Finally....sisters are doing it for themselves! This song was such a great anthem back in the day and a great encore choice. The only thing I would suggest is that you invite all of the “sisters” to stand and sing along with the chorus; we were dying to stand up and move and this would be a great way to end the show. Otherwise I loved the variety of voices and ability to have various combinations of singers; each has their own unique qualities. Looking forward to hearing more from all of you. Thanks for a great show.

Adrienne Gilbert"

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Backstage after performing the music of the incomparable Annie Lennox with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony.

Peter Brennan, The Women of JNC, & Jimmy Carter

There will always be more tales and pics from the Road... but here's something that proves our fearless leader Peter Brennan always has our backs. He sent this essay by Jimmy Carter to the ladies of JNC the other day. At the bottom are some of our reactions to the piece.

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On 2013-04-01, at 10:00 AM, Peter Brennan wrote:

Hi Ladies
Gotta share this - hope you don't mind. Always loved Jimmy Carter... and this nailed me... I thought this was pure balanced brilliance.
Happy Monday!
Peter

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Women and girls have been discriminated against for too long in a twisted interpretation of the word of God.

I HAVE been a practicing Christian all my life and a deacon and Bible teacher for many years. My faith is a source of strength and comfort to me, as religious beliefs are to hundreds of millions of people around the world. So my decision to sever my ties with the Southern Baptist Convention, after six decades, was painful and difficult. It was, however, an unavoidable decision when the convention’s leaders, quoting a few carefully selected Bible verses and claiming that Eve was created second to Adam and was responsible for original sin, ordained that women must be “subservient” to their husbands and prohibited from serving as deacons, pastors or chaplains in the military service.

This view that women are somehow inferior to men is not restricted to one religion or belief. Women are prevented from playing a full and equal role in many faiths. Nor, tragically, does its influence stop at the walls of the church, mosque, synagogue or temple. This discrimination, unjustifiably attributed to a Higher Authority, has provided a reason or excuse for the deprivation of women’s equal rights across the world for centuries.

At its most repugnant, the belief that women must be subjugated to the wishes of men excuses slavery, violence, forced prostitution, genital mutilation and national laws that omit rape as a crime. But it also costs many millions of girls and women control over their own bodies and lives, and continues to deny them fair access to education, health, employment and influence within their own communities.

The impact of these religious beliefs touches every aspect of our lives. They help explain why in many countries boys are educated before girls; why girls are told when and whom they must marry; and why many face enormous and unacceptable risks in pregnancy and childbirth because their basic health needs are not met.

In some Islamic nations, women are restricted in their movements, punished for permitting the exposure of an arm or ankle, deprived of education, prohibited from driving a car or competing with men for a job. If a woman is raped, she is often most severely punished as the guilty party in the crime.

The same discriminatory thinking lies behind the continuing gender gap in pay and why there are still so few women in office in the West. The root of this prejudice lies deep in our histories, but its impact is felt every day. It is not women and girls alone who suffer. It damages all of us. The evidence shows that investing in women and girls delivers major benefits for society. An educated woman has healthier children. She is more likely to send them to school. She earns more and invests what she earns in her family.

It is simply self-defeating for any community to discriminate against half its population. We need to challenge these self-serving and outdated attitudes and practices - as we are seeing in Iran where women are at the forefront of the battle for democracy and freedom.

I understand, however, why many political leaders can be reluctant about stepping into this minefield. Religion, and tradition, are powerful and sensitive areas to challenge. But my fellow Elders and I, who come from many faiths and backgrounds, no longer need to worry about winning votes or avoiding controversy - and we are deeply committed to challenging injustice wherever we see it.

The Elders are an independent group of eminent global leaders, brought together by former South African president Nelson Mandela, who offer their influence and experience to support peace building, help address major causes of human suffering and promote the shared interests of humanity. We have decided to draw particular attention to the responsibility of religious and traditional leaders in ensuring equality and human rights and have recently published a statement that declares: “The justification of discrimination against women and girls on grounds of religion or tradition, as if it were prescribed by a Higher Authority, is unacceptable.”

We are calling on all leaders to challenge and change the harmful teachings and practices, no matter how ingrained, which justify discrimination against women. We ask, in particular, that leaders of all religions have the courage to acknowledge and emphasise the positive messages of dignity and equality that all the world’s major faiths share.

The carefully selected verses found in the Holy Scriptures to justify the superiority of men owe more to time and place - and the determination of male leaders to hold onto their influence - than eternal truths. Similar biblical excerpts could be found to support the approval of slavery and the timid acquiescence to oppressive rulers.

I am also familiar with vivid descriptions in the same Scriptures in which women are revered as pre-eminent leaders. During the years of the early Christian church women served as deacons, priests, bishops, apostles, teachers and prophets. It wasn’t until the fourth century that dominant Christian leaders, all men, twisted and distorted Holy Scriptures to perpetuate their ascendant positions within the religious hierarchy.

The truth is that male religious leaders have had - and still have - an option to interpret holy teachings either to exalt or subjugate women. They have, for their own selfish ends, overwhelmingly chosen the latter. Their continuing choice provides the foundation or justification for much of the pervasive persecution and abuse of women throughout the world. This is in clear violation not just of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but also the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul, Moses and the prophets, Muhammad, and founders of other great religions - all of whom have called for proper and equitable treatment of all the children of God. It is time we had the courage to challenge these views.

OBSERVER

Jimmy Carter was president of the United States from 1977 to 1981.
Copyright © 2013 Fairfax Media

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On 2013-04-01, at 11:11 AM, Lis Soderberg wrote:

Wow.  What a powerful summary of a very big picture ... thanks so much for forwarding, Peter!  

xoL

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On 2013-04-01, at 11:39 AM, Rique Franks wrote:

I love this!  I posted it to my fb wall yesterday too!  I <3 Jimmy!!!!!!

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On 2013-04-01, at 11:41 AM, Peter Brennan wrote:

Yeah ...one pretty astute peanut farmer !

Cheers

PB

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On 2013-04-01, at 9:52 PM, Andrea Koziol wrote:

Yep.  I love this as well. Yay Jimmy!

Happy to not be the Pope tho...

Yours truly,

-Not The Pope Koziol

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On 2013-04-01, at 2:17 PM, Leah Salomaa wrote:

AMEN!

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...Me, I always liked Jimmy Carter.

xo KR

So Many Cities, So Much Time...

To start this entry, here is a clip Peter Brennan found and forwarded which he found inspirational, and we here at The Postcard do too:

Here now are some shots and captions from lots of trips...

Me (Kathryn Rose) and Leah Salmoaa's iPhone "Photo Booth" in the dressing room over the 2 nights of our Rubber Soul/Revolver show w/ the Kitchener Waterloo Symphony at Centre in the Square, Dec 5,6/12.

Neil Donell & David Blamires backstage waiting to go on for Rubber Soul/Revolver. Don't they look relaxed?

Me (Kathryn Rose) and John Regan at intermission.

Handsome lads... Dave Dunlop, Jeff Christmas, Don Paulton and Peter Brennan.

The Gretsch Drums Cake for Drummer Paul DeLong's birthday cake at his surprise 6oth birthday at the Orbit Room in Toronto, Dec 10/12.

Shot of the side screen projections of the JNC Holiday logo at our Christmas show at the London Convention Centre, London ON Canada, Dec 22/12.

Me (Kathryn Rose) & Andrea Koziol reflected in the hazy dressing room ceiling, London Convention Centre, London ON Canada, Dec 22/12.

Me (Kathryn Rose) waiting in the wings for her next entrance, Sting/Police show,  Wheeling WV,  Feb 14/13.

Stephanie Martin and myself (Kathryn Rose) in the dressing room during intermission,  Queen show, Huntsville AL, Feb 15/13.

Stephanie Martin showing me (Kathryn Rose) her True Grits. On the way out of Hunstville AL.

Kathryn Rose bidding farewell to Sweet Home Alabama.

Just when you thought you've seen it all, they keep adding something new... (in the airport bathroom stall)

Stephanie Martin's maman! Posing backstage with Leah Salomaa and Kathryn Rose after our Sgt Pepper Beatles show in Victoria BC, March 1,2,3/13. Stephanie wasn't on the gig but her mum came out anyhow!

Peter Brennan joking around outside the hotel, Sgt Pepper Beatles show in Victoria BC, March 1,2,3/13. 

Me (Kathryn Rose) and my grade 5 school crush Jason, who surprised me backstage after the show (Sgt Pepper Beatles show in Victoria BC, March 1,2,3/13.) He lives in Victoria now. I guess I'll always be a BC girl. (I grew up there.) When I saw him I cried my eyes out.

Jeff Christmas, Jean Meilleur, and Double D hogging the best seats at the Vancouver airport on the way home.

Stephanie Martin, Calgary AB, walking around after a Hot Yoga class with Kathryn Rose during some down time on a trip to play the Beach Boys show with the Calgary Philharmonic, Feb 7,9/13. 

Can you spot the JNC singer in this list of CDs? I (Kathryn Rose) spotted this at second hand shop "Recordland" record in the Inglewood area of Calgary.

Miscellaneous dressing room doors....

 

My (Kathryn Rose's) son Ivor. Look how he stores his sword down the underwear. I just had to share.

Over and out for now, xo KR

(Leave us some comments!)

Memories of Amarillo, Bowling Green, Calgary and miscellaneous...

Jeans 'n Classics is on the road in a big way right now. Check out our concert calendar here: The JnC Concert Calendar . Here are some shots and captions from a few of the recent trips I've been a part of.

JAN 25 & 26, 2013 - AMARILLO TX, USA 

PIANO MEN: THE MUSIC OF BILLY JOEL & ELTON JOHN 

WITH THE AMARILLO SYMPHONY

Poor Jeff Christmas' suitcase was maimed in flight... upon arrival in Amarillo,  we made the grisly discovery that only 3 of the 4 wheels made the trip.

Singer Jean Meilleur standing onstage at the Amarillo Symphony Hall. That venue is a thing to behold! A little like Noah's Ark, or a womb, or a cocoon... hard to describe... 

On the afternoon off before our second night with the Amarillo Symphony, Don Paulton, Katalin Kiss and myself took a drive out to Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Absolutely gorgeous!

Kathryn Rose and Katalin Kiss stage a stick fight on an open air stage.

Keyboardist Don Paulton emerges from the rocks after nimbly crossing a brook on a fallen log. Who knew he was so outdoorsy!

A Texas Longhorn checks us out on our way out of the Park.

FEB 1 & 2, 2013 - BOWLING GREEN, KY, USA 

EARTH, WIND & FIRE, BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS, AND A LITTLE CHICAGO

WITH ORCHESTRA KENTUCKY

 

No matter where we go, singer Jean Meilleur is never homesick with his Green Bay Packers bedspread and pillow from home! 

An offering from singer Jean Meilleur to drummer Jeff Christmas (or was it Jeff to Jean?) after some confusion leaving the hotel for a post-show drink.

Showing great team spirit, our leader Peter Brennan valiantly abides "bed pizza".

FEB 7 & 9, 2013 - CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA 

THE MUSIC OF THE BEACH BOYS 

WITH THE CALGARY PHILHARMONIC

Kathryn Rose's outfit outtakes / aka: looks that didn't make the cut:

My mom's maternity dress

My Buby's bathing suit

On our first night in Calgary on this trip, singers Leah Salomaa, Kathryn Rose and Stephanie Martin suddenly had a bottle of Moet & Chandon sent to their table from some admirers at the bar. We were still all "WestJetted" out, not yet at our glamorous, show worthy best... (That came the next night, hee hee!) The gentlemen in question were two very stylishly dressed legal and corporate moguls who fussed over us despite their obvious lack of appreciation for our winter booted feet, which they were not afraid to comment on... Just when we began to wonder if it was fun or uncomfortable, Stephanie made a great call and began singing. Leah and I joined in, in an impromptu 3 part version of "In My Room" as we do it in the Beach Boys show. Our singing instantly turned out to be a "forcefield" the two gentlemen were powerless to do anything but be quiet and appreciate. Our secret weapon! Timing is everything. After that, we bid them goodnight and retired for the night. The champagne was delicious. 

Leah demonstrates all of our amazement at the unexpected extravagant bottle sent to our table.



Stephanie Martin, Leah Salomaa, & Kathryn Rose all glammed up for the Beach Boys show.

A little orchestra humour... courtesy of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra's backstage bulletin board:

And:

MISCELLANEOUS IMAGES FROM VARIOUS TRIPS:

"We need some hand soap in the dressing room... do you have any Almond Pink?"

An airport bathroom, somewhere... "Please use smaller roll first."#toiletpaperprotocol

This week/end we have a triple header... 

Feb 14: The music of Sting and The Police with Wheeling Symphony (Wheeling WV)

Feb 15: The music of Motown with the Fairfax Symphony (Fairfax WV)

Feb 16: The music of Queen with the Huntsville Symphony (Huntsville AL)

Come back and see if we captured any more of our many magic moments!

xo KR

New Orleans! Jan. 4-5, 2013

2013 is off to a fabulous start!  Hope you all can say the same.

Every year we're booked in new cities across North America in addition to familiar favourites, and our first top this year was New Orleans with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, to do the music of Queen (which also includes a local choir joining us for the second set, this time students from the LSU Music Program).

I was thrilled to hear we were booked for two performances; when we're in town for just one show there often isn't a chance to see much of our host city—we fly in the night before, rehearse and perform the day of, and fly back the day after—but with two shows we usually have some time for sightseeing on the second day.

Naturally we had to get acquainted with Bourbon Street, where this intriguing sight greeted us on our way back to the hotel after Friday's rehearsal:

Katalin is trying not to giggle, so as not to
hurt the hand grenade's feelings ... wait a minute ...

I did not know that!

Frankly, I was having some trouble with the idea of a friendly hand grenade until we got a bit further down the street, when all became clear:

Friday night after our show at the Mahalia Jackson Theater we took a cab to Frenchmen St. and heard amazing bands in every club we strolled into; what an incredible scene!  Our last stop found us grooving to New Orleans brass funk band "Diablo's Horns", featuring a sousaphone bass player and glorious horn arrangements; it turns out that night was their first live gig and a CD release party—check them out, the CD's fab!

New Orleans, of course, has a mind-boggling array of things to do & see ... but I was told that I had to taste at least 3 things: a beignet, a hurricane, and a poboy (which I got from the legendary Mother's, a few blocks from our hotel near the French Quarter).  Done, done, done, and YUM.

Think I'll start making my to-do list for next time now.

xoL

p.s.  There was one little mishap ... a fire at the hotel on Saturday evening just before we headed over to the theatre, and due to smoke damage (no one was hurt, thank goodness) everyone was moved to a new hotel after we returned.  It would have normally been just another reason to stay awake and enjoy the sights and sounds ... except for that pesky 6:30am lobby call.  ;-)