Thanks to everyone to made it out to the 55 Bar at the beginning of the month. Its really nice to sing at a venue on a Monday night in late summer that gives back so much energy to the performers!
I’ve been invited to share the bill at Cornelia St. Cafe (29 Cornelia St., New York, NY 10014) with a wonderful group of musicians named In One Wind. Tuesday, August 24th, the night starts at 8:30pm; Natalie John Quartet will kick off the show followed by In One Wind at 10pm. There is an $8 that gets you in for both groups! And come hungry; the menu is off the chain.
Also, just a heads up that I will be having a goodbye (for just a little while) party/show at Bar 4 in Park Slope, Brooklyn on September 30th. Where am I going, you ask? Well, stay tuned, I will spill the beans in my next post…
This is my late summer update!
In the next week I will be appearing at the 55 Bar in the West Village twice; this Friday singing as a guest with Adam Klipple’s Sneak, at 6pm. This music is super rocked out jazz, you will love it.
Next Monday, the quartet returns for its first show after our CD release party in June!
Please join myself, Dominic Fallacaro on Rhodes, Aidan Carroll on bass, and Stuart Bidwell on drums as we perform original tunes off my newly released debut album, as well as some new jams and choice covers.
55 Bar is a friendly, laid back spot for enjoying live jazz; I hope to see you there. As always on the early set, no cover charge!
We play two sets; 7pm and 8:15pm.
Wow! Last night was an incredible amount of fun and good energy, on the bandstand and in the audience. I’m proud to declare that I just performed my first successful CD Release party!
Stay tuned in starting in August for a video of the show.
Next week! Appearing in San Francisco:
Tuesday, July 6th, at Yoshi’s lounge!! 9-11:30pm
$7 cover. Great sushi and drinks!!
Just an update on the CD RELEASE PARTY tonight….
The show starts at 8:30pm, not 7:30 as stated on the poster.
The admission price of $12 includes a copy of my CD, but if you would like to pay what you can (w/o receiving the product) no one will be turned down at the door.
See you tonight! If you’re not in NYC, then stay tuned: by the end of the summer I will share the video of the performance with you on this very here website!
Recently, I’ve been contemplating the extent to which I can manipulate my own natural sound to create an effect in live performance that emulates what’s been done in the studio.
In the past, I’ve used the Digitech Vocal 300 Vocal Effects Processor to add different delay and reverb effects to my voice. This has been useful to attain the specific vibe I want without having to rely on a sound guy to control the effect. Having complete control of what, when and how much is quite beneficial to a live performer.
Now I’m ready to take the effects to a different level by experimenting with the Line 6 DL4 Stompbox, the little green box that’s a favorite tool for guitarists, vocalists, and other instrumentalists alike in sound manipulation. Check out what Reggie Watts does with it! Extreme. Extremely awesome, too.
If you are interested in what I can do with one of these things, here’s a hint:
Come to my CD release party on June 25th!!!
Hello reader,
My postings on my website have this far been oriented towards keeping you updated on my performances and CD release; from now on I will strive to combine postings of such nature with postings on broader musical topics and recent observations I’ve made of the current music scene. Today I will share with you a bit of my experience as a jazz educator thus far (this is a very new and exciting endeavor for me!)
I wrote up these notes for a vocal jazz clinic I taught alongside Ingrid Jensen for some talented adolescents coming to NYC from rural British Columbia on a school music trip. My thoughts and musings are as follows; all are what I’ve learned from my own experiences trying to sit in on competitive sessions in NYC.
How to show up at a jam session and sing some jazz!
1. Get your list of tunes together.
-It’s good to have somewhere between 5 and 10 songs committed to memory that range from well known standards (Bye Bye Blackbird, Autumn Leaves) to more adventurous selections (You Don’t Know What Love Is, All of Nothing at All).
-Know what key you like to sing your songs in! The rhythm section (usually represented by the pianist or guitarist) will most likely ask your preference, so accept the invitation to sing in the key most comfortable for you.
-If you are playing with less experienced players who don’t transpose on the spot (or just don’t know the song you have your heart set on) bring a simple lead sheet with the song written in your key (see attached example).
2. Pick a program-appropriate tune to sing. When it’s your turn to get up (depending on how rigid the schedule is, you may not get a choice when you get to sing!) it’s a good idea to pick a tune from your prepared list that’s contrasting to the previous tune. This keeps the night varied, exciting and ensures your appearance keeps listeners engaged.
3. Stretch the limits of the tune. You don’t always have to play Body and Soul as a ballad. Call it as a medium blues shuffle if you feel like you (and the musician in the band) play strongly in that style, and as noted above, its appropriate for the given set list programming.
4. Counting a tune in should be strong. Hear the tempo you want in your head and feel the tempo by snapping your fingers before you start counting 1,2,3,4…
-My trick that always ensures that it’s the tempo that I want to sing in: Think of the hardest, fastest passage from the melody and hear it in your head. Take the tempo directly from there. Somehow this prevents a too-fast or too-slow count off.
5. Taking an improvised solo isn’t necessary if you don’t feel comfortable scatting in a new environment, but if you do, step up and take the first solo after you sing the melody or else a sax player may cut you off unknowingly before you get a chance to start!
6. Song endings at jam session are classic noodle-fests for horn players that get really tedious, especially when every tune ends the same way… Take the opportunity to direct an assertive ending with a tag (*to be discussed) and/or a directed slow down and fermata (*also another discussion). Everyone will thank you for it (if not silently) and you will have contributed an extra bit of class to the bandstand.
5. Sometimes there are jam sessions specifically for vocalists; sometimes you’re the only one in a sea of horn players. Either way, confidence and preparedness are key! With these two tools, you are immune to any vibes that anybody, vocalists or instrumentalists, will throw your way.
*other tips*
-Before the set, introduce yourself to the jam session leader as a willing participant, so they can plan you into the programming of the session.
-Come prepared with your own microphone when you’re not sure if the session will be properly equipped. Standard microphone is the Shure SM-58. Don’t forget a transformer/adapter (in case the club/room doesn’t have a PA and the guitarist/electric keyboardist has an available input into their amplifier).
-Keep your eyes and ears open! Yes, you’re singing the melody, but there’s a ton of interactive things happening on the bandstand that if you are conscious of them, you can too participate in shaping the on-the-spot song arrangement and bring the music to a higher level (often unexpected of the vocalist, and always impressive!)
-Always bring business cards and/or some sort of promotional flyer or demo to the session in case a spectator or fellow musician expresses interest in your voice and music. Don’t promote yourself ad nauseum when talking to musicians after your appearance, but with a friendly demeanor, make sure they know how to contact you in the future. I’ve met many musicians at open (and closed) sessions that I’ve kept in touch with, and sometimes paid gigs and other musical opportunities have resulted from these networking strategies.
I’m happy to announce that we are on schedule for release of my debut self produced album! The album is available for download from iTunes, Bandcamp, or CDBaby, for now. Visit my listening site here for a peek at one of the tracks!
http://listen.nataliejohnmusic.com
CD release shows will be in New York, NY and San Francisco, CA on June 25th, 2010 and July 6th, 2010, respectively.
But before June, I’ve got a couple of great shows coming your way in Manhattan this week!
Tonight at Caffe Vivaldi, I will be performing with the original Natalie John Quartet, featuring Dominic Fallacaro, piano; Craig Akin, bass, and Stu Bidwell, drums. We start promptly at 7pm, and the wonderful Mika Hary goes on at 8:15pm. No cover, just a suggested donation of $5 for the band. Caffe Vivaldi is located at 32 Jones St. in the West Village, NYC. Here’s a map!
This Sunday at Rose Live Music, I will be performing with a brand new configuration of musicians billed as the Natalie John Group featuring Nir Felder, guitar; Jarrett Cherner, piano; and Colin Stranahan, drums. We will start at 10pm. Come early for Trevor Exter and Becca Stevens at 8 and 9pm. No cover, just a suggested donation of $5 for the band. Rose Live Music is located at 345 Grand St. in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Here’s a map!
Thank you for supporting my original music projects with your visits to my website and hopefully your attendance at my performances. More updates will be posted soon! Thanks, have a great sunny May day.
Yes, it’s confirmed! Unveiled, my very first, self released album, co-produced by Dominic Fallacaro, is hitting the digital world (iTunes, Bandcamp, CDBaby) on June 21st, and the east coast CD release party where you can score your own physical copy of the album, is June 25th!
Stay tuned for an announcement of the west coast CD release party. The party will be on June 25th at the Zinc Bar, in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. Show starts at 7pm and the admission is $12, which includes a copy of the CD!
I will be posting more updates as more elements of the release are finalized. Until then, check out my show calendar for more events.
…. the music of Steely Dan and the Neptunes, performed by the oh so suave trio, the Fine Columbians.
Appearing once in a blue moon, Fine Columbians are back at Rose Live Music on May 16th! So get ready to taste the flavor of some of the greatest song writers of all time.
Check out a clip from our last show! —->Kid Charlemagne
performing with the Fine Columbians