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October News from Sing Your Life!!

Saturday, September 26th, 2009

LA was grand! Got to conduct my vocal performance workshop with my west coast students that I hadn’t seen in ages, and it felt really good to hear them each sing for me again. I never get over the good feelings that permeate and penetrate the space when folks who love music get together to sing. It keeps me young and motivated to keep promoting the joy of singing for its own sake and not only for material gain.

I want to let you all know that I am available for “live” workshops if we can pull together at least 8 singers in one location. Judging by the info I have on my mailing list, there are several of you in Canada, both on the eastern side around  Toronto and Montreal, and on the west coast like Vancouver.  There are also quite a few of you on the Minnesota area, and some other places as well.

If you’d like to experience the Sing Your Life vocal performance workshop, please contact me and I will put you in touch with other singers in your area.

I also wanted to tell you that you can now experience a free half hour consultation with me on Skype. The call is free and so is the lesson, and you get an idea of how my “live” lessons are conducted. All you need is a webcam, a computer microphone and Skype.

The tracks are still being put together on lists that you can download from the Members Only Page…so keep checking and downloading the lists you don’t have yet, make your choices and send me the entire file!

Okay, here’s the next installment of “Get Off the Bandstand”. Enjoy!!

(Previously, I told you about the “big star” that treated the band very badly, and the consequences that ensued. This time we explore the proper way to act around the musicians who are playing with you and for you.)

 

CHAPTER TWO
Honoring The Musician
 

More than in any other style of music, a Jazz singer must know what it means to honor her fellow musicians. Why? Because Jazz is a collaborative process where each and every member of the band, including the singer, are integral parts of a total expression, a story where each individual instrument represents a chapter without which the story would be incomplete.
 

So first and foremost, understand your PART!
 

  • Don’t walk up onto a bandstand without knowing the song you’re going to sing, the key it’s in and its tempo…and how to count it off.
  • Know the sign language to indicate, Back to the Beginning, (Top) or Extended Ending (Tag), etc.
  • Don’t talk, just sing!
  • At the end of the first chorus, (a chorus of a song is the complete song, sung or played ONE time through), step to the side and allow the other musicians who wish to participate, play their instruments.
  • Listen to what they are playing, and applaud with the audience when each instrumentalist finishes his solo.
  • Learn and understand “Trading Foursâ€?.
  • Have Fun!

 

 

Okay, let’s take these one by one, shall we?
 

Knowing your song, the key, the tempo.
 

Absolutely, the most crucial and telling aspect of your performance as a Jazz Vocalist is your musical knowledge when you approach the bandstand.
 

If you do not know the keys you sing in, you truthfully have
NO BUSINESS UP THERE…PERIOD!
 

 

 

 

In addition to knowing the key your song is in, you must of course know

  • ALL of the words by heart, (no lyric sheets please, this isn’t Karaoke),
  • and if the keyboard player doesn’t know your chosen song, you should have a lead sheet available. (A Lead Sheet is the melody line and the Chord Progressions, and sometimes the lyrics, but not necessarily).
  • The lead sheet must be IN YOUR KEY, and not be just a piece of sheet music you purchased at the local music store.

 

Look, if you sing the song in Bb and you hand the keyboardist a piece of sheet music that’s in the key of G, you are forcing him to instantly transpose each chord, which I can tell you, most players HATE to do that on the bandstand ‘cause it acts as a distraction to their expression. More likely than not, you’ll be asked to sing it in G so his life can be a little easier.
Point being that if you don’t want to be singing in uncomfortable keys, bring music in YOUR keys.
·        And Always bring a copy for the bass player as well.
 

Knowing the Signs
 

On a Jazz bandstand the talking is done through the music, so there is a minimum of talking. Therefore Jazz musicians have developed a sort of “sign language� to indicate things to each other. Often the leader will call a song and hold up 3 fingers with which he points down to the floor, This means the song is in 3 flats or the  key of Eb. That tells all the players on the stage where the song is likely to begin and end. It’s called setting the “tonality�.
 

Jazz singers should make it their business to learn keys and be able to communicate to their musicians the key the tune is to be played in without having to yell it all over the stage.
 

It is also very helpful to signal the musicians when you’re preparing to sing the song out, (that is, sing the last chorus), whether you’ll be coming back in at the beginning, or the middle.
 

Usually, with a ballad, you can be more effective by coming back at the Bridge, so as not to draw the slower song out too much and possibly lose your listeners. Oh, and by the way, know what the “Bridge� of the song IS. And for that matter, “the First 8�, “Last 8�, “Tag�, “Intro�, “Bail Out�, etc.
 

Here are just a very few signs, (there are many more found in jazz theory books and websites):
 

·        Index finger on nose = back to bridge
·        Hand on top of head = back to the beginning
·        Outline circle with index finger = Tag
·        Key of song = number of flats, using fingers pointed down. Ex: Key of F, one finger pointed down, (1 flat),  or Key of D, 2 fingers pointed up, (2 sharps).
·        Index finger across the throat = Take it out…NOW!
 

 

Don’t Talk, Just Sing
 

A Jazz gig is a collaboration where all of the players are involved. It is NOT a showcase for the singer. In other words, it is NOT a Cabaret Act. The people gathered to listen are Jazz enthusiasts, and are interested in the music and how the musicians on the stage, including the vocalist, interact with one another, rather than anecdotal accounts of the singer’s experience.
 

That’s not to say, you can’t thank the crowd for the applause, or even announce the next tune, or acknowledge a soloist’s improvisation. It just means that you should keep the talking to a minimum. There is a place for patter, but a jazz gig is NOT that place.
 

Musicians with whom you are sharing the stage can become incensed when you start telling stories up there. It takes away from the music, breaks the flow that has been created, and steals the spotlight from the band as a whole to the singer alone.
 

And this leads us to the next item.
 

 

TO BE CONTINUED…
 

 

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Posted in Attitude, Performing, Motivation & Inspiration | 1 Comment »

INSTALLMENT #4 of “Get Off the Bandstand”!!

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

(Previously, I started to touch on caring for your musicians, and I left you hanging when I mentioned an episode that involved a huge recording artist when I was on the road traveling with a big band.)

Here’s the rest of that story…

Our Band Bus had pulled into Harrah’s Club in Reno at about 8 AM after traveling all night from Anaheim, CA where we’d done several shows at Disneyland, as part their “Big Band Festival� that they always had every August.
 

As soon as we exited the bus, a guy who met us, approached the leader and asked if the band could play back up for the headliner, whose band guys were stuck somewhere in Idaho and were not going to make it to the club in time for her opening night. It was only for one night, so our leader agreed to it, after the price was negotiated.
 

Everyone had been looking forward to sleeping between some clean sheets for several hours before the show. When you’re on the road for several months a year, this becomes special, to sleep in a hotel because it only happens 3 nights out of the week, the rest of time we sleep on the bus, (but that’s another story, heck, it’s another book).
 

Well, the star of the show called a rehearsal for 1PM, so we went to our rooms, unpacked and did manage grab a few winks anyway.
 

As it turned out, her charts were not exactly clear with regard to repeats, intro’s and tags, so the band had to play several times and attempt to figure out how they went. Normally, it’s customary in situations like this to ask the singer what some of the symbols on the charts mean, but this singer,
not being able to read music herself was not helpful at all, and in fact became quite frustrated with the band, saying things like,
 

“What the Hell’s wrong with you people? Can’t you F***ing Read?�
 

Or there were exchanges like, “Where’s my starting note? My band always give me my starting note�
 

“It’s not on the sheet, but we’ll be glad to add it�. (So the band would play the intro and include the song’s starting note in the last bar, which would be played by the piano).
 

“That’s not the way they do it. I need to hear it better. Can’t the trumpet play it? You guys are F***ing LAME!�
 

I swear, I was in total shock!
 

Do you remember the 1979 movie with Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep, where a woman walks out on her husband and 4-year old child, and the young inexperienced dad is left to figure out how to parent his son? There’s a scene where Dustin Hoffman’s character is making breakfast, and his son is observing. As the waffle is being placed into the toaster, the boy announces, “That’s not right. That’s not the way Mom makes waffles. I want waffles that way MOM makes them�, and he runs out of the room.
 

Well, that’s the best way I can explain how this lady, a humungous star was acting during this rehearsal. Unbelievable!
 

So the rehearsal, which should have taken about an hour, ended up taking 3 ½ hours, which included several instances of undeserved, foul-mouthed verbal abuse by this so-called “sweetheart� of song to guys who had agreed to back her up and literally save her opening night. They were not happy.
 

And if the afternoon was not difficult enough, that night, she abused them even further by insulting them in front of the audience, saying things like,
 

“I know this band sucks, but try to stay with me okay? These A**holes can’t do anything right, but my real band will be here by tomorrow, so be sure to come back, okay?�
 

I was mortified and could not believe what I was witnessing. A big star like this who couldn’t read a note of music, could not answer simple questions from the musicians when they asked her, “What does this sign mean at Letter D?�, or “Are you coming at after 4 bars or 8�?
 

She would just yell and use some epithet to deflect the fact that she knew nothing about the music she was singing.
 

And I must admit that as a singer myself, I felt embarrassed for her, yet, at the time, I have to admit, with guilty pleasure, I thoroughly enjoyed her total humiliation when the band deliberately played several sour notes that threw her off and made her leave the stage in a rage, while the audience laughed their heads off.
 

She swore that the band would never work again, but as it turned out, it was she who was on her way to all kinds of trouble and pain, and while she HAS managed to hang on to her fan base, even today, I wonder how much tragedy in her life she could have avoided with a little more gratitude and less arrogance!
 

And as a 19 year-old watching this drama unfold, you can bet I took it all in with great interest, and counted my blessings that I knew how to read a chart and I silently vowed to always treat my band mates well.
 

I feel the need to mention here that since this incident, it has come out that this singer had a serious disorder and was also unfortunately addicted to pills, so maybe I can let her out of the  box on this one. After all, she was young, (only 2 years older than I at the time), and not all that stable to begin with.
 

Oh and by the way, while I can’t mention this singer’s name, lest I be sued from here to Timbuktu, if you want her name, drop me a private email and I’ll tell ya who it was.
 

My point is this.
 

Treat your musicians with civility and respect if you want to be treated that way yourself. And for Heaven’s sake, do NOT hide your inadequacies by making your band look bad. The band, the audience, and certainly the promoters can all see past that ploy, so you only demean yourself!
 

Let’s get really real here, singers! It’s easy to fall into a trap of self-importance when you’re being showered with the acceptance and accolades of applause…and all the “oohs� and “aahs� of your fans. Yes, I know!
 

But you cannot imagine how much higher you can go when you use your talent to bring people together…in joyous celebration of friendship that makes them feel love for one another, not just for you. That’s the real prize and it produces highs you will never forget.
 

In my Book on Promotion, I have a chapter on discovering who you are as a person as well as an artist BEFORE venturing out into the harsh realities of the music business. Part of that knowing is:

  • the GRATITUDE for the gifts you possess
  • HONORING your musicians
  • the APPRECIATION for your audiences
  • the CONSTANT THIRST for the continuation of your musical education
  • GIVING BACK to your source of power through your music.

 

Sounds like lofty nonsense to many of you, I know…but hey! We’re just getting started!
 

 

          TO BE CONTINUED…

Posted in Attitude, Performing, Motivation & Inspiration | 1 Comment »

INSTALLMENT #3 of “Get Off the Bandstand” is posted!!

Saturday, August 22nd, 2009

CHAPTER ONE
Who Do You Think You Are, Anyway?
 

If you wish to be viewed as a serious artist,  or even at the very least, a singer who obviously loves the music you are freely sharing in the world, it becomes necessary to put away your ego and realize what it is you really have here. What exactly is it, this talent of yours??�
 

Did you invent it? When? How old were you? What was the original idea for this brilliance of yours? Is there a blueprint around we can examine?
 

Hardly, right? Obviously, if you look closely, you can see that you DID NOT create your talent. It’s a gift, pure and simple.
 

It’s a talent that was given to you, most likely at birth, for which, in a perfect world, you in turn, say “thanks� to your Creator by offering it to others with the same intensity and profound love with which it was given to you.
 Do You Get That?? Does it make sense to you?
 

It’s a talent that was GIVEN to you, most likely at birth, for which you are more or less encouraged by your Creator to SHARE it with others with the same intensity and profound love with which it was given to you.
 

You do NOT use it to glorify yourself in arrogance, and self-promotion, although it’s certainly not a giant leap for the EGO to deduce that you must be special indeed to have been given a gift of this magnitude! And of course…you ARE…as are all of God’s children, including your audiences, your fellow musicians, your housekeeper, your mechanic, your enemies…(see where I’m going with this?)
 

Now, I can hear you, singers! I hear you yelling back at me, “But , what are you saying, Chrys? That the only way to demonstrate how grateful we are for our talent is to humble ourselves when we perform? Shouldn’t we be strutting our stuff instead? What’s with all this humility…we’re not monks!!�
 

Well, yes…and no! It would depend on what your definition of strutting is.
If you mean showing off in a manner that suggests a message of
“Look at me, you losers! I’m special, and you are NOT!�.
Then, I would think that THAT was an ungrateful demonstration of your talent.
 

But if you mean by strutting that you sing with zeal and passion, and celebrate your talent AND your ability to use it to turn people on with the joy you feel in your heart, then, okay! Strut away!!
 

I sorta prefer the term “gravitas� to more clearly describe the quality I am talking about.  It’s more of a dignity than a swagger. There is a certain substance or weightiness, or even a lordliness in the kind of person who walks in a glow of self-confidence and gratitude for what he has.
 

In a performer, it’s magical, and majestic! It’s the power to look into your eyes and go all the way to your soul…�Killing You Softly with His Song�.
 

You can’t strut that kind of a gift. You really cannot!! It is this humble author’s view that this gift has to constantly be treated with honor, adoration and reverence. Come on! You DID NOT CREATE IT! It was GIVEN, and you DISCOVERED it inside of you! Bravo for THAT! Wow!! And THAT is why you share it, right?  It truly IS! Look!
 

It’s like when you were a kid and you happened upon a shiny marble on the sidewalk. You couldn’t wait to find your friends and say, “Look at this! Look what I found! Isn’t it fabulous? Let’s play with this for a while!� That’s not swaggering or bragging, it sharing what you found with people that matter to you. And when you perform from this perspective, you are sending vibrations of love all over the place, and you are showered with the stuff in return.
 

Performing from this space in consciousness cannot be faked, singers! You have to mean it. That’s what I’m talking about when I tell you singers to establish a relationship with your audience, and to find something special about them and to love them.
 

And you also have to love your musicians.
 

The feelings that travel among each of you on stage becomes PART of the songs you are singing so you HAVE to love and respect and admire your musicians.
 

Let me tell you a little story to more correctly make my point on this particular issue about loving your musicians.
 

I was traveling around the country several years ago with a big band, and when I say “big band�, I am talking about a particular genre of music called “Big Band�. It refers to the 18-piece bands of the 40’s and 50’s like Glenn Miller, Woody Herman, the Dorsey Brothers and people like that.
 

I traveled with the Les and Larry Elgart big band back in the early 60’s and also with Si Zentner’s Band, and The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra under the direction of Sam Donahue for several years.
 

There were occasions when the band was backing up a big name singer in Vegas or Reno, or somewhere, and on those occasions I would get the night off. I never stopped being totally star struck by some of the big stars that were backed up by the bands I was on…singers I grew up adoring, like Mel Torme, Johnny Ray,  Nancy Wilson, Connie Francis, and people like that.
 

So, even if I had the night off, there was no way I wasn’t going to stand in the wings and watch these people I loved perform, and dream about reaching the heights that they already had attained.
 

99% of the time, my “idols� did not disappoint…except for this one time…

to be continued….

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July - 2009 Newsletter - It’s Never Too Late to Be Great!!

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

Hello Again, Singers!
 

Happy July!! Hard to believe that 2009 is half over…already! Harder than that though to believe is the fact that my son is turning 40 this month, and my granddaughter is turning Sweet 16! How can that be?
 

This month, I want to extend an invitation to each of you who read my newsletter, whether or not you are member of our Sing Your Life Community Singers Network,  to submit question to me about singing, performing, or music in general, and have me answer it for you either publicly or privately.
 

I’m doing this not merely to be nice, (which of course I am, I think…I hope), but because I have recently been reminded of the principle of “giving back�, and its power to heal, you know…like tithing.
 

For 9 years now, whether you are aware of it or not, you singers have given me reasons to get out of bed every day and look for ways to serve you and your singing goals.
 

You have provided me with endless moments of joy and satisfaction, and although our community of singers is growing every day, there are so many of you out there that I still need to reach, and to whom I want to be available for whatever is showing up in your life as a singer.
 

I had an absolutely lovely gift this past Sunday. A lady in my town, a senior, had asked around for a voice teacher because she secretly yearned to learn how to sing for most of her life, but was afraid and shy to ever try.
 

I was recommended to her, and when we met for the first session, she explained to me that she was being urged to enter this contest we have here in Corpus Christi called the “Miss Coastal Bend Senior� Pageant, and that she wanted her “talent� portion to be singing, but that she was afraid to sing in front of people.
 

We started working together immediately since there were only 6 weeks left before the pageant. Her voice was fairly weak and she was very nervous and insecure…at first. However slowly, over the next month and a half, she got stronger…better…more confident, and on Sunday, she WON THE CONTEST!!

Winner of Senior Pageantwinner2 She now goes to Dallas for the State pageant and may make it to the Nationals!  I’ve included these photos of my student who I’m so very proud of and let you guys SEE for yourselves what is possible when you ALLOW it to come into your life.
 

Read on…
 

It’s a human thing to want always to be right, and to feel secure with what we know. But let me tell you singers, that it is in the insecure moments, the weaker moments, the less certain positions we take, where the inner growth truly occurs.


I’ve been physically challenged since September of 2008 when I received some terrible news about a certain medical condition. Now let me tell you that I make it a point to steer clear of what I call MP’s, (no, not Military Police…Medical Professionals), for my entire adult life. I have never thought they knew anymore about the human body than any lat person could know, I never trusted a single MO to ever be straight with me, and I always said to anyone who would listen, “I live inside this body, and as long as I’m in here, nothing bad can happen to it�.
  A bold statement to be sure, and quite boastfully declared, but maybe not so certain have I always been of it, even as I said it.
 

So when my fiercely guarded OPINIONS were poked full of holes last Fall, I was scared to death at first, and over the subsequent months since, enormously humbled by the experience. And it IS, I have found, this HUMILITY, which has given me the chance to know more than I ever thought I knew before.
 

You’ve probably read it in the more recent newsletters…like when I have talked about not wanting to be so perfect, or letting go of your ego, and all that. This inner humility is where it’s been coming from, but also from a profound sense of love that I have for you singers, who have hung around for 9 years reading my stuff and offering your comments and encouragement. I don’t even know where to start with my thanks.
 

It IS however, why I decided to create the Sing Your Life Community site as a companion to the original website, and why I want to entertain your questions, whatever they may be.
 

I’ve started a Q&A Video Series and we’ve already covered questions like:

  • Is it okay to close my eyes when I sing?
  • Can I drastically change the sound of my singing voice?
  • How do control my breathing when I sing?
  • How do I get over my stage fright?

I’ve included a link to one of those sessions here for you to view as a sample of some of the things we do at our online community, and what a private session with me using Skype or Yahoo Messenger would look like.

http://singyourlife.ning.com/video/qa-session-2-breath-control 

Okay, so let’s get back to my original point! The one about the preconceived opinions we humans seem to have  a very difficult time letting go of sometimes.


If you will, even in your alone time, when there’s no one to impress with your knowledge and your abilities, admit that you don’t always have the answers to your life, your circumstances, your condition, and become humble enough to at least entertain another point of view from your own, some interesting and often wonderful things can occur, singers.


And this includes opportunities for going further than you ever thought possible, just like my student who won the Miss Coastal Bend Senior Pageant.
 

So, let me implore you singers to not be so stubborn about what you already know. Do you really know it ALL? Can you let go of your certainties, and allow your brain to take in new information that may not agree with your “already always� preconceived notions and opinions?
  There is always time for climbing to new heights as a singer, heck! As a person! Just by existing, we have that opportunity. And we don’t run out of them until we’re in the ground!

Please visit here to listen to my last performance, as the featured jazz singer in great demand here in Corpus Christi! 

http://singyourlife.ning.com/video/song-it-could-happen-to-you

http://singyourlife.ning.com/video/jazz-gig-water-street-walk-of

Over these last nine years, there have been moments when I just wanted to quit singing, quit teaching, quit writing newsletters that nobody read, and every single time, one of YOU, who I have never met, wrote to tell me of something wonderful that happened to you or something that you gained and attributed to some article I had written…and I was rejuvenated. So y’think I’m not profoundly grateful to you?? I AM!
 

You singers have, and always will have a significant place in my heart!
 

I want you guys to value yourselves as much I do by not giving up on your talent, and not quitting your dreams, okay???
 

I am working on coming to LA for my annual performance workshop that I conduct and I will notify you SoCal’ers of dates as soon as I have ‘em.
 

Keep singin’, people!!
 

Until next time…
 

Sin[g]cerely,
Chrys
 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Attitude, Performing, Vocal Basics, Motivation & Inspiration | No Comments »

Rules of the Road for Guest Singers!

Wednesday, June 10th, 2009

I usually don’t post in the middle of the month, but I’m bursting here so I’m going to change the rules for this month…maybe for good. Who knows? Many of you are asking for more frequent posts, so….

Over the weekend, I was asked to perform with a local band here in Corpus at the site of what is known here as the “Walk of Fame”. It emulates the “Stars” on Hollywood Blvd in Los Angeles, and pays tribute to some of the musicians here who have advanced the “live” music scene in town. The gentleman for whom I was performing is one of the guys who started the tradition of an annual Jazz Festival here in Corpus Christi, back in 1960, and who has been very helpful to me personally, so I was proud and honored to participate.

Now, I do not in any way wish to set myself up as a paragon of virtue with this blog, but I will express what I believe is an example of what is correct and respectful and what is NOT!

When my turn to sing came up, I stepped upon the stage, said a couple of words about the gentleman who was being honored, how much I admired him and appreciated being asked to help celebrate his star on the “walk of fame”, and then sang my songs.

When you sing with a Jazz group, it’s a collaboration, not a personal showcase.

After the first time through a song, the professional singer moves to the side and allows each instrumentalist who wishes to improvise on the song, ample time to do so, and this usually includes, the horns, the keyboard, the guitar, and the bass player, and on fast tunes, the drummer.

My first song was a slow one, so there was a sax solo and then a keyboard solo, and then I got the nod to come back in and I sang the song out. The second song was an up tempo jazz standard and everybody got into that one, including the bass player and the drummer, exchanging 4 bars each for an entire chorus of the song. Again, I was off on the side while the instrumentalists did their solos, and sang it out only after they indicated to me that they were finished. When I was finished with my 2 songs, I thanked the honoree for inviting me and the crowd for their reception and I left the stage. That was professional and appropriate for the occasion.

There was another singer there who had asked if he could sing with the band as well, and was offered an opportunity to do so. He stepped up, took the microphone and began what I can only refer to as “his Act”. We, the audience were “graced” with stories of where this singer came from, how many famous musicians he had traveled with all over the world, and after about 10 whole minutes of that, he finally got around to singing. He sang a ballad, and after the first time through, one of the horn players on the stage decided to take a solo. The singer obviously, unaware of bandstand protocol, despite his many travels with “famous” world-class musicians, interrupted the horn player by coming back in on the second half of the song, which automatically made it totally impossible for any other musician on stage to play a solo if he had wanted to.

He then proceeded to inform us, the audience that he had worked 4 jobs in the 3 nights leading up to this day, and his apologized for being hoarse, but then offered to sing another song anyway. (Who asked him?)

He did another ballad, (that in itself is just plain bad programming), and this time actually had the temerity to sing along with the intrumental solo, and then talk more in the middle of it.

I was incensed at first…until I got the idea from this amateurish, egomaniac’s performance to write a book on appropriate behavior on the bandstand when you are an invited guest singer.

Singers! Please understand!

Not every singing occasion is your personal showcase! You must adjust your behavior for different venues.

The young man who sang on Sunday for the inductee to the Walk of Fame was clueless to that fact, and took the opportunity as his chance to promote HIMSELF,  in a venue where it was simply not appropriate to do so.

I shall be writing a book on this subject and will keep you posted here on the blog site about it’s release date.

As always, I welcome your comments!

Â

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News for June from Sing Your Life

Sunday, May 31st, 2009

June Newsletter – 2009
 

Our Singers’ Network is growing daily and from what I see, it’s becoming a real resource for our members. Let me encourage those of you who have been part of the Sing Your Life family by reading the newsletters to take that next step and join the community of singers we have created for you at www.singyourlife.ning.com
 

I think I have figured out why many of you are reluctant to join. I think as we mature, some of us become extremely private and do not wish to expose ourselves to the trivial chatting that comes with being part of a social network. Am I correct about that? Even my SoCal contingent, who have supported me for years have been laying back from coming into our “family� for fear of having unwelcome emails showing up in their inbox on a daily basis.
 

So let me once again, make this very clear. My Singers’ network is a safe and nurturing space, where YOU decide what messages you get in your inbox, YOU participate in whatever way you choose to:
·        you can read what your fellow singers are expressing about their singing lives,
·        or watch an instructional video by yours truly,
·        or post some music
·        or simply lay back and stay pretty much anonymous.
It’s totally up to you, singers!
 

So let me tell you what we’ve got coming up.
 

Coming in July, we are planning a “live� tele-class on performance issues, and we will be joined by a special guest whom I have coaxed into joining us. We will cover some of the issues you wanted addressed with the Q&A series of videos, but which require more in depth responses like:

  1. How to sing with Emotion
  2. Being totally comfortable on stage
  3. How to put together a show
  4. How to hold your audience for the duration of the performance

My special guest, and dear old friend has been a musical director who has worked with a gazillion singers, (including me), and has been a conductor for many famous artists. He will offer his unique perspective on what it takes to truly succeed on any stage.
 

We’re also continuing with the mini-lessons on vocal technique, and the Q&A series on video.
 

And we’re planning a “DUETS� Project for members ONLY! Two of you will join forces, (and voices) to create a duet. The song can be one that was written specifically designed for 2 people to sing, or it can be a song that was not written to be performed as a duet, but you want to sing it in that way.
 

Here’s how it’ll work:

  • Those who want to try it, will send me a list of songs they’d like to sing with another singer.
  • I will compare the lists I receive and suggest people who I think would sing well as a duo. Of course, you may always state your preference for a duet partner…this IS a collaboration after all!!
  • Together, we will arrange the songs, giving each singer their share of  lines to sing and their harmony parts if they want to sing harmony.
  • The individual parts will be recorded, and then
  • We’ll mix them together in a duet.

The tracks will be posted and voted on for which duet was the best, and the winners will be awarded a special prize to be announced at a later date.
 

I have already posted a duet that was created here by me and one of our members just to get the ball rolling. Naturally, our duet is not officially a part of the DUET project, just an example of how it can be done.
 

Okay! That does it for news from the Singers’ Network site! Please JOIN US!!
 

………
 

On with this month’s featured article!!
 

With the “hoop-lah� finally over with this season’s “American Idol�, I have become inspired to write another book as a companion to the “The Art of Singing� series, we’ve had on the market now for 7 years.
 

Those books have hit a resonant chord with singers of all ages, all skill levels, all genre preferences, and from all corners of the earth.
 

The first book teaches basic singing technique to give the singer the correct way to sing as an automatic cell memory so he/she cam perform without ever having to think about how to breathe, how to “attack� notes, but just concentrate on communicating with the audience.
 

Book # 2, on Stage Presence, which is offered on our singers’ network as our gift to our members, talks about the ego’s interference and other distractions when we get up onto a stage to perform.
 

The 3rd Book is all about musicality, and seeks to teach the singer how to understand the notes, rhythms, and

harmonies of the songs he/she sings, and how to know his/her range and keys he/she sings in, and how to count the beats of music.
 

And the 4th Book is all about Promotion, and how to navigate through the labyrinth of “come-ons� and move from the

hyped up salesman speak to controlling one’s own destiny with regard to a career in music if that is the desire.
 

And NOW, since watching this season’s American Idol, where it became pretty clear that the outcome had been planned to be exactly what it became, I decided upon a serious guide book of rules for the aspiring singer, which I am naming, �Get Off The Bandstand�. Generally speaking, this book is meant to keep you in a state of total gratitude for your talent, and in the mood to share it always, but with respect for it and for yourself!
 Have you ever been to a wedding where one of the guests approaches the bandstand to request that “Aunt Sally� be allowed to come up and sing for the happy couple? After many moments of Q & A with the band members, which might go somewhat like this:
“What would you like to sing?�
“Um…Gee, I can’t think of anything.�
“Well, how ‘bout a nice wedding song?�
“Uh, Yeah…I know um…the “Hawaiian Wedding song?�
“Okay, key?�
“Huh?�,
“What key do you sing it in?�.
“Oh! Dunno! Wait! Someone once told me I sing in C. Does that sound right?��
“whatever!�
Aunt Sally sings the song, in the wrong key and forgetting most of the words, but nevertheless, the wedding guests, wishing to be polite and supportive, enthusiastically applaud her efforts…which she reads as artistic approval, (wrong read…entirely), and so she decides to sing more songs. The problem is that Aunt Sally cannot really sing, doesn’t really know any song all the way through, and after the initial support from the crowd, they are restless, embarrassed, clearly uncomfortable, and the band doesn’t know how to graciously get rid of this person, as she has most assuredly worn out her welcome…big time!
 

My book will serve as a guide for aspiring artists who have the urge and desire to sing, but do not yet understand the correct protocol for doing so. Whether a professional singer or not, if you choose to perform, please know when you do, you represent an art form that celebrates personal expression of the deepest level and therefore MUST be treated with reverence and respect, even awe!
 

I suppose it was inevitable that mediocrity would eventually creep into the world of the Arts! And indeed, some would say, it has always been here…hiding in the shadows. I suppose that’s correct. And I can remember my parents absolutely despising the 50’s doo-op songs, but their disdain motivated them to take us kids to the opera and expose us to big bands, or insist that we listen to the Greek Hour every Sunday. And my parents’ parents probably thought Benny Goodman was as dangerous as Elvis, so sure…it’s a matter of personal taste, and I get that!
 

And it could also be said that although commerce dictates the “trends� in music, and that the bubble gum sounds of the Disney Channel represent a segment of the listening public who keep the music business’s economy running, this fact alone is not enough of a reason to relegate music into some insipid “entertainment� category, much the same as video games and gambling. Shouldn’t we be maintaining the importance of music in our lives as more than some superficial “feel-good� pill?  Especially for those of us who SING to express ourselves, it IS so much more than that, isn’t it?
 

“To sing is to love and affirm, to fly and to soar, to coast into the hearts of people who listen, to tell them that life is to live, that love is there, that nothing is a promise, but that beauty exists, and must be hunted for and found.�
Joan Baez - American Singer/Songwriter

 “When I am singing, I am inside of it…I feel, oh, like it feels when you’re first in love, when you’re touching someone–chills, things slipping all over me…A lot of times, when I get off the stage, I want to make love�
Janis Joplin - American Blues Singer 

 “Once I had a dream to live and love, and this dream became music. It touched all of the beautiful experiences I have searched for or known. Each sound was a color, and each color was a warm feeling, and my heart kept the tempo.�
Les McCann - American Jazz Pianist 

“He who lets his breath, hence his life force, flow consentingly as a willing sound sacrifice from the depths of his body, sings his life; for singing means to affirm life, to free oneself, and thereby to bring happiness and prosperity to oneself, and consequently to one’s fellow man.��

Marius Schneider – German Musicologist who found musical symbols in German Mythology

I know I’ve used these quotes before, but I write them down here again to remind you of the value of the gift you have been given of a singing voice. It’s a gift to be grateful for and to be cherished and treated with care and respect, always!

Note: I am gathering stories about experiences you may have had either as a singer singing with a band, or as a band member dealing with a singer on stage. Please send me whatever you have, funny, sad, outrageous, whatever. Feel free to change names so no one’s embarrassed, okay?
 

See ya next month, Singers!!
 

Sin[g]cerely,
Chrys
 

Posted in Attitude, Vocal Health, Performing, Vocal Basics, Motivation & Inspiration | 6 Comments »

April Newsletter from Sing Your Life!!

Sunday, March 29th, 2009

Hello to all of you singers who have made the transition from the emailed newsletter to this web-based format!
 

I hope you have arrived here safely!!
 

Be sure to bookmark this page as it’s the official address of the newsletter, so you can return here on the first of every month to read the latest news and articles from Sing Your Life!
 

Man! It has been an incredible month, singers! Lotsa stuff happening around here! The singers social network is growing daily, and of course we are looking for more singers all the time to add to the fun.
 

I’ve heard from some of you that it appears to be a bit daunting…joining the network…not so much the joining act itself, but the being part of the network. What’s expected? Do you have to post your singing clips for all to hear? Do you have to talk to other singers on a daily basis? What’s its purpose?
 

I’m going to answer all these questions in this newsletter, plus write a short article on over-singing, it causes and cures. But first…
 

I’ve been trying to recall when I became moved or, to use a more spiritual term, “called” to teach, because I am so grateful for the chance to do something for other people that I love so much. Anyway, so I was asking myself WHEN the teaching bug grabbed hold of me, and an amazing thing happened!
 

One day, while looking for places online to find singers who might be seeking a community where they could interact with others like themselves, share their music, and stories with each other, etc., someone suggested I get on Face Book. I always thought of Face Book as the adult version of My Space, but I gave it a try and signed up!!
 

Suddenly, and I mean almost immediately, I was knocked out of the present day and thrust at lightening speed into my past. Within just a very few days of joining Face Book, old friends started comin’ out of the woodwork and knocking on the door of my heart.
 

About 32 years ago, I lived for a brief time in Scottsdale, AZ. Having “escaped� from New York at the height of the Summer, we had planned to go to California, but the car died on a Sunday afternoon in a tiny town outside of the Phoenix-Scottsdale area  called Strawberry. The temperature was 125°. We ended up staying.
 

I got a job at the Dinner Theater of sorts, where every person who worked there, from the busboys and bar-backs to the waiters and waitresses,
and even the hostesses, performed for the crowd.
 

It was a truly magical place that was felt by every customer that entered. The Musical Director was more than brilliant in his understanding of talents and correct song choice. He knew exactly what each singer was capable of and presented each in the very best light. But he was also an extraordinary musician in his own right, and a ring master in the way he would warm the crowd into anticipation for each singer, giving them the confidence to night after night dazzle the audiences.
 

It was my good fortune to stumble into this place one night and get to sing to the remarkable accompaniments of the musical director.
Actually that performance turned out to be my “audition”. He asked me what I wanted to sing. I answered, “You Made Me Love You”. “Would you happen to know the KEY you sing that in?”. He asked. “Sure! It’s in G!” As I sang that old Judy Garland gem, my next 3 1/2 years were carved in stone. I became part of a “family” of 34, all with egos the size of Montana, and hearts the size of Texas. J
 And around March 15th of this year, all these beautiful people came popping one by one back into my life!
 

So I’d been searching my memory for when I decided that I would make a good voice teacher, using my own experiences with my mentor from the University of Illinois, who literally gave me back my voice after I totally lost it at 24, and here was the answer, among all these crazy, fabulous people from Jed Nolan’s Music Hall.
 

It was during those 3 1/2 years that I started teaching singers my mentor’s method of vocal strength and maintaining one’s voice over time.

It’s become my specialty you might say. And for me, there’s nothing that quite satisfies like seeing the face of a mature singer who once believed his or her voice was completely gone and would never return, and then hearing and feeling her voice come out of her body as it once did, years earlier.
 Gotta tell ya’…I love what I do!
 

I guess it’s one of the reasons I started my Singers Social Network on Ning, and why I invite you to become a part of it!  Here’s the link: http://www.singyourlife.ning.com.
 

A Social Network could have a few uneasy ramifications for some, so let me clarify what we do over on my Singers Community site.
 

  • We meet each other…or not.
  • We put up our recorded song clips…or not.
  • We participate in workshops and seminars on singing…or not.
  • We enter contests and compete…or not.

Notice the “OR NOT” part!
 

You are not obligated in any way whatsoever to participate in any of the structured activities…it’s very much like being a cruise ship and choosing to just sit in a lounging chair and read a book, rather than play the games the social director has decided would make you enjoy yourself.
 

Yes! I will write to you now and then and encourage you to sing for us, but you certainly don’t have to…at all….EVER!
 

I hope that’s clear…
 

Okay! On to this month’s feature article on Over-singing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

Over-singing occurs when we begin to examine ourselves during a performance.

It can happen
 

  • as a result of the microphone levels being too low and not being able to hear ourselves through the sound system,
  • or the crowd isn’t listening to us, or
  • we have some physical problem that we’re concerned about, or
  • we are desperate to make an impression, as in an audition or contest of some sort, or
  • we’re nervous about missing a lyric or hitting a certain note.
  • Any number of external or internal issues are distracting us.

These factors enter our consciousness and we get thrown, which starts us looking inside of ourselves at what is wrong with what we’re doing.
We start putting ourselves under a microscope in our mind to find the cause of our discomfort. This only leads to further distraction.
 So what do we do? Stop LOOKING INSIDE!
 

Let’s get a little scientific about this.
 

You cannot be the specimen in the jar and the scientist at the same time.
 

It’s impossible for the viewer of a specimen under a microscope and the specimen itself to be the same! You see this, right?
 

The time for self-examining is your practice time. When you step up onto a stage or bandstand and take the microphone, you must STOP self-examination and simply sing your song…to the audience, or to whatever picture you’ve place in your mind as the recipient of your performance.
 

That’s it…pure and simple.
 

Now, is there a way for you to know when you’re over-singing? Sure is.
 

  • Are you getting more tired as you sing?
  • Is your throat closing up?
  • Do you run out of air easily?
  • These are certain clues that you are probably over-singing.

And by the way, what I mean by over-singing, for those of you who are not familiar with the term, is singing that is forced and uncomfortable, and not just for you, but your listeners as well.
 

The more you try too hard to overcome your fatigue, the more uncomfortable you become, and the more fidgety your audience gets too.
 

The cure for over-singing is not self-exploration during a performance, but more serious and deliberate practicing to raise your comfort level when you DO perform.
 

When you act as your own coach with objectivity, you are able to hear the entire performance including the flaws, and correct them for a better outcome.
 

But try not to subjectively criticize yourself, even during practice because once you are hearing ONLY the flaws, rather than any of what is good about your performance, you may easily sink into frustration and even depression.
 

There’s an enormous difference between self-evaluation and self-criticism, and how to practice constructively.
 

Critical points to know BEFORE any performance:

  1.       Know your words,
  2.       know your notes,
  3.       choose the right songs for you, in the correct keys for you,
  4.       ALWAYS DO A SOUND CHECK,
  5.       and feel a connection to what you’re doing up there.
     

     My new motto: Don’t IMPRESS - EX-PRESS!
 

Feel free to comment on this blog or any other blog. And to be in connected to conversations like these on a regular basis, please come and join my Singers Social Network!!
 

“til next time, Singers!
 

Chrys
 

�
 

Posted in Attitude, Performing, Motivation & Inspiration | No Comments »

Song Choice and Performance Attitude

Sunday, March 1st, 2009

Hi Singers!

Can you believe it’s almost Spring time again? I think time is moving faster and faster the older I get. Maybe that’s why I feel so determined to accomplish the dreams that burn in my heart non-stop, 24-7. And those dreams include you, dear singers! I continue to motivate you to share your talent with others, in whatever capacity you care to because I really believe it creates and expands our life…and does not tear it down.
 

When you think about it, lots of what we do day to day is about tearing down, doncha think? Oh, not in a malicious way, no! But without meaning to, we pollute, we waste, we hate, we fight…and in so doing, the whole world gets sick. Sharing our God-given gifts with each other, with strangers, with anyone really…this heals and lifts up! This is my purpose on earth, and when you know your purpose, people, well, there’s isn’t anything you can do but follow it.
 

To that end, we have expanded our Sing Your Life website to include a social network of singers worldwide to display their talents and hone their skills.


Have YOU joined us yet??? 

The site is growing and we have some big plans, including “live� seminars and workshops, contests, and more. I will continue to encourage you to network with other singers because merely by writing to each other on the site, you are sharing your energy, and making real connections. Okay! Enough of that! For today at least, no more coaxing…
On to this month’s article…
 

SONG CHOICE 

When you do what you love, work, though sometimes a bit tedious, isn’t really working as most people would describe it. With years of freeway grid lock behind me, I create my own schedule and do my best to stick to it. And I love every minute!
 When I’m not with my local students, teaching, recording their demos, finding music that suits them, or working on my websites, I take breaks and watch the Tennis Channel, and for the next few weeks, “American Idol�.
  I get much inspiration for these articles from the judges and coaches I hear in these programs, and can always find a parallel for you singers.
 For example, the other night on “Idol�, Simon remarked that most of the contestants had chosen the wrong song, and when one of the singers was asked for a comment on Simon’s remark,  the singer answered, “Well I respect him, but I disagree. I LOVE THAT SONG!�
 I often get that same response from my own students, and I want to give a rebuttal on the subject!Â
 If you LOVE THAT SONG….great! Love it! Put it on your I-pod, and play it all day in your ears, but if it’s not the right song for you, your personality, your essence as an artist, for Pete’s sake, DON’T SING IT!!  

You will love a million songs in your life, but they will not always be songs that are right for you to be singing, do you get this?
  I fall in love with songs on a regular basis. Last year one of my locals sang a song in our recital that I simply adored, and the way she sang it was so gorgeous I wanted to record it myself.  The song was “Was That My Life� by Jo Dee Messina.
 

Well, I loaded the backing track into my recording software and started singing it.
I got 4 measures into the song and realized that this song, though beautiful, with great lyrics and melody, was NOT for me, and I immediately put it away.
 

We can’t always sing the songs we love. But we MUST always sing the songs that love us!!
 

So how do we know when that’s the case?

  • Does it feel comfortable in your body?
  • Does it flow from you with absolutely NO EFFORT?
  • Do the rhythm and melody match your individual expression, in other words…is this song the reason you want to sing?
  • Does it show you off at your very best? Your range…your style?
  • Does it envelope you; surround you with the joy of singing it?

Okay, I hear you, especially you professionals who have to sing a variety of songs on your gigs.
Me too! I get that when a customer yells out a request, you sing it. Gads! I can’t even count how many times a night I hadda sing, “Tie a Yellow Ribbon� back in the day, but when you’re a pro, you just do it. And on a gig, you’ll sing lots of “throw-away� songs. It’s part of the job.

But I would never have recorded that song, or sung it on an audition! Nothing wrong with this song, it’s fine, and fun, but recordings especially MUST be reflections of your core values because the listener cannot see you and therefore can only receive your essence by the songs you are singing and the love you are pouring into them.
  So, like chocolate cake, you might love a song, but be sure IT LOVES YOU BACK, okay singers? 

PERFORMANCE ATTITUDE 

Watching a tennis tournament recently, I heard the “talking heads� in the booth comment on one player’s lack of aggression on the court, and one of them remarked that this player would probably lose because of this.
  However, the other reporter felt that the player may be feeling a bit insecure, or tired, or nervous about the “moment� and needed to play “into himself�, and that when he was more comfortable, he’d get more aggressive.
Singers, good singers, even great singers are always nervous when they perform. I get butterflies…almost every performer does.
If I were to open with a song that leads into the highest strong note in my range and I’m nervous, this is definitely going to play in my head, distract me and probably cause me to screw up on that note. Whereas, if I chose a comfortable song, a crowd pleaser but one that puts a smile on my face too, my nervousness would wane, and with more confidence, I’d be able to nail that pesky high note in the next song.
 You need to “play into yourself� on stage, singers. Performance time is NOT the right time to experiment or to force yourself out of your comfort zone. Use your practice times for that. When you perform, you must think ONLY of communicating with your listeners, be they a crowd of 10,000, or 10, or one!
 The “ego� will naturally keep pestering you to “SNAP OUT OF IT�, but as long as you sing inside your limits of the moment, they will widen and your confidence will grow with every song you sing.
 

As always, this newsletter will be posted on the SING YOUR LIFE BLOG for your comments and suggestions!
 

‘Til Next time, Singers!
 

Chrys
 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Attitude, Performing, Motivation & Inspiration | 7 Comments »

CABARET vs. JAZZ

Monday, February 2nd, 2009

I must admit, I get little miffed when I hear some Cabaret singers refer  to themselves as Jazz singers. They aren’t. Of course there ARE several…indeed many Jazz artists who do a Cabaret Act…and do it very well.  However the stark differences between these 2 genres are such that it takes a Cabaret singer with a great deal of musicality to sing jazz….And it takes a Jazz singer with a great personality to sing Cabaret!

I read an article in the New York Times about a month ago that the Cabaret scene in NYC and LA is fading due to lack of interest or lack of financial support. Many are blaming the economy, others have different ideas, so I thought I’d weigh in on the issue and, at the same time, flush out this notion that Cabaret and Jazz singing are the same. They are NOT!

According to some Cabaret Singers Yahoo groups, the reason for the decline of the art form in major venues like New York and Los Angeles has a multitude of possible reasons:

  • Accompanists and musicians are charging more, as well as arrangers and conductors,
  • The club owners in both NYC and LA are stealing the singers’ money, refusing to sign contracts in which certain agreements had always been made in the past, i.e. free food and drinks for the night, and otherwise sabotaging the singers’ performances with bad mics, bad amplifiers, and bad lighting.
  • The bad economy…people who enjoy the art form just aren’t going out.

Whatever the root cause, it’s a crying shame!
Cabaret is a unique art form that consists of a singer interacting with his/her audience through songs and patter. There may be an accompanist, or the singer could play for him/herself. There may be a large band or combo, but these musicians are there only to supplement the singer’s performance…as background. The focal point is the singer/performer.

This art form is the epitome of ego-gratification, and I don’t say that disparagingly at all. Cabaret is very gratifying and a true form of self-expression, indeed, some of our most revered performers are masters of this genre. You know them; the story-tellers, the spell-weavers, the ones who keep us in their clutch until they let us go…exactly when they feel it’s right.

Masters of Cabaret performance include legends like

  • Frank Sinatra,
  • Tony Bennett,
  • Liza Minelli, 
  • Elaine Stritch 
  • Barbara Cook,
  • Michael Feinstein, and
  • the impeccable Bobby Short.

These are superior story-tellers, and some of them are also jazz singers, while others are not.  But it’s important to understand that the audiences for Cabaret are interested MAINLY in the story-telling…and the singer, and not so much in the intricacies of the music lines behind his or her vocals. That pleasure is the purvue of Jazz audiences.

However, in either form, the audience must be engaged! The performance must not be self-involved or awkward.

I recall going to hear Jane Monheit with a student of mine a few years ago. What a voice…what technical excellence…what sweet jazz inflections. But as my friend and I were filing out of the theater, we remarked to each other that if we’d only been able to close our eyes for the entire performance, we would’ve enjoyed it much more. As gorgeous as Jane Monheit is, and as glorious as her vocals are, she’s impossible to watch “live”. You just want to stand up and scream, “For God’s sake, Jane, quit tugging on your dress and sing to ME!”

 When Jane Monheit kept checking herself out on stage, she turned her audience off.�

There are Jazz singers who won’t do an entire Cabaret Act because they want it to be all about the music and nothing else. Diana Krall is one of those. Since she also plays the piano in her shows, she doesn’t have to talk too much except to introduce the next tune or a band member to the audience. She’s not exciting, and doesn’t tell stories, but she sings and plays magnificently and understands the collaborative process of a Jazz gig, which is a stark contrast to a Cabaret Act.

In my own opinion, there are performance aspects in both genres, as exemplified by a favorite of mine,  Carol Sloane. She is a perfect example of Jazz and Cabaret. You don’t know about her? Oh Well, here is a singer of jazz who will wrap you around her finger until you weep with joy.

She lets you in, by the songs she sings and tells you stories about growing up on the East Coast that pulls you right into her heart. She’ll sing a chorus or two of a song, and then sit down on the stage with her head down while the instrumentalists are taking their turn…so as not to draw any attention to herself while they’re playing.  And Carol, now in her 60’s, still sounds fantastic! You can check her samples out at iTunes.

Cabaret singers need to understand that the Jazz genre is a team effort. This is hard sometimes for a  some Cabaret artists.  Cabaret is all about the solo singer, and a good many Cabaret artists today have not learned the art of collaboration, so it’s kind of easy to fall into becoming self-involved when every number is about you; all the attention is on you, your technique, your clothing, your mannerisms…and your mistakes. That’s a lot of pressure.

Jazz is much more forgiving that way, where mistakes are heard as unique individual expressions and are even celebrated.
 

Maybe Cabaret could influence a Jazz singer’s performance skills, and Jazz could inform a Cabaret singer’s musicality.

I have spent 50 years singing in posh clubs with 8″ carpets, and in joints with sawdust on the floor…And in all that time, I have learned that when you’re doing a Jazz gig, you play by the rules of that genre, and save your stories for when you do a Cabaret spot.

So, no matter which genre you perform in, singers, make both art forms about the quality of communication to your audience and not just about you.

Here are some Cabaret artists you may wish to check out:

Appearing on iTunes:

  • Deanna Dubbin
  • Karen Akers
  • Bobby Short
  • Michael Feinstein

On their own websites:

I believe that both of these atmospheres allow for long-hidden self expression for a singer, and both genres seem to welcome those of us who are just a few years beyond the age limit for “American Idol”.
And, as I’ve said often, your stage doesn’t need to be at Radio City Music Hall, or the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Your stage can be in your shower, your living room, your community center, your VFW or Elks Hall…just about anywhere!

There are people out there who want to hear you… And I also want to!

I have space available on my singers’ page.  Send me your clips!!  Become one of our featured singers! Click HERE to learn how!

Posted in Performing | 7 Comments »

Measuring the quality of art!

Wednesday, January 28th, 2009

I’ve been watching a lot of tennis this week! And I’ve noticed something interesting that I wanted to share with you.
Clearly one’s athletic prowess can be objectively measured by numbers.
You win! Your ranking goes up, your income goes up, your endorsement opportunities go up, your popularity goes up. It’s all measured by the stats.
It’s like this in almost every sport, and when an athlete, whether a tennis player, baseball player, basketball or whatever, is winning, excelling at his sport…even HE or SHE must admit how good he or she is at it. Isn’t that right? Ask Roger Federer, or Tiger Woods. Neither of these men who say that they are not great at what they do.  

But artistic performance cannot be measured by statistical data, can it? Art is SUBJECTIVE!

Remember Andy Warhol’s painting of a Campbells’s soup can? It was highly successful, but even today, there are numerous people out there who do NOT consider it art, and therefore not worthy of artistic praise. And one may wonder what Andy was thinking at the time.

I point this out because we, as artists each need to get to the bottom of this goodness or badness, this merit or lack thereof of our own performances.
How can we measure something that cannot be scientifically measured? And how can we know when it’s not up to standard without displaying it to a large group? How can we call something bad based on just our own opinion, formed by the doubts and fears we have inside? How do we measure the quality of art in any form?
Oh yes! We have “experts” to tell us what is good art and what is bad or inconsequential, sure! Well, I don’t know about you, but personally I love the movies the critics hate, and I read all the books the book reviewers label as second-rate. Maybe I think that critics are self-imposed experts who don’t know any more, (or any less) than I do, so I can make up my mind.
That’s really the point.
With an art form, the quality of it lies in the receiver, the listener if it’s musical, the viewer if it’s visual, etc.
But rankings?
Isn’t it quite possible for a singer to be at the top of his or her game in poularity and still sound terrible to a lot of people? Of course that’s possible…and occurs frequently.
Whereas, if a baseball player is batting 400+ and has hit a gazillion homers, one CANNOT DENY the quality of that effort, and quite often even the person who’s made it.
Art is subjective…I guess that’s what I’m saying here. If you agree or not, feel free to post your comments here.

Thanks, Singers!

Posted in Attitude, Performing, Motivation & Inspiration | No Comments »

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