and finally something to look at

a few photos of my various singing outings.
the haliburton arts and crafts festival july22 (me in virginal white); later that day at the gull river in minden, ontario (striped tank top); the next day at a birthday party (blue under the blue); then sunday (busy weekend) at the party for canoe fm, where i've had a blues show for 8 years - myself with albert saxby, gord kidd, and amelia, all of us chantant.

then the next weekend, i was at the jazz party by the lake, - thank you to my hosts carole and john - and did a couple of tunes with the band - ted roberts, guitar; don vickery, drums; jack mcfadden, bass; bob de angelis, sax & clarinet; john mcleod, trumpet & cornet; laurie bower, trombone.

you may think i don't have too many clothes, but it's just that it's summer, and i keep jumping in the lake, so i'm constantly in the bathing suit and those shorts that i like. the living is easy....

ah gets weary....

it's a rainy day, and i'm just checking in to say that i still am not at a computer that can post the pictures – honest, they'll be up soon, and you'll be so excited to see them!!!

meanwhile, working on the music for the upcoming gigs in bancroft (jazz)-aug.19, and in minden (blues) – aug 27.

i'd love to go for a bike ride, but alas! - the rain, and a leak in my back tire that i haven't got time to fix. It's one of the joys of life, nach bhuill? That means n'est-ce pas?, which means 'right'?

How do you like all the crap coming out of the mouths of those millionaires who run the economy – that idiotic system devised so long ago by some creepy men (rich white guys), which is so totally unbalanced and unrepresentative (of women's work, for example – well, hey, women ought to do that for free). The system has always been dysfunctional, and now it's falling apart all over the world. Can't say i'm sorry for the people who have stocks and bonds and investments. Personally, i could never afford to have anything but the money in my hand, if i was lucky enough to have that. No savings here. I'm not sorry for the rich folks, because A. they're rich, and B. it'll be the poor people who will end up paying for all the collapse and debt, you can be sure of that.

Oh dear, am i ranting again? Quelle surprise. When the world is just, then i'll shut up. So don't expect it any time soon.

Well, gotta go and improve my mood with music....i really don’t like people, including myself, who complain all the time. There are so many people doing good…..thanks to them.

somebody say 'amen'

and 'hallelujah!!' and thank you to all the gods and goddesses that are smiling on me. and on all the folks who are not, i say not, having to live in war-torn, or famine-riddled, or disaster-hit places. we do have good lives, although we still get mad about the toothpaste tube and the toilet roll, don't we? admit it. stupid little things that aren't really important.

had such a lovely weekend with a friend - lots of sunshine and fun and love, then a beautiful musical interlude at a lakeside party with fabulous musicians and other friends. magic, i tell you, and again i say, 'merci bien'.

but then i get home and as one of my own songs says: "I turn the TV on and find more killin'". it's so horrible, especially when you find out it was over 'an argument', or worse, a case of someone in the wrong place at the wrong time.

as if there is ever a right time for guns and violence. it's all too much, and i abhor the way the world is going.

however, i will still sing, and join forces with those other people and artists who continue to create rather than destroy. some 'good vibrations', please.

and as always, with the computer from hell at my fingertips, i and your good selves are forced to wait for the pictures. can't somebody send me a laptop, or something? amen.

time flies when your computer is slow

so we had the gate 403 gig - photo to prove it. also had a family gathering where i got some trampoline time in - here's me in mid-jump. nice hair.

then i had a very busy weekend just gone, - singing at the haliburton arts and crafts fair twice; at the Gull River music series; at a friend's birthday, and at a party for canoe fm, the radio station where i've been host of the blues show for the past eight years - coming to an end this august 16. just too busy.

and once again, we have to wait for the photos. with bated breath, i'm sure.

meanwhile, i'll be playing in Kinmount August 2; at the Bancroft Jazz Festival Aug. 19; and in Minden for a big blues blowout on Aug. 27.

summertime

haven't got a whole lot to report; i've been lucky enough to enjoy a lot of summer outdoors time, and jumping in the lake and watching sunsets. a visit to the Mariposa Folk Festival in Orillia, Ontario. pretty good times - here's me very happy by the lake.

meanwhile, i'm getting ready for some gigs coming up this month and next.

and more meanwhile, we're playing at Gate 403 on Roncesvalles Ave. in Toronto this coming Saturday, July 16. start time 9pm. come on out.

respect for aretha franklin

all afternoon i'd been thinking, "this is the stupidest thing i've ever done". racing downtown mid-afternoon, lining up with millions to get the wrist-band, killing four hours before showtime with nothing to do. i wander. i eat. the garlic/ginger chicken with rice and veg that i brought from home was fabulous; the french fries i bought later are shit. when they finally let us in the tent, there's no seating - we are cattle, jammed up in front of the stage. again: "this is the stupidest....". but the surrounding desperadoes are friendly - the excitement is contagious - sort of. when i say "I'm not going to last", my young neighbour earnestly says, "you can lean on me". but i'm not weak, i'm just pissed off. two more hours to wait! so i decide to hell with it; i break away from my secure spot, and meander in the tent. i find friends, and before i can leave and go home, the opening act comes on. a great band, winding us up for the big show. and before long, there they are: orchestra, conductor, accompanist, back-up singers, - all assembling, then playing, and then.....huge roar from the audience ---- she appears.

and there i go - scrambling, squeezing, and insinuating my way right up inside the barriers, to the steps of the stage. not so stupid, after all. the pulsating and enormous mob of adoring fans are to my right (with thousands more outside the tent and on the street beyond). the 23-piece orchestra and the gigantic screen are on my left, and the iconic figure of Aretha Franklin is just a few feet in front of me. a massive presence dressed in white; a ship on stage; bride of the rhythmy blues; she floats my way, and looks directly down at me and my little camera. she looks, and in that moment i know: i have received, directly and indubitably, the power. the queen of soul has handed me the sceptre of song; infused me, in silent and secret signal, with her legacy. looming, large, and loving, she looks directly down at me, and i miss the shot, of course, being required by the laws of music and mystery to stop - to simply acknowledge. what is a photo op, after all, in the face of real, live, consuming essence of soul?
j'accepte. i capture some other moments of her greatness, in the next few moments, then slither off the stage and back to my place in the crowd, another faceless fan, with a futile fantasy. oh, i will sing the songs, as i have often done before, and especially now, with that awareness of close-to-greatness with me in each note. but i know, - of course i do, - that my wee voice could never come close to her legendary sound. that's OK. i will aspire, and remember, and carry the sceptre of song as i go, and hope that i can express just a fraction of that magnificent soul. no 23-piece orchestra with me, but i will sing - like a natural woman.

out and about

a little blues fest over the weekend; i helped out at the toronto blues society table, and also chatted with Gina Sicilia, singer from the US of A, whose singing i quite like. i'm here with herself and her guitar player Dave Gross.
and some pics from another gig at Gate 403 in T.O., including one of myself just dancin' and having a whale of a time. (as they say in Quebec: "trou de c__, qu'on s'amuse"). the gig featured Julian Yarrow on piano, Ron Johnston on bass, and John Deehan on sax, and a friend of mine from many years, artist Sam Miya sat in on bass for a tune too.

Hope everyone is having a very musical springtime.