I am first and mostly a songwriter. I write in many styles, including
early jazz, folk, rock, country, blues. I have also written songs
for a street theater/cabaret production based on scenes from Tennessee
Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, mostly for the women
in the play. .
I
sing my own songs as well as jazz standards, and perform with the Apollo Jazz Group, a swing band; and the San Francisco Starlight Orchestra, a 20's and 30's big band. I have also performed as a dancer with many bands, including Mal Sharpe's Big Money in Jazz and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. I have studied Isadora Duncan dance for over 12 years and
now study and perform with Mary Sano and her Duncan Dancers in San Francisco.
In
the early 80's, I was a member of the Coop, a musicians' cooperative
in New York. Each month we put out a record, the Fast Folk Musical
Magazine, and I recorded Daddy's Paddy Wagon (also on my
album 10 Years Before). These recordings are now in the
Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC, as a nationally recognized
folk music archive. In 1988, I lived in Nashville and was in the
chorus of a weekly TV show, Bobby Jones Gospel -- quite a departure
for me, and I loved it. We also appeared at the Nashville Summer
Lights Festival and in the Tennessee Repertory Theater production
of Jesus Christ Superstar.
Having
grown up with classical, Broadway, and folk music, I consider
a
good melody most important in a song, as well as lyrics that make
sense. I
love the process of songwriting, though I agree with Randy Newman
that it
can be "agonizing." (But exhilarating too, Randy!) I
love performing, and
consider recording a necessary evil -- though it gets easier over
the years,
thanks to technology and a more positive attitude.
These days I am busy working on a new CD which will be out later this year. In the meantime, my second CD, Lady in Waiting, is now available on CDBaby.com. I'm
really into variety! This new album includes many styles: Romantic
Celtic-type ballads, swing, bluesy folk, and even a medical marijuana
song -- listen for "Marijuana Madness" on "underground"
radio!
Also
available fromCDBaby.com
is my previous album, 10
Years Before. These are songs I performed
with Bill Ring and Ironwood 10+ years ago, many with new vocals,
mixes, &/or arrangements, others unchanged. "The Night
You Told Me (My Body Was a Must)" was written by Rick Barse
and Nevele Adams, both deceased and dearly loved. The last four
songs are four of Bill's best and some of my favorites. Altogether
over 70 minutes of music! The style ranges from folk to blues
to rock to country. Click the titles to hear them.
My
earlier releases include:
- Dinosaur Blues (2000) Released at
the Burning Man festival.
- Nobody Dances (1999)
- Waiting (1998)
- Cool Dolphin (1995) With Bill Ring.
Folk/Blues/Country. Most of the songs from this tape are on 10
Years Before, or on Bill Ring and Friends.
- About Time (1990) Mostly jazz standards
plus White Birds (included on 10 Years Before.)
