SWEET JAM'S MUSIC DEBUT! July 6, 2008 - UNITY TEMPLE, Santa Cruz
"Listen to the Wind"
"Everyone is Different"
HERE COMES THE WHITE RABBIT....
NAMM SHOW - Anaheim Convention Center, LA
HELLO AND THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY MUSIC SITE!! Started off with a personal site a long time ago - it has now become my site for advocating animal rights (check it out, too: www.myspace.com/californiacat13).
I love to play/sing blues-jazz, jazz, soft rock, Celtic, folk and reggae type music (basically a fusion of styles). I've been playing recorders ever since grade 4, which is when most people had their experience with a recorder. I had been a 'closet musician' until I moved to Cranbrook, British Columbia in the early 90's. There I met a wonderful group of friends who encouraged me to sing and play. Through these friends (Larry MacKenzie, Van Redecopp, Doug Erickson, Steve and Leanne Jones, Mike and Debbie Zamara, Ben Van der Werf, Brian Brons, and Steve Lungal to name a select special few), I got involved with local coffeehouses and eventually started one in Cranbrook called 'Locals' which is still going strong today. I also was involved with a fun band there called 'Wham Go The Ducks'. I learned a great deal from this experience, in particular, from Jim and Sharon Cameron.
And, realizing the power of music - that it's an international language - I organized music benefits for The World Wildlife Fund for the preservation of the rainforests and The African Wildlife Foundation for the mountain gorillas of Rwanda, as well as smaller events to help find homes for the animals at the local SPCA. I would very much like to organize more of these in the future as I believe that music can breach the borders of different cultures and can even warm the coldest of hearts. I would really like to put on a 'Summer of Love' type music gathering that is a benefit and also for people to really brainstorm and come together with their various resources to try to change the world - one bright idea at a time. :o)
I have also put recorder parts on Rory (aka The Koz) Koshlaychuk's CD's ('Fallen Kisses' and 'Fly On'), a favorite local Santa Cruz musician. I will be adding these very soon. Check out his website and the songs at: www.thekoz.net.
I also play a Yamaha WX5 wind synthesizer - a midi version of my recorder and am experimenting with tons of different sounds from flute and strings to trumpet and saxophone to bass beats. At the recent NAMM Show I saw another type of wind synthesizer: an AKAI EWI USB - which goes through your computer. It has most pristine sound and so I just had to get it! As well, I purchased two native american indian flutes from High Spirits - there is no comparison to the pure sounds I get when playing them - nothing beats woodwinds!
My boyfriend, Keith Graves, is an amazing and versatile musician (check out his myspace site: www.myspace.com/keithgraves). Last summer was quite the incredible experience as he played at several of the Summer of Love 40th Anniversary Tour shows, beginning with playing bass for JERRY MILLER (formerly of MOBY GRAPE) in Detroit. He then played bass for QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY and JEFFERSON STARSHIP and has since become the new bass player for QUICKSILVER! His newest band venture is working with Kevin Cadogan (former songwriter/guitarist from Third Eye Blind). They are working on Kevin's new songs. Their first first show was in August in Virginia City, NV and was awesome!
Keith and I do music and video recordings in our LEROX STUDIO and have our own production company called: HAM and CHEEZ PRODUCTIONS (see the Peter Cottontail video).
I'm presently in a band called "Sweet Jam" with local Santa Cruzan, Mark McFadden, singing and playing his most beautiful songs, plus some covers. Keith plays bass with us and we're looking to find a permanent percussionist. Right now we're recording our first CD at our LEROX Studio which includes some special guest artists!
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING (and reading) - NAMASTE!
Animated GIFs
Below is a fun video from when I had a chance to partake in a drumming circle with renowned master drummer, Jim Greiner. We got the runners at the beginning of the 2007 Wharf-to-Wharf Race in Santa Cruz started off with a lot of enthusiasm! Can't see much of me to the far right, but it sure was fun!! Thanks Jim!