… And we are launched! Braids of Kabuya came out on Oct 1st. I am so proud of how this album sounds and all of the work we put into it: the songwriting, the musicianship of all the players, the mixing, and the beautiful artwork by Stephen Schildbach.
I have so many thank you’s. The list is long and the gratitude so great. THANKS to these people and places who are a part of these songs, who heard them in fresh form, and helped me to polish them into a shape that has become real: the amazing musicians on this recording; Christina Honeycutt; Luara Moore; Jeppa K. Hall; Naomi Siegel; Marchette Dubois; Anne Matthews; Lori Goldston; Lori Andrews & Burt Samolis; Claudia Schmidt; Doug Haire; Jon, Betsy & Sam; Roseann Barnhill & Krukenberg Garden; Colleen Zickler; Sarah Kavage & Adria Garcia; Bobland; The Sorrento Hotel; The Cascade Mountains; Zephyr; and above all Stephen.
GRATUTUDE: to all of our Kickstarter donors! I feel blessed to have such a supportive community.
You can hear The Daphnes play the album live: on Thurs, Oct 25, 2018 The Good Shepherd Center in Seattle (Wallingford) at The Chapel Performance Space 7pm – $10 General Admission – All Ages
Last week, we finalized the CD production of Braids of Kabuya! With over 50 backers, we reached our Kickstarter goal. This is amazing. I have never done an art project like this in my life. The list of thank you’s is long and the gratitude I have for everyone who helped out is HUGE!
At the end of the week, we took care of last tweaks of the mastering, boosting bass here, adding reverb there… the final edits took longer than expected by a few days, but we are still right on target!
The Daphnes – Braids of Kabuya
Oct. 1st a digital version of the album will be made available to you. Right now, I’m just waiting on some codes to be assigned to the songs for digital streaming and downloads, and then I will be posting the album up on CD Baby and Bandcamp (The Daphnes EP is up here for now). I will post the links here, at my Kickstarter page and on my website when they are available.
I will also be publishing a book of Braids of Kabuya lyrics with digital download of the album. I expect to receive the books mid-October. First, I publish the CD for duplication (check). Second, I send in the album for digital distribution (pending). Third, I publish the book (in current edit mode).
My self-imposed deadline is to have all this new material for Harp Seattle, Dusty Strings’ three day harp fest I’ll be presenting at Oct 5-7.
This October 1, The Daphnes will release our first album, Braids of Kabuya. I’m so very excited to have a hard deadline on the calendar! This album sounds amazing.
With a dozen songs and half a dozen collaborators, this project is a culmination of two of my favorite things: music and poetry. Its has been a long time coming and I just need YOUR SUPPORT for the final push.
No matter what my aspirations are, my blog continually only gets monthly posting. So, what have I been doing this past May? A month in the life of a mama musician looks something like this:
Friday – Played for hospice clients in North Seattle. Came home for lunch, did reports and corresponding before getting daughter from school. A lovely day, we took our time walking back home.
Thursday – Kind of a mix-up with childcare, but otherwise a very good day.
Wednesday – Great gig with my band, The Daphnes, at Stone Way Cafe. You can catch us there again on Fri. June 23 at 7pm.
The Daphnes
Tuesday – My motivated high school student came at 8am for her lesson so she can get orchestra credit! Home cleaning and organizing, then teaching more students in the afternoon.
Monday – Memorial Day! Enjoyed a hot holiday off with my family at Folklife Festival and got to hear a few friends playing music.
Sunday – Not one, but TWO last minute gigs! I had gotten a call on Friday to play a wedding that another musician cancelled on. Then, at 7:30 am I got a call from a church choral leader in Ballard to sub on keyboard. I ended up doing both performances and had a fabulous, positively fun day. Also last minute: neighbor friends came over for dessert in the backyard.
Saturday – Very hot day. My kiddo was moving quite slowly and no one wanted to go to Folklife Festival that day with me, so we took a walk to Open Books on 45th where I got to nerd out about poetry with staff. Ice cream! Then, Jeppa, Eli and Lutra came over for a backyard picnic dinner.
Friday – Evening recording session for my album with awesome accordionist, Scott Adams!
Scott Adams (accordion) in the studio
Thursday – I have no idea what I did this day.
Wednesday – Wed. Sing! Nate Omdal and I play two sets of bass/harp duets for a cocktail party/art opening in Issaquah.
Tuesday – Played harp for hospice clients and taught students at home studio.
Monday – Went to Bellevue to play two client patient visits as therapeutic musician (one for Providence Hospice, another for Family Best Care)
Sunday – Flew a butterfly-shaped kite with the family at Gasworks Park. A solo eagle soared with it! Mostly a day off, then recorded violin tracks with Julie in the evening.
Saturday – Violin/Harp duets with Janet for a wedding on the MV Skansonia Ferry after going to the 125th Anniversary Carnival for BF Day Elementary School (Seattle’s oldest school) and teaching a morning lesson at Dusty Strings.
on the Skansonia w/Janet
Friday – Content writing and editing for the new Musicians’ Union website.
Thursday – Played a terrific concert at The Neptune Theater with Evan Flory-Barnes’ large ensemble. I love his projects.
Neptune soundcheck
Wednesday – I slept so poorly the night before and had insomnia. I felt like a zombie most of the day, but did some parent volunteering at my daughter’s school anyway, met with her teacher and did some teaching of my own at home studio.
Tuesday – Teaching. Parenting. Rehearsing at Cornish for the Thursday concert.
Monday – Writers In The Schools (WITS) is a wonderful program through Seattle Public Schools. My daughter has learned how to read and write poetry from talented professionals and tonight was the end of year K-3 poetry reading, which couldn’t have been more adorably heartwarming.
Sunday – Mother’s Day. I got some new stylin’ sunglasses because a particular young person always breaks mine.
Saturday – Gamelan Pacific Concert at The Chapel. A positively uplifting event, listening to Indonesian music and featuring a tribute to composer Lou Harrison.
Friday – I had a funeral to play for one of my past hospice clients, at a Catholic ceremony in Bellevue.
Thursday – Chaperoned for my kindergartener’s field trip to Seward Park. It started raining when we got there and never stopped.
Wednesday – Morning hospice clients and afternoon harp students.
Tuesday – Rehearsal with Janet on violin for wedding in a week, picked up my kiddo from school and came straight home to teach students.
Monday – Office day. I usually start off the week with a chunk of time corresponding from the home office, scheduling, and decompressing from weekend gigs.
Sunday – Harp Recital Day! Hosted my first ever harp recital for students with great success.
Harp Recital (2017)
Saturday – A nice hot spring day. Took daughter to a birthday party. I tried to practice but felt so distracted. A semi-productive day.
Friday – After working on various projects from home, went with the family to a friend’s art opening in Columbia City and I also picked up some money from my last gig at Columbia City Theater.
Thursday – Doctor’s appointment in the morning, and in between parent pick up at school, I taught five students at Dusty Strings.
This new year has made a lot of noise so far, off to a gallop and a cock-a-doodle-doo, both globally and personally. My most recent news: I am teaching at Dusty Strings Music Store!
Two years ago, I set off to adopt a five-fold business plan that addressed these areas of work: performing; recording; weddings & private events; teaching; and healing. All five areas of my business plan are in full swing.
Performing – This winter I am performing these concerts in Seattle:
Recording- Working on mixing the last tracks of my upcoming album, Braids of Kabuya, and ideas like this keep coming:
Teaching- I am SUPER pleased to announce that I am now teaching private harp lessons at Dusty Strings Music Store in Seattle (Fremont). Not only does Dusty Strings make the finest lever harps in North America, but they have a newly renovated music school. Its pretty awesome and inspiring. People who work there are nice. Please check it out! I teach on Thursdays.
Healing- This month, I celebrated my 1st year anniversary playing therapeutic harp music for Providence Hospice patients. It is a gift to play music for people who are so appreciative.
