From the Ocean to the Desert

Hi folks -

The QE2 was a great experience. What a ship! This time it went from NYC (after having people on board from SouthHampton England) to Bermuda to Newport, Rhode Island and back to NYC. I actually prefer to be out on the open sea longer, rather than stopping here and there. Being remote (and unreachable) is a LUXURY!!! But Bermuda was really beautiful. A few of us rented a small 'boat' (if you could call it that!) and went to a snorkeling area - really pretty.

Enjoyed meeting some folks on the QE2. Diane Schuur was on with a big band. Very good to meet her. I'll be singing a tune with her on her next CD (recording end of October) which I'm excited about. Heard Jon Hendrick’s group and dug that. He's one of the best jazz lyricists EVER! And still writing and creating with his 'Vocalestra'. Our group (Danny, Paul, Bob and Todd) played many of his tunes during our sets in his honor. Also enjoyed Venessa Rubin's group.

Then onto Sedona Jazz on the Rocks - beautiful place! We had to get there in a big hurry to be on Good Morning Arizona TV show so it was tiring, plus I got food poisoning in the airport, so it wasn't much fun. The gig went very well, especially since it rained on us and the crowd, but everyone hung in there and it was worth it. Heard Terrence Blanchard's band and they sounded wonderful.

Went on a great hike the next day with a dear friend. Now back to NYC and getting ready for a week at the Blue Note - I'll actually be working at HOME for a whole week! It'll be good to play with James Williams again along with Danny, Bob and Todd. All the best to you and yours and thank you for checking in.

Warmly,
Karrin

Harmony with Garrison Keillor

Hi there -

No better place to write road notes than the airport ... especially waiting for a delayed flight. This is just one of the very glamorous parts of the job. Wouldn't it be great to find a way to fine airlines somehow when they are several hours late and don't bother to let us know? They definitely demand better behavior from passengers .... they show no mercy! Anyway!!!

Last time I wrote I think we'd just gotten back from Japan. Since then, many travels ... a lifetime of them! Performed on Garrison Keillor's A Prarie Home Companion in Tanglewood at the end of June. Such an interesting production to watch too, as well as hear. Tanglewood is of course, the home of the Boston Symphony and is a beautiful place. The Juilliard String Quartet was also on the show. What a treat! We did something from In Blue and a few others. I also got to sing a harmony line with Garrison on one of his sweet original tunes. It's great to see the cast do the voice talent/sound effects!

On to the Nemacolin Festival in Pennsylvania - another pretty place and resort. Then to the Deerhead Inn in Water Gap, PA ... this is an experience. A funky great place that's been featuring live jazz since...? Many years anyway. Met Bob Dorough - it's a hang for many musicians who live around there. Also Phil Woods bassist and drummer - it was a very cool experience. My band (Danny, Paul Bob & Todd) played beautifully and were - as always - troopers! Then onto our favorite LA club for the week - Catalina's in Hollywood. Wonderful crowds (all of these have been). Playing a lot of material from In Blue that we're enjoying. Pianist Bill Cunliffe joined Danny, Tom Warrington, Joe LaBarbera and me. That was a treat.

After that I got to spend a few days with my sister and niece in Hawaii ... went kayaking, and saw beautiful sea turtles, rainbows, all that Hawaii has to offer. Then to Kansas City at the Blue Room (always fun). Drove to the Dakota in St Paul for 3 nights - great to be back there, and onto Chicago's Green Mill for the weekend, all great and spirited clubs.

I had never been to Ann Arbor before but played there at the Firefly last weekend. The owner, Susan is tireless and a singer herself. Check that club out - it's another winner.

So, now (next day) I'm off to Santa Barbara's SOhO with Danny, Paul Todd and Tom Warrington. Get to see good friends along the way, celebrate the release of In Blue (August 13th), then to Yoshi's in Oakland for the weekend, and onto Seattle's Jazz Alley for the week.

I'll stop there although there's more, along with MANY radio and press interviews, which certainly help get the word out; KRML's Jazz & Blues Store, Filoli Jazz Fest & Spazio's in LA for a one night CD celebration in their concert space.

Thank you for checking in. I've truly enjoyed all these places and appreciate people showing up in such numbers! And so enthusiastically!

Warmly,
Karrin

Japan!

Hi there .....

We had a wonderful tour in Japan ('Jazz Elite'). It was especially good to get to meet (and hear) McCoy Tyner and his trio and the Cyrus Chestnut trio - great guys and wonderful players.

We played in beautiful halls with great pianos to very enthusiastic crowds. We started in Kashiwa, moved onto Kofu, Yamagata, Musashino, Mitaka, Takasaki, Kumamoto, Sasebo, Okayama. Then a much needed night off (!) in Kyoto where Danny, Joe and I were treated by a good friend to a Geisha house - what an interesting experience! (pictures on this site soon) Then onto Osaka, Nagoya, Yaizu and finally Tokyo.

My favorite memories/experiences (besides the music and people) were massage, mineral baths (sadly - only once), the Geisha house, japanese food and beer/saki, watching the lush landscape and rice paddies from the tour bus and train, backgammon with Jim on the bus.

Then, another good friend taking Jim, Bruce and I to a great little karaoke bar (SOMEHOW Danny and Joe opted out!) and hanging with those folks for awhile. They take this karaoke singing very seriously - very fun time there. Takao (our gracious promoter) went too. He's a great sport (and a legend in producing jazz in Japan!)

Finally, experiencing the warm and gracious hospitality of the Japanese people. Our road crew was amazing too.

I was pleased to be able to speak with McCoy several times, and his playing knocked me out. And Cyrus ... forget about it! What a sweetie. Danny and Joe played as beautifully as ever with me and we had two friends from Honolulu join us - Bruce Hamada and Jim Howard. Both are great players and tour mates.

Then onto Bloomington/Normal, Illinois for a concert for WGLT Radio - a lovely outdoor event with my KC players - who never have ANY fun! Now onto meeting with the Concord folks in LA for planning for “In Blue” - my next project due out August 13. Lots to prepare for, but exciting.

Thank you for checking in and farewell for now.

Warmly,
Karrin