Wild For You

Hello there -

It's been awhile since I wrote. A lot has happened since December. We recorded our new cd 'Wild For You' here in NYC at Sear Sound (same studio as “In Blue”) - lovely studio. Gil Goldstein did a beautiful job arranging the new material and my players (Danny, Rod, Paul, Bob and Todd) played great on it. The release date is June 8 and we are looking forward to that!

During that same recording week, we performed at Zankell Hall (Carnegie Hall) on a double billing with Louciana Souza. Then, onto LA for mixing of the cd, and doing a performance at the beautiful Orange County Performing Arts Theater (opening for Steve Tyrell). Next, was a private function in Kansas City. Then, to Hawaii! First was some R&R in Kona, then to Honolulu for family and some work at the Honolulu Academy of Arts and Maui Performing Arts Center. As usual, a very special time there.

Australia was the next 'stop.' It was my first time there and we really loved it. A huge country of course and we traveled it! We went from Sydney, to Melbourne, to Camberra and finally the Perth Jazz Festival. Each venue was so different, from a small great club in Melbourne to a large festival in Perth. What beautiful cities!

We also got to play with a fine young bass player from Perth, Peter Jeavons. On the last day he was kind enough to take us to the wild life park outside of Perth. (It was extremely hot that day!) There, we got to see Koala bears, kangaroos and even more exotic creatures in a 'wild' setting - great! Since I am a wild life lover, it was really special - the birds too, of course. On the way back from the park, we stopped at few wineries and then to the beach! Got in and was shocked at the force of the waves, especially coming from Hawaii. (I didn't swim on the North Shore! We went to Kaimana Beach and Kailua Beach which are pretty tame.) Then back on the airplane from Perth to Honolulu for two days. (On the trip to Australia, we had a new (my first, really) road manager -Thomas, who was great! We think we'll keep him!)


I arrived in NYC having just enough time to pay bills and get a hair cut, then, onto St. Louis for a very fun gig at the Sheldon Theater. Great crowd and a lovely hall. Finally back home for two weeks! Got to hear my friend, James Williams at a cool new club called “Au Bar” on the east side. He and his band sounded great and I sat in for a few.

Back to the west coast for gigs in Fallon, NV, Palm Springs and San Juan Capistrano along with meetings and friends in LA. The wonderful pianist Bill Cunliffe played with us once which is always fun. One night I stopped in the new Catalina's Bar & Grill (Beautiful new 'digs'!). Heard Pat LaBarbera's big band (with Joe of course) and so many other luminaries like Steve Houghton, Tom Warrington, and Bob Shepard, just to name a few. Great seeing and hearing them all. We all got the sad news that night that Chuck Niles, the great music lover, proponent of jazz and DJ of KJAZZ (formerly KLON) passed away that night. He was truly a gem and will really be missed.

I then went back through Omaha to see family and do my taxes. Enough said there!
I have mostly been back in NYC since then and gotten out and about in 'my city.' Spring is very grumpy here this year. We are anxiously awaiting, but she's reluctant.

I did a live WBGO appearance with Fred Hersch one early Sunday morning. (Just got back from Omaha on a fight was at 6:00 A.M.! ) It was for the Broadway Cares Project and CD ('Two Hands, Ten Voices'). Also, went to hear Fred at the Village Vanguard. What a wonderful and interesting pianist and composer he is.

Since being home, my family and I learned that a dear cousin of ours, Bob Laemer of Seattle died suddenly of an aneurysm. He was only 53. Such a great guy. He (and his brother, Jim) built wooden ships! In traveling to Seattle, I got to know him a little better and am so glad I did. My getting to be with family and friends along the way helps balance the craziness of this life. I don't write about a lot of that here because it is so personal ... but we will really miss Bob. Our love goes out to his wife Karelle, brother Jim and folks, Bob Sr. and Joan.

OK, C’mon Spring! See you in Florida where we have some exciting gigs coming up with Diane Schuur and Oleta Adams along with the band: Danny, Todd, Laura Caviani, Scott Steed and John Cushon. Then, our own performances coming up in Connecticut, Buffalo, DC area, Boston, Pennsylvania and more. Also, back to KC at the Blue Room, then on to Chicago at the Jazz Showcase and Catalina's in LA.

It stays interesting to say the least! And you help keep it that way, thanks for listening and reading.

Peace to ALL,
Karrin

Music is Everything War is Not. Amen!

Hello!!

Last time I wrote, we were getting ready to play a week at the Blue Note in NYC. We double billed with Anita O'Day the first two nights. I got to meet her and hear her just a little. She still swings like crazy. I read her book “High Times, Hard Times” awhile back and looked all over for it to bring to ask her to sign ... she graciously gave me another copy and signed it. I read part of it again - what a life! I admire her tenacity & talent.

Then Thursday through Sunday we played alongside one of my favorite singers and lyricists, Jon Hendricks. What a force he is! I've been a huge fan of Lambert/Hendricks & Ross ever since I started listening to jazz. He and his band (along with his wife and daughter) sounded wonderful. I asked him to sit in with us and he did several times. What a thrill for me (and everyone else there)! Would love to do more with him someday. My band sounded good as ever, Danny, Bob and Ron Vincent. The lovely pianist Peggy Stern was with us for the weekend.

I sang a tune on an upcoming Fred Hersh CD - we'll let you know when that's out. It's just him at the piano with different singers. This album is an AIDS benefit CD. What a pleasure to work with him and be a part of that.

Off to Colorado then, to Telluride via Boulder to see a good friend and do some hiking - Beautiful!!! The Telluride Fest was lovely, even with the rain. What a magical place! Also heard some great music there: Cedar Walton, Larry Coryell, Astral Project, and the latin band Jane Bunnett and the Spirits of Havana. A real JAZZ FESTIVAL!! My band - Paul, Danny, Bob and Todd were on fire!

On to Omaha for some family time and also to play a benefit for Habitat For Humanity. My father is on the board and we (all) raised alot of money for this great cause. It's always special to have family at your gigs too ... all my neices and nephew, both sisters, Dad and Ardi plus many good friends. Then, on to Seattle where I also have family - my Mom's brother who sells CD's for me when I'm at Jazz Alley along with Bill too. Jazz Alley, one of our favorite venues - along with a great radio station, KPLU-FM ... another 'home' for us. Pleasure to work with Danny, Todd, Bruce Barth and Jeff Johnson - very groovy band!

Then to San Francisco (maybe I'll live in that beautiful city someday ...) At the Plush Room in the York Hotel. Loved this place! And great to be in 'the city' for a week, even took a cable car - charming. Oscar Brown Jr. and Paula West were doing a concert in SF while we were there and they came to our gig. I am a huge fan of Oscar's and was honored to have him there. He sang with us and knocked everyone out (Paula did too). What an amazing talent he is! Also great to see Wesla Whitfield, Mike Greensil & Orrin Keepnews, among others in the audience.

Was home for a few days, then on to Rochester, NY to record a couple tunes on Clay Jenkins' new record. He's one of my favorite trumpet players and I'm honored to be on his new disc (with a great band). Then to the Chicago Jazz Fest after that - another favorite city. Too bad it rained but it was still a thrill to be there and folks were very good sports! Another REAL Jazz Festival!

It's been great having (taking!) September off. Nice to be in 'my' city for more than two days at a time. Got to hear some good things. Among them: Kurt Elling at Birdland, Luciana Souza at Joe's Pub and saw a wonderful Broadway play - 'Take Me Out' -great!

Now off to KC for some rehearsals and see/hear some friends. Then on to Europe. Odd and exciting to think that the next time we perform will be in ROME! Then The Azores! Next, Madrid, Paris and Berlin. Many new places for me. Hope to see you all out and about somewhere. And I'm still hoping for PEACE. Someone said, “MUSIC is everything that War is NOT.” Amen!

Thanks for listening....
Karrin

Life's Great Joys

Hi folks -

Where to begin? I can barely remember where I was YESTERDAY let alone a whole few month! Here goes...

May 1st we were in KC at a cool old refurbished theatre - The Madrid for the Ozanam Guild, a benefit for at risk children. Always great to be in KC. Then on to The Green Mill in Chicago, also one of our favorites - a very spirited place and crowd with one of our favorite club owners, Dave Jemilo. Also had a lovely meal at a friends great restaurant: Oceanique - yum! But we do like to eat well whenever possible. One of life's great joys and something that helps makes all the travel bearable.

Then back to KC for another good cause - The Coda Jazz Festival in the GEM Theater at 18th & Vine to help older musicians cope financially. Jazz Greats like Clark Terry, Jay McShann, Claude “Fiddler” Williams (and his lovely wife Blanche), The Scamps, and Bobby Watson among others were there. My band sounded swingin as usual (Danny, Bob and Todd) with the wonderful Steve Wilson joining us.

Then Brazil! Haven't been there since 1993 I think. What a special place. Both clubs were great - Bourbon Street in Sao Paulo and Mistura Fina in Rio. The folks who took care of us really did just that. Wonderful food, times, and crowds. I'd forgotten how beautiful Rio is. They were also very warm and enthusiastic when we played brazilian music.

Then to St. Paul, MN for a musical and historic tribute to a lovely and important man there: Leigh Kammon who is a radio jazz legend. My friend Bill McGlaughlin (another radio legend!) co-hosted with me which is always a great and interesting show. Also got to see my Mom and sister there. Then played in Worcester, MA for WICN-FM fundraiser which they had to do because war coverage interfered with their on-air drive. (Recently bought a good button 'War Lacks Creativity' Amen!)

Next, Steamers - another favorite club and owner - Terence Love. Had my 'KC guys' there - a real creative force! Then to Feinstein's @ the Cinegrill in Hollywood. This new room at the Roosevelt Hotel is lovely... (Also got to meet Sally Kellerman at one of our shows!) Saw so many LA friends and had a beautiul suite with a lovely piano in it! This is a great thing for me! I could actually PRACTICE (or just play) on the road - nice. Then to Canada: Montreal and Vancouver - both excellent festivals. (Drove with Bill from NYC to Montreal to see the Adoronacks, wish we would have had more time for that - beautiful!)

Then to Europe ... First stop was the Royal Albert Hall in London where we opened for George Benson for two nights - amazing place (almost 5,000 people per night). He and his band sounded really good. I had Danny, Bob, James Williams and Joe LaBarbera with me - great group. Then took the 'Chunnel' to Paris to hang until we went to Milan (another train which we loved) Played the Blue Note there for three days - really a nice club. It was HOT there too ... so when we got to Holland for the North Sea Jazz Festival, what a pleasure to step into that cool air. This fest is huge and not just a jazz fest - lots of things going on. Fortunately we played in a lovely theatre so folks could sit down (civilized!) and stay. Other venues were not like that. Heard a little of John Abercrombie - dug that band. It's a lovely place and I'd like to go back.

Then on to Santander, Spain (by the sea - another lovely place). Such a warm and enthusiastic crowd. Also wonderful hosts at this fest. Randy Brecker and the YellowJackets had been there just before us. This is when I found out that my dear 95 year old Grandmother died back in Omaha. We will miss her terribly. She and my other grandparents helped raise us.

Bob and Joe left us there, Danny and I went onto Montreux, Switzerland. This is also a huge festival with so much going on (again, not all jazz). I was part of the “Concord Voices” concert along with Diane Schuur, Patti Austin, Neena Freelon, Monica Mancini, Peter Cincotti and Curtis Stigers. It was an extravaganza! And a stunning environment. Also was on the judging panel for the vocal competition - good singers from all over. Also really dug hearing Geri Allen trio accompany them. Danny and I did a workshop as well so it was busy.

Then back to NYC for one whole night and on to LA @ a lovely outdoor venue at Marina Del Ray. Wonderful crowd and setting. Now getting ready for a week @ the Blue Note here in NYC, a double billing with two favorites: Anita O'Day and Jon Hendricks. Then to the Telluride. Colorado Festival, followed by Omaha, Seattle, San Francesco and ... yes, we're getting around.

Thank you for listening and hope to see you out and about.

Warmly,
Karrin