Nearly two weeks ago now, I had the pleasure of visiting Jazz FM for a one hour interview with 'Jazzology' host, Brad Barker. I had assumed that I would feel vain discussing so many aspects of myself and worried that I would not encourage conversation. Instead, it really did feel like a conversation and I felt respected--Brad was honestly interested in the life of a measly jazz singer from Caledonia, Ontario. I appreciated the fact that he had read my blog and asked me questions that were relevant to my experiences. I was able to be my most honest self.
However, I neglected to thank Pat Collins for this wonderful opportunity that I am very, very thankful for. I also failed to mentioned that SFMM is a group comprised of not only students and teachers, but also a group of unbelievably dedicated Hamiltonians from various walks of life.
You can tune in on Thursday, February 9th at 9:00pm (91.1 on FM Radio, or visit http://www.jazz.fm/index.php/education-mainmenu-111/jazzology-mainmenu-202) to hear my interview with Brad Barker.
Welcome
- carissakimbell.ca
- Welcome and thank you for visiting. Please spend some time getting to know me by reading my bio, listening to some recordings and checking out the gallery. I am just beginning my journey in this world of jazz and I hope you will join me. Please check back soon! Scroll down the right hand side to listen to recordings.
Sunday, 29 January 2012
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
remember
After experiencing nerves before and during nearly every performance throughout the last four years, I am always pleasantly surprised when those nerves take a back seat, and even more so when they disappear almost entirely. I can only think of two instances in the last year or so, both of them within the last two months. The first experience was following a gig on a Thursday evening, not returning home until very late and performing the next morning in class at the lovely time of ten am. I was too tired to be nervous. Though my voice was not in the greatest shape and I was worried at points (especially during the ballad), I was so exhausted that my body could not over-exaggerate the fear over what it is that I love doing. Yes, I made errors, but I took chances and experiemented with various colours of my voice that my fatigue enhanced. I will always remember how it felt to feel for the most part, in control and without nerves.
Out of these two experiences, the following has to be the most rewarding and appreciated. I had been planning to record in December for a few months now. Typically with so much wait time, one has too much time to dwell on the upcoming recording day--what if I am sick?, what if I am nervous and cannot perform to my ability?, what if I am not happy in the end and do not want anyone to hear it(on my behalf, not my band!)?--all of these questions and more can run around non-stop in one's brain. I have come to the conclusion that forcing yourself to 'not expect much' does wonders for remaining calm and to not put an unrealistic amount of pressure on oneself and on any project. Naturally when you care about something, there will always be pressure, pride and the longing for perfection, so minimizing the emotional and physical effect of such goals doesn't really take those goals away, but rather makes them achievable through clarity and control.
On the morning of, we were a little late leaving the house (I won't name any names..C..h..r...) and while waiting in the car I have to admit that my heart rate sped up a decent amount. I was forcing myself to breathe slowly and to not be bothered--typically I am the one who is always late. Also, I awoke with congestion and was not too thrilled about that. Luckily however, I hadn't been feeling so hot the previous couple of days and took extra measures to ensure that I was well rested, relaxed, fed and most importantly, hydrated. After a pit stop at Goodness Me for some eucalyptus oil to sniff (congestion) and some throat drops (slippery elm and marshmellow root to soothe) we were well on our way.
As soon as I stepped foot inside of Oddfellow's Hall--which also functions as Plughead Productions-- all nervousness vanished. In hindsight I am positive that the sniffing of the essential oil contributed, but mostly it was the fact that each person in the room was there to make music and to make the three tracks sound as wonderful as possible. Jay was the consummate professional, as I expected after studying with him once a week as part of a placement at Mohawk College. He made the experience so very enjoyable.
Of course, the tune which I had expected to be the easiest to record was personally the hardest--but isn't that always the way? As always, I have learned so much about where I am in my musical journey, what I really need to work on, what I have improved on, what I need to think about next time and how to be a better band leader. Thank you Adam, Jon, Chris and Jay for helping me discover these things! I really could not be happier with the outcome, including all of my imperfections. I am just so thrilled to have been given the freedom to sing without nerves, the opportunity to work with such wonderful musicians as Chris Platt, Jon Stemmler, Adam Fielding and Jay Burr, and the support from my family(Ma and Pa!) that made this project possible.
Keep posted for a listen to the recordings.
Out of these two experiences, the following has to be the most rewarding and appreciated. I had been planning to record in December for a few months now. Typically with so much wait time, one has too much time to dwell on the upcoming recording day--what if I am sick?, what if I am nervous and cannot perform to my ability?, what if I am not happy in the end and do not want anyone to hear it(on my behalf, not my band!)?--all of these questions and more can run around non-stop in one's brain. I have come to the conclusion that forcing yourself to 'not expect much' does wonders for remaining calm and to not put an unrealistic amount of pressure on oneself and on any project. Naturally when you care about something, there will always be pressure, pride and the longing for perfection, so minimizing the emotional and physical effect of such goals doesn't really take those goals away, but rather makes them achievable through clarity and control.
On the morning of, we were a little late leaving the house (I won't name any names..C..h..r...) and while waiting in the car I have to admit that my heart rate sped up a decent amount. I was forcing myself to breathe slowly and to not be bothered--typically I am the one who is always late. Also, I awoke with congestion and was not too thrilled about that. Luckily however, I hadn't been feeling so hot the previous couple of days and took extra measures to ensure that I was well rested, relaxed, fed and most importantly, hydrated. After a pit stop at Goodness Me for some eucalyptus oil to sniff (congestion) and some throat drops (slippery elm and marshmellow root to soothe) we were well on our way.
As soon as I stepped foot inside of Oddfellow's Hall--which also functions as Plughead Productions-- all nervousness vanished. In hindsight I am positive that the sniffing of the essential oil contributed, but mostly it was the fact that each person in the room was there to make music and to make the three tracks sound as wonderful as possible. Jay was the consummate professional, as I expected after studying with him once a week as part of a placement at Mohawk College. He made the experience so very enjoyable.
Of course, the tune which I had expected to be the easiest to record was personally the hardest--but isn't that always the way? As always, I have learned so much about where I am in my musical journey, what I really need to work on, what I have improved on, what I need to think about next time and how to be a better band leader. Thank you Adam, Jon, Chris and Jay for helping me discover these things! I really could not be happier with the outcome, including all of my imperfections. I am just so thrilled to have been given the freedom to sing without nerves, the opportunity to work with such wonderful musicians as Chris Platt, Jon Stemmler, Adam Fielding and Jay Burr, and the support from my family(Ma and Pa!) that made this project possible.
Keep posted for a listen to the recordings.
Friday, 11 November 2011
Evening Rhapsody
I continue to 'put off' the official linking of this site to my domain name as I am unsure about its worth and content value. I suppose that since I am no longer tree planting and there is no real topic of interest, that I wish to not embarrass myself. However, it must be done, and just like music--sooner or later, my weaknesses as a blogger will be available for all to see.
Today is a special day, in that it is Remembrance Day. On my way to my field placement at Plughead Studios in Dundas, I found myself listening to 96.3 Classical FM. A war veteran called in requesting to hear a piece to which he could not remember the name. His aged voice described the piece as 'singing' and 'melodic'. I found it difficult to hold back tears as I listened to this man who had fought in the war describe this meaningful piece in these simple, yet beautiful terms. Music in that era held extreme significance and I began to imagine the loneliness of battle and the necessity of music during such a dark time.
Arriving at my destination, I listened until the piece finished, thankful that I need not worry about my home front being destroyed. I closed my car door thankful for the luxury of life. As always my time spent with Jay at the Oddfellows Hall was most enjoyable. The more I learn about sound and how it works, the more time I wish to spend on this very subject. It is obscene, how much we all take for granted and how little the average person knows about the fine details in our every day existence.
On my ride home, the sky had turned to a dark blue, encouraging the many colours of the trees to pop. The radio was tuned to 96.3 and as I became submerged in the calm of the music, my usual frustrations began to disappear. I began to notice drastic changes in my heart beat and as a driver nearly hit me as he sped around a corner, I was surprised by my calm reaction, waving him to continue. As I approached the Garth Access lined with piles of leaves another piece of music fit perfectly in place. Jospeh Joachim Raff's "Evening Rapsody Op 163b" instantly found a place in my heart. I began to notice the nuances of the trees moving in the wind and my urge to get home diminished--I wished the piece would continue forever. I began to wonder why classical music has the ability--more so than most jazz-- to make the world slow down. I resonate with jazz on a frequent basis and it is my study of choice, but when I hear a classical piece like this one, I can't help but feel extreme emotion that I less frequently experience through jazz.
Once again, I am a believer in the classic.
Listen to Evening Rhapsody by Joseph Joachim Raff
Today is a special day, in that it is Remembrance Day. On my way to my field placement at Plughead Studios in Dundas, I found myself listening to 96.3 Classical FM. A war veteran called in requesting to hear a piece to which he could not remember the name. His aged voice described the piece as 'singing' and 'melodic'. I found it difficult to hold back tears as I listened to this man who had fought in the war describe this meaningful piece in these simple, yet beautiful terms. Music in that era held extreme significance and I began to imagine the loneliness of battle and the necessity of music during such a dark time.
Arriving at my destination, I listened until the piece finished, thankful that I need not worry about my home front being destroyed. I closed my car door thankful for the luxury of life. As always my time spent with Jay at the Oddfellows Hall was most enjoyable. The more I learn about sound and how it works, the more time I wish to spend on this very subject. It is obscene, how much we all take for granted and how little the average person knows about the fine details in our every day existence.
On my ride home, the sky had turned to a dark blue, encouraging the many colours of the trees to pop. The radio was tuned to 96.3 and as I became submerged in the calm of the music, my usual frustrations began to disappear. I began to notice drastic changes in my heart beat and as a driver nearly hit me as he sped around a corner, I was surprised by my calm reaction, waving him to continue. As I approached the Garth Access lined with piles of leaves another piece of music fit perfectly in place. Jospeh Joachim Raff's "Evening Rapsody Op 163b" instantly found a place in my heart. I began to notice the nuances of the trees moving in the wind and my urge to get home diminished--I wished the piece would continue forever. I began to wonder why classical music has the ability--more so than most jazz-- to make the world slow down. I resonate with jazz on a frequent basis and it is my study of choice, but when I hear a classical piece like this one, I can't help but feel extreme emotion that I less frequently experience through jazz.
Once again, I am a believer in the classic.
Listen to Evening Rhapsody by Joseph Joachim Raff
Thursday, 8 September 2011
the beginning of it all
The school year has begun and just like that, so has the chill and rain of September. In spite of the rain, or quite possibly because of it, the Fall is my most favourite time of year. There is a feeling of a fresh start--something I never quite feel come January 1st. September is made even sweeter as you run into people you have not seen for the summer months. Always a pleasure.
The entire college seems to be the recipient of multiple facelifts, some even dwindling towards the FWing. We are definitely the sore thumb of the school but for the most part we don't mind. Aside from a slew of mouldy chairs discovered yesterday, we have been given four new practice modules which are quite fancy and great for horn players. Prior to these rooms, any horn player could be heard loud as day in all practice rooms-- a frustrating experience for both the horn player and the other musicians attempting to focus on his or her instrument in the next room. Auditions have occurred and ensemble placements shall be posted tomorrow. Before you know it, Christmas will be here.
With the support staff on strike things are rather chaotic...though they always are for the first few weeks of September. Tomorrow night Jon Stemmler, Chris Platt and myself will be playing at Seven Windows for the first of (hopefully many) music nights held at Seven Windows. There is a surprising number of establishments that are not the least bit interested in having music be a part of their ambience. For those that are, it is very much appreciated.
In Personal Music News, I have officially decided to postpone the recording of my full length album until next year. I am entirely pleased with this decision and know it is the right one.
I have been listening to Anita O Day non stop these days. She was absolutely ON in every way. For those who are interested, check out Anita O Day : The Life of a Jazz Singer. It is in my opinion, a must see. Her performance of Sweet Georgia Brown and Tea For Two at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival is featured--another MUST see. Also be sure to watch The Universal Mind of Bill Evans. Very encouraging for the jazz musician.
A group of us went to The Rex on Labour Day to hear the Mike Malone Jazz Orchestra. There is truly nothing like the sound of a Big Band! Outside, the passers by stopped, unsure of what they were hearing. I suppose to most people it is an unfamiliar sound amongst the heartless drone that is today's popular music.
New Space
After many attempts and much frustration to make my previous site function as a blog, I have decided to switch hosts after realizing that my vision for my website has altered considerably. I look forward to sharing with you the process, potential road blocks and hopefully the many celebrations involved in this album creation project.
Already, my perception and approach to this project has changed. Thanks to musician, mentor, friend and teacher, Bob Shields (I am lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful and giving people!), what I had considered a solid selection of songs to record, has been slimmed down to about four of the twelve or thirteen selected. Before our meeting, I had arranged certain questions in my head regarding how to practice the tunes--all very hands on and moving forward. I soon realized that I was way ahead of myself and that surely, I needed to slow down. I had bypassed the basics--the very important and critical basics. Do my songs differ or do they sound the same? What is the overall feel I wish to achieve? How will I achieve this? --feel, time signatures, modulations, arrangements, flow... etc, etc, etc, etc, .... literally.. Etcetera!
I eagerly copied down a few pages of disastrously messy notes--a clear indication of how my mind was reacting to all of this overwhelming yet extremely helpful and essential information. This was a few weeks ago and I am only just beginning to unravel the details, to muster up the courage to carefully assess the notes made and what everything means, but I am at last feeling encouraged--and of course, very scared.
I wonder to what extent I can explore the endless amount of options comfortably, given my current ability (you might say inability) to function as a piano player. Even exploring a song in 5, instead of 4 has proven to be a very difficult task.
We are offered gems of information in class, social interactions and by witnessing our teachers play live. However, these gems cannot exist without further exploration on one's own accord and are like seeds that go un-nurtured. Without this constant care, these opportunities to understand the music we study and love pass us by. No matter how wonderful one's intentions, if we do not put forth the effort, ask the questions and readily admit our mistakes and lack of understanding,
Already, my perception and approach to this project has changed. Thanks to musician, mentor, friend and teacher, Bob Shields (I am lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful and giving people!), what I had considered a solid selection of songs to record, has been slimmed down to about four of the twelve or thirteen selected. Before our meeting, I had arranged certain questions in my head regarding how to practice the tunes--all very hands on and moving forward. I soon realized that I was way ahead of myself and that surely, I needed to slow down. I had bypassed the basics--the very important and critical basics. Do my songs differ or do they sound the same? What is the overall feel I wish to achieve? How will I achieve this? --feel, time signatures, modulations, arrangements, flow... etc, etc, etc, etc, .... literally.. Etcetera!
I eagerly copied down a few pages of disastrously messy notes--a clear indication of how my mind was reacting to all of this overwhelming yet extremely helpful and essential information. This was a few weeks ago and I am only just beginning to unravel the details, to muster up the courage to carefully assess the notes made and what everything means, but I am at last feeling encouraged--and of course, very scared.
I wonder to what extent I can explore the endless amount of options comfortably, given my current ability (you might say inability) to function as a piano player. Even exploring a song in 5, instead of 4 has proven to be a very difficult task.
We are offered gems of information in class, social interactions and by witnessing our teachers play live. However, these gems cannot exist without further exploration on one's own accord and are like seeds that go un-nurtured. Without this constant care, these opportunities to understand the music we study and love pass us by. No matter how wonderful one's intentions, if we do not put forth the effort, ask the questions and readily admit our mistakes and lack of understanding,
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)