LIVE MUSIC

THIRD TIME'S A CHARM

BEING Gets Intimate in Q&A with Aussie Artists Fiona Joy & Trysette 

as their third U.S. tour kicks off in the Southwest.

4 shows THIS WEEK in Albuquerque, Sedona, Tempe and Tucson!

Q:  Hi, gals, it’s great to see you again! So, for those who don’t know your show, is it safe to call it "an evening of contemporary music and storytelling?"  

A.  FIona (laughing): It's been quite a year and there are loads of new stories to tell, so, yes, that description fits nicely.

Q: This is your 3^rd time ‘round the U.S., so can you tell us what new treats you have prepared for this tour?

A.  Fiona: Well, we both have new albums, which is really exciting.  I’m playing tracks from Signature – Solo, which I just recorded in hi-rez digital for my audiophile fans.  It includes “Grace” a version of which just charted on a #1 Billboard Album.  

A:  Trysette: I’ve put together a new solo album of piano and vocals to replace my 4 track EP Neutral Bay Session, which will be available exclusively at the shows.  I’m also adding brand new songs to the show, which I've been recording for my full band album due to be released in March 2015.

Q: Trysette, tell us, how are the two of you getting on these days? We’ve seen your videos, you know, and one might sense a bit of artistic "tension" at times. Any video updates in the pipeline?  

A:  Trysette:  Well, you know, Fiona is back to being “blonde” so it’s very “important” that we capture that (rolls her eyes).  We actually started making a third video on our last tour, so let's see if we can get something out this time around. It’s all on me, as usual.

 

Q. Fiona, are you going to get stuck with all the driving again, or will you make a stand this year? 

A. Fiona: Trysette is actually a really good driver – but I’m happy to drive and let her “help me” be better at it.  She always has the BEST "advice" on the road. (wink wink).

Q. You gals get a lot of credit for boosting the opening acts that you choose in various cities. Who’ve you got for us this year?

A. Fiona: We’ve got TheFinzer/Mahoney Duo in New Mexico and Arizona, and Jeffrey Pine in Colorado.  Both acts are  really terrific, we're excited to share them with our fans.

A.     TRYSETTE - Something we really love to do is invite a bunch of students onto the stage in Grand Junction, CO to sing on one of our songs. These students attend a workshop with us during the day before the show and we teach them the harmonies. It's a thrill for them and their parents. This year, I plan to teach them an indigenous Australian song by the Tiddas. I think they'll enjoy it. We’d love to do this in other cities, too, by the way, if there are any interested music teachers out there.

Q.    What’s next, after the tour ends in December? 

 

A. Fiona:  Quite a lot of globe-trotting, actually. I have an L.A.-area show in early December, then Christmas in Vermont, the Grammy's in February, China in April, presenting at the ZMR Awards in April, and an audiophile show in Munich, Germany to promote my hi-resolution album Signature – Solo.  Then I'll master Signature – Studio with Bob Ludwig in Portland, Maine, and perform at The S.H.O.W in Orange County, followed by a small Aussie tour in September and then Christmas again!

A.  TRYSETTE:  I plan to stay on here in the States to finalize and release my fourth album in March. I’m excited to do some pretty extensive touring to promote it, so maybe I’ll be back soon!

Q.  Sounds good, ladies, have a great trip, we'll see you in December in L.A.!

 www.twograndimyours.com

***

For more info about Fiona Joy & Trysette and local tour dates, visit Songkick. 

Video Links:

Funny TourVideo, Part 1

Grand Junction performance 2013  

Throckmorton, CA performance of Trysette’s “ Silky Fingers” 2013

VIDEO

Fiona Joy and The Blue Dream Ensemble perform at the 10th Annual ZMR Music Awards, where Fiona takes home the #1 Piano Album award for 600 Years in a Moment. Catch her on tour this Fall 2014 in the U.S.   Click here for concert dates & tix online!

The Book Thief: Death be Afraid

I unexpectedly fell in love during my rush to watch all the new movies before Oscar night. The movie was The Book Thief, which I expected to be good - but depressing - yet I came out of it feeling like I'd found a gem. I fell in love with the characters, the cast, and the story, but mostly with the lyricism of the narration. I will buy this one on DVD - a rare act these days - but I want an old-school physical copy to live on my shelf, among my other favorites: Out of Africa, A River Runs Through It, Ordinary People, and about 25 more which, I just realized, are mostly book adaptations.  

I never thought about having a movie "type," but there it is...it turns out I love movies adapted from books when the movie really uses choice quotes and artfully conveys the beauty of the words. There are a lot that don't make it. I hope that the author, Markus Zusak, and the screenplay adaptor Michael Petroni, know that they've succeeded together in this challenge, despite the few Oscar nominations (which says more about the tastes of the Academy than about the quality of this film) and some snarky reviews on RogerEbert.com. 

I also love movies with metaphysical themes, so there is also a match there to some degree. The Book Thief is based on the international bestselling novel of the same name, about a girl brought from Russia by her mother to be fostered by a German couple.  The author chooses Death himself to narrate the story, but turns the concept of death upside down, making it ruthless yet curious, bewildered, and somewhat afraid of humans, especially brave ones like Liesel, our heroine. Through her life's challenges during WWII and beyond, Liesel learns to embrace the beauty and power of words as a way to survive, soothe, heal and ultimately, live well into old age before Death can meet her.

I haven't yet received my copy of the book (yes, I also buy "real books", not downloads) but I can't wait to look up one of the voiceovers toward the end that beautifully captured Liesel's perspective and writing. It paints a vivid and apropos picture of the sweet musical father and harsh mother who'd adopted her, and goes something like this (in my mind, anyway):

"On a street called Heaven, there was a man with the heart of an accordion, and a woman cloaked in thunder...." 

A few other favorites: 

"Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like rain.” 

"It's always been the same. The excitement and rush to war. I met so many young men over the years who have thought they were running at their enemy, when the truth was, they were running to me." -Narrator/Death

“If only she could be so oblivious again, to feel such love without knowing it, mistaking it for laughter. ” 

1. "I am haunted by humans."

   (Death, the last line of the novel, p. 550)

The Book Thief released this week on DVD and Blue Ray.  See clips, reviews, and enter to win a free copy of the DVD from the talented young blogger Kimmy West on her excellent Page to Premiere blog!   

Oh, and for those of you who did find this subject matter just too bleak for words, you will find sympathy and hilarity in this "reading" by Mark on his blog Mark Reads, which starts out Part 10,

The Book Thief

 featuring

 what the f*+k

Watch the official trailer:

Capturing Love in a Song

When there just are no words, people are finding that Danny Wright is there to put their emotions into song.

Over the last decade, and from all over the world, people have reached out to Danny Wright, the composer and pianist also referred to by his loyal fans as The Healer of Hearts, hoping he can capture their love story in song. Word-of-mouth has spread of Wright’s unique gift for capturing a life or love story with his piano, and, to date, the artist estimates he has composed about 175 songs for loved ones here on earth or "already in heaven" as the soft-spoken artist would say.  The pieces written for these are shared on Danny's albums such as Full of Love, Gifts from the Heart, Reflections and even on his new reissue of the classic Real Romance.

A serene space for composing in Danny Wright's home.

Danny describes how he goes about gathering inspiration for each personal love song, saying “Once someone sends me a paragraph about their loved one’s personal story or their love story, I take some time to live with it. When it feels ready, I set aside time to meditate on the piece just before recording it in a very relaxed studio atmosphere. At that point, I feel that God takes over and the music simply flows through me until it seems peaceful and, somehow, complete. Some pieces are longer than others, and they vary quite a bit within the solo piano style. I feel really blessed and honored when people hear their song for the first time and call me, often in tears, saying that I truly captured the essence of their love story or beloved family member. On some occasions, they even order sheet music of the song to learn to play it for themselves.”

Danny recalls an example of a moving experience when a fan connected with Danny to create a song for his wife who had passed away. Sharing his feedback on the song creation experience showed Danny the importance a song can have in the healing process.

“Words are very difficult to describe how I feel about the song ‘My Guiding Light (Barb).’ The best I can come up with is WOW," the fan wrote in an email to Danny.  "It’s absolutely stunningly beautiful - somehow capturing the many beautiful, varied traits of her, a simply wonderful wife, Mom and friend to many. There is something very, very magical about this song...the way you have captured her many different traits and woven them into a tapestry of her as a person, sends a very warm shiver up my spine. Every time I listen to the piece, I feel different facets of her, which add to the picture you have painted with the song. I often take a blank piece of paper and write down different words/things that came to mind as I listen to the song. It's fascinating! I feel very blessed to have met you and have this wonderful keepsake made in memory of my wife, Barb.”

The composer and pianist, who is also a Steinway artist, can be reached for requests and more information via the contact page of his website at: http://www.dannywright.com.