If you've never heard of Diamanda Galas you're in for a strange dark treat. It's dark alright, in your face and strong. She definitely wants it that way and that's the point. Diamanda is a performance artist, vocalist, pianist and composer that happens to have a three and a half octave range, and she work off material with the following warm and fuzzy themes such as suffering, despair, condemnation and injustice. She personifies singing at its best! Check out the clip below...
Showing posts with label communication. Show all posts
Showing posts with label communication. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Friday, September 5, 2008
Singing at it's Best - Sister Rosetta Tharpe
This lady is one of my all time favorites. I discovered her reading an article in MOJO magazine some years back and couldn't believe a life lived without knowing her, her music and her guitar. It was truly a life deprived because if this lady doesn't have the HOLY GHOST then that just don't exist! Her spirit and voice leap out at you, grab you by the throat and you just can't move. She had style and sass too - checkout her look in the first video. Listen in moderation now - because she is HOT!!!
one more...
one more...
Friday, August 29, 2008
News you can use: Twista!
As a vocalist and an audience member, one of my vocal pet peeves is inarticulation. I feel, very seriously, that if you sing with lyrics - it's important that every word to be understood so the audience understands what you're singing about. Otherwise, why sing with words??
So to aid in the agile, facile delivery of words, here's some fun tongue twisters to get those jaws loosened and get you speaking and singing clearer than ever while have loads of...well... fun! Why a giggle or two over a groggy gurgle or grumpy grumble will make clarity a hoot! Say the following exercises 4x round, take a breathe and then move on. Do it again 2x as fast. Now you try:
Nice & easy starts things off...
A skunk sat on a stump and thunk the stump stunk,
but the stump thunk the skunk stunk.
then...
A flea and a fly flew up in a flue.
Said the flea, "Let us fly!"
Said the fly, "Let us flee!"
So they flew through a flaw in the flue.
On to more challenging fare...
Betty Botter had some butter,
"But," she said, "this butter's bitter.
If I bake this bitter butter,
it would make my batter bitter.
But a bit of better butter--
that would make my batter better."
So she bought a bit of butter,
better than her bitter butter,
and she baked it in her batter,
and the batter was not bitter.
So 'twas better Betty Botter
bought a bit of better butter.
More wondrously wordy words and phrases - check out the official Tongue Twister Database:
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/8136/tonguetwisters.html
See a darn good demonstration:
Tired already? Let's loosen up our jaws in another way - here's our current President having some tongue twisting issues of his own...
So to aid in the agile, facile delivery of words, here's some fun tongue twisters to get those jaws loosened and get you speaking and singing clearer than ever while have loads of...well... fun! Why a giggle or two over a groggy gurgle or grumpy grumble will make clarity a hoot! Say the following exercises 4x round, take a breathe and then move on. Do it again 2x as fast. Now you try:
Nice & easy starts things off...
A skunk sat on a stump and thunk the stump stunk,
but the stump thunk the skunk stunk.
then...
A flea and a fly flew up in a flue.
Said the flea, "Let us fly!"
Said the fly, "Let us flee!"
So they flew through a flaw in the flue.
On to more challenging fare...
Betty Botter had some butter,
"But," she said, "this butter's bitter.
If I bake this bitter butter,
it would make my batter bitter.
But a bit of better butter--
that would make my batter better."
So she bought a bit of butter,
better than her bitter butter,
and she baked it in her batter,
and the batter was not bitter.
So 'twas better Betty Botter
bought a bit of better butter.
More wondrously wordy words and phrases - check out the official Tongue Twister Database:
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/8136/tonguetwisters.html
See a darn good demonstration:
Tired already? Let's loosen up our jaws in another way - here's our current President having some tongue twisting issues of his own...
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Questions for Your Artistic Self - #4
Why would other people want to hear/listen to you?
I ask this question to look inward. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in developing our craft/sound/repertoire/performance skills and opportunities that we rarely stop and ask this question to ourselves. Perhaps it’s far too confronting. Nonetheless, I think it is important to take a look at the reasons people may want to hear you, assuming they do. The answer may take awhile to come but I feel this questions puts us in touch with what we convey and what we feel an audience gets from what we communicate to them.
It’s humbling to look at how an audience benefits from hearing and/or experiencing us. Many times we feel that the mere fact we’re expressing ourselves artistically deserves merit alone. Sure it does but if that were all - we'd simply perform for ourselves - yet we want to be heard by others. Is the world truly waiting for your particular form of artistic expression? Probably yes and maybe no. Looking at this question once past the mere confrontation of it can help bridge the gaps between you and your current or potential listening audience.
I ask this question to look inward. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in developing our craft/sound/repertoire/performance skills and opportunities that we rarely stop and ask this question to ourselves. Perhaps it’s far too confronting. Nonetheless, I think it is important to take a look at the reasons people may want to hear you, assuming they do. The answer may take awhile to come but I feel this questions puts us in touch with what we convey and what we feel an audience gets from what we communicate to them.
It’s humbling to look at how an audience benefits from hearing and/or experiencing us. Many times we feel that the mere fact we’re expressing ourselves artistically deserves merit alone. Sure it does but if that were all - we'd simply perform for ourselves - yet we want to be heard by others. Is the world truly waiting for your particular form of artistic expression? Probably yes and maybe no. Looking at this question once past the mere confrontation of it can help bridge the gaps between you and your current or potential listening audience.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Singing at it's Best - Abbey Lincoln
Some may argue that her style is an acquired taste or that grit in her voice comes on too strong yet to me she is one of the most expressive jazz vocalists to ever grace the genre. She's political, fiery, fierce and a prolific songwriter to boot. I'm posting this clip of the FREEDOM NOW Suite from the 60's. There's a scream in this clip that's UNBELIEVABLE!
Want to know more about Abbey? This article's a good start.
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=1100
Want to know more about Abbey? This article's a good start.
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=1100
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Connection
Just recently I gave a workshop in New York City on confidence and connecting with an audience. During that workshop, a discussion erupted about putting a spell on an audience. How does that work? I offered that I had no clue and then I remembered a pivotal moment along the way where I confronted that same question. I participants that story...
Back in 2000, I got asked to do a festival curated by an agent in Germany and I could bring along my own pianist. I'd worked with this agent before but only with groups that featured me and they were more commercial than I was doing. This agent liked his music gutbucket and straight for these festivals so I wanted to make a good impression because the guy paid well and hooked you up: 4-star hotel, 1st class train fare and all the meals were on him. I thought if this works out he'd book me on more festivals with more opportunities to develop that side of my singing. So I asked pianist Curtis Clark to come along...one of the most delicate pianists around!
At the festival we were given a small stage off to the side of the main stages. Despite the leakage from the bigger groups close by, it was a cool spot for a duo with tons of space. We talked through what the first set would be, did our sound check during which I instructed Curtis how I wanted to "drive the music home to the people..." He didn't say anything. I was simply determined to do well and make those people like me and make that agent LOVE me.
We went out and did our 1st set. We had a big crowd and I went into overdrive to keep them there. Reaching and pushing out to the audience, looking at them in their eyes with yearning. Sometimes I heard Curtis but most times I was in my own world. The crowd stayed but the audience reaction was lukewarm. No-one hung around to even say "Danke". Scheisser.
After the set, Curtis and I go backstage. As soon as we're seated, he turned to me and said:
"What are you doing?"
"What do I mean 'what am I doing'?" I said.
"Why are you pushing the music so hard? Why are you fighting me?" he said.
I was stunned and speechless - not easy for me. After an awkward silence I asked him what he meant by that. He replied,
"You seem to be worried about keeping a big crowd and we're not together musically. It's not happening. If we get together and communicate with each other, the music will be stronger. If we do this you may lose some audience, sure, but the audience that stays will stay because they want to HEAR us."
This was a revelation. I knew that first set didn't work but I didn't think I did anything wrong. I pulled out every "performer" cliche I knew of. I worked HARD to get and keep the audience's attention. I had no clue...
So this was a revelation. I gave myself such a hard time for not being a strong performer in the sit-in-their-lap vein of entertainer. I saw it as a weakness for a longtime that I wouldn't, for example, jump into a mosh-pit from stage. I don't like to say too much and I want the music to speak for itself. I'd seen performers go to great lengths to pull the audience toward them: be funny, dress sexy, sing seductively, all these "extracurricular" activities that looked like overcompensation most of the time. and that's just what I did the first set. Here he's saying I can own that aspect of myself...
Curtis went on to suggest that for the next set we simply focus on getting together with the music. Communicate and respond with each other and see what happens. I agreed to give it a try. It couldn't be worse than what went before. I had nothing to lose.
That second set had a weird pause when we started out but it eased and we began to make...music. The audience had changed and quite a few walked away once we moved in unison more. That was hard at first. I did see that those who stayed had sweet smiles and enjoyed the music. They looked me in the eyes. It's the first time I recognized that I allowed me to be me - even if just for a moment - in all my vulnerability on stage and it felt GOOD. A profound moment.
I've taken that moment on that stage in Germany to heart. I now strive for more organic connection with an audience than ever. Learning more and more how the be the genuine me. How to extract the truth of myself into the music I sing. It's a fundamental part of my journey. Digging deeper as my psyche will allow. How lucky I feel. I owe Curtis because his honesty with me that day caused a tectonic shift in my outlook as a vocalist. It went on to inform the ensemble band-leading sound I've been developing. impacted my approach to music today. Thank you, Curtis.
If you love jazz and/or piano, check him out he has a number of recordings and he's a very special player and composer. Here's his myspace link: http://www.myspace.com/curtisclarkmusic
Back in 2000, I got asked to do a festival curated by an agent in Germany and I could bring along my own pianist. I'd worked with this agent before but only with groups that featured me and they were more commercial than I was doing. This agent liked his music gutbucket and straight for these festivals so I wanted to make a good impression because the guy paid well and hooked you up: 4-star hotel, 1st class train fare and all the meals were on him. I thought if this works out he'd book me on more festivals with more opportunities to develop that side of my singing. So I asked pianist Curtis Clark to come along...one of the most delicate pianists around!
At the festival we were given a small stage off to the side of the main stages. Despite the leakage from the bigger groups close by, it was a cool spot for a duo with tons of space. We talked through what the first set would be, did our sound check during which I instructed Curtis how I wanted to "drive the music home to the people..." He didn't say anything. I was simply determined to do well and make those people like me and make that agent LOVE me.
We went out and did our 1st set. We had a big crowd and I went into overdrive to keep them there. Reaching and pushing out to the audience, looking at them in their eyes with yearning. Sometimes I heard Curtis but most times I was in my own world. The crowd stayed but the audience reaction was lukewarm. No-one hung around to even say "Danke". Scheisser.
After the set, Curtis and I go backstage. As soon as we're seated, he turned to me and said:
"What are you doing?"
"What do I mean 'what am I doing'?" I said.
"Why are you pushing the music so hard? Why are you fighting me?" he said.
I was stunned and speechless - not easy for me. After an awkward silence I asked him what he meant by that. He replied,
"You seem to be worried about keeping a big crowd and we're not together musically. It's not happening. If we get together and communicate with each other, the music will be stronger. If we do this you may lose some audience, sure, but the audience that stays will stay because they want to HEAR us."
This was a revelation. I knew that first set didn't work but I didn't think I did anything wrong. I pulled out every "performer" cliche I knew of. I worked HARD to get and keep the audience's attention. I had no clue...
So this was a revelation. I gave myself such a hard time for not being a strong performer in the sit-in-their-lap vein of entertainer. I saw it as a weakness for a longtime that I wouldn't, for example, jump into a mosh-pit from stage. I don't like to say too much and I want the music to speak for itself. I'd seen performers go to great lengths to pull the audience toward them: be funny, dress sexy, sing seductively, all these "extracurricular" activities that looked like overcompensation most of the time. and that's just what I did the first set. Here he's saying I can own that aspect of myself...
Curtis went on to suggest that for the next set we simply focus on getting together with the music. Communicate and respond with each other and see what happens. I agreed to give it a try. It couldn't be worse than what went before. I had nothing to lose.
That second set had a weird pause when we started out but it eased and we began to make...music. The audience had changed and quite a few walked away once we moved in unison more. That was hard at first. I did see that those who stayed had sweet smiles and enjoyed the music. They looked me in the eyes. It's the first time I recognized that I allowed me to be me - even if just for a moment - in all my vulnerability on stage and it felt GOOD. A profound moment.
I've taken that moment on that stage in Germany to heart. I now strive for more organic connection with an audience than ever. Learning more and more how the be the genuine me. How to extract the truth of myself into the music I sing. It's a fundamental part of my journey. Digging deeper as my psyche will allow. How lucky I feel. I owe Curtis because his honesty with me that day caused a tectonic shift in my outlook as a vocalist. It went on to inform the ensemble band-leading sound I've been developing. impacted my approach to music today. Thank you, Curtis.
If you love jazz and/or piano, check him out he has a number of recordings and he's a very special player and composer. Here's his myspace link: http://www.myspace.com/curtisclarkmusic
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Rene
Many of you have you heard by now about jazz-vocalist Rene Marie and her performance for a civic ceremony in the city of Denver where she extrapolated the lyrics of "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" otherwise known as the Black National anthem and placed them firmly in the melody of the "Star Spangled Banner." There was a whole bunch of WOO-HAA about it. It turned into a BIG deal. People on the political right thought she desecrated a national institution. She was called all sorts of things. Selfish. Dishonest. Unethical. That's where my opinion stands. I believe what she did was unethical.
Let me preface by saying that I have NO PROBLEM at all with her melding the 2 pieces. It's a hip idea and why not explore the politics and the "exclusivity", as Rene herself put it, inherently involved in their respective texts. It's a fair and just question and worthy of exploration. I'm personally thrilled that she is probing these 'heavy' tunes, making folks uncomfortable. I love that!
Yet I didn't think her choice of venue was appropriate for such a statement. In this case her performance was purely a function that any qualified singer could have executed. This is a case when the job is not about her or her political viewpoint but simply to perform a function at a civic event. After the organizers phoned to offer the performance, Rene took a day to think about it and called back accepting their terms with no mention of her intention to join the songs.
I went to Rene's website - renemarie.com and I admire her candor and her well-thought out explanation about what she did and her right as an artist to make these sorts of statements.
To me her statement is NOT an artistic one, it is a political one. If it were an artistic statement, why not pick the type of forum where the message would be better received. As a working musician, my word is the best thing I've got. If I accept work, I believe it just right to do what was agreed upon. There's no shame in honoring an agreement and art has nothing to do with that. The irony is this is a potentially great message that most didn't hear because of the presentation Rene chose.I wonder why she didn't tell the organizers what she was going to do and does she think it's right to deceive anyone who offers her a gig? She too is a band leader in her own right. How would she feel if someone she hires decided to make their own "artistic statment" in the middle of a performance. Would she be open to that?
Just my 2 cents...
More stuff to read, hear and view:
To access one report:
http://undercoverblackman.blogspot.com/2008/07/embarrassing-race.html
an NPR interview with René:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92280877
And here's the clip:
Let me preface by saying that I have NO PROBLEM at all with her melding the 2 pieces. It's a hip idea and why not explore the politics and the "exclusivity", as Rene herself put it, inherently involved in their respective texts. It's a fair and just question and worthy of exploration. I'm personally thrilled that she is probing these 'heavy' tunes, making folks uncomfortable. I love that!
Yet I didn't think her choice of venue was appropriate for such a statement. In this case her performance was purely a function that any qualified singer could have executed. This is a case when the job is not about her or her political viewpoint but simply to perform a function at a civic event. After the organizers phoned to offer the performance, Rene took a day to think about it and called back accepting their terms with no mention of her intention to join the songs.
I went to Rene's website - renemarie.com and I admire her candor and her well-thought out explanation about what she did and her right as an artist to make these sorts of statements.
To me her statement is NOT an artistic one, it is a political one. If it were an artistic statement, why not pick the type of forum where the message would be better received. As a working musician, my word is the best thing I've got. If I accept work, I believe it just right to do what was agreed upon. There's no shame in honoring an agreement and art has nothing to do with that. The irony is this is a potentially great message that most didn't hear because of the presentation Rene chose.I wonder why she didn't tell the organizers what she was going to do and does she think it's right to deceive anyone who offers her a gig? She too is a band leader in her own right. How would she feel if someone she hires decided to make their own "artistic statment" in the middle of a performance. Would she be open to that?
Just my 2 cents...
More stuff to read, hear and view:
To access one report:
http://undercoverblackman.blogspot.com/2008/07/embarrassing-race.html
an NPR interview with René:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92280877
And here's the clip:
Friday, July 11, 2008
WELCOME!
A few weeks ago..I finally got around to something I've wanted to do for a long time. Start a blog on the voice. My ideas about it. Technique vs. expression, inside vs. outside music, band leadership, repertoire, Mike technique, CONFIDENCE, styles and most of all the unique tool of expression the voice is. How I came to understand and know what I do now and how much more there is for me to learn, hopefully along with you. I don't know how steady this will be. How frequent the posts. How geared the focus will be. What I do know is that I'll will write and include only what I believe to be true and honest.
The Visible Voice is just about that. Through our voices making our intentions strong, transparent and uniquely our own. We get to share a unique human trait that's universal at the same time. Half the world can carry a tune...well! Yet we're drawn to unique voices, in song, in speech, in content. We never tire of hearing someone sing, say, articulate the same old thing in a new way. That's the magic and that's what I intend to explore here. Getting to that place in you...
The Visible Voice is just about that. Through our voices making our intentions strong, transparent and uniquely our own. We get to share a unique human trait that's universal at the same time. Half the world can carry a tune...well! Yet we're drawn to unique voices, in song, in speech, in content. We never tire of hearing someone sing, say, articulate the same old thing in a new way. That's the magic and that's what I intend to explore here. Getting to that place in you...
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