February Music News: India's Influences

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Tuesday 1, February 2011

India's Influence

Hello and happy February,

As I'm approaching the completion of my three-month yoga & music intensive in Mysore, India, I'm feeling at once ready to return to the States and overwhelmed by the fact of how fast time flies. From the get-go, I've been looking at this trip to India as an arts residency to recharge my creative batteries as much as reboot my yoga practice and that has indeed played out. Close to daily Carnatic voice lessons, the somewhat random confluence of musician-yogis here, a regular writing practice group, and kick-ass Ashtanga yoga practice have kept my days more than full. Musical events and inspiration have happened that simply wouldn't have occurred anywhere else. I met Bo, a Western Classical singer with amazing pipes, with whom I shared a bill at a benefit performance for two of our favorite local charities . At the same time, I met Lars, a piano player with a natural ear for accompaniment who was learning harmonium. He picked up a handful of my songs and performed with me at the benefit show to surprisingly good effect--I have a new appreciation for its ability to be mournfully vocal and Old-World gypsy as much as its Eastern devotional self. Shortly after the show, Bo and Lars left town and I've been back to the woodshed and through line of Carnatic singing lessons, self (music) practice and writing. New material is on its way, and I look forward to sharing it with you upon my return to the US. I've started booking some shows, including a gig at The Actual Cafe in Oakland two weeks after my return. If you're in the Bay Area, please come! I look forward to seeing you and catching up. xo, Deborah

illustration by Boonchu Tanti

Gigs: March & beyond

Sunday, March 13th, 2011
Actual Cafe
Sundays with the Songwriter Collective - 4pm
6334 San Pablo Ave
Oakland California USA with Suzanne Lapidus and Ann Cummings

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011
Steynberg Gallery
Songwriters at Play - 7:30pm
1531 Monterey St.
San Luis Obispo California USA 805.547.0278
Price: $5 4-song set to open Steve Key's showcase "Songwriters At Play"

Wednesday, April 27th, 2011
Linnaea's Cafe
7pm
1110 Garden St.
San Luis Obispo California 93401

Friday, April 29th, 2011
THE TRIP
Hollow Body @ Trip - 8pm
2101 Lincoln Blvd
Santa Monica California 90405
Price: $8

Also this month

77 El Deora's New Ride

I think 77 El Deora is the Bay Area's most smoking Americana/Honky Tonk/Alt-Country band. Fronted by ace guitarist/writer/singer Maurice Tani and a great vocalist, Jenn Courtney, they are at once smart, dark, sassy and fun. They recently released a new CD "The Crown and The Crow's Confession" featuring 12 songs, including, I'm happy to report, one I co-wrote with Tani 'Shattered." I encourage you to both buy the CD and check out 77 El Deora at their next gig.

Reviews: Rootstime, Oliver di Place give EPs some love

Belgian Music blog Rootstime recently gave It's All Up To You and Other Halves some love: "[Let's Move] climbs with a vengeance after a first listening it is difficult to remove from memory falls. The great romantic songs beautifully sung "Falling" and being beautiful in its simplicity "Someone Needs You Now"are among the best songs from these two plates." —Rootstime

And I was pleased that Oliver di Place chose my song 'Blink' as one of it's "Jaw Droppers": "The EP starts with two original Americana songs that are very fine. But the kicker is Blink. The song opens with just stand-up bass, and the listener is wondering where this will go. Are things about to turn jazzy? But then the drums and organ come in, and things become clear: this is reggae! There are no other instruments on this one, but none are needed. Crooks comes in on vocals, and it just gets better. She sings Blink in a sultry bluesy alto. It may not sound like these pieces should fit together, but do they ever. It doesn’t hurt that the lyrics are a beautifully written meditation on the passing of time, but that’s just a bonus." — Darius Rips

Deborah Crooks

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