SHOW DIARY

4/24/07...I got myself back to performing my original material ... it's been about a year now! And... from feeling totally rusty and nervous...I wound up doing all kinds of fun things. And of course, still playing Zappa and Reggae. I'm keeping this running log of shows for my own amusement. Read it only if you are hardcore. —PEACE&LUV-KC

Madame Mocha's
July 27, 2007
Inimate setting, solo piano/vocal, very supportive audience helped me ascend into my music zone... I felt relaxed and had a really great time. It's been an amazing year of growth for me—and this show was the tangible proof. I did two hour-long sets... mostly originals...which were super well received. The ArtVoice food reviewers were there... and they were pretty amazed the songs were originals. (Maybe they'll give me a mention in the story!) But I also had plenty of time to stretch out on some covers. Fun stuff I'd worked up in my recent intensive study-mode. I have decided to indulge in my chick-music side... so I did tunes by Sarah McLachlan, Bonnie Rait, Joni Mitchell, Tracy Chapman, Norah Jones, Alicia Keyes... plus some Beatles, Buddy Holly, Elvis (Costello!), Nick Lowe, John Prine. I finished up with a very prayerful "All Things Must Pass". After the show we cracked open some wine and I got a great tarot reading by Madame Mocha's co-owner, the most hospitable Paul Gipp. He said I won't be making a lot of money! At least not in the very near future. (Not the thing you want to be hearing from the club owner... ha ha ha ha). We set up another date, so I'll be playing there again August 24th.

Dance Alive
on First Fridays all summer
June 2 * July 6 * August 3
music by Bloodthirsty Vegans
original funk/hip hop/soul/rock/alternative to the alternative
(update July 16) The first two Dance Alive parties were great! Kinda stewing the vegetable pot as we get our original music sounding tasty. BTV's is a songwriter's collective band. We support each other to make our music happen. We're going to continue writing songs and building community at UU/Buffalo First Friday's until the world is saved... or until we don't feel like it anymore!

Saturday, June 9
Frank Zappa Tribute
Return of the Son of Voice of Cheez
This was a great high-octane set. If you haven't heard the mighty cheez, please check us out. It's a labor of pure love. And a lot of fun. It's the only thing that keeps me playing my woodwinds. Check out the website: voiceofcheez.com

FRANK ZAPPA MOTHER'S DAY FESTIVAL
Friday, May 18
featuring Buffalo's Legendary Voice of Cheez
Nietzsche's, 248 Allen Street, Buffalo, 10 pm
It was great! We had tons of people, lots of Zappa love. I had fun singing "Tell Me You Love Me"... like I'm a real rock singer

Saturday, May 12
MAMAPALOOZA 2007
Mom's Rock!
Rust Belt Books
Allen Street, Buffalo, 8 pm
Solo acoustic set. Other performances by Noa Bursie, Annette Daniels Taylor...and more!
The second annual was even nicer than the first. More intimate. And lots of girly bonding going on. We have to do this again sooner than next year
Here I am singing Oh Life on YouTube:

LIZZARD BALL 2007
Saturday, April 28
A Party with a Purpose (dancing!) courtesy the Buffalo Greens
w/ Bloodthirsty Vegans featuring My Rap Name is Alex
Dnipro Cultural Center
It was a sensation... lots of dancing. We got to meet Wheezer Klaw... and he played drums with us for the very first time. We liked him. He liked us. We think we'll keep each other.
***We performed a few of my songs, including a brand new one I co-wrote w/ Alex**
Alex is so sweet. He makes me really feel like singing when he hands off the mike.

PeopleArt Coffeehouse
Friday, December 8, 9 pm
I performed a rare solo acoustic set at the legendary PeopleArt Coffeehouse. It was cold and blustery (hmmm...go figure). I had a cold and a really bad case of laryngitis. Almost cancelle dbut played anyway...to the hardcore crowd (ok...it was only Bob Stalder and a handful of other hardy stalwarts). But...they reassured me that Bob Dylan couldn't sing either...and I ...er...focused on my piano playing. It was fun. I'll play there again in Fall 2007. Try to make up for it.

Elmwood Festival of the Arts
Sunday, August 27, noon
I performed a set with my new band...Paul, Nick and Greg. It was a beautiful show. Thanks to everybody who was there to listen. I felt a lot of love and support! Thanks a lot to Brian and all the Art Festival volunteers. They do a great job... for very little glory.

It was a GREAT summer of reggae music with many Dreadbeats shows! We've got a few things in the works for the fall. To see the schedule click here. We keep adding shows, so check back for updates.
The Dreadbeats features Tom Fenton (guitar/vocals), Jim Iarocci (bass) and Jim Palys (drums), and I play keyboards and sing. We honor the living legend of Bob Marley and other great classic reggae artists (Toots and the Maytals, Jimmy Cliff, Desmond Decker, Gregory Isaacs, Culture, Heptones...in other words...old school!).

107.7 FM, the Lake played my song "Oh Life" on their local show 6/26/06. Every week hosts Tina Peel and Robbie Takac of Buffalo's Goo Goo Dolls tap the gold mine of talent on Western New York music scene. The Lake local show is available for download/podcast.

If you are in range of their fine alternative antennae, you can also hear my music on 91.3 WBNY, the Buffalo State College station. They said they'd be playing it in local music rotation. Call and request! 878-5104.

HOT MAMAS SONGWRITERS SHOW


The Hot Mamas Songwriters Concert Saturday, July 1st was great! Thanks to all the people who came and listened—and laughed in all right places. I truly appreciate your support by coming to my first show back in the songwriting scene. It was a very fun concert to produce and an enjoyable evening.

Annette Daniels Taylor, unfortunately, had to cancel at the last minute, and we missed her amazing vibe and voice! But Noa Bursie and I had a great time singing together—and we had the best sort of improvising and in-the-moment music making going on! We pulled out some covers too, a Bob Marley tune—and Carole King's "You've Got A Friend" was so sweet! Great chords! We were backed up by the amazingly talented Emil Latimer on drums. Papa had never heard my songs (two of which I had never performed until that moment) and within two measures he had found the perfect groove. He also backed up Noa on her gorgeous solo set.

My set with the new band (the band with no name!) featured Greg Sherman (bass), Paul Zanolli (guitar), and Nick Corallo (drums)! I had a fun time on the mike and keys. We rocked the house and will be back for more, soon no doubt! I will keep you posted.

Thanks also to the Waves. Those guys are really fun! They wore matching white suits and danced while they played. My kind of peoples, really! Great songwriters and a high energy performance as promised!

Saturday, July 1, 9:00
Hot Mama's Songwriters
Noa Bursie
Annette Daniels Taylor
Kilissa Cissoko
Nietzsche's
248 Allen Street, Buffalo

Below: Mamapalooza mama's acceptng Buffalo Mayor Byron Browns' Proclamation, 5/4/06

Check out Buffalo's Mamapalooza Fest on MySpace:
www.myspace.com/mamapaloozabuffalo