i am a singer songwriter. i've been writing songs and playing guitar for roughly twelve years, singing since conception! i recently began playing live in Stockton, and various other places. but mostly Stockton. there is something special happening in this town! i'm told there was never so much live music as there is right now. every night of the week, you can find someone playing somewhere. it's pretty cool that i can be a part of it, i'm very proud and privileged to co-exist with so many talented
musicians.
i've always sang. i did all the normal things us singers do. church choir, Lodi High meister singers and choir. delta junior choir while i was in high school. i think meister singers was the most challenging and fun. i learned to discipline my voice, to blend with the other voices, to sing harmonies along with the main melody. and of course, we dressed up in those silly 19 century outfits. you know, jesters, maidens...all that. ththssthuper fun though.
though singing was fun, a passion, i figured i'd need some kind of accompaniment. my mom gave me her nylon string, and i holed up with it, and learned jewel's song "don't". i listened, rewound a million times... i still use all her pick patterns today - i just apply different progressions, chords, and so on. so i knew simple pick patterns, but no chords. i took a guitar class in junior year, and started learning basic folk strums, which i still use today. my second song i learned to play was 'down in the valley'. not too exciting, but to hear yourself make sound, cohesive music...it's amazing. it's a powerful feeling. it's like, "oh...i can do this.."
in high school i was that girl. the one who ate lunch on the football field, sitting on my guitar case, playing all four or five tunes i knew how to play. i wore long skirts and birkenstocks. yes, i was that girl. i serenaded the girls in my classes. they'd say "play jewel!" and sigh, eyes glassy and dreamy. if only i'd been born a boy..i remember sitting one particular day, i'm playing some love song, probably jewel. and i'm lost in the moment, right...i turn around and see this mexican couple making out and slow dancing to my music! they probably thought they'd hit the jackpot, a private show for only them. i was so embarrassed, i packed my guitar up and hurried off! now looking back, not so big a deal, a compliment actually.
in february of this year, i started playing live in stockton. it began with Blackwater Cafe open mics. every wed night, a cool thing, if you're into that. i found such a hotbed of artists there, i was shocked! people who will quote some one-liner they heard, people who paint or take pictures, people who wear beads, people who are never without their instrument, people who sing about getting drunk and falling in love and a ton of other things. right here in boring san joaquin valley, i found a fire burning. playing open mics is probably something i will continue to do throughout the year. it has inspired me to write so much, and it's good to be around creativity. blackwater open mic led to java roma open mics on thurs nights, and a few others. playing those events every week, faithfully, brought me other opportunities. being asked to join marirose & the gypsies as b/u vocalist. our record was just released, and we had a cd release party at valley brew!! what an amazing experience that has been, working on this record, and seeing our labor come to fruition! i have the actual cd artwork, so cool, all of the collaborators (there's a lot of em) are grouped together in the cutest way, but i'll let you see for yourself. i recently joined a newly formed band as lead vocalist, called The Magnolia District. we just had our first live show, so rockin! that project is the biggest thing for me right now, so keep on eye on us, we're gettin warmed up...on my top friends.
i am doing a small project on the side with dj noshame..and that's all i'll say. oh! and it's tight...but it's dj noshame, what did you expect? http://www.myspace.com/beatsbynoshame
there was a space of time during my twenties that i didn't write much music. we won't speculate on how long. suffice it to say, dust gathered.. but i'm in it for life now, i write as much as i can. it's the best therapy i've found, in the notes and strings. i just moved to stockton, i hope you come see me play, i want to share songs with you. i love playing live, there is nothing to equal it as far as inspiration goes. check my show dates!
the sun isn't hanging quite as high for as long as it used to. it's getting colder. fall is upon us, summer is ending. it's sad to say goodbye to it, but i'm eager and ready for the seasons to change. i like fall. leaves and turkeys. summer has been craaaazy fun but a slow down is much needed and necessary. i've always been a quiet person. i like to experience things, then go away and digest it. much has happened to change the course of my life this year. 2008 has been a whirlwind, enlightening experience so far, it can only get better.
see you soon, oh! and take a sec to cruise my top friends. all the music is local to stockton, or closeby. they're all sick and hella tight and all those other stocktonian terms.
Thank you very much! Darn, if people actually DO read my bio I should think of something clever and meaningful to put in it and not just a bizarre rambling. I'll come up with some ideas that would be epic to collaborate on. Do you have any weird or interesting musical instruments?
I don't know any available string players unfortunately, but I've written music for string quartets--very little though. We can work on a song for a show!
You'd be surprised what wonderful music can be recorded with a (relatively) cheap recording device and a radioshack microphone (that's how I roll!). I dig that new song of yours! If you know any string players (violins and cellos) you should total write some string parts! I can think of some awesome string compositions and counter melodies for that piece! I'm not sure yet where to play or who to play with. Perhaps Blackwater or something. I'm going to write about two more songs and then I'll try to book something.
Ahh sorry it took me forever and two centuries to respond! I'm working on a bunch of new music stuff right now and playing with some crazy loop stuff; I'm working on setting up a show relatively soon. I'll be recording a few more songs as soon as I finish the darn lyrics (the most challenging part)! How is your music coming along??
I love nuts and bolts. your voice gets really cool during the chorus i think break me down i think you say it is sick... awe that song would be sick too with think ominous bass notes and a kicked back drum lick. nice nice nice
Wait, you were there, Saturday? ;) No, seriously, no hangover...why, did I act like I drunk? If I did, I don't remember, so I apologize, but I don't think I drank that much, did I? Broken heart, broken back, broken spirit...it takes away the pain for a minute or two, you know?
Thnx Sandra. I do love your stuff. I love the way you write...words I would use. I guess we all have similar experiences, but it's so cool to hear someone express it in a way you would, or wish you did! :) I'll see you the 19th at Blackwater! Can't wait to see you all play together.
