Greetings all!
Our autumn here in Oregon has been one of extremes so far. Sunny and warm one day, windy and rainy the next. One thing’s for sure, it keeps things interesting! I’ve been spending a lot of time on a new project that I am really excited about. Read on for more details.
But first, a shameless plug. I have just launched my new Yelp page and am looking for reviews. If you’d like to offer a review about my music, performances, lessons, etc., that would be great. Visit Yelp and write a review
Lately I’ve been brushing up on some holiday songs to get ready for the party season, but not much is going on with new material right now. I have a number of pieces in development, but nothing is ready to be called finished just yet. I am hoping to find time this winter for a short residency on the Washington coast, where I will have time to focus on finishing some creative projects.
I’ve also been looking into ways to generate more content for the website and have some outlines for doing a podcast. Everyone says that it’s all got to be pictures and video, but that’s just not my thing. Right now it’s still in the idea stage. I find it interesting that everyone says how you have to provide ‘infotainment’ to people all the time, yet no one addresses the question of how folks can afford to spend all this time creating content that’s supposed to be given away for free. But I’m working on trying to figure that out.
My monthly gig for Art Hour continues, and is proving to be a lot of fun. It’s been a great opportunity to bring out different instruments and talk with people about them, as well as meeting some nice folks. The events are still pretty small, usually it’s mostly those who live near Skyline Memorial Gardens. But hopefully they will expand their promotional efforts to include more people in the Portland art scene. It’s a great event and more people should know about it. I have promised that for November I will be playing an instrument with 12 strings. That leaves a couple of choices, so we’ll see which way the muses direct me on that day.
Private events and retirement community gigs are continuing. They’re wonderful, but it doesn’t always make the calendar look so full. I’m just now talking with a local British tea room about a possible regular gig, which would be great–the idea of working someplace where they appreciate the value of tea is quite appealing. I am getting closer to finishing my new & improved press kit and hope to have more regularl gigs around town in the near future.
Click here to see the complete schedule
Strumming By The Sea Retreat
This is the big news you were waiting to get to in the newsletter. The dates and location have been set for the seminar and registration will be open within the next week or so. Here are some details:
DATES: June 14-18, 2017
PLACE: Gearhart, Oregon — just 3 blocks from the ocean!
FEATURES: Group classes, one-on-one instruction, accommodations & meals, special activities, and plenty of time for jamming, relaxing, and exploring.
Visit the official website to learn more. Registration will be open as soon as the final pricing is completed, and I’ll be adding more information about the house and the surrounding area over the next few weeks, and there will be plenty of updates here in the newsletter. If you’ve been thinking about taking the next step in your acoustic guitar journey, this will be the seminar for you!
The fall session of Bandmakers has started and we have two bands for the second term in a row! Since this is only our third term, that’s really exciting. It’s a fascinating new perspective for me, and I know that the students are getting a lot out of it and having a good time in the process. The fall term concert is scheduled for Saturday, December 10th. If you’re in the Portland area, come on out to Forest Grove and see what these folks are doing!
With the Chicago Cubs about to be in the World Series, weekly classes have been suspended until baseball season is finished. Once that’s done, we’ll be back in the swing of things with more topics and activities. GO CUBS!
Until next time, walk gently & keep listening…
Jim