So it's been a little while since I communicated on this page - two years, in fact. Where does the time go? How are you?
My longtime blog/song labor of love, Advice Music, took a hiatus in June, and in the time since I've been focusing on some other writings and the development of some new song arrangements. Over the last months I've gotten to play a lovely string of shows at Rockwood Music Hall, including the most recent one this past Friday, featuring my good and talented ("multi-versatile") friend Justin Depuydt on various accompaniments, most notably his borrowed red accordion, made perfect with a ducktaped microphone (thanks Matt of The Polka Brothers for the excellent loan). People have been very supportively attending this shows, and thank you - it makes me more wired and excited about delivering you a great live performance that's always a little different.
But for even longer than recent months, there has been a small but steady torch aflame for the planning, plotting, and finally, recording (with much gracious help from incredible collaborators) of a little album of seven of my songs accompanied by string trio. When the time is right I will launch into those acknowledgements; for now I just want you to know that the RZ with Strings CD is still on its way, and a weekend to mix and tweak the tracks is on the calendar for late October 2011.
Finally, later this month on the 29th, I am so pumped (as a fan) and honored (as a musician) to get to open for Sandra McCracken and Derek Webb at the All Angels' Cafe Season Kick-Off at All Angels' Church. The concert starts at 7:30 but is preceded at 6pm by an art exhibit opening and wine and refreshments reception in the Rob Buckley Memorial Gallery on the 3rd floor. $15 covers everything - advance tickets (purchase them here!) are encouraged as this concert will likely sell out.
Special guests Matt Gelfer, Greg Williams and Paul Wolfram will accompany me on strings - consider it a CD-release-show preview.
More soon! I promise I'll write again before two years goes by.
best, RZ
Midwest Tour Highlights & Lowlights, and the Strangely Colored Car - July 23, 2009
But the topic of haircoloring is neither here nor there. If I’d had internet access consistently while on the road, I might have tried to update people after every show. But in a way, I’m glad I didn’t, because it saved you who might be kind enough to read them from a fair bit of pleasant inanity (and the lack of a decent edit job only 20/20 hindsight vision can produce). The good news is that, every show had its shining moment, and even the worst of foibles was reasonably correctable or graciously remedied.
As some of you who have read my blogging in the past know, I have a penchant for charts (and apparently, awkward web-unfriendly kinds). So let’s bring that back and keep this nice and tidy.
One really terrific bonus of this experience is that at the last minute, a great long-time friend was able to join me on the road for the last four shows. Shannon and I got to that point on the road where speaking aloud the other person’s thoughts was a semi-regular occurrence. This phenomenon reached a freaky zenith as we navigated freeway traffic the Friday we entered Columbus. An odd-looking iridescent-y older-model compact car merged a little ways ahead of us in our lane, and, confusing us both by its color, forced our thoughts into speech. “That car is the color –” Shannon began; “That looks like a sort of –” I said;
“Salmony bronze,” we both blurted out in unison.
I can safely say that neither of us has ever used aloud or even consciously conceived the term or color “salmony bronze” in our whole lives, which made our revelation all the more absurd (and awesome!). A Google search yields a mere eight results, including an ad for strappy sandals. My hope is to someday pick up a pair of these to wear at shows, and then quiz people on how THEY would describe this elusive hue, the identity of which is obviously hardwired into the human brain.
All in all, a great trip! Many thanks to the hosts and friends who helped make it possible, even effortless at times. Thanks and wishes of continued success to those I got to share the stage with: The Spares, Jay Brannan, Beth Bombara, the line-up at Derby City, the Alwood Sisters and Jenny Jones. And thank you, everyone who came to the shows and who the support the music-making/touring! There will be more to come.
It's almost here! See the Calendar for full details...
GRAND RAPIDS 7/10
CHICAGO 7/14
ST. LOUIS 7/15
LOUISVILLE 7/16
COLUMBUS 7/17
DETROIT 7/18
I have to thank Joe Spix and also Kristin Spix for these amazing posters, built on an evolving design concept first conceived in 2007 with the Sidewalk Cafe residency series - remember those?
View the Archive:
'07 Sidewalk Poster Series
Main Flier (coming soon)
#1 (coming soon) #2 #3a #3b #4
The Final Wrap-Up - Radio Update 3 - May 19, 2009
Below is the final, definitive, magical list of radio stations that have begun playing Rachel and/or have Before You Could Decide available for listener requests. Please check out the station in your range and be sure to let them know you're an RZ fan! Thanks. :)
Request Rachel at your radio station:
KNBA – Anchorage, AK (907) 279-5622
WZEW – Mobile, AL (251) 433-9236
KXCI – Tucson, AZ (520) 622-5924
KHUM – Eureka, CA (707) 786-5486 or (707) 923-7799
KWMR – Pt. Reyes, CA (415) 663-8492 or (415) 663-8317
KFOG – San Francisco, CA (800) 300-5364
KCMV – Breckenridge, CO (970) 547-1063
KDNK – Carbondale, CO (970) 963-2976
KSUT – Ignatio, CO (970) 563-0255
KVNF – Paonia, CO (970) 527-4868
WWUH – West Hartford, CT (860) 768-4701
KKCR – Hanalei, HI (808) 826-7771
KDEC – Decorah, IA (563) 382-4251
WFPK – Louisville, KY (502) 814-9375
WWHR – Bowling Green, KY (270) 745-5350 or Go Here
WERU – East Orland, ME (207) 469-6600
WDBM – East Lansing, MI (517) 884-8989 or (517) 355-4237
Nationally: BYCD has now been added to the Music Genome Project of Pandora Internet Radio (I’m personally a big Pandora fan, so I'm stoked about this :). Go to http://pandora.com to be able to create a "Rachel Zylstra" radio channel.
Regionally: Below is the latest batch of radio stations that have added to the rotation, are lightly spinning, or have made available for request the songs of Before You Could Decide. If you want to hear it, please do let them know!
In addition, BYCD is still in review with a number of stations, including the three below.
As inspiration moves you, feel free to drop them a line to help them off the fence!
RZ hits the airwaves - Radio Update 1 - March 3, 2009
The triple A national radio campaign for Before You Could Decide is now underway, and so far we are happy to report the stations that have either added BYCD to their rotation or made it available for DJs and for listener requests.
We’re excited for this nationwide exposure, and there is way you can help. If a station in your range is playing BYCD, you can let them know that you want to hear it! “Under My Skin” is the designated first single.
Performance at New York Songwriters Circle - August 18, 2008
SATURDAY JUNE 28 - June 27, 2008
Chicago - June 2, 2008
May Flowers - May 5, 2008
This Saturday - April 7, 2008
Month of March - March 4, 2008
New Songs On the Way - February 1, 2008
Having completed recording on January 19th, we're now in the song-selecting phase of EP production. Assuredly, "Song-selecting phase" is a totally legitimate technical term. Next up: mixing and mastering. Thanks for your interest and patience throughout this process!
