- Rachel Zylstra - News

Latest News

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Hi folks,

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

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

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.

Best,
RZ

Video from Columbus Show

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

"Where Was Your Head" Live at Wild Goose Creative:

JULY 2009 MIDWEST TOUR

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

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

Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700

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

WYCE – Grand Rapids, MI
(616) 742-9923

KCLC – St. Louis, MO
(636) 949-4891

WRHU – Hempstead, NY
(516) 463-9748

WEHM – Long Island, NY
Go Here

WOUB – Athens, OH
740-593-1771

WCBE – Columbus, OH
(614) 821-9223

WYSO – Yellow Springs, OH
(937) 769-1998

KRVM – Eugene, OR
(541) 687-5786

WSYC – Harrisburg, PA
(717) 477-1480

WPSU – University Park, PA
Go Here

WUTC – Chattanooga, TN
(423) 265-9882

WETS – Johnson City, TN
Go Here

KFAN – Fredericksburg, TX
(830) 997-2197

KPFT – Houston, TX
713-526-5738

KWCR – Ogden, UT
801-626-8800

KRCL – Salt Lake City, UT
(801) 359-9191 or (800) 359-9191

WNRN – Charlottesville, VA
(434) 979-0919 or (877) WNRN-ROCKS

WRRW – Williamsburg, VA
Go Here

WNCS – Montpelier, VT
(877) 367-6468

___

Pandora & More — Radio Update 2

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Radio Update 2 - 3/28/09

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!

STATION - Location - Request at:
KSUT - Ignacio, CO - http://ksut.org/
WWUH - W. Hartord, CT - http://www.wwuh.org/
WFPK - Louisville, KY - http://www.wfpk.org/
WWHR - Bowling Green, KY - http://www.wku.edu/revolution917/
WDBM - E. Lansing, MI - http://impact89fm.org/
WRHU - Hempstead, NY - http://wrhu.org
WEHM - Long Island, NY - http://www.wehm.com/
WOUB - Athens, OH - http://woub.org/
WCBE - Columbus, OH - http://www.wcbe.org/
WYSO - Yellow Springs, OH - http://www.wyso.org/
KRVM - Eugene, OR - http://krvm.org/
WSYC - Harrisburg, PA - http://wsyc.org/
WPSU - University Park, PA - http://wpsu.org/
WUTC - Chattanooga, TN - http://www.wutc.org/
WETS - Johnston City, TN - http://www.wets.org/
KFAN - Fredericksburg, TX -http://www.texasrebelradio.com/
KPFT - Houston, TX - http://www.kpft.org/
KWCR - Ogden, UT - http://departments.weber.edu/kwcr/
KRCL - Salt Like City, UT - http://www.krcl.org/
WRRW - Williamsburg, VA - http://www.wrrw.fm/
WNCS - Montpelier, VT - http://www.pointfm.com/

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!

WFUV - Bronx, NY - http://wfuv.org/
KCRW - Los Angeles, CA - http://www.kcrw.com/
KUT - Austin, TX - http://kut.org/

Thanks for your help!

With appreciation,
RZ team

RZ hits the airwaves - Radio Update 1

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

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.

Thanks! More to come in the near future.

STATION - Location - Request at:
KWMR - Pt. Reyes, CA - http://kwmr.org/
KDNK - Carbondale, CO - http://kdnk.org/
KVNF - Paonia, CO - http://kvnf.org/
KKCR - Hanalei, HI - http://kkcr.org/
KDEC - Decorah, IA - http://www.kdecradio.com/
WERU - E. Orland, ME - http://weru.org/
WYCE - Grand Rapids, MI - http://www.grcmc.org/radio/
KCLC - St. Louis, MO - http://www.891thewood.com/

Iowa Show

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Performance at New York Songwriters Circle

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

SATURDAY JUNE 28

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700