It's Alive...
My first entry of 2005. Yes, I am alive, but I’ve been lying very low lately. I’ve pretty much been sick since I got home from the UK/Euro tour, with a dizzying array of colds, headaches, fevers, tonsilitis, bronchitis, ear infections, you name it! Try the buffet! I’m sick right now! I can’t hear out of my right ear! What?
True story:
Yesterday I went to the doctor. He looked in my ear and actually said, ‘ee-uw.’
Somehow I have managed not to infest my husband. He must be either:
a) from another planet
b) placing me in a bubble chamber when I’m too feverish to notice
or
c) a clone.
And yet, life and work go on.
In between ill health episodes two weeks ago I had an unexpected opportunity. A few years back Ted Dykstra put me in the Mordecai Richler Gala Tribute he was directing for CBC TV’s Opening Night program, taped in Montreal, to sing at the beginning and end. The musical director for that show called me up last week and said he was doing the music for the new version of the TV series ‘Kojak’, which is being produced here in Toronto, starring Ving Rhames. He was recommending me to the producers for a lead role in an episode featuring a singer with a dark past. Whenever she sings there is another murder. Wicked! So, off I went to audition for an acting role for the first time in about 10 years. I used to do a lot of acting in film and television between the ages of 17 to 25 before leaving it behind to concentrate on music. Going in for this role briefly reminded me why I quit. Nerves, pressure to be thin, etc, but I have to say there is a difference in how they treat you if you were recommended. My husband gave me a few really good tips and didn't make a single crack about how hard real actors work to get roles, God love him. I didn’t get the part but that’s the beautiful thing: I didn't really care if I got it. I just wanted to go in, have fun and be decent so as not to embarrass that nice man who recommended me. Plus, it was a good shake up from the norm for me these days, and that’s a worthwhile thing to do every so often.
New exciting topic:
The street date for my new CD is April 5. We're getting ready for the big push, but you, my dear blog-readers and regular KR website-visitors, can own it first. Keep checking in: we will post a notice telling you when you can order it, which should be in a matter of days. In advance, thank you!
Correspondence with a Sarah M. fan who jumped on the KR bandwagon has lead to another interesting opportunity. The woman in question, a faculty member at McMaster University working on her PhD in womens' health issues originally began emailing me because she bought my CD and thought 'I Married Myself' was a strong anthem for female independence. I still stand behind it even though I actually DID get married to, like, another person? (Said in Valley Girl voice). The references I made, albeit goofy, to my own Womens' Studies-studies as referred to in my Gene Simmons Blog entry last year might have drawn her in too. Now I have been invited to perform and participate as a special guest in McMaster University’s International Womens’ Day activities coming up on March 8. I am excited and honoured to be asked and hope that I don’t set off any ‘University Drop-Out’ silent alarms and that by then I’ll be able to hear out of my right ear.
Right before I left for Sarah’s UK/Euro tour last October I got a phone call from the amazing Kevin Breit to sing on his new recording, “Original Cast Recording of Burnt Bulb on Broadway”. He just sent me the final product and it’s fantastic. Kevin is one of Canada’s most accomplished guitarists. He’s played with a huge list of international artists and has various recording projects on his own label Poverty Playlist. The idea behind this new CD of his is really interesting. The premise is that these songs are from a play of the same name by Kevin about “lost master tapes” of songs that revolve around the lives of 14 women between the years of 1943-1964. Every song is sung by a different singer accompanied by Kevin's brother Gary, who plays keyboards with Brian Adams and is a friend of mine I’ve mentioned before in my blog.
Kevin came to my house the day of the session to sing me the song I would be doing. That evening I went to the studio when a few of the other singers were there too. Normally that could mean a long wait but Kevin likes to keep things very loose and everyone was doing their song in one take, live with Gary on piano. It was a great vibe with wine and food and everybody just doing what they do without thinking too hard about it, thanks to Kevin's working style. The singers: Dawn Aitken, Sue Patrick Breit, Lisa Dal Bello, Molly Dickie, Rique Franks, Rebecca Jenkins, Molly Johnson, Andrea Koziol, Caroly Larson, Kathryn Rose, Lis Soderberg, Gwen Swick, Sylvia Tyson and Suzie Vinnick. The songs are beautiful and the performances are great. You can check it out at www.kevinbreit.com.
I haven't forgotten my New Years' Resolution to make my tour photos available to you. I have compiled and written captions for the UK/Euro tour shots and my new web guy is setting them up at my gallery as we speak. I'll let you know when they're up.
Bring Me The Head of Val Kilmer:
There is something strange going on in Toronto. The name and cut-out head of Val Kilmer can be found scrawled and plastered over a range of west end train bridges and park benches. I don’t know what’s up with that but I like it. There was even a story about it in last week’s NOW Magazine. On the one hand I was glad to see that article because it was confirmation of something odd. On the other hand I was sad to see the story busted wide open because I sometimes like to pretend that I’m the only one or one of a select group that can see certain things and anyone else who can see it too is from my planet. I realise that might sound highly self important, but bear with me. Isn’t that kind of how things work? I bet a lot of people didn’t even notice Val on our streets. And don’t you think our own responses to the world, when picked up on or shared by other people from your ‘planet’ is how we make our friends?
On that note,
xo KR
True story:
Yesterday I went to the doctor. He looked in my ear and actually said, ‘ee-uw.’
Somehow I have managed not to infest my husband. He must be either:
a) from another planet
b) placing me in a bubble chamber when I’m too feverish to notice
or
c) a clone.
And yet, life and work go on.
In between ill health episodes two weeks ago I had an unexpected opportunity. A few years back Ted Dykstra put me in the Mordecai Richler Gala Tribute he was directing for CBC TV’s Opening Night program, taped in Montreal, to sing at the beginning and end. The musical director for that show called me up last week and said he was doing the music for the new version of the TV series ‘Kojak’, which is being produced here in Toronto, starring Ving Rhames. He was recommending me to the producers for a lead role in an episode featuring a singer with a dark past. Whenever she sings there is another murder. Wicked! So, off I went to audition for an acting role for the first time in about 10 years. I used to do a lot of acting in film and television between the ages of 17 to 25 before leaving it behind to concentrate on music. Going in for this role briefly reminded me why I quit. Nerves, pressure to be thin, etc, but I have to say there is a difference in how they treat you if you were recommended. My husband gave me a few really good tips and didn't make a single crack about how hard real actors work to get roles, God love him. I didn’t get the part but that’s the beautiful thing: I didn't really care if I got it. I just wanted to go in, have fun and be decent so as not to embarrass that nice man who recommended me. Plus, it was a good shake up from the norm for me these days, and that’s a worthwhile thing to do every so often.
New exciting topic:
The street date for my new CD is April 5. We're getting ready for the big push, but you, my dear blog-readers and regular KR website-visitors, can own it first. Keep checking in: we will post a notice telling you when you can order it, which should be in a matter of days. In advance, thank you!
Correspondence with a Sarah M. fan who jumped on the KR bandwagon has lead to another interesting opportunity. The woman in question, a faculty member at McMaster University working on her PhD in womens' health issues originally began emailing me because she bought my CD and thought 'I Married Myself' was a strong anthem for female independence. I still stand behind it even though I actually DID get married to, like, another person? (Said in Valley Girl voice). The references I made, albeit goofy, to my own Womens' Studies-studies as referred to in my Gene Simmons Blog entry last year might have drawn her in too. Now I have been invited to perform and participate as a special guest in McMaster University’s International Womens’ Day activities coming up on March 8. I am excited and honoured to be asked and hope that I don’t set off any ‘University Drop-Out’ silent alarms and that by then I’ll be able to hear out of my right ear.
Right before I left for Sarah’s UK/Euro tour last October I got a phone call from the amazing Kevin Breit to sing on his new recording, “Original Cast Recording of Burnt Bulb on Broadway”. He just sent me the final product and it’s fantastic. Kevin is one of Canada’s most accomplished guitarists. He’s played with a huge list of international artists and has various recording projects on his own label Poverty Playlist. The idea behind this new CD of his is really interesting. The premise is that these songs are from a play of the same name by Kevin about “lost master tapes” of songs that revolve around the lives of 14 women between the years of 1943-1964. Every song is sung by a different singer accompanied by Kevin's brother Gary, who plays keyboards with Brian Adams and is a friend of mine I’ve mentioned before in my blog.
Kevin came to my house the day of the session to sing me the song I would be doing. That evening I went to the studio when a few of the other singers were there too. Normally that could mean a long wait but Kevin likes to keep things very loose and everyone was doing their song in one take, live with Gary on piano. It was a great vibe with wine and food and everybody just doing what they do without thinking too hard about it, thanks to Kevin's working style. The singers: Dawn Aitken, Sue Patrick Breit, Lisa Dal Bello, Molly Dickie, Rique Franks, Rebecca Jenkins, Molly Johnson, Andrea Koziol, Caroly Larson, Kathryn Rose, Lis Soderberg, Gwen Swick, Sylvia Tyson and Suzie Vinnick. The songs are beautiful and the performances are great. You can check it out at www.kevinbreit.com.
I haven't forgotten my New Years' Resolution to make my tour photos available to you. I have compiled and written captions for the UK/Euro tour shots and my new web guy is setting them up at my gallery as we speak. I'll let you know when they're up.
Bring Me The Head of Val Kilmer:
There is something strange going on in Toronto. The name and cut-out head of Val Kilmer can be found scrawled and plastered over a range of west end train bridges and park benches. I don’t know what’s up with that but I like it. There was even a story about it in last week’s NOW Magazine. On the one hand I was glad to see that article because it was confirmation of something odd. On the other hand I was sad to see the story busted wide open because I sometimes like to pretend that I’m the only one or one of a select group that can see certain things and anyone else who can see it too is from my planet. I realise that might sound highly self important, but bear with me. Isn’t that kind of how things work? I bet a lot of people didn’t even notice Val on our streets. And don’t you think our own responses to the world, when picked up on or shared by other people from your ‘planet’ is how we make our friends?
On that note,
xo KR
posted by Kathryn Rose (aka KR) at 3:08 p.m.
6 comments
