Josie Diels

Over the past 2 years, we have done the whole digitize the music collection thing.  We didn’t send ours out to a service that does it for you. No. We did it ourselves.  Over 4,000 full-length CDs of some such thing.  Then we put the heavy jewel cases into boxes upon boxes in storage becuase….I guess we want the liner notes. Fine.
I tried to put some new songs on my iPhone and as much as I love Apple and iPhones, the filing system created by Apple is crappy and there is something that hiccups too when I try to transfer songs.  So, some old Sting album is showing up on my iPhone as Outkast.  Anyway, the point of this is that I have Goin’ To California by Led Zeppelin on my phone too and everytime I hear it, without fail, I am transported to the moment I first heard that song.  A pool party, a guy I was crushing on, senior year high school, a mix tape that had that song on it, and some song by Erasure, among a few other gems.I can see the outdoor pool furniture, the turquoise pool, some cast of characters I don’t recall, my crush in his swim trunks handing me this prized cassette, and the boombox.  I can feel the way my stomach was in knots.  That is the power, as we know, of music, combined with a high school crush.  But really, the music. Music in general, and those certain songs that are placemarkers for moments. I have too many to name but in my next post I will list a few and their corresponding events.  What are some of yours?

I tried to repost this piece on working musicians directly but had some tech issues. That’s me. Nonetheless, an interesting read from the people at Trichordist.

I should tell some people.

I so love playing the John Street Jam.  I was happy to be around a totally eclectic group of fellow singer/songwriters (Celeste, Seth Davis, Fire Dean, Kirsten DeHaan, Chris Krtanik and… Big Joe Fitz), and even an amazing instrumentalist on tour from Switzerland (Attila Vural doing mad things on his guitar that must be seen to fully be appreciated and awed).

It was a good night and I determined I would play two songs from the new record, and one newer one that is just so fun to play.

Because I was playing as a musician in the round, I downsized so as not to hog the whole space of the circle and got back to my first keyboard  a tried and true Roland XP10, lighter and dinkier than the 88-key weighted key behemoth keyboards to which I upgraded when I got “serious.”  I can’t even lift one of my keyboards, a Korg with amazing sounds.   I held on to the Roland for nostalgia’s sake but it does come in handy for certain shows, however more limited it is in terms of range with just 61 keys.

Of course, going to guitar would be even more compact but I am just so much more at home on the keys.  I’m actually in the market for an upright piano now.  I donated my baby grand piano when I vacated my studio but am missing a real piano something fierce.  Ain’t nothing like the real thing baby.

I’m excited to return to the exquisite and special John Street Jam and my beloved Saugerties area–where I recorded The Music–to perform on May 12.  For those who have not been, John Street Jam is a once-a-month musicians in-the-round concert series, always packed with people who just want to hear music, and great musicians brought together by Terri and Steve Massardo. Nights there have been among the best performing and listening experiences I have ever had. Intimate.  Chill.  Magical.