MyWeek in Music May 30th to June 6th
by Scott Zensen
Photos by: Scott Zensen
Back Issue
There is new info about my birthday show below and a Map to see where Desi N Friend's is located at and a link if you want to go to Mapquest and print out out the map. That info will remain on the page until my birthday on June 12th.
This week I went to a couple of shows but I thought this would be a good time to try something a little different. I will put up a couple of pics from this week's shows but I won't be writing about them. I have written little articles on different things that happen in the San Diego Music Scene before including some of the processes an artist has to go through to get a demo or a whole CD made. Many times even though many artist's have a day job they still cannot afford to have one made most of the time. Its not a cheap endeavor. Some of the independent producers in town have lower prices than if they went to a corporate studio. But its still not an easy task for an up and coming singer/songwriter to get or afford to have a CD made.
Many times even though they are just dripping with talent and have a whole trunk full of songs all ready to record. They just don't have the funds to get the record produced. Many of those producers in town like Chuck Schiele of Studio 921OB, Sven-Eric Seaholm of Kitsch & Sync Production or Jeff Berkley of Miracle Recording to name a few, do their best to help independent new artist's get their CD produced. All of these Indie studios do an above the top job of recording these CD's. They are not cheap knock off's for them to make money but top of the line produced work. Some of the CD's that have come out lately have been better than most recordings that come from the corporately produced labels. One of the reasons for that is these guys are working singer/songwriter's themselves and try to help the new singer/songwriter by working closely with them to produce the best work for them they can. If you have heard the new Michael Tiernan, Brenda Panneton or even Sven-Eric Seaholm's new CD from Kitsch & Sync Production's, The Grams or some of the other more than excellent work by Miricle, or the Podunk Nowhere and Johnny Different CD's from Studio 921OB that have come out recently in the past year or so, then you know what i am talking about. There are quite a few new CD's by these studio's about to be out soon like Barbara Nesbitt, Brooklyn and a slew of other local artists that I talk about quite often.
The reason I am talking about all these thing's is that the singer/songwriter's go out all the time and play at this bar or that coffee house and usually don't make enough money to supplement their income much less pay for a CD top be produced, sometimes it's not enough to pay their gas to get there. So when you go out to see some of these artists and they are selling their CD for $5 or $10 dollars you are getting a great deal and great music and most of the time they are not even breaking even on their investment. Many times its not even their investment but a friend and contributer who helped produce the CD because they wanted to help get it made. So when I ask people to go see shows. I am also asking people that...if they like what they hear, then they could probably help out tremendously by buying one of their CD's. Many times that is the only other income a musician might have other than their day job. The singer/songwriter is interested in notoriety of course, so they need to get heard. But they all have a thousand reasons that drive them to do what they do. they are not asking for a handout, just if you like the music then buy the CD. Nowadays you can't even go for a couple of people and get lunch for less than $10 bucks so surely you can afford to get a CD and you get something in the process that you can play and listen to for the rest of your life if you take care of the CD.
Another reason I wanted to talk about CD's is I recently acquired a new CD by Kerri Dopart. The Cd is named "I Saw This Coming" and I got a chance to sit down and just listen to this new CD that was released in April I believe. Now...I have said I am not a fan of country before but I think things are changing for me because I listen to a lot more of it than I used to. But I think the reason for that is people like Kerri Dopart. Kerri has a very lovely voice and even though this CD is not really a country CD it has some easy going country sounds to it. But really its just good songwriting and even better singing and playing. Kerri has a very easy style of singing and her voice is smooth, beautiful and pleasant to listen to, which works in tandem with a very smooth style of writing. In writing they say never write about something you don't know because the reader will be able to tell when you don't know what you are talking about. The songs Kerri is singing are about love and life and some of the changes our lives go through and journey it takes us on. Kerri has a very sensitive delivery on her songs and they make you want to contemplate some of the things you are similarly going through in your own life.
Most of the songs are uplifting tales of love or of loving someone and hoping they feel the same. Of Family and love of life in general and even some the love for things we used to enjoy before the advent of the electronic medium as in the very thoughtful and sensitive song "Letters". Songs of thinking about what the other person is feeling or the possible separation of that loved one, all universal feelings we all go through at one time or another in our lives. This is a very mellow listening album but in no way in my opinion is it depressing, but instead thought provoking. They are more of the hopes and dreams we all have. Now most of us when we listen to an album have favorite songs or songs that are just not your favorite. But this is one of those rare albums where for me every song is a winner. I could sit and listen to this album over and over and still enjoy it the same the fifth time as I did the first.
Kerri did all the arrangements on this album and had songwriting help on a couple of songs. "Aven" was written by Erik Leal of Stir Fry Rattlesnake. Steve Rigazio wrote the first verse and the chorus of "Garden", all other verses were written by Kerri. Carolyn Grimes wrote the lyrics for "Where Has The Time Gone" and Kerri altered one of the verses. Musicians on the album would be Sharon Whyte on Keys, Jim Soldi on Guitar, The amazing Alex Depew on Violin, and Bob Sale on Drums. Kim Bishop and Heather Hartwick her bandmates. Jim Soldi also Mixed and mastered the CD as well. And a lot of credit of getting this CD made goes to a friend of Kerri's (and mine) Jim Lunsford who believed in Kerri's music enough to invest his own money into the project. And I have to thank him for that myself, otherwise I would not be enjoying this album so much. This is my first time reviewing a CD so if you have a differing of opinion . Then please leave me
feedback.
I really recommend people buy this CD you can find it on Kerri's Myspace site for sale. But here is a quick link to the page. If you want to purchase Kerri's new CD then click here on the Title.
"I Saw This Coming" by Kerri Dopart. Kerri performs in many venues in the San Diego Music Scene, But be sure to listen in on June, 8 2007 at KSON 97.3 - Cliff and Co. Morning Show to hear Kerri on the Radio!
Ciao
My Birthday Show at Desi N Friend's
This is another attempt to get people to show up for my Birthday show. The text is mostly the same as last week's but if you didn't see it then there it is and there a few new things added like a map to the show a link to the show and an ad fro the show.
Now I am not someone special but I know a lot of people so I am inviting anyone who wants to come! Most of my friends will have already received an message from me inviting them. If you haven't it just means you haven't received it yet but if I know you, then you will! But I want everyone!!! Even you who read this each week but don't go to all the shows to come out and wish me Happy Birthday. It is a Tuesday which isn't great a lot of people go to work the next day. I will be celebrating all week but I want people to come on my Birthday at Desi N Friend's at 2734 Lytton St San Diego. Just off of Rosecrans street. Lytton is a short street opposite where the naval training camp entrance use to be! Cathryn Beeks was very gracious in letting me pick a few of the bands for the night. Cathryn is the bomb! So many are my favorite performer's in town (But not all my favorites). Fortunately I have a lot of friends and a lot of them I actually wanted to play! But its a Tuesday and its not an all day gig. LOL! Beggar's can't be chooser's, so I am extremely lucky to have whom I picked to play available to play on my birthday. There will probably be a lot of friends who show up and you never know who might be asked to play a song or two. The Line up will be 8:00 Johnny Different, 8:45 Keith Haman, 9:15 Joe Cardillo, 9:45 Marie Haddad, 10:20 Barbara Nesbitt, 11:00 Podunk Nowhere, 11:45 Mary Grasso. And possibly a few surprises but no guarantee's! But it should be a blast no matter what!
I would like to fill the place to capacity if possible and have a really great time for everyone. So please...everyone come and have a drink with me, maybe buy some food and listen to some of the best music in town at one of the best venues in town. Desi makes great food and even better drinks, maybe the best drinks in town. I wasn't sure we would be able to pull it off, but its a go! So as long as everyone shows up! It should be a bash and if you don't come, that's okay!, but your gonna miss a great night!
Map of 2734 Lytton St San Diego, CA 92110-4809, US
The OB Street Fair is Coming! The OB Street Fair is Coming!And I will be managing one of the Stages!
The 2007 lineup was announced May 17th
28th Annual Ocean Beach
Street Fair
Chili Cookoff and Fireworks Festival - June 23, 2007
Five Ocean Beach Stages-10am til 8pm
MAIN STAGE
- 10:00-10:02 TJ (National Anthem)
- 10:02-11:45 Deacon Moore Band
- 11:55-12:45 On the One
- 1:00-2:00 Cash’d Out
- 2:30-3:30 Taubab Krewe
- 3:50-5:00 Lady Dottie & the Diamonds
- 5:20-6:30 Vegitation
- 6:50-8:00 Agua Dulce
92107 STAGE
- 11:15-11:45 The Chi Club
- 12:15-1:00 Mike Pinto & The Mashers
- 1:30-2:15 Gadfly
- 2:45-3:45 The Grams
- 4:15-5:30 Deadline Friday
- 6:00-7:00 Shoestring Strap
BACON SUN STAGE
- 11:00-11:35 Sara Petite
- 12:00-12:40 Citizen Band
- 1:10-1:50 Bad Science Fiction
- 2:15-3:00 Jose Sinatra
- 3:20-4:00 Blizzard
- 4:20-5:00 Joey Harris & The Mentals
- 5:20-6:00 The Shambles
- 6:20-7:00 The Palominos
ARTISTS ALLEY
- 11:15-12:15 Israel Maldonado and Davy Carano
- 12:30-1:30 Danya Vaad & the Shimmy Sisters
- 1:50-2:45 Podunk Nowhere
- 3:00-4:00 Mas Grande
- 4:30-5:30 Jalopy
- 6:00-7:00 Tapwater
ACOUSTIC STAGE
- 11:45-11:55 Barry
-
- 12:00-12:40 Sheri Stoltzfus
- 12:45-1:25 Chelsea Flor
- 1:30-2:10 Barbara Nesbitt
- 2:15-3:20 Simeon Flick
- 3:30-4:10 Kent Johnson
- 4:15-4:50 Julie Mack
- 5:00-5:40 Anna Troy
- 5:45-6:15 Christopher Dale
OB Street Fair brought to you by these fine sponsors:
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