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Hello Friends,
I’m so excited for you to see my latest release in video form! Enjoy this digital concert pass of my full performance featuring my band, special guests and our in house audience recorded live in Los Angeles at the Bluewhale jazz club. I am so grateful to you for being the first group to pre-order this and support this project. Also, big shoutout to my Pledgemusic fam that financed this production. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
This production was recorded at the end of my two-week west coast tour last June. In initial planning, it seemed like it would be the perfect time to rehearse all the new music on the road, play it in front of live audiences every night and end the tour with a BANG with this live recording! But here’s the kicker, I did not have my new music done before my tour as I had initially planned which meant I was left to writing songs and arrangements on the road. And I mean ON THE ROAD, I was literally writing in cars, airplanes, before sound check, after the performance, in my sleep. To be honest, it was a bit crazy! There was one afternoon that I was using my music notation app to add the final touches to my arrangement of “Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My baby” and as I went to grab my sax I accidentally spilled my coffee all over my computer… My computer freaked out and died. AGH! Luckily I had already sent a previous draft to my bandmates.
With this tight timeline, my special guests received the music only a few days before our performance and the only time we had to rehearse together was the day of the show. I wasn’t too nervous about it because I knew my band and guests are bosses when it comes to performing live and nailing first takes. **Fun fact: Go TiME: Brooklyn 1 and 2 are made up of primarily all first takes!
Ok, so the thing I didn’t foresee is how much energy it takes to wake up early in the AM, get on a plane, go straight to rehearsing with guests and perform a full performance, all in one day. (**sidenote: my band is made up of WARRIORS!)
There are so many things left to “chance” when one is planning a live performance. Will we have an awesome energetic audience? Will our performance be good? Will I find the perfect reed? Will the cameras capture the right angles in the heat of the moment? There are so many questions that in a non-live setting are not a big deal. In a non-live setting, I could do another take, take a break, fix it in post-production, all is chill. However, in a LIVE setting, the stakes are so much higher and all these things are a huge deal because we only have one chance and what comes out is the final thaaaang.
Well, my friends, I’m delighted to say that what came out is pure magic. The extra adrenaline of performing LIVE was dancing in the air – my band played their butts off and my special guests brought so much fire in the present moment. Our audience was on the edge of their seats and in response, I felt myself playing and singing new improvisational lines that I didn’t even know I could play! One of my favorite moments was jamming with my incredible guest – tap virtuoso Sarah Reich at the end of “Spain.” Sparks were flying and our audience was giving us all the vibes… hooting, hollering, the room was full of energy and JOY. That moment is etched in my brain and I’m grinning ear to ear as I write this.
I hope you enjoy this digital concert pass! Your autographed albums will be shipped out as soon as I receive them in a couple of weeks.
It would mean the world to me if you could pass on this link to all your music loving friends and encourage them to check out this new release of mine. Let’s get all your friends onboard the GK joy party train and bring some added sunshine into their day!
Thanks so much everyone and sending much love!
Xo,
Grace
