Linda Tate
Early Praise For Geography
The following early reviews of my “Geography” album project appeared previously for my supporters in a Kickstarter Update late in the campaign. As I wait for reviews to come in on the finished product, I thought it would be motivational for me and interesting for those who haven’t read them to include these here as well.
A big thank you goes out to music journalist, Neil Tesser, for including me and my Kickstarter initiative in his March 5, 2012 article for the on-line news journal, the Examiner! He featured three projects, and here’s what he said about mine:
Geography ought to create some buzz in jazz circles. Tate’s backing band for the disc – which she plans to release sometime this summer – features Curtis Robinson (guitar and vocals), Steve Eisen (saxes and flute), Marlene Rosenberg (bass), and Ernie Adams (drums). For those unfamiliar with those names, they make up a neat little list of Chicago all-stars; the band is worth supporting all on its own. Tate’s artistic evolution puts it over the top.”
The recording sessions for Geography have been at Studiomedia Recording Company in Evanston, Illinois. Recording enginer, Scott Steinman, has been instrumental in capturing the sounds you will hear on the new album. Here is what he has to say about my project.
“Linda is a terrific, talented singer. Proof is available on her previous Southport Records CD releases. Recording with her is a pleasure because she has a rich, clear voice. Her sound is real and easy to record with any microphone. They all sound good on her (of course, we picked a favorite).
Oh, but Linda’s artistry goes beyond her excellent vocal ability. Here on her current project, Geography, she also showcases herself as a songwriter. And Linda is quite good at it. She writes music and lyrics playfully and with vision. The songs are fully realized, interesting pieces, and each has a distinct personality. She writes with clear purpose and is obviously having a great time doing it. It’s evident in the studio that her music inspires the players to be inventive, nothing “phoned in” here. Regarding the players, Linda brings in top-tier musicians to render her songs. She works with some of the best around. Exercising excellent taste and casting musicians to her songs makes Linda a fine producer as well!
Terrific singer, excellent songwriting, great players, and tasteful production are the right elements for a successful, compelling album. I’m honored to be involved with the record. It’s also fun hanging out. Thanks, Linda, for including me, and mostly for your talent.
Best wishes in anticipation of the Geography release!”
Scott Steinman
Recording Engineer
Studiomedia Recording Company
Evanston, Illinois
New Music Video On YouTube
I spent most of the summer working on the first music video for the Geography album. It is based on a song I wrote in Spanish – Cuando Tendremos Paz (When Will We Have Peace). You can watch it on YouTube and you can download the song and the album from my BandCamp store. It features murals from around the city of Chicago and a cast of more than 30 friends and family members. Anthony Rizzo was the director/cinematographer/editor, and the project was partially supported by a Community Arts Assistance Program grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.
Geography Is Ready To Go And I Am Officially Digital
I’ve spent the last few weeks sending out promo copies and Kickstarter reward copies of Geography, and I’ve created a new way for you to listen to and buy all of my albums. As a result of numerous friendly prompts from fans, I have finally joined this rapidly moving digital age. Now, in addition to buying physical CDs, you can actually download digital copies of each album, as well as individual songs. Each album comes with its own pdf e-book containing the album art, credits, liner notes, and for Geography, the e-book also contains the song lyrics.
I am still getting my website up to speed, but in the meantime, you can go directly to my BandCamp store and check out the music!
Next stop, Twitter… Don’t laugh. I have my “handle” – ltjazz, and surprisingly, all of my Facebook Fan Page posts have been showing up there. I’m sure I must have clicked something that linked them somehow, but things happen so quickly that nowadays, if I blink, I end up somewhere else!
Geography Cover Art and Liner Notes
My new album is almost ready for public consumption! Check out the latest Kickstarter Update to see the cover art and read the liner notes.
The Evolution of Geography
I’m in the home stretch with my “Geography” album project. Read all about what’s been going on in this recent Kickstarter Update and you can listen to the studio version of the title song, “Geography.”
Latest Geography Project News
Here is the latest Kickstarter Update I posted, which contains the lyric and audio demo for a new song I will record in June at Studiomedia in Evanston with pianist, Bobby Schiff.
Thank You To All My Kickstarter Supporters
I am happy to report that on March 7th, my Kickstarter campaign reached 100% funding. Support continued to come in until the deadline on March 11th, and we crossed the finish line with 119 backers who funded 103% of the project. In addition, there were a number of backers who supported me outside of the Kickstarter platform. I would like to personally thank all of you who became members of my dream team. Here is the public acknowledgement of your generosity, and I look forward to keeping you up to date as I complete my new album!
Sheila Moussavi, Alita Tucker, Suzanne and Dan Lavin, Karyn and Carl Pettigrew, Brian Chambers, Tony Morrison, Rosetta Cash, Cheryl Fort, Cynthia Watson, Erica and Krishnan Chandrasekhar, Hong and Steve Brunner, Lynn and Curtis Cave, Reynold and Joan Ruffins, Wendy McGuire, Lonna and Stan Picker, Jeanne Ashe, Hannah Vakili, Hillary Krantz and Jay Longo, Rael Willis, Bill and Pam Simpkins, Linda Solotaire, Avram Gimbel, Carol Barnett, Shelley and Jerry Levitt, Dina Epperson, Joycelyn Johnson, Jacquie Litto and Mel Fischer, Elizabeth Richter, Jeff Still, Maxine Gere, Jeanne Delamar Cumby, Patricia Trotter, Ione Graves, Valencia Ray, Judy and Roger Wallenstein, Dawan Sadrud-Din, Sharon and Harry Lubetsky, Linda Parks, Patricia Wilhite, Robert Chi, Sue and Tom McNeil, Dee and Ben Hanich, Leyla Saleh and Farzad Moussavi, Candace Hunter, Beth Rosenthal, Tannaz Fakheri and Faramarz Vakilizadeh, Karen Hobbs, Jasmine Cousins, Judi K Jazz, Sandy and Shel Salinger, Stephen Ruffins, Jennie Mingolelli, Frank and Cheryl Mitrick, Kristyn and Doug Friske, Sousan and Farid Manshadi, Rich and Ellen David, Teresa M Rupprecht, Golnar and Russell Buchanan, Harriet and Gary Peck, Beth Watson, Pat Ziegenfuss, Jenny Hills, Francesca Amari Satjar, Steve and Adrianne Salinger, Laura and Ed Gale, Susan Anderson, Cyrus Moussavi, Keith and Christine Lewis, Willie Goodness and Bob Shandor, Katrina and Arthur Bias, Leann Abraham, Noel Gardner, Michael and Frances Topa, Robyn Shapiro, Dominick and Janet Ramos, Mikah Wilson, Teri and Lyle Martinson, Pam Castellanos, Miriam Rios, Dennis and Sandra Kay, Nancy Stinson Harris, Maurine and Brian Dennis, Rena Henderson Mason, Eileen Mulrenin, Dolores Cross, Marcus Burks, Yesi Thompson, Dan Banks, Maya Kuper, Sam Oboh, Eugenia Elliott, Maya Gruen, Tom Ryan and Charles Kralovec, Sharon and Dick Adams, Taja Beane, Linda White and Bob Nickolson, Beverly Geary, Margaret Murphy-Webb, Maggie Mnayer, Marlene Vellinga, Cheryl Hart and Tom Becker, Lisa Forman Neall, Conni Pressman, John Weeks, Kristian Moore, Mary-Anne and Athol Brander, Robert and Linda Waago, Lisa Lockett, Lisa Levitt and Dennis Prime, Kathleen Humphries, Joanie and Ken Barousse, Delvert Cole, Michael Gray, Edith Lewis, Steve Hill, Jeffrey and Learetta Walker, Diane Elliston, Robert Loren, Henry and Joyce Freund, Barbara and Murray Snyder, Robert and Suzanne Schuwerk, Rachelle Yousefi, Maureen Dempsey, Ken and Theresa Ivaska, Bert and Phyllis Greene, Juanita and George Brooks, Liz and Davey Snyder, Susie and John McClory, Lee and Joan Basson, Bob and Mary Ann Pelstring, Judy Sternberg, Myrna and Jerry Wacknov, Bob and Julia Dowling.
The Geography Adventure Continues on Kickstarter
Today, I officially launched the Kickstarter fundraising campaign for the new album of original songs that has been aching to be completed. Click on the link below to check out the cool video that filmmaker, Tony Rizzo, helped me create for the campaign. I was also fortunate to have Cyrus Moussavi from Raw Music International on my Kickstarter video dream team, and he contributed the live footage and still photography from the first recording session with engineer, Scott Steinman, at Studiomedia Recording Company in Evanston, Illinois. Listen to the six songs that have been recorded and mixed so far, and then join my dream team with a pledge and a shout out to your friends about the project.
Linda Tate – Geography – Kickstarter Campaign
A big thank you goes out to my first backers: Sheila Moussavi and Alita Tucker. You have 33 more days to join them!
Kickstarter is an amazing platform designed to showcase creative projects by all kinds of people. Artists, musicians, authors, inventors, and a cast of thousands have launched and funded their dreams on this site. I’m sure once you are there and have checked out my project, you will want to explore some of the other interesting pages.
It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a crowd to fund a dream. Welcome to Geography. Welcome to my Dream…
Old and New All At Once
I had a big birthday this past year and suddenly felt very old and very new all at once. I crossed over a threshold into the rest of my life. It was a very painful crossing, but now that I’m here, I feel great. Whew. I feel motivated to work on my creative bucket list in a more take charge sort of way. Looking at the What can I do, and not What haven’t I done. So what’s on my creative bucket list for this year? Well, number one is the new album of original songs, Geography, which is being released in September. I’m halfway there and I’ll keep you posted on my Kickstarter fundraising campaign, which is scheduled to go live in February and March. I’m working with a filmmaker right now to create the video for the web page and I’m looking forward to sharing it with you when it’s ready.
I spent the last year learning new things and re-learning old ones.
For example, that patience is a virtue is one of the old ones. That sometimes not getting some things you think you want turns out to be for the best in the end. Patience. Everything in its time. Applies to just about everything. I know that. Repeat. I know that. Breathe. Allow, allow, allow… And I find if I focus on being creative every day, laughing more, being kind, being responsible for my choices, the rest of life seems to take care of itself.
I learned practical new things, too, like additional songwriting techniques last winter from Neil Diercks and the online version of Berklee College of Music, and during the summer, had an in-depth immersion into Pro Tools music composing and recording software thanks to Dave Franz at the same school and a grant I received from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. These new skills have come in handy each creative day since.
So here’s to 2012… I wish you a new year filled with all the favorite things you love to experience.
In honor of that wish, here’s a song for you from my second album, Time, Seasons and the Moon featuring Bradley Williams on piano, John Whitfield on bass and Greg Sergo on drums.
My Favorite Things by Linda Tate
Tulip or Turnip
Comparing things that don’t usually go together can create an interesting concept for a lyric.
Here’s a song Duke Ellington wrote with Don George as a vocal feature for one of his band members, Ray Nance, who was originally hired to replace trumpet player, Cootie Williams.
As an aside, in addition to being a singer, dancer, and trumpet player, Nance was also an accomplished violinist whose jazz violin playing made a unique contribution to the Ellington sound. Ray Nance was a consummate performer and his antics on stage earned him the nickname “floor show.”
Follow this link to learn more about Ray Nance:
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=9741
Follow this link to learn more about Tulip or Turnip:
http://www.allmusic.com/song/tulip-or-turnip-t2696476
I recorded Tulip or Turnip on my third CD, We Speak Duke. Check it out here.
Tulip or Turnip
Music by Duke Ellington, Lyric by Don George
Tulip or turnip
Rosebud or rhubarb
Filet or plain beef stew
Tell me, tell me, tell me, Dream Face
What am I to you?
Diamond or doorknob
Sapphire or sawdust
Champagne or just home brew
Tell me, tell me, tell me, Dream Face
What am I to you?
Do I get the booby prize
Or will I be the hero?
Am I seein’ blue skies
Or, Daddy, is my ceiling zero?
Tulip or turnip
Moonbeam or mud pie
Bankroll or I.O.U.
Tell me, tell me, tell me Dream Face
What am I to you?
© Leeds Music Corporation, New York, NY, 1946
Follow this link for more copyright and song information:
http://siris-archives.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?uri=full=3100001~!170657!0
I’d love to hear about a song you like that’s funny and/or compares dissimilar things.