Movember is a brand new 13th month added the the calendar that has men the world over growing stylish moustaches for the cause of prostate cancer research. Why Movember? Because in a parallel universe, it occurs at the same time as November. And, participants get to be two-faced for a good cause!
In addition to donating my face to the cause (hint, hint - give here, and yes, I became clean shaven in time for Nov. 1 and am presently working on my Grow n' Show status), I have written a song in honour of all those who have ever spent time in that nether-land between knowing you may have a life-threatening illness, but waiting for a confirmed diagnosis and/or treatment. We have all experienced those stuck-in between places of uncertainty at various levels, but I have a special place in my heart for those courageous souls who live there for while, and do so with grace and aplomb.
In honour of anyone that's ever found themselves living in such a time of uncertainty, I'll be performing a new song called "Killin' Frost" tomorrow evening with bassist Rick Unger at the MISC and Winnipeg Folk Festival sponsored Performance Night of Original Music at the Winnipeg Folk Exchange, 211 Bannatyne, Wpg. Doors at 7, stage at 7:30. (see map).
Will other Movemberists be there? Come down and find out!
-dan silas
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Don't set out trying to be profound...
Don't set out trying to be profound.
 |
| David Francey |
A multi-Juno award winner, Francey was songwriter in residence at Manitoba Music, which is where I had the pleasure of meeting him - and later enjoying an intimate live performance by him and his excellent accompanying guitarist (my apologies - I've forgotten your name). With maybe just 30 people in the audience, David regaled his listeners with the birthing stories of some of his songs, and straightforward answers to questions only songwriters would ask. What an evening.
But back to not trying to be profound. I've taken David's advice to heart. and it really seems to be working. Lately I've been giving my muse more creative freedom to stop and start on its own rather than trying to force it into life. Sometimes that means an entire song spills itself onto a page; other times it means simply jotting down a concept for a song and leaving it at that. And on some days, just writing one great line and moving on to other non-writing tasks is equally satisfying. And the corollary to this practice is this: never be afraid to toss out a great line or two if it no longer fits where the songs is going. Words and lines are like pieces of a universal puzzle. Save 'em. If they're good, they'll find a home in another song.
I believe what David was trying to say is to trust one's muse. It can mean a lot of starts and stops. It can mean intense hours of creatively driven energy. When you feel it coming on, don't set it aside - you'll write better, sleep better, live better. And when the flow stops, set it aside - don't flog it, or you'll risk losing interest and killing the piece. Finally, allow yourself to feel good about whatever you've accomplished, whether it's a great three word idea or an entire verse or song. Feel satisfied, move on, come back to it later. (example: I thought I had finished writing a song called "Killin' Frost" some weeks ago. I put it on the shelf, came back to it last week with a clearer head, and the klinkers I was ready to live with a few weeks ago jumped out and nearly took my head off. I tossed out several full verses, wrote one new one, and changed up the melody on the last verse. Ahhhh.... now that's better!)
David's advice has gotten me out of a lot of songwriting log jams lately. As a result of not forcing it - not 'trying to be profound' - I think my work has improved remarkably - but listeners will be the ultimate judge of that. And you'll have exactly that chance if you're in the Winnipeg area on Thursday, Nov. 4. Come on down to the Folk Exchange, 211 Bannatyne (doors at 7 pm) and hear six singer-songwriters - myself included - share the stage and perform their original work just for you. And, I'll be bringing along three very talented people to back me up on a brand new arrangement for a brand new tune. If you like it, perhaps it will show up on my online player soon.
And, if you ever have the chance to chat about song writing with David, don't miss it. He's a real salt-of-the-earth kinda' guy, full of great advice about melody and lyric composition - two art forms he brings together so seamlessly they can't again be separated.
- dan silas
PS: David's Road Journal blog is a great place to learn about gig venues all over - where they are, what the audiences are like, and more. And it must be great to hang out with so many inspiring co-conspirators in music... which brings me to another piece of advice. Never stop listening to music. Lots of it. It is its own eco-system, feeding itself in a never ending cycle of absorption, evaporation, and precipitation.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
New and new(er) underated songwriters - Part Deux
In Part 1 of this post I pointed to a few of my new favorite Canadian singer-songwriters. Now to south of the 49th parallel... and beyond.
Some months back I subscribed to some NPR music podcasts, from which I draw my sources for this post. But first, you need to know about Danny Schmidt.
A Floridian friend of mine who currently lives and works in China put me on to Danny. Danny comes out of the Austin, Texas music scene - long known as a hotbed of really fine songwriters who consistently resonate to my polarity. Geographically, hearing about Danny from Florida via China to Canada is a long way, but in cyberspace it's no surprise for the word to travel.
Danny's one of my absolutely favourite songwriters of this decade. With melodies that unfailingly complement his layered lyrics, Danny's songs stand up well to repeated listening. You can wallow again and again in this guy's metaphors. His descriptive analogies feature a beautiful simplicity. Danny has a natural gift for the songwriter's "show me, don't tell me" mantra.
I met Danny in person at a recent concert. He said people call his lyrics complex; I'd call them rich stories. Danny can turn a phrase that will twist your heart and make you smile at the same time. If you Google Danny, you'll find all kinds poetic comparisons to other artists - but I won't repeat them here. I believe Danny thinks everything in pictures - perhaps that's why he also has a great eye with a camera. This guy's an original artist musically and visually - the real deal. Check him out.
Now, on to musicians and songwriters I'd recommend via NPR - some with an already sizable profile:
The Swell Season: Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova are the powerhouse pair behind a band that have featured a bunch of excellent musicians. The amazing thing about this European pair is that I don't need to hear all the lyrics (though I want to). It's their melodies, arrangements, and soaring vocal contrasts that capture my ear and heart. Listening to Swell Season with my eyes closed takes me away to another place that is helpfully far away from whatever is on my mind at the moment. They are simply captivating.
Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore: Strong lyrical hooks in the first line of this pair's songs will suck you in immediately and take you for a terrifically rhythmic ride on their percussive, harmony laden roller coaster. Give these guys from Kentucky a listen. It's worth it.
Jim James: Perhaps more famously known by the My Morning Jacket moniker, I may be among the more unusual fans who would rather enjoy Jim James solo. With amazing vocal range, each of James' songs is infused with passion many artists lose after having performed as much as he has. I especially enjoy him with sparse accompaniment, and in particular when he strums the much maligned Omni-chord, a digital Suzuki instrument (now called the Q-Chord). James has an amazing capacity to re-invent his songs over and over again by refreshing their arrangements. That's the kind of variety I can love. Instead of the usual artist web site link, I've provided a YouTube video link to the Jim James peace that drew me into finding out more about him.
There are many more great singer-songwriters to be discovered in cyber-space. It just takes some patience and time to find them if you're not in the direct word-of-mouth or concert loop.
-dan silas
Some months back I subscribed to some NPR music podcasts, from which I draw my sources for this post. But first, you need to know about Danny Schmidt.
A Floridian friend of mine who currently lives and works in China put me on to Danny. Danny comes out of the Austin, Texas music scene - long known as a hotbed of really fine songwriters who consistently resonate to my polarity. Geographically, hearing about Danny from Florida via China to Canada is a long way, but in cyberspace it's no surprise for the word to travel.
Danny's one of my absolutely favourite songwriters of this decade. With melodies that unfailingly complement his layered lyrics, Danny's songs stand up well to repeated listening. You can wallow again and again in this guy's metaphors. His descriptive analogies feature a beautiful simplicity. Danny has a natural gift for the songwriter's "show me, don't tell me" mantra.
I met Danny in person at a recent concert. He said people call his lyrics complex; I'd call them rich stories. Danny can turn a phrase that will twist your heart and make you smile at the same time. If you Google Danny, you'll find all kinds poetic comparisons to other artists - but I won't repeat them here. I believe Danny thinks everything in pictures - perhaps that's why he also has a great eye with a camera. This guy's an original artist musically and visually - the real deal. Check him out.
Now, on to musicians and songwriters I'd recommend via NPR - some with an already sizable profile:
The Swell Season: Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova are the powerhouse pair behind a band that have featured a bunch of excellent musicians. The amazing thing about this European pair is that I don't need to hear all the lyrics (though I want to). It's their melodies, arrangements, and soaring vocal contrasts that capture my ear and heart. Listening to Swell Season with my eyes closed takes me away to another place that is helpfully far away from whatever is on my mind at the moment. They are simply captivating.
Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore: Strong lyrical hooks in the first line of this pair's songs will suck you in immediately and take you for a terrifically rhythmic ride on their percussive, harmony laden roller coaster. Give these guys from Kentucky a listen. It's worth it.
Jim James: Perhaps more famously known by the My Morning Jacket moniker, I may be among the more unusual fans who would rather enjoy Jim James solo. With amazing vocal range, each of James' songs is infused with passion many artists lose after having performed as much as he has. I especially enjoy him with sparse accompaniment, and in particular when he strums the much maligned Omni-chord, a digital Suzuki instrument (now called the Q-Chord). James has an amazing capacity to re-invent his songs over and over again by refreshing their arrangements. That's the kind of variety I can love. Instead of the usual artist web site link, I've provided a YouTube video link to the Jim James peace that drew me into finding out more about him.
There are many more great singer-songwriters to be discovered in cyber-space. It just takes some patience and time to find them if you're not in the direct word-of-mouth or concert loop.
-dan silas
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