Jessica Heine

I have had a busy few weeks. Recently, I got all dolled up, rented a dress (who knew you could rent dresses), went out somewhere fun in St. Albert and did a photo shoot with Centree photography (www.centreephotography.com). I should have some of those pictures back soon and I'll try to get them on the website. It reminded me, as I am often reminded whenever I do a photo shoot, how much I hate getting my picture taken.

As I mentioned previously, I sang backup at Bob Jahrig's CD release on Friday night. Anna Somerville (a favorite singer/songwriter of mine) did a great job starting off the night with Marc Ladouceur (who, some of you may know, plays in the House Kats; they've been known to play with me every once and a while when I'm lucky) and then it was the Bob show, and what a show. I think I'm allowed to say that even though I sang in it. I enjoyed sharing the stage with Mike Lent, Marc Ladouceur, Dwayne Hrynkiw, Anna Somerville, Klara Jahrig, Kent Sangster & of course Bob. It was a great night.

Saturday night, I opened for Garnet Rogers at the Northern Lights Folk Club, backed by Curtis Phagoo who played on the new CD I'm working on. The Northern Lights crowd is a great listening crowd which is a treat for any musician. Not only are they great listeners, but I think the club may have some sort of singing test for audiences before they're allowed to buy tickets, because every time I've ever been, any time the crowd sings, you get four part harmonies. Pretty fantastic if you ask me.

And one final little note, I've been having a blast playing out at the Pairie Gardens "Haunted Pumpkin Festival" with different variations of myself and the Younger Band weekend afternoons. I'm going to be playing out there for a few more times (October 11-12, and October 25) and if you're looking for something fun to do with your family, I really recommend checking it out at www.prairiegardens.org. It's giving me a chance to brush up on children's songs and I've also been trying to write tunes about pumpkins (harder than you would think).

I think that about sums it up for another few weeks. If you've got a second, and you're on facebook, feel free to check out my page and become a fan. Also, my myspace page, and facebook page both feature demo versions of four songs that will be on the new CD.

A friend of mine says that he doesn't believe in New Years resolutions and that the best time to start doing something differently is in September (the beginning of the school year for some). He says that's the real New Year. My September New Years resolution is to start writing more. Are you excited? So am I?

A few things to start off with. Here are some shows that are coming up, if you're looking for some good local Edmonton artists to support:

1. Bob Jahrig CD release. I was very lucky to be able to sing on his new CD and will be singing back up at the release. He is one of the best songwriters I've had the pleasure of meeting, and the new CD sounds incredible. More info is on the main page of my website.

2. My good friend Joe Nolan who I've done a few shows in Edmonton is having a CD release as well. It's going to be on October 11, 2008 at Riverdale Community Hall (starts at 7:00 and you can get tickets at Tix on the Square-$10 for students, $15 for adults). Joe played at the Edmonton Folk Festival this year and won the Galaxy Rising Star award there. His new CD sounds fantastic and he's even better live.

And that's it for plugs as far as other peoples shows go, although there are a ton of great acts out there, so wherever you are, get out there and support live local music! You won't regret it (for the most part).

And in my own world, here's what's happening:

Since I last wrote I have, in no particular order:
- Become an aunt
- Worked at a Retirement Home (which I loved)
- Grant writing
- Made a new CD Unfortunately it won't be released until June due to some travelling that I'm going to be doing, but I don't mind saying so myself, it's going to be grand so I hope you don't mind the wait.
- Played a lot of festivals this summer. I saw some of you there and it's always nice to meet people who check out the website and my music

I'm sure there's a lot more than that, but hey I don't want to blog you down with the first one in a while.

I am really going to try and keep you posted. I promise. I am doing a photo shoot on Wednesday with Centree Photography, so I'll try to let you know some more about that.

Jess

A lot's happened since I've last written. I went on tour with some great ladies from Ontario, Ana Miura, Amanda Rheaume, Amy Campbell and including displaced Albertan (meaning she now lives in Ontario but grew up in Alberta) Rhonda Stakich. They all have websites and myspaces, not to mention great tunes. I definitely recommend checking any or all of them out. Entitled "Babes for Breasts" the tour was a fundraiser for Breast Cancer research and we performed successful shows in Edson (Galloway's at the Best Western Hotel), Edmonton (Yard Bird Suite), Calgary (Ironwood Bar & Grill), Lethbridge (The Mocha Cabana), and Banff (Wild Bill's). I got the chance to go into K-Rock and do a live studio interview and we were on several radio and tv programs across Canada and in Alberta. I just want to say thank you to everyone who came out to those shows and gave generously as well as to those who put us up in hotels for the night and made sure we ate enough. So many generous Albertans out there. Hopefully we'll get to do it again next year.

In other news, I've been performing a lot in Edmonton lately, and meeting a lot of new folks who are enjoying the album. I am so appreciative to all of you have been coming out to shows, buying the cds, and then bringing new people to shows and making them buy cds too. Thanks to all of you, I'm down to my last 16 copies, and am currently ordering a new pressing. I hope to head out on the road in the new year and tour a little bit outside of Edmonton. New Year plans also include making a new CD in the spring for those of you who are getting tired of Either Way.

I was recently at Riverdale Recorders with Engineer Terry Tran recording a little demo and I'll try and get a track up on the website before Christmas for you all as a special holiday preview of what I've been up to creatively this last year. The demo features some of my favorite cohorts, Edmonton's "The House Kats" and we did it live off the floor over a weekend so it's very organic which I really like.

And with that, I leave you, the night is getting on, and I haven't practiced guitar yet tonight...Oh yes, I left that part out. I'm taking guitar lessons, which I'm really enjoying. Kelly Jo Phelps and JP Cormier, watch out here comes Jessica Heine, Folk Balladeer extraordinaire! HA! In all seriousness, I'm learning some great new things, I would recommend it to anyone. Hasta la proxima amigos!

Jess

So, I'm apparently a terrible "blogger". I don't much mind, but then I was looking at the website and realized that the last entry is several (I use the term several very loosely) months old, and it got me to thinking that it's poor form to have a section on ones website entitled journal when one hardly writes in it at all. I've made an end of August resolution to be more diligent.

In the past while, I've had the opportunity to play a few gigs with local artist, Joe Nolan. He's just starting out, but something to see! Check out his Myspace http://myspace.com/joenolanmusic. I played a show in Edson with Rhonda Stakich (another small town girl moved to the big city) which was a lot of fun, and hopefully will be doing some more shows with her in the future. Check out www.rhondastakich.com.

I was also a finalist in a few songwriting contests as well. First, in Calgary, as part of the Calgary Folk Music Festival songwriting contest. Next, I was down in Kerrville Texas for their New Folk Competition. I had the pleasure of competing in both of these events alongside fellow albertan John Wort Hannam. And although he won both of them (not surprisingly), I still think he's swell.

Most recently, I performed at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival backed by Terry Nadasdi and Marc Ladouceur, both from Edmonton's own House Kats, not to mention several other fabulous groups about town. What a wonderful festival! Everyone, including Volunteers, organizers and performers that I had the chance to chat with were really great.

Of course this is just a very brief overview of what has been a very fun and busy spring and summer for me. In theory if I keep up on it, I think I can go into better, more entertaining detail. Stay posted, and talk to ya'll soon (I picked that up in Texas--along with a belt buckle that has a scorpion in it).

Perhaps some of you are wondering why there is no guestbook right now at my site. Most unfortunately, I was getting so much spam that I couldn't keep up with deleting it all. And while, this is getting fixed right away by someone far more technologically savvy than I, I must confess that I have accidentally deleted all of the comments in my guestbook. As soon as it's back up and running (hopefully in the next week or two) I hope you will all take the time to write something again. I'll keep you posted.

My friend Michael Bell has taken up Podcasting, and in his latest episode features our old band David Brown. It also features an unreleased song from our unreleased demo CD. It's worth taking a look at, or having a listen to I should say.

http://podcastercanadiense.blogspot.com
Episode 2 - Set Your Song Free

And if you speak any Spanish at all, you should really take a listen to his first episode as well. Hell, you should just listen to all his stuff, because he's great. (Not just saying that because I'm trying to set up a reunion tour for the band.)

I once saw this bit at a live taping of the "Irrelevant show" for CBC where this guy was starting his first day at a SPAM company, where they just sent messages out to people because they thought it was important the world knew about Viagra, and how to stop snoring, and how to win a free trip to to the Caribbean.  At the time I found it funny that the characters didn't think it annoyed people, but this morning as I delete my 1000th spam message of the day, I think to myself, wow do I hate this stuff.  And although I am in the process of getting a better filter, I just have to say that it's impressive these computers seek out and find these unprotected places and just fill them to the brim with completely unrelated crud.  Hats off to you SPAMMERS or SPAM Computers, or whatever you are, you've got me licked.  And all you real folks out there, please feel free to leave real comments...no matter how mundane or boring you feel it may be, it's a lot better than reading about Cialis (which I've recently learned is Viagra--don't say SPAM never taught a person anything).

I spent the last five days in British Columbia on Vancouver Island. What a great place. Got the chance to open for the Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra (Canada's #1 Gypsy Ska Band) at a bar called the Moustache in Victoria. And also played a show at a bar in Royston (also on the island) called the Backstreet Pub. I was able to pop into the pub again for their open stage which happens every Sunday afternoon 4:00-8:00 pm. Great people here on the island. Great beer too.

Highlights include a solo visit to the Royal British Columbia Museum, three nights in a row of sushi (a hat trick if you will), and visiting with some great friends on the island.

But all good things must come to an end, and we're going to be heading back to Edmonton tomorrow, where I'll be back at Ricky's clearing tables and serving pancakes with the best of them, my first out of Alberta tour quite the success I must say. More news as it unfolds. Until then, take it easy, and thanks for checking out the site.

Well it's been a week since Homefest. I meant to write something right away after it was over, but 7 days seem to have passed almost unnoticed and I thought to mysel today, I better get on that or it will be like the thank you cards for the wedding, and well...never mind about that. I was very lucky to sing with Rob Heath and Karla Anderson, two very talented Edmonton based singer/songwriters to a full house. People seemed to really enjoy the music and the day. I know I did. I said it on Andy Donnelly's show, but it's so great to be able to support something you feel strongly in. We've had a warm week here in Edmonton, but who knows what next week will bring, and the week before Homefest was freezing. If any of you want more information about the Homeless issue in Edmonton, please check out the Homefest Site http://www.homefest.ca/

Hasta la proxima amigos

The Swedish Conductor of "Either Way" fame (a small feat next to the thousands of other amazing things he has done in his real life as a world renowned choral conductor) has been in Edmonton the last two weeks conducting various choirs, giving talks and even leading a community singalong in Con Hall at the University of Alberta. I, in typical Jessica form have not gone up and introduced myself, but have attended many of the performances (great ones by the Alberta Mens Honor Choir, and a joint concert with both the Concert Choir and Madrigal Singers from the U of A). I believe this puts me in the weird and creepy category, instead of the shy pensive singer/songwriter category I prefer.

And the Andy Donnelly saga continues. Tonight, I will be performing live on "The Celtic Show" to help promote Homefest which will be happening this Sunday. (If any of you are going to be in Edmonton it's from 2:00-7:00 at the arts barn, is organized to raise awareness about the homeless issue in Edmonton, and features a whole whack of Edmonton performers, myself included, as well as some other folks from out of town.) I haven't yet decided if I'm going to tell him about the whole waitressing debacle. More to come soon.