Grad School & Homeless Connect

I'm dog paddling in the deep end at graduate studies. I never though in million years I'd be in University again but there I am and what a privilege it is. I've already read more books and articles in one month than I have in the last 20 years. At 3,000 pages a week, class time and paper writing...whew! However, I'm exhilarated. It's not every day that I can focus on the blues all day long...music, music, music.

This past weekend I played at the Shaw Conference Centre for a project named Homeless Connect. As you know if you've followed my blogs, I care alot about this topic. There are always lots of opportunities to play for free so I've had to limit that because...well...I am running a music business and Revenue Canada expects that I'll make money some year. My strategy has been to pick a social issue that I care deeply about and do 3 benefits a year. Keeps my Karma in check and helps out the community at the same time .

Anyhow, homeless connect is not just about giving it's about our neighbors, the citizens of our community ..its about saying 'hey, you have a chance here. we want to hear you and help you'. It brings together the corporate and private business world with thousands of people to offer a hand up not just a hand out. The gig is not about recognition, not about publicity, not about sales, not about the show...it's about the fact that musicians need to be paid and people who need music in their lives need to have free access.

I felt so honored being a part of that experience. I hope you keep your eyes out for the next one in May and come down to spend time sharing food, sharing resources and sharing encouragement.

xo Kat

Blues Heat

Hey Y'all,
Thanks for tuning in. I've successfully recovered from heat exhaustion at the Calgary International Blues Festival and am ready to roll...well, almost. I'm getting prepared for the big transition to graduate studies and full time performance. I always seem to have multiple jobs. Maybe that works best for my restless mind? Whatever the case, life is good. I have no complaints.

I've been raising funds from my fanbase toward the next cd project. I'm now half way there and feeling hopeful that this project will find the light of day. I'm taking the next couple weeks to write some song threads that have been hanging on for awhile. I thank them for waiting for me -- LOL!

I had an amazing time at the Calgary International Blues Festival! Awesome experience and I learned alot and met some really wonderful people. Gotta get that video posted on YouTube. The next project. Until then...keep well and keep in touch!

xo Kat

First Class: Calgary Folk Festival

Been there...and definitely loved that!!! The Calgary Folk Music Festival turned 30 and I felt 30 again. What a festival, what a vibe, what love...yum!

Thanks to the audience who showed up at my stages and to those who followed because they couldn't get enough of what I offer. It is sheer joy to feel like the music I create reaches people. I received so much support...Steve Dawson, Geoff Hicks, The Sojourners, Don Benedictson, Ferron...and the list goes on. At this stage in my career to be there learning from the best...what can I say...it was awesome.

Mavis...Mavis...Mavis...I wanna be like Mavis when I grow up.

In the next bit I'll be posting YouTube footage and photos on MySpace and this blog. I hope you'll touch back in to share in the afterglow.

xo Kat

Calgary Folk Festival - Wow!

Ooooohhhhhh yeah baby...I'm getting really excited about the Calgary Folk Festival. Mavis Staples, Corey Harris, Ferron and The Sojourners all on one little island in the middle of Calgary. It's all a dream come true! I'm feeling so grateful to the AD Kerry for having confidence in me and I look forward to the new people I will meet. Please take a look at KatDanser.com for updates. I'll be in touch soon...

xo Kat

Long Live Wang Dang Doodle Koko Taylor Style

Dear Friends,

It is with the saddest heart that I write tonite about the passing of Koko Taylor. She died this afternoon after complications from surgery. I had a profound meeting with Koko in Tunica in 2008 when I was in Mississippi. Our shared love of Gertrude 'Ma' Rainey was the foundation for our time together. I also had a chance to talk about her connection with Willie Dixon and the music they created. They were 'old school' Chicago with an innovative approach to standard blues form. I loved her attitude, her prowess and the fact that she wasn't afraid to tell the story of a woman in her music. I wish deepest prayers to her family and friends. Long live 'Wang Dang Doodle" - Koko Taylor style.

Hugs,
Kat

Me & Mavis

So...yeah...learned that Mavis Staples and I will be performing at the same folk festival this year! After the kind of year where I've felt so connected to her disc, We'll Never Turn Back, I'm pumped. More pumped than Arnold. Now that's saying alot.

I'm in this very interesting transition. I'm leaving my social work life and moving wholly into creative expression through songwriting and academia. While it is exciting, it is also very challenging. A woman once said to me..."when one door closes another opens but it's hell in the hallway". I know what she means. Overall though, I'm gaining deeper perspective and am starting to feel more and more like I am making this move to improve my artistry on all levels. No matter what I engage in it seems like educating is always a part of it.

On another note...check out my facebook page...www.facebook.com/katdanser...and see video I've posted on the Riverside Hotel in Clarksdale, MS and Mavis Staples "Down in Mississippi". Enjoy.

Until next time...see you in the hallway!
xo Kat

Mississippi V.1

I'm in reflection mode...it's been one year since I left for Mississippi. When they say time flies whoever 'they' are...they're not kiddin' around. Wow! A year since that journey south. The miles upon miles of beauty, time, space and searching for inspiration. I've never had a more inspired year since I was in Mississippi. Finished one documentary, working on a second, recorded 3 new songs for the new disc AND got accepted to pursue my love of music full time. My world has expanded to such a degree that it's hard even to keep up. C'est la vie I suppose.

I feel so totally blessed to have the internal and external resources to follow what I love. I appreciate all the teachers who continue to cross my path. I was reminded of them the other day at the Blue Chair with a sold out show and some dear musical friends coming to play just because I asked. Now those are whatcha call friends with a capital F.

Stay Cool...Kat

On the Backs of Artists

Well, today seems to be the day where things I've had on my mind for awhile come out the door into wide open spaces. Today's point of view is the use of SonicBids.

For those who aren't musicians SonicBids is a service to the music industry that offers electronic networking between the musician and the talent buyer. I have had an account with SonicBids for a number of years and what that means is that an artist essentially has an electronic press kit for talent buyers to peruse.

There are inherent problems with SonicBids.
#1:
The first problem is that one has to pay approximately $100 - $200 per year just to have your site up and running. On top of that for each talent buyer you want to have peruse your material it costs anywhere from $5-$40. A modest year of submissions to 'competitions' for which you have a good chance is approximately $400/year.

#2:
The second problem is that some talent buyers will not accept any submissions from any other sources other than SonicBids. This situation creates a monopoly and in a free market this is an ethical dilemma. For some reason though whenever I try to address this issue in the industry there is no room for discussion.

#3:
The third problem is that the money the artist submits for the 'competition' is shared between the talent buyer and SonicBids itself. So, the more money gathered, the more money that goes to the talent buyer and to SonicBids. I know first hand that SonicBids pitches the idea of generating income for the talent buyer as the hook to monopolizing the EPK market. And guess who pays...the artist.

My strong opinion is that SonicBids is scheme to bilk struggling artists with both the USA based business and the talent buyers profiting.

I come from the school of thought that whenever you have an criticism one should also have a solution. My solution...that talent buyers receive electronic press submissions from multiple sources not one monopolized out of country business. I beleive that I should be able to send my EPK link (which has all the necessary information to make a decision about hiring me) from my website and save myself literally hundreds of dollars each year.

It shouldn't cost the artist to be considered for a gig. Period.

Soap Box Kat

Masters in Ethnomusicology Here I Come!!

Hey All,
Man, oh, man what a week. Everything from having an electronic grant application I'd worked really hard on get wiped out of cyberspace to frustrated people critiquing my work. But hey, what can you do. All a part of this wild ride.

Good news though, I received the final, final confirmation that I'll begin graduate studies this coming Fall. I'll be working on my Masters in Ethnomusicology and I'm definitely up to the challenge. I look foward to expanding my ability to think critically and to engage different processes that will expand my world view. It's been 20 years since I've been in University so that will be a steep and welcome learning curve. More music...less Social Work sounds like a recipe for reduced stress to be sure.

On a performance front I've been performing this past weekend at the University of Alberta Graduate Music Students Conference. I had a terrific time and was exhausted but in a good way at the end of it all. I did a presentation on "Images, Pen & Performance: Inclusion of the Listener in New Works of Art". It felt good to share my musical life in that setting and thank Micheal McDonald for including me.

Because I love performance and writing so much it may be hard to share space with demanding academic work but I feel like my developmental flow is to learn about music and the interface with culture that shapes it. And, it'll definitely accord me the privaledge to study about blues and grassroots music at a deeper level. I'd better love big words and complex thoughts :-)

I hope you are well. Rock on...Kat

Mississippi Bound...Again!

Hi Friends,
I've been on a little hiatus managing winter, the cold and a car accident. I'm doin' really well though and back to writing again which always makes me happy.

When I got back from Mississippi I found a group of people who could help me understand the breadth of my experiences at the Canadian Centre for Ethnomusicology located here at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. Long story short, I ended up realizing that I wanted to continue my artistic development in Mississippi and decided to apply for a graduate studies. I have been accepted and, much to my surprise, I'll be starting graduate school full time in September 2009...this year. I am very, very excited to have this opportunity and to be willing to give it to myself. So what does this have to do with Mississippi...well, I'll be focusing my thesis on the Rising Star Fife and Drum Band of North Mississippi. For the first time in the lineage of that style of blues music the fifer is a young woman named Sharde Thomas.

After 24 years in Social Work it is quite a thing to realize that I want to dedicate my life to music. My new motto...if it doesn't have music in the title I don't want to do it!

I've also made application for some music grants and have had a blast working on my 3 song demo with don benedictson and Christian Dugas. The songs turned out great now we wait to find out if the coffers will open for a brand new CD project. I'm very excited that this will happen for us. Positive thinking.

I hope you are well and that you'll drop me an email at: katdanser@shaw.ca so we can keep in touch with each other.

xo Kat