jillian.jpgLuciano Pavarotti & James Brown- This is a MUST See!!!

James felt good!!!

GLOBAL FEELINGS-WEFEELFINE.ORG

I have to admit it is a bit bizarre to think that we are being monitored by someone somewhere every second of the day for some kind of research or exhibition.
Wefeelfine.org is an art project authored by all of us who actively use the web. This creative work has accumulated a database of global feelings daily. You click onto the tiny balls in the sphere and you see snippets & fragments of comments and words. A small peep into someone else’s life. I am not sure how it makes me feel.

Zipora Fried Rachel Howe Bespoke Gallery-NYC

Right now thru January 18th,friends of mine are having an art exhibit at Bespoke Gallery in Chelsea. If you are here in NYC that would be amazing if you go and check them out.http://chelseaartgalleries.com/Bespoke+Gallery/Do+you+want+a+piece+of+me_3F.html
Here’s an exerpt from Gallery : Do you want a piece of me? “Zipora Fried and Rachel Howe present individual works that call
for emotional involvement in the process of artistic inquiry. The viewer’s initial impressions and opinions of objects and subjects, materiality and artistic technique are challenged and directed towards a more in-depth psychological and thus, more human, if not humane, association. The gestural simplicity of Fried and Howe’s works belies the significance and relevance of each form or object chosen by the artists. Fried’s works center around a selection of conventional objects which are altered physically, often subtly, and convey an entirely different conceptual meaning and import.

Two Thonet beechwood chairs face each other as if in conversation, but are converted into elegant but simple operatives of danger; at the end of each arm emerges a precariously sharp and threatening knife blade. Five ski masks, aligned on a shelf are fashioned out of wool with subtle embroidery that blocks out the possibility of sight or speech. Fried’s graphite drawing on paper hangs the height of the gallery down to the floor and becomes sculptural, a solid column of graphite with a seemingly endless undulation of smooth texture. Fried transforms wordless, familiar forms into new identities, thus bridging the gap between outward perception and inner-meaning.

Howe’s drawings focus on fictional teenage girls, who are frequently concealed by patterns,
textures, slogans, musical references and symbols of gothic subculture. Howe examines the hidden fears, anxieties and search for identity that may be obscured by a more superficial and fortified presentation of image. The strong emotional undercurrent of these drawings points to the potential for insecurity and incompleteness behind any coherent mask of identity. Howe uses a No. 2 pencil to render her subjects in frequently incomplete form — the absence of academic perfection in the drawings supporting the alienation that phrases such as “Things have really been hell for me lately” proclaim. Howe’s choice of teenage subjects in their struggle for personal veracity and self-protection tackles broader issues of social delusion, truth, inclusion or exclusion, and the friction between external and internal identity.

Whether examining the personal or public, domestic or political, the embrace of the textural and elemental variety in the artists’ pieces challenges the viewer’s reliance on assumption and familiarity and provokes a more profound investigation of their work.”

Zipora and I have been close for years, our daughters attend the same school in the UK and we have known each other since they were small children. We were among a few mothers in NYC who got fed up with the school system here. I could tell you endless stories of our forays in sharing babysitters, gigs, installations and still being single mom’s in a city that doesn’t support anything creative anymore. Zipora supported me when I was called to the Principal’s office at my daughters school because ZuZu was caught playing tag with a blind girl on the playground. I couldn’t for the life of me see why this was an issue with the school? At least she was trying to include rather than exclude. She was 6!!!! And the other little girl was having a blast!!! Sad fact is later that year, that other little girl was relegated to that table that is in most American cafeteria’s; you know the table of exclusion? Where the blind kids, the deaf and special learners are sequested from contact with the other kids?? That’s another issue entirely so… Anyway check out Zipora’s fabulous work, her self titled work which she creates beautiful textural graphite drawings encompassing space and thus my experience when I see it is that it reflects metaphors of sound.http://www.slowlab.net/zipora%20fried.html I can hear the words and the music.

The Pot of Gold “In Rainbows”

I think that I take more care about what is on my Ipod and what I listen to each morning than choosing what I am going to wear.  Music helps me choose my daily attitude. Some people read affirmations , other tea leaves, some the bible, some read the number on their prescription pill. New York is a city of assaults. It is a city with no sky. And a sinking ground. It does me in each day just walking out of the house. And to go without music ,well  let’s say it would  not be a good thing for me. J I start to see myself trudging along with the masses who walk with this uptight tense body language. And terse mouths. People slouched over in the subway half dead, sleeping, angry, glued to their blackberry’s, reading lies in newspapers. Depressed.  Let me tell you, it’s So not sexy. People have stopped making contact. Ever notice what happens when your hand touches someone elses’ on a pole in the subway.? That quick pulling away motion? Anyway,  I need an escape.  And I can’t just hop on a private jet you see…..so  , next best thing, Depending on what I am listening to, I can be anything. I can be anywhere. My imagination can roam free inside of me…..example-I can be transported to the English countryside; I can imagine the  loves of my life and what felt amazing and what I stole from them, what was given, what I escaped with or without; I can imagine myself as a big monster eating the world like a piece of cake ; I can feel the invisible ones who walk beside me and tell me they love me and that they are watching; I can have dinner with Marcel Proust ; I can finally accept that my father, (who I have only spoken to by phone three times in my lifetime and never met) is never going to have a relationship with me or my daughter; I can see the film clip someone has made for me; or best yet I can be using that jeweled riding crop I found on Second Sexe on the stranger sitting across from meJ http://www.secondsexe.com/ (Check out only if over 18 yrs.) My imagination can go on & on, bear with me……..

Solution: my new musical morning cocktail has been Radiohead  In Rainbows  http://radiohead.tbdrecords.com/

My Current  Daily Theme song has been Jigsaw Falling Into Place. Believe me, I have a bad ass walk going on when I listen to this and another song  titled 15 Step.! J The album as a whole is pretty genius. It is the kind of musical direction Prince should’ve allowed himself to explore with his music. Not so much an exact replica but music that is free and risky. Music that is living and breathing.  He once had it but in my mind it is all a bit pedestrian now. Great performer but terribly empty songs musically. He still has gorgeous lyrics but the words need a better home. Anyway, have you noticed when you are enjoying a song and walking to it , your hips loosen,your head is up, you might even acquire the gait of a stallion,or feel like you’re on a catwalk strutting your wares!!!!!!!!:) LOL . When did everyone get so old????? My rebellion against  the drudgeries of a routine existence?  Well , not a Big thing but then again it is; while standing at a crosswalk and waiting for a light to change I decided to “Let it Out” as the song says and I did a crazy dance in the streets and began to sing loudly to the song. (Now I was alone mind you) You know what??? I felt considerably free afterwards!  Even with the gawkers, who cares???!!!!It was a great feeling. Try it. It is kind of like being at the Silent Disco that was at Bonnaroo this past summer!   http://www.bonnaroo.com/

But I am sure if my fourteen year old daughter saw me, she would have turned around and pretended not to know me!!! As she has gotten a bit cross with me when I dare to sing along when she is sharing the headphones of her IPOD  with me and I am listening to her musical likes, such as;  T-Pain, Chris Brown, Alicia Keyes, Timberland, Mary J Blige, Soulja Boy(she is an R&B Kid at heart). I have to say T-Pain has some really pretty string arrangements on a lot of his songs, especially Buy You A Drink.  I try to tell her this and point out things for her to listen to. Not sure if she really pays attention, however she has started asking me if some songs are covers now and again. J  

I know a lot of people have gotten to know me via the Prince connection. I am really appreciative of those seeking me out and sort of rejuvenating my spirit so to speak. Yes I had tremendous difficulty with the label Paisley Park and Warner Bros (keeping me for 7 years under contract,) but (Not always an Angel)  I also had an issue with London Records too while working on an album with the Speed Brothers from Liverpool.  Re mix after re mix and the label wanting to change the direction of the music. UGHHHHhh.  One Big Wig says this, another says that, opinions are like assholes right? Why did they sign us in the first place???  I ended up having  a crazy impulsive moment (Mind u I was back in NYC and my mother had gone quite ill—no excuse though) when I sent a letter to our A&R guy, (who shall go unnamed) and basically told him he was “so busy trying to get through the corporate world hoping that no one would find out that he didn’t know what the fuck he was doing regarding music.”  (I had just had enough of music and what it had become, even then.)  And that little fax that I sent, kind of sealed the fate for our band , Baby Mother (Awful Name)and we got dropped. I am definitely Not the diplomat . I still feel pretty horrible that I ruined it for my ex  band mates. Talented writers and musicians they are. But our music deserved better.  I digress,

Rejuvenation of the spirit : For Colored Girls Who have Considered Suicide when the Rainbow isn’t EnoughJ Well this “High Yella Gurl who Frequented with Men in Stilettos “ has found a pot of gold “In Rainbows” by Radiohead, (Do u Like how I worked that in????? LOL) and I think everyone should check it out.  I think if you miss the days of real creative innovativeness also look at Lightspeed Champion http://www.myspace.com/lightspeedchampion or The Beach House http://www.myspace.com/beachhousemusic or Santogold  http://www.myspace.com/santogold

Radiohead’s site is pretty refreshing and I think the band extends itself a lot to their fans. Others should take note.

 I am so tired of going onto  Major artists webpages and seeing  these orchestrated , tempered Non Committal generic pages of shite about the artist. Pseudo Guerilla Tactical Hip Maneuvers, Impersonal and Cold Glossy displays with links to nothingness  created by the ‘Street Team Division’ of the labels. (LOL) How cool!!!! Oh, I am supposed to worship you because you’re so Aloof,Circa 1980’s.

Key Words: Branding, Branding, Branding, Viral, Target Audience…….it’s so surreal. Don’t know what’s real anymore??? Go check out Tales of Mere Existence http://www.ingredientx.com/main.htm

Click on the Movie Titled, Branding. It’s Great!

OK -Nothing is as perplexing or disturbing as my witnessing  Seal performing his songs “ON ICE” !!!!! The Music of Seal on Ice , ONE TIME ONLY (Thank God) http://youtube.com/watch?v=pQE_kgjclto Yes, January 1 2008 was worth waiting for, just to see this spectacle. Ice Skaters performing to Seal’s new Tracks??? (I couldn’t watch it all as it made me VERY uncomfortable!!!!)Who the hell are his minders?  Is this still the guy who did “Killer and Crazy”? What’s this Regurgitated  pablum? Who the hell is his “Target Audience”???  It certainly wasn’t as fresh as Biz Markie on Yo Gabba Gabba? (Which I love btw) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6gT-J8kfpo

Just talking about the slickness and not so subtle current climate of marketers probing and imbedding themselves in the consumer mind is starting to make me feel  “ icky.”  Think I need a shower.

On a side bar about Target Audiences-I have also always wondered how when I go shopping in big department stores, in the womens’ section, smooth jazz is playing.  Even for Baby Boomers on the fringes; when in the hell did that generation listen to Smooth Jazz?????  EVER.??  Do our ears just start cancelling out everything we liked from youth???  Scary.  Give me my lobotomy now.

jilljonesmusic@myspace.com

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