Montana’s Trailhead

August 30, 2017August 30, 2017Leave a comment

Billings, Montana, marketed as Montana’s trailhead, located in South Central Montana in Yellowstone County, serves as Montana’s largest city with a population of nearly 115,000 residents. I was born in Billings while My Dad was attending Eastern Montana College (now Montana State Billings). My Mom reports we lived in a humble abode ( a garage) for around $30.00 per month. We lived in Billings for my first four years, then moved to Poplar, Montana, then ended up in Choteau, Montana.

My recent trip to Billings, accompanied by Joe, was nostalgic, relaxing and educational. The primary reason for the trip was to pay a visit to Jay Old Mouse and learn about the Northern Cheyenne Courting Flute. In a couple of packed days, we visited the Little Bighorn Battlefield, hiked along the Rim Rocks, strolled along the Victorian Mansions in the Historic District, and visited the Western Heritage Museum. We also spent time with my brother and family who drove over from Clyde Park, near Bozeman. (also ate at a great restaurant called the Wild Ginger!)

I love finding unusual music stories, and I found a treasure in the Western Heritage Museum! Ever heard of the song, the Hippy Hippy Shake, recorded by the Beatles and 30 other bands? It also turned up in that 80’s movie, Cocktail, starring Tom Cruise. As it turns out, that song was written by Mexican-American rock star, and Billings born, Chan Romero ( born in 1941). Here he is performing The Hippy Hippy Shake.

I had no idea there was such a rich Mexican- American in Billings. It’s truly a thrill to find these hidden music gems on my travels.

Sculpture on the Little Bighorn Battlefield

Billings Victorian Beauty.

Would love to add this outfit to my vintage collection!

I’m in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection. But with Montana it is love. And it’s difficult to analyze love when you’re in it.

-John Steinbeck

Girls With Guitars

August 13, 2017Leave a comment

Girls with Guitars! Last week, I taught a beginning guitar day camp that introduced these young ladies to the guitar. Thanks Ruby (my daughter), in the pink shorts, for helping me this week! We had a blast. We met for two hours every day Monday-Friday and our week culminated in a performance for family and friends on the deck.

Our songs for the week included….. Firework by Katy Perry, You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift, This Land is Your Land by Woodie Guthrie, and a traditional camp song… Ain’t No Bugs on Me.

I’d like to give a shout out to Rob Hampton of Heartwood Guitar. I love Rob’s site and frequently pull from his 600+ chord charts for inspiration. Thanks a million Rob for all of the great work you do! (I’m convinced you never sleep) These girls certainly appreciated learning such cool and accessible songs!

Here are two wonderful links to the song: Girls with Guitars who was written by Mary Chapin Carpenter performing it here. Also check out the incomparable Wynnona Judd performing it here. Oh, to be that fierce on stage!

Everyone love guitar, including French composer, Cécile Chaminade (1857-1944), who wrote this piece for solo piano: Guitare , which I recorded a couple of years ago on Women with a Past.

Buckets of FUN!

August 6, 2017Leave a comment

Simple Equipment

The Shoreline Jam

Remember that old song, I don’t Want to Work? Well, last week, I got paid to bang on the drum all day! Among my music offerings including performances and private lessons, I work in communities near and far as a teaching artist. This means I utilize my skills and knowledge as a music educator and performer to tailor music experiences for a variety of audiences. For example, I’ve crafted tambourines and danced the Tarantella with elementary students, I’ve taught singalongs at retirement homes, and I’ve taught teenage Spanish classes the Salsa!

This past week, I taught classes in bucket drumming as part of an arts camp offered to elementary aged kids and teens through the Shoreline Lake Forest Park Arts Council. I was one of several teaching artists offering unique arts experiences including, movie making/editing, theater improv, print making, fiber arts, cartooning, silhouette creation, and cooking, to name a few. The goal of the camp, according to Kelly Lie, Shoreline Lake Forest Park Arts Education manager? The Three E’s: Expose, Experience, Experiment! I’ll say, the campers experienced the three E’s in a big way!

My class, Rhythm Explosion, included Latin American percussion, bucket drums, body percussion, and repurposing recycled materials into percussion instruments. I met with two groups of students each day for a week. The overall experience culminated in an Arts Showcase where all participants presented their work to family and friends. Our final performance included both improvisation and composed pieces.

The great thing about bucket drumming? It only requires a five gallon bucket, a pair of drum sticks, and imagination. (Ear plugs don’t hurt either!) There’s something cathartic about banging out rhythms in a group, or solo experience.

The work the students (with the help of some outstanding teachers) completed during the week was impressive. The showcase included a professional looking gallery of visual art along with a variety of live performances. Upon exiting the showcase, audience members were offered an icy cold fruit pop made by the culinary arts class.

Lorie Hoffman, executive director of the Shoreline arts council gave a presentation during the week about being an artist. She told us, “Making art makes my heart sing.” This week made my heart sing. I can’t help but think experiences like this have ripple effects and improve the world little by little, poco a poco.

“It is in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough—it’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the results that make our heart sing.”

–Steve Jobs, in introducing the iPad 2 in 2011

For more on bucket drumming, I encourage you to check out this clip:

Here are two websites offering tips on getting started with bucket drumming:http://www.bucketdrumming101.com

Join

Sweet Santa Fe Spring Break 2017

April 21, 2017Leave a comment

Santa Fe proved a sweet destination for Spring break 2017. My (soon to be 15 years old!) daughter and I headed down to the beautiful Southwest for some desert fun in the sun.

Santa Fe, steeped in complex history and diverse cultures, is a mecca for art and history museums. The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture and The Museum of International Folk Art, are both situated on Museum Hill overlooking 365 degree views of the mountains and the sweeping desert landscape. We stopped at a café for an outside table taking in the view between museum going.

Along with an impressive historical display depicting the lives of the indigenous cultures of the Southwest, The Indian Arts and Cultures museum included thought-provoking works by contemporary Native American artist, Frank Buffalo Hyde.

The plaza in downtown Santa Fe, a stroll from our hotel , was a terrific place to people watch, listen to music, window shop, and talk to the jewelry vendors selling their wares just outside of the Palace of the Governors (one of the oldest buildings in the country, dating back to 1610).

My favorite museum, New Mexico History Museum, tells the heartbreaking and captivating stories of the American Southwest – the native people, the Spanish colonists, the Mexicans, the Santa Fe trail, it’s all there! A bonus exhibit on Flamenco dance and music was a highlight. Turns out Santa Fe is a hot spot for Flamenco dance and culture.

Ruby Dressed as a flamenco dancer.

Then there was the Georgie O’Keeffe Museum showcasing a collections of paintings showing the evolution of her art throughout her career. I was as fascinated with her life as I was by her beautiful paintings. O’Keeffe lived 1887-1986, and spent much of her time at Ghost Ranch outside of Santa Fe, she was ahead of her time as an artist, traveler, observer, and independent woman.

It wasn’t all museums, we also took an afternoon to enjoy soaking and relaxing the 10,000 waves, a Japanese inspired spa just outside of Santa Fe. We also enjoyed the delicious and spicy Southwest cuisine and loved the crisp clear mornings and sunny afternoons.

Ahhhhh, Santa Fe. We’ll be back!

Coronado Historic Site

A collection of santos

Connection and Compassion Through the Arts

April 9, 2017April 9, 20171 Comment

One of the highlights of my week was teaching a the salsa in an elementary school next to a 4th grade Muslim girl who had a huge grin on her face the entire time. Her eyes were beaming as she gave me a big bear hug at the end of the class before heading out the door. In that moment of humanity, we were saying to each other, “I get you, and you get me.” I’ll never forget it.

I just spent one week in an elementary school in Shoreline- teaching a Cuban cultural/dance/and song workshop to 45 classes and 600 kids in all. This residency was made possible by a grant from a local arts organization, The Shoreline Arts Council. To say the least, it was rewarding, to take kids on a “classroom trip to Cuba.” I showed photos and videos of my trip, taught a tradition Yeruban song, a Spanish song, and taught the basic steps of two Cuban dance forms: Rumba, and Salsa. The previous week, I spent a day in a high school Spanish classroom giving the same workshop to 5 groups of high school seniors (150 students in all), yet another arts experience made possible with an arts grant.

You’ve heard it before, the arts transcends borders. When kids are exposed to the arts and culture through the arts, it broadens their world view, takes them outside of themselves, and makes them more compassionate human beings.

After one class, a second grader commented, “I see that even though a leader of a country can be thought of as not a nice person, that doesn’t mean the people that live there are bad.” Too true, my friend!

Here are some comments from the high school seniors:

M.K. I appreciated the opportunity to express myself through artistic movement

L.E. It was the most fun thing I’ve done in Spanish all year.

E.Z. It was cool to learn a tradition of another culture.

L.E. I’m glad I put myself out there to try it, it allowed me to be exposed to others.

Arts funding is currently under attack under our current administration. Please take a moment to read this article in the New York Times about the importance of arts and arts funding to our society.

Florida

January 5, 2017January 5, 2017Leave a comment

Contigo En La Distancia by César Portillo De La Luz, Recorded 1/5/17 in Yellow House Studio by Laura.

Central and Southern Florida! Joe and I spent a week over the holidays in the Orlando area, Miami, and Key Largo.

We kicked off the trip with a visit to Joe’s family in Titusville where we spent a beautiful day at the beach and another day meandering through the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge amongst alligators, Great Egrets, Roseate Spoonbills, and Green Herons.

In Miami, we side strolled down the stylish art deco styled South Beach. Wall to wall activity includes bustling sidewalk cafés, posh shops, sandy beaches, and Cuban music blasting in the background. We also visited little Havana and enjoyed a traditional Cuban meal near our hotel.

My favorite outing was to the Viscaya Museum and Gardens, built in 1914-1916 by the wealthy James Deering. The mansion and gardens, situated on a 180 acre estate, resemble the Italian Renaissance and Baroque villas Deering visited in his travels. I was fascinated by the ornate details of the huge mansion including a massive open indoor/outdoor courtyard and the sprawling gardens. On the day we visited, teenage beauties posed for quinceañera photos. Each girl had an entourage in tow including photographers, assistants, make up artists, mothers, aunts, friends, and sisters juggling water, granola bars, curling irons, dresses, shoes, and cell phones.

Our final adventure (not including driving on Florida’s fast moving highways) was a day trip to Key Largo for an afternoon of snorkeling in the Atlantic. We took a boat 45 minutes out to sea to Grecian Reef where we enjoyed an hour and a half of snorkeling with a huge variety of tropical fish in blues, greens, yellows, and pinks, including several large and teethy barracuda!

Quinceañera photo shoot in the garden of Vizcaya

QuinceañeraBeauty at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

My best quinceañera pose

Vizcaya

Swimming pool and grotto and Vizcaya

Joe ready to get on the snorkel boat Key Largo

Key Largo

Iguana at Green Cay Wetlands

Green Heron at Green Cay Wetlands

Anhinga at Green Cay Wetlands

Turtles at Green Kay

Great Egret at Merritt Island

Gator at Merritt Island

Roseate Spoonbill, Merritt Island

Yves Saint Laurent The Perfection of Style

October 17, 2016Leave a comment

Yves Saint Laurent The Perfection of Style is on exhibit at Seattle Art Museum,now through January 8!

Spent the morning in awe and giddy delight as I took in this amazing exhibit at SAM. Left inspired by the colors, the designs, the textures, the history, the process, the sparkles, the variety, the creative output, the elegance, the life, the style, and the genius of Yves Saint Laurent (1936-2008).

Today’s recording: Cordoba from the Spanish Suite Andalucia by Ernesto Lecuona

Don’t Advertise Your Man, Yellow House Salon #15

April 30, 2016May 16, 2016Leave a comment

Don’t Advertise Your Man piano and singing by Laura

Here’s my awesome guy, Joe Sweeney! He does laundry and helps my daughter with her math, he also is an amazing bird photographer, very funny, extremely handsome, and the love of my life. I could go on and on, but before I do, I think I’ll take the advice of Clara Smith who first wrote this old blues tune back in the 1920’s, Don’t Advertise Your Man. Sippie Wallace came our with her version in the 1960’s. Bonnie Raitt has also recorded a sassy version.

Be sure to check out these recordings, and remember, girls, Don’t Advertise your Man!

Clara Smith

Bonnie Raitt and Sippy Wallace

Spring Mozart, Yellow House Salon #13

April 15, 2016May 16, 2016Leave a comment

Mozart Sonata K. 545, Andante, photo taken by Laura in the Ravenna neighborhood of Seattle.

An overcast spring Seattle day calls for a break from the Cuban pieces I’ve been working on. Time for some classic Mozart. A Mozart sonata with its clear sonata form, lyric melody, and clean accompaniment, is always fresh and elegant. It’s something like a trusty little black dress, a Timex watch, a pair of faded Levi’s, or a cup of good brewed coffee. This andante movement of the 545 sonata reminds me of the cat in this photo- unsentimental, refined, classic, and cool.

North to Alaska, music adventures in Unalaska

May 18, 2015June 18, 2015Leave a comment

Kelly Stiles. Aleutian Arts Council president and Laura at the Just Desserts concert.

North to Alaska from Johnny Horton, and Anchored Down in Anchorage from Michelle Shocked ran through my head as I packed for my latest adventure, a 5-day teaching/performance gig in Unalaska, Port of Dutch Harbor.

Unalaska is far, far away! It’s a three-hour flight from Seattle to Anchorage and another three hours on a small plane out to Unalaska, located in the the Aleutian Islands. I’ve never been asked for my weight and given ear plugs before boarding a flight, but then again, this is no ordinary flight. The plane has to be carefully balanced with people and luggage in order for the pilots to maneuver the windy takeoffs and landings.

My time in Unalaska was spent giving workshops, assemblies, and a community concert. In all, I gave 8 performances/classes over three days with a couple of hikes and visit to the local museum thrown in. It was a whirlwind of activity and I loved every minute. I worked with elementary kids, middle schoolers and high schoolers in programs that featured a mixture of piano music, travel stories/photos, singing, and a little salsa and merengue dancing. There was also a co-hosting appearance on the local news television show called, Flash on Alaska, which felt like a combination of Wayne’s World and Northern Exposure.

Dutch Harbor is a closely knit community of about 4,000 people. The people are knowledgable,warm, welcoming, and have variety of professional backgrounds. I met city planners, professional artists, teachers, school administrators, and captains of fishing vessels, to name a few. The town is delightfully quirky and I found it fascinating to hear individual stories of how people came to be living on the island. There is a speed limit-30 mph, and there are eagles perched on lampposts and roof tops every few hundred yards. There are no bears (which made for carefree hiking), and no trees (except for a small park of stunted juniper trees that Russians tried to grow there in the 1800’s). Tundra is spongy and bouncy to walk on!

Did you know Dutch Harbor was home to a US naval base and bombed by the Japanese in WWII? I sure didn’t, but I learned about this and other interesting history of the island on my outings between music activities. There is a beautiful Orthodox Church in town surrounded by a picturesque cemetery perched on a cliff overlooking Dutch Harbor.

Dutch Harbor is known for fishing (The Deadliest Catch is filmed there), and the hum of fish processing plants goes 24 hours a day. The port is a busy place with container ships being loaded and unloaded and ship traffic comes and goes. I was treated to an all you can eat seafood buffet at the Grand Aleutian Hotel. The crab legs, piled on a gigantic platter, were the size of my arm. There were buckets of shrimp and pan after pan of delightful fish dishes.

Thank you to Kelly Stiles and Robi Harris of the Aleutian Islands Arts Council for this wonderful opportunity to work in your magical community and for your memorable hospitality. Thank you to Brian DeTar for working on the piano and making it sound so beautiful for the concert.