ah, the show on friday night was really fun. it was a good reflection of the few rehearsals the band and i have had together. alot of mistakes and hiccups, but this will all transform into tight relaxed grooves in the future. the more we rehearse, the better it gets. i get alot of clues about my own performance issues. listening back, sometimes painful, but oh so helpful. mostly though, i am pleased. i understand that the sound on the outside was not so clear, and that’s unfortunate. on stage, it was crystal. i had tried to get jaime welton for sound, but he was unavailable, so we suffered a bit on the outside projection of our tunes.

and yet still, many people came up to me after the show and said things like, “i’ve never had the opportunity to see you before. i really fell in love with your songs. i’m so glad i came out.”

oscar and his meiwenti crew came out and took up the stage by 12:30am people were bouncing to the beats. i sang a few numbers, but also realized that i would like some rehearsal time with the crew so we could really have it together…professional like…it’s a real feeling to be freestyling…like soaring around on those big birds in avatar. when the connection is made with the music, the audience and my heart, the phrasing comes forth, the ideas and the poetry spill out of my mouth in an easy way. so yeah…more on that.

in line with my future intentions of having integral songwriting workshops in beautiful places, i am going to have a small trial, inviting the band members and their partners out to the mountains for 3-4 days of hiking, nature, yoga & taiji, good food, and playing music. hopefully gonna get it all set up for march, as chinese new year (tiger) is approaching and everyone will gather with family for 2-4 weeks all over china. basically it shuts down…and food and fireworks become the priority. tiger year…i must approach her with strategic intentions…and i will roar!

one more show before the chinese new year – at Luce Cafe, located near Gulou. weds, jan 27, 9pm. one long set while you lounge on soft sofas and sip your drinks. lovely times…it will be only our 2nd show with the new bass & guitar…it’s already good, and we have a few more days to rehearse again…

and then i’ll be off on the road…i’m going to visit a very amazing friend kim, who is in jail in barcelona for being tricked into carrying 5 kilos of cocaine. it’s a very sad story (to know how awful people can be to such good people), but kim is approaching each day as positively as she can. i heard recently that the numbers of young women arrested for trafficking drugs rose like 1000% over the past few years, so if you are a naive girl, please be cautious. it is not worth it. i really believe that kim was a decoy for a much larger shipment…but that is just my theory. if you’d like to know more, or support kim, you can go to http://supportingkim.blogspot.com

hope you are having a lovely day of sundaying…

love & light *** jess

Certainly it must be pretty interesting to read this blog and get little snippets of what’s going on with Jess lately…now that I’ve been on the earth for a while, I am beginning to see the process of me. It’s very unique to be aware of this process more and more. I’ve found much more patience for the present moment, but also a clearer picture in my mind of what I really really want.

In my Songwriting there is very much an integral element woven like luscious counterpoint into the cloth of my life. I have watched alot of “ted talks” on the inspiration. Amy Tan does an incredible job speaking about this. But artists speak of this “divine” flow … it brings forth the hands to make or create or express or dance or write…we can actually feel this divine feeling as we create our lives…as we are the makers of our reality and making is a creative action. some make bad, and some make good, depending on how aware that we actually are responsible for our choices and therefore the things that we are creating…(this is shocking to many, but sorry darlings, it’s true)

After I released “Divine” in Nov 2009, I had a slow break as I re-entered the outside world. I thrust myself into the fabulously fettered new york city and the hard reality of such a vibrantly various city, played with great players, realized how to be more clear about what I want, and then I went to my old home in pittsburgh. I got to chill and drive the windy valley back roads with my amazing sister. I ate alot of carbs. Played one show for my mom’s 4th grade class (packed the house, as 2 other classrooms joined in). I sold many cds that day!

There has been very little creativity in the past few months, but slowly over the weeks, I pick my guitar up and sing a little, maybe rewrite something or rearrange an existing song. I used to fret during this part of the cycle, because I was anxious to stretch my creativity, but after a few rounds of this anxiety I decided to trust the natural process. We create, we rest. It’s cool. I know the creativity will reintroduce itself as I regain my energy…

And besides, my attention is on the band. New bassist and new guitarist. Zac is patient. I keep changing things. It’s fun to set a song into a new groove. Moon Song is now dubstep-ish, with a rap in the middle. I’m bustin out my harmonizer (that I used with Junglecat, my dnb band) and my delay. Fun. Friday is gonna be a good gig whether anyone comes or not, but it will be great with a housefull of people posses. bring it. :)

Anyhow, this integral songwriting concept is my new project. More about this…in essence I am a host and advocate for this integral living…My practice is right now. It’s a good practice, to stay centered in the “divine” as I live my life.

Hope you are well. Namaste (highest in me bows to the highest in you)

So cool. I’ve been checking intermittently, and today I looked and there I am…

Getting so much great feedback from you all about the album. Thank you for enjoying this piece of work.

Please continue to let me hear your inspirations and stories that come from my music, it’s truly inspirational for me.

Big hugs to you all out there in the world…. JESS

it’s certainly been a beautifully soft monday for me. saturday night after my electronica gig i walked out into the world and was greeted by the snow flakes, light & constant. really nice. the world was quietening as i opened my front door, and my hair had a layer of white snow which touched my scalp in a way only winter does. uniquely. i was watching my brother’s 3 year old while i was in the US a few weeks ago, and his observations of nature are still from a wonder-place. kids don’t know anything, and so it is all new and trippy. not only sammy’s perception but also my sister’s partner’s perception of winter was so joyful – rick’s first winter after living in florida all his life – he kept pointing out all the little details about snow that i have become too accustomed to notice. noticing what he was seeing was such a pleasure, and so with the new year i am looking thru much more clear honest eyes of awareness. it’s cool.

the snow in beijing has shut up the babble and groan of people and cars of the 17 million people that live here. we all holed up in our homes, thankful for the heat. there were very few cars brave enough on the road the past 24 hours, that it made it very difficult to get around. i liked it. i am happy to be swaddled in blankets in my house today. been planning and dreaming the next few months of my life.

the electronic project is already resting in the ground and getting ready for spring. i will do what i can and along the way, meet people i will work with to create this new album.

the songwriter project continues – i’ve added a piano and a bassist; we start rehearsals this thursday. gig on friday 22nd jan at 2 kolegas. oscar is gonna dj dubstep afterwards…oh yeah…bring your dancin shoes, cuz this gonna steam up this place.

jazz is on a back burner for now. it’s all good. i am in the mood to write right now.

the new album divine – alot of you, if you were on my mailing list will have received an electronic version of this album for you to forward on to your favorite friends you want them to hear this music!  i hear it in movies or a tv series…totally could see it happening.

this new album will be available on itunes in about a week or 2. i submitted the album for sale on itunes, so just waiting the 6-8 weeks they said it will take to process. i have no concept of time at the moment, but i think it is just about done. please encourage purchase of this album on itunes, as i am ready to receive the support for this next adventure in to my creativity. so far, each album presents better than the last one….but still, all of them, good!

i will also post some testimonials from some new and old fans of jess meider…truly, they are inspiring messages.

wishing you wellness where ever you may be.

xoxoo JESS

PS does anyone know Alice Walker?  (the author/poet) I need to get in touch with her about a song I wrote. Also, Mos Def – if anyone can help me get in touch with him, that’d be swell. Shouts out to whoever can help out!