Friday June 4

June 17 Thursday

July 3 (Saturday)

July 4th – I will be singing with the Beijing Big Band at the US Embassy Party
Jazz Quartet dates for Beijing almost done booking!
and…August 1-8 New York City – I will sing with some great players…check out www.nowellsounds.com for the tentative schedule

I’ve decided to start video’ing myself playing songs. This one is new. Wrote it at the end of April…still has a few bumps that naturally smooth out as I get used to playing it.  Enjoy….Share…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvclAN4Wv3k

May 12, 2010
Something snapped into place last night while i was watching Herbie Hancock perform with Dee Dee Bridgewater & the T. Monk band tonight. They are amazing players (of course) but what’s more obvious is the mutual respect that they have for each other on stage. In the master class that they did, the first thing Herbie said was, “When you get on stage, there has to be respect for the musicians. Respect for each other because we are all human beings.”  Man, yeah. That’s it. And that’s what cultivates the listening…which many players do not do because they’re all wrapped up in their own ego.

I realized that my deepest desire in music is to play with musicians that express with love and respect…all these years in China, I have been developing myself (and it’s been truly a gift to do that here), but have felt expressively (mostly) alone. Which is sorta why I’m back at playing guitar and singing by myself at the moment. I’m not dissing on my band members here in Beijing. It’s not that…I realized as I walked out of the Forbidden City Music Hall that when I’ve played with my Chinese band members, I have had a hell of a time trying to cultivate this support/rapport/respect/love in the band. I found myself outwardly & passively criticized, by players because they are fearful of truly expressing from their hearts (note: there are exceptions to this as with everything in life). I want to play with players that understand “together” and mutual support. Culturally, it makes sense that these guys have this modesty that prevents them from really coming out of their human shells. That’s the other thing…that the music scene is MOSTLY guys here – and there is a culturally Chinese MALE thing going on – which as a Western/White woman has been like bangin my head against a great massive wall…

Everything that Dee Dee and Herbie said in the master class is something that I’ve been saying for a few years now in this scene. They said things like:
“You gotta listen and play from the heart.”
“Players need to know the meaning of the lyrics of songs even though they aren’t singing it.”
“We are all bringing our own color to the expression.”
I’ve been trying to cultivate this for years here. Usually, I just get these crazy looks, or dismissed by my fellow players (yeah yeah yeah, crazy white girl that does yoga). So now, I feel very inspired. I am in the right vibe. I forgot that in other parts of the world, the players actually are there for each other, there for me. I forgot about this feeling…but now I remember. I remember my Berklee days, and NYC days…and I am inviting this this into my life again.

Last night after the show, I was talking with Nick, the drummer. He said, “When Dee Dee started dancing, that made me so happy, because I knew I was doing a good job.”  Yeah man. That’s right. I love it. Love is the key. I’m not talking about romantic love. Love as in the enjoyment of making something new on stage TOGETHER. That’s why Herbie is so amazing. He cultivates this.  We are all playing together, making something…wow, and they really made some cool stuff last night. My favorite has been the rhythm section – Vic, Nick and Hoagie (piano, drums & bass) – they way they play off each other, so much fun to watch and hear. The horns – they are also bad ass. Super tasteful and yummy soloists…but the rhythm section…WOW. Dee Dee, Herbie, just beautiful to experience live. Dee Dee has SUCH an amazing ear. She is present in her listening, for the band, with the audience. She is inclusive and expressive. Most enjoyable to experience. So grateful to the US embassy and the folks that made it possible for me to experience all of this. What a magical 2 days I have had. Inspired.

Motivation – I’m going back to the US for a couple of months to play, to express, to enjoy. I’ll have dates up online soon. Peace, Love, Light, Ease…

Ps. Please post my website and/or music on your facebook, twitter or link me to your site if you wanna share me out into the world. Thank you.

(this is an email out to people on my email list, i thought i would share it on my blog as well)  you can reply to me at jessmeider @ gmail.com

Good Day Sunshine! Beijing is in rare and beautiful form – the days of the blue skies and warm sun have begun (in a snap – one day it was snowing, the next day it was summer)…along with it the strange poplar tree fuzz floats around like little dust bunny fairies (naughtily flying into our noses), the green has afro-fied the trees, birds are busy bending branches as they tweet and sing bird mantras, and the Beijing mountains are visible; gargantuan and surprising to see sitting to our north and west. The spring wind blows the city haze away, and gives us Beijingers an idea of what it would be like to live in a clean environment…I am happy to feel the warmth – as it has been a bad ass long drawn out winter…

Lots of bustle as spring/summer explodes – and in my life, more solo gigs. I’ve decided after my show at The Bookworm, that I am booking venues where listeners can actually sit and listen without feeling too far away, or too tuned out. So if you have any good ideas for a venue you in your part of town – it doesn’t matter where in the world, please email me back and tell me about it!  Not only am I playing Beijing…I am branching out in to the world. I realized during my long winter slumber that the goodness I am making can be appreciated in more of the world…I need only to to get myself to where you are. So please, do let me know about beautiful/unique/perfect venues that would be good for my solo giggin.

Upcoming not-to-miss shows in Beijing:
for you Shunyi-ites (this is the expat suburb of BJ) I am playing the Orchard this Friday, May 14, 8pm. Reserve…
and
in Sanlitun, May 15 (Saturday) I will be at The Bookworm, 9pm. Free entry this time.

Hopefully if Obiwan managed to save itself from investor-pullouts, I will play there over the summer. I discovered the venue has amazing sound system and is run by a very kind German dude, Ed, and booked by the talented David Mitchell (free-jazz guitarist & Xinjiang tambur).

I encourage you to:
support me by purchasing my album on iTunes (Divine)
refer folks to my website to read about my songwriting endeavors
share my music to those who need it
recommend me or my music to TV – Movie producers/directors who can use my music in their productions (you have to admit, alot of my songs would work really well)
spread the word about me so that when i come to your neck of the woods, people show up for the shows
bring your friends/family to my performances =)

I thank you for your help and love, inspiration and support!
Jess :)