I Got Married..

It's funny when you start creating something out of nothing it kinda takes over.   When my schedule starts to get a little nuts and my mind is distracted thats when a longing comes lurking at the door.  This vision is like a newborn puppy that likes to ankle bite.  It barks in the background for constant attention,  if I  go a day without it I become like an addict searching for it, wanting it more and more.  Its never enough.

So I created some vows for myself, it's appropriate to state them here since I got married to myself this year.

My vow to this vision is to be single for a year, no distractions.  This is a tough one but is the most important element to the success of this vision.  

I vow to always continue to study the blues.  Listen to them, breath them and become them.  I sit in my 1950's vintage dress in the living room with headphones sorting through all the music I have collected over the past 2 months.  This may look weird but it feels damn good.  Boom!

I vow to honor the ones that paved the way for most.  I am not stupid enough to think I will fully understand the blues but my vow is to learn it everyday.  Boom!

I will not settle for bucket 1 musicians (great lesson taught to me)  I don't have time, energy to waste.  I didn't work 2 months on something to give it away to people that don't know what they are doing.  Boom!

I vow to be straight forward, a leader, the visionary, the protector of this project. Boom!

I vow to not go days without it, my heart hurts when I do.  Boom!

I will tell everyone and their mother about what I'm looking for.   No fear of rejection, no doubt.  I won't take no for an answer.  BOOM!

I vow to bring this project to life. I promise to always be the first believer in it, I promise to never loss my faith in it.

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.

My vow is to myself first.  

I am happily married.   

BOOM!

Muddy Waters

Um yah, perhaps I pulled the trigger a tad soon without considering the artists that paved the way for most.  Mud to me is like aloe on a sunburn, salt on a tomato and sand on a beach..it just works.  Blue's to me is the expression of the deepest ache, the harshest cut, the irony of lows and the playfulness of the highs.  Muddy Waters without your influences I may never understand the grit, the rawness and feeling behind the bluuueeesssssss.  Along side similar artists to Muddy Waters the flood gates opened ready

-Otis Spann
-John Lee Hooker
-Ronnie Earl
-Sam Lightnin' Hopkins
-Little Walter
-Elmore James
-Fats Domino

And the list continues, the doors keep opening as far as influences go. I can't get enough, in fact I couldn't shut it off even if I tried.  I'm in too deep, I'm in muddy waters and I wouldn't want to be in any other place then right where I am.

This one's for you baby...

Dani & The Mad Men™

So I think it's time.  Especially with Manhattan right around the corner, its time to share my behind the scenes work.   After months of research and rekindling my love affair with music I have finally come to my next musical vision.  I put my dreams on hold and trust me it has been a journey getting back to what I love but it was all COMPLETELY WORTH IT.  Where I once had copper I know have gold.  This new vision has taken over and I hardly sleep or breath without it.  Looking back I needed this time in Minnesota to lay down the foundation of my vision.  I also needed to hit some form of bottom to realize what I have.  I hardly expressed myself during the disintegration of a relationship and when that happened it leaked into my music.

Let me tell you a little more about my vision.  Its a 8 piece band (including me) inspired by the look and image of the 1950's with the sounds of 1950's Doo Wop and 1930-40's Blues.  Some of the artists I have blogged about have all greatly influenced me.  I put my headphones on and study the intense emotion of this era, the innocence and raw rare talent.  Once the music starts playing I become dead to everything else around me, it becomes me.  It takes over.

I couldn't talk about it until I was completely sure that I understood this era and also the overall idea to effectively communicate what it is I wanted.  Trying to recreate something you weren't a part of is a tricky one.  I can't go blindly into something I don't understand (especially the blues) there's too much room for ineffective communication in not understanding.  I'm also not arrogant enough to think I get it but I am learning and dive into it open and with good intent.  I have more resources then I ever had in New York.  The foundation is down and everyone who shakes my hand or comes within a foot of me now hears about the project.  I believe that's called networking a concept I once didn't understand.  I watch the  business cards pile up and more and more people around me know a friend of a friend who lives in New York and plays the piano.  Those sort of connections start lining up, the process is in motion.  That's the funnest part to watch when your creating something out of nothing.

The next step is moving to Manhattan and hitting the ground running (1 MONTH).  Once I get there I will recruit a house band, this is my rhythmic section the skeleton for this vision.  This is the most important element.  After interviewing professional musicians here in Minnesota I now know exactly what to seek out and also how to communicate exactly what I want since I don't play an instrument.  

My Mad Men:
Jazz mostly prewar blues musicians.  Must be able to improvise, create original music while capturing the feeling and timeless energy of this era.  This vision is to showcase the musical ability of each instrumentalist, the accurate recreation of a blues and Doo-Wop while looking and acting the part.  Influences from this era is a MUST.

Piano-
Drums-
Upright Bass-
Trumpet-
3 Guy A cappella Group-

This is also the place where I say thank you to the many artists I have been inspired by at The Dakota Jazz Club.  I sit on the Mezz and study, watch and admire all the talent that graces that stage.  My vision started here and the moment I landed in Minnesota I said to myself that I will only work at a place that inspires me, I got exactly what I wanted.

My Story

Sometimes I can't help to not think of what a whirlwind this year has been.  Sometimes when I tell my story I get blank stares of disbelief followed by a lot of questions.  I protected my story for the first 2 months I was back and now since I have made such great connections have let others into the whirlwind.

When you recollect the details when your out of it you really start to see all the dysfunction within it.  Most times I get pissed, then a tad disappointed and then I look at those around me and think my god am I lucky.  I can honestly say that I couldn't of left if I didn't know that there was somewhat of a structure underneath me.  When I remember leaving that day and the following 3 weeks I see a Danielle I never knew existed.  Broken, strong, calm, mature, even, ok, disappointed but mostly confused.  How could this happen?  Why did it go that far?  What a blessing that it didn't drag on.  I didn't have a plan but pulled myself off of the bathroom floor and told myself that no-one had enough power to take away my strength. No-one could break me, no-one could treat me so horribly while doing it so blindly.  I saw a family pull together and use all the resources they had to help me heal.  They couldn't possibly understand my pain but all of them took a little piece of it from me.  They lightened me, without them I probably wouldn't of bounced back the way that I did.  I step away from it now and say that although you may not feel strong, your stronger then you think.  It's never as bad as it feels sometimes, but you got to feel it that's the hard part.  

I sometimes have people say to me, why does bad things happen to good people?  I don't have the answer for that, all I know is that you determine how badly a person can break you down.  You hold your power until you give it away.  You are your protector until you let someone else "try" to protect you.  You will never fully understand why people do the things they do but you yourself can determine how you treat others and go about life.

Today I am still a believer in true love and relationship.  I can say that my instinct to trust is sharper then it has ever been.  I can say that I have forgiven even the most hurtful actions.  I hold no regrets or grudges and can say that there is no-one I would rather be then exactly who I am because that never really changed it just got stronger.

To my family, to my friends and to my music, thank you.   

Otis Redding

Where are all the great performers now a-days?  You know the ones that let their soul bleed on stage.  It doesn't have to be a mass production or overdone.  When your good there's no need for all the glitz, smoke and mirrors.  

Otis every word you speak is drenched in emotion that you can feel.  60 years later I can feel it, your talent has allowed me to recruit only the best performers for my vision.  I now understand the difference, thank you.  I am pulling much inspiration from you and your soulfulness, its timeless and classic.

I am taken by your music and although you had a short life you left such an impact..STILL!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzrXc68gNjQ, yes yes yes!!!

Ray Charles

Dear Ray,

Wow Ray what a tone?  Your an absolute moment catcher the ability is haunting.  What a soulful amazing flow of absolute feeling.  If I could be a fraction of your ability to be an artist , I will die happy. What heart, what vision.  You defeated all odds especially at that time.  Ray you made me believe that I can be a presence while staying a musician. Where did the feeling go?  When did it leave?  Your soulfulness is convincing and sincere.  Between you and Big Mama I am yet again stunted that now I can admire your ability your talent while trying to create what has already been done.  

Side note the song: 

Georgia- (please copy and paste and listen to with headphones in a crowd of people or on a balcony ready..) 


http://www.youtube.com/watchv=IumnmhnPJKQ 

And to think you were once band from this state for a long long time due to segregation.  This song how beautiful, how unbelievably heartfelt.  I sat on my balcony and watched 10 planes fly right by the moon.  No shit.  I was a believer then that you are the man.

Composer, creator, persistent, courageous, spontaneous, trusting to musical ability, and soulful man you are.  

Nice to meet you I will also be doing you some justice as well,

It was a pleasure...  

Love,

Dani from Dani & The Mad Men

Big Mama Thornton

So this couldn't have worked out any better, while capturing my music vision/dream I stumble on exactly what I'm supposed to.  Let me backtrack a bit, I am in the research process for my new music project and I entered the Electric Fetus not really sure what to look for.  This research is to conceptualize the overall sound I'm recreating so that all my musicians are on the same page.  Without missing a beat, there she was all 300 pounds this is when I met Ms. Big Mama Thornton.  My game changer and if you don't know her soon you will.  If you know of Elvis then you should know of this fantastic woman, after-all most of his idea's came from her.  

This is my tribute blog to say thank you for leading me to her music, I have never felt so inspired and relieved to have such a clear musical vision.  Big Mama I'm going to do you some justice.

Don't know who she is?  Copy and paste link below and you will soon understand..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XUAg1_A7IE

So much more to come!!

Ready to Fall

I was taking the bike around the beautiful Minnesota lakes and there it was, it almost shocked me as if I have been so consumed by my current project I hadn't even realized it.  Half of a perfectly green tree was  turning.  The pinks, oranges and bright yellows made me stop and get off my bike and pluck a maturing leaf.  It's funny when your 'in' something, life is always continuing in it's beautiful repetition.  It made me stop, breath and marvel in the amazingly perfect colors of fall.   

Slowly the mornings are getting crisper, an extra blanket is pulled out of storage and a light jacket feels just right.  Cinnamon, cardamon and nutmeg are the warm flavors making a steady comeback like they do every year.  What a great time for change, some don't welcome it because the harsh cold is right around the corner but for right now I can't help to not think of how perfect it is.  We survived the humidity and now we sleep with the windows open. 

Instead of cruising on auto-pilot through this change and bitching about the winter that hasn't come yet I encourage you to walk anywhere in Minnesota right now and see all the colors around you.  It only lasts for just a little bit and right now it's in the beginning stage of digression.  Half summer green and the other half natures colors marking an end.  What a beautifully symbolic thing.  I say welcome fall with open arms and it couldn't mark a better change for me and my upcoming journey.  I can't wait to see Manhattan during this time even if it's at the tail-end of fall.  

Fall I missed you, welcome back and please do stay as long as you want I welcome you.  No better time then right now.

My Stage

In this story we start with a stage, not just any stage but the platform I hold with the upmost protection in my mind.  When I stand on it I sometimes feel like I'm going to fall off the edge.  I sense the coolness of a slight breeze, the energy is unbelievably intoxicating.  The lights are warm and bright and beads of sweat drip down the back of my neck.   I can see faces not any that I can make out, I know they are there, watching and waiting.  The anticipation of them fuels my slight nervousness mostly caused by adrenal pumping through my veins.  I have arrived, I am home.  I am in no better place then in the center, band behind me.  I am doing this and it all feels a tad surreal and every fiber of my being knows that this is me.  Its always been me, it's always followed as sure as the shadow I cast.  Doesn't matter the distractions that seem to push it aside it always remains there.

There is no more important time then right now.  As I sit everyday conceptualizing my new project that is 100% mine,  I have become like a proud mommy protecting my newborn child.  Although it is in it's infancy, I write today while building on this new project at an incredible rate.   Never have I been so influenced, never has it felt so right.  The idea's flow like a raging river filling the holes I once couldn't see or possibly wasn't open to seeing.  The doors keep opening, where I don't have an answer suddenly an answer comes days later.  This new process couldn't have come at a better time and for once there is one thing thats not following me;

Doubt:  To fear, distrust, uncertain, is considered questionable or unlikely and a hesitation to believe.  

I threw my hands up in the air months ago and although I didn't have the answer when I wanted it, each day brings new enlightenment.  There is much to come, so many changes and this new adventure was supposed to happen regardless of how I got here.  Creating out of thin air removes doubt and fear and for that I am forever grateful as none has followed me.  Trusting the process is crucial even through the unanswered questions.

The world is my stage, the stage is my home.