Gig prep

Susan usually does some reps before she does the real heavy lifting on stage.

Live From Geology 1426

In my friend Amy's class at UT Arlington. The merch girl is always in search of new knowledge. Susan might want to start selling engraved igneous rocks.

Czech translation of Frito Lay?

Kolache!

At the Czech Stop in West, TX

My favorite place for a kolache (besides mom's kitchen).

Susan Gibson and Shelley King at Artz

And Marian on fiddle!

Kerfluffle

I think kerfluffle is a really cool word. I don't know...where to start. Some might notice I've been buried from the internets lately. I come up for air every so often to Twitter or tell people what shoes I'm wearing on my Facebook status, but beyond that I've been a little busy. Not an overwhelmed, freak-out kind of busy. It's actually a nice, steady kind of busy. I'm enjoying handling some booking for someone other than myself a lot. It's hard to ask for money for yourself; it's easy to ask for money for someone you think deserves it (that's not yourself). Weird but true in my camp anyway. A bonus evolving from this booking relationship is that I have opening act duties in places like Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, and Lubbock now. Very excited. Some days I think I have progressed in my folk music grad school studies a lot. Some days I think I haven't at the rate I should. I think the trajectory in the improvement of my performance quality has been good, and I can't obsess over the lameness of my pinky too much, even though I do. Is there a marker of how fast I need to go? I think I'm doing ok. And I wear my monkey slippers for extra super powers.

Elizabeth Wills and Susan Gibson at the Amsterdam

Vienna Teng at the One World Theater

Awesome show!

12 Hours By Car Live at Casbeer's

Lessons Learning

It's been quite the few days over here on planet Jana. The long weekend consisted of a planned "camping" trip and an unplanned gig. Those of you who know me well know that's pretty backwards for moi. I use "quotes" around "camping" because I slept in a house all weekend, but we sat around campfires a lot and played guitar and my buddy Amy made about 4 killer meals all in one dutch oven over coals. That is skill, people. Also Susan the Boss beat me at Guitar Hero, which is...I suppose...how it should be*. Due to some mix-ups in booking transitioning, Susan found out she had a gig on Valentine's Day in San Antonio...the day before the gig. (Please note right here that if any blame is to be levied here it is not on anyone mentioned in this blog mmmmkay?). This is not optimal because it does not allow one to properly do things like...tell people you're playing a gig. Luckily all 20 or so campers piled into vans and we all drove to Casbeer's in San Antonio, whereupon it was bestowed upon me the title of Opening Act. I was super psyched because Casbeer's at the Church is a fantastic venue and listening room with a great reputation. My comrades commented that "Game Face Jana" appeared for awhile before the gig; I really forced myself to mentally prep for this space. The good news was there were plenty of friendly faces in the crowd...ones I had met before and ones I had yet to meet. I had a great time playing. Susan's set was excellent, and she brought up some of our talented fellow campers to play as well. We kind of bring the big guns when we rough it, so "campfire jam" means something entirely different when a bunch of pro musicians are hanging around. Tiffany Shea rocked us, Andy Pate cracked us up, and Elizabeth Wills about raised the roof with her gorgeousness. Marian worked the hardest of us all that night, because she played fiddle with all of us. So much fun! So all in all...the unexpected turned into a very good thing and I had quite the educational Valentine's Day...about the love/hate thing we all have for the music business. The good thing to keep in mind is that most people who do it - from the artists to the venues to the listeners - do it because they love it. That's what it takes to keep all of us crazy musicians off the streets, yo. * I totally just let her win.

Casbeer's

I get to play on this stage tonight. So excited! Sound checking right now.

Valentine's Day Gig - Casbeer's

Last minute gigs are fun! Come hang out.

Two Macs on a Thursday

Working hard on the porch.

Susan and Elizabeth at Artz

Blogging live from the front table.

Banjo Po

Well then. I didn't mean for this week's posting to consist of accounts of people I like a lot GIVING me stuff, but that's what happens and by gawd I'm ok with it. Y'all know I work at Red Leaf School of Music - which is, might I say humbly, the best music school in Austin with the coolest teachers on staff. I teach some guitar and office manage. It's a great thing that keeps my lights on and lets me laugh a lot because Dan and Geno are fun dudes to work for and with and I will not end this sentence with a preposition. Anyway, in true music school style, Geno and Dan presented me with a banjo yesterday. Apparently they want me around. Apparently I like them a lot because I have been stalking the Craigslist ads for months waiting for a banjo to come my way. How did they know? Nifty. Geek with a banjo.

Ceramic Pig Update

I know. I know you all were waiting for this one. "What of the ceramic pig collection, Jana?" You'd go about your day in kind of a daze, phoning it in at the office or at school because you JUST WANTED TO KNOW. So here's your update. "One of these pigs is not like the others..." While the Boss has been out east in Nashville and such, gigging and such, and such...I have not left Texas since Christmas, so it's not been on my radar to acquire any ceramic pigs. Imagine my GLEE when I opened a mysterious package from the UPS dude yesterday and inside was...well, a Nashville pig. He might just trounce any attempt by any other state to create the ceramic pig of all pigs. If you couldn't tell already, Nashville made the rhinestone-studded one. That's impressive. While it's amusing that Texas tried to be the bully and make their pig 3 times the size of everyone else's, Nashville wins for style and flair, I think. I have decided to name him Porcine Wagoner. After Porter. He wore a lot of rhinestones, too. They kind of match.

Give Jana Away!

Also see Music To Take Away...

Pinky Fingers