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Happy Fall!  Right now I am metaphorically raking leaves as I gather together materials, schedules, artists and publicity for upcoming concert series.  I use this analogy because those gorgeous reds, yellows, purples and golds inspire my creativity with their simple beauty and it is so much a part of the process of nature– just as the planning is imperative to the making of good art.  And so… I am thankful for it all.

Specifically, I’m excited to be collaborating with guitarist/vocalist Nate Macy on an evening of music to be held at Metolius Friends Church in Central Oregon on Sunday the 28th of October at 6 p.m.   We will be sharing original music from our recent album releases encircling the themes of rest and space.  We’ll be joined by Noelle Sisk (violin/mandolin) and Nolan Staples (acoustic bass.)  There is no cover charge.  We really hope that if you live in the area that you will join us!

Central Oregon is one of the places I love most in the world.  There’s a certain point when driving Hwy 22 over the Santiam Pass that I have to roll the windows down regardless of the weather because the delicious smell of pine and juniper just make me so happy.  It’s been this way for years.  I have to add Sisters Coffee Company and the Blackberry Cobbler at Deschutes Brewery to my list and then of course the sweeping views of the Three Sisters, Broken Top and more.

I’m on the verge of being able to report specific details about our upcoming Acoustic Christmas series.  I’m excited that we’ll be returning to some wonderful venues and also thrilled to be playing at some brand new ones.  We’re moving forward with the live CD from last year’s concert series and I’m so happy about that as it’s been something we’ve wanted to do for so long!    So please check back soon and I’ll have much more to report.

Until then, hope that you are enjoying all that the Fall has to offer both visually and as a chance to reflect.  Blessings.

Hi there!  Thanks for stopping by. There have been so many things going on that I have not had a chance to do much documenting and in this modern age of immediate connectivity I suppose the fact that my dog and my husband are the only ones who know the full story on my professional life is not a good sign!

The CD—Place of Refuge

 After nearly a year of work, my first solo CD project is finished and available.  I am SO pleased with the outcome and grateful to have had the artistic contributions of some folks I really admire—including Puck Fair’s Brian Dunning (flutes/pennywhistles), Joy Kills Sorrow’s Jacob Jolliff (Mandolin), Kung Fu Bakery’s Tim Ellis (guitar), Pink Martini’s Phil Baker (bass), extraordinary session drummer Mike Snyder (percussion), and Ark Music’s Jeff Johnson (pianist/producer).   The process began with a series of compositions inspired by my love of travel.  The finished album takes listeners on a journey from Patagonia to the Sierra Nevada Mountain range to the bustling streets of Tokyo and beyond.  You can sample the album on both Itunes & CD Baby and stay tuned for “official” CD release concerts this Fall.

Destination Weddings–Effesenden Music says Aloha!

For those of you who don’t know about my alter ego, I founded a company in 2002 called Effesenden Music which performs customized arrangements of popular music for weddings and events.  Last month, our string quartet had the privilege of performing for an exquisitely beautiful wedding ceremony and reception at the iconic Haiku Mill in Maui.  I was joined by three wonderful string players and friends:  Noelle Sisk, Nelly Kovalev & Trevor Fitzpatrick and our repertoire ranged from Bach to KISS!  The bride was stunning in a delicate pink gown and our cocktail hour music was only interrupted once by a falling mango.  Now that’s an unusual job liability!

KindlingsFest 2012 
In a few short weeks I’ll be heading to the gorgeous Orcas Island located in Washington’s San Juan Island chain for KindlingsFest 2012 an exciting arts conference with a spiritual bent.  I’ll be performing with my friend and musical colleague Jeff Johnson for morning gatherings. 

And Beyond…

I promise to stay in touch better.  Thank you so much for your interest in my music and I hope that you’ll stop by often as there are so many exciting things in the works!  Until then, have a wonderful summer!

WHEN:  Sunday, May 20th, 2012  6:00 p.m.

WHERE:  West Chehalem Friends Church
16700 Northeast North Valley Road  Newberg, OR 97132

WHAT:  An Acoustic Evening with Wendy Goodwin & Friends
This concert is presented as a benefit for the West Chehalem Friends Church camp scholarship program.  The concert is free and family friendly.  Reception with refreshments will follow the concert.

WHO:
Wendy Goodwin—Violin/Vocals
Aaron Pruitt—Piano/Vocals
Nate Macy—Guitar/Vocals
Jacob Jolliff—Mandolin
Nolan Staples—Bass
James “Jimmy” Watson—Percussion

I am looking forward to this concert!  While NOT a CD release, we WILL be performing all of the songs from my forthcoming CD along with covers by Peter Gabriel, super old hymns re-imagined by our guitarist Nate Macy—as part of his own upcoming CD release, and more.  The concert is free and totally family friendly—that is if your kids like upbeat, Celtic influenced music and lots of interesting instruments to look at followed by a reception with refreshments and plenty of room to run around.

I’m hoping that the gorgeous clover fields surrounding this country church will be in bloom.  If you’ve been out on North Valley Road in the late spring, you know what I’m talking about. . . but whether the bees and my calendar have it all lined up or not, I can promise a wonderful evening of music.  Please join us.  There’s even a CHANCE that my CD will be ready to go…but I can’t promise.

You can also help a really great cause while at this concert by making a donation to support the church’s camp scholarship fund.  I know that for me, attending camps like Tilikum Day Camp and Twin Rocks built lasting wonderful memories—For any of you out there around the same time as me, I have to say that my daughter’s favorite bedtime songs are now the Skunk Song and the Shark Song (with hand motions of course!)  The concert is free so you can come even if you don’t have the funds to send people to camp.  See you there!

We have played this song many many times but it still tugs at my heart every time.  The paintings and the “set” were created by Kathy Hastings.  The creative energy in the room the day that this video was shot felt electric!  An added bonus:  I finally learned what a dolly grip and a best boy are.  I always chuckle when I see those terms whizz by on movie credits…now I know—they are real and important tasks!

It was really special to be a part of this video—thanks Jeff Johnson, Brian Dunning & Kathy Hastings, the Johnson family, and everyone at Global Net productions who made the day go so well.

I’m the type that likes to be busy so this December’s wild and wooly pace really suits me just fine.  We are 2/3 of the way through the Celtic Trio’s Christmas tour.  This is my second year participating in this ensemble with longtime American/Irish Contemporary Celtic duo Jeff Johnson & Brian Dunning.  So far we’ve been to the San Juan Islands, Seattle, Eugene, Corvallis, Albany and Portland playing to a lot of full houses.  Check the schedule at Ark Music for remaining dates!

Our new CD Under the Wonder Sky was recently chosen by John Diliberto, host of NPR’s Echoes program as the CD of the month for December.  Our interview airs December 14th.  You can listen online and read the online review by clicking here.

When I return from tour, I’ll be presenting two concerts of my own—the 7th annual Acoustic Christmas Concerts with Wendy Goodwin & Friends.  Joining me this year is a wonderful and eclectic cast of musicians including Violinist Alexandra Kazmierowicz, Cellist Ashley Peck, Bassist Nolan Staples, Mandolin Virtuoso Jacob Jolliff (home on Christmas break from a national tour with Joy Kills Sorrow), Guitarist Nate Macy, Pianist Bryan Clark, Percussionist Bill Nippoldt and vocalist Bethany Cibolski.  That’s a total of nine people including myself:  woooooo—hooooo! 

Tuesday, December 21st
7:30 PM
Cloud Seven Cafe (NW 10th & Johnson—Pearl District, Portland) 
Concert is Free. Desserts, espresso drinks and local wines available for purchase.

Wednesday, December 22nd
7:30 PM
West Chehalem Friends Church (16700 NE North Valley Road, Newberg) MAP
Concert is Free—family friendly and all are welcome.

I’m still teaching my private students too whenever I land for a moment back in town.  I have a few little ones who are on the verge of completing Suzuki Book 1… I keep telling them “before the sun sets on December 31st you WILL complete Gavotte!”  It’s fun having concrete goals to shoot for.  I am so proud of my kiddos.

Last night I was able to join vocalist Tasha Miller for a private party as a part of her “Educated Band.”  It was a real privilege to share the stage—er the fireside room—with pianist Kerry McCoy, Bassist Kevin Dietz and Guitarist Dan Balmer.  Tasha knows how to entertain… decked in a red taffeta party dress and standing in 5 inch heels the lady had the room captivated with sassy renditions of Santa Baby, gospel infused Silent Night and some folk and jazz standards.

It would be easy to get a little crazy with all of this coming and going, different music to prepare and all, but I just keep reminding myself to just enjoy every new experience and not to take myself too seriously!

How is your Holiday season shaping up?

Things can look great on the outside but if there isn’t quality underneath, what’s the point?  A few years ago, I was in a house fire—we awoke at about 3 in the morning to confusion…smoke so thick you could hardly see your hand in front of your face.  It was complete mayhem as we rushed out of the house with what we could carry, waited for the fire trucks to arrive in the cool Autumn east coast night and watched most everything else be either charred or saturated beyond recognition.  The next day we learned that it was because of the thick, old fashioned beams that this attic fire had not collapsed the ceiling on us while we slept. Good internal construction saved our lives.

Quality ingredients, carefully prepared equals better end result.  This is just something I believe to be inherently true in life…and in music.

So lately I have not been as active with shows on the performance calendar but I have been working hard at my music and have been taking part in some recording projects including a Christmas album for Jeff Johnson which I cannot wait for you to hear, and a jazz album by sultry vocalist Tasha Miller which is still in production. 

I’ve been honing my jazz vocals—combing material for what feels true and works with my voice, and thinking about what it is I’d like to play as a jazz violinist who is more enamored with beautiful lines and tone production than churning out slick hooks.

I’ve also been crossing my T’s and dotting my I’s in regard to my albums licensing, my status as a songwriter and my presence on the web.  It’s not always as much fun as playing and singing for a live audience, but I think it’s very very important to make sure that I’m going about things in the proper way.  It frustrates me immensely that so many artists record and distribute cover songs without getting permission.  While one can argue that it’s the “big record companies” and all that nonsense about the little struggling artist, one can make the same case for stealing stuff from a large department store or not paying taxes.  Okay…maybe some of the same people do that too!  At any rate, I am trying as best I can to make sure that I do things right.  I’m thankful that the people who built the cottage I slept in on that October night a few years back chose to properly construct the beams or I might not be here to be blogging today about my musical journey!

My favorite scene in any movie of all time can be found in White Christmas.  Wallace and Davis (aka Danny Kay and Bing Crosby) have just come to see the Haynes Sister act (aka Vera Ellen and Rosemary Clooney.)  Hoping sparks will fly between the workaholic Wallace (Crosby) and the mother hen (Clooney), Danny Kay and Vera Ellen’s characters leave the dinner table to share a dance sequence that starts on the ballroom floor and works its way outside culminating on the roof of a veranda.  In the old movies and the musicals, there is angst and love, friendship and conflict but the emotions are ALWAYS big and you know what they do when they are trying to figure things out?  They sing about it! 

In jazz there is that element of history—the old movies, the gorgeous evening gowns, the debonair man in the smoking jacket, combined with that “in the moment” improvisation and style—never the same way twice!  With jazz, you’re not trying to sound like so and so’s amazing Carnegie Hall recording… you’re trying to give the song what it needs at this exact second.  You’re trying to sound like yourselves… and it’s a communal effort.  You listen, you respond, you musically converse. 

To prepare, rather than practicing a passage over and over again until you can play it exactly like Joshua Bell or sing it like Kathleen Battle, you dissect the song until you understand its very fiber.  You explore what could be.  Then you take your ideas and you tuck them in the back of your head because everything could change in the moment with the collective creativity of the band, the house, the magic in the air. 

THIS is why I love jazz!

What a lovely time I had performing tonight at a benefit for Newberg’s Faith in Action organization! We did a 30 minute set that was a mixture of Celtic, Scottish, Jazz, Classical and original music.  It was exciting to be able to share a brand new song—so new that I don’t have a title.  I recorded the concert on my minidisc player and will hopefully post excerpts later this week.

Lyrics to the new song as follows-

Every day it seems another tragedy
Another war, another casualty.
Another one has fallen to disease
Another case of selfishness and greed.

Too many too much to take in.
Does the right side ever win?
Does it even matter if I try?
These are the questions I hide.

It’s not very easy to know what to do
But I’m gonna spend some time with you.
It’s not very easy to know what to say
But I’m gonna give my love away.

You give much more than you probably should.
And sometimes you feel misunderstood.
You wonder if it matters how hard you try.
Well I’m still standing by your side.

(chorus)

Is it too late to stand my ground?
Is it too late to try?
Is it too late to turn this thing around?

***

Writing this song has helped me remember that each of us has influence in our community to make the world a better place by reaching out to those around us.  Even if it doesn’t feel like much in the face of so many problems in the world…those little things add up.

I am so blessed as an artist and a human being to have these out of body moments when I look down on my life and think “Really?  I get to do this?  How cool!”  Sunday the 1st of November was one such day.  Friend and colleague Tasha hosted our joint studio recital in her beautiful home.  We had a wonderful turnout of well prepared students.  Some of them were even joined by musically inclined parents—how beautiful when music can become not only a form of expression, a study in language for a child… but also a parent child bonding experience!  I look forward immensely to our next recital in May.

  Tasha is a great piano teacher—the kids were not only playing but some sang along with their performance.  These photos were taken by Yvonne Kazmierowicz, an amazing mother of four who I admire greatly for a myriad of reasons, one of them being her photography skills.