Burns Away

This was a submission for the Samples From Mars Kawaii Dreams competition. All non-percussion samples are from the Kawaii Dreams instrument/sample pack. I lost.

Waki

This jokey song came out in like 2 min, when I sat down to write it ~10 years ago. A friend just reminded me of it tonight, so I decided to post it here. At the time I was trying really hard to let go of preciousness in songwriting...hence, this. 

The song doesn't mean anything. The inside joke is between my dear friends and bandmates in Swansea - Ji (the drummer) hates the name 'Craig' with a passion, Rebecca (the singer/keyboardist) cannot properly pronounce the word 'burger' (it sounds something like "beuhrrrrgeuhrrr"), and I (the bassist) cannot properly pronounce the word 'ruined' (it sounds something like "rueweeend").

Enjoy this "iPhone perched upon a keyboard" recording of a weird, pointless song. :)

Craig Burger Ruined

Hi there. We’re not in Café Artichoke today because I have the covid. I am not in any danger but I don’t want to give it to anyone and so I am at my desk, and  at her home in Portland is violist Kyleen King.
She is having the time of her life, having played the Moda Center on New  Year’s Eve and an appearance on Saturday Night LIve both as a member of Brandi Carlisle’s band.
Matter of fact, she’s played all over the world as Brandi’s violist.
How did this happen? How did she become a member of Brandi’s band? And what’s up with Swansea, another band she’s in, with Portlanders Rebecca Sanborn and Ji Tanzer.
It’s a happy episode of Coffeeshop Conversations.

Kyleen King: Having a wonderful time in Brandi Carlisle's band CC#365

no.17 // reality shift

Portland's Kyleen King, known as the musician's musician, is a professional instrumentalist and vocalist who brings nuance, wisdom, humor, and musical excellence to all her endeavors. Whether she's working as a session musician, string arranger, composer, teacher, or live performer (most notably as a touring musician with multi-Grammy-Award winner Brandi Carlile and her “Bramily,”) Kyleen gives 100% of her grounded energy and mindfulness to each facet of her musical multiverse. Now, Kyleen is embarking on an ambitious journey to get a masters in social work, so that she can help fellow musicians with their (usually under-addressed) mental and physical health issues: Kyleen knows all about the struggle musicians encounter just trying to meet basic needs, to manage substance use, creative burnout, and abuse in the music industry. This mission is not only important, it is vital to the health and well-being of our musical community, which has suffered in big ways during the pandemic and beyond. After hearing what Kyleen has to say in this interview, please consider supporting her goal by donating to her GoFundMe: “Support a Musician's Journey to Social Work.” Miri and I visited Kyleen in her studio a few days ago. My conversation with her will make you want to join in the mission to help those who create music, a vocation that is sadly under-valued by the general public. After our chat, Miri photographed Kyleen: Intermittent flash issues turned what could have been a problem into artful serendipity, resulting in visual movement and whimsy – perfectly capturing Kyleen's free-flowing creative spirit. It's all systems go for Kyleen's Mission of Love! 

Kyleen King's Mission of Love

Since Coffeeshop Conversations has returned from health-related hiatus (mine), first of all it’s been fun doing them again and second, I love the guests we’ve had. David Vest and Terry Robb last week in particular.
If you missed them, I suggest you listen but not this minute because we’ve got a good one this time.
Before we go any further, let’s give a big round of ammunition (as Doctor John used to say) to Paul K Ward who has kindly lent his talents and his studo blue…all lower case…to record, mix and fix these episodes while I continue to try to recover from what I have to recover from.
The strange thing is that the first time that today’s guest Kyleen King made an appearance on Coffeeshop Conversations, in January 2023, we had to do it this way too. Me at my desk and Kyleen at home. I had covid that time.
One of these days we’ll actually sit across from each other, I hope. 
By the way, Kyleen was also a guest last summer on Darka and Miri’s Light and Limn Podcast which also can be heard on OMN.
So why such a fast return? Because Kyleen’s life has taken a new direction and we’ll find out all about it. That and how it will or will not limit her music.
We had a delightful conversation last time and there’s no good reason to think this one will be any different.
So with that too-long introduction…a big hello to Kyleen King.

Kyleen King's new(ish) career move

Produced by A&M Studios in Manhattan, NY. 

every time see your face the day becomes less daunting and even though i know my place thoughts of heaven are haunting. i see god and angels their images blurred your face and theirs from the things i've heard but when it comes to the chorus the choir holds out. i guess i haven't told them what to sing about. so hold your hand in mine today with the knuckles bent and the fingers splayed hold my hand and we'll stumble through the woods. i want to believe in something and you're the thing i could. 
i'd show you the oceanside from a place on the sand. i'd show you the sunset over the oregon land. i'd show you the place where i was born but all these things have changed all my maps are torn.

The Woods

"DISAPPEARING" the newest single from jjjacob jjjames out April 19 worldwide!

01 - DISAPPEARING

The Waymakers featuring Connie Bilyeu (August 5th, 1942 - December 14, 2020). Recorded 1961 in Springfield, Missouri.

Recordings 1958-1961

Swing Low

If it matters to you…and it matters to me…in a few weeks we’ll be back in the Café at Artichoke Music. As soon as I get jabbed, to be honest with you.
Doing it on Skype works fine but it’s not like being in the same room.
Therefore…….Bassist Jeff Langston is on the Skype with me.
After a great run with Antony and the Johnsons , touring the world and playing before tens of thousands, he decided to come bac home to Oregon.
You’ve heard him with Rachel Taylor Brown, Bre Greg and a lot of others.
Got you interested? Let’s meet Jeff Langston.

Jeff Langston:  From to Berklee to Antony and the Johnsons to returning to Oregon. CC#280

I make weird music that does not need to meet anyone’s expectations. That’s a beautiful and lucky thing. No name-dropping here. Just enjoying a free space to share musical bits.

Craig Burger Ruined

A Cat Named Grandpa