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San Francisco Music Studio Records All Three 2011 Jazz Search West Winners

February 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

San Francisco Music Studio Records All Three 2011 Jazz Search West Winners

Berkeley, CA (PRWEB) February 18, 2012

Priscilla Rice, the owner of Live Oak Studio (http://www.liveoakstudio.com) in Berkeley, California has donated professionally engineered studio time to a winner of Jazz Search West at her enchanting, suburban San Francisco recording studio for the last three years. This year, because of special circumstances, Live Oak had the privilege of recording all three 2011 winners.

Jazz Search West is a competition that gives emerging jazz singers and musicians the opportunity to gain exposure performing for live audiences and judges, who give every performer constructive tips. The annual event is hosted by Living Jazz (http://www.livingjazz.org), a unique brand of program that focuses on friendship and human interaction while inspiring people through the shared love of jazz and related genres. The organization’s inclusive and supportive activities build and sustain joyful communities that foster diversity by embracing people of all ages, economic and cultural backgrounds.

“Living Jazz makes music come alive, nurtures creativity, and enriches people’s lives, while building a greater sense of community through the love of jazz,” said Rice, who also serves as chairman of the board for Living Jazz. “Jazz Search West is an opportunity for emerging talent to gain exposure and visibility, for the public to enjoy new talent and support local artists, and for musicians and vocalists to advance their musical careers.”

Sixteen year old Thea Rose Cristman, a sophomore in a Marin County high school, was the third-place Jazz Search West winner in 2011. She used her prize, four consecutive hours of studio time at Live Oak Studio, to record “Walking After Midnight,” “Cheek to Cheek,” “The Shadow of Your Smile, “’Round Midnight” and “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay.”

Cristman was accompanied by legendary jazz pianist and Jazz Search West judge Ben Flint and 20-year veteran jazz singer Kellye Gray, Cristman’s inspirational voice coach from Jazz Camp West—another supportive Living Jazz community organization.

Cristman, who sings with many Bay Area jazz ensembles, including the Medicine Ball Band and the Jim Whiteside Trio, is a favorite at Caffe Trieste, weddings and parties. She also performs with Andrew Dudnick at the Ageis retirement home, and she is the singer for her high school’s newly formed jazz band, which is named Burst.

The young singer’s Live Oak Studio recording will be used as a demo to get more work and be sold to raise funds to go back and record a full CD at Live Oak in the future.

“It was great to be able to get professional help from adults who were so supportive,” said Cristman. “They all made sure I had everything I needed.”

The second prize winner, a jazz drummer named Isaac Schwartz, won a recording session with Flint. For the session, Schwartz also brought in a bass player and 2011 Jazz Search West first-place winner Janere Ashley, who sang “My One and Only Love” for one of the recordings.

“Live Oak Studio is awesome,” said Schwartz. “On top of it being a nice space designed to capture sound well, the Bay views are amazing and the atmosphere is very relaxed—which is always great when recording.

“Sometimes drums aren’t seen as having the same capabilities or emotional power of other instruments, so during the 2011 competition I played the melody to the song I chose, ‘Cherokee,’ before the other musicians came in—and I ended up winning second place. Being recognized for what I do on an instrument that’s not typically in the forefront is very satisfying.”

Isaac is planning to use the Live Oak Studio recording as a demo for gigs and anyone else who is interested in his work.

Although she recorded at Live Oak Studio with Schwartz, the first place winner Ashley’s Jazz Search West actual prize was free tuition to Jazz Camp West, an 8-day jazz music, dance and vocal program held at YMCA Camp Jones Gulch, near Half Moon Bay.

About Jazz Search West

Launched in 2009, Jazz Search West is the Bay Area’s first annual Jazz talent search. Weekly competitions are held each March in various jazz venues in Oakland and San Francisco. A panel of prestigious judges provides feedback to each contestant

Three finalists are selected at each weekly public event and perform at the Grand Finale held at Piedmont Piano Company in Oakland. Four top winners are ultimately selected and awarded prizes designed to enhance their musical career.

About Live Oak Studio

Since 1984, Live Oak Studio, a greater San Francisco music recording studio, has recorded music legends, including Destiny’s Child, Boyz II Men, Will Smith, Alicia Keys, Tony! Toni! Tone! and E-40. The Berkeley studio utilizes a Digidesign Pro Tools HD-based system to record breakthrough and award-winning albums for artists all of genres. The East Bay recording studio specializes in audio, voiceover, live band recording, audiobook and narration recording services. The studio can also help artists with mixing, editing and creating audiobooks, podcasts and meditation CDs.

for more information about recording at Live Oak Studio, please call (510) 423-0771 or visit them on the web at liveoakstudio.com.

 

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Promoting Oneself

February 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Now that I am back in Tennessee, the next 90 days are dedicated to promoting myself as an International Line Dance Instructor here in Clarksville.  I have always disliked the marketing aspect of my professional  life, the idea of going out to sell a product, service, etc. It just was not my forte but when the product and services is ME.  Well that is even more unnerving to me.

Anyway I decided I had to get out this week and start beating the bush so to speak. I stopped by the local skating rink on my side of town. They offer Zumba classes two nights a week, so I thought if the rink was willing to offer Zumba why not a Line Dance Class. So I presented myself in my Line Dance News embroidered oxford shirt, Larry B’s Dance Flyer and business cards. I cannot remember being so nervous opening a door to a building.

I explained I was new in the area and looking to establish a new dance class. I saw that they offered Zumba and wanted to inquire if they might be interested in offering a dance class one or two nights a week as well.  I went on how it was a wonderful form of exercise much like Zumba. In fact the song playing for the Zumba class I knew a line dance to. The lady at the counter, thought it was a great idea but unfortunately she did not make those type of decisions. She took all my material and promised to discuss with the manager and owner if they arrived that evening or the next day.  “Note to self, ask for the decision maker before launching into my sales pitch.”

Actually, it was a great practice run for me and the lady was super nice. She stated she loved Line dancing and would let the manager know she thought it a great idea.  So my confidence was up as I left the Rainbo Skating Rink. On my way home, I passed Lana’s Dance Studio and decided to stop. I thought might as well get to know some of the Dance teachers in the area and see if they might have any input to a place that might be looking to host a Line Dance Class. I figured professional courtesy may count for something..

The stop was a good move, I got several great leads and now have a few more ideas on where to go to promote a class.  So I will be out and bout the next few weeks promoting myself and the benefits of Line Dancing.

Filed Under: Dance Guest Articles, Line Dance, Line Dance Instructor

The Stella Cabeca Story continued.

February 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

My Aunts lived in a very posh area of St. Annes On the Sea which is just outside of the famous sea side resort Blackpool.  The house was a big 3 story detached home on Orchard Road and was impressive when you walked in to the entrance and saw the winding iron staircase. The house was cold I mean freezing cold and though filled with beautiful antiques and had a baby grand piano in the front room, it was anything but home. No central heat, no fire, no comfortable couch, no music, no life.

They were demanding and strict old fashioned spinsters with no understanding of young people or their needs. I was devoted to looking after them, especially my Auntie Margaret, who had horrible ulcerated legs and was unable to do for herself. I liked her though and she made me laugh sometimes. My aunt Minnie was a cold hard woman, who showed no emotion for life or other people. She was a real eccentric lady, who lived surrounded by luxury but had no comforts.

There was never any food and what she had was many cans of salmon and fruit.  She kept these locked up in a cabinet and she kept the key in her pocket.  You had to beg her for the key to get anything. She would drink a cup of tea with whiskey in it every morning at 6.30 am and would send me miles in the cold and rain to the store for her teacher’s whiskey because it was a few pennies cheaper.

Of course they never had a car they walked or took a taxi not that they ever really went anywhere much, Just once a week they would go to the cafe for high tea or afternoon tea. They had plenty of money but would not spend it for the normal living expenses.
I worked in a pharmacy in the town center, walking distance from the house. My life was lonely; I missed my brothers and sisters. I had nothing but my music.  There was the Blackpool Tower and The Mecca Ballroom; I was there every chance I got. I would take two buses and was still sneaking in sometimes without paying, but oh the dancing, wow. They had disco nights that were heaven on earth for me. The Tower Ballroom once you had a ticket to enter the Tower you could go in the ballroom all day for free.

This was the home of the original Wurlitzer organ, it would rise up from beneath the stage as the organist played, and it was magnificent. The ballroom was beautifully carved and decorated with a ceiling like the Sistine Chapel and still to this day that ballroom hosts dancers from all over the world, especially now international line dancers, teachers, choreographers and some of the biggest and best known line dance events in the world.
I left my aunties house and went to live and work at the Imperial Hotel in downtown Blackpool. This was the started to another chapter of my life, which is not one I am proud of, but one that would lead me one more step forward.

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Alltopics.com Offers Hottest News on Ballet

January 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Alltopics.com Offers Hottest News on Ballet

(PRWEB) January 22, 2012

Ballet section is now available on Alltopics. Ballet.alltopics.com is a vital source for anybody out there interested in dancing, or wanting to know more about the latest news and interesting details on the world of ballet. Whether the reader is a successful ballerina, or a common dance enthusiast, neither one of those guys can afford to be without the incredible source of news, videos and images avaliable on Ballet.alltopics.com.

From now on the best ballet news are gathered in one place. With Ballet.alltopics.com users can search all over the globe and the web to find the best Ballet stories, hints, ideas, tips and breaking news, all to help the reader to stay abreast of the conditions and situations that might might be useful in the world of Ballet. Alltopics rates the articles, garnered from social networks like Facebook, Google and Twitter, by popular demand. Ballet.alltopics is the number one stop on the Internet that helps to find all the latest gossip, breaking news, unusual conditions and news flashes that might affect Ballet around the country and around the world.

Browse Ballet news now. After browsing Ballet.alltopics.com, the reader will be bowled over by the abundance of ballet news. Why there is more female ballet dancers than men? What tips are useful when one wants to take up this sport? How far does the ballet history reach? And are pointe shoes comfortable? All the answers are at Ballet.alltopics.com, the number one news source that’s constantly updated, constantly changing and is always free.

The Alltopics Search becomes faster and more effective. Ballet.alltopics.com gives readers the world of Ballet at a moment’s touch. Users can browse literally dozens of articles about ballet competitions, injuries, famous performances, superb guides for the beginners, as well as videos and images of the world of Ballet. The more people search and click on the piece of information, the faster Alltopics chooses and saves the news. That is why the website is a database that’s forever evolving and giving out information that is brand new.

Alltopics.com is a smoking hot composite story, article, news and information website that offers, among many other topics, the best ballet news, together with the latest and most enjoyed postings from all the social networks and news sources on the Internet. It’s all arranged by topic and popularity on Alltopics.com.

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Stella Cabeca The Story Continues

December 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I was very lucky to find a nice job in a Chemist/Opitcal shop, which would be a pharmacy/optical, all in one little tiny store. My boss, Mr. Buckley was a giant, I mean literally, a giant- 7 feet tall and 500lbs. he was huuuuge. Please forgive me, but he was ugly, I mean scary when I went in the dark room in the back of the store for the interview, I was terrified.  When he spoke this tiny little sound came out, he had this little squeaky voice. I thought, I was in a movie or the twilight zone, but he turned out to be a gentle giant and a genius.

 

Mr. Buckley was an accomplished pianist and I had many hours of listening to him play. He would play everything from classical to popular and we would sing our heads off during our lunch breaks.

 

He and his huge sister were master cooks.  Sometimes I would sit in the optical room for lunch, with no lunch and they would invite me to the back of the shop to their home to eat with them. The food shepherd’s pie, steak and kidney with flaky pastry that melted in your mouth and the pies were so good. I started to get really fat at that time, no wonder.

 

Finding this job was perfect for me as my first job because they treated me with kindness and I learned a lot in a short time. They made me feel smart and gave me hope for the future.

 

Things got really bad at home, even though my parents had divorced; I was still living with my mum. I was helping take care of my sisters full time and taking care of the house. The neglect was getting unbearable, Mum was drinking, partying every night and the steady stream of men she was bringing in the home became too much to handle.

 

I had 2 aunts in a place called Blackpool, about 150 miles away, who were sick and needed help. I had spoken with them on occasion and one morning I just got up through some clothes in a plastic bag. I got on a bus without saying a word to anyone and left.

 

I was still 15 soon to be 16 and I had no idea what would happen. I just had to go somewhere anywhere. I put my little ear plug radio in and the song that was playing  “He is a real nowhere man living in his nowhere land, making all his nowhere plans for nobody, doesn’t have a point of view knows not where he’s going to isn’t he a bit like me and you.”

 

Still more to come

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Heather Maloney to Give Winter Solstice Performance in Easthampton, MA

December 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Heather Maloney to Give Winter Solstice Performance in Easthampton, MA

Easthampton, MA (PRWEB) December 19, 2011

The Insight Meditation Center of Pioneer Valley is pleased to announce that Massachusetts-based singer-songwriter Heather Maloney will be playing at Insight PV’s Winter Solstice Celebration on Wednesday, December 21, 7-9pm. Come to Eastworks at 116 Pleasant Street, Suite 242 in Easthampton, MA. The public is invited to attend. Any donation is appreciated, $ 10 is suggested.

The evening will include a meditation sitting, snacks and an acoustic concert. Heather’s music is inspired by her meditation practice and playfully expresses her intention to live completely in the present. She has described her songs as a “heartfelt effort to integrate music and awareness, creativity and presence; the intention to dance along the line between sound and silence.”

Heather’s latest album “Time and Pocket Change” was released to critical acclaim in April. Her mindfulness-inspired lyrics invite the listener to enter the present: “Meet me by the edge of this moment, you bring stillness, I’ll bring movement. Meet me by the edge of right now, you bring silence and I’ll bring sound.” Her songwriting has earned her comparisons to Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan.

A great way to get to know Insight PV is to drop in to a weekly open sitting on Mondays at 5:30pm or Wednesdays at 7:15pm. Insight PV serves Western Massachusetts from its relaxed meditation hall at Eastworks, offering classes and retreats throughout the year to help deepen and sustain meditation practice and cultivate wisdom.

All classes and retreats are offered on a “suggested donation” basis. No one is turned away from any event for lack of funds. Insight PV is wheelchair accessible, and for the comfort of those with chemical allergies, no incense is used at our events. For more information about all our events, please visit our website at insightpv.org.

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

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Developing a Line Dance Instructor

December 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

After years of taking Stella Cabeca’s International Line Dance Classes in Tamarac Florida, I have decided to become a professional International Line Dance Instructor in my new home of Clarksville, TN.  So I decided to blog my experience and progress.

I took Stella’s Classes for approximately 11 years and started teaching as a community service for my local Home Owner’s community center at Green Haven Section 12 in Tamarac, Florida.  I never thought about actually becoming an instructor, my Monday night class was just to offer an activity for my community and anyone else who wanted to join us on Monday night.

After 4 years, I had a dedicated group of ladies that were there every Monday night and we had a great time. When we decided to make the move to Clarksville, I realized that I was going to greatly miss my Monday night class and the joy I recieved in teaching.

So after discussing my decision with Stella and recieving her support and guidance, I have decided to work on becoming an instructor.  I am working on getting the necessary insurance and becoming a member of ACA.  Researching for the right type of equipment that I feel I need to be mobile.

I have made initial inquiries with the local YMCA and Community Centers here in the Clarksville area.  Working on getting a nice press release prepared and then  I will be making appointments to work on establishing a class or two in the area.

I will update soon. Larry B.

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Stella Cabeca The Story continues

December 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Throughout my childhood years, I found solice and escape through music.  I had a little AM transistor radio with a wire with an earpiece that I pressed deep in to my ear so my head was filled with music. The sounds of the world blocked out even during the nights when my parents would be having another one of their screaming matches.

I could sometimes escape to oblivion and be lost in the sounds of The Four Tops, The Supremes, Englebert Humperdink. Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Monkeys, Tom Jones, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley and soooo many others. I could sing every word of every song and Sunday night was my favorite when they played the top forty. Even though it was late in the night before school next day I never missed a song.

The first record I bought, I saved up for ages and went to the store for the single, ”I’m a Believer’ by the Monkey’s, and I think the B side was Strawberry Fields. We had a record player that you manually cranked with a handle and I played that record over and over till my arm was aching from winding it. Wish I had that player today would be worth a fortune now.
I also played piano at home and sometimes relatives would come for a visit and play modern music. Some boogie woogie on the piano, it was lively and fun and we would all sing. My Mum only played classical music, so it was great to sing and see the piano bouncing up and down with the more vibrant lively stuff. My auntie Bobby was fantastic she was like a female Liberace, and all my brothers were excellent singers.

I would also dance every chance I got, some ballet that was paid for from family business for a while till mum was thrown out for being in the pub every day and running it in to the ground. I loved Ballet, I was a natural talented dancer they said and as a small petite child did very well and tap dancing as well. In school we had some dance classes mainly contra style barn dances and circles. Kind of what they call today Scottish Country dancing. I just remember I loved every second of it. Then later, I did a little line dancing at the youth club but I was only there for a brief time due to circumstances at home.

As I entered my teen years, I gained weight and developed large boobies, I guess I was a BIG girl. I still sang and danced. I was light on my feet and plugged in to all music from classical piano,  pop,  country, Rock N roll, and Irish. I was a member of a Scottish Highland band where I learned drums and yes, bagpipes. I did the step dancing with the crossed swords on the ground and yes, I guess I did the Highland Fling.

What I can tell you is music and danced brought me joy and happiness, when there was none anywhere else. I found myself drawn to the ballrooms and would spend hours just watching people dance. I would sneak in and hide in a dark place in the corner so I would not be seen. The circle dances were fun and I found myself learning the steps and the patterns even though I could not join in.

Later on I was able to go to the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool in the afternoons and do these dances. But I will tell you more about that later as that is where the World Line Dance events are now held. More to follow next week.  Stella

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The Stella Cabeca Story: British Tourist to Line Dance Guru

November 24, 2011 By 1 Comment

The story of the Line Dance Guru as you know her today but what she has never told about her life before she came to the U.S.A. and after she first arrived as a British tourist on holiday for a week.

I was born on a freezing cold night in Ashton-U-Lynne Lancashire in the North of England February 2nd 1953.I was the 3rd child born to parents Stella Ball and Charles Ball.  Mum was a London Royal College of music teacher and Dad, a former Grenadier guard and personal Queens’s regiment to Queen Elizabeth when she was just a teenager.

 

I was the first girl and soon to be followed by a third brother, so there were 4 of us for many years till my sisters came a long 8 years later 18 months between them, now there were 6 children, 3 boys, 3 girls.

 

To say our child hood was dysfunctional would be an understatement even by today’s standards, where it seems more and more children are raised in homes of abuse or just plain neglect. The difference was back then it was all kept quiet and swept under the rug. The neighbors ignored the screaming domestic abuse between my father and mother unless occasionally it became so disruptive they would make an anonymous call to police. Not many homes had phones in those day’s but we were fortunate the next door neighbor had a phone, and when the police arrived they would calm the situation and just leave, often with me clinging to the officers leg begging to be taken away with them. The law was such at that time that unless one or the other spouse was willing to file charges they could not arrest anyone.
My Mum had a great sense of humor, was utterly charming and men found her irresistible. My father super intelligent, who spoke many languages and possessed a vast knowledge through books but was a full blown alcoholic and was addicted to codeine which you could buy over the counter. He was prone to violence when in on codeine and alcohol to my mother and older brother Charles in particular.

 

During the Month, there was times where we had no money, no food, no coal for the no hot water, and no hot water but Sober parents as they could not afford to drink or go to pubs. These were hard times but actually happier times for the 6 children because the abusive situations were not as frequent.

 

I became the mother figure to my baby sisters at age 11. I took care of them and my younger brother as he was very small and suffered a lot with nightmares and fear of being in the dark. I did everything possible to shield them from what my older brothers and I had endured and thank god mum and dad finally separated when I just turned 12.
As in any divorce there was a custody fight and  I bounced back and forth from mum to dads. I kept running away from mum to seek refuge with dad, at the time least of two evils. Then one day Welfare Officers took me away in a big fancy car  as I was leaving church with the school choir I sang in. I was taken back to mum as she had just been given legal custody of me after the newspaper reported us living in unfit conditions in the house with dad. There was a big article in the paper and my mum’s side of the family, who were well to do in the town and well known business people and property owners were quite embarrassed by it all. Yet as affluent as they were, they were unwilling or  unable to adopt 6 kids at the time.  I was taken back to Mum to live years of trying to be a teenager, trying not to be abused, trying to look after my sisters. Finally on my baby sisters 18th birthday, I boarded a plane to New York City, little did I know how this trip was about  just to change my life. I was about to be born again and start a new life.

Next week I will explore how music and dancing helped during those child hood years to keep my sanity and my zest for life and love of people. And more on how what I thought was a short trip to the States became a new and wonderful life.

 

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Stella Cabeca’s Report on the October 29th 2011 Cruise on Oasis of the Seas

November 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Wow what a cruise! This was the best ever ship, Bloody Marvelous instructors, fantastic dancers, friends, family, and last but not least Nancy Lombardi, Pleasure travel and her team. I was so spoiled with all this love and support that I so happily received on this particular cruise.
Over the years I have been a one man band running the show for the group and often the passengers, working day and night and loving every minute of it.  Always with my right hand man, my best friend, my man Friday and my soul mate, George by my side. Unfortunately, now George depends on me and can no longer take care of me or himself, so your support on this trip was immeasurable.

George is doing fine and is receiving some home care at this time and Yes, he did earn his keep at the Blackjack table and was actually applauded by the casino folks as he bid his farewell cash in hand. Well cash in my hand I should say LOL.

Standing on the dance floor in the Ice rink Studio B looking out at the audience and my floor filled with dancers, all ages, all levels, line dancing, 2 stepping, swinging was a sight I will never forget. So far your feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and we have many already registered taking advantage of the on board credit offered at the time. Also Pleasure Travel booking at home now like crazy for

SEPT 30TH 2012 ALLURE Nassau, St Thomas, St Maarten

Allure of the Sea is the Sister ship to Oasis of the Sea, we have been promised more time next year for open dance in studio B (ICE RINK) and lots of other great news coming later. We can book all your shows ahead of time so please all my dancers coming from other countries next year be sure to make plans to book all shows ahead with Nancy.

I try not to coincide the cruise with other events but am limited with which weeks we can book for 150 expected group. In order to book dance rooms etc. I did not want to conflict with Tampa event but unfortunately may clash with other well known wonderful events around the country. So I do apologize for this.

Please call Nancy or Robert now to book for this cruise 2012 at Pleasure Travel 954-432-5660 or 800-338-8443

Coming up next an honor for our three outstanding teachers and list of all the dances they taught on this cruise. Check in with us soon for this information.

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