My Jazzy Love Song Collection and a Special Dedication

I'm building the perfect collection of  jazz love songs because I have something very special planned for my next show.

The show is this valentine's day at Missoula's Montgomery Distillery and pianist Keaton Wilson and I are planning to create the most romantic and classy environment for your valentine that Missoula has ever seen.




I would love to fill this show with songs that are truly special to all of you, and to let your love stories create the energy behind my delivery of these songs on the day of the performance.  

So, Keaton Wilson (pianist) and I are working together to provide a list of songs you can choose from as a dedication at our upcoming show: Valentine's Day Jazz at the Montgomery Distillery. 

Is there a song below that you would love to hear sung especially for your valentine?

You'll just need to tell us: the name of your valentine, the song from the list, and bonus!!: how long you've been together.

A Time for Love

Alright, Okay, You Win

Autumn Leaves

As Time Time Goes By

Come Fly With Me

Comes Love

Corcovado (Quiet Nights)

East of The Sun’

Estate

Every Time We Say Goodbye

Fever

Fly Me to The Moon

A Foggy Day

I Could Write a Book

I'm Beginning to See the Light

It Had to Be You

I've Got You Under My Skin

I've Got The World on a String

Just in Time

Just the Way You Are

Lets Fall in Love

Misty

My Favorite Things

My Funny Valentine

My Old Flame

My One and Only Love

My Romance

Old Devil Moon 

Peel Me a Grape

Our Love is Here to Stay

Sway

There Will Never Be Another You

They Can't Take That Away

This Can't Be Love

Unforgettable

What A Difference a Day Made

What A Wonderful World 

Witchcraft

When I Fall in Love

You Made Me Love You

You Go To My Head

A song doesn't have to reflect a certain person to make it memorable, it can also remind you of a certain time in your life, or a certain day, or just a feeling you once had that you can't quite put into words.

Whether you can make it to the show or not, I invite you to place your dedication below in the comments. We will still perform the song and will make an announcement in your valentine's honor as a thank you for being our faraway fan. I appreciate you so much!

To stay in touch, the best place to be is my facebook page: www.facebook.com/laura.sings.jazz

Happy Valentine's Day, to you and yours!

My vocal coaches, and my first lesson in years, with Eden Atwood

Lola, my microphone.

Can you put a price on a good vocal coach? Beginning from a very young age, my mom always did her best to connect me with great teachers. Now it's my turn to start seeking one out for myself, and I must admit, I've been delaying it for far too long.

In my life, finding a great teacher has been as much a product of divine providence as dumb luck. I was lucky as a little girl living in Niskayuna, NY to be shaped by Holly Johnston, then known to me as Mrs. Peirce. Her passion for music and ability to make music fun really made an impression on me, as you can probably tell.

After learning that I had chosen to pursue music as a career, Holly invited me to lead a Rosendale Elementary School assembly featuring me and my band, and later perform with the kid's choir. But it wasn't over yet- there was a second assembly at my high school, Niskayuna High School where I was able to show my love of jazz before my entire peer group- forever emblazoning my pursuit of jazz as legitamite- and maybe even cool. 

It was my first glimpse into life's greatest mystery-  its tendency to circle back and make sense of itself over time. When we look carefully, life rhymes like a beautiful song. Holly and I are still in touch today and she regularly cheers me on through my facebook fan page. She is a teacher who really cares, and I am blessed to have her in my life.

I've had other great teachers, Sylvia Kutchukian, Sasha Dobson, Laurel Masse, Eileen Bush, Jobelle Yonely. I wish I could say I made the most of all of the learning opportnities I've had over the years, but I can say that my life has been blessed by coming into contact with these great women of music.

After booking a few upcoming performances at some new venues, I realized... I'd better get practicing, and although I've been a bit shy of being taught again, I heard about Eden Atwood 
and knew I had to reign in my little crazy horse self once again for life and music's next big lesson.

I'm looking forward to my lesson- it is my first voice lesson in over two years. But I'm more ready than ever to learn about the art and business of music. Can't wait to report back!

Never stop learning, growing and reaching.

~Laura
www.facebook.com/laura.sings.jazz
Twitter: @NowItsLaura

2013's Best New Shops in Missoula

You know I'm all about a good deal.

Best new store in town... Scored some Express jeans and an Angora sweater for less than $10/each. With the prices going sky-high at Goodwill, this is a great alternative.

Things I Believe

I believe in the power of uncompromising feminine class, I found that this ideal has been mostly lost to this generation, especially in the music world. I endeavor to create some of that good music here to fill the gaping void I almost fell into years ago. This world and this life are what we make it.

I believe in an awakened society of people who are true to themselves, freely expressing and celebrating a different kind of beauty that eminates from within.

I believe in an ultimate †ruth, and it guides me.

I believe that great music has healing powers... the power to make a bad day good, and to make a good day better. I believe that no matter how poorly someone's day has gone, they can come to one of my shows and get their night saved. That's what I'm striving to create with The Salvation Blues.

Announcing: Valentine's Day show at the Montgomery Distillery

Join me at the Montgomery Distillery in Missoula for a beautiful night of love songs this Valentine's Day. The talented Keaton Wilson will be on the piano to help me make this a night you won't forget. I'm so excited for this performance! If you'd like to dedicate a song to be sung in honor of your loved one on this special occassion, please visit my Facebook page: Montana Jazz Vocalist and see how to request a song. Or, see my blog post with my song list right here: (coming soon!)

More details to come. The Montgomery Distillery is located at 129 W. Front St. in Missoula, MT and music will be between 6pm-8pm.




View Larger Map

Nobody Tellls This to the Beginners (Quote by Ira Glass)

Some quotes are too good not to share.

Ira Glass

“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.” ― Ira Glass

How true is this statement? When I shared this on Facebook, it really resonated with my fellow musicians, and the dancers, and the writers. All of us who create know this feeling.

Just because you feel what you're creating now isn't good enough, doesn't mean you should stop.

It's good to have lofty goals and visions for what your work can become, but you need to keep going. Even if you do a little bit every day, it adds up.

I promise.

The Music Business and Making it Happen

One of my band members said something really wise yesterday that I just wanted to share with you. In the music business, you have to make things happen. 

They don't happen... unless you make them happen. It sounds so simple but it's really true. 

There's no one handing you anything, and if you're not "doing", nothing ever happens.

At a minimum, you have to at least ask, at a maximum, you have to climb and claw and hang on for dear life. What he said really resonated with me as I announced my event on Facebook today. 

So, whatever it is- stop waiting. Make it happen. Whatever it takes.

Understanding the Language of Music

I count it a blessing to be able to read, write and understand the language of music. I've had many teachers along the way, most notably from Duke Ellington School in DC and the jazz program at UNLV. 

And I grow more grateful to them with each passing year! 

This knowledge is how I'm making the transition away from relying on my lame guitar skills into communicating my ideas to a band. 

Such a small effort but very important. 

It's so cool to see my music on real music paper haha! The tune on the screen is a praise song I wrote to keep me grounded before writing out some blues!

The Terror of Vulnerability

I'm starting to learn the terror of vulnerability, and it's really humbling. 

The past few days have shown me how challenging it is to show your original music to people, even good friends. 

You'll know from watching me on stage that when I'm singing other people's music, the fear just isn't there for me! 

But in performing my own music the stakes are SO much higher. As it is right now, I'll clam up midway through a song and never finish when I'm showing someone. It's really sad! 

Yes, being in the spotlight can be fun, but it's also totally terrifying. 

Time to let go of the fear and jump this big hurdle so my music can finally be heard.