Tour Diary • 2012
Sunday, May 20, 2012 • My Duet with Bobby McFerrin!!!
Hallo Sweet People,
Wow! I didn't mean to go so long without writing to you all! But all other life sort of stops while moving. I've moved so many times (I stopped counting at 30), but it is still so much work. The good news of this move is that I have all of my stuff in one place now, for the first time in 2 years. I'm hoping that once I feel truly settled, having all my stuff in one place will sort of bring my energy back to me and make me even more productive.
My taxes are now done, and my move is nearly complete, so soon I'll be able to resume work on my kickstarter, which I am SO looking forward to launching(!). Meanwhile, I've booked a few shows that I will tell you all about below.
But one special thing first: for Christmas, my love gave me front row tickets to see Bobby McFerrin. I had never seen Bobby before, even though he is one of my biggest influences. The show was Thursday, May 10th, in Providence Rhode Island. About halfway through, Bobby grabbed a second mic, sat on the edge of the stage, and called his daughter up for a duet. They did a lovely version of Stevie Wonder's, "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing." When she sat down, he asked if anyone else wanted to come up. A young man did, while Brendan turned to me wide-eyed, nudging me to go up. So when the young man walked away and Bobby invited again, I was ready. He asked my name and what I wanted to sing. I had actually had a vision of him singing my song, "Give," with me, earlier that day and the day before. I thought it was just wishful thinking, a fantasy, but here he was asking me what I wanted to sing, so I told him. He said he obviously didn't know that song, and I told him he'd do just fine. He improvised so beautifully on my song.
And someone got maybe half of it on video. You can see it on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/kristimartel, a brand new very special version of "Give." :)
The Highlands Inn show was so sweet. Brendan and I had an exquisite dinner at White Mountain Cider Company. We hiked both days in the mountains. And my show was lovely and well-attended.
Next I am performing live (with my keyboard) for a yoga class at this amazing studio in Pawtucket RI, Shri Studio, on May 25th. Then, on June 2nd, I am performing for the 25th anniversary month-long celebration's kick-off at a wonderful local health food store called Food For Thought. On June 14th, I am performing at Laughing Elephant Yoga for East Greenwich's Main Street Stroll. Both yoga events are fundraisers for the Off the Mat/Into the World Global Seva Challenge. OTM is heading to India this year, to help end sex trafficking in the birthplace of yoga. If I raise $20,000 for their cause, I get to go to India with OTM in February. So these two performances are the small beginning of my fundraising efforts. We'll see where this takes me. It's so right in line with my work on my album, "Sacred Whore!"
Then I head to NY for a show in Kingston on Summer Solstice (June 21st) and then to NYC for a show at Caffe Vivaldi on June 22nd! Both NY shows will be with my Brave Enough Band, Rich Kulsar on drums and Jay Wallenstein on bass!!! I am SO excited to be performing with them again!!! All show details are on this page, to the left.
I bought plants yesterday. It's the first time I've bought stuff for an outdoor and partly edible garden. My new house has a lovely yard, and a kitchen that inspires me to cut flowers and cook...hmm...I should get edible flowers for my garden!
Happy springtime growing season! Love,
Kristi
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Thursday, March 22, 2012 • MacColl Johnson Fellowship Finalist!!!
Hallo Supersweet Supporters!
I am thrilled to announce that I was selected as a finalist(!) for the 2011 Robert and Margaret MacColl Johnson Fellowship from The Rhode Island Foundation, a charitable community trust serving the people of Rhode Island. [I actually have trouble reading that sentence without getting teary-eyed; I'm that thrilled!] The panel recommended an award of $25,000 each to three artists as 2011 Fellows. They also recommended that three applicants be designated as finalists. I am one of those three. Although there is no monetary award for finalists, the panelists agreed that my work on my forthcoming album, "Sacred Whore," merited formal recognition among the applicants. I have been waiting since Christmas Eve for them to make their public announcement, so that I can now tell you this good news. I feel so honored. I am so proud that something as radical and visionary as "Sacred Whore" could be seen so well by these panelists. I am full of heartfelt thanks.
You can read their full announcement here.
To become a finalist, I submitted a description of the full- length album, "Sacred Whore," scores and recordings of some of its pieces ("Sacred Whore," "Blessed Community," "Firewater," & "Vetiver"), and 8 pages of answers to application questions about the issues, experiences, research, books, and musicians, that inspire, inform, and give purpose to my work. I described my cultural heritage and childhood and how they drive my work. I described for the panel, details about what I would do with the fellowship money if awarded: release 4 demos as my first vinyl release, "skybound & anchored," so that I can have the old version of my song, "bound," scratched into the full-length album; record full band arrangements of the album's 14 songs; create the artwork for both releases, duplicate them, and get them out into the world; and work with a web design company to create a new and more effective website that truly integrates all of what I do into one single vision, and to help promote and sell my music online. I wrote about how I want to be writing books, touring internationally, lecturing, and performing, all to help people heal. And I wrote about how the fellowship money would help me afford space for a studio in which to create all this work.
Since I didn't get the fellowship money, I am launching a Kickstarter campaign to raise the funds, because this album must be made! It's way overdue.
Sometime in the next week, the kickstarter will launch. Stay tuned. I sure hope you'll join me for the journey and help me make this dream come true!
Be blessed, Kristi
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Roots Cafe show & Kickstarter launch... Hallo Lovely Listeners,
What a fantastic night I had at the Sweet Little Variety Show at Roots Cultural Center last week! So much thanks to all the wonderful people who came out to see me perform for the first time, to all the amazing people who came out to see me for the 50th time, and to those sweet people who didn't know they'd be seeing me, but bought CDs and signed the mailing list once they did! You all rock! I enjoyed everyone's performances too. Rory Raven read our minds, Alonzo braved his new-to-the- stage fright beautifully, and Leigh told a story and then danced to Pink's "Raise Your Glass" right before I went on stage. It actually made me cry! (weird! and not the easiest way to start my set...)
Oh, and good news! I've already been invited back to perform at Roots Cafe again in the near future. We are in the process of picking a date. Check back here to find out when!
I hope you've all shared my vibedeck page to get some free music! You can get my newest single, the demo of "Seeds," free by tweeting about it. :) And there are other things you can get for cheap and free there too.
And you can still buy all of my CDs (and digital downloads!) at CD Baby. And of course Apple iTunes has all my stuff too. :)
Meanwhile, I am getting ready for the NEW releases that are in the works. Stay tuned right here, on Facebook, or through my email list, so that you will be the first to know when my kickstarter campaign launches. Soon soon soon! (So excited!)
Be peace,
Kristi
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Providence Performance, Butterfly Mixtape, Kickstarter Launch coming soon...
Hallo Lovely Listeners,
It's been way too long since I've performed in Little Rhody, so I'm thrilled to announce that I am the featured artist at The Sweet Little Variety Show at Roots Cultural Center on March 8th. I've been wanting to perform at Roots for some time, so I'm also hoping this is the first of many appearances there. Please come out and support this show to help make that happen!
Thursday March 8th
The Sweet Little Variety Show
at Roots Cultural Center
276 Westminster St
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 272-7422
8pm
$6
Rory Raven, Leigh Hendrix, Meg Sullivan, Randy Bush, and Alonzo Jones are also performing.
I have been getting a few things updated on my kmetal.net site. My spiffy new vibedeck is accessible from the front page. There's a new yoga link on the front page, and the yoga page lists all my class offerings, a class description, and my yoga bio. This page will also list any special workshops I offer in the future. I am working on a vocal workshop that will incorporate yogic breathwork and mantra. The tour diary and schedule is up-to-date now, as are the archives of both. Yay! That stuff is long overdue, and it feels SO good to get it back to where it should be. Thanks for visiting here and checking it out!
Meanwhile, I've created a budget for several projects leading up to the full-length album "Sacred Whore," and I'm SO looking forward to sharing all the exciting details with you later this week.
I had listeners all the way in Japan and Vancouver for this past Sunday's Butterfly Mixtape! The next show will be on Sunday March 11th, midnight - 3am (technically really early Monday morning). I'm not sure if there will be a theme yet or not. It might be time for a show full of random things I've been listening to, including new stuff that has come through the station. Also, DJ babel and I are planning to do a show full of songs that have something to do with plants. And we also intend to swap nights at some point. I will do an electronica show 9- midnight some Saturday, and that same weekend he will do a vocal alternative rock sort of show some Sunday
midnight to 3, probably in a month or so. I'll keep you posted.
Sunday, March 11th
midnight to 3am EST (technically very early Monday morning)
Kristi's radio show, Butterfly Mixtapes
on WRIU 90.3FM
or online at www.wriu.org
I sure hope you'll be listening! Be peace,
Kristi
Saturday, February 11, 2012
February 12th Butterfly Mixtape... Hallo Lovely Listeners,
Just a little reminder that I will be on the radio tomorrow night (Sunday night), midnight to 3am EST (technically early Monday morning), for my radio show, Butterfly Mixtapes. It's my first ever totally improvised radio show. I usually plan them so thoroughly. Granted, this is probably the easiest improvised show I could do: ALL Kate Bush!
I often post to Facebook during the show. You can write me on Facebook if you have any Kate requests, or call into the station directly: 401-792-9030 or 1-888-303- WRIU (9748). I hope you'll be listening!
Sunday, February 12th
midnight to 3am EST (technically early Monday) Butterfly Mixtapes
WRIU Kingston
90.3FM (in southern New England & Long Island) or online at www.wriu.org (worldwide)
Be peace y'all, Kristi
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Tonight's Butterfly Mixtape...
Just a little reminder that I will be on the radio tonight, midnight to 3am EST, for my radio show, Butterfly Mixtapes. Tonight's show is going to be a sort of retrospective of Ani DiFranco's work, inspired by the recent release of her brand new album, "Which Side Are You On?" I often post to Facebook during the show. You can write me on Facebook if you have any Ani requests, or call into the station directly: 401-792-9030 or 1-888- 303-WRIU (9748). I hope you'll be listening!
Tonight! Sunday, January 29th
midnight to 3am EST (technically early Monday) Butterfly Mixtapes
WRIU Kingston
90.3FM (in southern New England & Long Island) or online at www.wriu.org (worldwide)
Be peace y'all, Kristi
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Kristi's Best of 2011 Butterfly Mixtape...
Just writing to let you know that tomorrow night, for my radio show, Butterfly Mixtapes, I'll be playing my top 9 albums and top 9 songs for 2011. Granted, I didn't get to hear EVERYTHING that came out in 2011, but of what I heard, this is my Best-of. :)
I hope you'll be listening!
Sunday January 15th, midnight to 3am EST (technically early Monday) Listen on the air at 90.3FM or online at www.wriu.org/butterflymixtapes
Be peace y'all, Kristi
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Hallo Beautiful People!
Another year has come to a close and another new year has begun. My birthday is in January too, so I always feel the new year of my life at the same time. For at least a year now, probably longer, I have been feeling behind - behind on deadlines I had set for my music projects (like the Sacred Whore album, its tour, a new and improved website, this newsletter!...), my financial goals, my life goals...
I wonder if you too felt the energy of chaos swirling around you as you planned the foods and travel and gatherings and gift-givings of the season. Whichever holiday you celebrated, winter solstice is a time of acknowledging and honoring the darkest day of the year, and welcoming, celebrating, and calling back, the light. The winter is a time of introspection, hibernation, and reflection. The holiday buzz is a bit glitzy for the needs of the season.
To actually make space for reflection during the dark days around solstice, I taught a rich yin practice the week leading up to the holiday. Yin Yoga is a slow and profound practice that creates deep openings in the body and is restorative to the cartilage, ligaments, and joints. We get deeper by holding shapes in stillness for more time. In some ways this may seem like an easier practice, but sitting still and stilling the mind are sometimes the most challenging. I taught reflective quiet classes that week, and I sang in a friend's Solstice yoga classes that week too. What a lovely honoring of the shadow and of the light!
Every new year, we reflect on what we have accomplished and how our goals may have remained or changed. Then, we set new goals, new intentions, resolutions, for the coming year. In my own reflections and meditations on Solstice and New Years, I have been thinking of how we honor the darkness, celebrate the return of the light, give and receive gifts, clean up and de-clutter, make check lists and wish lists, and resolve to do better. Lots of this activity brings our attention to the past (reflection) and to the future (goals). What my yoga practice teaches me most, and what I have been bringing to my classes this week, is that we can only be ready for the future if we are fully present in the now. I invite you to take time to cultivate now-ness, presence, a still-point inside, through meditation and especially on your mat and in your day-to-day life. When we get really fully present in our bodies and in the moment, we can set into motion the groundwork for any intention. We can't control the outcome. Life will happen and possibly alter our plans. But we will be ready, because we will have all of our energy present to deal with whatever happens.
So even though I feel behind, I know my work is just to be right here right now. I am steadily working on things. Yes, it is slower than I want. But regardless, the more I stay in this moment, the less I tell the story of the past or explain the details of my plans, the more work I can get done right now. So, today, I created this fancy new Vibedeck, an online retail store for my music that pays me directly. It is supercool for many reasons. Some of my discography is available digitally here for the first time. Some of it is free! Some of it you can buy at whatever price you want! Some of it has a fixed (totally reasonable) price. I have wanted to have a storefront of this kind for years. In this moment, I have one. Please go visit it, and share it on all your social networks and through your email lists: http://vibedeck.com/kristimartel . I wanted it to get to you before the holidays. Think of it as a belated solstice gift, sent with lots and lots of love and gratitude.
And, even though I feel behind - I think I have wanted the new website to exist for about 3 years now(!) - I am diligently working on that new website. I am currently in contact with a few designers, attempting to create a budget that I will add into the kickstarter campaign that I am creating to fund the forthcoming vinyl (yay, vinyl!) release, "skybound & anchored." Steve Rizzo is mastering the audio right now. Hopefully I'll have news on the kickstarter campaign soon. If you know of any swanky web designers whose work you think would suit mine, please send their info my way.
I also have some truly fancy news I can't quite tell you yet... I am biting my tongue until I get the official go- ahead. It's very good news. Hopefully the kickstarter campaign and this announcement will all come at the same time!
So... what did I accomplish in 2011? Did you make this sort of list?
I let go of some of the things I thought I absolutely had to do during this lifetime.
I supported my loved ones through a variety of losses.
I played over a dozen shows, a few of them especially important shows, like Yoshi's San Francisco, the Oakland Art & Soul Festival, & Lilypads, right here in Wakefield RI.
I got really clear about plans for the vinyl EP release, "skybound & anchored."
I networked with many record labels, recording studios, & radio promoters.
I DJ'd some 20+ radio shows on WRIU.
I became the AAA Music Director at WRIU.
I listened to tons of new music.
I taught many people to play the piano, to sing, to write songs, to read and write music, to understand music theory.
I cooked and baked lots of good food for my family. 11. I practiced many hundreds of hours of yoga.
I got a scholarship and with your help raised money to get certified as a yoga and wellness teacher!
I got certified and registered as a yoga teacher.
I became an ordained minister(!?!).
I started teaching yoga and now teach 5 classes a week.
I started seeing people privately as a wellness coach.
I paid off about two thirds of the debt my former manager left me with.
And when I see that list, I realize how silly it is to feel behind. The list of goals may be longer. But I am accomplishing enough. Since I was little, I wanted to help people heal through music. Even if right now that means singing while teaching yoga, I am definitely still doing that very thing, every day.
Every other Sunday midnight to 3am EST (technically early Monday morn), I play lots of favorite and new music on the radio for my show, Butterfly Mixtapes. You can listen by turning your dial to 90.3FM if you are in southern New England, or from anywhere in the world online at www.wriu.org . I often have a theme for my shows. Next week's show (January 15th) will be a best-of 2011 show, playing my favorites from the past year. I hope you'll be listening.
Recently, I came across some really great videos of my show at Yoshi's San Francisco! Quartet Rouge had their set videotaped, and so the songs that I sang with them are up online: With Quartet Rouge, I sang Ingrid Michaelson's "The Way I Am" - http://youtu.be/- s93Cq6i6Q8 & Doris Day's "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps" - http://youtu.be/gJ43jDday1g . Enjoy! And you can always check out what new videos I've put up or am liking here at my Sealed Lip Records youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/sealedliprecords .
Meanwhile, I had a lovely time being the vocalist and occasional pianist with my drummer Matt Niebels, as part of a jazz quintet at The Breakers in Newport on New Years Eve - totally out of my element and super fun. I want to be performing more. Do you know of venues
near you that would love my music? Let me know! So many venues have changed or closed in the past few years, and I have been doing so much more teaching, that I just haven't been able to keep up with bookings. Any and all help with contacts is much appreciated. You can book me places too. Think outside the typical venue box - house concerts, yoga studios, concert halls, colleges, clubs... Just ask.
And with the new year I have new yoga offerings for you: I am now on the schedule at Laughing Elephant Yoga (formerly Sundance) in East Greenwich RI on Saturdays at 3! I absolutely adore this community - so open- hearted and generous - and the new space has wonderful energy. These 75 minute classes will be a bit more vigorous than the slow flow and stretch classes I've been teaching at Raffa Yoga and The Herb Wyfe Holistic Health Center (formerly The Studio @ Wickford Cove). The room will be mildly heated; the music will sometimes be a bit more funky; there will still be tons of attention given to alignment, breath, and mindfulness, but we'll move at a quicker pace, fitting more poses into the class:
Laughing Elephant Yoga
58 Main Street
East Greenwich, RI 02818 http://laughingelephantyoga.com/ (new website in the works)
401-339-5144
Saturdays 3-4:15pm (vinyasa flow) Drop-in $15
10-class card for $108
Monthly Unlimited $120
I'm still teaching 3 wonderful, growing classes each week at Raffa Yoga in Cranston:
Raffa Yoga
19 Sharpe Drive
Cranston RI 02920 http://www.raffayoga.com/
401-463-3335
Tuesdays & Thursdays 4-5:30pm (slow flow) Sundays 11:15am - 12:45pm - (yoga stretch)
And although attendance has been low, I am still offering very affordable classes at The Herb Wyfe Holistic Health Center in Wickford RI:
The Herb Wyfe Holistic Health Center
23 Brown Street
Wickford RI 02852 http://www.herbwyfe.com/yoga.htm
Wednesdays 10-11:30am (transformational vinyasa) $10 per class
I also offer private yoga and wellness sessions by appointment. I use applied kinesiology, Integrated Energy Therapy, yoga practices, and my overall knowledge and experience with herbs, supplements, and diet, to help clients with weight, diet, depression, cholesterol, sugar, and other overall health issues. In private sessions you get to focus on exactly what you need. Some of this work can be done over the phone or
through email, though I prefer in person sessions. Feel free to email me with any questions.
Soon, I hope to see you at a show or on your mat!
I am full of gratitude for all the love and support you, my dedicated fans, continue to give me so freely over so many years, even when I am slow to get my songs out into the world. I am honored by your dedication. I can't do what I do without you.
Sending so many blessings to you in this new year.
Shanti, shanti, shanti... Kristi
2012 Tour Dates
12/31 (Providence RI) Once again, I'll be performing at Bright Night! at Beneficent Church 300 Weybosset Street 401-331-9844 at 7pm Full Schedule
12/22 (Providence RI) The Apartment 373 Richmond Street, 401-228-7222, Alpharetta, me, and Gran Vernan, 7pm
11/17 (Providence RI) The Roots Cultural Center 276 Westminster St 401-272-7422. Voices for Freedom Benefit Concert: Take a stand against Human Trafficking! Spogga, me, Dylan Sevey, Gin Mill Jane, and April's Fury will be raising our voices against sex trafficking from 3 to 6pm. Admission is $15 in advance, $20 at the door, and $10 for students. To donate directly, go to Yoga Aid. Proceeds will be donated to OFF THE MAT, INTO THE WORLD, whose 2012 Global Seva India Challenge will donate over $500,000 to partner programs in India to rescue, rehabilitate, and empower survivors of the sex trafficking industry.
10/24 (Providence RI) The Roots Cultural Center 276 Westminster St 401-272-7422. A full night of my music in Little Rhody - woohooo! I will be joined by old friends Kurt Meyer on bass and Angela Romans on backing vocals. I hope you will be there for our little reunion. Doors open at 7pm; Music from 8-10pm; Only $5 at the door.
9/14 (Providence RI) Fete 103 Dike St 401-383-1112. I'll be opening for chamber rock duo Montana Skies in the beautiful Fete Lounge. Doors open at 8pm; I go on at 9pm; Tickets are $8.
9/3 (NYC) Shrine 2271 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd 212-690- 7807. My new friend Kelsey Warren is playing his acoustic rock at 7, and I am playing my avant soul at 8pm. Come share the lovely vibe of this awesome venue at my first show there!
8/18 (Pawtucket RI) ZoeFest at The German American Cultural Society 78 Carter Street. I have been invited to play at this benefit battle-of-the-bands concert in support of The Zoe Faye Foundation, whose mission is to provide support and assistance to children diagnosed with Malignant Rhabdoid Tumors, Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumors, and Non-CNS Extrarenal Rhabdoid Tumors, and their families; provide pathways to information, financial relief, and raise awareness for rare pediatric cancers, and funds for researchers who focus on Rhabdoid Tumors and related cancers with the hopes of achieving a cure. Please come support The Zoe Foundation, and me toward winning the battle! :) Doors open at 5. I go on around 8:30pm. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the Door, Cash Only.
8/11 (Millis, MA) Yoga At The Ashram's Blissfest 368 Village Street, 508-376-4525. I will be teaching vinyasa yoga as well as performing my music at this lovely day-long festival of yoga, music, and healing arts. 11:30am - 8pm, I teach Butterfly Vinyasa at 2:30pm and perform my music at 5pm, but festival schedules are known to change last minute, so check back here for up-to-date info. $45 before August 1st, $65 after
6/22 (NYC) Caffe Vivaldi 32 Jones Street, 212-691-7538. My Brave Enough Band and I are thrilled to be returning to Vivaldi Caffe with its lovely Yamaha grand piano...little mini band tour - yay! 7pm, donation.
6/21 (Kingston NY) My Brave Enough Band and I are performing at The Revue at Backstage Productions Lounge, 323 Wall Street, 845-481-5158. 9pm Mark Donato, 10pm me!, 11pm Black Horse Riders. The Revue is curated by Michael Amari. Donation!
6/14 (East Greenwich RI)
Laughing Elephant Yoga 58 Main St. I am performing for free at the Main Street Stroll. I will happily take any and all donations for my Off the Mat seva challenge campaign to raise as much as I can to help end sex trafficking in India. If I raise $20,000, I get to go to India and work there first hand! I am donating everything I make at this performance to my OTM campaign! 8pm until...???
6/2 (Wakefield RI) Food For Thought 577 Kingstown Rd. I am performing for this wonderful local health food store's 25th anniversary month-long celebration's kickoff! Lots of free samples and a great 25% off sale. I perform noon - 3, but the celebration goes all month long!
5/25 (Pawtucket RI) Shri Studio: Urban Revitalization Yoga 21 Broad Street 401-441-8600. I will be performing live for Caroline Pope Peavey's Funky Fly Fridays yoga class! It's $15 to take class. You can also donate for my performance. Caroline and Shri are donating some of their proceeds to my Off the Mat seva challenge campaign to raise as much as I can to help end sex trafficking in India. If I raise $20,000, I get to go to India and work there first hand! I am donating everything I make at this performance to my OTM campaign! 6-7:15pm
4/13 (Bethlehem NH) The Highlands Inn off Rte 302, 603- 869-3978 or 1-877-LES-B-INN or email vacation@highlandsinn- nh.com to take the weekend off for a getaway with me at this award- winning inn! Our favorite thing to do up there is go hiking and then go out to eat at the White Mountain Cider Company. That plus my show is TOTALLY worth the trip to those beautiful mountains!
3/8 (Providence RI) I'm the featured artist at the Sweet Little Variety Show at Roots Cultural Center 276 Westminster Street, 401-272-7422. Rory Raven, Leigh Hendrix, Meg Sullivan, Randy Bush, and Alonzo Jones are also performing. Doors at 7:30pm, Show at 8pm, $6
