September 2012 – Between the Lines and Dots

30 Sep

Black Pizza…(Sung to the Tune of “Black Coffee”)

Jessica Boykin-Settles0 CommentsPracticing, Practicing Jazz Singing, UncategorizedBetty Carter, Charlie Parker, Jamey Aebersold, Jazz Ear Training, Ornithology, Seth Riggs, Singing for the Stars, speech level singing, transcription, Washington Women in Jazz Festival

Hi All! Today's practice session got off to a great start. I went through my Anne Peckham warm-ups and I noticed that there is starting to be some improvement in my vocal agility. That made me smile! I did both the warm-up for all voices and then the beginning warm-up for high voices. Then I went through all of the Speech Level Singing exercises in part one of the Seth Riggs Singing for the Stars book. I felt really good after this although there is still some fuzziness in my low range. I was able to get through the tongue…

29 Sep

Brian Settles and Central Union Grace the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage

Jessica Boykin-Settles0 CommentsConcerts, UncategorizedBrian Settles, Corcoran Holt, Jeremy Carlstedt, Kennedy Center, Millennium Stage, Neil Podgurski, Secret Handshake

Last night, Brian had the awesome opportunity to perform at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Millennium Stage series. It was a great honor to be invited and Brian, Neil Podgurski (piano), Corcoran Holt (bass) and Jeremy Carlstedt (drums) showed off! They performed tunes from the CD release Secret Handshake. Here is a link to the archived performance: http://www.kennedy-center.org/explorer/videos/?id=M5177&type=A

26 Sep

Music tHERapy, Steve Coleman, Izze Apple Soda and Other Various and Sundry Things

Jessica Boykin-Settles0 CommentsConcerts, Practicing, Practicing Jazz Singing, UncategorizedAnne Peckham, Atlas Theater, Charlie Parker, false vocal folds, Ornithology, Seth Riggs, speech level singing, Steve Coleman, vocal warmup

Started this session with vocal warm-ups from the Anne Peckham's The Contemporary Singer. Even after getting through the Beginning Warm-up for all voices and the first warm-up for high voices, I still didn't feel warm or agile, my intonation was not on point and I was not getting the smooth transitions all the way through my range. My false vocal folds are also acting really lazy and I'm going to have to go back to my exercises for moving them off to the sides and from on top of my true vocal folds. At this point, because I was sounding…

22 Sep

Give the Drummer Some!

Jessica Boykin-Settles1 CommentUncategorizedJamison Ross, jazz competition, Thelonious Monk, Wayne Shorter

Just got back from what was an exciting installment of the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition. This year, the drummers got to strut their stuff. The only one of the twelve semi-finalists I was familiar with was Jamison Ross. I first saw him in the documentary "Chops" which they screened at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Band Director Academy the year I took the course for jazz educators. If you have not seen this movie, I would highly recommend that you do! It follows several high school jazz ensembles as they prepare for a trip to the Essentially Ellington competition.…

18 Sep

Singing in the Not So Gentle Rain…

Jessica Boykin-Settles1 CommentPracticing, Practicing Jazz Singing, UncategorizedBohemian Caverns, Charlie, Ella Fitzgerald, How High the Moon, How to transcribe, Jazz Orchestra, Ornithology, vocal agility

After more than a week of absolutely glorious weather, it's storming, derecho-ing and tornado-ing here in the Washington, DC area. My husband was running around closing all of the windows in the house and saying, "Batten down the hatches!" I got some inspiration last night while hanging out with Brian who was sitting in with the award-winning Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra. It was an evening of beautiful and adventurous arrangements, inspired fiery solos and great fun and camaraderie! This morning, I got to hang out with a very good friend who I had not seen in long time. We ate eggs…

14 Sep

“I’m Barack ‘Obobble’ and I Approve This Practice Session.”

Jessica Boykin-Settles0 CommentsPracticing, Practicing Jazz SingingBarack Obama, bobble head, Bobby McFerrin, Charlie Parker, Colonel Brooks Tavern, Democratic National Convention, Ella Fitzgerald, How High the Moon, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Ornithology, scat syllables

Meet my new practice partner; All the way from the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC....BARACK OBOBBLE! Isn't he cute? My awesome pal, Tamara brought this Barack Obama bobble head figure back from the DNC for me. His head bobbles to the music while I'm practicing. Although he likes jazz, I think I have to learn to play and sing some patriotic songs for him in the near future! LOL! Have to admit that I didn't get in any practice time yesterday. I spent most of the day trying to kick a cold that was trying to jump on me.…

12 Sep

Frozen Chai and Charlie Parker

Jessica Boykin-Settles0 CommentsPracticing, Practicing Jazz SingingAnne Peckham, Brian Settles, Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, Estill Voice Method, frozen chai, How High the Moon, Jazz Piano Handbook, Michele Weir, Ornithology, Secret Handshake, Smithsonian, Take Five Series, transcription, WPFW-FM

I woke up to the most beautifully perfect morning...Oh my, how I love this time of year! Today is my big sister's birthday, so I took her out for breakfast at Open City Diner where I ate a huge omelet and drank THE most delicious confection: FROZEN CHAI! YUMMY! O.K., so anyway, let's get down to business. :-). Because I was up so late last night trying to get this website finished (I finally got into bed sometime after 2am) and I was up early, I have to admit that I didn't have a lot of energy to practice but…

11 Sep

The First Day of the Rest of My Life

Jessica Boykin-Settles9 CommentsPracticing Jazz Singing, Uncategorizedjazz, jazz piano, jazz vocal, practice regimen, practicing, transcribing, transcriptions, vocal technique

Welcome to my brand new website and blog! This blog will be a diary of my progress towards becoming the best vocalist/composer/arranger that I can possibly be. I have most recently quit my day job in order to put in some uninterrupted serious practice time. This is a HUGE step for me as I have ALWAYS been employed at some kind of full-time job but I feel that after all of these years, I finally know what and how to practice. I just need the time to do it. So here is my list of things that I want…