Notes from Nashville Sept 2009
Wed 9/9/09
Well, just getting into Nashville. Flight only delayed 45 min. out of Philly direct to Music City! Struggled a bit as I was (as per usual) the smallest person with the most luggage at the airport!! Gate checked guitar, seems to have made it here in one piece! Tonite I’ll just set up the room and nest and write some music I think....

Thur 9/10/09
Waking up in Nashville and working on a new song! Going out for a bit to explore Got back, the gym that I’m using while intown is sooo kool! Has a cardio cinema too, ... like a movie theatre with tread mills and stuff to run on! Tonite went to Billy Falcon’s Sowing Circle at The Blue Bar. I was invited to be a special guest. Performed Bebe Blues with the house band and Where You Are solo. Great audience. Awesome band! Billy and Rose Falcon who are always great and other great players including Brad Nelson and sax player, conga player and voilinist. That part of town seemed to be hoppin’ for a Thursday nite. Titans and Steelers game on at the bar, backstage area. Last I saw it was tied..... Just made a call.... Steelers won in O.T.. I was on stage when that occurred! Off to bed now.

Fri 9/11/09
Firstly today, God Bless the U.S.A 9/11-'Let us Never Forget...' As for my day today..... Just got back from playing at the Commodore Grill. Great place. Singer/Songwriters in the round type thing, hosted by Rick Stewart. Got there and it turns out I was in the first round of writers on stage. Had to literally run to the restroom after the drive there (they waited for me ! haha), tune up and on stage I went! haha Each of us played a song and took turns doing so, and then played another for a set. The audience was made up of many people visiting Nashville as well as some locals. Met a lot of great musicians and writers. Hung around there for a while. Great nite and inspiring to my creativity!

Sat 9/12/09
Just got back from a writing session with John Prestia. We wrote a kool tune together! John is really talented and works with Tim McGraw and has for many years. He is a guitarist, singer and songwriter. Fun tune that we put together today at his studio! So my friend just got to town for a visit/vaca to Nashville. We’re goin’ out to hit the downtown area and see whassup for Sat. nite in Music City!

Sun 9/13/09
Had a great time out on the town last nite. Ate dinner at the Merchant, fried green tomatoes, crabcakes and crawfish ravioli, yum! .... and some cocktails! Bought some stuff including a Waylon Jennings biography in a downtown shop. We heard some kool street musicians, most country and rock guitarists and even a bit of improv hip hop that was pretty kool! My manager gets to town today. Off to meet him and then get ready to play at the Bluebird Café tonite. Chek in later!
LATER on Sun 9/13/09
OK, checkin’ in again late nite! Played tonite at the Bluebird Café. Legendary place. I was performing in a line up of some great songwriters tonite. It was a very enjoyable show! Very inspiring. I was happy that my set was so well received! Performed ‘Heaven On Credit’, ‘Where You Are’ and ‘Reinvent’, all in solo acoustic versions. I remember going to see a show at the Bluebird last time I was in town and really wanted to play there. When I got word from my manager that I was booked there I was very excited. It was really kool! Afterwards, we hung out with some very interested people who are in the music industry and had some good conversation about business and art! Then passed by the Blue Bar, but things were wrappin’ up there fairly early.

Mon 9/14/09
Today was busy. Another song writing session, and then this evening had dinner and then checked out the show at the Station Inn with a songwriter friend, Sam Cooper who I will be writing with tomorrow. Sam was originally from the Jersey Shore scene... At the Station Inn, they had 12-piece country swing band... classic stuff. All top notch grammy nominated musicians and such. Kool show, Just getting to the computer now! Off to crash soon ...
Tue 9/15/09
Ok, so today was Big for writing! I wrote a kool song with Sam Cooper.. really different and it was a creative session over at a studio on music row. Just a totally different approach to writing than I've experienced. Seems like each team or partnership is a bit different and it is such a kool and intriguing process. I love what I do. Sam is really kool and creative! Then I went back over to John Prestia's studio. John had layed down the guitars for the song we wrote the other day and he had his friend lay down a bass track. I sang to it and now we have we we're calling a Better Than a Boom Box recording of the tune. It's a fun tune and I feel really good about it. My friend Bobcat scored tix for Montgomery Gentry at the Grand Ole Opry. Never been to the Opry. Gonna ride over there now and check it out for a bit. Well, time to shut down the laptop and head on back up north for a while. Peace, Luv & Music! Thanx for following my escapades! More to come soon, I'm sure! /Lisa :-)


Japan-Blog
Wed, 1/9/08
Well this morning we will leave for Japan. I and my 2 managers, Hal and BK, will be headed for Japan with a layover in Chicago. It will be a 15 hour journey in all. Should be interesting. I can't imagine sitting still for that long. Well it's off to the Philadelphia airport now. I will be performing there for an industry showcase. Two 40 min. shows at a Tokyo venue. My band will be made up of up-and-coming Japanese pop/rock musicians. It will be 6 piece band including me and I can't wait to meet them. We'll have one rehearsal together before the show. Talk to you soon.

Thurs, 1/10/08
Today we arrived in Japan. Somehow one loses a day because we cross the international date line to get here. Anyhow, when we arrived, I was jet lagged beyond belief with and was feeling under the weather a bit. But what the heck, I'm in Japan, I can sleep when I'm dead, right? Our label guy, Glenn, who is totally kool and so helpful met us at the Narita airport. It is about an hour ride on the train to Ebisu, the part of Tokyo where we'll be staying. We gathered up the bags and the guitar, etc. and off we went to catch the train. I felt like I looked ragged and pale. After we reached the hotel, we agreed to freshen up a bit and then do a dinner meeting. Here I go!

Fri., 1/11/08
Dinner meeting last nite worked out fine. Tokyo, the lights all around, reminding me of time square, the sounds, the new food experiences in a big metropolis, the fashion, the people, actually can cause a bit sensory overload for a girl with a cold and jet lag!! Ha, but it was awesome anyhow. I practically cried from exhaustion when I hit my little bed that looked out over the city, in my tiny but efficient room in Ebisu that night. I slept for 9 hours...like a rock!
NOW FOR TODAY'S AGENDA:
Okay! Up and At 'Em, Bebe! I am getting ready to head for our rehearsal studio with my band. I am excited to meet them. They don't speak any English, or very little and I know barely a word of Japanese. I want to jam!

Later Friday: 1/11/08
Wow, that rehearsal was amazing. I have a drummer, a bass player, a guitarist, a keyboardist and a backup singer. All together we are 3 girls, 3 guyz. I had the chance to meet the man who organized the band. The players are his students at the music college. Turns out it's Kyoji Yamamoto, he's our musical director pretty much! He is the famous guitarist is Japan of Bow Wow and Vow Wow and he is a solo artist as well. He was so helpful and helped us with all the music and helped us translate. Hal also worked a lot with the band and we got everything sounding wonderful! I can't wait til the showcase. After rehearsal, BK, Hal, Kyoji, Glenn and I went to a wonderful dinner. I'm getting even better using chop sticks and food was delicious. We were tempted to hit a jam nite/open stage, but I truly feel jet lagged and with planning to sing 'The Other Side of the Rainbow (Dorothy)' as one of the showcase songs tomorrow for tons of press and contacts, I think sleep must come first. My managers agree ;-)

Sat., 1/12/08
Ok, well today is the day of the showcase, soundcheck is at 4:30, then a dinner break, then the shows 9pm and 11pm. Off to soundcheck, I'll update you later.

Later 1/12/08
Back from soundcheck, it ran long. We needed longer guitar/keyboard cables, Glenn ran all over to buy that stuff, we improvised a way to make the loop work for my drummer, cause we didn't have the right cables to do it the way Mike does it at home, have to ask him how it does that...anyhow, then the guitar amp died or something, and we switched that ......But: after it was all said and done it sounded really great! Hope for a great crowd. Have a feeling I'll be out late as hell, think I'll update y'all in the morning about the how it goes!

Sun., 1/13/08
Ahh....wow, what a great show we had last nite...it was truly magical. We did a set for a packed room of press and contacts and new fans. The band seemed flawless to me and the crowd response was all that. The synergy in the room was definitely there...all the way! Then my backup band played a set on their own. During their set, Bobby Bandiera showed up because he was in town to perform with Bon Jovi at the Tokyo Dome. He sat in for our last song and our encore of our 2nd set and so did Kyoji Yamamoto and Hal B. Selzer on Bass. We rocked out Bebe Blues and also got asked to do an encore, so we jammed out on Mustang Sally. It was all that. Kong from Tokyo FM was also there and we discussed my interview for the next morning. He got some live quotes from me, and Kyoji and Bobby B. We dropped our stuff off at the hotel and it was out for sushi and sake with the band and team! We ate and drank til 5:00am. I said a tearful farewell to my Japanese band mates. I hope to see them again soon. Now I am preparing for an interview. Kong will come here to my tiny room and we'll all pack in here to do it. I have to clean this place up as I brought 65 lbs of clothes and shoes...that's a lot for this room. I can't find Hal with my breakfast, and BK has my guitar....I have the alternate guitar that Ovation sent here for me....Did I mention Ovation Rocks!!!! They endorse me and I love them. I'll play this one live.....Wait here's BK calling...I'll write again after the interview.

Later 1/13/08
Ok, I did the interview.....I was up til 5:30am drinking sake and then here I was, video camera in my face and two mics held by the guys, one on my guitar and one at my mouth and I sang 15 years and I actually sang it well....unbelievable...hahahaha.. 15 Years is one of the bonus tracks on the Japanese release of 'Paint Your Dreams'. The interview was fun, Kong made it fun. It will be avail online soon, and I'll let y'all know where to find it.
Tonite we'll be going to the Tokyo Dome to See Bon Jovi and hang with those guys for a while.

Mon., 1/14/08
Bon Jovi concert was great! Sold out, I think the Dome holds 60,000 people. Today we'll do lunch with Bobby and then Tim, who works with TKO and his wife Tess will be taking us shopping in Harajuku for some kool fashion.

Later 1/14/08
Well, shopping trip was great fun....kool clothes...Hal found some kooljeans and I found cute tops and legwarmers. Then we went to HMV and one other CD store and the team took pictures of me buying my own CD...it was funny to see the person at the counter's reaction when he realized it was my on the cover of the cd I was buying!!! hahaha We also went to a sushi place where the sushi comes around on a conveyer belt and you pick the plate off of the belt as it rides by your table...hahaha... funny, right?
Tonite, I went out with my 2 managers (just our little family) for a cocktail, or 3....found an isolated place that was dark and secluded. I think we might have ended up at a gay bar, ...not sure....it was just us in there with leopard bar stools and 70 funk music. We walked in and had the place to ourselves, then we danced out and around the corner back here. I'm beat....and I'll crash for just a few hours, then hit the journey home.
We will await the feedback from press and other contacts who attended the showcase. I hope to make a return trip before too long and proceed with promotions and shows. Tokyo was such a great experience. My label TKO (thanks to Glenn and Tim) was great as well as the band, Kyoji and my Managers help was so great. Thanks too to Bobby and the Bon Jovi band for adding to the experience and to all the wonderful gracious people I had the chance to meet there. Peace&Music, Thanks to you, my fans, for your support as always......Lisa

Blues Traveler--Blog
First Entry -  Oct 7, 2007-ish

Hi everybody.

Writing from my third show with Blues Traveler. I'm back stage in North Carolina at the Visulite. My set tonite went really well. Great venue.

The guyz in Blues Traveler are soooo kool and they play amazing shows live Really awesome. Their whole staff is wonderful. Gina is 'da bomb'!! I love being out here with them. The fanz have been great too.

Right now I'm back stage listening to the guyz jam. It's awesome! I think I'm getting adjusted to touring life. i have alot to learn.

Last Wed. I found out that I'd be leaving Friday morning for six weeks. I was really excited but it was also a bit of a shock. I got ready as quickly as I could with the help of my team and out I went. My team back in NJ roxxxxx!

I started by driving down to New Orleans. I loved the HOB New Orleans show. Our first show was 'all that', in my 'second home' city. Great vibe. Packed house. The city's workin' on repairing. Go there. Be part of it's resurgence. That's what it takes.

I lost my car in the parking lot the next day. I had not slept for days before that show. Finally found it and headed to Atlanta, where I flew up to do the 'Backstage with Barry Nolan' Comcast show. Saw the band and the crew. It felt good to be with 'family' again.

TV show seemed to go great. Sound was great on the set. Barry Nolan was nice. We did 3 tunes. 'Along for the Ride', 'Insane' and 'Missed The Ring'. My luggage got lost on the way back from Boston to Atlanta. Also the Flight was 2 hours late. I took care of the situation with the luggage and got my car, drove towards Athens, GA...Came really close to not making the Athens show. But I made it thanks to the B.T. crew and it was great show in a kool College town.

Tomorrow I'm hittin' the Waffle house first thing in the a.m., Lost 5 lbs by accident. Easy to do out here. Busy drivin and jammin' and finding my car....(not to mention the tidal wave that came out of the hotel backroom when i opened the door today after running the bath water for entire duration of my virtual trainer on my dvd player....oops) Then I'll drive toward NJ.

Special thanks to Papa Carl for the guitar I played on the Comcast TV show this week in Boston.

Special thanks to Mike Matisa for the GPS. It has been indispensible.

Special thanks to Hal for hookin' it all up and mowing my lawn and babysitting my Teddy Bear, Bennet and for water my plant Hubert' and for listening to me spaz when I had problems out here on the road with luggage and flights and too much mileage. Special thanks to BK for everything that you do and for helping me with phone calls and making me laugh....you laugh at all my silly jokes and my sick humour....hahaha ...you rock.

Special thanks to Bobcat for bein' there and helping navigate and Speciall thanks to Melster for your support and all while I've been out here.

Thank you, 'rEu for the emails and words that you write...

Thanks to everyone for well wishes. Too many dear people to thank!

If you can make one of the shows, please do and come say hi to me at the merch. booth or something.

You will honestly enjoy Blues Traveler live soooo very much. They are beyond description live. Come see.

Luv y'all,

I'll keep ya posted and as close to being 'Along For The Ride' as I can.

Peace,
Musicallyours,
Lisa

Tues, Oct 16, 2007

Hi Everybody, Just waking up from my nap after getting up really early today to do the 'Good Morning West Virginia' TV show out of Charleston, West Virginia. It went great! Surprised I even remember what happened that early in the a.m. I was up at 5! that's usually a bedtime for me ;-) Played 'A Kiss Is Worth 1,000 Words' live on air and did an interview with the host Patrick.
The ride here from Virginia was long but beautiful. Tonite I wil be performing at the Huntington Music Hall. It was great being back home and performing at the War Memorial in Trenton. Great to see alot of my friends that nite. Blues Traveler asked me to get up and sing 'No Woman No Cry' with them during their set. It was great fun for me. I also performed 'The Joker' with them in Baltimore at the venue in the Inner Harbor the next evening. It was really kool jamming with them. I'm not really feeling as overwhelmed now (knock on wood). I think I'm adjusting as much as one can adjust to such a transient temporary life style.

Before I left again, during my brief visit home, I was sent a brand new ovation guitar. A top of line model which I love playing. My manager worked with Ovation, and they decided to endorse me. I am in my glory as my current ovation desperately needed fret work. It is a beautiful natural wood colour with a body that is a bit thickern than the one I was playing. Yeah Ovation! Love Ovations, I've always played one and will continue to do so!

Things were a breeze in Trenton and Baltimore when I had my team with me. Now I rough it alone! haha. A few things I've learned out here:
1) Vitamin B12 is known to be good for the nervous system, but can have a decided opposited effect when accidentally spilled and crushed inside of a gym bag all over one's gym clothes by the weight of a guitar case in the trunk.
2) Do not syphon gasoline by mouth (thanks to a sign at the Kangaroo gas station on the way to New Orleans)
1) And the ever popular: Don't close the bathroom door in Red Roof while the tub water is running and then proceed to work
out and make business calls.....unless you have packed a reliable flotation device.

More later, my friends, thanks for all of your beautiful emails and all of your continued support! It means alot to me
Peace & Music
Lisa (aka Bebe)

Tues, Oct 23, 2007

Hi All! I'm writing from the backstage area at Mojo Room in Port St. Lucie Florida. It's been quite a week. West Virginia show went great. Seems like a long time ago now! After that show I hit the road for Myrtle Beach. What a great place. Really beautiful and venue was great. I've sold out of the CD's with the current cover. I have some of the old cover left. I await more, when my manager meets up with me in Nashville. I'm glad people are digging the music and picking up the CDs at the shows. I had the chance to get up and sing with John and guyz again at the venue in Jacksonville Beach, FL. We did a version of 'The Joker' It was great fun! I wrote a new song called 'Jump In' that I've been playing at the live shows since I got to Florida. It's a very energetic number! :-) So, when you take a walk in Florida it sounds sometimes like the grass is singing...so many musical bugs, kind of kool. I think I heard them in the key of B the other day.....Orlando venue was a big favourite of mine....House of Blues, right in Downtown Disney. Saw lots of friends there who came to the show, met some new friends. Didn't get to hang out with Mickey himself this time as he was doing his on own gig that nite. Well that brings me back to today. I feel life to the fullest out here in many ways. I have to be alert and on top of things. It pretty much forces one to live in the moment at mostly all times. The times on stage are the times I can get 'lost in the music' and I've always loved that release, that escape to much of what is the true me. I guess we all have that certain something that takes us 'there'. I am feeling like I'm having one of the great experiences of my life and I am appreciative of all of your support in making it happen. Much love, and music......enjoy the Halloween month. Hello to 'home' from me....I miss you all. Luv, Lisa

October 30, 2007

Got into Indiana, Travelling for a few days with Hal, my manager. It is fun to have a 'partner in crime for a while. Indiana is kool. Tripped us up cause we thought it was an hour earlier than home (EST) but surprisingly it's not. We got the chance tonite to see some friends including a musician I worked with sometimes in Jersey who was one of the co-writers on 'Time Song' (not to be mistaken with Christened By The Rain, an early release that is nick named Time Song). His name is Jared Dean. He moved here to Indiana. Kool hangin'with friends. Show was great fun. packed house. October 28, 2007
I am in Nashville for my birthday, having a great time. My managers both flew in to hang out for the show and they had some meetings in town. During my set, Mark from B.T. brought me a cup cake with a candle on stage. It was so kool. Then they guyz invited me to get up and sit in for a tune. Before the song, John Popper sang a bluesy Happy Bday to me a capella, it was a moment to remember. I made some great contacts in Nashville and I'll be flying back at the end of the month for followup meetings. Friday, Oct 26th, 2007
Hi Everybody, thought I'd drop a quick line from Birmingham, AL. in the wee hours on Wed. a.m. I slept then had the whole day to wonder Birmingham. I went to the Art Museum and got a massage, etc. Tonite we're doing a show in Hoover. Then I'll head out toward Arkansas late 2nite. It was kool cause when I got to Birmingham I got stuck on a landing on floor 5 when an elevator broke and I was calling down to the desk, etc. for 30 min. They felt bad so compted my 1st nite and upgraded me to a club suite ....it's been awesome, Kind of made up for the mishap in Jackson FL when my cell phone took a dip in the jacquzzi....One other thing, I did win the football pool I am in with the Blues Traveler crew! it was my first week to play and I won! hands down....beginners luck? we'll see.... :-) It helped with road expenses and I got a big kick out of winning. I heard that John P. announced it on stage too..haha, we'll off to work I go. peace and music!

October 31, 2007

Tonite is Halloween I rolled into St. Louis, MO. Great town. 1st I headed over to the Univ. radio station for a live interview and to play a couple tunes on the air. Then I found my hotel and crashed. Hotel was adorable. Old fashioned style w/a player piano. I found the town quite charming. I am at the club, where we are all having a great time for a Halloween show. I'm wearing leopard cat ears, B.T. has gotten more elaborate with their costume choices. Having a great time. Back in my dressing room now. Set went great and I especially love the venue and the vibe. I started to write a new song called Snapshots of St. Louis here in my dressing room.

Nov 1, 2007

It's time to head back home for a few days of R&R. Then off to new England

Nov 5, 2007

Well I'm in New England for a show in Boston and Connecticut. Colder up here of course But I'm diggin' the vibe

Friday, Nov 9, 2007

New England shows went really good. Kool venues. Friend s from home and people on my team were in CT. Great to hang with all of them. Great little theater venue. Dug it. Jason played guitar with me on in CT. Now I'm in Buffalo. After a day at home I headed out here. Always wanted to visit. It is indeed a town with a kool vibe. Great music scene and enthusiastic fans. I hope to return for a visit again. Luv and music, my friends, /BebeBlue

Nov 10, 2007

Just rolled into the venue parking lot and pulled up to park behind the BT bus. Strange feeling as I might have just drove the last mile solo for this tour. My friend Bobcat came to meet me and help me w/the driving , merch, hotels, etc. for the rest of the tour thru Iowa. His contribution is greatly appreciated. My manager and Jason (who will play guitar with me tonite ) will drive my car back after the show. luv and music, Lisa

Nov, 11, 2007

Show went good last nite in Poughkeepsie. Saw my managers, friends, fanz from NJ came up. Much appreciated. I just woke up out of a deep sleep in my hotel room with the rest of 'Snap shots of St. Louis' ready to be born.
Finished my new song.
I want to perform it in its raw form in Cleveland. I probably will. More soon...peace & music, Lisa

Nov 13, 2007

Did indeed perform the new song in Cleveland. It is a song that allowed me to connect with the audience well. Show was good. A House of Blues, had some interviewers and photographers and a videographer out to the show. The interview will be up on Cleverock.com soon. Got up with Blues Traveller again to jam in Cleveland. Good nite and it will be a mini-(2 day) vaca for us which I'll spend in Chicago with friends. The venue in MI is not ready (recovering from fire damage), so that date was cancelled leaving me an xtra day off. Peace & Music, Happy Nov13th Bday, Tomas back in NJ!

Nov. 16, 2007

Venue in Chicago was kool. Another HOB. Had friends come to see the show. I enjoyed the few days off site seeing in Chicago. Hit a museum/planetarium. Drove part of the way to Minneapolis after the Chicago gig because we had a fairly long haul. Finished up the drive today in time to check in to the hotel, get cleaned up quickly and head to the Minneapolis gig. Writing from backstage. Just finished my show. It was a great crowd. Did a Neil Young tune 'After the Gold Rush' along with songs from 'Paint' Great vibe in the room. Then I got up do a duet on John Lennon's Imagine with John Popper and BT. Really kool. Well, soon, I'll go crash, then head for the Final gig in Iowa tomorrow. Can't believe that Iowa is already quickly approaching. Seems like I remember leaving for New Orleans as if it were yesterday and the long tour and adventure was waiting ahead of me. It has been amazing. But went a bit too fast. I will always remember my first tour and what an amazing experience it has been.

Ride to Iowa was Brown, in a word. Interesting to visit different places. I enjoy the different scenery along the way. Bobcat drove most of the way so I got gaze out the window alot more. Iowa show was a blast. The soundman recorded my performance live and that was surprise for me. Very kool. I got up to sing again at the end with B.T. It was Ben's bday so he was served a bday cake over at the keyboard. We did a version of The Joker, then at the end, B.T. pulled out bottles of silly string and started spraying me and then gave me a bottle. (Seems it's a tradition to turn this loose on an opening act the last nite of their touring together, and I heard that they did this to Sheryl Crow when she was touring w/them and also to other opening acts. I didn't expect it and it was so funny I couldn't stop laughing!) We were all spraying each other and then John P. was spraying the audience. Bobcat got photos and John had silly string on his hat and we all had it everywhere. Then we did shots, ate Bday cake and said farewells. I will be with them again on Dec. 5 at Jenkinson's at the Jersey Shore in Pt. Pleasant. I look forward to that. In the meantime I'll leave this week for Arkansas for some followup TV show appearances and then to Nashville the next week for followup meetings...all stuff that was initiated from the tour. I'll keep ya posted.

Lisa (aka Road Warrior from the 'Insane Tour 2007' signing off for now.

Peace& Music to you and a Happy TGiving to all!