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on April 13
Diane Perry
commented on a projectThanks for the info, Mike. So glad you haven't been bugged with "where is it?" emails, although my backers have been patient too, I get a lot of phone calls from, of course, who else, the close friends and family, asking where the CD is, my mother being the worst offender! Although I look forward the opus, I know how much work it can be. Ars longa, vita brevis! I know it will be a masterpiece, and a treasured resource for thousands, for many years to come. Safe journey, Diane Perry
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on March 4
Diane Perry
Posted project update #13Progress Report on Diane Perry's Debut CD "Out Of My Dreams"
Post CommentHello, and a giant "thank you" to all who contributed to my Kickstarter campaign.
I know you have been chomping at the bit to receive a copy of the new CD, as so many of you have asked about its progress, so I wanted to let you know how much has been going on behind the scenes.
We were all set to start recording last summer, but scheduling conflicts abounded with my bass player, so we had a number of rehearsals with just piano and drums until Marc became available. Sessions began in September, but due to both a death in the family and a damaging mishap in the studio, we didn't finish sessions until a few months after.
I initially planned to record fourteen tunes, expecting to cut the finished CD down to ten. All of the tracks came out great though, so we shall see what happens to all my "children!"
A little editing and much mixing has been happening since, and I believe we are closing in on the final exact sound we want. In addition, I still have hopes to add a little flute line to one of the cuts, my own arrangement of Irving Berlin's "I Got Lost In His Arms." A superb evening at the home of legendary composer David Amram yielded a very exotic-sounding intro to one of the tunes, with me on violin, and David on the chinese wind instrument hulusi. (Bet you never heard of that one before!) Will Galison, the harmonica you hear on Sesame Street, graciously added his fantastic touch to my original blues tune "The Committee."
In the meantime, I have been performing, both as Diane Perry and as part of other groups, and the band and I had a chance to try out all of the CD material at a wonderful pre-release concert at the Mahwah Library, where the audience was marvelously receptive, supportive, (many pre-ordered the CD) AND standing-room only! (Thanks to Denise Laude, for her wonderful promotion efforts there.)
I also have produced a special Pre-Release CD Preview, made especially for you Kickstarter contributers, and want to share it with as soon as possible. As I would be asking you soon for contact info since many of you have requested the CD or other gifts with your contribution, I will be making a kickstarter questionnaire designed to get address and other information from you, so look for it in your email box.
The preview contains a total of five tracks: three standards and two of my original songs, and I hope you enjoy it. Only 130 copies were made, and will only be shared with those who contributed to the making of the CD or people who have pre-ordered it. The rest will be used for booking and promotional purposes, so if you have any venue you think I should approach about a "Diane Perry" show, please let me know!
Here's the current list of personnel for the disc, which is now entitled "Out Of My Dreams", after the lovely Rodgers and Hammerstein tune from "Oklahoma":
Diane Perry, violin and vocals
Ted Brancato, Piano
Marc Schmied, Bass
Don Williams, Drums
Special guests: David Amram, Hulusi, and Will Galison, Blues Harp
We have two concerts confirmed now, one at the Carlstadt Library Wednesday, May 2nd at 7, and one where it all began, at the Folk Project's Minstrel Concert Series, in Morristown, NJ, Friday, June 15th, at 8.
We'd love to set up a tour and are hoping to book some performances in states surrounding our native NY and NJ, and also hoping to head in the direction of Nashville, where I made some wonderful contacts a few months ago on my scouting trip.
I am currently shopping around for the right press person, and have already found the BEST person for Radio Promotion: Neal Sapper, from New World 'N Jazz Promotion, and all kinds of good things are underway, so stay tuned!
Thanks!
Diane Perry
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on May 3, 2011Funded!
Song Contest & Romantic Jazz CD by Violin/Vocals Diane Perry by Diane Perry
Classically trained jazz violinist-vocalist Diane Perry makes romantic debut CD & hosts songwriting contest. Listen and fall in love!
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102% funded $2,454 pledged
- 24 backers
- Funded May 03, 2011
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on May 2, 2011
Diane Perry
Posted project update #12THANK YOU BACKERS! MINIMUM FUNDING GOAL IS REACHED!
Post CommentI do not have words to describe my feelings today, my heart is so full I can barely stand it. Certainly I am terribly grateful to the generous and thoughtful backers who answered the call.
I promise this will be an incredible recording that you will be proud to have been a part of.
Thank you all so very, very much.
Diane Perry
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on April 23, 2011
Diane Perry
Posted project update #11Rare Sinatra Tune Revealed!
Post CommentHey there! Long time no postings, right!
Well, if you have checked this out, and have not become a backer, I hope this will get you off the fence. Please support the project, at just a dollar, since that is the minimum, so I know you exist! You will get some very special extras when you do, including access to the backers-only postings, which will continue after the project has launched. ($1055 to go and only ten days!)
Here is some footage of me introducing the special song at my show where John Colianni and I perform it for the very first time.
Do YOU know what tune it is?
Follow me on Twitter, if you're into that sort of thing! I am DianePerryJazz there. Also, feel free to check out the website at dianeperryjazz.com It has been at a little bit of a standstill lately, but the free download song will be changed in a couple days, so get your freebies by using the contact link on the site!
And thanks for visiting. Please tell others about it, so they can watch the videos and get excited too! And don't forget to send me your song lyrics and/or music for the contest! I can't wait to get my hands on what you've got!
Diane Perry
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on April 23, 2011
Diane Perry
Posted project update #10A Sweet (And Rare) Sinatra Song Surprise - Do YOU Know What Tune It Is?
For backers only
Post Comment
If you’re a backer of this project, please
log in
to read this post.
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on April 23, 2011
Diane Perry
Posted project update #9A little something extra with Someone To Watch Over Me
Post CommentHere's proof that when you are a jazz musician, sometimes you gotta go with the flow. I have a version of this clip without the extra little incident at the beginning, but I thought you'd enjoy seeing what can happen at a live show! I will eventually post this to YouTube without the bit at the top. Just a little inside joke to all of you.
By the way, I have performed this tune many times with Barry Wahrhaftig's wonderful group, The Hot Club of Philadelphia, and it always brings the house down. Great guitarist, leader and musician, a great band, sweet CD and a heck of a nice guy to boot. Check his work out, you will love it! People go crazy for his particular brand of Gypsy Jazz and I enjoy being a part of it so much.
Diane Perry
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on April 23, 2011
Diane Perry
Posted project update #8Guess Who I Saw Today - Nancy Wilson, Carmen McRae, and now...ME!
Post CommentWhat a great song! Listen carefully if you haven't heard it before, with a song like this you only get to be surprised once!
I couldn't decide if it should be posted to backers only or not...hope you think I made the right decision.
Enjoy!
Diane Perry
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on April 23, 2011
Diane Perry
Posted project update #7That was an excerpt from Summertime. Here's Star Dust!
Post CommentOops! I erroneously mentioned in the last update that Summertime had been posted on YouTube. My mistake. It was actually this cut, Star Dust, that was posted previously on YouTube.
Although it ended up very different than on my demo, I think it is absolutely beautiful, if I do say so myself. Some really nice moments, with John Colianni on the piano. (Off-screen, unfortunately.)
More coming in minutes!
By the way, in my last update, I mentioned a few artists whose first efforts were self-produced. Well, this year's Grammy Jazz Nominees were heavily laden with artist-produced works, as it has for years. It's just the way it's done now.
Enjoy!
Diane Perry
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on April 23, 2011
Diane Perry
Posted project update #6CONCERT FOOTAGE HERE - See me in action!
Post CommentWell, here it is at last...I do hope you will enjoy these live performances. Except for footage of Summertime, which was previously posted in full on YouTube by my friend Frank Sole who shot the video, they have not been posted anywhere else.
I am especially happy about the "rare Sinatra song surprise". The story goes that Frank Sinatra recorded this song after hearing it on a live radio program with Bing Crosby, and it was only released on one short-lived LP, I believe it was then taken off. Although beautiful, to my knowledge no one else has ever recorded the song, and it is rarely heard.
If you know the song, you are a real Sinatra nut, like me! Special thanks to Jonathan Schwartz, the wonderful radio personality, high priest of the American Popular Songbook, and son of legendary songwriter Arthur Schwartz (who wrote I See Your Face Before Me, featured in Bridges of Madison County, among others, and of songwriting team Deitz and Schwartz, etc.) for playing this on a Sinatra A-Z program all those years ago, which inspired my search for the song. I shall never forget it.
I am posting some of the performances for all to enjoy, and some just for backers only. Please help me reach out to the public by placing a link on your FaceBook page or Tweeting about the project, the videos, and the songwriting contest, and letting your friends, family, and co-workers know.
If I can just get more people aware of the project, I am sure it will be a success. Without more backers, those of you who have pledged so far will have supported this effort in vain. If the goal is not reached, your accounts will not be charged, and I will not get the much-needed funds.
For this reason, in case some of you are on the fence, I have decided the Sinatra tune video, and a few others, will be for backers only.
And remember, although you must sign up to Kickstarter in order to be a backer, and pay through Amazon, you can do so for as low as a single dollar. You can also choose to not be contacted in your Kickstarter account settings if you are worried about junk email, but really, it is a very highly regarded site. Most importantly, by signing on and backing this project, you will let me know that you are out there and enjoy this music.
I know there are so very many of you.
Just look at how Casey Abrams, perhaps the first American Idol contestant to play and sing in the jazz style, is getting standing ovations for his renditions of great standards.
Jamie Cullum, Diana Krall, Harry Connick, Michael Buble, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Kurt Elling, and gosh, so many other wonderful artists are reaching huge audiences, introducing younger folks to the standards that others have known for decades, and reinterpreting them. Even rock and pop stars Rod Stewart, Brian Setzer, R&B artist Roberta Flack, and the queen of soul, Aretha Franklin have recordings of standards.
And there are so many beautiful songs to do. I am still planning the repertoire for the new recording sessions. Probably some of your old favorites (feel free to suggest one or two to me) and a few that I hope will be new favorites, as well.
By the way, both Jamie Cullum's and Michael Buble's first albums were independently sef-produced, too. And Kurt Elling's self-produced demo landed him on Blue Note Records.
Thanks for coming to my aid, and enjoy the music!
Diane Perry
Diane Perry
Union, NJ
Diane Perry has been perfecting her unique style on jazz violin for twenty years. Utilizing the impressive technique on her instrument she cultivated during her classical Juilliard training, she incorporates the lilt of Stephane Grappelli, the blu... view more
