Quick Reminder about Song Circle 5/1/2017

Hello all,

Tonight at 6:30pm at Federated Church.
400 West Aspen Ave
In room 24.
We may be moving rooms but there will be a sign posted if we do.

Quick Reminder about Song Circle Tonight 4/10/2017

Hello all,

6:30pm
Flagstaff Federated Community Church
400 West Aspen Ave (Room 24) Upstairs
Bring a mug and a new song!

Ryan Biter

Our Next Song Circle 3/13/2017

Last Month 
We met at Flagstaff Federated Church.
We had 5 songwriters in attendance. It was a great evening. We established rules, drank tea, shared songs, gave feedback,  discussed song writing philosophy, and explored some techniques for modulating.

Assignment 
Part of our format I wanted to encourage was writing assignments.  The parameters are loose so that you can take some license. They are a means of making you explore something new.  As songwriters it is important we are always writing to hone our craft. Not everything has to be gold!

Use the following chords
Progression: I- vi- iv-  V(7)

You are welcome to put this in different keys to suit your voice/style. Have fun and use the rules to guide you!

In C 
C-am-fm-G7    or     C-am-Fmaj- G7
In G 
G -em- cm-- D7   or  G-em-Cmaj- G7

Titles you can use 
-These Highway Lights
-Not in Nashville

I encourage you all to give it a go!

Next Song Circle 3/13/2017
Flagstaff School of Music (Tentative)
2213 E 7th Ave, Flagstaff, AZ 86004
Time: 6:30pm
Bring a mug for Tea!

Warmly,

Ryan Biter

 

Flagstaff Song Circle 2/6/2017

Hello Song Writers,

Venue Info 
I wanted to check in and give everyone an update. I have been scrambling around trying to find a venue to host us. I consulted with several other members of The Song Circle and the consensus was that even though Bookmans had been gracious in hosting us in the past and was willing to do so again, it was a less than ideal setting.
Finding a space that is  free for us to use, provides ample parking, and has enough space is difficult.
For our first meeting I have managed to get us a meeting room at Flagstaff Federated Community Church in Downtown Flagstaff . I know some of you may have reservations about meeting at a Church and I respect that. If you are someone who has those reservations feel free to voice that. I want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable.
The room we would be using is comfy with couches and lots of chairs. It is upstairs so if that is an issue for anyone please let me know ASAP.

I will have hot water and assortment of tea (Please bring your own mug).

Bring your Instrument!
Warmly,
Ryan Biter 

Monday February 6th, 2017
Time: 6:30pm
Location: Flagstaff Federated Community Church (Room 24)
400 West Aspen Ave, Flagstaff Arizona 

Time For The Circle to Be Unbroken!

Hello Song Writers,

It has been quite a long time since we have got together to share songs.  A lot has happened since the last time we gathered. Ted moved, some of us developed a case of writers block,  others could not stop writing and had to get help,  some of us forgot how to use all 4 chords, and I suspect a few of us gave up on ever using the word orange in a song.

Its time to reunite!

Its time to dust off our guitars, mandolins, and ukes. It is time to rise up in one voice and proclaim we are songwriters!

Warmly,
Ryan Biter

Monday February 6th, 2017
Time: 6:30pm
Location: TBA

Hibernating, Ruminating, Hesitating -- Still Creating

The Flagstaff Song Circle is on hiatus for now.

The most dedicated songwriters in our circle are preoccupied with other endeavors.

Sherrill is brewing beer. Jim is agitating. I am in Madagascar. But we are all still making music, the songs just ruminate a little more slowly and compete with other activities for our attention.

Revealed: Where songs come from.
Image: Pearson Scott Foresman
Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

There is thought of finding some fresh blood for the song circle, or even finding a caretaker to run it.

Want to be notified when we jumpstart the song circle? Sign up for the mailing list.

Want to help jumpstart the song circle? Contact us on Facebook.

Back to Bookman's! Leave your Chestnuts at Home

The Song Circle will be resuming after a hiatus of more than seven months to...

 
What the hell happened? You may ask.

Here's the short version:

We loved Bookman's, but we decided we needed to start seeing other venues.

We played the field for awhile, but settled on The Weatherford Hotel, because of its cozy mezzanine sandwiched between two bars: Charly's downstairs and The Zane Grey Lounge upstairs. The convenient downtown location worked.

Then something disastrous happened -- or wonderful, if you are a hotel trying to make a profit. Monday Blues Night became a hit, but made holding a Song Circle difficult. For awhile we were able to move up to a side room off the Zane Grey lounge, but only when that room wasn't reserved for a paying customer.

Could we have paid for the use of that room? Certainly. But it was hard enough encouraging the cheap-ass songwriters to buy a beer from the bar 20 steps away.

The song circle became homeless. I held one or two meetings at my house, but only the diehards came -- including Sherrill Kennelly who told me that we had to find a public place, a familiar place, a place that people could find from memory; without directions. She was right.

So for months I inquired, did reconnaissance, and asked around. Then I got word that Bookman's might take us back -- would take us back. I just needed to get through to the right person; the one with the calendar and a pencil in hand. That took a few more months. Until yesterday, in fact.

Thank you, Desiree.

So, songwriters, let's begin anew. Bring your new song, your in-progress song, your under-renovation song. Leave your chestnuts at home, but bring a couple bucks for a coffee drink. The Flagstaff Song Circle is back on!

To be without a home / Like a complete unknown

The Flagstaff Song Circle has not yet achieved the inevitable prestige and success that allows us to throw our weight around with the entitled ego of rock stars. Last month the Hotel Weatherford had a paying client reserve the Zane Grey Ballroom.

And since we can't yet simply demand any venue we like on the spot, we had to scramble to find an alternate venue. What we found was Flagstaff's Heritage Square.

Chuck Cheesman performs "King of the One Horse Town"
for a circle of homeless songwriters.

It wasn't that bad. Really. It wasn't.

This month's Song Circle is roughly on the 46th anniversary of the release of "Like a Rolling Stone," Bob Dyan's classic song of a comeuppance, where the target of the song, Miss Lonely, "has fallen from grace and is reduced to fending for herself in a hostile, unfamiliar world."

Seriously, it wasn't that bad.

But this month I've confirmed that the Zane Grey Ballroom is available.

ABACAB (+ tag)

Friends,

Friday night I played a gig with a singer/songwriter named Jennifer Sluder. "Jenne" has been driving around the country in an old sub-compact car with her Yamaha guitar, a PA, and her solo acoustic CDs. I've run into a lot of people at gigs over the years. Many are very good. Most are long forgotten. Jenne is memorable. She writes simple songs that reminded me that my favorite songs have always come from places of hurt and hope. You can download her songs from her website and from Apple iTunes. I highly recommend "Song for Sarah". The way I figure it (depending on gas mileage) every download gets a deserving songwriter another ten miles or so down the road.

For those of you looking for a venue to try out your songs on a new audience, contact Fiddlers Dream in Phoenix. "Fids" usually hosts a Thursday night open mic, and they generally book two or three acts on weekend evenings. It's a completely unplugged, alcohol-free room. Attendance is sometimes sparse, but the folks who come out are a listening audience.

I met the duo JC & Lany at a radio show yesterday. J.C. writes folk/pop love songs. What this duo have going on vocally makes them special. With a background singing in hard working classic rock cover bands, Lany has Pipes with a capital "P". Timid types (like me) should take note of their swagger when they perform. They just go for it.

Go for it. We've been meeting once a month for a while now, and some of our songwriters have built up an impressive collection of their own songs. Consider that chefs don't aspire to cook for other chefs. Song circle is a nice, safe environment. Looking around the circle, I see more than a few people who are ready to face the dangers of playing to a real audience. There's no substitute for a real gig, and there is nothing quite like gigging to help you grow as a writer/performer. But I digress...

Also guesting on that radio show, JD Stooks was introduced as something of a punk rocker. I got a surprise when the first track started playing. This guy has a sound that'll make any recording artist a bit jealous. Think acoustic guitars surrounded by swirling pedal steel, synth, and moody drums. One of the fringe benefits of gigging with other artists is swapping CDs. I listened to JD's new single "Maker's Mark" and his full length album "Women and Gold" driving back up the mountain last night. Awesome stuff. Also available on CDBABY and iTunes.

And speaking of that radio show, a very different opportunity for performance exists at Erich Sielaff's Arizona Music Cafe on KKNT AM 960. Yes it's a conservative talk station, but Erich runs the show with a no "pee pee" rule - no profanity and no politics. If you're bringing your axe to play and leaving behind your axe to grind, even the most liberal performer (like me) should feel comfortable. Erich sticks to the music and makes your visit a pleasure. Check it out.

Now, why did I title this ABACAB (+ tag)? Was I paying tribute to Genesis? Or is there something else at work here?

Cheers,
Chuck Cheesman

Chuck Cheesman has a new CD called Imagining Dancers.

The Mezannine Runneth Over

For the first time ever, men folk were outnumbered at the song circle.

Some might say it was a confluence of several factors: A low turnout of men, our two reliable women, recruitment by Kate, or a scheduling snafu.* But I know it was the raw magnetism of Neil Diamond. I'm a believer.

Sara, Michelle, Sophia, Sherrill, and Kate
(Not pictured: Jim and myself)

Everyone brought new, wonderful, original songs.

We had an audience of one. Tom from Tempe was in the right place at the right time, minding his own business in the Mezannine when I arrived and told him that some songwriters were about to intrude on his solitude. He enjoyed it so much that he stayed until the end, and asked to be put on our mailing list.

I look forward to seeing these newcomers again.

*About that snafu: It turns out that the 24th wasn't the last Monday of the month after all. As Edith Piaf would say, "Je ne regrette rien."

Neil Diamond's Birthday

This month's song circle falls on Neil Diamond's birthday: January 24th.

I won't attach any cosmic weight to that coincidence. In fact, I don't even like Neil Diamond very much. But for more than 20 years, I've looked at my indifference as a personal failing.

The album with which I'm most familiar is the soundtrack to Jonathan Livingston Seagull. I received it for Christmas or a birthday when I was about 11 years old. I could probably still hum a few tunes from memory.

When I was about 20, I was pretty smug about my musical tastes. (Like I said, I was about 20.) I was working at a strip mall pizza restaurant in Glendale, AZ. It was called Best Bite. One slow night this high school kid came in bent my ear for at least an hour telling me about how awesome Neil Diamond is.

He was so earnest. He wore me down. I have not been able to be as dismissive of Neil Diamond since that night--almost 30 years ago. And for almost 30 years, I've had the very low-priority intention to investigate what the fuss is all about.

I don't think I'll get to it by Monday.

But I've dug up some quotes attributed to Neil Diamond on songwriting for inspiration:

All the sparkly shirts and the stage trappings - that's just the performer, the public me, ... Songwriting is the hardest and most personal thing I do. When I'm writing, I'll go into the studio at six in the morning and stay until after dark, including weekends.

After four years of Freudian analysis I realized I had written Solitary Man about myself.

When I first started, I worked with three chords in every bar, but I found that tied me down - I'm not a chord-change writer, I'm a songwriter.

There's a mystery to writing, and you don't really know where most of it comes from.

The main objective in any song, the songs that I write, has always been that it reflect the way I feel, that it touch me when I'm finished with it, that it moves me, that it can take me along with it and involve me in what its saying.

Songwriting is the only real discipline I've had in my whole life-thats why I hate it so much; I don't like imposing that kind of discipline on myself, but it has to be.

Performing is the easiest part of what I do, and songwriting is the hardest.

I was always interested in science, and pre-med was a respectable thing to do while I pursued my songwriting.

Christmas Morning Sunrise

There will be no regular Song Circle meeting this month.

However, here's a Christmas gift from member Irl Wilson; a song he presented at our November meeting.

I don't know how many Song Circle members identify as Christians, but I think we know good song when we hear one.

Christmas Morning Sunrise
Irl Wilson © 2009

The first light in that eastern dawn shone on the world with bitter scorn.
People felt his heavy hand as mighty Caesar taxed the land.
Then Joseph went to Bethlehem with Mary by his side, and she with child
And in the manger where He went, watching was the angel sent.

Alleluia... alleluia.. alleluia... Christ is born.

As shepherds tended flocks by night ,the angel came in a heavenly light
"Do not fear for unto you, is born this day a savior who is Christ, the Lord."
Suddenly a multitude; a heavenly host were singing praise.
"Glory be to God on high, peace on earth good will to men."

Alleluia... alleluia... alleluia... Christ is born.

See you all next year.

Embrace the Stupid

One of my new songwriting principles is, "Embrace the stupid."

Many of the songs that I've written that give me the most satisfaction are ones that began life as throwaway ideas. "This is going to be stupid," I say to myself, "but I'll just spit this out, and maybe it'll prime the pump."

One of these songs was Cleanup Man. If you've attended the song circle regularly, you heard this song after I'd put about 15 minutes into it before one of our meetings. I just didn't want to show up empty handed again. The song got under my skin, and I ended up putting in a lot more time into the arrangement (and a little more time into the lyrics).

This is how it turned out:

The point here is not to pimp my own song. It turned out better than I expected, but I don't expect you to agree.

Actually, this is an overly-long introduction to this recent article by Derek Sivers, the founder of CD Baby:

Obvious to you. Amazing to others.

2010-11-21

Any creator of anything knows this feeling:

You experience someone else's innovative work. It's beautiful, brilliant, breath-taking. You're stunned.

Their ideas are unexpected and surprising, but perfect.

You think, “I never would have thought of that. How do they even come up with that? It's genius!”

Afterwards, you think, “My ideas are so obvious. I'll never be as inventive as that.”

I get this feeling often. Amazing books, music, movies, or even amazing conversations. I'm in awe at how the creator thinks like that. I'm humbled.


But I continue to do my work. I tell my little tales. I share my point of view. Nothing spectacular. Just my ordinary thoughts.

One day someone emailed me and said, “I never would have thought of that. How did you even come up with that? It's genius!”

Of course I disagreed, and explained why it was nothing special.

But afterwards, I realized something surprisingly profound:

Everybody's ideas seem obvious to them.


I'll bet even John Coltrane or Richard Feynman felt that everything they were playing or saying was pretty obvious.

So maybe what's obvious to me is amazing to someone else?

Hit songwriters, in interviews, often admit that their most successful hit song was one they thought was just stupid, even not worth recording.


We're clearly a bad judge of our own creations. We should just put it out and let the world decide.

Are you holding back something that seems too obvious to share?

Thanksgiving Songs

When I think of Thanksgiving songs, two come to mind with contrasting views of what it's like to spend a holiday surrounded by family.

Hazel's House by Richard Shindell
I couldn't find Shindell's version, but this guy does a good job:


I especially love the verse:

And no one seems to know that this is heaven
They say we only know it by and by
That someday all will be revealed
Well, here it is.

I think of a long string of Thanksgivings spent with my Aunt Bev, at her suburban home in Mesa, Arizona--a far cry from the rural New Jersey scene painted in Shindell's lyrics, but that's hardly the point. Looking back, it seemed to me that "the order of the universe" involved getting together with all of those people every year.

Covert War by David Wilcox
This is the actual David Wilcox song accompanied by a bizarre slide show. It's best if you just don't watch, at least the first time through.


Ouch:

Holy days they bring us all together
After so much left unsaid
You taught us well not to kick under the table
Kick under your breath instead

I'm glad Wilcox didn't leave that one on the therapist's the couch. It's got everything: love, pain, anger. Happy Holidays!

What songs come to your mind when you think of Thanksgiving?

The Other Side of the Fence

At our last meeting, we asked if Sherrill Kennelly would share her lyrics to her song The Other Side of the Fence, and she graciously agreed. But that wasn't good enough for me. I invited her over tonight and record the song. Give it a listen, and let us know what you think. Is she channeling Woody Guthrie?

The Other Side of the Fence
By Sherrill Kennelly © 2010

It’s a dry hate risin' from her ash.
The phoenix sings to pierce the heart of man.
Flames rise up between. Disease our minds and add to misery.
Cortez, he’s back to conquer. It’s ancient history.
At heaven’s gate, there’s a key reserved for the homeland refugee.

The other side of the fence.
The other side of hate.
There’s a key at heaven's gate
For those who died along the way.

Jesus, He walked on the water.
Our neighbors, they walk across need.
Illusions of the truth, conscience clean, will leave a man to bleed.
Drug smugglers, miracles, and martyrs. Traffickers and folkloric ballet.
Illegal immigrants, cultured indigenous. “Go back home” rhetoric of today.

The other side of the fence.
The other side of heresy.
At heaven’s gate there’s a special key
For the homeland refugee.

Clutch tight, you, to your holy grail, you on the right side of fate.
It’s just a fence between, it separates the truth from cliche.
Apple pie thick as hate, they serve at the Minute Man Cafe.
On the wall a target silhouette, of an outlaw they have named Jose.

The other side of the fence.
The other side of heresy.
At heaven’s gate there’s a special key
For the homeland refugee.

The other side of the fence.
The other side of hate.
There’s a key at heaven's gate
For those who died along the way.

There’s a key at heaven's gate
For those who died for the American way.

Too fat, fat you must cut lean...

From Super Bon Bon by Soul Coughing:

Too fat, fat you must cut lean.
You got to take the elevator to the mezzanine,
Chump change, and it's on, super bon bon
Super bon bon, Super bon bon.

This is the only song I can think of that uses the word "mezzanine."

At 7:30 PM this Monday, our song circle will be meeting at my personal favorite song circle location: The mezzanine level of the Hotel Weatherford. There are great acoustics in that room. (By "great acoustics" I mean "beer." By "in that room" I mean,  "just upstairs in the Zane Grey Ballroom."

The lyrics offer good songwriting advice:

"Too fat, fat you must cut lean." Say what needs to be said, and no more.

"You got to take the elevator to the mezzanine." Bring your song to the mezzanine. However, there is no elevator. Take the stairs.

Now enjoy the song. Heads up, folkies, avant garde hip hop ahead:

Five Books About Songwriting

Over at Songwriting Scene, Sharon Goldman has compiled a short list of books about songwriting. They seem like good resources.

These five books are ones I’ve either read myself or have been meaning to read, since they’ve been recommended by other songwriters I respect and admire.

 5 Books About Songwriting

Timeless vs. Timely

Like most songwriters, I can name a few songs that I think represent the absolute best of the best. Willie Nelson’s “Crazy” and John Lennon’s “Imagine” jump to mind immediately and probably need no explanation. A bit more obscure, I often call Michael Smith’s “The Dutchman” my favorite song. It is a simply perfect narrative about age and love. Finally, the clarity with which Jackson Browne expresses his feelings upon the death of a loved one in “For a Dancer” makes it my ultimate meaning of life song.

It strikes me that the quality each of these songs shares is timelessness, and I suppose it is no surprise that examples of the very best of the best happen to have a universal quality that allows them to transcend the time in which they were written. In a recent interview for Acoustic Guitar magazine, songwriter Jakob Dylan discussed how important it was to him to write these kinds of songs - so much so that he won’t even attempt to write about certain topics. When I read that I recognized a bit of myself. I’ve been trying to write my version of “Imagine” or “Crazy” ever since I started doing this.

There is nothing wrong with that. Trying to write a memorable, timeless song is a noble goal. But I also have started to see that I’ve been missing something important. Life isn’t timeless. Life is immediate.

A songwriter who clearly understood this, Steve Goodman, is author of a number of timeless classics including “City of New Orleans” - a song made famous by Arlo Guthrie. Goodman wrote timeless songs for sure, but he also wrote stacks of timely topical songs. On the funny end of the spectrum, Goodman wrote and performed songs with titles like “Vegematic”, “Chicken Cordon Blues”, “A Dying Cubs Fan’s Last Request”, and “Lincoln Park Pirates”. Of the serious topical songs, “The Ballad of Penny Evans” stands out as an especially powerful commentary on the human price of the Vietnam War. Topical songs were often collaborations for Goodman, whose writing partners included Jimmy Buffet, John Prine, and Michael Smith.

In revisiting Goodman’s work, it hit me that I’ve been guilty of limiting myself. I’ve been allowing myself to do only one thing, when in fact I should be doing many things. There is an immediacy to topical songs, and certainly they have a usefulness when performing in public. We live in the now, and maybe it is as important to capture that as it is the capture the timeless or universal.

So, if you’re stuck in a rut this month, looking for a timely topic is one possible solution. Take a cue from Steve Goodman. A song can be about anything.





I'll be the featured performer at the Flagstaff Folk Project next Friday, September 17th. There is an open mic to begin the evening, and you're welcome to bring a song. I hope to see you there!

- Chuck Cheesman

Tips for Songwriters from a Vocal Coach

I have no confidence in my voice. You'd think I'd stress about it before presenting a new song, but I don't. Apparently I should.

 Here are some tips from Songwriters: Pump up your vocals! A Q&A with vocal coach Siobhan Quinn

1. Start your day by stretching (yoga’s great!) and vocalizations (no words, start with humming. It’s the  best simple thing you can do, gently running slides through your entire vocal range)
2. Hydrate with room temperature water — no ice! — and clear liquids (not soda) throughout the day
3. Watch your food intake, make sure you get protein.
4. Warm up your voice thoroughly.
5. At the gig– get some room temperature water for the stage, stretch again (you’ve just lugged in your equipment), vocalize again a little so your voice gets used to the microclimate you’ll be in.
6. Enjoy yourself!  Try to sing with as little stress in your body as possible and don’t concentrate on your vocal technique at a gig…that’s for your home studio…concentrate on the emotional meaning of your songs.

Resolved: The next song circle meeting will begin with 15 minutes of yoga. Or not.

The August Song Circle will be held at Flagstaff School of Music

Terry Alan has offered to host the August song circle at his school, the Flagstaff School of Music.

Click the "Directions" link in the map below if you don't know your way.


View Larger Map

Subscribe to our list to get a reminder as the date approaches.