The Other Jennifer Kimball!
Saturday, August 1, 1998
It's true. There are actually two of us -TWO Jennifer Kimballs writing songs, singing and generally carrying on in the music biz here! The other Jennifer Kimball is a fabulous songwriter, has a great publishing deal with EMI, writes hit songs that all kinds of people, from Linda Ronstadt to All-4-One, have recorded and she lives in Nashville! We finally met about two years ago when I was invited to an in-the-round thing at the Bluebird by my good friend Larry John McNally. Jennifer and I joke about co-writing a song someday - it might create more confusion than clarity but it would certainly be big fun.
NEWS
Most of the Fall touring will be solo! Which I love! After so much studio work and so many great shows with other musicians, it's always fun to get back to the way the songs were written in the first place. But biggest fun for me, however, will be these Lilith dates this week where I get to play with Paul Bryan on the bass; and the Gavin radio convention in Boulder where Ben Wittman and Marc Shulman will be flying out from NYC to join me and Paul. And we are hoping Lucy Kaplansky will get down from the Rocky Mtn. Folks Fest where she is performing, to sing with us. Lucy and I sing with each other as often as we can - and it's always amazingly fun for me.
I played on ETOWN in July - the other guest was Marc Cohn, who was wonderful, a total pro. Etown gets broadcast nationally on NPR affiliate stations - you can look it up your local broadcast time/date at: www.etown.org
NPR is truly a godsend on the road - AND at home. Ready for me on my soapbox? No, only a brief tirade. And not even an articulate one. Radio in general sucks. It has become like so many other co-opted, interesting original ideas, a shadow of itself, as it flattens out to fit a corporate vision. Music programming has gotten so narrow, so boring. Unfortunately the way things are set up - there are very few alternatives to mainstream radio stations. So support your local programmers, local music shows, talk shows, whatever you can. It's worth it.
COMPILATIONS
Well, there are two that we know of: an ASCAP compilation of lots of different kinds of writers who are affiliated with ASCAP called "The Ear." It comes out in September and I have no idea where you can get one.
And, a local compilation record which is a benefit for a local Battered Women's Shelter and Resource Center called "Respond." All kinds of great local girl artists are included here; Catie Curtis among them.
STORY WEB PAGE
Yes, well, there isn't one. So I am working on one. It will be simple. But it will have some cool stuff on it. Jonatha and I started singing together in 1981 so there is a hilarious archive of photos and cassettes. And, yes, there is a web page for "Jonatha Brooke and the Story" but that doesn't count. "The Story" was the two of us. So don't email me about that. I already know.
THANK YOU
Not enough time and space in the world to thank every one I want to. But for starters, I wish to acknowledge some of the encouragement I have received in the last few years, and the grace with which it was given.
to Patty Larkin, who asked me to go on tour with her in the Fall of 1995, barely a year after I had quit the Story. She not only had me sing harmony vocals as on the record, along with some of John Leventhal's guitar parts, but she got me to play keyboards and tiple. A first for me for both. It had been years since I'd played anything on stage. Much less in a band, on a national tour. I have loved singing with Patty so much over the years - and one of my favorite projects of late is the work I did on Perishable Fruit. This Fall there are a bunch of dates where I open for Pat. I am so thrilled.
to Carrie Newcomer, who took it a step further for me and invited me to sing in her band on her Fall 1996 tour. Somehow, she gave me her guitar in the middle of her show - every night - and shoved me into center stage to play three of my songs with her band. It was another step in the right direction. And by her generousity I am awed and more appreciative than I can say.
to Larry John McNally for inviting me to play a dozen and more gigs with him kind of as a duo. And for listening to my songs, still unformed. A master songwriter, and a brilliant guitar player, LJM has had his songs covered by many great performers, including, among others, Bonnie Raitt. One of the only places you can get his CDs is on line at the Folkweb store. You should do that. I've been to Nashville twice to play with him, in the round, at the Bluebird. Go to his website....
to Flip Scipio, who is a nut. And such a great guy, and indeed, a luthier, guitar-repair god, and general jokester, for being who he is. For introducing me to Larry John, for pushing me forward into the world of amplified acoustic guitar, amplified ukelele, and amplified strumstick. Actually, thanks go to TJ Thompson in Concord, MA about whom all of the above also applies, for the strumstick surgery. Yes, the top had to come off to get the pickup in there. Big thanks to Alisa Scipio, who is also on the Scipio website, for good laughs, mouth-watering dinners, and the open invitation. Go to the website - and go to Scipio Guitars, real world of Staten Island, NYC, for a good time.
to everyone who has asked me to sing - live, or on record over the last couple of years. Especially Lucy, Catie and Barbara, whose friendship I cherish.
NEWS
Most of the Fall touring will be solo! Which I love! After so much studio work and so many great shows with other musicians, it's always fun to get back to the way the songs were written in the first place. But biggest fun for me, however, will be these Lilith dates this week where I get to play with Paul Bryan on the bass; and the Gavin radio convention in Boulder where Ben Wittman and Marc Shulman will be flying out from NYC to join me and Paul. And we are hoping Lucy Kaplansky will get down from the Rocky Mtn. Folks Fest where she is performing, to sing with us. Lucy and I sing with each other as often as we can - and it's always amazingly fun for me.
I played on ETOWN in July - the other guest was Marc Cohn, who was wonderful, a total pro. Etown gets broadcast nationally on NPR affiliate stations - you can look it up your local broadcast time/date at: www.etown.org
NPR is truly a godsend on the road - AND at home. Ready for me on my soapbox? No, only a brief tirade. And not even an articulate one. Radio in general sucks. It has become like so many other co-opted, interesting original ideas, a shadow of itself, as it flattens out to fit a corporate vision. Music programming has gotten so narrow, so boring. Unfortunately the way things are set up - there are very few alternatives to mainstream radio stations. So support your local programmers, local music shows, talk shows, whatever you can. It's worth it.
COMPILATIONS
Well, there are two that we know of: an ASCAP compilation of lots of different kinds of writers who are affiliated with ASCAP called "The Ear." It comes out in September and I have no idea where you can get one.
And, a local compilation record which is a benefit for a local Battered Women's Shelter and Resource Center called "Respond." All kinds of great local girl artists are included here; Catie Curtis among them.
STORY WEB PAGE
Yes, well, there isn't one. So I am working on one. It will be simple. But it will have some cool stuff on it. Jonatha and I started singing together in 1981 so there is a hilarious archive of photos and cassettes. And, yes, there is a web page for "Jonatha Brooke and the Story" but that doesn't count. "The Story" was the two of us. So don't email me about that. I already know.
THANK YOU
Not enough time and space in the world to thank every one I want to. But for starters, I wish to acknowledge some of the encouragement I have received in the last few years, and the grace with which it was given.
to Patty Larkin, who asked me to go on tour with her in the Fall of 1995, barely a year after I had quit the Story. She not only had me sing harmony vocals as on the record, along with some of John Leventhal's guitar parts, but she got me to play keyboards and tiple. A first for me for both. It had been years since I'd played anything on stage. Much less in a band, on a national tour. I have loved singing with Patty so much over the years - and one of my favorite projects of late is the work I did on Perishable Fruit. This Fall there are a bunch of dates where I open for Pat. I am so thrilled.
to Carrie Newcomer, who took it a step further for me and invited me to sing in her band on her Fall 1996 tour. Somehow, she gave me her guitar in the middle of her show - every night - and shoved me into center stage to play three of my songs with her band. It was another step in the right direction. And by her generousity I am awed and more appreciative than I can say.
to Larry John McNally for inviting me to play a dozen and more gigs with him kind of as a duo. And for listening to my songs, still unformed. A master songwriter, and a brilliant guitar player, LJM has had his songs covered by many great performers, including, among others, Bonnie Raitt. One of the only places you can get his CDs is on line at the Folkweb store. You should do that. I've been to Nashville twice to play with him, in the round, at the Bluebird. Go to his website....
to Flip Scipio, who is a nut. And such a great guy, and indeed, a luthier, guitar-repair god, and general jokester, for being who he is. For introducing me to Larry John, for pushing me forward into the world of amplified acoustic guitar, amplified ukelele, and amplified strumstick. Actually, thanks go to TJ Thompson in Concord, MA about whom all of the above also applies, for the strumstick surgery. Yes, the top had to come off to get the pickup in there. Big thanks to Alisa Scipio, who is also on the Scipio website, for good laughs, mouth-watering dinners, and the open invitation. Go to the website - and go to Scipio Guitars, real world of Staten Island, NYC, for a good time.
to everyone who has asked me to sing - live, or on record over the last couple of years. Especially Lucy, Catie and Barbara, whose friendship I cherish.