march 10th. (give or take a few days)

that's it.

the day.

the one i've been waiting for since the beginning of september.



it's the day i'll have 1,000 cds sitting in the basement next to my keyboard.
(well, hopefully...)


things are going well here in the great NE when it comes to music. i've been writing some new songs lately...about four in the past three weeks...and this last one...it's gonna be on my first full length...and i guarantee you that it is going to be my first single that takes the radio world by storm. (i'm trying to be a little optimistic here folks)

i've been having a fair amount of gigs in the past month and a half. at least one a week...which is great. people are starting to come to venues to see me...and keep asking when the cd is coming out, cause they'd "totally buy one". it's nice to know that people enjoy listening to you perform. i also started teaching lessons to some little kids last week. four lessons total (ages 4,6,8, and 10) and it's a blast. i think it's gonna be a challenge for me...mostly because...i'm teaching...piano lessons. for those of you that know me personally...you probably know that i graduated with a degree in vocal performance...so that's definitely my most comfortable instrument...piano being my secondary instrument...but they're all little ones, so all should be well.

i've also begun discussing some possible touring in the late summer/early fall with some musicians from here in town. talking with my producer/drummer about starting to play full band gigs. doing a lot of research on music law and self-employment...i feel like i've just begun to scratch the surface.



well, my friend...i'll be writing some more soon i'm sure...

(i'm playing a valentine's day party at a wine bar tomorrow night)


do what you love. where you love. with those you love.



jessicalindsey

i've heard about some dreamers....

i am starting to catch the bug...


the future is looking really exciting for me...and i think for the first time i am starting to get really excited about it. i was talking with a friend tonight...who also happens to be a musician...and we got to dreaming about what could be ahead for us.

we want to make a difference...not only in the lives of those we come into contact with...but also in our own lives. we cannot and will not settle for mediocrity. we want the best of what we can achieve. we have this unique thing in front of us...we have freedom...very few responsibilities and commitments...so what's holding us back?


nothing.



(that's what is so exciting about the whole thing)


jessicalindsey

a little place called mosaic...

so,

these last few weeks have been very interesting for me. i feel as though my last blog skipmed on the details....and since blogs exist for one person to write every detail of their life and have another person read every detail i believe i shall share a little bit more of what my life is now...

well...on december 31st i quit my job at crane coffee...i then went up to minnesota (where some of my favorite people in the whole world reside) to celebrate new years eve and spend some time with friends and my sister. it was one of the best decisions i've made in a long time. it made it clear to me that i was headed in a different direction than i had been for the past eight months.

i came back to omaha on january 2nd and dubbed that my "first day" of work. and on that day i got two gigs booked...one at a wine tasting place and another at an outreach center/music venue called mosaic. i figured it a pretty good day.

the weird thing about this whole self-employment thing is that there is no one keeping you accountable on a day to day basis. like...i don't have to show up to work fifteen minutes early everyday...complete tasks on a task list that someone else made up...and do everything according to someone else's schedule. instead...i make my own schedule. if i wanna sleep in til eleven...well...i can do that. if i wanna stay up til three in the morning searching the endless abyss known as myspace for venues to play at and bands to become friends with....i can do that. if i want to play piano for hours on end and write new songs...guess what...i can do that too...

so, just this last saturday night i played at mosaic...and what an awesome thing it was. four "acts" got up and played...and each one was SO entirely different from the next. there was this kid named "vinal" who was probably like sixteen or seventeen that just got up and played his guitar...the next band was...i guess hardcore...there was screaming and loudness...so that's what i'd consider it. then came me...with mello vocals a piano in tow...followed by a band called "fate of angels" look them up on myspace...they're fantastic...the type of band i'd LOVE to sing background vocals for.

i'm also starting to teach lessons next monday through a studio here in town...and get this...i'll be teaching approximately 12 students...11 of which i'll be teaching piano...that's right...i said it...piano. i'll only have one voice student for now..which is fine...and all the piano students are beginners between the ages of 5 and 10...

pam may would be very proud:)


anyways...there's a more extensive update on life. ooo...and i'm also up for this thing called a momentum award through an organization called "indieheaven.com"...we'll see how that pans out...i was actually in the omaha world herald on sunday about it!


well...more to come next time...i suppose...


jessicalindsey




p.s. the recording is ALMOST done...just waiting on one more track from the strings guys in nashville, chris carmichael, and then it's mastering and artwork...


woot woot!

2008...here i come...

well hello there...


i'm finding myself not wanting to post this blog. it's very scary. here's the thing.


as of january 1st, 2008...


i'm offically self-employed.



i've been working on a coffee shop for the past eight months...and it just came to the point when i realized...this is not what i was created for...this is not my ultimate calling in life...while it was nice for a time...that time has come to an end.

so, here i am. jessica lindsey. learning what it means to be a musician. i've been booking gigs. working on my resume for teaching lessons. practicing. and just brainstorming all that it means to be a self-employed musician. there are so many options out there...and i know that it will be fun and challenging all at the same time exploring them.

so, in the days ahead...look for more than just blogs about gigs and recording...






(except i don't really know what all that "more" will be)


jessicalindsey

myth?....or reality?

so i've been playing at a local venue, myth....blah blah blah, i've gone on and on about in pretty much every blog so far...so i'll spare the details this time.


last night one of my friends here in town (who also happens to be a musician) got really sick so she asked me to cover for her gig at myth...

(it's funny how even in the entertainment industry you sometimes "call in sick" to work)

long story short the show went great. i had a TON of positive feedback from people (there was even a lady sitting in the front booth for a while who sang along with me-even though i'm SURE she didn't really know any of the songs i was playing). AND i brought in about twenty of my friends and family-with such late notice i was REALLY surprised.

(oh, and, i didn't use my computer for lyrics this time....not sure how i feel about it...but we'll see for the future)

overall it was a great gig...i was very pleased:)




on a side note...my last day of work at the coffee shop is monday. after that...it's just me...being self-employed...if someone asks me what i do...i'll get to say "i'm a musician"...

i'm excited and a little nervous all at the same time...who knows what the future holds? certainly not me...but i'm too excited to experience it all...



jessicalindsey

oh...ooo...oh...oh....

it's been a busy week and a half for me...



let's start with last tuesday.


i got to play at my favorite venue in the city-myth. it's become a staple visit of mine pretty much every tuesday...i set up my system and everything by myself for the first time...thanks to some help from brian the bartender...and soundcheck help from two of my fabulous friends...

and the night went quite well. it was a larger crown than usual...which is always positive...and i talked to a guy who runs an organization here in town for artists of all types (he even considers farming an art...only in nebraska)




then thursday i got to go in and lay down some more vocal tracks for the project...it went really well...got a lot of work done on three of the songs...includeing some crazy doo doop doo doop'ing on one of the songs....


i'm starting to get very exicted....


then tonight i got to go back into the studio...to finish up a song called johnny...
it's a song that has been really hard for me to do vocals for-mostly cause i am having a hard time connecting to the song...(it's the only song i've ever written that wasn't inspired by anything...well...inspirational...

but tonight something clicked.

at the suggestion of my producer, i listened to a little shawn colvin this week to get a feel for what he was thinking for the song...and something inside me connected with an idea for the song. then we were trying to figure out background-ish vocals and after about a half hour...i got it...a little oh here...a little ooo there...


anywho...i'm now done with vocal tracking and we have only guitar on one song...strings on two...mixing and mastering to get done...



it's looking like february might actually happen:)

i would like to thank....

this week has been an interesting one when it comes to the musical side of me...

on tuesday night i performed at myth martini bar (i'm pretty sure i've mentioned it before...it's this tiny little trendy bar in downtown omaha...leather couches...dim lighting...it's just fantastic) and i had a great time. it was only their second week of having music on a tuesday night...so it was kinda slow, but everyone that was there gave me huge compliments...two girls kept asking about my cd...which i had to say would be coming out in the beginning of next year...

i even got to see some friends from high school that came out to listen...which is always great.

then i got to go into the studio on thursday night to record vocals for the project. it was such an experience. i've recorded vocals before...but not as intensely as i did on thursday. it's amazing how after singing a song seven times in a row...you really can start to lose your passion for conveying the meaning of the song...

recording went really well...got three songs done (lead vocals, at least) and set a date to come in next week and *hopefully* finish up on vocals...

then, friday came around and i was supposed to play a gig at a place called keno cabana in bennington, ne. i had asked my friend stephanie pilypaitis (look her up on myspace...do it!) to come and play with me...so we were all set to go...
well, i had a bad feeling about the gig all week (if you'll remember from an earlier posting...keno cabana was the place where i played after a husker game....and everyone left so i played for fifteen minutes) so i had my dad call the place and he said it gave that message that says "doo dooo do this number no longer is connected message 15 42 7". so i tried calling myself...and got the same thing. i remembered from the last time we were there that there was another little bar across the street. i looked up their number and placed a call. it went something like this:

hello, the sportsman
hi, i was just wondering if you were located on main street?
oh yes sweetie...it's a small town you won't be able to miss us
oh, well, actually i was wondering if you were the bar located across from the keno cabana?
oh sweetie, that place is closed down
oh really?
yeah, he didn't pay his liquor license...

she then proceeded to assure me that if i wanted something to do that night since my gig was now cancelled, i could come on down to the sportsman, cause they make a mean steak dinner...


so i would like to thank the sportsman lady who answered the phone...not only did she save me a long trip out to bennington to discover whether or not the place was close...she also gave me another option if i'm ever looking for a great steak dinner.


jessicalindsey