2015: A Year of Creativity

Wow, is it really almost the end of 2014? Crazy! This as been one of the best years of my life and I kinda hate to see it end. I'm sure 2015 will be just as great, perhaps better (hopefully), but 2014 is one for the books in my little world!

Sasha Papernik

I've been gone for awhile from my blog, but I am proud to be back and writing about the amazing Sasha Papernik. Listening to her music made me want to get to know her a little more, so the following is an email interview that I conducted with Sasha.

B: How long have you been writing and singing your own music?

S: I've been singing since I can remember. I used to be the kid who did all the musicals in school and then I joined an A Capella group in both high school and college. I LOVED my A Capella groups. I was very serious about classical piano though, and I never had time for formal vocal training until a few years ago. When I started writing songs and performing them, I thought, well if you're gonna do this you should probably learn how to sing properly :) 

       A little side note: I LOVE A Capella, so when I read this response I was like a little kid full of giddiness!

B: Why did you begin your career?

S: I kept trying to get away from music (for practical reasons) - I decided on a liberal arts college instead of a conservatory, I went abroad for a year, but it didn't stick and I always just went right back to practicing. And so, for impractical reasons, I moved to New York and got a Masters in piano performance. While I was at MSM, I heard a lot of different kinds of music in the City and got to know musicians that weren't just in the classical field. Around the same time, I also started getting into composition. My whole musical life, until then, was spent interpreting music that had already been interpreted many times before me, and I wanted to try writing original music. I was also going through a bad breakup and writing about it. I wrote a few songs and really loved fitting words to music. 

Side note #2: Screw the practical and do what you want to do always. Thank goodness Sasha did because her music is terrific. And bad breakups (although they suck) make for some great lyrics!

B: What got you to the point in your career that you are currently?

S: Hours of practice. Literally. And resilience. 

B: Tell me a little bit about where you have been in your career and what you have been up too...

S: I feel like my career is blossoming - I've had a really great year and next year is even more exciting :) Some of my highlights this year have been recording and releasing my bilingual Victory, playing original music at Lincoln Center, giving a classical performance at The Smithsonian, singing at a gig in Las Vegas, being selected for a 2012 and 2013 Artist Retreat in the Blue Ridge mountains where I composed new songs every day, and earning a favorable review in the Washington Post! Next year, I am slated for 6 performances again for Lincoln Center's Meet The Artist series and 8 shows for the Musical Explorers program at Carnegie Hall. I'm really looking forward to it! 

Side note #3: I would love to attend one of those performances next year ;)

Lastly, I wanted to know a bit about Sasha and what else she does when she isn't playing music and entertaining us.

B: Please tell me a bit about what you do other than singing and of course, about that cute dog of yours (we are friends on Facebook and her dog, Klee, is adorable!)

S: I'm a long distance runner and running is usually what starts each of my days. I like the routine and it gives me the time to ground myself and think, like meditation. I also love black and white photography - I'm trying to carve out some time for this hobby and it goes well with my love of traveling. My long-haired dachshund, Klee, is a great friend :) I adopted him from a family friend and I've had him for a little more than 6 years. He is such a funny guy. When I practice, he sits under the piano like it's his job too :) When my band rehearses, he sits with us even though it gets pretty loud. 

Now that you know a bit about Sasha Papernik, let me tell you what I like so much about her music. First, I am a huge fan of the piano, especially when it is played by someone as passionate as Sasha. And of course, the fact that she writes her own lyrics is my absolute favorite. Her song Victory, which is the title of her latest album, really resonated with me and that is one of my favorite things about music. If I can relate to it, it is that much better. I can't forget to mention that some of her album is in Russian has she is a 1st generation Russian/American. I think that is pretty awesome too!

I urge all of my readers to check her out. Her album is available on iTunes and there is also a link on her website (website link below) to check out her music. Her site also has some wonderful video of some of the things she and others she works with have created! I look forward to hearing more from her and hopefully seeing her live someday!

http://www.sashatheband.com/live/

Anya Parker-Lentz

Anya Parker-Lentz is a sixteen year old that can write music like she has been doing it for years. Anya reminds me greatly of Sara Bareilles. If you have never heard of Sara, check her out, she is fantastic and Anya is just as great. She writes deep and meaningful lyrics that are far beyond her years and that voice, amazing! How a girl Anya's age as so much depth is beyond me, but thank goodness she does! I have been listening to her for the past week and I am completely mesmerized.

Although I have enjoyed everything I have heard from Anya, I especially LOVE The Giving. Anyone who has ever been in a relationship where they gave everything they had and still ended up alone can relate to this song. Mission Possible is another song that Anya has written. This song is about a friend of hers that has a neurological movement disorder called Dystonia. It is incredibly moving and amazing how much Anya cares for her friend. She is not only a beautiful song writer with a gorgeous voice, but a lovely, caring person as well. 

To find more out about Anya visit her website link below and follow her on twitter @AnyaParkerLentz Keep an ear out for her because this will not be the last time you hear the name Anya Parker-Lentz!!!

www.anyaparkerlentz.com

Kati Mac

It has been awhile since I have written about any music. Not because I haven't been listening, but because I have been incredibly busy. With no further ado, my next blog is on the lovely singer/songwriter Kati Mac. 

Kati Mac has a voice that is soothing, and at the same time a little bit angry, on the album Save Me From Myself. My absolute favorite on this album is the song titled Bullet Hole Road. It is gritty, angry, sad, and  a bit empowering. Kati is not new to the scene, but this album is different from others she has done, and I say BRAVO!

To learn more about Kati Mac follow the link below! She is definitely worth a listen...

www.katimac.com 

Susan Picking

I have always been a fan of folk music and Susan Picking is one of the best I have heard in a long time. I would not say she is completely folk though. She is an amazing singer/songwriter and she even has the certificates to prove it!

With the holidays just getting over, I had a lot of cleaning to do (mostly from taking advantage of my recent break) and I decided I would listen to Wonder in the Wander by Susan Picking. Not only is the title of the record brilliant, but so is the record itself. It actually made my cleaning frenzy seem not only bearable (I loath cleaning), but dare I say fun?! Yup, I dare, and look forward to dancing around with the broom again. The lyrics are thoughtful. The music is whimsical. This album is a must listen.

I usually promise that listening to what I write about will not be regretted, and I will once again, but I also must promise that NOT listening to Susan Picking will be regretted. Her music can be found on iTunes, as well as at her website listed below. Enjoy this one folks!!!

http://susanleighpicking.com/

Anna Zoe

This girl works her butt off and she is fantastic at it. She even has her own label! However, this blog isn't about her business sense, but her music, and, believe me, it is just as fantastic. I recently purchased her album on iTunes and it is super great. 


Today, while baking a million cookies, I listened to Fiction in Some Direction three times. Zoe's website says that she is like "Tori Amos having dinner with Coldplay, and meeting Death Cab for Cutie for drinks", and although I believe this is right on, I am also reminded of Alanis Morissette's first album. The energy that Jagged Little Pill had is very similar to the energy coming through in Fiction is Some Direction. If I had to single out one track, which is hard because I truly dug them all, I would say my favorite is track 8, In Love. In Love reminds me of a lullaby, but in a rockin' kinda way.


Every track on the album is wonderful and if your interest has been peaked, follow the link below. Zoe's album can also be found on iTunes. If you do check her out, which I highly recommend (would I ever steer my readers wrong), comment below. I would love to know what my readers thing for once. Don't forget to click the link below and get to know a wonderful musician, Anna Zoe.

http://www.annazoe.com/