"On the Ferris Wheel"

I wrote this song about the Santa Monica Pier ferris wheel, so it was a pleasure to get to shoot this video there, too!

Leave me some comments on YouTube and let me know what you think!

You can also get the song and the album while you’re online…

AOL premiered the album yesterday and it will be streaming in its entirety all week, along with other new releases…including The Beach Boys, Jethro Tull, and yes, Susan Boyle.

What people have been saying:

“every moment of this album has something to offer” – CMJ (College Music Journal)

“recommended if you like Regina Spektor and Norah Jones” – AOL

“one-of-a-kind jazzy pop tunes” – The Deli LA

“an enjoyable confection” – The Sun Chronicle

A little about the album:

Jazzy, poppy “Brainchildren” (November 1, 2011 – Canopy Jazz), tells stories real and imagined, outlining the similarities found in our experiences no matter where we reside. “Three” tells the story of a couple deciding to have a child, “Bicycle” reminds a child to enjoy his innocence while it lasts, and “Melting Snow” describes the feeling of rebirth after tragedy. Several songs relate tales of love gained or lost, and the album is rounded out with instrumentals inspired by insomnia, tacos, and a skipping stroll in Memphis. Recorded in Brooklyn with her working band in a single day, Brainchildren features Jason Domnarski on piano, Rob Jost (Saturday Night Live, Bjork) on bass and Robert Di Pietro (Norah Jones, Josh Rouse) on drums. Special guests include Kiku Collins (Beyonce), Jon Natchez (Beirut), and Mark Erelli (Josh Ritter).

How to buy “Brainchildren”:

Buy “Brainchildren” from my website! When you purchase the whole album (digitally or physically) you get a fun bonus track from our day in the studio!

CD Release Tour:

I’m on tour to support the album, so please come out and see us!

• November 3: Los Angeles, CA (not a CD release show, but come and say hi!)
• November 6: Paso Robles, CA
• November 8: Baltimore, MD
• November 9: Washington, DC
• November 10: New York, NY
• November 12: Lebanon, NH
• November 18: Tamworth, NH
• November 19: Great Barrington, MA
• December 11: San Francisco, CA

And please SHARE this music with your friends by clicking “ShareThis” just below…..

College Music Journal says “every moment of this album has something to offer,” and praises elizabeth!’s “soothing vocals, the beautiful tone of her horn and the cohesiveness of the ensemble.” They also compare me to St. Vincent, Norah Jones, and Regina Spektor – nice company! Thanks, CMJ!

Search & Restore
This is run by NYU grad Adam Schatz; they pick a few shows and list a lot more. Their picks, like their live events, tend to run toward modern jazz mixed with rock.

Gigometer
This is run by man-about-town Pierre Jelenc; he lists tons of great options every night. The shows tend to be by singer-songwriters and bands in the indie pop vein.

Anyone have another favorite listings location?

Rather, I was born lucky.

I get to play music with my Dad.

I grew up listening to my father practice the acoustic and electric bass, and the trombone. He also sings. (Hmm… wonder why I’m a singing trombone player and my brother is a singing bassist?) Since I was in high school, I’ve been playing gigs with my Dad. His band, Swing Machine, is in demand throughout Vermont and New Hampshire for private functions, and I have learned a lot from playing with them. I’ve also learned a lot about being a bandleader by eavesdropping on phone conversations with prospective clients, band members, wedding planners, and venue managers. Dad is a consummate professional who takes his responsibilities seriously, but with a healthy dose of fun!

Of course, the best part of all of this is getting to make music together! What do you do with your Dad?

Happy Father’s Day!

Many pieces need to come together to make it successful, and to lessen the stress of one part of it, I wrote this article last year for MusicianWages.com, which is a great site for musician advice run by Cameron Mizell and Dave Hahn.

I cover the key parts of planning – (1) Knowing What You Want and (2) Hiring the Right People – as well as nuts and bolts about the session itself. If you’re getting ready to record any freelance musicians, you should read the article.