Betsy Stern Kids' Music: News

Just got back from playing a really fun concert produced by the Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch, for their summer outdoor concert series. It always moves me to see kids who don't know each other at all come together like a flock around the percussion instruments and break up into their own groups to play together. It's fantastic. It's also fantastic that so many cities and other organizations are sponsoring free family events. I know how important this was to me when my kids were little (and when I was little), and being able to play at these events now is incredible. I thank everyone who works to produce these concerts.

After playing the last gig of this tour today in Holland, where the weather was absolutely perfect and everything went well, I met up again with my friend in Saugatuck. He brought some instruments, so we started playing in the Gazebo in the park, when a couple arrived and asked us about what we were playing. The husband asked to borrow the guitar and started singing, and his wife sang harmony. They were fine musicians. As we were sitting there, a birthday party entourage arrived and joined us. We sang "Happy Birthday" to the guest of honor, and, as we parted, the couple that had joined us mentioned a jam session at a cafe this evening. We went, and played for 3 hours straight. It was a blast and the people were so nice and welcoming.

Sharing music is one of life's greatest treasures.

Butterfly Books is a delightful and very community-minded children's bookstore in De Pere, Wisconsin, and sponsored a program that I gave on Tuesday. What a nice group of people and very fun kids, who sure know how to dance. The event was in the church across the way, which was perfect, and the pastor very kind to let me use the sound system. The owner of Butterfly Books is wonderful.

Yesterday I drove from De Pere through Chicago and to Saugatuck, where I'm staying in a small and cozy log cabin. Saugatuck is a charming artists' community and seaside resort on the Kalamazoo River. Last night a friend and I started a walk along the river - until the lightning and rainstorm hit rather quickly. Lots and lots of lightning! We had a really enjoyable evening anyway – indoors.

This morning I played at the Oshtemo Library, in Kalamazoo, which was a ton of fun. The kids were right up on their feet, dancing, singing, and playing the percussion instruments. I also got to meet the librarian who brought me in to play, who spent a lot of time with his wife and older kids (a delightful family) in Berkeley. He used to take his kids to a store where I used to take my kids, so I brought him a little souvenir. The store has all sorts of unusual things that kids love, like bugs of all sizes mounted or in plastic containers, skeletons of animals, an albino (live) boa, live crickets, alligator backscratchers, and that type of thing.

After that show, I drove to Ann Arbor to visit family. Lovely visit and lovely town. I drove back to Saugatuck after the huge rainstorm this afternoon. I'm getting used to them.

Tomorrow I'll play in Holland, and then back home this weekend. This tour is fantastic. I've met such nice people, such great kids, and seen some beautiful countryside.

My first show this trip was in the beautiful Thomas Hughes Children's Library, a grand piece of architecture in downtown Chicago. Last night I played at CJ Arthur's, in Wilmette. The kids were up and dancing and singing behind me, in front of me, and to the side (as was one mom!). Lots of fun, followed by this morning's show at the Elmhurst Library, which is a very nice facility. I met some very kind people in Illinois.

I thought that I was driving into a fog bank on the way to Wisconsin this afternoon, but was greeted by the heaviest sheets of rain I've ever encountered, along with thunder and lightning. Wisconsin should sell its rain to California (we're in a serious drought)!

I'm staying by the Fox River, and walked the nearby trail this afternoon. Show tomorrow afternoon at a charming bookstore here, and then off to Michigan. I'll be playing in Kalamazoo and Holland, and in between visiting family in Ann Arbor.

Still no lightening bugs...but I found out that the racket that I thought was coming from birds is the song (well, the screaming really) of the local cicadas. They kind of sound like high-speed chainsaws.

Yesterday I walked about 10 miles along Lake Michigan on a bird-watching trail. I don't think that the trail is that long, but I kept making detours as the sky began to turn pretty dark and a lifeguard finally shouted, "EVERYBODY OFF THE BEACH. RIGHT NOW! Serious storm warning."

The natives seem to know exactly what to do. If it had been a trembler, I'd have known too, but this was embarrassing. A lady rode up beside me on a bike and told me about the warning. I said, "But I'm not from here...what do you do?" "Take cover," she shouted, cycling off.

I got back to the apartment pretty soaked.

Chicago puts a lot of money into the arts, and my visits to Millennium Park today and then the Art Institute were amazing. I ended the day by going to a free concert in a beautiful underground concert hall, near an equally amazing amphitheater. There's a free music festival going on downtown this weekend too. So much to do and so much of it is free.

I really loved the water sculpture in Millennium Park, where the kids were having a real blast running through the water and getting sprayed. What a treat for them on a warm summer day.

Off very soon for a return trip to Chicago, where I've been advised to seek out fireflies at dusk. In addition to playing some very fun shows in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan, I'll visit more of the fantastic museums in the Windy City.

Back home I've been playing very enjoyable local solo kids' shows and also playing with some fantastic Jazz and Blues musicians. At one of the kids' events, a little boy (not yet 3) walked up to me with his mom. He said, very clearly, "That's a stand-up bass, not an electric bass." He's been teaching himself about instruments. I stood the bass up and had him bow and pluck it. Sometimes I really wish that I could bring along 1/8th-size basses and hand them out to kids to take home.

Before leaving on the first tour I planted a small container garden. I'm trying to figure out why the cucumber plant is growing beans!

Must pack instruments now...

I've received the RadioIndy.com Gold Artist award for "Foyo."

I've been having a fantastic time in Fairbanks, where I just did the Midnight Sun Festival. It was great to see kids and grown-ups dancing to the music. I was on all three stages, and enjoyed the whole event. I think that they must have had well over 40,000 people there today. The weather was incredible, and we went for shade in between sets. I thank my brother again for letting me borrow his bass.

Last night I got to visit with my brother, sister-in-law, and nieces and nephews. It was wonderful to see all of them again and meet the new family, including the two babies, my great niece and great-great niece. I had my first taste of muktuk, along with smoked Alaskan char. This morning we had reindeer sausage. My sister-in-law is working very hard as an elder of her tribe to pass on traditions to the young. She's an extremely talented beader, and my nieces bead too. I'm going to miss all of them a lot.

Off early tomorrow morning for the train to Denali.

One of the things that I love about touring and traveling is that I get to meet so many people.

The kids at today's shows stuck out their arms so I could see what Alaskan mosquito bites look like. Yikes!

One of the kids came up after the show and said quietly, "I play a rather unusual instrument: bagpipes." He must have been about 11 years old, and went on to describe how he'd decided to play pipes and the ordeal of actually ordering a full set with bellows. I've never met such a young piper, and I wish him well. (I like bagpipes a lot.)

After the later show, a dad came up and introduced himself as the Jazz arranger for the local Air Force Jazz Band. He said that he wanted to ask me a very technical question. He wanted to what the chord changes are that I use for my arrangement of "Kookabura." He's going to add a bass trombone to the arrangement, and use it for the Eagle River Air Force Jazz Band.

I arrived in Anchorage on Sunday evening, and spent an awfully long time trying to find a rental car that would fit a double bass! I ended up scrambling in and out of cars in the parking lot until I found a vehicle that would work. Such are the adventures of bass players on tour.

Anchorage is situated in an incredible location, surrounded by very beautiful snow-capped mountains. The gigs have been going really well, and the locals are very friendly. The drive to and from Girdwood, a resort area, this evening was stunning. At the library in Girdwood, I asked the kids what bears eat in Alaska. They replied, "Garbage!"

Radioindy wrote a very nice review of "Foyo," at:

http://www.radioindy.com/bands/4484/

This morning I had a very fun gig at Third Place Ravenna's bookstore, a very nice place.

Tonight I taped the "Jazz TV" show, and want to thank the host, engineer, and camera crew again for their great work. I'll post more information later about how to view the video.

Shortly after I got to the studio tonight, a very kind-looking man was standing, eating a jelly donut. The host of the show introduced the man as "Buddy," a bass player. She mentioned that he'd played with Louis Armstrong and many others. He looked so young that it never dawned on me that he was Buddy Catlett, but I later learned that he is. He had that humble demeanor I've seen in the greats - someone with so much experience and music in him that he's absolutely solid - and kind. I just listened to some of his recordings with Louis Armstrong. Absolutely amazing. We wouldn't be where we are now without these fantastic musicians.

...and it isn't raining. The weather was beautiful yesterday when I landed, and is cool and a little foggy today. This round, I ended up somehow with an Audi rental car that has voice-driven GPS, a sun-roof, and even more buttons than the rental car in Chicago. At least the GPS voice is very nice and doesn't get mad when I make a wrong turn. Fitting my cousin's upright in the car was a little dicey, but worked. He has a great music studio in his house, where I'm practicing for tomorrow's shows.

Third Place Books is a really nice bookstore, and there was a very nice crowd of kids and their grown-ups this morning. I'm off soon to meet a friend in the U District, but meanwhile working on logistics for the next Midwest tour. I'm planning to stay very, very close to Lake Michigan because I hear that it's going to be extremely hot!

I'm getting excited about the next leg of the tour, heading up to Seattle shortly and then onto Alaska.

After the gigs and visiting with friends and family in Seattle, I'll head to Pike Place Market if I have any extra time. I'm really grateful to my cousin, Ev, for letting me stay with him and for letting me borrow one of his uprights.

From Seattle, I'll fly to Anchorage. I've never been to Anchorage. It looks unbelievably beautiful in the photos I've seen. I'm playing six shows there, and will spend as much time as I can on the local trails.

From Anchorage, I'll fly to Fairbanks I'll be playing throughout the day at the Midnight Sun Festival, and get up early the next morning to take the train to Denali, where the ranger whom I contacted advised me for my very short visit to stop by the kennels to visit with the park's sled dogs (which I'll do).

The last time I was in Alaska I got snowed in while staying in my brother's village (120 miles north of the Arctic Circle). When the mail plane finally made it in, my brother very quickly pulled an electric piano off the plane, pushed me in, and waved good-bye. That was after I'd rammed my sister-in-law's snow-go into her cabin accidentally because I had no clue how to drive a snow-go! (No damage done, but my nieces thought it was hilarious.)

Marin Mommies (marinmommies.com) has just published an interview with me, at:

http://www.marinmommies.com/node/1156

and they are doing a give-away of "Foyo." To try to win the CD, please see the link above.

I'm heading off to Chicago tomorrow. I'll return here, and then leave soon after for the Pacific Northwest and Alaska; return; then off again to the Midwest; return; off to Pacific Northwest again; return; off to the South; return, and then return to France (which will mostly be a vacation!).

The other day, after a very fun performance with lots of kids participating with percussion instruments, a toddler came up and said, "Thank you! Thank you very much, and can you come back on Friday?" She couldn't have been more than 2.5 years old.

There is something really magical in doing what one loves, and for me, that's playing and sharing music.

My kids' CD, "Foyo," is available from ITunes, Digstation, CD Baby, and from me directly (please send an email to me to place an order; the direct price is $15, including shipping).

I will be teaching a series of music classes for kids ages up through age 6. The classes will be in Pleasant Hill. For more information and to register, please call:

Village Music School
(925) 676-8400

I was contacted yesterday by a Canadian internet radio station and am honored that they are interested in doing a feature on my CD, "Foyo." I'll post more details to follow. I'm also now on Gooney Bird Kids, an American internet radio station.

My CD, "Foyo," is now available through CD Baby, at:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/betsystern

My CD has just arrived and will be available through CD Baby and other online sources, whose information I’ll post very soon. It’s also available directly from me by mail and at gigs. I’ve been asked if I can stock it at local stores, and will post more information on those sources very soon as well.

In addition to going to the Midwest twice and the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, I’ll be heading to the South in the fall. I may also be going back up to the Pacific Northwest in September. I’m also starting to teach preschoolers at three music schools, so this is a very fun and busy time. I’m adding more ethnic instruments, mostly African right now, to those that my dad left me.

I hope that you are having as much fun with music as I am. It’s so wonderful to share it.