All That I Want

New blog site

2011-09-11T19:43:00.002-04:00

Hello All,

Just an FYI that my blog has moved! Catch up with me here at the new blog tied to the new website at www.janiechu.com. This one will stay up to date on a regular basis while it's being designed, so feel free to check it out, comment, be the first to know news on my next endeavors. And don't forget to update your bookmarks!

Thanks for your support...

Life at Work

2010-03-05T15:05:00.005-05:00

You can learn a lot by observing a simple bouquet of flowers. A few days ago my husband bought a bundle of tiger lilies (he knows how much I love different lilies and irises) that were still unopened. He does this because they'll last longer, but I really enjoy the process of watching them open. Here are a few things I've observed:

The bouquet looked a little silly and anemic at first, but I carefully cut the stems, lower foliage and food mixture anyway. I noticed one that bloomed prematurely but by the next day it had wilted and I knew I'd have to eventually cut that one off anyway.

A couple of days passed and only one or two had bloomed. They seemed like fragile little beings, and a few looked a little dingy. Still I faithfully changed the water and cut the stems.

It's now the fifth day and there are eight beautiful blooms, not even halfway through the entire bouquet but it's beginning to blossom and take shape. I don't even need to see the end result of the whole batch opening because seeing life at work is all I need.

I don't know what each one of these blossoms represents in your life, but it's crystal clear on my end. It's coming. Maybe there's an early blossom that comes but dies because of a few setbacks. But we keep going. Whatever treasured bloom it is that has yet to open is out there in existence. We just need to keep tilling and working at our part in the meantime. You can't force the flower to open - it'll just do it when it's time...

Art and Pain

2010-02-16T17:42:00.003-05:00

In between songwriting blurbs, artist dates and immersing myself in my community of friends, I've been thinking a lot lately about the creative process. Probably within the last year or so the songs I've written for my new band have veered in a vastly different direction. In sharp contrast to the thoughtful, mellow, audible landscape of my solo efforts, the new tunes revealed a harder, more masculine sound, not waxing so much poetic but just fun to play. The dry humor and introspective lyrics were still there, but it's been freeing to be much more experimental. Still, every once in a while I would miss the ambient, sometimes feminine nature of my old self.

Without going into the tawdry details of my healing process the last two years, I can say I've arrived at a place in my life of true contentment. Not that I've experienced all there is or come near achieving all my dreams and goals. I'm just inwardly joyful and see a stabilization of several areas of my life that needed to be the focus for a while. It's all come into balance.

While I eagerly anticipate the new tunes and even the direction this band has morphed into (the ever present line-up change), I've been dialoguing with some of these jewels about what it takes to fuel creativity. (You can read my post here for a few things I've applied since last summer.) Staying in touch via twitter or Facebook, I wonder aloud now, if people think it's possible to create art or music with depth without pain.

Pain is a universal experience, something that resonates and connects with people. Countless incredible songs have been written and played. But it can also be destructive enough to stunt the creative process instead of give birth to worthwhile work. I am no stranger to this, as I probably have about 30-40 songs in my repertoire that never see the light of day because they fail to be relevant. Are they valid? Of course. But I won't necessarily write them with the intention of being performed.

Now, I will say something redemptive about all of this. I may be in a much better and happier place in my life, but I will ALWAYS remember my past. I just simply recall it without bitterness and sorrow, and dig deep into the well of that experience to formulate my current passion, which just so happens to be rooted in many social causes these days. The artist has an innate ability to empathize whether or not he or she has been through the same things. So I think it is possible.

Feel free to post your thoughts on this...

Just a few can impact thousands...

2010-02-08T16:14:00.003-05:00

This is an encouraging news story about Haiti relief with a few organizations I'm affiliated with. Under the right conditions, just a few can impact many lives! You can read the good news at www.stltoday.com.

Also, on this same note, I've posted a Facebook event about an initiative to help schoolchildren in Haiti. If you're interested in learning more, click here.

Lessons from my niece

2010-01-12T17:19:00.003-05:00

I never thought I'd be great with kids. The mere thought of walking into a Babies'R Us store for a shower gift creates shudders. Memories of a babysitting job I did back in college were the mental equivalent of birth control as I'd sometimes juggle three of the ankle biters at once. Plus, as a musician and artist I couldn't fathom any other children other than my songs.

But something beautiful has awakened in me as I've gotten to know my niece. I played a little with her in Paris this past summer, but over Christmas break was when she and I really forged a bond. I was disarmed by her completely unguarded nature and charming sense of play. You forget at such a young age (she's not quite 3 years old) that nothing has happened yet to jade this precious openness. Not to mention the fact that she's a GIRLY girl and secure in her innate femininity. Which side of the family she's inherited it from remains to be seen, but I LOVE that I can validate her when she looks to me or her other aunt or Mom for affirmation. Throw in the fact that her family wants her to learn French and I'd eagerly launch into singing French nursery rhymes to reading a French comic book. Here's an excerpt of the one she kept asking me to sing:

Sur le pont d'Avignon, on y danse, on y danse,
Sur le pont d'Avignon, on y danse tout en rond.

Does this mean that the parental desire is kicking in? Hardly. So much is involved in taking care of an actual life that this concept is still tucked in the back of my mind for now. But the sense of play and delight has inspired me as an artist in a way that I've often forgotten to tap into over the years. Every artist faces the danger of overthinking their work. Whereas my niece just dives into play. No worrying about whether her tea party is going to suck, or how she should draw.

I think I just came up with my next song idea...

Giving Back this Holiday Season

2009-11-23T12:55:00.007-05:00

What an incredibly full weekend! A successful night with the new band @ Andrews Upstairs playing with the Jaspects and Van Hunt, spending quality time with my hubby and loved ones, breathing in the cool fall air and just realizing how thankful I am. It's getting close to the holiday season and I'm just reveling in how blessed I've been. There's just this inexplicable energy around me and I have a pressing desire to give back. It's a desire that's birthed within me since this past summer.

While at a music conference in July, I absorbed some great creative as well as industry advice while tuning in spiritually to what my next steps would be with music. Somehow it came to me during one of the seminars that I would become even more involved with a cause close to my heart - one that deeply affects me. I remember last Christmas hearing about a national organization that fights human trafficking and child sex trafficking both here in the U.S. as well as abroad. I was shocked at just how prevalent it was, particularly in my hometown of Atlanta. While the hubby and I gave generously, I couldn't help but feel there was something more we could do. It came back into my consciousness after my spiritual and physical recovery and I returned home from the conference determined to get in touch with the folks @ Not for Sale Campaign.

What's resulted is my involvement in a beautiful program by the Not for Sale Campaign called Season of Freedom that allows former victims and survivors to create personally made and fair-trade gifts for those interested in buying holiday gifts with meaning. The event will be held at Defoor Centre in Atlanta on Thursday Dec. 3rd @ 7 PM. There's a cover charge of $10. My band, now collectively titled Lucid Theory will be playing during the event, and several organizations such as Wellspring Living and Cards from Africa will be represented.

I'm honored to be a part of this event and look forward to blessing these incredible organizations. You can bet I'll be stocking up on gifts with a cause!

Born to Play

2009-11-16T15:34:00.003-05:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about what it means to be a musician and performer as well as a fan of music. It's interesting how an arrangement of chords and notes on a scale create a certain amount of exhilaration simply because of the powerful emotional connection it makes with our souls. Music is a universal element in that all of us perk up at some favorite artist or band and they way they make us feel. Even more so when an artist's lyrics penetrate our curiosity beyond simple production riffs and chorus hooks.

That said, I remember a few summers ago when some good friends of mine took me to see The Brand New Heavies and Van Hunt at the Roxy here in Atlanta. I was vaguely familiar with BNH and enjoyed the show, but really found myself taken in by the funk and groove of Van Hunt's set. I'd listened to a few R&B artists here and there, but combined with some of his rock sensibilities something was refreshingly different about his music. Details such as a fierce female bass player stood out to me as well. After the show I promptly went out and bought myself a copy of On The Jungle Floor.

Fast forward to September 2009, when, through a series of serendipitous events, my promoter friend gave me and my new band the opportunity to open for this Grammy award winning, remarkable artist. As a fan I could hardly contain my squeal of excitement and such incredible honor of just being on the same line-up, especially given the wasteland that my music fell into for a while before getting back to full health and hungrier than ever to make music. I got current on his bio and realized that this talented guy, with all his accomplishments and fan base, was not immune to the pitfalls of the changing music industry. Having bounced from Capitol to Blue Note records, only to have a brand new album shelved and then to do his own self release, brought home yet again the resolve to make music purely for the love of it, regardless of what kind of success or non-success it brings.

You can never let your identity be shaped by what the world says about you or by corporate big wigs' fickle opinions determining who gets to be promoted. This isn't the time to get snarky about which artists and bands deserve it more. As musicians, if your heart is in the right place, it's about creating music because you can't NOT create music. It's in the very fiber of your being, something that transcends society's expectations of you. I realize this is something that few non-practicing artists understand. (By that I mean that within all of us is an artist no matter who you are, just that few dare to pursue this full-time.) Granted, it is about balance and having music be a vehicle to go on to do goodwill, not merely as a lifestyle. But in order to keep going you have to have a sense of purpose beyond the music. I'm seeing this unfold every day that I work with my new band. I'm seeing an energy that builds because we're invested in each other's lives, not merely the goal of music.

I look forward to inhabiting the roles of both performer and fan this Friday @ Andrews Upstairs. The Jaspects will also be featured with their fusion of hip hop, alternative and jazz. If you're in Atlanta, come join us. Tickets are available at ticketalternative.com.

Joy and Hope in the Overcast Autumn

2009-11-11T14:02:00.003-05:00

I sit here with my cider vinegar concoction catching my breath after a very full November so far. To close out the month of October, fun was had by all @ Smith's Unplugged session, playing musical chairs with certain band members and providing an acoustic environment of our new tunes.

Then, a music industry contact that has become a good friend of mine helped organize a small group of us to prepare a meal for the residents of Trinity House, a wonderful transitional program for those entering rehab. Typically these men are homeless, so it was heartwarming and inspirational to hear their stories of making the commitment to begin to conquer drug and alcohol addictions and move forward with their lives. It's a tough program - but it was a reminder that we are in reality all the same and all have issues that we take various steps to deal with, or not.

I also spoke and performed at a private event celebrating ACCESS, Inc and the healing that has happened through counseling and the supportive "family" members that have surrounded me the past 20 months. My break from music proved to be well worth it, as it gave me time to examine issues from my past as well as find the right doctors to determine what was causing my physical ailments. Could not be happier or more pumped about the future.

Lastly, Jason and Gabe of my new band did an encore of the acoustic show with me on DirtySouth TV, playing on a few tunes with the lovely Liz Lee and enjoying a different kind of technology to broadcast our tunes. Some glitches here and there with the live feed, but all in all a good time. Liz treated us to her homemade pumpkin pie afterwards. Yum!

All this while fighting off a throat and respiratory bug. All I can say is, I'm thankful for prayers, cider vinegar, lime and honey, and the miraculous neti pot to wash away the culprit! Looking forward to the Van Hunt show next week...

Where I've Been...

2009-10-07T17:21:00.004-04:00

The past month or so turned from reflective to jam packed in a heartbeat. A successful live TV broadcast of my first performance in 8 months energized us all on DirtySouth TV, live at the Five Spot. It was there that I made the announcement that I'm ditching the solo act to devote to my brand new and committed band. We're still working on a name, but penning new tunes while letting the creative flow loose during our practice sessions.

I've been wanting to post highlights from the show (complete with an interview) as it was recorded live, but the pace of bookings and some outside charity work have stolen the time away from me. Most people still don't know what this "mysterious" announcement I had to make since there were massive technical issues during the broadcast. So if you're reading this, now you know and thanks for checking it out! Hopefully I'll get that video up for you to enjoy soon.

Quantity Can Lead to Quality

2009-08-22T16:10:00.003-04:00

It's funny how the subject of creativity can lead to all sorts of opinions. The common theme is perfectionism with a lot of artists. We strive to create our best work (which we should), and we pride ourselves on the quality of the work, nurturing it from birth and giving it the attention it needs to flourish commercially. It can become a frustrating task though, when that perfectionism gets in the way and any creative flow becomes stifled much like a clogged sink drain. I don't know if there are any budding poets or songwriters among you, but a common theme has emerged from conference seminars and other artist experiences that has helped me so I thought I'd share a few snippets with you...

"Don't get precious with the lyrics." In other words, quit putting such a high value on your songs or phrases.

"Show, don't tell." Find different ways to say something that's been said before.

"Don't let your patterns become your prisons."

There's about a million other things that have been a refresher for me and greatly helpful in triggering the well to flow freely again. But I found this updated bio from Mute Math's new CD Armistice that particularly confirmed the message that's been speaking at me the last few weeks regarding writing. In this case, they were so invested in their songs it kept them from moving forward with fresher material. Everyone keeps emphasizing quality over quantity with lots of things, but in the realm of songwriting, really the only way to get better at it is to just keep doing it. Write song after song after song, even if it sucks. ("Dare to suck" is the other motto). When you stop self-editing, ideas gush out like free flowing rivers and it even becomes fun again!

I share this not as the teacher but as the student that needs new classes every once in a while to stay motivated in my work. How freeing it is to shelves songs when they're not working. It was the reason I was able to write without distractions every day while in Springfield. This week has been more about laying down tracks, but I can hardly wait to put pen to paper again...