Ronnie Penque Band in Asbury Park, NJ on 12.12.09

Yesterday was an endurance test for sure, being that I'm 5 1/2 months pregnant and about to have a very long day of energy-intensive work and traveling, but I survived unscathed and a great day of music was played.

We arrived at the Wonder Bar at 2pm to load-in. Start time of our first show was 4pm. The club was a lot larger than I had expected and fully equipped with a sound system that sounded great, so I was thinking it would be a good day/night. I like to arrive early/on-time to gigs so I don't have to rush while setting up and I have more room to work, and especially these days, I'm moving a bit slower. :)

The soundman, Neil, was a great dude, very personable and seemed to know his stuff. He did know his stuff, because he played back some of our set that he recorded and it sounded great.

Show 1, we played about 3 hrs total to a crowd of around 400...mostly Deadheads and very appreciative of our music. They loved the originals (Ronnie's songs) as well as the Dead tunes that we played. The chemistry of the band felt great and I enjoyed drumming with them.

After show 1, we had a break for a few hours so Jeff and I went to check in at our hotel, the Laingdon Hotel in Ocean Grove, NJ. I didn't know anything about it and was so pleasantly surprised at the decor and vibe of our room. It was the nicest room I've ever stayed in, I think. More like a Bed and Breakfast, the owners were friendly and made us feel welcome.

During our break, we ate dinner and actually took a nap! That's a first. I never took a nap between shows before. I was a little worried I wouldn't wake up on time, but I did.

We headed back to the Wonder Bar at about 11pm for our second show. We were all a little tired, but the audience pumped us up for a roaring 2 hour set. Performing is a give and take experience. The audience is part of the experience and can help make a show awesome. The vibe was great, the people were appreciative once again, and I enjoyed pouring my energy out into the music for them.

We ended show 2 at about 1:30am and loaded out at about 2am...I should say that Jeff loaded out at 2am. He wasn't having me lift the equipment, which I appreciate, but it's hard watching him move and lift all our equipment by himself at 2am. I couldn't have done all this without him that's for sure.

Recording in the Studio

Just got home from a weekend recording with the Ronnie Penque Band. We started recording this record in August and it's now November 1st. We've had to work the sessions around tour schedules so that's why it's taken time. The major point that I want to talk about is how much I like recording drums with a click track now. It makes it so easier to correct timing issues in the songs or to single out issues with the blend of the instruments...if there are issues. It makes my job a lot easier. I also love recording and would love to do a lot more of it in the future.

Today, I release my second solo album and I'm already thinking about the third. :) Have to sell a lot of CD's to raise money for the third though.

Katie Pearlman Newsletter: My World Series

I started planning for our CD Release Party in August and it's now only 5 days away.

In August, the furthest thing in my mind was the Yankees playing the World Series on November 1st. OK, it wasn't a thought in my mind at all. I'm very happy for New Yorkers that their favorite team is in the biggest show of the year for baseball fans. I'm not a Yankee fan per se, but I've been watching most, if not all of the games because I enjoy it. It's hugely exciting, and for the winners and their fans, lifetime memories will be made as they watch with their families and friends.

This CD Release Party is my "World Series." Not every songwriter/musician gets the opportunity to make a record. It costs a lot of money and sometimes takes years to find the right musicians to play the music. In today's market, many writers are releasing digital albums rather than CD's. I still like "albums" and I'm lucky to have found a great team to help me make a second one. From the musicians to the recording engineers, and the mixing and mastering engineers, the photographer, designer, and the manufacturer, we've made an album. Ergo the name, We Make This. We've worked hard all year to make this record. We've put in the practice hours on our own and in rehearsals, and we're ready to present it to you. Fortunately, there are no losers in my "world series." Everyone wins in my book!

The good news for baseball fans and music fans is that the game doesn't start until 8:20pm on Sunday which will leave you just enough time to catch our show and watch most of the game. So you don't have to choose one over the other. I can also recommend a great place to watch games - the Brickhouse Brewery which is a few doors down from the Patchogue Theatre.

For those of you who don't live anywhere near Long Island, I'm sorry to say that we will not be airing our show on National TV. However, the album will be available at CDBaby.com on November 1st. You can purchase the CD or download the mp3 version of it there. Downloads are also available on ParadiddleRecords.com. It's coming to iTunes soon!

Until then, you can preview the album, We Make This, on these following radio stations. All have access online. We'll be live on WUSB this Thursday night (10/29) at 7pm.


- I did an interview with Brian Ball on WomensRadio and you can listen to it here.
- WEHM 92.9 and 96.9 will be featuring our album Thursday night also at 7:20pm. Listen online here
- Thursday night at 7pm (10/29) we'll be live on WUSB 90.1 fm and you can listen online here. Click the button on the top right.

I know I always say this and I mean it everytime. Thank you for your support. Thanks to those who've added our show to their calendars online and in their newspapers (too many to name). And thanks for the nice comments on facebook. It makes my day to see those. Don't forget, you can RSVP to our CD Release Party here.

If you'd like to read more newsletters like this, please sign up for the mailing list at http://www.katiepearlman.com/.

So excited to be playing tonight!

Man, I feel like it has been a long time since my last solo acoustic gig! My last solo show was at Evolvefest on Sept. 5th. That is a long time. I have been playing and singing with a lot of different projects lately aside from my own. Since the CD Release is coming up, it's good to get back into singing a lot more. In the Summer, I was singing my songs everyday. There's a big difference between doing solo gigs where I sing a lot, and doing side projects where I sing a few songs or do more drumming than singing. I playing a solo set next Friday at Ruthie's Nest. Good stuff. Keep my singing chops up.

October 6, 2009 CD Review of We Make This

October 6, 2009—Katie Pearlman has a new album. It is called “We Make This” (Mohawk Records). I believe we hear in this record Katie’s renewed commitment to songwriting. There are ten songs gathered there, all by her, all good. The cohesive band sound remains as a foundation feature, with Jeff Pearlman on keys, Joe Cesare, electric guitar, Tom Bowler, bass, and Katie on drums and some acoustic guitar.

The lyrics are centered around personal relationships and their entanglements, everyday life and its little trials and victories, and the feelings one can have in the middle of all of it. They engage.

The band sounds good, loose and Jamband like in a classic sense, with some of the ambience of the Dead. Short, incisive yet spirited solos by Jeff and Joe pepper the songs and give them leverage. Katie's drumming sparks the ensemble and gets it grooving.

Ms. Pearlman's voice is a real vehicle. There’s a soulful quality I’ve remarked on in earlier reviews, and it really puts the whole thing together. There are times I recall the old band Mother Earth in its rootedness when I listen to Katie’s music. Katie has a different sound than Tracy Nelson did in that band, but there’s a certain common feel there. On the other hand, there’s nothing really retro about her music. It’s more about timelessness.

“We Make This” is plush, wall-to-wall Katie Pearlman at her best. It nicely showcases Katie’s talent and gives plenty of listening pleasure. I hope it brings her much success.

Reviewed by Grego Applegate
http://www.gapplegate.com/musicalblog.html

Katie Pearlman in Music Blog

September 11, 2009 - Last summer I devoted a posting to the Katie Pearlman Band and their performance some time ago at Lee's Campground, which is downloadable on the archive.org site. I was taken by the strong songwriting, Katie's soulfully appealing vocals, and the loose Jamband feel the group brings to the stage. After reading my posting Katie very kindly let me know of her website (www.katiepearlman.com) and its extensive holdings of live mp3's featuring the band on various gigs. There is much to listen to there, and the "document as you go" nature of the recordings means that some nights have better balance between the instruments and vocals than others (mostly good), but a listen through the collection gives you a good handle on the repertoire and the full breath of Katie's music.

When I first heard the Campground download, I didn't realize that Katie was the drummer in the band. She's solid there and helps drive the band into the grooves they deliver. That's all particularly clear on the mp3's we speak of today. Most importantly these mp3's reaffirm to me her talent and the direct hipness of the band.

There is also Katie the solo artist to be considered and appreciated. There's a new album of Ms. Pearlman in this light as well as some mp3's that showcase this part of her music. I'll do another posting on that soon. In the interim I once again recommend you listen to this band in action, live, on the mp3's and flac downloads and/or through their CD releases. There's a classic quality to the music, and it's cool listening for sure.

- Grego Applegate Edwards blogs on Music and Musicians, with some attention to guitarists, bassists, and other Create People.

http://www.gapplegate.com/musicalblog.html

Settling in...

August was a whirlwind of a month and the past couple of weeks, I have been catching up with what it's like to be home. If you missed what our schedule was in August, let me give you a quick recap. Jeff and I set out on the road on August 1st. Our first stop was Georgia. We played two really great shows (one of which we have recorded and have available on our website) and got to visit with family. The second show, the crowd flipped with Jeff's organ solos. In a day and a half, we drove from Georgia to Phoenix, Arizona. We played a great little venue in Phoenix and got a couple of hours of R & R at our hotel and then headed up to Utah. Our stop in Utah was Park City where we played a small venue, followed by an early morning set on Park City TV. We have 4 videos on youtube.com from that show. That was worth the trip. After Park City, we hauled it 43 hours home.

The following week I flew to Nashville for the Indiegrrl Music Conference. My brother and sister-in-law met me there so I combined business with pleasure for a weekend and flew home to play the Be-In festival on Long Island.

Now, two weeks later, I'm just trying to catch my breath, relax, and get ready for our CD Release Party coming up on November 1st. I have a few shows booked, but I'm going to take it easy for a few weeks. I can't tell you how excited I am for you to hear this CD.

Discipline in Exercise routine on the road

Four days on the road and so far, I've managed to get in a run on three days. The next couple of days we're going to have to do a lot of driving so I'm glad to get in a run when I can. It's an adjustment to run in the Georgia Summer weather - the weather is in the 90's here, sunny. I really like it even though it's very hot to run in.

Yesterday, I ran a cool little trail in a park. It was a mile loop with markers on it and small hills, and a great mix of woods and open air.

Katie Pearlman to perform with Chris Yurchuck and Mark Conklin on July 17 at Watchung Arts Center

Katie Pearlman to perform with Chris Yurchuck and Mark Conklin on July 17 at Watchung Arts Center

by Somerset Reporter
Monday July 13, 2009, 2:30 PM

The Watchung Arts Center, 18 Stirling Road in Watchung, has announced a summer performance to kick-start the weekend. Friday, July 17, at 7:30 p.m. Katie Pearlman will perform with Chris Yurchuck and Mark Conklin. Tickets are $18, $16 for members and $8 for students.

Pearlman began playing drums at age 10, and it wasn't long before she was playing in a band. At 16, Katie moved into an apartment and that's when she started playing guitar more and songwriting, since drumming was not the most neighborly thing to do. Her first solo album, Dreaming Again, received rave reviews from industry professionals and press, and hit national radio waves, scoring in the Top-10 in CMJ charts.

Mark Conklin is a performing songwriter, guitarist and producer with over twenty years of professional experience who currently splits his time between New York and Nashville.Chris Yurchuck cannot be defined by genre. He blends traditional country with the pop sensibilities of his MTV generation and the likes of new alternative country stars. Often likened to The Eagles, Jackson Browne, Dave Matthews and Pete Yorn all in the same breath, he is comfortable enough with his craft to let the song go where it takes him.

For more information visit, watchungarts.org or to place a reservation, call 908-753-0190 or email at wacenter@optonline.net.

Flat tire on the way to festival in Pennsylvania

we had to take most of our gear out of the truck (keys, amps, drum set). This is only part of it. My drums are on the highway! AAAAAH!

Jeff and I got a flat tire on our way to play with the Ronnie Penque Band in Milton, PA. Fortunately, we left ourselves plenty of time and made it to the festival...much thanks to Mike of the NJ Emergency Assistance...I wish I got a picture of him. He was a very nice guy and really wanted to get us on our way to the gig.

My first 5K trail run

Yesterday I ran a 5K trail run at CW Post. You can tell by the subject line that it was my first and a big deal for a variety of reasons. I never was a runner as a kid. I always had pain in my knees and then became a smoker when I was 13 (I quit 8 years later). Then at 21, I herniated a disc in my back while I was putting down a basket of laundry - an event that preceded 3 years of seeing every doctor, healer, and back pain specialist in the New York area. I was in pain every day, couldn't stand for very long without needing to sit down, and sitting wasn't pain-free either. Running was out of the question. A very wise chiropractor (Cerina Gervasi) told me I should try yoga, so I did... and later became a yoga teacher because I virtually became pain free. I still have occasional minor back pain but it's nothing like what I had before I started yoga. So, the fact that I did a 5K yesterday is a great thing. I have dreams of running a marathon one day and realize that if I do, it will be a huge achievement. I'm starting small with the 5Ks.

I particularly liked the trail run, because I enjoy the woods - the smells and the scenery - and the dirt! It was pretty muddy. Love it! There were some rolling hills which were pretty tiring. I liked the random people set up along the trail that would say, "down hill is coming up! You can do it!" There was more up than down. The trails were cleared nicely which I appreciated. I was passed by several much older men. I passed a woman who was walking early on in the race, but she passed me in the last 20 feet of the race! I did stop to walk for 20 seconds at some point. I was feeling exhausted. That could be because Jeff took me on a 4 hour hike the previous day! There was an additional point that I stopped off to the side for a second and a guy was behind me. I started clapping and he was like, "come on - stay with me." I did for a while, but I slowed and he kept on. That was nice of him to encourage me. I kept running the rest of the race, exhausted, but happy to finish.

I also tried not eating before the race and I'm not sure that was a good idea. I didn't have much to eat til later in the day and last night, I had some serious stomach cramps. I'm feeling a little better this morning. Really glad to have done this and looking forward to many more!

Nice review of Katie Pearlman Band just posted

This made my day. :) I didn't ask this person to review us and I've never met him. How nice!

June 30, 2009—The Katie Pearlman Band presided over the audience at Lee’s Campground in Saratoga on June 16th two years ago. Somebody captured them faithfully via a patch into the soundboard. The set can be had for free at archive.org (the Live Music section). These people are not pretentious, not extraordinarily rambunctious. They are one very solid outfit, which is a far better thing than showbiz glitz to my mind.

Katie’s vocals have a natural Rock-Soul vibrancy, the originals are fetchingly attractive, the band is good and there are some decent little guitar jams, perhaps a little shorter that usual because they are playing only one set. Also attractive is their organic, down-home quality that indicates an affinity to Dead-oriented bands. But they do not sound derivative. This is the Katie Pearlman Band doing some muy nice music.

Gapplegate Music Blog

My Songwriting Challenge: 50 songs in 90 days

I am very excited about this and already started today. I think I just put three hours into songwriting. There is a thing called 50/90 in which songwriters join the challenge to write 50 songs in 90 days. The challenge starts on July 4th. This is exactly what I need. It's a clearly defined goal and I've been wanting something to kick me in the butt to get writing. Until today, I have mostly written when I'm inspired...but when life is busy and cluttered, it can get harder to get that inspiration. If you'd like to follow my progress, here's my profile...

http://5090.fawm.org/fawmers/katiepearlman/

I'll be uploading songs starting 7/4/09.

Woohoo!

Something different this Father's Day

I created a webpage in my Dad's honor where people can donate to the Alzheimer's Association. I'm not asking you to donate...just check out this link if you have a second and there is a photo album. This is my Dad....http://act.alz.org/goto/kenschmidt

PS - no cracks about the pictures of me haha...and Happy Father's Day to all you Dads!!

Promising responses from booking

OK - I just started working on booking my solo acoustic tour and have had a few positive responses. That's encouraging! Sent out 23 emails so far...and finding out that there are so many great looking venues out there that I hope to play. :)

Whenever I work on booking, I get a little antsy that I'm not practicing enough. This morning I started writing a new song, so I'm not totally neglecting my practice. Tonight I have band rehearsal and four shows in the next three days, so I'll get to play too!

Business Day

I spent at least four hours on the website today. I added an acoustic page and a discography page, and also moved some things around to make it look nicer. There's more to do, but I took a big step in the right direction. http://www.katiepearlman.com/

I also spent a couple hours on booking. I'm working on putting together a solo acoustic tour. I'm looking for "listening rooms" or places that have an audience that like singer/songwriters. I love being on the road and am looking forward to getting busier now that I'm done with school. Need more dates!

Tomorrow, I will work on house concerts....

Voice Lesson #2

I went for voice lesson #2 today with Ron Meixsell. Yay! I've wanted to take lessons for a long time, but didn't because of cost, availability, etc. Things happen when they're supposed to in their own time!

Today, we did more vocalizing and testing of the width of my vocal range. I can sing higher than I thought.

• Ron taught me to focus on expanding my rib cage and pushing out while singing. He also said to use my lower abdominals. This felt a little weird to be pushing out the ribs while singing and will take some time getting used to. Doing this, and the use of the lower abs seems to help me sing higher.
  
• I tend to tighten my jaw sometimes. Focusing on the ribs and abs helps me release my jaw a little...also opening my mouth more. I also found that I relax when I don't think about it so much.
  
• We talked in between for a while about our life stories. We have some things in common, healing stuff. My experience in yoga helps me with having an awareness of my breath and body.
  
• I have a little uncertainty with continuing lessons because of the cost, but I know that I will find a way to afford it. I think it's very important for me as a person and a singer, and also for my career to get vocal instruction on a regular basis for a while.

I'm looking forward to growing as a singer and letting my voice be free and easy. I'm looking forward to singing in a new way, and writing songs that utilize my voice in a new way. Most of all, I'm looking forward to the feeling I get whenever I sing and write and perform...it's blissful!

Played in Ohio this past weekend

On Saturday, I drove 8 hours to Canton, Ohio to play at Muggswigz Coffeehouse. It was a beautiful drive and I loved looking at all of the different shades of green that our earth has to offer this time of year. Pennsylvania is gorgeous country. Some of the farms made me daydream of what farm and country life would be like. No buzz of the highway or sirens, and less complicated, less busyness of a life, perhaps?

To keep me company on my drive, I downloaded an audio presentation of Wayne Dyer on his most recent topic Excuses Be Gone. It lasted the whole trip to Ohio and for some of the way back. It's all about creating a life without limitations and challenging the limiting thoughts that our minds have. I liked the audio presentation version of this, because he put his theories to work with people in the audience. I recommend it. Rom Dass talked at the end...what an amazing story he has!


Muggswigz was a nice place to perform an acoustic show. The sound was OK. It's one of these places where the sound system is placed in a location other than the stage, like high up somewhere, which means that it's harder for the audience to discern the words that I'm singing. The people that were there were a great audience. They clapped (even though I told them not to) and seemed interested even though many were reading books and surfing the net (which is what people do in a coffeehouse.) It was nice that when I started talking, they lifted their heads to see what I was saying. I was greatful for their attention and for the opportunity to sing to them.

All in all, it was a worthwhile trip. I hope to be doing more touring this summer. I love to travel and I love singing my songs.


PS - there was a double rainbow outside of Muggswigz. I didn't get the double in the picture, but here you go...