I’m so happy. I got my fifth consecutive positive review of What Living’s All About, this time in Blues Revue (“The World’s Blues Magazine”) January 2008 issue, written by Tom Hyslop in the “Blues Bites” section. I just posted it on the What Living’s All About review page.

You can get your own copy of What Living’s All About from CD Baby, on iTunes, or from this site (I’ll sign it for you).  You can download free the one cut no reviewer has been able to ignore, America the Blues, here.

Tags: music jazz wlaa aliciabaylaurel blues cdbaby itunes americatheblues bluesrevue

Marinated from birth in the world music, classical music, jazz and Broadway tunes my parents played on the hi-fi, I succeeded (after two years of begging) in starting piano lessons at age seven, mastered the Bumble Bee Boogie by age twelve, and was levitated into learning guitar and writing songs when I saw Bob Dylan play, shortly before I turned fourteen. A couple of years later, my cousin Jan Lebow married John Fahey, and one day I cornered him when he was bored at a family party and got him to teach me open tunings. That became my sound.

Most of my musician friends played rock and roll, so I was overjoyed when I first visited Hawaii in 1969 and discovered that open-tuned guitar picking was the national music. Between 1969 and 1974 I enjoyed a phenomenal career as a bestselling author, illustrator, book designer and media icon for hipdom and sustainability. My book Living on the Earth was the first paperback book ever on the New York Times Bestseller List, and it’s still in print in English, Japanese and Korean. I wrote, illustrated and designed eight more books, appeared on talk shows, and got written up in lots of magazines.

In 1974, I moved to Maui. There I learned to play slack key guitar and sing Hawaiian songs from some of the most soulful people I’d ever met anywhere. I learned to sing in Hawaiian from recording artist G-girl Keli’iho’omalu’s mother, legendary singer and choreographer Auntie Clara Kalalau Tolentino. I learned slack key guitar from Clara’s son-in-law Jerome Smith in Hana, and from Uncle Sol Kawaihoa in Wailuku. In the early ‘80’s, I began playing in restaurants and bars for the tourists. Over a period of twenty years I studied vocal technique with five teachers, including pop singer/songwriter Pamela Polland. (I STILL take vocal tech lessons!) My lifelong love of jazz (the first LP I bought at age 13 was Local Color by Mose Allison) led me to learn a repertoire of standards and the jazz chords I needed to accompany myself. In the late ‘80’s I started playing at weddings and learned love songs of many genres. From 1988 to 1999 I owned a wedding business that put on 3000 weddings, and I sang at hundreds of them, sometimes accompanying a troop of hula dancers.

In 2000, Random House released the thirtieth anniversary edition of Living on the Earth. I sold the wedding business and went on tour for eight months with an original one-woman show of comedy stories from my life and folk songs I wrote during the time I created the book. I self-produced Music From Living on the Earth, a solo CD of these songs, to sell while on the book tour, and, to my astonishment, it was not only reviewed but selected as an album pick on All Music Guide. Then a psychedelic folk radio show in Belgium started playing it. Then a Japanese record company released it.

When I returned to Hawaii from the tour, I self-produced Living in Hawaii Style, a CD of original and historic Hawaiian songs, mostly slack key guitar and tropical jazz. The CD features Sam Ahia, arguably the best jazz guitarist/vocalist in the islands, and Lei’ohu Ryder, a reknowned spiritualist and chanter with a string of fantastic CDs of her own. This CD got airplay both in Hawaii and on the legendary Ports of Paradise radio show in California, was released in Japan, and, in July 2002, I was the only woman headlining at the Big Island Slack Key Guitar Festival. I toured in Hawaii and California to promote this CD with a new one-woman story and music show.

I’ve spent a lot of time around avant-garde improvisational musicians in my life. I lived with Ramon Sender, one of the founding composers of the San Francisco Tape Music Center in the early ‘60’s, and co-designer of the Buchla Box, the first synthesizer built on the west coast. In the early ‘70’s, we co-authored a book, Being of the Sun, containing information about drones, modes and open tunings. In the late ‘90’s, I began partnering with Joe Gallivan, one of the pillars of the jazz fusion scene in New York and in Europe, who was the first to play a Moog drum in concert, who played in the Gil Evans Orchestra for two years and in a quartet with Larry Young for three years, and about whom an entire section is devoted in the Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD.

These men have been mentors to me, and, while Ramon’s influence is in my first CD, Joe’s influence is most evident in my newest release, What Living’s All About. Good luck in real estate afforded me the luxury of a great LA recording studio with Scott Fraser (audio engineer and producer for the Kronos Quartet) at the controls and a fabulous line-up of session players, notably avant-garde/rock/jazz guitar legend Nels Cline (best known as the guitarist with Wilco, and who I met when his band opened for Joe Gallivan’s band at the Bell Atlantic Jazz Festival in New York City in June 2000), and John B. Williams, bassist for Nancy Wilson, the Manhattan Transfer, the Tonight Show Big Band and the Arsenio Hall Show Band. I co-produced the CD with Ron Grant, an Academy Award winning film composer, who arranged and conducted some of the material, but I also relied heavily upon the improvisational skills of my great players, and they surpassed my expectations.

In Performing Songwriter Magazine’s May 2007 Issue, “What Living’s All About” is one of the Editor’s 12 Top DIY Picks, and in June 2007, the first track, “Floozy Tune,” placed in the Top 20 Finalists in the Jazz Category of the Unisong International Songwriting Contest. Raves reviews of the CD appeared in eJazz News in London (written by John Stevenson, the editor), and in Feminist Review in New York City. The second track, “America The Blues” was a featured download on indieguitarists.com in August 2007.

In the summer of 2006, songs from “What Living’s All About” got airplay in Europe and in the USA, and in October 2006, I did eight concerts in four weeks in Japan. In February 2007 I did three concerts in Phoenix, where the CD has gotten a lot of play on Radio Free Phoenix, and in May and June 2007, I toured Japan again, this time performing 15 concerts, including two festivals, in seven weeks, and appearing as the subject of a TV documentary on Asahi Broadcasting Station. In May 2008 I return to Japan for another tour, including a concert at the opening of a gallery show of my art in Tokyo. I’m currently based in Los Angeles, working on creating an animated children’s television series that features my drawings, stories and music.

Tags: music acidfolk hawaii jazz wlaa nelscline aliciabaylaurel ramonsender johnfahey gospel blues johnbwilliams psychfolk mflote lihs hawaiianmusic slackkeyguitar leiohuryder joegallivan samahia bobdylan moseallison pamelapolland rongrant

Here’s a free download of my matriotic anthem, America the Blues, the second cut from my most recent CD, What Living’s All About, featuring avant-garde guitar legend Nels Cline as the roar of the industrial-military complex (and Ron Grant, Jody Ashworth, and me as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra).

Happy Interdependence Day, to all people, animals, plants, planets, stars, universes and microbes.

And while we're on the subjects of patriotism, democracy, and the government of the United States of America, please listen to and read Keith Olbermann's call for the resignation of Bush and Cheney. 

Tags: environment music wlaa nelscline sustainability peace politics earth imperialism blues environmentalism globalwarming socialjustice americatheblues avantgardemusic humpbackwhale powwow industrialmilitarycomplex americathebeautiful patriotism matriotism freedownload independenceday julyfourth americanflag depleteduranium keitholbermann

On Saturday, January 27th, 2007. I played two hours of my music at the Paisley Violin, a supremely hip small eatery on Grand Avenue in the downtown arts district of Phoenix, functioning as a second living room for the boho denizens of the neighborhood. Musician Chris Warmuth, who lent me a PA system which he gallantly carried from house to car to club to car to house for me, ran into half a dozen friends while we were there. My new friend Sarah Curtis came to this show, too, to sell stuff from my table while I was playing.

This being a CD release party for my most recent recording, I played and sang ten jazz, blues and gospel songs and two jazz standards from What Living’s All About, accompanied by a version of the final mix from the CD that excluded my recorded vocal and guitar parts.

Well, all but one song. Nature Boy was recorded rubato (outside of a time signature), improvised in the studio by me, upright bassist John B. Williams, and percussionist Enzo Tedesco, all of us playing at the same time. In order to perform the song with the recording minus my voice, I would have had to memorize the entire improvisation and duplicate exactly what I sang on the recording. That kind of misses the whole point of doing an improvisation, which is to spontaneously create music together that has never existed before. So, Nature Boy was relegated to being played (as a finished recording) during one of my breaks.

I played on an elevated stage surrounded by wonderful nature photographs by Greg Lansing, whose show lasted the month of January. After my second set, Chris, Sarah and I had a delicious meal at the bar. Check out their fabulous menu.

I brought a full panoply of my wares, and Gina, the manager at the Paisley Violin, offered to keep the table set up and sell the goods on it during the week to help publicize my second show at the Paisley, next Friday, February 2nd, from 7 to 8 PM on the evening of the First Friday monthly open gallery art walk.

Tags: music jazz wlaa aliciabaylaurel gospel blues johnbwilliams phoenix paisleyviolin artsdistrict natureboy edenahbez musicalimprovisation firstfridayartwalk

Friday, January 26, 2007. I visit Andy Olson and Cheryl Sweet at Radio Free Phoenix, their home-based local and internet radio station, for an interview.

Andy Olson is a veteran DJ of the early 1970’s FM radio revolution, which, he told me, played a big part in creating the singer/songwriter phenomenon of those days. The commercial stations on AM wouldn’t play the thoughtful, political and psychedelic music that was born of the consciousness boom of the late 1960’s, but a bunch of maverick DJs used the unwanted FM bandwiths of the time to promote these songs. After they proved there was a large listening audience for the new singer/songwriters, the big labels began to pick them up and the commercial stations began to play them.

Andy and Cheryl in the recording studio of Radio Free Phoenix.

However, now that a few media megaliths own the great bulk of the radio stations and play only whatever the big record companies are promoting, a similar revolution is taking place on the Internet radio.  Maverick DJs are playing "indie" music,  that is, self-produced recordings by singer/songwriters that do not conform to the commercial norm.  That's me.  Thanks to artist Tracy Dove for giving a copy of What Living's All About to Cheryl Sweet last summer, and to DJs Andy Olson, Cheryl Sweet, Liz Boyle and Miss Holly King for playing four cuts from the CD ever since.

Andy told me that, since many commercial stations simply computerize their programs and no live DJ actually chooses or comments upon the music, in-studio radio interviews with musicians rarely air. But on non-commercial station programming and on Internet radio, the DJs and hosts welcome all kinds of content, including live interviews.

Considering the service that independent stations render to the community, they ought to be well-funded. However, most are running on scarce donations and volunteer work. Cheryl works nights as a cardiac nurse in a local emergency room, in addition to hosting her own radio show and, with Andy, raising four children. The station owes its continuation to her efforts.  Andy predicts that with the expansion of "wi-fi" (wireless internet connection) to cover entire cities, Internet radio will one day be as ubiquitous as conventional radio.

I loved being interviewed by Andy Olson and I hope you’ll enjoy listening to us. Click here to pick up a podcast of it.

Tags: podcast jazz aliciabaylaurel gospel blues singersongwriter indiemusic livingontheearth psychfolk radiofreephoenix internetradio noncommercialradio interview hawaiianslackkeyguitar leiohuryder

Friday night, January 26, 2007, I played an all-acoustic set at Fiddler’s Dream, a small night club at the back of the parking lot of the Friend’s Church of Phoenix, on Glendale Avenue and 17th Street in north Phoenix.

Staffed by volunteers and strict in its rules against electronic or amplified instruments, Fiddler’s Dream demands that its patrons maintain perfect silence during the performances, something rarely seen in the United States outside of classical music venues. In Europe, it’s not unusual at all. Audiences for all kinds of music actually stop talking and listen to live music.

The first of the two acts was Hans York, a German singer/songwriter/guitarist living in Seattle who had booked himself on a three month solo tour of various churches, house concerts, and other small venues, not unlike what I did in 2000 for eight months. I was enthralled with his guitar playing and his singing, and appreciated the gentleness and nature images in his lyrics.

What I noticed after I uploaded this photo to my computer is that Fiddler’s Dream actually does have sound reinforcement! See the two microphones on the ceiling on either side of the stage lights?

Hans and I each set out displays of our wares below the Fiddler’s Dream t-shirt rack.

Having an attentive audience turned on the comedienne in me. I just let her rip. Sarah Curtis, a lovely young friend of Tracy Dove’s, took the photos of me.

I performed songs from all three of my CDs, and I had fun playing with guitar the songs from What Living’s All About that I had recorded without guitar, so that people could hear how they sounded when I wrote them.

Tags: music jazz wlaa blues indiemusic psychfolk slackkeyguitar folkmusic fiddlersdream hansyork acousticmusic comedy

America The Blues
Lyrics and liner notes by Alicia Bay Laurel
from her new CD What Living’s All About

Podcast of America the Blues 

(Hear the first two minutes of this song on CD Baby)

This is a song about speaking truth to power—not only to despots, but to our own collective power. The operative lyric here is VOTE. If everyone who could vote actually did vote, we could elect representatives who would work with us to reverse the vast environmental, public health, diplomatic, and human rights problems we earth-dwellers face, and make this a sustainable, joyful world for all who live in it, now and in the future. To vote well, we need truthful media (for example Truthout.org or Commondreams.org.) Also, we vote daily with our money; we need to support businesses that further sustainability and social justice, and boycott the rest. We need elections with state-financed candidates and hand-countable paper audits. Thank you.

Katharine Lee Bates wrote the lyrics to American the Beautiful on July 4, 1893; the melody comes from the hymn Materna, composed by Samuel A. Ward in 1882. Ms. Bates, a professor of English literature at Wellesley College, prolific poet and author, and ardent feminist, lived openly as a lesbian with her lifelong partner, Katharine Coman, Dean and professor of economics at Wellesley.

Curiously, the lyrics to America the Blues also revealed themselves on July 4th, while I was registering voters for the 2004 presidential election.

Arranged by Alicia Bay Laurel and Ron Grant, Singing and Speaking Vocal, Rhythm Guitar: Alicia Bay Laurel, Speaking Vocals: Jody Ashworth and Jessica Williams, Vocal Harmonies: Alicia Bay Laurel, Ron Grant and Jody Ashworth, Electric Guitar: Nels Cline, Electronic Symphony Orchestra: Ron Grant, Upright Bass: John B.Williams, Drums: Enzo Tedesco

America, the beautiful,
You’re thorny as a rose:
Radiation, global warming
Poisoned food from GMOs.
Your poor die sick and hungry,
And your wealthy live tax-free,
While they murder ancient forests
The soil and the sea.

America, America,
Greed sheds disgrace on thee.
Vote corporations out of power;
Revive democracy
For future generations
And human decency.

America, don’t blow it
All to smithereens.
You don’t need nukes; you don’t need slaves,
And you don’t need gasoline.
What you do need is compassion,
And respect for human rights,
Permaculture, sustainable systems,
Mediation instead of fights.

America, don’t wave that flag
To con us with your jive.
If the multi-nationals have their way
Even rich folks won’t survive.
We’re all family here on this planet,
So lay down that smoking gun,
And start sharing with your neighbors;
There’s enough for everyone.

I pledge allegiance to the earth
In the myriad stars of the universe
And to all the beings who upon her stand
One family, indivisible,
With liberty and justice for all.

America, America,
Greed sheds disgrace on thee.
Vote corporations out of power,
Revive democracy
For future generations
And human decency.

Don’t wave that flag at me;
Try human decency.

Tags: music jazz wlaa nelscline permaculture sustainability peace politics democracy voting blues johnbwilliams fascism socialjustice katharineleebates elections protestsong

Woo hoo! My first two CDs are now fully up on iTunes, meaning that now you can buy just one song if you like, for 99 cents—or the whole CD, minus the packaging, for $9.99. Apple iTunes lets you listen to a minute of each song before you buy.

Music From Living on the Earth page on iTunes

Living in Hawaii Style page on iTunes

However at CD Baby you get TWO minutes of each song—at least on the Music from Living on the Earth page. They have promised they’d get around to posting samples of every song on Living in Hawaii Style eventually. When I first posted the two CDs in 2001, CD Baby was only offering samples of four songs per CD. Now they offer samples of ALL the songs, as you will see on their page for What Living’s All About.  On CD Baby, what you buy is the physical CD, with all its glorious artwork and liner notes.

Tags: music jazz wlaa aliciabaylaurel blues cdbaby psychfolk mflote lihs itunes hawaiianmusic

PERFORMING SONGWRITER MAGAZINE, MAY 2007

What Living’s All About—a title that’s appropriate for a woman who has lived her life with such gusto. A Bohemian artist, Alicia Bay Laurel lived on a houseboat off Sausalito and a commune in Sonoma before spending 25 years on Maui. In addition to her music, she’s worked as a cook, collage artist, yoga instructor, wedding planner, underwater photographer and she’s the author of a New York Times bestseller, the whimsical Living on the Earth, first published in 1971.

The rich tapestry of her life translates to her music. In the Billie Holiday-esque “Floozy Tune,” Laurel plays the role of the Sunday School teacher turned barfly. In “America the Blues” she dishes out scathing political commentary to the tune of “America the Beautiful” (“America, America, greed sheds disgrace on thee / You don’t need nukes, you don’t need slaves, you don’t need gasoline”). She has fun with the smart “Aquarian Age Liberated Woman Blues” (“Seaweed for breakfast is good for you”) and the gospel-imbued “Doctor Sun and Nurse Water.” Laurel’s jazzy Earth-mother sound will seduce and inspire.

 
Review by John Stevenson of Ejazz News in London, June 2006

Dear Alicia,

Just a quick note from London. I have reviewed your last CD at ejazznews.com. It is excellent. As I wrote in the review, by far one of the best for 2006.

I get close to 20 CDs a week sent to me, but yours stood out because of its transparently high level of musicianship and sincerity - qualities which are very rarely found combined these days.

Kind Regards,

John Stevenson

Alicia Bay Laurel: What Living’s All About, Jazz Blues & Other Moist Situations (IWS)

With a provocative title like this one, Ms. Laurel will certainly catch the attention of any reviewer! This is most certainly one of the most audacious, heartfelt and honest discs I’ve put in my CD player for the year. Alicia (who sounds like the artistic love child of Joan Baez and Tom Waits) brings a folk-singer’s sensibility to bear on jazz and pulls no punches: On America The Blues, she declaims: America, the beautiful/you’re thorny as a rose:/Radiation, global warming/Poisoned food from GMOs./ She also sings a delightful version of Eden Ahbez’s Nature Boy. The accompaniment from guitarist Nels Cline, bass player John B. Williams and pianist Rick Olson is divine.

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BLUES REVUE MAGAZINE January 2008
Tom Hyslop
Blues Bites: Reviews in Brief

Alicia Bay Laurel conveys life’s sudden shifts and jarring juxtapositions on What Living’s All About (Indigo With Stars 003). Sandwiched between the opener, “Floozy Tune,” and “Aquarian Age Liberated Woman Blues,” two formally classic blues that could have come from Ma Rainey if not for the namechecks (belly dancing, astral projection, The I. Ching, bee pollen candy and natty dread), comes “America the Blues,” with strident references to economic inequality, environmental rapine, corporate greed, and political corruption. Laurel moves from girlish singing on the Twenties-style songs to this doomy incantation, the arrangement taking full advantage of the jaw-dropping talent of avant-guitarist Nels Cline (best known as Wilco’s secret weapon). With cuts such as “Doctor Sun and Nurse Water” (a gospel-drenched number with oddly matched lyrics), and the Fever tribute of the title track, Living will strike some as too California in its outlook. But lovely touches abound, such as the stately, quietly anthemic “Love, Understanding and Peace,” and Doug Webb’s beautiful alto work on “Zero Gravity.”

FEMINIST REVIEW, Friday, June 1, 2007
Alicia Bay Laurel – What Living’s All About

"Floozy Tune" Wins Song Contest
7/9/2007 4:38:10 PM
“Floozy Tune”
Status: Selected
Congratulations, you have been selected as a Top 20 Finalist in the Jazz Category of the 11th Annual Unisong International Song contest. Results are at http://www.unisong.com/Winners11.aspx.

This year featured the highest overall quality of songs, lyrics, and writers ever submitted by far, with the most diverse and varied entries from a multitude of countries representing every continent on Earth except Antarctica (and songwriting penguins out there).

The judging therefore was extremely competitive and to be singled out anywhere in the top 15% of all songs submitted was no easy feat.

Review of What Living’s All About by psychedelic folk radio DJ, Gerald Van Waes. His show, Psyche Van Het Folk, is on Radio Centraal, Antwerp, Belgium.

Like one of my favourite heartfelt singer-songwriter singers (Heather McLeod with 'Funny Thing', 1997), also Alicia went to more towards (slightly standard) jazz territories, but as a former hippie, it is clear this is not done as a compromise to please/tease a public. Her interpretations (-most songs are self penned-) are with great feelings, and a certain light happiness beyond each other idea or emotion. She describes the style mix well on the cover as "jazz, blues and other moist situations". With additionally a a bit of New Orleans influence on "Floozy Tune", and a bit of gospel on "Doctor Sun and Nurse Water" (about what the environment of Hawaii did to her), she wrote inspired something between jazz and jazz-blues and something else soulful. I like the idea on "America the blues" saying "America, don't wave that flag to con us with your jive...".."we're all family on this planet".. (Just imagine how America is built upon so many nationalities and bought talents from everywhere, unfortunately mostly still chosen from what are seen as the trustworthy countries and areas (so practically still excluding preferably the French, Spanish, and several Arab-speaking countries and native Indians for economic concurrence, racist, nowadays partly religious, and a few other reasons).. Potentionally I realize America still has all opportunities and a certain openness to experiment for those who succeed to start to participate in the system. This track, like a few tunes elsewhere has some, for me, rather amusing freaky electric avant-garde guitar by Nels Cline (Wilco,..). Alicia, for having experienced a certain earthbound process, matured, she still has the happiest aspects of the hippie; this sum must having benefited the soul and music of the singer, who on her recent photograph on the back cover still looks 25 or so, so I guess the message of this lies somewhere as a benefit hidden in the music. Rather brilliant as an interpretation I think is "Nature Boy" (originally by Nat King Cole, but also covered by Grace Slick), in an emotionally calm contrapoint-driven moody jazz style, with the help of John B. Williams on upright bass and Enzo Tedesco on other instruments. A really fine and enjoyable album.

 
Review by legendary guitarist Nels Cline on his website:

Alicia is a self-proclaimed “hippie chick” who I met through (drummer) Joe Gallivan. She had a hit book back in the 60s called [stay tuned for title – forgot it], which she says “was in practically every hippie commune outhouse in the west” (no doubt right next to “Be Here Now”!). This is, I believe, self-released, and is quite an odd but strangely entertaining, original, and disarming recording. It has a some amazing L.A.-based session/jazz players like (saxophonist) Doug Webb, who reaches beyond his Coltrane-esque tenor to turn in some beautiful post-Desmond alto, brilliant drummer Kendall Kay, and bassist John B. Williams, whom many may remember as the Fender player on The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson for many years. There is a choir on here! The songs are sort of 1920s-30s era swing, acoustic swing blues, and… Well anyway, when someone like Alicia asks me to do tons of Hendrix-inspired shrieking and psych looping (“America The Blues”) or fuzzed out adversarial commentary (“It’s Not Fair”), I figure that when the disc comes out that the stuff will, as it usually is, be buried or cut out altogether. I was amazed when I heard this that Alicia REALLY WANTED these sounds and that THEY ARE REALLY LOUD! I don’t know what people who know my music will think of this, but there is something so wry and self-deprecatingly amusing about Alicia’s hippie anthems, protest songs, and tales of failed romance that I find myself grinning. Hmmmm….Oh yes, I also play slide, lap steel, and acoustic guitar on this. I’m on 4 or 5 tracks.

Review by Platinum-selling singer/songwriter Joe Dolce

Alicia,
I love you !!!!!!!
You are a wonderful ray of light in my life.
Your music, messages, visuals & CD are extraordinary.
Bravo - really a fabulous job on the disc.
I had something like a religious experience upon hearing it for the first time. 
A most expertly guided journey.
I later played America The Blues on my program,
on a show w/ 'The Dark Blues' as the theme ...
Yours on all planets,

Charles Blass
Audio Gumbo
89.9 FM WKCR
New York City

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Alicia,

I’m a blues/roots programmer and dj for WPFW, 89.3 FM, a 50,000-watt
non-commercial station in Washington, D.C. and I report to the Living
Blues Radio Chart.

I read a good review of What’s Living All About in Blues Revue magazine
a while back; can you send a promo copy for possible airplay?

Thanks and let me know if you need anything else,

Elliott Gross
Programmer/DJ
The Don’t Forget the Blues Hour
www.wpfw.org

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I think this is a very creative record with a lot of wonderful ideas and performances and some pretty extraordinary playing, and endearing vocals all over the place. I like it a lot!! I liked all the songs much better on the second listen. A keeper. Good work.

The album is eclectic, diverse musical styles. Therefore, I can relate to it! What holds it altogether is Alicia’s musical ‘personae’ – the complex character she is creating, through her voice and ideas. As you get to know this character more and more, as the songs and ideas progress, you trust her more and it allows you to enter more easily into whatever type of musical style is coming next. (Also this trust is a reason to want to go back and listen again.) Also the IDEAS are clear. The lead vocals are strong with a lot of presence. The musicians are all brilliant and the soloing is tasteful and creative – no cliches or stumbling around musically anywhere to be found.

Re: "Nature Boy." I believe that if you can take the listener to a unique Hilltop, and give them a view that they will never forget, even ONCE in a recording or performance, that is enough. One brilliant moment builds a bridge of trust between you and them that will allow them to be more open to whatever you do from then on, even if they don’t relate or understand it. (You may never be able to take them to that High Point again but it doesn’t matter – it’s like great sex or great playing- you may not be able to LIVE with that person, but you will NEVER forget that encounter.) This track took me to that Hill. I feel different now about the whole recording.

Re: "I Could Write a Book." This track is the track where I first gasped: genius! What an amazing idea. A track like this makes me have to listen to the whole CD over again to see if I missed anything the first time around on those opening tracks. A totally inspired idea that works. No one else has ever done something like this with a standard. Perfect. I played this one for Lin. She liked it a lot, too. (She didn’t think her publisher would like it though! ha ha!)
Joe Dolce
Platinum-selling Singer-Songwriter
Melbourne, Australia

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It's a charming CD.  It doesn't sound like anything else that's out there.  It says important things in an unassuming way.  It's also very personal.  I really like it.
Nels Cline
Avant Garde/Jazz/Rock Guitarist of reknown
Los Angeles, California

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Andy Olson
Radio Host
Radio Free Phoenix

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I love your CD.  There are several songs we will soon add to the rotation.  But I had to start playing Floozy Tune right way.  It is SO funny!

Brad Freeman
Radio Host
KHBC Radio
Hilo, Hawaii

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Hi Alicia,

I don't listen to KBHC that much, so I was tickled when heard
something from your CD on KBHC:  Floozy Tune.  This was last Saturday,
10:30 a.m.  Brad was substituting for Mynah Bird, the regular morning
DJ.  It was a trip and a treat!

Linda Kane
Honomu, Hawaii 

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I found it last night, Alicia! And was able to listen to several cuts. Really enjoyed it! And so thank you for sending that!

Listened to (and read the lyrics of) America the Blues and really liked that one as well. I love the song and, of course, everything about it is dead on; obviously it has a *very* strong political statement.

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Feedback from Jackie Ryan, one of the greatest living jazz vocalists, IMHO:

I heard your CD!! WOW!!! FANTASTIC JOB, ALICIA!! GREAT TUNES!! WOWOWOWOWOW!!!  I can tell you put a lot into it. You did an EXCELLENT and very professional job. You hould try selling some tunes to some big names!!!

Jackie recently sang in New York City:

Monday, August 28, 2006, 2 Sets: 7:30 & 9:30pm
Jazz At Lincoln Center: Dizzy's Club Coca Cola
With Cyrus Chestnut: piano, Ray Drummond: bass, Carl Allen: drums, Eric Alexander: Sax, Jeremy Pelt: Trumpet, Romero Lubambo: guitar
Doors open at 6pm for the 7:30pm set

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Love your CD!  Thank you for being you!

Ruthie Ristich
Jazz Vocalist
Boston, Massachusetts

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Sassy, sexy, sophisticated and smart!

Sophia Songhealer
New Age Singing Goddess
Carmel Valley, California

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Howdy Alicia!  I hope this finds you happy, healthy and happy!
-L-O-V-E your NEW CD, "What Living's All About"!!!
"Floozy Tune" is one of my favorites!  I can't wait to share your tunes on the air.

Take Care- - - Miss Holley King
Radio Host
KBSZ-AM Saturdays 8 AM to 12 Noon
Radio Free Phoenix Sundays at 2 PM

MY PLAY LIST FOR TODAYS' SHOW
Show No.21 - Sunday, June 25th, 2006 - "Bad To The Bone" - includes:
(the funny) - Alicia Bay Laurel - Floozy Tune
 

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Radioshow Psyche Van Het Folk
1st week of August : 2006-8-05  (8PM-10 PM),
on Radio Centraal, Antwerp Belgium 106,7 FM :

New acoustic releases, often with serious minimalist ideas..

Alicia Bay Laurel : What's Living's All About  Tr.8, “Nature Boy” 8 min -115

My favourite track of this new album of former hippie living in Hawaii. Jazz is a new inspiration. This Nat King Cole /Grace Slick interpretation is really well done.

3 releases reviewed : http://singersong.homestead.com/folk2.html#anchor_56 

from Gerald Van Waes, Radio Host

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They are playing Dr. Sun and Nurse Water right NOW!
on Radio Free Phoenix.
I think it is Liz Boyle DJ-ing right now...
Cool huh!
Hope you are having a good day!

Miss Holley King
DJ Radio Free Phoenix

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It’s a terrific piece of artistry, and deserves to shine at its brightest! We’ve been enjoying Alicia’s new CD a whole lot. [re: Nels Cline] Wotta guitarist! Whoo-ee!

Ramon Sender Barayon
Electronic Music Pioneer and Author
San Francisco, California

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Soul sister beautiful Alicia

We are enjoy it.

Always I can feel connected your spirit.

Goddess blessing you!                

Sachiho Kudomi
Vocalist/Songwriter/Bassist
Naha City
Okinawa

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Got Alicia’s new CD & really do think it’s the best ever. I dearly love jazz & blues anyway & Alicia’s voice is perfect for “Floozy Tune” – the first old timey song. Another of my favorites is “Best of the Rest of You”. I’m tempted to quote lyrics, which are all excellent. Anyway, far as I know, Alicia wrote all the songs except the classic “I could write a book” in which she gives a little talk about the vicissitudes of the publishing business – a subject wherein she knows whereof she speaks. Youse guys are missing out if you don’t check this out. Alicia’s one of our own & she’s done us proud IMO.
Pam Hanna
Freelance writer, editor and critic
(writing on to our commune alumni Yahoo group Mostpost)
Thoreau, New Mexico

[Alicia notes: there are TWO jazz standards on WLAA, "I Could Write a Book" and "Nature Boy."  The spoken words on "I Could Write a Book" are from literary agent Michael Larsen's book How To Write a Book Proposal, Third Edition (Writers Digest Books, 2003) and used with permission.] 

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please don’t hesitate to contact me, if/when you have another need for CD or DVD manufacturing. same with your friends: send them directly to me and have them drop your name. i’ll certainly take care of them!
cheers,
Joe Vent
Sales
AtoZ Media-Midwest
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

[Alicia notes: A to Z Media did a wonderful job manufacturing my CD and both Joe Vent (sales) and Sandra Gray (production) were a pleasure to do business with.  Very reasonable prices, too.]

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Dear Alicia:

The CD certainly arrived.  I waited until family left, as I like to listen to a new album with undivided attention (NOT as background music!).  I sat with the liner notes, read your commentaries and the lyrics.  I LOVE the album.  You are the most incredibly creative woman!

Dear Alicia:

It seems new CD is different arrange from ever work.
I enjoy many sound, may be your friends.
I love illustration of jacket too !

Koki Aso
Freelance Journalist
Kamakura, Japan

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I'm sorry to late to mail. I went to Tokyo and Kanazawa. The day I back from Kanazawa, your CD came to my home. Thank you!!

When I listen your CD, [my teenaged daughter] Seina came home and she said,
"It's cool! I love this CD!"

We are surprised that this CD has very different world from your 1st and 2nd CD.

I'd like to sell this CD also. Please ask GATS production to inform me when he releases your CD in Japan.

Thank you!!

with love,
Yoko Nema
Musician
Owner, Tata Bazaar
Naha City
Okinawa

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You are so friggin’ talented it makes me weep…
Thanks so much for sending me your new CD. I am enjoying it thoroughly!
Aloha nui loa, Barb
Barbara J. Fahs, M.A.
Hi`iaka’s Healing Herb Garden, LLC
Author of Super Simple Guide for Creating Hawaiian Gardens
Kea’au, Hawaii

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I listened this morning to all of the tracks and it’s great music.  I enjoyed Alicia’s voice and the arrangements—it was well worth the listen!
Connie Higginson-Murry
Midnight Blues Radio Show

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I was struck by the uniqueness of the sound and some of the melodies and voiceplay grabbed my attention!
Don Strachan
Author, Watsu Therapist and Tantra Teacher
Middletown, California

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I have listened to you music and I am stunned and delighted!!! I LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT! YES!!!!!! Man….. the jazzy bo ho beat sultry powerful oh yes.
Thank you , Alicia, for Being You!

.......Love, Char ~*
Webmistress of Hippie Museum
Santa Cruz, California

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Kenichi Iyanaga
Saitama, Japan

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Alicia!
You did good, mama.
What a beautiful baby. I listened to her at CDbaby and bought it right away. Hilarious and absolutely GORGEOUS.
A Hearty Congratulations To You.
Thanks for sharing.
Emily Capehart
Permaculture Teacher
Pilot Point, Texas

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Vintage Alicia. Alicia at her best.
Milo Clark
Pahoa, Hawaii

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The CD is eclectically superb! On to the 3rd listening…
Joel Goldfarb
Jazz Pianist
Makawao, Hawaii

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Your CD is a delight. I know good things will come of it.
Delia Moon
Santa Barbara, California

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I listened to all of the songs... GREAT, GREAT, GREAT!  You must be so proud because it really is awesome.

Thank you so much for bringing your spirit to the music world.  I will cherish this CD.

Peace, Love & Understanding :)

Hollywould
Redneck Riviera, Florida

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Aloha fairy godmother. I heard your latest album the other day with my mom. High props to you for creating a jazzy piece with a political message. Keep rockin!

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I listened to all of the songs and really enjoyed them.  I'm going to continue listening to your CD many more times.  Your songs show sensitivity, depth, and breadth of life experience.
Jerome Franklin MD
Psychiatrist
Los Angeles, California

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Its so cool...
i love the cover design...
it sounds great!
you sound great!
you must be so proud and happy...
what a great accomplishment...
a completion af a trilogy...
WOW!!!  You go girl!!!

Lihau Daly
Hollywood, California

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Hi Alicia

Lani Harriman
Cupertino, California

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Dear Alicia,
Congratulations on your new CD! My favorites are Floozy Tune, The Best of the Rest of You, and Dr. Sun And Nurse Water. I play them over and over. Your songs are a great de-stresser for me and and I love having my lifelong friend singing to me. It doesn't get any better! Congratulations on your musical legacy to the world. Your hard work, planning, and determination has come to fruition! I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BIG LOVE AND HUGS TO MY LIFETIME FRIEND,
GERI WOOLLS
Huntington Beach, California

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Dearest Alicia,

Leslie Doolin
Topanga Art Tile

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I love your CD. You have such a pure voice and a great selection of tunes. Good for you.

Much love,
Stella Resnick, Ph.D
Psychotherapist
Los Angeles, California

Tags: music jazz wlaa nelscline aliciabaylaurel hippiemuseum ramonsender joedolce blues ruthieristich howardzinn jackieryan donstrachan barbarafahs atozmedia michaellarsen bradblog bradfriedman radiofreephoenix