Blog

The Big Band Experience…

I am fortunate to have opportunities to perform a number of different types of concerts in various locales… coming up next will be a Spartanburg, SC performance of my big band show, “Beyond the Sea: Tish Oney’s Big Band Excursion” with the Greenville Jazz Collective Big Band (Feb. 10 at 7:30 in the USC Upstate Performing Arts Center, 800 University Way, Spartanburg–864-503-5695 for tickets). This show is a big deal to me–the arrangements were written by Chris Walden, a Grammy-winning large ensemble arranger who has helped me put together not only this show, but my two symphony pops shows as well, Joe Riposo, an acclaimed jazz musician (alto sax), educator, composer, arranger and author of several books devoted to jazz improvisation, and Jason Goldman, another top-flight alto sax player/composer/arranger whose music is lush, challenging and full of reharmonization.

This particular show features three Riposo arrangements, two of which are collaborations I have shared with Joe. We co-wrote “Hidden Soul” and “A Blue Goodbye” together years ago (he the music and I the lyrics), and he recently completed a big band chart of the latter, which will receive its world premiere at my February concert. I have treasured Joe as an important jazz mentor, collaborator and friend over the years, so it is my privilege to share his work with this audience.

Last year I had the distinct honor to be the first guest vocalist to share the stage with the regionally-acclaimed Greenville Jazz Collective, a terrific quintet in Upstate South Carolina led by bassist Shannon Hoover. This group also sports a big band (18-piece jazz orchestra), and we have eagerly awaited another opportunity to work together to present my big band show. The opportunity has finally arrived and the public is warmly invited to enjoy this wonderful music written by excellent arrangers and played by truly accomplished performers! The program includes music of the Gershwins, Charlie Parker, Richard Rodgers, Henry Mancini and more. Tickets are $15 for general public, $8 for faculty and staff and $5 for students. All proceeds support jazz education, so please come and join us for this great cause! Thank you for your support of live music!

Blog

New Year’s Resolutions

If you are like the average person, the thought of making New Year’s resolutions either brings you hope or trepidation… I decided I would ruminate this December about things I would like to continue doing or do altogether differently in 2015. Most involve some inherent benefit to myself or to those around me, or toward greater career productivity. In no particular order, here they are:

1)Practice a minimum of two hours a day. I share this goal with many artists I know–without practice, nobody would want to hear me sing. Enough said.
2) Continue exercising a minimum of 3 days per week. Aerobic exercise just feels good. I tend to feel lousy when I am not doing it regularly, so I look forward to keeping up with my P90X, P90X Plus and P90X3 workouts.
3) Avoid allowing the attitudes and behaviors of negative or toxic people affect my attitude or behavior. This is a toughie for me–as a passionate artist, I am passionate about everything I do. This sometimes rubs people the wrong way and they misunderstand my intentions, which leads to negativity coming back at me. While I make every effort to be properly understood, some simply refuse to hear the message and make up their mind to continue being negative. Their loss, I guess.
4)Cook and bake at home more. My busy dual career often leads to eating out on a regular basis… I will do better this year, shop for groceries and plan a meal more than once in a while!
5)Spend more daily time being creative (writing music, blogs, articles, or book chapters). The mundanely urgent tasks continually steal time from my more important creative ones… I shall attempt to invert this muffin and place the important creative endeavors on the “muffin top” of my list of things to do…and do them first…Whoops–sorry about the baking metaphor!
6)Pray and meditate every day. I already do this, but making it a continued New Year’s resolution gives me a sense of accomplishment and realization that I CAN and already DO have good ingrained habits that enrich my life!

Knowing myself, I must end the list here. Otherwise I will have a “too long” list of things I cannot accomplish rather than a short list of important items to pursue. May your 2015 be filled with fun, health, prosperity and music, and may you accomplish all you set out to do!

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