Tuesday, May 31, 2011

MY BASS PLAYER IS MY FAVOURITE PERSON

Yes, I said it. My bass player is one of my best friends, my performance coach, songwriting friend, and also the most critical bastard you've ever met. His old friends label him as 'caustic' and that describes him to a tee. However, I have say, Wayne Evans has helped me in every way. 


His musical career began long before my mother even moved out of her parent's house. He likes to remind me that when he was my age, he was just getting off the road and retiring from professional music! Here he is in all his baddass bass fatness with 'The Nocturnals- Because You're Gone' 





The Nocturnals were the coolest band around Vancouver in the 60's. They started as an instrumental dance ensemble playing jazz standards, latin, swing, shuffle, bossanova, and of course rock and roll! Enter Billy McBeth at age 16 a year later, and BOOM! the little drummer boy brought life to the original R&B music with groovy vocals. 

My main man Wayne wrote their biggest radio hit 'Baby This Ain't Love' and to this day, still brags about his socan royalty payments of approximately $7 every few months :) 

Meeting Wayne Evans changed my life forever.




Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Drummer Euphoria!

So whilst searching the nether regions of my musical connections, it appears my networking has paid off. Our show at 'Guilt and Co.' in Gastown is something to look forward to...new venue...new crowd...guarantee...all this this points to me hiring a really good drummer who can make those fast swing to latin changes, and play a perfect shuffle. Believe me, my bass player Wayne Evans is a crank about who he has to play with, and god knows I'd never hear the end of it if I hired someone he didn't approve of. Darrell Mayes is with us for the Love Vancouver Festival hosted by Byron James and sponsored by CBC. Both Steve Ranta and Wayne are very happy about that; so am I. However, Darrell is not available Jun 10th when we're at GUILT. 


Thus the search begins...John Nolan...you free??? youhopeso? gotta check your calendar? call me back later? oh, can't do it, damn...Chris Nordquist you say, okay i'll give him a call...thanks for his number..Hi Chris? my name's Wendy... blah blah...what? you're on stage at the Hyack festival about to play with Jim Byrnes in New West, and you really want to do the night but you have to check your calendar? you'll call me tomorrow morning?? okay...(starting to see a theme..all good drummers are working. end of story) Hi Chris! what? gotta job from 7-9 in West Van and can't make it for a 830 sound check with us...mmmmmm. ......Hi Chris! wow found a guy who you think is right for the job and is NOT working that night? yay! you're the best!! Loren Etkin is my guy! He's played with so many people i'm not even going to list them. Right now he's backing Kenny Wayne- Boogie and more Mr. R&B. Even my bitchy old bass player agrees. This guy will be really good. 


So thanks to all the above mentioned stick twirlers who helped me out in finding the right guy. I haven't even met Chris, and I really like him. John's a dashing sweetheart, i feel safe with him behind me. Darrell's my number one pick right now after, of course, the the untouchably talented Billy McBeth who also doubles as a very good friend and songwriting partner.


take care all! hope to see you out at some of our bookings! 

Saturday, May 14, 2011

WHAT A JOURNEY

I feel like the luckiest gal in the world and I'm savouring every moment. As quickly as life's joys are handed out, so are challenges. Its been a whirlwind of a week. Billy McBeth has been staying with me for the past 9 days, and we've been extremely productive. Not only have we recorded a 9 song demo album, performed live with some of Vancouver's greatest players, and shared laughs over a few bottles of red wine but we managed to pump out a fantastic funky groove tune. Billy took the raw track to his old pal Brian Newcomb, bass player extrodinaire, and got the smoothest growliest bass track I've ever heard. Then Billy put down some guitar and drums, and finally we added the vocals. It went so fast, as we were carried away in a flurry of creative fury. Can't wait to hear the final mix, It's such a departure from what I'm used to singing. Such a pleasure writing and working with Mr. McBeth. 


Our performance last night was stellar. Dave Vidal (my fav guitar player in town) dropped by and showed his chops with class and style - what a treat - Ray Ayotte sat in on drums for a couple of tunes, and overall, the connection between my core guys was amazing. Wayne Evans (bass) and Billy have been playing together for almost 50 years! Steve Ranta (keys)fit right in and man, I was honoured to be singing with such competent professionals. The boys are all so good to me....THANKYOU 


to hear our newest recordings,
please visit 


www.reverbnation.com/wendybiscuit


thanks and take care!
wendy

Sunday, April 3, 2011

SO MUCH TO LEARN

music is a tough business, and i'm just doing it for fun! every new direction is sooooo tempting, and there is a whirlwind of people smiling, shaking hands, dancing, loving, and many haters too. pointing fingers and criticizing, causing me to stop and think from time to time...is this right for me? oh yeah it has to be. no other option. stay grounded, focus on what's important. my kids and family, my garden and my dog. not to mention my day job that i worked at for 10 years before sucessfully earning the seniority i have now. really, it's all in my head, and i create my own destiny. on that note i'm going to quiet down my mind, and slow down a bit. more research, more rehearsal with the guys i know and enjoy the best. wrote a couple of new tunes, one jazz and one blues. record record, keep myself surrounded by the folks who know what's best for me, and will always be straight up and honest about everything.

next show scheduled for May 13th.
the Main on Main 4210 main st. 10 pm

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

TWO SHOWS BACK TO BACK WEEKENDS

March is going to be a fun month! Two performances, one Sat. March 12 at the Main.
Then the following weekend, friday March 18th at a new venue, LanaLou's on Powell st.

I'm also doing a few tunes at a private work fuction at the Yale on the 26th, so that's something to look forward to as well. I have been very focused on learning new tunes to build up the set lists, and just have about 5 more to go before I have a full show. YAY! The band of magnificent men around me is building too. Along with Steve Ranta on Keys and Wayne Evans on Bass, Jack Lavin will be performing with us. There will be a host of instruments there, and the guys are going to move around a small kit,  1962 fender jazz bass, a harmonica and i'm still trying to convince one of them to bring out the SG. I'm in a band with a talented piano man and two bass players. What more could i ask for???




Hope to see you all at either performance. LanaLou's is going to be extra special, as it's a double bill. Slowpoke and the Smoke (one of my favorite pyschedelic doowop zappa tribute bands) will be playing after us, so after our set we get to sit down and enjoy an awesomely entertaining show by Tony Bardach, Bradford Lambert and Eric Napier.

take care!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Cab Calloway - Reefer Man High Quality

Here's a gem. Cab Calloway singing Reefer Man.

It's no secret that I have a thing for really good bass players..they just seem to catch my attention and hold onto my heart :)

I wish I knew who this bass player was, his palm slap style is crazy and has me swooning! On the second time around, I couldn't take my eyes off the trumpet player in the back with his antics and his gold hat. Not to mention how much fun these boys seem to be having..sure looks like Calloway runs a tight ship. Enjoy- and by the way, I've added this tune to my set list. Now if only i can figure out a way to perform with Dave Videl on guitar again. That was a pleasant surprise last saturday at the Heritage, I wasn't expecting Jack to ask me to sing. Dave's the best guitar player I've played with yet, and now I know exactly what guitar sound I want.

LANALOU'S Fri March 18th is our next show. Details to be released soon, very soon!