Circus Girl, The Best of Gretchen Peters

Gretchen is the perfect traveling companion. There are few days that I can enjoy much more than background music with work requirements occupying the forefront of my brain activities. I rarely take the time to just sit and immerse myself in the words and sounds that seem to ground me in some mysterious way. But traveling in my car with the beauty of the landscape passing by and the sounds of ivory, reeds and strings, Gretchen’s words fill this soul. I am inspired and empowered, brought to reverence and remembrance, released and comforted.

It always amazes me that someone else can write the words in my head, that another’s words can so closely follow my life even though our lives have taken such differing paths. With Gretchen I am consistently amazed.

Gretchen’s latest offering, Circus Girl, is a compilation of some of her best work. It is a true representation of the best of Gretchen Peters, a by-product of her heart and soul, which is so much more than can ever be held on disc.

- Karan

WICKED!

Nashville is known for country music, but what about theatre? Broadway? In Nashville? Yes! Our own Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) is running the broadway show WICKED through the month of September. TPAC offers Nashville and the surrounding region first class Broadway shows throughout the year and the popularity of these events rivals any of Nashville's traditional music venues.

Harry and I were fortunate to cover the WICKED VIP / Cast party held last week at Morton's in downtown Nashville. The cast and the guests were lovely, friendly and fun loving! We could not have had a better time. So much so that, although we were working, it certainly did not feel like work!

The entire gallery will be up soon, but until then here's a few shots from the evening...

The great folks of TPAC...

we start them out young around here...

our youngest assistant is two years old... he has been after my camera since he could crawl. he has now graduated from sitting in my lap to push the buttons on my camera to handling his very own. grandchildren are so much fun...

first monday bluebird

Harry and I have been attending open mic at the Bluebird Cafe on the first Monday of each month for the past few months. We have heard some great songwriters and met some wonderful new friends. It all started the weekend of our Open House when we took my brother and sister-in-law, Michael Bowers and Siobhan Quinn to the Monday Open Mic to perform. We had such a great time taking photographs of the performing artists we decided to go back in September. We offered each performing songwriter two (2) free digital images for their personal and professional web sites. It was so well received by the artists that we went again in October with the same offer. We actually had people remember us from the previous two months, so we have included First Monday Bluebird in our business model!
We will continue to attend Open Mic on the first Monday of every month and offer each performing artist two (2) free digital images. We are so fortunate to live in such a richly talented area and have reaped so much enjoyment from the work of many independent artists. An evening of music in return for a few images seems like a great trade! Of course, Open Mic at the Bluebird usually sees between 35 to 45 performing artists, so there are a few images to process, but within each image lives a memory for us, for the artist and for the audience. It is a worthwhile effort for us.
If you are out and about on the first Monday of any given month, check out Open Mic at the Bluebird! We'll be there!

Peace and music,
Karan
P.S. More event galleries can be found here!

awards!

Harry and I are honored to have been chosen for two awards in the Capture Music City book published by the Tennessean last week!

Harry's image (below) won Editor's Choice. It was taken this year during our participation in the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day march.


The image below of Brian Ashley Jones and Tisha Simeral, taken at the Lyrix cafe during songwriter's night in the summer of 2007, was awarded the People's Choice Award. The image is used as the full page chapter heading page for the Music chapter of the book, which is pretty sweet in itself since this is Music City!

We were fortunate to have seven additional images published as well.

Harry was able to attend the VIP party, participate in the book signing and accept both of our awards as I was out of town and unable to attend. I can't believe I missed my first book signing... Hopefully that will not be my first and last chance...

Many thanks to all who voted!

-Karan

special!