Leah-Carla Gordone Reports - Part 2!

Hello to all my people,

you people who, no doubt, belong to yourselves but in some indirect way belong to my collective unconscious, so, hey, I say "my people". I belong to you as well. Let us wish for one another--each of us individually-- to achieve our greatest visions . Even more importantly, let us wish for the entire world--the entire collective unconscious-- to move, more readily, into a "collective consciousness"--that state of enlightenment that carries EVERYONE onto a whole new level of consciousness. Not to get too deep, but my father called it "a people dying into that new life".

O.K., here goes...

The second half of my tour was really just as amazing as the first half...Where to begin...

Well, the first piece that comes to mind is the incredible reunion I had with my dear friend, Erica Gimpel--an actress, singer, all around beautiful artist spirit. She and I grew up together, having met at the ripe old age of seven. From playing with dolls to first boyfriends to attending the High School of Performing Arts together. We have always been like sisters, though both of us are only children. The reunion, after not seeing each other since 1999, took place in Los Angeles, where we caught up on each others’ lives, over tea made with best honey I’ve ever tasted! The solid, white kind that makes you want to pass up the tea and just make a meal of that creamy mass that comes in a bowl!....She left me with some important words of wisdom, which, I see now, as I write, helped to catapult me into the mindset from which I spoke in my opening.

Next stop-- San Francisco, I played a Borders in Emeryville--but not before being picked up at the SF airport by Garland Thompson, Jr. Garland is another dear friend from childhood--our fathers knew one another and worked closely together during the "No Place" days. We hadn't seen each other for probably twenty years Garland is largely responsible for why you’re hearing of my adventures. He convinced me of the importance, initially prompted by Jeanne. It didn’t occur to me that anyone would care that much or even respond to my first letter, let alone a bunch of you! That really made me say, "Wow. People truly care about what I’m doing". That kind of reinforcement is so essential for an artist such as myself--one who is riddled with insecurities (you know, those nasty little monsters that lurk beneath the surface, just waiting for the most opportune times to rear their ugly little heads?). They, themselves, I suppose, are not the "dragon"--maybe they just like to hang out on the dragon’s back... Alas! The dancing can come to a screeching halt at any given time. EEEk! Overcoming the dragon is a continual process... Back to Garland--he drove my mother and me around SF, saving us the expense of renting a car. He acted as Emcee and sound engineer during scary situations. He proved to be an ideal shopping assistant, as I searched for vintage cowboy boots on Haight street! He further educated us about podcasts and all that cutting edge stuff. He busted out an old manuscript of a play that he and I had begun writing as teenagers which practically had me in stitches. Lastly, he planted the seed for a music video for "The Road". For which he and a team of Italian pros are currently planning a shoot schedule. We will be doing this in February. So I will be revisiting CA soon! Garland rules! And I love him--not for dangling the music video carrot, please! But, well.. Just because he's Garland...He’s like an extension of my being--there’s a strong spiritual connection. One I rarely find --mainly because I’m so damn weird!

Borders Emeryville was very special. CDs sold. But even more important to me than that was the woman that came up to me outside (during a five minute break I took) to tell me how much my music had effected her that night. More than words- her tears hugged my heart. There is no greater fulfillment for an artist then being "gotten" by someone. I embraced her and marveled at the depth at which she had taken my music in. She knew its source at some unspeakable level--the range of tears from which my songs flow--from sadness to inexplicable joy--and everything in between.

Brainwash Cafe/Laundromat was a little weird and fun at the same time...but what do you expect from a name like that?

Seattle was cold as hell, but, my aunt Julie has enough warmth in her smile to make up for that. Mr. Spot’s Chai House could have been another sound disaster--finding a mic chord that worked was like "tryin’ to pour whiskey from a bottle of wine". A sweet mother with her rainbow child (who kept trying to make off with my tuner and pick box during my set) made for a tender setting... Others chatted, others listened attentively...The chai was hella good. Upon learning, from the nutmeg crusher in the back, who joined me for a cigarette or two outside, that Mr. Spot is actually a cat--I chuckled with delight--then a momentary longing for my boys (Squeaker and King Chesterfield) back home.

Borders--Everett, WA... was funky--in a good way...more CDs sold at that gig than any other--Randie and Brad each bought respective copies of both Butterfly Child and Dancing On The Dragon. Pretty funky--in a good way--considering they were going to be roommates in a week and could have easily done some "burning"... C’mon, they weren’t the only ones who bought CDs. Stop It! No, I’m serious...there were others, too... I like signing autographs. It’s like people are saying, "you’re gonna be famous". Why not, man?... But there may be A LOT more dues that have yet to be paid. On the other hand, after thirteen years of acting followed by sixteen years of playing the 12-string guitar--I could become an overnight success at any batting of an eye...

San Diego-- Little time between our flight arrival and my next show--Thank you, Michelle Kinzel, for letting us shower somewhat leisurely and then regroup (for about ten minutes?) at your pad before bolting off to do Dream Street Live...My opening act, J Downs, was a bad-ass "Caucasian" rapper/singer who simultaneously percussed and played his acoustic guitar with no additional accompaniment except for two additional "bruthahs" who joined him on a few tunes. Damn, he was good! Yo, J--I need your music in my possesion and I spaced getting your cuts before I left. You know we should swap, so let’s work that out...Drove back to LA that night by carfrom there, immediately following my show...Motels are so COOL! Talk about living like a rock star. So what if there’s no room service, no chocolates on the pillows...So what if the carpets are a little old and the curtains are a little tacky...We were livin’ large.

My last show at Genghis Cohen was pretty rad. The show was recorded from the sound board. Nick and Ardis showed up. Ernie, my distribution dude, brought Toni Koch, a groovy woman that works with a national not-for-profit booking outfit. She’s diggin’ my music and wants to help me get it "out there". My uncle, Charles Fretzin photographed the show. He’s a pro, by the way. Look him up at fretzinphoto.com. I played a bunch of new tunes not to be found on either of my CDs. Tito laid down some serious stories to me, after the show, on how to make sh-t happen. Very inspiring...Tito was in a play with my father back when I was just a little girl...So now we have a CD--"Leah-Carla Gordone Live Solo at Genghis Cohen" which will be made available to you SOON. We also have a DVD of me playing/singing "Rise" at Kulak’s. Having seen my show at The Gig and having listened to DOTD, Debbie Aaberg of Silver Screen Music has offered to shop my music to film and television. To top things off, I got an outstanding Dancing On The Dragon review (which referred to me as a "world-changer") just days before we were to return home to sunny Columbus...uh...I mean-- to Columbus... Maybe I miss LA just a little.

So now we’re moving into phase two (and three-but we won’t talk about that yet) of project "Launch Leah-Carla Gordone"...During the month of January I’ll be throwing down with some Music/Self _Expression Through Songwriting workshops through an afterschool program with children grades K-5 in conjunction with ARTSAFE- Art for a Child’s Safe America Foundation. Talk about challenging myself! But this is just what I need. I need to be giving my gift in a variety of ways. It ain’t always about being on stage---I’ll be writing you all again...But if you don’t hear from me for a while please let this "book" suffice as possibly several shared journal entries...’Later Y’all.---LCG

In case you missed part 1 it's at my web site on the NEWS page...

web site: www.leahcarlagordone.com