Jan. 21, 2012

Hello everyone at the Listserve, Facebook, etc.,  hope you're all in good health and spirits.  Thanks for the feedback on the new CD, Old School, and thanks for the help spreading the word. I'll be promoting it all year and your help is much appreciated.

We're just about done with a video of the live, Rams Head performance of "Dream Big."  Dick and Linda got a great camera crew together for both nights and have been editing it into a very cool video. We hope to have it ready to share soon. I think you'll enjoy it. Also, looking forward to the upcoming Birchmere shows with Greg Varlotta and hopefully some Lofgren brothers.  Of course, as most of you know, the E Street Band has begun rehearsals for shows this year. As always, I'm thrilled with the opportunity and musical challenge to be in a great band and put together the best show we can. I will continue to promote my CD and hopefully, during time off be able to do some occasional shows with Greg V.

Regarding my old basketball song Bullet's Fever, I don't know if my heart is in trying to re-create another song for the Washington Wizards right now. Still root for the team of course, but Bullet's Fever is it's own special piece and was a great experience in my life.

On another front, we're going to discontinue the MySpace page and hope those who used it turn to the Listserve or Facebook to stay in the loop. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

 Also, the new, 4 CD Amnesty DylanTtribute"Chimes of Freedom" is due out January 26th. I had the great honor collaborating with the amazing Paul Rodgers on the Dylan track, Abandoned Love. Check it out!

I'm happy to let you all know we've finally got a great, new Merch line available! Amy has designed some great items for men and women. In keeping with the new album's "Old School" theme, Amy suggested we go back and procure the rights to use the cool, old "Fat Man" art from the first solo album cover. Thanks Ed Caraeff! And thanks Amy and Omar (who works with us) for all the hard work and research to get this new line of clothes going. We had some of these items available at the last run of acoustic shows and now they're here. Jill will oversee the mail orders through the office. Thanks to all! Please take a look and help spread the word.

Let's hope this year is a better one for all and our planet in general.  Amy and I wish you all a safe, peaceful year.

         Peace and Believe - Nils

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May 4, 2011 - BLIND DATE JAM!

   Now on to a brand new musical project we're ready to share with you. I've had this idea for a few years and have finally gotten around to trying it.  Let me attempt to explain it. Over the last 42 years, I've been involved with many different musical productions for TV , video, and film. Traditionally and appropriately there is always a great degree of organization, rehearsal, preparation and pre-production detail that goes into these endeavors. All of us continue to enjoy a well crafted live, musical performance on TV, video, film, etc.. During the rehearsals for these musical productions there are inevitable breaks and down time while technical issues are sorted out. Often these require the musicians to stay put on the set, instruments in hand and wait. Occasionally one of the players will start a cool, off the cuff riff and others will join in, in an impromptu  jam session that can be quite inspired. Of course, the audience never hears or sees this. Not burdened with arrangements, beginnings, ends or any type of required structure, these jams can be inspired, free, reckless and fun. A few years ago I was in a fantastic band that Patti Scialfa had put together to do some live TV show performances. We were promoting a great album of Patti's songs that we had recorded with her. I was playing some B-3 organ which was big fun for me. Along with Steve Jordan, Willie Weeks, Mark Stewart and Cliff Carter, all fabulous musicians, we seemed to be quietly jamming a lot on TV sets while waiting for the next run-through. I was thrilled to be a part of such impromptu, special musical moments and it reminded me of many other moments like these, gone un-recorded and never shared.  I kept thinking in the back of my mind that music fans would enjoy seeing this kind of interaction amongst great players. 
       So I started planning the "Blind Date Jam" sessions in the back of my mind.  Where players get together with no rehearsal, no plan, no pre-production, and challenge themselves to jam on the spot and rely on years of musical experience and instinct to create something special.  Just show up with your instruments, no plan but to improvise inspired music with friends for a couple hours, play free with no rules but to be your creative self, enjoy and express your musical gifts and go home. Not all musicians are comfortable with that type of jamming but I know many who are, including me.
     So, I finally got it together to start this "Blind Date Jam" project out in our home garage studio in Arizona. I did some demos years ago with Mike Smith who is an extraordinary musician and has remained a good friend. Mike's pedal steel playing is magnificent. During these old demo sessions I had challenged some local players to learn and play some new songs quickly (which they all did well)  and it seemed like Mike might enjoy the "Blind Date Jam" format. We discussed it in advance of course and he seemed open and excited about it. The "no homework or rehearsal" aspect of it is bound to appeal to almost any musician, myself included! Anyway, I put a team of friends together to do a basic home recording and video taping of two impromptu hours of jamming with Mike. Jamie Weddle and John Ramirez handled the recording and Tony Hartman did a three camera shoot and the digital editing to put it all together with Jamie's mixes. I bounce between acoustic, piano, electric and singing while Mike jams along on his pedal steel.  I had hoped to get 40 to 50 minutes of inspired playing and interaction to present to you, the audience.  Turns out we got an hour and 20 minutes of what I think is inspired, impromptu musical jamming that represents the concept as I've explained it.
      You'll see me presenting ideas on the spot to Mike, talking through the chords briefly and launching in to each piece. It's primitive, rough and inspired jamming that I feel and hope you as music fans will enjoy. I hope some of you decide to check it out. I'm very proud of this first, "Blind Date Jam" session and hope it leads to more of them. If you try it and enjoy it, please spread the word for us as this is an extremely grass roots, homegrown endeavor.  Thanks again to Mike Smith, Tony Hartman, Jamie Weddle, John Ramirez and Dick and Linda Bangham for their great help in getting this idea from my musical mind to our website to share.

CHECK OUT THE FIRST BLIND DATE JAM SESSION HERE 

         Peace and Believe. -  Nils  

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