To Dream Perchance To Loop…

“Loopfests are today’s definitive non-genre-based celebration of creative sonic expression – and I am very honored to be included somewhere between the loop-newbies and the pioneers of loop-history…”   Rejyna

This Looptober has been packed with festivals up and down the western edge of the USA. From Colorado and Nevada to Washington and Oregon, live looping artists have presented their personal brand of loop-based music.

This week and coming weekend, California hosts the 15^th Y2K International Live Looping Festival, and the following Wednesday and Thursday, Long Beach hosts the SoCal Loopfest.

Rejyna will perform her set as part of the Y2K International Live Looping Festival on Sunday, October 25 at 3:00 p.m. at the TANNERY WORLD DANCE & CULTURAL CENTER, 1060 River Street #111, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060.

Rejyna will kick off the 2^nd night of the SoCal Loopfest on Thursday October 29^th at 7:00 p.m. at DiPIAZZA’S, 5205 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Long Beach, CA 90804.

Rejyna’s Looptober Shows

Rejyna’s YouTube channel (http://youtube.com/rejyna) features several of her loop-based songs from her solo CD’s “Solo Sojourn Live” and “IDIO” which can be purchased at the shows and online at:

CDBaby: http://cdbaby.com/artist/rejyna
Bandcamp: http://rejyna.bandcamp.com/releases
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Rejyna_Idio?id=Bkm3flebgdlrhazqwtqjusmy34y
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/idio/id942318560
Amazon: http://amazon.com/dp/B00PPR0VJI/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_5nSPvb0PFE6MD

Rejyna can be followed on many social and music networks, including:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/rejynamusic
Twitter: http://twitter.com/rejyna
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/rejyna
ReverbNation: http://reverbnation.com/rejyna
Spotify: https://play.spotify.com/album/2VQjPIc0aCTqZwQl2YiByT
Rhapsody: http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/rejyna/album/idio
Digitech Artists: http://digitech.com/en-US/artists/rejyna

The Y2K International Live Looping Festival is celebrating their 15^th year with performances from an impressive list of live looping artists from all over the globe:
Rick Walker (USA)
Andrew Aldridge (Canada)
ANI (USA)
Aram Shelton (USA)
Bill Walker (USA)
Cabezas De Cera (Mexico)
Cian (Mexico)
Cindy Sawprano (USA)
Daniel Thomas (USA)
DARKROOM (England)
ECNEGRU (France)
Entertainment for the Braindead (Germany)
Fabio Anile (Italy)
GAEA (USA)
Gary Regina (USA)
Giacomo Fiore (Italy)
Goh Nakamura (USA)
Henry Plotnick (USA)
Hobbs (USA)
John Connell (USA)
Josh Elliott (USA)
Jules Arindam (USA)
Lance Glover (USA)
Lucid Brain Integrative Project (France)
MandoMan (Japan)
Michael Mullen’s Trio Of One (USA)
Noah Peterson (USA)
Oa (Matt Davignon + Hugh Behm-Steinberg)
Per Boysen (Sweden)
Phil Clevenger (USA)
Philipp Zuercher (Switzerland)
Randolf Arriola (Singapore)
Rejyna (USA)
SA (Singapore)
SHORES OF LATENCY (Emmanuel Reveneau + Laurie Amat)
Steve Moyes (Wales)
Ted Killian (USA)
The Stochastics (USA)
Complete information can be found at: Y2K International Live Looping Festival

The SoCal Loopfest will present performances from:
Noah Peterson – San Antonio, TX
Josh Elliott – Tomah, WI
ecnegrU – Nanes, France
Tigr Hors – Columbus, OH
Steve Moyes – Gillingham, Medway, England
Robert Matheson – St. George, UT
Steuart Liebig – Los Angeles, CA
Cabezas de Cera – Mexico City, Mexico
Shores of Latency – Providence, RI & Paris, France
Just Alliance – Las Vegas, NV
Rejyna – Los Angeles, CA
Son Fish – Turlock, CA
Joseph Soul – Irvine, CA
Zack Walters – Long Beach, CA
Alissa Vox Raw – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Entertainment for the Braindead – Berlin, Germany
Aldo Caldo – Austin, TX
Cian – Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
The Electric Noodle – San Francisco, CA
riz orkestra – Los Angeles, CA
Complete information can be found at: SoCal Loopfest

In the following ‘how-to loop’ tutorial videos, Rejyna adds text to explain the various pedal switches she uses to create her original songs:
Common Voice

Looking For You

Jorie Green Thumb (Song For Mom)

For those interested in looping, Rejyna also published a comprehensive review of her looper-of-choice at http://www.amazon.com/review/R3OFOFY7M5IQGO

All Material is © Rejyna
℗ W.E./Citadel of Cynosure Productions
All Rights Reserved

Rejyna 2015 Looptober Shows!

See Citadel guitarist/vocalist, Rejyna, perform songs from her newest solo CD ‘IDIO’ live at this years’ Looptober shows:

October 23-26 – Santa Cruz – Y2K15 International Live Looping Festival – Y2K International Live Looping Festival

October 28-29 – Long Beach – SoCal Loopfest – SoCal Loopfest 2015

Rejyna Looptober 2015 Tour Poster

Rejyna’s rig includes 5 sync’d DigiTech JamMan Solo XT’s loopers, a DigiTech Vocalist Live Pro, a Boss GT3, a Roland GR-20, a Yamaha DD55 and her Godin Spectrum midi synth guitar.  You can see her rig in action on her YouTube videos: Rejyna’s Looper Rig Videos

‘IDIO’ features rock, folk, metal, prog and world styles with adventurous guitars, emotional vocals, tasty drums and percussion, and lyrics of reflection – spiced with social topics and sprinkled with hope!

The music of IDIO was spontaneously recorded on a single DigiTech JamMan Solo.  Nothing was written in advance, and yet, after creative stitching in SoundForge and with the addition of Rejyna’s voice and lyrics, the result is cohesive and directional – even if no two songs sound like they’re from the same genre!

IDIO is available on CD and Download at CDBaby, Amazon, eMusic, iTunes, 7Digital, Tradebit, Google Play – and the list goes on…

Your support of indie music is the only thing that keeps it alive, buy IDIO at these sites:

IDIO on Google Play
IDIO on CDBaby
IDIO on iTunes
IDIO on eMusic
IDIO on Amazon

For the budget minded, Rejyna is also offering IDIO on Bandcamp for a limited time at $5 for all 16 songs:

Rejyna on BandCamp

You can also check out Rejyna’s songs and videos at these sites:

Rejyna on YouTube

Rejyna on SoundCloud

Rejyna at ReverbNation

Rejyna on Spotify

Rejyna on Rhapsody

Rejyna is also a proud part of the DigiTech Artist Family

Rejyna: DigiTech Artist

Contact Rejyna here: Email Rejyna and find Rejyna on

Facebook: Rejyna on Facebook

Twitter: Rejyna on Twitter

and many other sites.

Rejyna’s ‘IDIO’ Album Cover

Synthetic to Organic: Citadel guitarist takes you from distant space to the desert sands!

Citadel guitarist/vocalist Rejyna, offers two more fresh songs from her new CD, IDIO.
‘Mandolian Mirage’ is a mando-laced folk-rock piece that transforms you into a nomad, blissfully roaming the desert sands.  ‘Galactic Projectories’ is an android-voiced rock anthem casting you as the last organic human to narrowly escape from assimilation by thrusting yourself into deep space.

Both cuts are from Rejyna’s new CD, IDIO, available at cdbaby.com/cd/rejyna3   Rejyna is a live-looping artist who uses pedals and effects with her voice, guitar, synth guitar and drums to create lush songs that sound like a full ensemble.  Her work in the band Citadel gives her a prog-metal and folk-world edge that slices nicely thru her solo presentation featuring a diverse palette of song stylings.

GALACTIC PROJECTORIES
Click Here To Listen on ReverbNation
Click Here To Listen on SoundCloud
LYRICS:

“Imagine you are the only human who is not sync’d to the galactic mainframe.  It’s against the law to be an ‘organic’ – to be without cyber implants, nanotech plasma pumps and A.I. i/o – – – and you’re on the run…”

Long are the days
in the dark on the run
Star upon star
rendering dawns with no suns

Outlawed and betrayed
and bountied and shunned
Off-grid genetic codes,
the damage is done –

Gaze into the null of the void
Swim in the slicing silence of space,
last of your kind, last hope for your race

Beyond the stars, beyond the sky
Beyond the earth, beyond the light

Cascading nebula rainbows of light
Outside space, between fire and ice
Endless horizon line, light-speed wave ride
Surfing and sailing anomaly tides

Cold ironsides with arrays of pulse guns
Laser guides, crew AI, replicant sons
Solitude, servitude, sterile and sanctified
Frantic and fraught, fretting with compromise

Wake in a state of delusional dreams
Nothing perceived is as it would seem
Studied and probed, abducted, displayed
Galactic projectories or cerebral charade?

Beyond the stars…

MANDOLIAN MIRAGE
Click Here To Listen on ReverbNation
Click Here To Listen on SoundCloud
LYRICS:

Sand fills the day’s horizon line,
there’s not much time
until the colder nights arrive
and white Winter stars align, a sign…

Enticed mandolian mirage,
safe passage through the tempest

The sky, the silence
The day, no shade
The night wind violently
etches furrows in my face

Gitano gently luring
sweet sounds surround
a solemn sunset in the sands

See what you are
in echoes of an army of guitars
Mirrors from sand,
silvered glass in the nomads land

Dance, dance
Renounce the silence with your hands
Sing, play
Our voices amend night into day

The mind, the vision
The heart in hand
Reflection enduring
Slake essence alluring

The sky, the silence
The day, no shade
The night wind violently
erases footsteps without a trace

Enticed mandolian mirage,
dream salve soothes chafe and chaff
and strums reflect like water flowing…

TECH TIDBITS: All music recorded using multiple memory slots on one Digitech JamMan Solo, vocals sung thru a DigiTech Vocalist Live Pro, loops stitched and massaged in SoundForge.  No midi guitars or synths were used on these songs.  All musical sounds are acoustic guitars (Ovation and Yamaha) thru the Boss GT3 effects board, and drums are played on a Yamaha DD55.  No tape machines, virtual multi tracks or DAW’s were harmed (nor used) in the making of these recordings – this is indie DIY…enjoy.

From the CD, IDIO, by Rejyna

Warning: Live Loops Ahead…

http://cdbaby.com/cd/rejyna3

c. Rejyna Douglass-Whitman  (BMI)

Published by W.E./Citadel of Cynosure Productions (BMI). All Rights Reserved.  Unauthorized duplication, repurposing, exhibition or performance is prohibited by US and international copyright laws.  Citadel is a registered US Tradename, used herein with exclusive permission.

Rejyna tours annually every October as part of the LoopFest concert circuit from Seattle to Long Beach and beyond.  A prolific poet, artist, composer and producer, she also works in the film and print industries and performs regularly in and around Los Angeles.
http://facebook.com/rejynamusic
http://reverbnation.com/rejyna
http://soundcloud.com/rejyna
http://twitter/rejyna
http://youtube.com/rejyna

‘Common Voice’ from the new IDIO CD!

Citadel band member, Rejyna, has uploaded a 2nd song from her new CD, IDIO, titled ‘Common Voice’

Hear the song here:
Soundcloud:  https://soundcloud.com/rejyna/common-voice-go-easy
ReverbNation:  http://www.reverbnation.com/rejyna/song/22180153-common-voice

Rejyna notes, “this is a fun song to play and the words hold a lot of meaning for me.  We have choices and freedoms that many do not and the lyrics to this song remind me to stay active, stay vigilant, stay alert and above all – add my common voice to the cry for liberty for all – and of course, the guitarist in me loves playing the shred leads between acoustic rhythms – and playing the drums and having the looper repeat what I play is something that appeases the novice drummer in me…”

01 – Common Voice (Go Easy)
There was a time
when the common voice among us
had no chance to dare a king
Dreams and wondering
were smothered into suffered silence
subjugated by imperial strings 

Now’s the time
for the common voice among us
to challenge netharias kings
Songs and sidewalk speeches
struggle to abate the silence,
to stay the liberated from surrendering 

Do we see it’s all all right? 
Do we see it’s all of light?

Still the surf and the noble
share a common threat
as our homeworld
suffers from neglect –

Easy, go easy
Say you want to love
Say you are for love

Right now, shout it out,
roundabout, all around the world.
Write it down, right it out,
your mind light can shine now.

Make your rhyme outside time
Speak your mind
to eyes blinded by the fright
Use, lose, abuse
or choose to unite
There are no second chances
to roll the liberty dice…

Music recorded using multiple memory slots on one JamMan Solo, Vocals sung thru an SM57 DigiTech Vocalist Live pro and tracked on a DigiTech GNX4, loops stitched and massaged in SoundForge.

Rejyna: IDIO ~ http://cdbaby.com/cd/rejyna3

From the CD, IDIO, by Rejyna
http://cdbaby.com/cd/rejyna3
c. Rejyna Douglass-Whitman  (BMI)

Published by W.E./Citadel of Cynosure Productions (BMI). All Rights Reserved.  Unauthorized duplication, repurposing, exhibition or performance is prohibited by US and international copyright laws.

Rejyna at Y2K13 International Live Loop Fest | Looptober Tour 2013

Rejyna’s Looptober Tour Live from the Y2K13 International Live Loop Fest, Treasures Roadhouse, Watsonville, CA

Video cameras by Jazmyn Whitman and George Wiltshire. Edited by Jazmyn Whitman for Jazmyn Marie Media Services.

Thanks to Rick Walker and the Walker Family, all the volunteers at the Festival and Bourn Archer and Crew at Treasures Roadhouse.

Special Thanks To Rejyna’s Looptober Tour Kickstarter Backers:
Jim Ussery ~ Jazmyn Whitman ~ p ~ Creighton Freeman ~ Eric Clemens ~ Casey Piller ~ Paula Shepherd ~ Joy Greenberg ~ Midi Maniac ~ Lara Shema ~ Adrienne Gray ~ Joe Rollin Porter ~ Stephen Briggs ~ Ted Killian ~ Rhondalynn Brown ~ Billy Zenn ~ Marji Whitman ~ Mark Hosselton ~ Linda Harris ~ Christina Buck ~ Eric Ahlteen ~ Jeff Dalrymple ~ Rita Jones ~ Robert Wiese ~ Amy Lee ~ Ralph Denick ~ Marc Newton ~ Sherry Price ~ Bruce Peecher Jr.

Thanks To Those In Attendance, the Amazing International Community of Live Looping Artists (AICLLA), Rick Walker and Chris Wedertz, Bill Walker and Nancy Levan, Noah Peterson, Stephen Briggs, Hans Lindauer, Tim Minarchi, Amy Lee (ANI), John Connell, Maha Jumale Taitano, Kari Betush.

Extra special Loops of Love to my mom-n-daugher roadcrew: Marji and Jazmyn Whitman

Please support the Y2K Loopfest at http://y2kloopfest.com and Treasures Roadhouse @ http://treasuresroadhouse.com

More Info:
http://rejyna.com
http://cdbaby.com/artist/rejyna

Tweets by rejyna

http://facebook.com/rejynamusic
http://youtube.com/rejyna

Gear Geekery:
Audio-Technica ATM73a mic to Digitech Vocalist Live Pro to Yamaha MG82cx board – routed to looper thru board FX send –

Yamaha APX500II (or Ovation Balladeer) guitar to Boss GT3 to Yamaha MG82cx board – routed to looper thru board FX send –

Yamaha DD-55 electronic drums to Yamaha MG82cx board – routed to looper thru board FX send –

A single DigiTech JamMan Solo looper is used in this performance. The JamMan solo looper output is routed back into the MG82cx and sent to an ATM M3 IEM, and to the house board, as a premixed feed.

SETLIST:
By Design (Many Struggles)
In Wonder
Dreamworld
Happy Hands

All material written, arranged and performed by Rejyna. All Material is c. Rejyna and W.E./Citadel of Cynosure Productions (BMI) All Rights Reserved, Posted by Authors and Content Owners.

Booking Contact: citadel_1@msn.com

Citadel Guitarist: Rejyna on the Looptober Tour Trail – Part 1

Captured Live on her 2013 Looptober Tour, Citadel guitarist, Rejyna: ‘Mellow on the outside and metal in the middle’

Rejyna at the NW Loop Fest – These shots are from J and M Cafe (http://www.jandmcafe.com) in Seattle’s Pioneer Square.  Rejyna also performed her prog folk-ish loop tunes at The Analog Cafe in Portland (http://www.analogpdx.com), Meenar’s in Danville (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Meenar/114043475294324), the RDuck Radio Show in Santa Cruz (http://rduck.com) and the Y2K Loopfest in Santa Cruz – Y2K13 (http://y2kloopfest.com).

Songs that Rejyna performed included: Many Struggles, In Wonder, Dreamworld, Standing Alone, Stygian Barque, Another Dream Away, Freedom Dream and Happy Hands from her solo CD “Solo Sojourn Live” (http://cdbaby.com/artist/rejyna) and various loop-revised renditions of songs from the Citadel CD’s (http://cdbaby.com/artist/citadel).

More photos and videos will be released to Rejyna’s Kickstarter backers first, and then to the public on Rejyna’s SoundCloud (http://soundcloud.com/rejyna) and YouTube (http://youtube.com/rejyna) websites.  Rejyna plans to do a Looptober Tour next year as well, hoping to add shows in Texas, Nevada and Los Angeles – as talks for festival expansion will commence this week with Noah Peterson and others interested in hosting Loopfests in their city.

Additional Loopfest performers included: SEATTLE: Noah Peterson, Karma Bomb, Isaac Thompson, Tukso Okey, Clifford Kimbrel-Dunn, Eric Muhs, Moongriffin, Christopher Ingold, The Genie, Stephen Briggs, LucidBrain IntegrativeProject, Bill Walker, ANI, Rejyna Douglass-Whitman, Eastside Industrial, Consumer, Polemic Contriver.  PORTLAND: Noah Peterson, Polemic Contriver, Bill Walker, Moongriffin, , LucidBrain IntegrativeProject, ANI, Clifford Kimbrel-Dunn, Eastside Industrial, Christopher Ingold, The Genie, Eric Muhs, Gideon Freudmann, cellotronik, Rejyna Douglass-Whitman, Hans Lindauer, Stephen Briggs, Isaac Thompson, Eric Buchner, Consumer, Ben Beauvais, Forever Growing,  DANVILLE: Rejyna, Stephen Briggs, Noah Peterson.  RDuck Show: Albert, RIz, Jack Hertz, Stephen Briggs, Rejyna.  Y2K13 Loopfest: Wednesday – Semih Yanyali, ANI, Stephen Briggs, Lucid Brain Integrative Project, MANDOMAN, PREHISTO’ZIK, Rick Walker. Thursday –  Henry Kaiser, Andre LaFosse, John Connell, Lucid Brain Integrative Project.  Friday – Laurie Amat, Noah Peterson, John Connell, Semih Yanyali, Barry Cleveland.  Saturday – Zig Zag Robinson, Bob Amstadt, Cynthia Webster, Michael Carlson and TripleOhNine, jRj Rauche, Lindsey Walker, Matt Davignon, Disonova, STANOSAUR, Rejyna Douglass-Whitman, Marya Stark, Luis Angulo, Henry Kaiser, Daniel Thomas, Andre LaFosse, Bill Walker.  Sunday – Sourpatch, Greg Powers, Albert Mathias (Alberton Live), Greg Bryant, Pete Novembre, Toaster, Steve Uccello, Jerry Barnes, Grant Stoner, Casey Chisolm, Lucid Brain Integrative Project, Stephen Briggs, MANDOMAN, ANI, Shovelman, PREHISTO’ZIK, Rick Walker

Festival Directors are Rick Walker (Santa Cruz) and Noah Peterson (NW Loopfest)

Photos by Amy Lee of “Sequence Mediaworks” – www.seqmedia.com

http://rejyna.com

http://citadelband.com

Rejyna to offer Citadel songs solo sampler at McConnel Arts

Citadel band member, Rejyna, opens for Jim Volk’s Acoustic Guitar Night at 8:00 p.m. at the Peggy McConnel Arts Center’s Bronwynn Theatre in Worthington, Ohio on Friday, January 13. 

Performing songs she contributed to the band Citadel, Rejyna uses an acoustic guitar, a headset mic and various effects to present enhanced solo renditions of songs from Citadel albums and CD’s.  She presents songs that often stray from pop formula writing, citing lyric-writing influences such as; Yes, Jethro Tull, Rush, Cat Stevens, and even Gentle Giant.  The musical aspect of her compositions also draws heavily from rock-based genres that feature non-conventional song structures.  While Citadel focuses on the harder side of the rock-meter, Rejyna as a soloist strips it down to the acoustic core of the composition.

“Yes, I use a vocal harmonizer, but I turn off the autotune pitch correction.  I use the Vocalist to weave 2, 3 and 4 part harmonies around my own voice and the guitar rhythms that I record live into the looper, and I then layer in solo and harmony guitar riffs.  One of my most requested solo songs is an instrumental titled “Happy Hands” where I use the looper to lay down a rhythm guitar part, then add a lead, then a harmony lead, and then a bass line.  Creating solo-orchestrated musical pieces live in front of an audience is a different adrenalin beast from performing with other musicians.  The sweat and fervor in my live show is proof that trying to do it all correctly in ‘one-take’ in front of a live audience is the endorphin ‘buzz’ I am addicted to…and I hold DigiTech wholly responsible for my gear addiction” (Rejyna)

Rejyna recently released a CD of one of these live performances entitled, Solo Sojourn Live, which is available on CDBaby and their online affiliates like iTunes, Amazon, eMusic and Napster. 

Rejyna will be the opening act for Jim Volk’s Acoustic Guitar Night.

From:

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2012/01/08/2-this08-jan-art-grqfg7u6-1.html

“Guitarist Jim Volk will headline an evening of music with warm-up sets from recent International Thumbpicking Contest winners Josh Woods and Shohei Toyoda and singer-guitarist Rejyna.”

From: http://www.mcconnellarts.org/wp/archives/7516

“Jim Volk is a high energy solo acoustic guitar player that thrills his audiences every time he plays.  His performances include a wide mixture of blues, rock, country, guitar bangin’ “modern acoustic” – and, crowd favorite medleys Jim puts together on the fly.
http://jimvolk.com 

 

Out in western Kentucky there is a International Thumb Pickin’ Contest that BOTH Josh Woods and Shohei Toyoda have won – in consecutive years.  Nobody can win that prestigious award without being able to play the guitar VERY WELL:

Josh Woods – is a self taught Kentuckian guitar player, himself.  Thousands of avid guitar players attempt the extremely complicated Atkins/Travis style of playing guitar, yet only once in a millennium does one come along that was born to do so. That would be young Josh Woods. His long fingers on his large strong hands seem to know exactly where to go on the fret board.  And, the rhythm of his accompanying “thumb” is flawless – and, will have you up out of your seat dancing as he plays.

http://www.youtube.com/user/atmahack/videos

Shohei Toyoda – came to finger style guitar from a different direction – he is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, where he developed a love of finger style guitar from virtuoso guitarist, Guy VanDuser – who arranged Stars & Strips for the late great Chet Atkins.  Since graduation, Shohei has traveled the world over to learn from the Masters of Guitar. He has sat at their feet to internalize their ’soulful’ music. He brings to the world a form of fingerpicking unique and energetic.

http://shoheitoyoda.com/

Rejyna – is a composer, guitarist, vocalist, performer and studio artist who has worked in all types of bands and musical genres. A great bulk of her work can be heard on the releases of the rock band Citadel, who has been releasing their own indie music for the last three decades.”

http://rejyna.com

McConnell Arts Center of Worthington, 777 Evening St.

Tickets cost $15, or $20 the day of the show

Call 614-431-0329 or visit www.mcconnellarts.org

Citadel ® – Since 1979 – The Original Citadel

http://citadelsongs.com
http://citadelband.com
http://citadelmusic.org
http://facebook.com/citadelprog

Live Music at Espresso Yourself Music Cafe…hours before doors close…

HAPPY HANDS: Live at Espresso Yourself Music Cafe

Espresso Yourself Music Cafe in Powell, Ohio closed their doors for good on Sunday 09-11-11.  To many central Ohio musicians, this church-turned-concert venue was a sanctuary; a place they called home for open mics, the songwriters group, tribute nights, regional artist concerts and weekend music and art focused activities. 

Christopher Gatsby: Espresso Yourself Benefit Show

On the final day, music from Christopher Gatsby, Jim Volk and yours truly, saturated the sonically fine-tuned hall.  A medium-sized audience had gathered to hear the final strums of acoustic guitar and melodic human voice that reverberated through the opened floor-to-ceiling windows and spilled out the front door onto the street arts festival.   The sunshine and warm temperatures beat back a few moments of cloud cover and sprinkles.  The folks inside ate wonderful food, drank exquisite beverages and soaked in the music while basking in the rainbow colors of light dancing through the stained glass.

Jim Volk: Espresso Yourself Benefit Show (Photo by Dannette Hizer)

There were countless similar musical events for several weeks prior to the closing date, numerous veteran EYMC performers just had to play the Cafe one more time.  Everyone had a story to tell of how important the environment created by Eric and his family was to their lives.  Players discovering or re-discovering their love for performing, listeners discovering a haven for real, diverse and passionate music, writers honing their craft in front of a family-like group of patrons.

All circumstances considered, the closing of EYMC is tragic, yet the ideology, which gained foundation amongst the owners, artists, musicians and patrons of Espresso Yourself, will carry on.  While other pressing matters are taken care of and until a new home is found for the Ahlteen Family to present talent, the hundreds of minstrels who found their song-heart at the cafe will infiltrate the countryside and city streets.  Without prejudice; they will ignite the coffeehouses, art galleries, street fairs, taverns, halls, backyards, basements, living rooms, festivals and campgrounds with that which heals invisibly – music.

Rejyna: Espresso Yourself Benefit Show

We all finished our sets, loaded our gear into our cars and parted ways until the next chance we might have to play together.  I still had half of my large coffee with a double-shot of espresso to finish.  I wanted to hang around a bit, maybe carry out a piece of wood or furniture, symbolically taking part in the dismantling.  Mostly I just watched the others wrap things, deconstruct things, load the trailers.  I cried a couple more tears, finished the last coffee I would ever have from here and ironically as I drove away, the sun lost to the grey clouds and the rain pounded the little town of Powell as I drove away.  

I urge you to keep your eye on the http://www.espressoyourselfmusiccafe.com website to stay current on developments with Eric, Ben and Chelsea Ahlteen.  I’d also advise you to visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/espressoyourselfmusiccafe and support their upcoming endeavors.

You can also check out Christopher Gatsby at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Christopher-Gatsby/142676035797914

You can check out Jim Volk at http://www.jimvolk.com/And I’ve posted a few videos from my set into this post, more will be on my YouTube channel as they are archived (http://youtube.com/user/rejyna) and you can also find me here: http://facebook.com/rejynamusic

DREAMWORLD: Live at Espresso Yourself Music Cafe

All music is copyright their respective owners and all rights are reserved. 
Rejyna’s music is c. Citadel of Cynosure Productions (BMI) –
http://rejyna.com
http://citadelband.com
http://cdbaby.com/artist/rejyna
http://cdbaby.com/artist/citadel