Join Into the Drum Circle at Potay in Brooklyn, NY

 

The hand drum class, circle and open mic at Potay.Haiti.Caribbean.Us.All was my point of interest this past Friday night. I did not really know what to expect but what I can say is that a blessing was lavished on me just by being present in that space.

With such superb skill and panache, the host, Okai, got the air of learning and personal enjoyment flowing. Not only did he give insight on how to play Conga drums or Djembe drums, but also how to get your voice across with uniqueness; by voice I mean, the sound that vibrates out of your hand hitting the drums. And by uniqueness, I mean that though all participants were taught the same hand gestures, every person still plays with their own incredible degree of diversity.

Potay located as 2720 Farragut Road in Brooklyn, NY definitely had something special going on. As time slipped away between our fingers, there were a n umber of lessons being learned between the hand drum class and the open mic that shortly followed it. One of them is like Paul Coelho said, “wherever your heart is there you will find your treasure.”

My heart has had an inextinguishable light for singing all my life and most recently in piano. I didn’t actually consider that I might be accompanying other participants via keyboard or that I would be learning new songs to play on the spot but being in synchrony with others at this event helped me to increase my knowledge of my musicianship a bit more.

Another thing that I learned was like Carlos Santana said, “people are flowers. Music is water. Musicians are the hose.” Considering how the curiosity of knowing more about hand drums and becoming more familiar with the cultural aspects of it was almost like broaching the idea that there is nothing wrong with being who you are individually. We all shared, and all voices were respected and heard which means more to me than I can express because at that point, it is a realization that there is no reason to derail your efforts and so it alleviated uncertainties as far as who you are and what you had to bring to the table because everybody banded together like family.  So, I felt comfortable introducing my music and the scope of my performing voice as a live exhibition to them.

 The drum circle event was beyond helpful. I felt elated to experience gather together on that Friday night and become a part of the community and to be filled with the wealth of information that I received. It helped to draw a smile on my face that has yet to leave ever since. If you want to see for yourself how it went, I invite you to check out this video for yourself and hopefully, it will bring you joy as it did for me. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/7LBROH-GfjM 

 Potay has a lot of great things going on at it’s establishment. Like for instance, on Thursdays, they have Capoeira classes where you can learn the art of this cultural dance. Every day after school, there is tutoring being offered for those who need it. And on Friday afternoons, I will be teaching singing and piano.

If you are even mildly interested, I will be starting group and private singing/piano lessons starting on November 5^th at Potay. 

Check out the flyer and let me know if you have interest or any probing questions that I might
be able to answer about it. And if you feel like being a part of the glorious moment of hand drumming, it is a recurring event happening every Friday at Potay. Maybe you feel like escaping to something different, all happening at Potay on Farragut Road and Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, NY. So stop on through and you will not be disappointed.

Thank you so much for checking out my blog post.

Celebrate with Chynah Presents Two Poems by Stephanie Jeannot

I am passionate about writing and whenever I get the chance to do it, I try to punctuate my time with meaningful writing. I like to flex my words with a pen and add it to a blank page and create things whether it is poetry, song or whatever writing thing comes to play. In fact, poetry has been a part of my quiddity even before I started writing songs.

Often times my mind is thick with thoughts and ideas, and in my own unique way, I erupt into verse. It restores me back to life and I am ready to take on the world wholeheartedly.

I must show gratitude to my sistah gurl, Chynah, who did not see it 
as robbery to use her platform to extend kindness towards me. She not only mentioned my poetry collection, And Then There Was the Music: Poetry and an Essay, but she read two of my poems, “The Universal Language” and “Make War Not Music” to her large, receptive audience.

I invite you to check out the video in which these poetic works were featured here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFl9RwqRUMc

If you are interested in reading more of the poetry featured in the book, you can get it from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1977095747/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i5

A Nature Walk Like No Other

 I spent my entire summer this year in the Midwest; particularly in Illinois.  Elk Grove is a city in Illinois with about a million and two parks and walk/bike paths.

 

My music writing partner and I would stroll down many of those paths there and I am big on pictures and so there was always a picture or two of the beautiful landscape images being taken as we walked, talked and enjoyed the beauty of mother nature.

 

I have grown accustomed to long-distance walking with my first time being a 10.5 walk on purpose from Midtown Manhattan to Northwest Brooklyn. It came as a natural thing to experience the natural hills and peaks of all terrain walking; especially since I started to do the walk about once a week. Yet still, it did not truly prepare me for my first experience with hiking.

 

Hiking

I recently did a day hike over the Torne Mountain Loop of the Norvin Green State Forest in Bloomingdale, NJ. It was different. It was intense. It was tiring.

 

I didn’t realize how hard it was to walk uphill; especially since almost everywhere I go is by motor vehicle. The advantage of walking is to be in the midst of peacefulness and to also burn some calories. Hiking is a great way to exercise.

 

So, the mountain trail is about an hour drive from Brooklyn, NY to get to that mountainous region of New Jersey. Some people do it recreationally for pleasure and then there are others who do it to burn some good old calories. I did it because I have seen pictures and videos of some of my colleagues who have been hiking and they looked pretty interesting. I can see why many may see hiking as a spiritual quest to reignite the flames that burn the inspiration within.  The climbing, risk and challenges associated with hiking as well as the views of the beautiful landscapes along the 1.5 mile trail is quite rewarding.

 

I thought it was pretty cool that my friend’s phone was furnished with a digital map that actually could tell us exactly where we were along the Torne Mountain Loop and there were blue markers along the journey to help us to follow the path from beginning to end which is a great idea so that you do not get lost in those woods.

 

If I had any tips to give they would be:

 

1. Wear sturdy boots not sneakers. I wore my sneakers and the many rocks can pierce holes into them. Though you will be able to get through a moderate mountain trail with sneakers on, your best foot support will be like a pair of thick boots with strong soles.

 

2. It is an intense workout and so keep in mind that you will sweat and depending on the season when you go, you want to dress appropriately.

 

3. Definitely carry a first aid kit because you never know. You might fall. You might step on something or scrape your skin and need to apply a band aid or alcohol to it. And with that in mind, it probably would be better to go with someone so you could have each other just in case. I definitely would not trail it by myself. 

 

4. I was told to climb the rocks like they are stairs and going uphill, it seemed right. The going downhill was the hard part and so, you have to be careful and focus so that you do not get hurt meaning, you cannot have your phone in your hand because you will need your hands to climb down sometimes.

 

5. I was also told that drinking water while climbing uphill could make the experience a little bit harder. So, I would say, bring your water and when you have a chance to take a pause, then drink your water. But definitely not before you start.

 

 

Overall, I enjoyed it. It was challenging but interesting. It was an intense workout, but one that my body could use. I would definitely go again.

 

The following video is just a glimpse of what my hiking experience was like and I invite you to watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQhfyJR4tCw

My Poetry turned into Song

 

My desire to write started out as poetry, writing the lines of my life since I was in the Fifth grade.

 

Poetry was my love and the love grew into songs and I like to sing them. I am a poet at heart. I try to write on a daily basis but most importantly, as much as I can with who I am and with what time I have.

I had the opportunity to try applying a piece of my poetry to music while listening to a musical melody created by my friend, John Mueller.

I took the track, added my poem, sung harmonies and some piano riffs to Mueller's booming bass and guitar riffs, and it became a poetic song entitled, “Funkalicious.”

 

It is about letting go of your doubts and fears to come into who you were meant to be. I do not know how many will agree with me, but often times, when we are in the season of hopes and have aspirations, it is a common thing for naysayers to speak a tongue of doubt into your spirit to turn all your hopes into fears. The bigger idea is to not let things come in the way of who you are and instead, to live with a sense of hope in the things that you aspire to do.

The poem turned to song, “Funkalicious,” is all about that. Check it out for yourself and maybe you will be inspired by the words: https://soundcloud.com/stephanay-jnote/funkalicious-by-stephanie-jeannot-john-mueller?si=d3c21fdb1f4d45f68060dfb5fbb405c1

Stephanie Jeannot · Funkalicious by Stephanie Jeannot & John Mueller

I Love the Summertime

#tunefortuesday

“I Love the Summertime.” How about you? 

Here is a moving collage of different clips from how my summer is going. Check it out here: 

I Love the Summertime

I’ve spent most of my summer in Illinois and also got to visit Michigan and Wisconsin so far, as part of a musical expedition with my music writing partner and friend, John Mueller. It’s been cool so far with still more to explore. I hope yours is going swell also. 

You can hear the full length of this song “I Love the Summertime” with lyrics by Stephanie Jeannot and music by Stephanie Jeannot & Prrrl and more of my original songs wherever music streams. 

Thank you so much for reading. May God bless the rest of your summer. 

Happy Memorial Day

 Happy Memorial Day.

I remember as a kid, my parents venturing off to Connecticut for this annual tag sale that used to take place and for every episode of it, there was rain involved. 

We got the load of rain as well as the cold to come with it.  I think this is the coldest spring I have ever experienced. Not just the weather, but all the people that I have lost in this past year and a half; it seems almost like an unending season. RIP to all those who lost their lives to this pandemic. You were soldiers in your own right, taking on life and respectively doing whatever it was that God purposed you to do, only for your life to be cut short by the circumstances of COVID19. 

My condolences to all the family and loved ones of those fallen soldiers, as well as the ones lost fighting in wars for our freedoms. We salute and honor you today. 

And if you identify with me and feel as if this actually is "The Coldest Spring Ever," please check out John Mueller's and my tune on Soundcloud enitlted "The Coldest Spring Ever." PErhaps it will help to add some warmth to this Memorial Day. https://soundcloud.com/stephanay-jnote/the-coldest-spring-ever

Thank you so much for checking out my blogpost. God bless you and peace!!!

Stephani

I Soldier on With Haitian Culture Seeped Into My Bones

Culture is the wheel that started my life turning from the moment of conception. 

I soldier on with Haitian culture seeped into my bones. I feel connected to the world because I know that though people from a diversity of countries may have their differences, we all have aspects of who we are that seem strangely familiar.

It was a terrific experience trying to hammer out my understanding of Haitian Kreyol, to add it to this song. Language is a vessel of love that you use while dancing to your rhythm of life. I have had full color samples of the way my people speak, listening to my family talk in their native tongues. The culture may have somewhat evaporated into me, but my output of it is absolutely mine; kinks and all.

When Chicago bassist, John Mueller, saw interest in collaborating on something musical, one of the creative suggestions was to try to tackle my Haitian roots. And so, the song “Haitian” was written and it somewhat paints this wonderful picture of my cultural background.

I invite you to check out Haitian on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXbuZbhtF_A

“Haitian” is a tune by Stephanie Jeannot & John Mueller. This tune was originally released on “The Stephanie Jeannot & John Mueller Project” on October 10, 2020. This song features multilingual lyrics, both written with English and Haitian Kreyol words. It’s a song about meeting someone interested in knowing more about one’s roots and culture. In this scenario, the response is “I am Haitian.” To hear more music by Stephanie Jeannot & John Mueller, please check out the full album on which this song is featured here: The Stephanie Jeannot & John Mueller Project by Stephanie Jeannot & John Mueller https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-stephanie-jeannot-john-mueller-project/1535349877

Thank you for checking out my blogpost.

Happy International Jazz Day

A surge of excitement comes over me when I hear the impeccably smooth sounds of jazz flowing out of my Behringer 328i speakers. The joy of the music takes over and I am caught up in the rapture of the passionate intensity of it all. 

There is an assortment of enthusiastic jazz artists from all around the globe that shift my mind to peace when I hear their musical expression. The diversity of style from jazz great to jazz great gives me a pure passion to listen to their razzle dazzle. Sarah Vaughan is one of my all-time favorite singers. Her cultural contribution has had a profound impact on me and I often find myself playing her awe inspiring works on repeat and echoing her sweet refrains.

And so, as an artist, anytime I get to vocalize and to dress up a melody with my voice, it makes me feel invigorated. Each opportunity is a unique moment in time within itself. I get excited to progress towards a live performance.

I enjoy prancing about the stage and trying to circulate my energy through the room. There is nothing quite comparable to the feeling you get when you are fully immersed into what you love to do most. It is like a force of positivity taking over. Even more, when I get to echo my body of original works before a crowd.

In honor of International Jazz day and as we come to a conclusion of Jazz Appreciation Month, I hope your heart will be into checking out my jazz tune.

Its’s entitled “You are the One” and was written by (me) Stephanie Jeannot and John Mueller. It was released on the album, The Stephanie Jeannot & John Mueller Project on October 10, 2020 and this is the video to the link: https://youtu.be/gjhhtZYn6No

Thank you so much for reading my blogpost. Happy International Jazz Day.

BOP ALONG!

The Indie Music Show Airs Every Tuesday Evening at 9PM EST/ 8PM CST on mixlr.com/jnotemusic

 

What songwriter doesn’t have ribbons of desire for unique songs to burst into bloom? And what artist or musician doesn’t enjoy the aesthetic appeal of opportunities to have synergy with other creative beings?

I don’t know about you, but I love to hear a bass growling in a live setting. Don’t get me wrong; I guess it has become the thing to be plugged into the digital realm and to fulfill your genuine passion through a Zoom meeting every now and again, especially in these times but, there is nothing like when the melody flows and my gilded wings can unfold right there in the intimate setting of a live, innovative environment.

There is something special about putting your effort, originality and skill into the harmonious menu of a repertoire meant to be performed live. Is that just the way I think or is it a thought that other musicians and those who have a true cultural enjoyment of music thinks?

If perhaps we have the same way of thinking, after you experience the pulchritude of the stunning sunset this evening and you start to drown in the evening’s moonlight, I invite you to engage with NYC musician/songwriter, Stephanie Jeannot and cohost Chicago bassist/songwriter, John Mueller for the newest episode of THE INDIE MUSIC SHOW airing this evening at 9PM EST/ 8PM CST on http://mixlr.com/jnotemusic

What will you hear?  A shared thirst for all things music. We launch conversations about the practice of music, the study of music, the performance and recording of our music and some of the many artists that do music with some beautiful indie sounds sprinkled into the mix.

We dive headlong into it every Tuesday evening at 9PM EST/ 8PM CST and I hope that this blogpost might fan a flame of interest in you to take time out of your schedule this evening and log on to http://mixlr.com.jnotemusic to listen.

Until then, Peace.

Help Request...

 

I am a passionate R&B/Soul artist full of lyrical color and vocal dexterity to bring hope, balance, restoration, and self-empowerment to people seeking to be organically uplifted. My music marries a love of creative energy, a powerhouse voice, and an appreciation for the culture and art of writing. I believe that the songs I write can change the world and positively affect people.

I enjoy talking through my music and saying things that are in my heart that I probably wouldn’t be able to say with just mere words. The different things that I unleash through writing represents my voice for the world.

I publish sounds to share to the world because I have a strong sense of purpose and passion for music, singing and writing songs and I find enjoyment in collaborating with other artists to craft new melodies that move people and so it is my mission to create an emotional connection with those willing to take a chance to listen to the sounds that I have created.

About a year ago, I decided to venture into a collaborative project with Chicago based musician and songwriter, John Mueller, and together, during the pandemic quarantine season, we wrote a number of songs. Including an album of 13 songs which was released last October to all streaming platforms. You can check out our project here:

 

My mission in writing this blog today is to request your help in getting our songs in front of audiences around the country. Due to the pandemic, we have yet to come together in unity to share our music before a broader spectrum of people who need and can benefit from our live sounds and performances. All our sharing efforts thus far have been virtual.

My goal for the coming months is for us to join together to perform our original material. If you are reading this, please consider donating towards my Gofundme campaign. I ask you to take a few moments to read further details about the campaign here: gf.me/u/zqdspb

and hopefully you will feel as if it is a worthy cause to donate to.

 

Thank you so much for your precious time and God bless you!   

Happy National Poetry Month

 It is National Poetry Month; a month I hold dear to my heart because I am a poet.

I started writing poetry in the fifth grade and then challenged myself to write 5000 words with which I would publish a book of poetry. And I did.

I write to clear my mind. I write to pass the time. I write when times are enjoyable and I write when I feel like I am walking blind.

Whenever I storm with ideas, I put my pen to the paper and scribe away. Sometimes it comes out as a poem and sometimes as a song. Then there are times when a short story is birthed out of my storming.

Some of my favorite moments is when I get carried away by poetic imagery. I find the art of writing poetry very enriching and a joyful experience. It is one of the reasons I pursued English as a major and my primary reason for babbling along. But enough of that; I want to get your feet wet with a sample of my writing.   

 

Line after line after line

By Stephanie Jeannot

I like to stay in my undisturbed space

When I’m cooped up at home

I like to head outdoors onto the grass

And sit there with my thoughts alone

I feel ecstatic when I can

operate creatively there

I add unto my eclectic repertoire

Fingerprints of truth

Stored in my mind among the wares

I’ve encountered people from all walks of life

That made contributions to my being

Some provided a layer of support

And some that brought winds of change

That made many moments disappointing

Still my mind goes spiraling forward

And I write in those allotment of times

Every release is a new beginning

Line after line after line

 

 

Thank you for reading a sample of my poetry. If you are interested, I do have a poetry book available of Amazon.com. I invite you to check it out. It is entitled  And Then There Was The Music: Musical Poetry Collection and an Essay 

 

Thank you for reading and happy National Poetry Month!

PEACE

Looking Forward . . .

 

It is an exuberant feeling to know that after all that has taken place in 2020 and up to this point, we are still here. 

And here we are on a path to restoration. I am hoping to be above it all at some point soon.

When I consider everything that has led up to this moment, it is amazing that I am not filled with bitterness. I have experienced heartache from losing a few people in my life to COVID19, including my drummer and one of my favorite promoters. Sometimes I felt like pouring out rain while in my solitude with ample time to think about all that happened and all the important things and people in my life. 

Many musicians lost a great deal of musical jobs in 2020 while weathering the pandemic and yet still had to take the necessary steps that are needed to take while adulting. But thank God that things are slowly getting back to normal and that gigging is a happening thing again. 

I look forward to the day that I can once again be astounded by the smiles on your faces, unmasked and in person. But until then, I pray that you are safe, and that grace will continue to be showered over your life.

I hope that we soon will be levitating and connecting on the other side of this
pandemic. I also hope that you might persevere through it all. 

Looking forward to sharing new music and event invitations with you soon and hope that you will be open-minded in accepting some of them and being in the midst of the audience whether it is live streamed or in person. 

May God continue to bless and to keep you and your family and loved ones.

Happy Easter everyone and much love!

Stephanie Jeannot 

New Video "Friday Night"

It is Friday and what better way to celebrate this wonderful day than with a song that you most likely can relate to.

As Bruffdacrowpleaser would say, "It's Friday night. I'm ready to get loose. Y'all ready to get loose. Come on, get with it. Let's get it. 

This song is dedicated to you.  It is entitled "Friday Night (featuring Bruffdacrwdpleaser) by Stephanie Jeannot & John Mueller. 

Check out the new video posted on Youtube  for it here: https://youtu.be/2yjhdpzrYZw 

Have a fantastic Weekend! 

That Calamitous Event (Short Story)

 

It was a calamitous event. She no longer was able to wing it like she used to after her driving episode. It was not that long ago that she fell asleep behind the wheel and crashed into her fear of driving. It was almost impossible for her to see beyond the storm that pushed her will away from the driver’s seat.

Every time she tried, emotions welled into her eyes again. She was riddled with heartache and just couldn’t be loosed of it.

On the anniversary of her accident every year, she would rehash the memories and bring back to life, that tender moment that left her courage paralyzed. She became steeped in confusion and was there in the moment once again walking through the chaos of nearly totaled memories. Her mind was like a wide 5K movie screen in a theater that holds a million and ten people.

She realized that that things we put our time into is the energy that we inject into the world we currently live in. To move beyond that which was once, we must at some point get out of our own heads. No longer was she going to let her accident be the fuel that kept her grounded to fear. It could not have been that paralyzing if it was in yesterday’s world and we are here in the now moment.

And that is when her vision became aligned with the courageous being she was custom created to be. She was no longer stuck in the illusions of yesterday; she was blooming her life through and rising into the sun above the noise. She was once again driving amongst the under the influencers, crazy bicyclist that don't care and the pedestrians who think the roads belong to them. But at the end of the day, that was what made life sweet and she was just motoring through.

__________________________________________________________________________

I am a singer and writer and enjoy the art of putting pen to paper to come up with ideas to stretch and bring to life.  I have an auuthor’s page on Amazon and  I invite you to check it out here: https://www.amazon.com/Stephanie-Jeannot/e/B076N7XYC6?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1614261295&sr=8-2

Perhaps you might find interest in one of the books that I was blessed to self-publish. Thank you so much for your time and have a fantastic day.

Peace and blessings. 

__________________________________________________________________________

#14DaysofLitLove Join the 2-week writing challenge!

https://christiewrightwild.lpages.co/14daysoflitlove/ 

Thank God it's Friday!!!

How many times have we heard or said the phrase, TGIF?

Yes! Thank God it's Friday.

Thank God I'm Favored

or maybe you said...

Thank God it's flurrying. 

Praying for all the homeless and the elderly and those with no heat and those in transit to and from work in this wintry mix. Be safe out there everyone. 

Definitely looking forward to "Friday Night."

"Friday Night" is a song by NYC singer/songwriter Stephanie Jeannot and Chicago Based Bassist/songwriter John Mueller featuring the illustrious NYC hypeman Bruffdacrowdpleaser. It was released on the October 10, 2020 The Stephanie Jeannot & John Mueller Project. 

It is a song about working folks experiencing a desire for the weekend. If that is you, maybe you can relate to that Friday feeling. Hopefully, you will listen to our tune on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/xVvJPe_HYig

Thank you for reading/listening and have a blessed and wonderful weekend; 

God willing! 

Prompted by Three-by-Three, 75 and Punching the Clock

Lately I have had it entrenched in my mind that writing suits my desire. I am steering forward in 2021 firmly fixed on the idea that it is imperative for me to put pen to paper more often.

I heard that a writer should simply start the process by jotting down anything. Could this be a lasting routine in my life? I hope so. And I also hope that as the days progress, that I will make the routine stick by doing a lot more with my love for writing.

I have come across a couple of different writing ideas that motivated me to write today. For one, the importance of consistency is at the forefront of my mind. And that is when I came across two prompts that I combined in one; also adding in a writing idea from another source of information that is not so much of a prompt.

Robert Lee Brewer who is the senior editor of Writer’s Digest has a Wednesday Poetry Prompt 

every Wednesday, and today’s prompt is three-of-a-kind. And so, I wrote a poem with each 

verse being exactly three lines. Second, on my to-do-list, I added an idea found in the book, 

How to Get Great Freelance Clients: Learn how to earn more — find quality clients and get the gig (Freelance Writers Den Book 3) by Carol Tice, Linda Formichelli and Chris Marlow which is to tell a story in just 75 words.     

The poetry prompt for three-for-three was written in 75 words.  Third, for every day of the year is a bizarre or unique holiday. Today is Punching the Clock Day. The three-for-three poem I wrote in 75 words has to do with punching the clock. And so, I wrote the poem Punching the Clock. Tell me what you think:

___________________________________________________________________

 

Punching the Clock

by Stephanie Jeannot

Besides doodling around on my free time

I punch the clock everyday

As part of my daily routine.

 

I work with children

who demand my attention

to who I try to influence their thinking profoundly.

 

I walk in with my quiet regal presence

With the heightened expectation

That I’ll get through to them.

 

Who knew of the Herculean challenge

That would bring on the Working Woman Blues

When they do whatever instead of simply listening.

_____________________________________________________________

With this poem in mind, I teamed up with John Mueller from Chicago, IL, to write a song” about being a woman in the work force entitled Working Woman Blues. If you are interested in hearing it, check it out on YouTube Music here: https://youtu.be/poznZy6eDso

It was fun to write because I always wanted to write a blues type of tune and I was able to talk about some of the things I have seen in my 9-5 experiences that I think many can relate to. I also got a chance to get a bit freer with my piano playing enough to add a piano solo to it. 

I’m no Elton John on the piano yet though I actually fell in love with the piano in 2020 and ever since been trying to enhance is and so during the quarantine, I had ample time to hone my writing skills in all areas, including writing compositions, and I am more than grateful for that. The song is featured on our pandemic musical project The Stephanie Jeannot & John Mueller Project which was released on October 10, 2020, and is the first of 13 tracks that are featured on the album.  

Thank you so much for reading my journey. God bless and enjoy your day! 

The Indie Music Show Airs This Tuesday, January 6, 2021 at 9PM EST/ 8PM CST with your hosts Stephanie Jeannot & Johnny J

 

Have you heard of the Indie Music Show?

It is an on-line radio show that airs each and every Tuesday evening at 9PM EST/ 8PM CST on The English Connection Media with your hosts Stephanie Jeannot from Brooklyn, NY and John Mueller from Chicago, IL.

Every week, the hosts come thick with words and have endless fun discussing a broad variety of topics and playing some beautiful indie songs that might peg your interest. This week’s topic is on the art of songwriting.

Nobody follows the same recipe when writing a song. Each person has their own way of approaching the creative process. The sounds you hear flooding through your speakers when you are listening to a tune went through a series of colorful actions by the composer, songwriter, and vocalist.

What inspired them? Were the lyrics written first or the music? How did they come up with the chord changes? What instrument or song was a source of inspiration? Did the writing process begin with a prompted idea? 

One thing is for sure; writing songs requires a lot of time and patience. You write the song then tweak it and can become hermitish because of the focus that a producer of a tune may have trying to correct and smooth out the problems.

The show hosts always have a jolly time interacting with each other and discussing whatever topic they cover. Hopefully you will join into the discussion. Tune in this Tuesday evening at 9PMEST/ 8PM CST on http://theenglishconnectionmedia or http://mixlr.com/jnotemusic to listen to the show. It is definitely worth the listen.

I’d also like to let you know that if you are an independent artists interested in being on this show to talk about your music, please send an email to jnotemusic@gmail.com and hopefully we can get you on the show.

Looking forward to connecting with you this Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 9PMEST/ 8PMCST for the Indie Music Show on http://theenglishconnectionmedia.com. The show can also be heard at http://mixlr.com/jnotemusic 

Jazz on the Jnote Featuring Professor Roman G Mitchell Airs This Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 7:30PM on WNYE 91.5FM

 

Music has always made a difference in my life. Ever since I was little, music has been like the coziest blanket someone could sleep on when they are seeking maximum comfort.

I remember being at an awards ceremony at Medgar Evers College and seeing Professor Roman Mitchell with his singer on the stage, directing her through her song from start to finish. I was impressed for a few reasons. 

First, it takes incredible courage to get up on anybody’s stage to perform song selections and I noticed that the singer didn’t seem scared or worried at all. She just honorably worked. I had always dreamt of the day when the butterflies in my stomach wouldn’t be a thing; but it was. The thought that I could one day rise above my jitters, started to come to my mind.  

Second, the selection was not an easy one to sing but for some reason, I couldn’t help but to feel mesmerized by her vocal approach and skill. I can’t tell you how many magical moments I pulled out of the song that the singer had been singing. She even came up for air appropriately between vocal phrases and it made me wonder if maybe, I could join forces with her director one day, to help me along in my own vocal journey.

A few months later, I was coming from one of my late-night classes at Medgar Evers College, and I saw Professor Mitchel at the front desk, I walked up to him and said, “I want to sing.” It took a while to get the response that I wanted out of him but a few months later, he called on me and invited me to come and be a part of his jazz ensemble, and I started working under his wing, getting vocal stretches, exercises and performance opportunities that were way beyond my expectation.

One thing that made Professor Mitchell stand out was his ability to help one to understand 

what they were doing with their instrument. He had a way of getting his point across with his sunny temperament, that is both witty and fun. When he plays the piano, you are reveling in sounds of brilliance. He blows his trumpet with freshness and delight. And then this man can sing, very well.  But the most important thing about him is that he likes to challenge those people who are under his wing to go beyond their comfort level and to try things that are both musically and lyrically complex, which can only make them stronger in skill.

Not only am I glad that I got to have him as a mentor at my alma mater, but I am excited that I will be sitting down to discuss a wide breadth of topics with this educator, musician, musical director and all-around talent such as, teaching music to college students during the pandemic via remote learning, the culture of jazz, the Dr Umolu Jazzy Jazz Festival at Medgar Evers College and more. 

Jazz on the JNote is a jazz-based radio show that stems from Medgar Evers College Community Radio Station and is hosted and produced by Stephanie Jeannot. The fact that Professor Mitchell was willing to sit with me to share bits of his life, speaks value to me.

On Sunday evening, January 24, 2021 at 7:30PM EST, I invite you to turn your radio dial to WNYE 91.5FM for the latest edition of Jazz on the JNote with your host Stephanie Jeannot, featuring Professor Roman G Mitchell. You can also listen by logging on the http://theenglishconnectionmedia.com and pushing play to start the online radio version of this show.

Listening to him speak will definitely inspire you in some way because he has a lot of good things to say. Turning your radio dial to 7:30PMEST this Sunday, January 24, 2021, will be a good investment of your time. Hope that you’ll join us this Sunday evening.