Happy Holidays everyone!

Since I was young, there are two things I just love!

One is Christmas. I always loved the lights, the caroling, the decorations and the family gathering we have had since I was just a little thing.  To me in truth, Christmas truly is one of the most wonderful times of the year.

The other thing is the movie, "The Sound of Music." Every time I see it, it is like the first time. I can watch it at anytime and on any day and the love for it just continues to grow. I love Julie Andrews and all the singing she did in the film. I think the songs from it are probably what made me love singing so much.

Christmas is here everyone and I would like to wish to you and to yours, a very merry Christmas and a fantastic new year. That you might be safe, prosperous and joyous through every moment of it. 

The following song is a song from my favorite movie that many consider a carol from my favorite holiday by Rogers & Hammerstein entitled, "My Favorite Things." This is a cover version by Stephanie Jeannot & the Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School Alumni Band featuring Everette Wilson on keys, Jacob Briggs on drums, Jayden on guitar and Mark Payne on bass; performed live at Bishop Loughlin's 2015 Christmas spectacular. 

  

Happy Holidays everyone!

Peace!

Toujour Là by Stephanie Jeannot.

I chose English as a college major because I thought it would make me a better songwriter. 

Funny thing is I am of Haitian descent and French is the official language of Haiti. Yet still, I am not the best at the language but grateful to have learned bits and pieces of it. It is important for me to know my culture and to take part in my makeup.  

I had to take a French class and as a project for it, I wrote this song: Toujour Là by Stephanie Jeannot.

I produced it using Sonar Professional and I hope you will listen to it on Soundcloud here: https://soundcloud.com/stephanay-jnote/toujour-la-by-stephanie-jeannot

Stephanie Jeannot Sings with Patience Higgins Trio at Nabe, November 30, 2015

I am very excited to announce that on Monday, November 30, 2015, 

as part of Berta's Jazz at Nabe and jam session, 

I will be performing as a feature for the entire second set with 

the Patience Higgins trio 

at 

Nabe Underground Lounge 

located at 2367 Frederick Douglass Blvd 

(entrance on W. 127th Street) 

in Harlem, NY. Jazz at Nabe begins at 7pm 

and my set will be at 8:30pm. 

Please come through to eat some of Harlem's best Japanese cuisine,

to listen and enjoy jazz music 

featuring one of New York's best jazz saxophonist 

or to sit-in and get into the groove with the Nabe trio. 

Hope to see you there on Monday, November 30, 2015.  

Like My Facebook Page

I have a Facebook page with music, upcoming performances, links to my latest blogposts and pictures from various events and shoots. Please like my page at http://www.facebook.com/jnotemusic 

Married to "The Sound of Music"

"Jazz music is America's past and its potential, summed up and sanctified and accessible to anybody who learns to listen to, feel, and understand it. The music can connect us to our earlier selves and to our better selves-to-come. It can remind us of where we fit on the time line of human achievement, an ultimate value of art.” – Wynton Marsalis

Something New

There is no truer statement than this. As a music lover, sometimes you connect to songs and genres of music without even realizing it until you find out where the song comes from.

I have been in the process of trying to gain more strength in my piano playing, referencing books of sheet music and trying to play while reading, which is not easy.

I have come to a point where I have begun doing research on music, trying to find out more about jazz and within the process, I got a sheet music book of Ragtime songs. The book consists of over 20 tunes that were popular during that era by some of the most famous ragtime musicians of that day and time.



Something Borrowed

I am not sure if this applies to all young people, but I know that when I was a little girl, the sound of the ice cream truck during the summertime would draw my attention and caused me to be uneasy because I wanted some of the tasty treats offered. Even if I did not run to the truck, the music was sonorous and delightful. Until today, I remember it and have tried to repeat the phrases of the nameless song that used to call attention to children, on my keyboard, still not knowing much about the song except for what it sounded like. And then, I opened up the Ragtime piano charts book, started with the first page and when I began to play the song, to my surprise there it was.

The title of the song is “The Entertainer” which was written by the King of Ragtime also known as Scott Joplin in 1902. How interesting to find that after decades of first hearing a song and loving it without even knowing anything about the content of its music, that  I'd come to realize I enjoyed Ragtime music all my life. This could possibly be why when “Ragtime” was in the theatres in NYC, I had been with desire to see it. Though I never have, I am grateful to have a book featuring songs of this type that I can use in my own unique way.

Check out more about "the Entertainer" here:

Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Entertainer_(rag)

The Best of Scott Joplin on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFeF_yFtssk

Something Blue


By unique I mean, I have kid sized hands that I have to stretch more than most people to play with both hands. My left hand has been underutilized and it feels like lifting weights trying to get it into piano playing mode.

Yet, I practice until my left hand is sore and my fingers are blue and numb. Hopefully I will get better at it, but for now, coming to more of an understanding of music is wonderful and helps me to value the art more than I ever considered.

Strange to be married to a simple sound of music without even knowing how much it has affected you as a person. And that's when you realize how influential music really is.  

The idea of being a musician and lover of what I do, makes my heart leap!

Stephanie Jeannot Performing Live This Thursday, August 13th, 2015 at Harlem Summer Stage Jazz Night

Hey friends.

This coming Thursday, August 13, 2015, I am excited to be performing live at the Harlem Summer Stage Jazz Night event happening in front of the Adam Clayton Powell Jr State Bldg on 125th Street and Adam Clayton Powell in Harlem, NY at 5PM

I will be doing a mixture of originals and vocal jazz covers and am very happy that I will be on stage with Michael Collins, George Gray, JazzEMatt, Daltheanette Munlin, Mark Payne, & Alvin Rogers performing promptly at 5pm. Say you'll be there! I truly hope to see you there friends. Until then, peace! ‬ ‪

Jazz on the Jnote: Recap of MEC Jazz Ensemble at Jazzy Jazz Festival

“I strongly encourage listening to the radio

to hear something you haven't heard before.

It's a very healthy thing to do. It's strange:

unless you reload your iPods every couple

of weeks, you're listening to and recycling

the same music all of the time. I'm serious.

Listen to your radio station.”  - Alvin Lee

  

I am excited to announce that this Sunday, August 2, 2015, the show Jazz on the Jnote, which I produce and also radio host, will be airing on WNYE 91.5 FM via Medgar Evers College Radio. Please turn your radio dials to 91.5 FM at 6PM for a recap of the Medgar Evers College Jazz Ensemble’s live performance at the Dr Mary Umolu Jazzy Jazz Festival that took place this past Friday, July 24,^, 2015.

The Medgar Evers College Jazz Ensemble was founded in 2005 by Professor of music education at Medgar Evers College who is also the ensemble’s leader, director, trumpeter and pianist, Professor Roman G Mitchell.  Over the course of time it transformed from a group primarily of musicians to a group that now features vocalists.

The radio show will feature somewhat of a condensed sound feed of the music performed by this wonderful group, as well as interview segments of some of the their fans and audience members answering the question, “What is Jazz?”  

Slideshow

While you are waiting to hear some exciting moments that happened during the jazz ensembles performance on July 24^th, 2015, perhaps you might be interested in checking out some of the still shots and frames that are included in the following slideshow now on youtube and featuring different selections than that which will be shared on the air on Sunday, August 2, 2015 at 6PM.  Check it out here: https://youtu.be/krBGcUJao1o

 

DR Mary Umolu Jazzy Jazz Festival

Please note that each and every Friday on July and August from July 10^th to August 28^th, the Dr Mary Umolu Jazzy Jazz Festival takes place at 1638 Bedford Avenue (Crown Street) in Brooklyn, NY and it occurs from 7PM to 10PM rain or shine.  The following is a list of what you might find at this live outdoor summer concert:

7/10 Firey String Sisters

7/17 Touch of Ambience

7/24 Medgar Evers College Jazz Ensemble

7/31 Damon Banks “Travel Guides” with Special guest Gwen Laster

8/07 Brandon Sanders & the Swing Machine

8/14 Pan Sonatas

8/21 Vincent Gardner Quintet

8/28 Randy Weston

 

Thank you for checking out my blogpost! You can also find me at http://www.facebook.com/jnotemusic or http://www.instagram.com/musiqal1