"They had enrolled in the summer band camp operated by the Marching 100. For the campers, these eight days offered a kind of initiation; for the band, they offered the chance to recruit future members and to spread its ecstatic performance style literally around the world."

"In the nation’s historically black colleges, marching bands have long provided far more than “The Star-Spangled Banner” for football crowds, and none, arguably, has grown more famous than Florida A&M’s."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/us/23bandcamp.html?scp=1&sq=marching%20bands&st=cse

From NYTimes today:


"A career in the arts has always been difficult to establish. But in the last few years the process of breaking in has changed as digital technologies and shifting economics profoundly alter the ways in which art is made, popularized and consumed. Perhaps no entertainment industry has changed as rapidly as the music business, where CD sales have imploded and revenues from digital downloads have yet to make up the difference."

"Whether that constitutes a disaster or an opportunity depends largely on how old you are." (kfg: oh dang, that hurts...)

More: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/31/arts/music/31break.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1&_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

When Syrian djembe player Tarik teaches UConn economics professor Walter to play, the key is "don't think."



A little bit like "Lost in Translation" but Scarlett J. is a djembe.

Music National Service will be there or be square: http://www.walkformusic.org

MNSi Office in Boston? Zumix Firehouse campaign: http://zumix.org/firehouse.html

Check out this article in NYT mag tomorrow. MNSi is happy to be studying with our friends (at Harvard's Project Zero and CAPE) who promote the "studio habits" impact of the arts. But we also thank the friendly west coast crew that's showing us how more music ALSO makes for better math and reading : )

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/magazine/27wwln-lede-t.html?ref=magazine

You gotta check out the video of 2008 Goldman prize winner, Mozambique's Feliciano dos Santos: http://www.goldmanprize.org/2008/africa.

The Music National Service initiative and MusicianCorps is focused first on bringing quality music education to our own nation's, low income, public school children. But we definitely need a global music strategy, not a commercial one, but one that supports work like Feliciano's, a musical Peace Corps. Yeah? Let's do it!

Dear Everybody,

Happy New Year! It's been a long time. Here's a lil sum'n:

1) Music:

About a year ago I grew less happy with the requirements of
maintaining commercial viability as an indie singer-songwriter
without adequate representation or resources. Booking shows, managing
rehearsals, counting web hits and Myspace friends, etc. kinda started
to suck the soul outta my craft.

I decided to move on to other things, like consulting with CARE
(http://www.care.org) and the Gates Foundation
(http://www.gatesfoundation.org); and launching the Music National
Service initiative.

Of course song-writing remains a great teacher, practice and joy for
me. New stuff, better than ever, will trickle out. Here's one you may
not have heard, "Hold You on my Shoulders"
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhIaIvmPaRs) recorded live from Joe's
Pub, NYC, last May.

Thanks to BJ Barratt (http://www.myspace.com/thebjspace), ZUDE
(http://zude.com) and Rodanti Films
(http://www.myspace.com/rodantifilms) there's more video somewhere.
But it needs to get cut, tagged, up-loaded and all that. So, umm, not
sure...anyway, if you wanna listen to, buy or download my CD from
iTunes: http://www.kiff.com

2) Music National Service initiative:

PeaceLabs Inc. (http://peacelabs.org) was born to promote a
developing field of civic service through music. Our shows, website,
charitable activities and tag line "Music Saves Lives" are all about
the potential for music to play a more strategic role in addressing
important social goals rather than just commercial ones.

One of our most exciting ideas was the "musical Peace Corps" that
leverages the successful youth service corps model within a national
network of school and community-based music programs. Through
"Musician Corps" (as we called it), musicians would serve for 1-2
years in return for modest benefits and training.

In the second half of 07, the PeaceLabs vision started manifesting.
First and foremost, Jim Kurtz stepped up as a full time,
co-conspirator; then Clara Shin, a former colleague from AmeriCorps,
assembled a top-notch legal team (http://howardrice.com); finally, we
became blessed with a talented board of directors and advisors.

The result is a new organization called, The Music National Service
initiative (MNSi). In 2008 we plan to expand the field of
music-driven, public service through the corps and other activities.
Please stay tuned (coming soon: http://musicnationalservice.org). In
the meantime, a couple MNSi nuggets:

- Our friends at America Forward (http://americaforward.org) invited
a contribution to their blog on National Service and Social
Innovation: http://americaforward.org/content/blog/detail/850 Let us
know what you think!

- Later this month, MNSi is gathering at Aspen Institute in
Washington D.C. (http://www.aspeninstitute.org). The Chair of
Aspen's Advisory Council on Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy, James
Allen Smith
(http://explore.georgetown.edu/people/jas239/?PageTemplateID=17), is
co-convening the day with leaders from the fields of public policy,
education, philanthropy, entertainment and community-based music
programming.

3) Thanks, Props and Thoughts:

Very Large Quantities of Thanks to:
Hahva Neff, Jim Kurtz, BJ Barratt, Clara Shin, Ann Galligan, Robert
Gordon, Ruma Bose, Mark Schulz, Mom, Dad, Caity, Nicole, Deb Jospin,
Andrew Eills, Rachel Williams, Jim Smith, David Ray, Joe Cerrell,
Cyndi Lewis, Gerschon Langenhoven, Rebecca Lake, Michelle Rogers,
Jocelyn Kane, Banjo

2007 Joy Found in:
- PeaceLabs/ B-Line Entertainment East Coast Tour
- PeaceLabs show at Primrose in DC
- Getting towed from Burningman desert
- Global health advocacy trip to Ethiopia
- New Orleans (Ms Antoinette and Tipitinas)
- Music National Service tours w/ JK
- "Banjo" -- the Christmas Beach doogie

'07 Very Special Props to:
Thomas Neff (http://thomasneffphotographer.com) - Check out his
awesome new book: "Holding Out and Hanging On":
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/105-4099512-0002027?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=thomas+neff+holding+out&x=0&y=0

'08 Quiet Concern:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/22/opinion/22herbert.html?em&ex=1198558800&en=f0ad50ab117d35f9&ei=5087%0A

or, if you don't have an NY Times account:
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.journalism/browse_thread/thread/d33b98ef46c343f0/011dce175555836e

Thank you.

Blessings for 08,

Still open for biz so please don't forget to say hello,

kiff

http://www.peacelabs.org
http://www.kiff.com

Dear Friends,

I hope you're well. It's been months since I've updated you.
Headlines below; dig in as you wish:

1) SF Show, 12 Galaxies next Thursday Aug 30

2) KIFF trio East Coast tour sells out! Blog, photos

3) "Weightless": New song (DC home video)

4) Pop Syndicate gives UCKiD a 4-Star review

5) PeaceLabs Music Presents:

- Music National Service Initiative
- Kiff, CARE & The Gates Foundation in Ethiopia (photos)
- Hugh Masekela speaks on "Indifference" (video)

6) Stock Market & Thanks
__________________________________

1) Aug 30th KIFF duo w/ Martin Luther @ 12 Galaxies.
Come join us in the Mission next Thursday before you head out for the
long weekend. dNerv and I open for Oakland soulster, Martin Luther. We
haven't played in the city for a while and its gonna be a party. Tix
and info:
http://www.12galaxies.com
http://www.myspace.com/martinluthermusic

2) NYC, Philly and DC shows sold out! What a tour we had with
sponsorship from B-Sharp Entertainment and PeaceLabs Music. Check out
links to BJ Barratt's awesome tour blog and great photos with Lucy
Woodward and Melody Gardot: http://www.kiff.com

3) Our video camara broke before the DC show, but the
ever-resourceful BJ.B. pulled out her digi camara for a live version
of my new, unreleased song "Weightless." I hope you like it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88Mq7IXsOTw

4) Calling You Can't Keep it Down "satisfyingly diverse and rich with
emotion," Pop Syndicate gives KIFF a 4-star review:
http://www.popsyndicate.com/site/story/kiff_you_cant_keep_it_down and
an interview:
http://www.popsyndicate.com/site/story/catching_up_with_kiff_gallagher/

5) PeaceLabs Music Madly Manifests

- Music National Service Initiative:

The PeaceLabs vision of leveraging the power of music for a better
world (http://www.peacelabs.org) has taken a big step closer to
reality. Jim Kurtz, a talented businessman and music-lover who's
passionate about music education and access, came across my site and
introduced himself to me at the Philly show. Too much to get into
here, but suffice to say that we've partnered to launch the "Music
National Service Initiaitve." To learn more about the ideas and
strategies behind MNSI go to http://www.peacelabs.org or just email
me. We're currently in biz plan and fund raising mode (if you can
help, let us know!). I'm very happy to have such an awesome partner
in Jim. Lots more going on here; much more to come...

- Global Health Strategy trip to Ethiopia, photos
In July, I went to Ethiopia with a small team of global health
experts from US AID and the Gates Foundation. I've been working this
summer as a consultant to CARE -- designing a project to support
better policies and increased funding for maternal, newborn and child
health in the developing world. Again, too much to get into here but I
wanted you to know what I've been doing with so few shows recently.
I'm still working on the proposal, but the Ethiopia trip was amazing.
Slide show w/ commentary: http://www.kiff.com/links/ethiopia

- Hugh Masekela Speaks Out on Darfur "Indifference"
When I returned from Africa a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to
see the wonderful S. African artist Hugh Masekela perform live right
here at the Stern Grove Music Festival in SF. I was re-inspired by
Masekela, and the potential for musicians to raise awareness, when he
spoke about our fellow human beings who are suffering in Darfur and
other parts of the world. I caught it on video, under 3 mins, it's
worth it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x97g-tlhnV8

6) Ups, Downs & Thanks

Finally, my heart goes out to those of you who've been following the
turbulent equity market as closely as I have (stock trading is how
I've supported my life, music and other money sucking passion
projects for the past 5 years). Keep in mind that the lessons we're
learning, however brutal and immediate, will serve us well beyond
financial markets...I believe risk management and change navigation
-- the art of staying on our toes w/out tripping -- is the required
survival skill set in our new wild world.

For believing and making it happen, I thank you: Jim Kurtz - MNSI; BJ
Barratt - BSharp Ent; Cyndi Lewis - Gates Fdn; David Ray & Michelle
Rogers - CARE; Gerschon Langehoven - Arcfyre Intl; Clara Shin -
Howard/Rice; Cinthia Schuman & Rachel Williams - Aspen Institute;
Grace Lesser - Wesleyan intern; Bruce Lindsey - Clinton Fdn; Joe
Chellman - Shoofly Design; Joe and Sara Cerrell. Congratulations to
Hahva for getting into Berkeley MSW and my Mom for her new ventures
of the heart.

Thank you,

Please come out next Thrusday if you're in SF,
Summer smiles,
kiff

http://www.kiff.com
http://myspace.com/kiffmusic

Dear Friends:

It gives me great joy to create and connect with people through
music. So I'm pleased to announce a string of upcoming shows with
some killer singer-songwriters. You may want to get your tix in
advance if you plan to come (we've sold out these venues in the
past):

- SF, Sunday 4/29, The Independent, w/ Josh Kelley and Alexa
Wilkinson, Doors 7:30, Show 8pm. My trio plays in the middle slot:
after Alexa and before Josh. Tix here:
http://independentsf.com/april2007.htm
http://www.myspace.com/joshkelley is poppin ;)
http://www.myspace.com/alexawilkinson

- NYC, Wednesday 5/30, Joe's Pub, w/ Lucy Woodward, Doors 6:30pm,
Show 7pm. Happy to be co-headlining w/ Loosi!
http://www.lucywoodward.com. I go on 2nd. Yes, this show is early,
straight from work. Prolly sells out: http://web.joespub.com/caltool

- Philly, Thursday 5/31, World Cafe Live, w/ Melody Gardot, 8pm.
She's wonderful and Philly's her home town so we should have a nice
gathering: http://www.myspace.com/melody. Tix somehere in here:
http://www.worldcafelive.com

- DC, Friday June 1, PeaceLabs Music Series, w/ KIFF trio. Doors at
7:30, Show at 8pm. We're playing this intimate show to support
"PeaceLabs MusiCorps" the greatest Music National Service program
that doesn't exist yet ;) http://www.kiff.com/peacelabs. This private
residence event, sponsored by http://www.sagawajospin.com, is about 15
mins from both Dupont Circle and Georgetown. Details after you buy,
advance tix only: http://www.kiff.com/peacelabs_concerts.html

- SF, Saturday July 21, PeaceLabs Music Series at Dharma Space w/
Elliot Randall opening for KIFF trio. I'm digging Elliot much, as he
emerges from the Bay Area w/ a new album. Check his soothing voice:
http://www.myspace.com/elliotrandall. We're both psyched for a
special evening at our sponsor's location:
http://www.dharmaspace.com. Tix and info:
http://www.kiff.com/peacelabs_concerts.html

Music Saves Lives,

Kiff
http://www.kiff.com
http://www.myspace.com/kiffmusic

Dear Friends:

I hope you're doing well. Here's the latest:

1) Shows -- SF 4/4; SF 4/29; NYC, 5/30; Philly 5/31; DC 6/1
2) On the Radio and TV
3) Proud Love for ma Peeps
------------------------------------------

1) Shows:

4/4 SF Cafe Du Nord w/ Austin Willacy CD Release 9pm: My duo will
open this Thursday evening before Austin and his band take over
(http://www.austinwillacy.com). Late night will feature
freak-of-beat-box-nature, Kid Beyond (http://www.kidbeyond.com). It's
an honor to support Austin's celebration. Come party and pick up the
new cd:
http://cafedunord.com/?temp=calendar&cal_view=month&cal_date=4%7C2007%7C25&so1=0

4/29 SF The Independent w/ Josh Kelley 8pm: KIFF Trio (w/ D-Nerv and
Mark Calderon) will support guitar-soul-popster Josh Kelley
(http://www.joshkelley.com). We're stoked for this show. Alexa
Wilkenson will open (http://www.myspace.com/alexawilkinson). Tix,
etc: http://theindependentsf.com/april2007.htm

5/30 NYC Joe's Pub w/ Lucy Woodward 7pm: Yes the Early Show (7pm!)
gets the worm cuz Lucy Woodward has one of the most powerful voices
and pop-soul sounds I've heard in a while
(http://www.lucywoodward.com) and we can't wait to get back to NYC!
We sold out Joe's last year and strongly recommend that you buy tix
and table rez's in advance:
http://www.joespub.com/caltool/index.cfm?fuseaction=detail&performanceID=2913
see also http://www.myspace.com/bsharpshowcase

5/31 Philly World Cafe Live w/ Melody Gardot 8pm:
I'm totally psyched for our first ever Philly show. And you'll be
able to hear a pin drop at this one -- Melody's voice and stage
presence do that. Check the Philly native flygirl here:
http://www.myspace.com/melody. More:
http://tickets.worldcafelive.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=1792 and
please tell your philly crew to join us!

6/1 Wash DC PeaceLabs House Concert w/ special guest 8pm: PeaceLabs
Music is my micro-indie record label and music publishing company.
But it's also a vision. I hope one day PeaceLabs can be a sort of
musical Peace Corps, supporting a network of singer songwriters as
they share their music worldwide with folks in need. Learn more,
spread the word and/or join us for this special evening in DC:
http://www.kiff.com/peacelabs_dc.html

2) TV and Radio:

I just signed a bunch of licensing agreements for MTV's Real World,
Road Rules and other TV shows to use songs from my album, "You Can't
Keep it Down" (PeaceLabs). Stay tuned. Also, tracks "Now", "How it
Feels" and "Die 4 the Cause" have been playing on over 100 college
radio stations nationwide (http://www.kiff.com/radio.html). On
several, UCKiD is charting in the top 30 with big name, big label
artists...Thanks to Tinderbox Music for the support and hustle:
http://tinderboxmusic.com

3) Proud Love for my Peeps:

Lauren Ferrone, my cousin and wicked baker-cookie maker, starts a
yummy new biz, get some here: http://summerhousebaking.com/

Tony Deifell, conceptual artist and service warrior, is releasing a
visionary new book and film. Save the Date in SF, May 17th, 111 Minna
Gallery: http://www.seeingbeyondsight.org

Jason Jurgens, writer, entreprenuer and music stud, celebrates 2nd
Anniversary of The Owl Mag. Save the Date, 4-13 in SF at Mezzanine:
http://theowlmag.com/

BJ Barrett, indie artist soul saver, author, spreads love at
http://www.myspace.com/thebjspace

Vanessa Castro, inspirational and talented artist, launches cool
website: http://vanessa-castro.com

Joe Chellman, web guru and drummer, kills it every time:
http://shooflydesign.org

Thank you for keepin it poz,

kiff

http://kiff.com and http://www.myspace.com/kiffmusic

Dear Friends:

Here's the update --

1) I learned yesterday that I won the 2006 International
Singer/Songwriter Award, presented by We Are Listening. "How It
Feels" was selected by some pretty cool judges
(http://wearelistening.org/judges.php) from a submission pool of
several thousand. See, listen, and download FREE!
http://wearelistening.org/winners2006r2.php

2) The PeaceLabs House Concert this Sat. 1/27 feat. KIFF trio w/ Mica
Lee Williams is totally Sold Out. 80 pre-sold tix make walk-ups
unrealistic. Sorry to those who won't be able to join us and big
thanks to everyone who will!

3) Friday February 2, KIFF duo (w/ Dan Nervo) will be opening for
great friends LUCE at Sweetwater in Mill Valley, CA. Show's at 9pm.
Meet the fellas: http://luceband.com + check the venue:
http://sweetwatersaloon.com

4) Friends and Family: Love'm, can't live without'm. Recent trip to
SB and LA was case in point. My cousin Mike & Maria turned out the
fresh SB crowd and crashed Dan and Me. My wicked Socal bassist Derek
played generously cuz i'm low on $. Then, a couple world class
drummers sat in just for fun in LA. Another cousin, Andrew, in LA on
biz, hooked us up with the hollywood hotel. Manager Jim D. kept us
moving and cool. Bro Ned made a nice intro...And this Saturday
wouldn't be possible without sweet HD, Moto Productions, Rodanti
Films, 280 Soul Sisters and more. It goes on and on...thank you,
thank you, music saves lives, kiff

Dear Friends,

A couple last minute diddies before the New Year's bell bings (incl.
SHOW DATE CHANGE from 1/20 to 1/27!). Thanks for a moment of your
time:

1) Cell Phones For Soldiers:

The week before Christmas I partnered with iTunes (w/ a little help
from my friends!) to donate proceeds from downloads of my song
"Coming Home" to Cell Phones for Soldiers -- which exchanges old cell
phones (batteries, chargers, etc) for calling cards that go directly
to our troops overseas. Turns out, the military sets up phone banks
on bases, ships, etc. but doesn't pay for long distance. After
learning about our troops racking up huge bills just to call home,
Brittany(16) and Robbie(15) Bergquist of Norwell, MA wanted to do
something about it. In 2004 they created CPfS. I had an opportunity
to meet Britt, Rob (and their sister and parents!) in Boston over
Christmas (photo here: http://www.myspace.com/cellphonesforsoldiers).
The "Gift of Home" donation program will continue through Valentine's
Day. To download "Coming Home," go to: http://www.kiff.com. More at:
http://cellphonesforsoldiers.com

2) SoCal Swing -- SB Jan 17th, LA Jan 18th:

- Wednesday Evening, Jan 17th, KIFF (w/ Derek Frank and Dan Nervo) at
Soho in Santa Barbara. More at: http://www.sohosb.com/
- Thursday Afternoon, Jan 18th, KIFF (solo) @ NAMM in Anaheim:
http://www.thenammshow.com
- Thursday Evening Happy Hour at Hotel Cafe! KIFF Trio is on at 7pm
before Ari Hest at 8pm. A little taster's choice on the EARLY side,
my friends. We hope to see & hang w/ you for a fun night of great
music. More at: http://hotelcafe.com. Bring your old cell phones,
batteries and chargers! I'll collect and send them to CPfS.

3) DATE CHANGE for PeaceLabs SF Home Concert:

Was Sat January 20th; now 1-week later on Sat Jan. 27th in SF. Doors
7:30pm, Show 8pm. KIFF trio (w/ D-Nerv and Mark Anthony) will play on
a home-built, fireside stage. Special guest, Mica Lee Williams will
open (luv her: http://www.micamuse.com). All ages welcome, but tix
must be bought in advance. Seats at this intimate show are limited.
$15/ticket donations are paypal-able at
http://www.kiff.com/links/housetix or inquire at info@kiff.com to
send a check. San Francisco location details will be forwarded once
the ticket is purchased! Thanks to our hosts for supporting the
PeaceLabs Music Series.

4) More Thanks 'n' Stuff:
-- Special Thanks to Jeffery Jolson-Colbern at Jolson Media, Jon
Delange at Tinderbox Music, the Bergquist and Eills families,
everyone who got on board and gave up a little sum'n sum'n in '06!
-- My release, You Can't Keep it Down (UCKiD) received some more
"Best-Of" 2006 Indie recognition this week. Nothing huge, just a
little under-the-radar blog stuff at Radio Free Tunes:
http://www.myspace.com/radiofreetunes and B-Sharp Indie Showcase:
http://www.myspace.com/thebjspace. Every bit helps :)

Thanks again, and a happy, healthy new year to you,
Kiff '07
http://www.kiff.com

Dear Friends,

Happy Tuesday ya'll.

1) Heads up on a show tomorrow night, 9/20, at the Independent in SF. I'll be
opening solo for Joshua Radin (http:// www.myspace.com/joshuaradin). Doors 7:30pm;
I'm on at 8pm. Info,Tix: http://theindependentsf.com/sept2006.htm

2) Upcoming Acoustic Duo Shows(w/ Dan Nervo):

- 9/30 Little Fox Theater w/ LUCE; Redwood City, CA
- 10/10 Hotel Utah w/ American Drag; SF, CA
- 10/21 Belvedere Winery w/ Megan Slankard; Healdsburg, CA

3) "Artist of the Month" and Interview @ Hedgestop.com:
What happens if you mix Motley Fool with Facebook? You get Hedgestop.com, a fun
social networking and news site for young entrepreneurs and market mavens. Hedgestop
features KIFF as "Artist of the Month" for their official launch later this week.
Join Hedgestop's community and check the interview here:
http://hedgestop.com/music.php?artist_id=2

4) Holy Viral Spiral Indie-net! I've been told by music journalist and indie
talent-hunter Menox, that my music will be featured on his next monthly
broadcast/podcast at NextBigHit.com. Check it out later this week:
http://www.nextbighit.com/menoxmusic

Thank you, peace,
kiffg

Listen, watch, buy/download CD, talk doo-doo, go frickin' bananas:
http://www.myspace.com/kiffmusic
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7KNHAGiTMNA
http://www.kiff.com/links/itunes
http://cdbaby.com/found?artist=kiff
and, http://www.kiff.com

Dear Friends:

I know some of you are outta here this Sat for a long 4th weekend...but before you
go long, Go Live, Local, and Legit at Bottom of the Hill in SF.

411 =
ALL AGES Party Friday 6/30 @ Bottom of the Hill on 1233 17th St (btwn Missouri and
Texas at the bottom of Potrero Hill) http://www.bottomofthehill.com. Doors at 8:30,
Show 9pm. $10. Featuring Keith Varon (CD Release! http://keithvaron.com) and KIFF
(Me + Denise Martin-drums, Zoe Ellis-vox, D-Nerv-git & Mark Anthony-bass). Opening
Guest: Ryan Auffenberg http://www.ryanauffenberg.com.

Advance Tix: http://www.ticketweb.com/userregion=sfbay&query=detail&event=670417

Less Important Other Stuff:
After this weekend, I officially start my StressLess Summer Program (SSP) including
writing songs and not working too hard. If you're feeling voyeuristic, or also
looking to avoid gravity, feel free to check out sporadic video postings, Live from
my Basement! (also called the "Summer '06, I'm not Leaving My Basement Tour"). In
conjunction with RodantiFilms, the clips will offer key elements of the SSP
including new music, performances and interviews w/ special guests; product
discoveries at Trader Joe's (& other nifty things); as well as musings on the stock
market, politics and other topics made for sh*t talking. Of course, you're welcome
to chime in at anytime. We'd love to hear from you.

be good,
kiff

Dear Friends,

I hope you're doing well. Quick update:

LA This Thursday 6/15 @ The Hotel Cafe:
I'm playing the night after tomorrow (Thur 6/15) at The Hotel Cafe in Hollywood.
We'll be a simple 4-piece -- a little more raw, no jumpin around w/ tamborine, etc.
Should be solid. Doors 7pm, Show 8pm(sharp). Good food and drinks. Tix $7. I'd love
to see you, so say hello if you're there, and pls tell to your LA friends even if
you're not. http://www.hotelcafe.com

SF ALL AGES Party Friday 6/30 @ Bottom of the Hill:
In a couple weeks , I'll be at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco
(http://www.bottomofthehill.com) with buddy Keith Varon. We'll be celebrating his
new CD "Love is a Hero" (http://keithvaron.com). Keith's got all sorts of great
stuff happenin and it's gonna be a pawty! New talent, singer-songwriter Ryan
Auffenberg will open the night (http://www.ryanauffenberg.com) then Keith, then my
6-piece star-studded crew ;). Advance tix here:
http://www.ticketweb.com/user/?region=sfbay&query=detail&event=670417

NYC: Thanks again to everybody (players, friends, family, fans) who brought good
energy and support to our New York shows. Joe's Pub sold out! And the other 2 nites
felt just right. Your positivity meant more to me than you can imagine. Here's a
lil' video of the Joe's Pubbly: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=467DAEF8306D3466.

Thanks, take care,
KiffG

Dear Friends:

NYC: Joe's Pub 5/23, Mo Pitkin's 5/24
For Eli and Sacha (and Nicole!)
LA: Hotel Cafe 6/15
SF: Bottom of the Hill 6/30

NYC Shows (come out, frwd to friends in NY):
- Joe's Pub next Tuesday 5/23 (tix limited). Doors 9pm, Show 9:30(sharp) http://joespub.com
- Mo Pitkin's House of Satisfaction Wed. 5/24. Doors 8:30, Show 9pm) http://mopitkins.com/calendar/ShowPages/Kiff1.html

Hitting NYC's Village with an awesome Cali-grown 6-piece crew (Dan Nervo - guitar/vox, Zoe Ellis - perc./vox, Maya Kronfeld - keys, Mark Calderon - Bass, Nate Morton - Drums, Jason Jurgens - tour manager). We're flying from Oakland to JFK on Monday and ready to rock 2 nites in The City, followed by a double set on Fri at my alma mater, Wesleyan University.

I'd like to dedicate this East Coast trip to Eli Segal and Sacha Laine Keenan. Eli was a great friend, mentor and role model to me. He was Bill Clinton's Chief of Staff during the '92 campaign and the force behind the creation of AmeriCorps. Working closely with Eli, I learned about loving leadership -- how to be committed, focused and tough in the pursuit of goals; yet remain open, optimistic and caring in the process. Eli recently passed away, but his loving spirit will live on in the hearts of so many people he touched. Learn more about Eli Segal here: http://www.cityyear.org

Sacha Laine Keenan is the new daughter of my older sister Nicole Gallagher and Mike Keenan. Nicole has asked me to be Sacha's Godfather and I'll be meeting her for the first time this week. Nicole, a Brooklynite, has arranged for late night care so she can make both of her brother's shows in NYC. I love you Nikki G (& Happy Birthday!)

kiff

Back to Cali in June, click below for details-
Santa Cruz: 6/2 (acoustic trio)
LA: Hotel Cafe 6/15 (acoustic trio)
SF: Bottom of the Hill 6/30 (full band)

Thanks NY Press:

"Kiff is a "rising star with vibrant songs and a terrific voice." --Manhattan User's Guide (MUG)

"We popped this album in our computer and immediately became hooked. A mix of rock, pop, funk, and soul, mixed with a killer voice and some serious skills on the piano, KIFF is sure to score some fans in the very near future." --Trend Central

The universe giveth, the universe taketh away...not much more to say about Lewis Taylor's voice, or our show together at Great American in SF on March 27th. I guess he developed polyps on his vocal chords and is undergoing treatment in London. His whole March/April US Tour just got cancelled.

To me the dude remains a mystery...like does he really exist? I'll chalk this one up as an awesome 'almost' and go back to watching (and making!) the future unfold. We all wish the best for Mr LT as he heals, and in the meantime we'll keep bumpin his wicked records...if you can track'm down.

peace, love, kiff

One of my musical hero's, Lewis Taylor (check him out at http://www.myspace.com/lewistaylor), has asked me to open for him at Great American Music Hall on March 27 (yes, that's a Monday).

Let me just say that this guy is incredible. Imagine a multi-instrumentalist, unbelievable vocalist/ songwriter who sounds equal parts Radiohead, Marvin Gaye, D'Angelo, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix...I am not shitting you...you gotta check this guy out!!! I am so psyched for this opportunity and privilege. i hope to see you there!!!

Dear Friends,

Some quick reminders and updates:

1) PIANO, GUITAR and 2 VOICES: Dan Nervo and I will perform an unplugged acoustic set tomorrow night, 3/3, at Sweetwater Saloon in Mill Valley. Come around 9ish cuz we're supporting buddy Mike Gibbons who follows with his full band http://www.mikegibbons.net

** 2) HOTEL CAFE THIS SAT: We'll be rocking the modern classic Hollywood venue with our full band, this Saturday 3/4 at 8pm sharp. KIFF LA 5-piece includes D-Nerv (Tape, rocker at large), Nate Morton (drums: vanessa carlton, rockstar house band), Derek Frank (bass: jonatha brooke), Maya K. (keys: solo, multi-projects). Again, the show is EARLY so please GET THERE @ 7:30ish. http://www.hotelcafe.com

3) THANKS KFOG! After hand-picking "You Can't Keep it Down" for it's New Releases Thursday. KFOG just added KIFF to it's local scene page. The featured single "Now" is listenable and more here http://kfog.com/local_scene/local_scene.html and pls be sure to make a request to hear "KIFF -- Now" on the air at (800) 300-KFOG or online here: http://www.kfog.com/Requests/Equest.asp

4) NYC IN MAY: That's right, as promised, KiffG hits NYC in the last week of May for back-to-back East Village shows. Kiff will play full-band sets on May 23rd at favorite venue, Joe's Pub, and again on the 24th at Mo Pitkin's - House of Satisfaction. NY friends and fans, you've been patient and wonderful. We can't wait to see you, more soon. xo

5) KIFF BUZZ: OK, you've read this far, now for the lame part of an indie artist's job: FLAGRANT SELF-PROMOTION. Here goes: Trend watching industry report, TrendCentral Newsletter said this week:

"At the suggestion of a friend, we popped this album in our computer and immediately became hooked. A mix of rock, pop, funk, soul, paired with a killer voice and some serious skills on the piano, Chris "Kiff" Gallagher is sure to score some fans in the very near future. His diverse musical experience (including African drums, gospel, acid jazz, hip-hop and funk) brings a refreshing complexity to the stagnant singer-songwriter music scene, and it's clear that his business-minded day job was just a holding pattern for this natural talent. The sound? Think Stevie Wonder, Jamiroquai, Maroon 5, John Mayer. His second album, You Can't Keep It Down, is generating major buzz. The single, "Now", has yet to leave our heads." http://kiff.com/press/KiffTrendCentral.jpg

6) Finally, we're keeping fingers crossed for a possible, special appearance and opportunity in SF late this month...will let you know!

Much love and thanks to all who continue to help spread the word and support the music in so many ways,

kiff

http://www.kiff.com
http://www.myspace.com/kiffmusic
Buy CD: http://cdbaby.com/all/kiff
Download at iTunes: http://www.kiff.com/links/?link=itunes

SAT JAN 21-CD Reviews-INXS-RadioAlice

1) Sat Jan 21 CD Release Party- Buy Tix Now
2) CD Sales/Reviews- Very Kind
3) LA Shows- LA Players
4) Alice Radio

Dear Friends:

1) Get 1/21 Tix Now [adv $10, door $12]
Advance tickets for the Sat Jan 21 CD Release Party at the Independent are selling briskly. We're featuring 4 local song-writers with their full bands. Kiff co-headlines with Brad http://bradwolfemusic.com plus http://mikegibbons.net and http://keithvaron.com. We're all ready to rock! Doors 8pm; Show 8:30.

I'll have my home-team 6-piece w/ D-Nerv-guitar, Darian Gray-drums, Mark Calderon-bass, Maya K-keys and Ariah Firefly-backing vocals.

If you know you're coming, you should secure tickets in advance. Paypal-ers go here: http://www.kiff.com. Or use ticket web: http://www.independentsf.com/jan2006.htm

2) CD Sales Boomin/ Reviews Slammin...for an indie guy anyway!
"You Can't Keep it Down" is charting top-20 (among thousands) at CD-Baby, the #1 seller of independent music. Join the party at http://cdbaby.com/topnow. Wednesday is the last day of a promotion at http://www.awarestore.com where they've offered a 2-week money-back guarantee that you'll love the new record. Sorry I'm just telling you...but go now, quick : )

AND, may i brag for a sec? Check these early reviews for "You Can't Keep it Down":

"remarkable...the time for Kiff is now."
-TheOwlMag.com

"You can't PUT it down. Kiff is a Bay Area gem."
-East Bay Alternative

-***** (5-stars)
-Garageband.com

Read more at: http://kiff.com/press.html

3) Kiff's LA Drummer Profiled in Modern Drummer
For real groove-heads only, check the current issue of Modern Drummer. You'll find a profile and interview w/ the super hot, Nate Morton. Fresh off the road with Vanessa Carlton and the "INXS Rockstar" TV show (house band), Nate is feeling Kiff's new record and will be playing w/ Kiff in LA on Feb 11 and Mar 4th. Jan 24 Temple Bar show will feature the Bay Area family (same as Jan 21, above). More info: http://kiff.com/live.html

4) Alice Radio's Hooman will play track(s) from "You Can't Keep it Down" this Saturday Jan 14th on his night show. If you're up, pls listen and support at: http://www.radioalice.com/contact/hooman.asp

deep thanks for all friends and music lovers,
off to maui in the am, fact,
see you soon,
kiffg

Dear Friends,

I'm having a CD Release Party at the Independent on Saturday January 21. Even tho my new CDs already arrived (today! and i'm kinda excited...), I'll try to contain my energy til the show.

Three other great guys and talented local artists -- Brad Wolfe and the Moon, Keith Varon and Mike Gibbons -- are with me in the playing and planning for this 1/21 celebration.

In fact, all four of us will have given birth to a new CD within the last 12 months, so we think the night's looking pretty fresh for 100% sf-grown, organic music. We'd love to share it with you.

Buy now for $10 advance tix: http://www.kiff.com/tickets.html
Tickets will be $12 at the door. Doors open at 8pm, music starts at 8:30pm. More info at http://www.independentsf.com.

You can also listen and buy my new cd, find upcoming dates or see a nifty slide show of the making of "You Can't Keep It Down" right here: http://www.kiff.com

For backgound on the other bro's, click these:
http://bradwolfemusic.com
http://keithvaron.com
http://mikegibbons.net

I wish you a warm and loving holiday...or just the best vibe you can muster over the next couple weeks. We may bug you again in the new year ; )

peace,
Kiff
http://www.kiff.com
http://www.myspace.com/kiffmusic

dear friends,

the new record, KIFF- "You can't Keep it Down" is finally off to the manufacturers and ready for pre-order. thanks for your patience and support. what a journey...pls check out the site and give the stuff a listen at http://www.kiff.com

you can pre-order the cd (w/ 12pg booklet incl lyrics) -- to arrive in time for xmas gifts -- at either cdbaby or awarestore. if your interested in buying a few, keep in mind the 10% discount (+no shipping fees after 6 cds) at CDbaby. if you're interested in a huge order (20+) for business gifts or whatever, be sure to contact me directly. i got a deal for you ; ). i've also added awarestore.com cuz they have some great artsits, hand-selected, who i think you may also enjoy. like cdbaby, it's a cool little operation -- maybe a wee bit less folksy.

i know many of you are wondering about upcoming KIFF shows. yes, playing live again would be nice. i plan to do as much as possible/feasable in '06. i'm looking for the most appropriate venues and opportunities in sf, la, seattle, ny, bos and dc...if a little chicago chance comes my way, we'd be into that too...for now i'm open and just beginning the process of seeping the record into the universal skin thru various channels (myspace.com, garageband.com, etc).

i'd love your feedback and, of course, your support -- whatever form that may take. feel free to forward this to your friends, encourage folks to order the cd, share my stuff with your favorite venue or radio station, whatever. i definitely didn't get to this point alone -- thank you family, friends and fans for believing.

peace,
chris "kiff" gallagher

almost launched a long weepy msg a couple weeks ago from LA, when things were sucking in a huge way. but i decided to hold off on that one so as not to codify the negativity. of course i'm not afraid to tell you about it in retrospect. and, i did commit the feelings to print in the form of an email to select family and friends. i'm thankful the SOS elicited some support, especially from my sister nicole in ny who has been a regular miracle for the last 2 years of this journey. and i can't leave out a certain (h.)Diva in my world who continues to be a great woman (gracefully love and emotionally support for sf-based post-modernists who don't appreciate meat and potatos terminology) a musician who is gets SO frustrated that his record isn't done that he wants to throw his hard drive out the window. how's that for a threat?

in short, i've entered the tedious and time consuming stage of record-making. this one of the musical equivalents of the so-called 80-20 rule. the first 80% of the record flies by in 20% of the time. in that period i'm like, "oh, this is the shit. check out these drum tracks. that B3 is off-the-hook. this is gonna be huge, dog!" then time and reality set in and i gotta handle the other 80% of tightening, editing and dialing in. i'd rather make music than make records on a computer screen. isn't that what producers and engineers are for? well, yes, but i'm holding this one down now. meaning, the record ain't gonna get done unless i continue to come up with the inspiration and cash to do it. my boy in LA is a killer tracking engineer, has great ears and brought some wonderful musicians and pre-production to the table. but the budget got busted when i was only about 50% done. so i've done vocals, keys, percussion and continue to forge ahead up here in sf. when it makes sense, i'll get back down there. i wish i could do more with my boy andrew down in echo park but the back-and-forth since april has been wearing me down. fortunately we got some great stuff. i hope to get back -- maybe late august or september. ..

in the meantime, i got this gig at the independent on july 28th with Zachary Ross, good guy. gotta think about that set and actually get my crew together and play once or twice so we know what's up. honestly, i'll forget my shit if i don't rehearse. so you gotta figure that my brothers and sisters up on stage with me, who all play in other projects, will need some time to get their heads in the game too. that means getting us in the same room a couple times for a couple hours each before july 28th -- a more challenging task than one might think. so, with a week and a half before the show that's pretty much what i'm about...of course there's promo/making sure folks show up next week too. if you're reading this, and you're in sf, pls get some friends and come out next thursday!

still, i'll be at Coast recording studio behind the screen and console this week. 4 hours/day from tues-fri. these are short days in studio world but it's about what i can swing for now. then on the 30th i'm outtie 5000! east coast bound for cape cod and martha's vinyard. break time ya'll. it's cold and foggy in sf but i heard it's actually summer back there? yehaw. then, in mid-aug it's more vocal recording, editing and finally, mixing! i should be done by the end of september. release around halloween...trick or treat? fingers crossed. phew. love, kiff

managing some residual hyperness often left behind a day in the studio...i'm just "that" much closer to being done (thumb and forefinger a half-centimeter apart) . back in sf, coast studios, working with engineers/producers sebastian and ben yonas.

fed-exed new vocal track on "starting line" down to andrew in LA who has a cellist in tomorrow for another session. i asked if it would be cool for him to take a few passes at starting line, even tho i'm not going to be there. the answer of course was "yes," for a certain number of dollars. anyway, i want the cellist to hear what i'm doing. where i'm swinging it, where i'm pulling back, etc. this may be the one track that's just, like, dude at the piano...w/ cellist. we've all seen him. just kidding. i'm talking minimal production. maybe a tasteful rhythm loop or percussionist...we'll see.

speaking of percussionists, the last time i was tracking in sf (at coast two wks ago) it was percussion with michael spiro. remember that. i forgot to mention that he was great. one-take wonder. just what the doctor ordered. you can check him out at http://www.michaelspiro.com

also went back today and hit all the non-piano keys -- wirlitzer, rhodes, funky clav. will review and put together later. but the main point of this week is vocals baby. finally. got the mic and pre-amp of choice (neuman m49 thru a vintage neve 1270something -- mr andrew bush told me about the vintage neve since i'm a youngster in preamp world). looking for tones that are fat, warm, present but also clear. i don't like the muggy vocals. talking about "tones" in the studio is kinda like talking about wines at the dinner table. i'm looking for a vintage grape that's bold but not arrogant...in the midst of bs'ing about gear and tones, it's easy to forget that the performance is what matters most. hopefully i'll have a good amount of chi.

played the mid-mix roughs of the record for my sister nicole over the phone this wknd. that was fun. she was diggin it. she's like, "sounds like your demo but way better, it's produced." i'm like, "yeah." feeling lucky to be in this world with my two sweet sisters, caity and nicole. i keep telling them that i'm gonna write them a song one day. i haven't done that yet but i will. peace, good night, cg

again, i'm not a journal guy. so pls pardon long delays btwn entries as well as rambling and random content once i do get around to it...

heading to LAX from my dear friend, wendy smith's home in santa monica. this is where i stay when i'm working and playing in la. she's family to me. by providing a comfortable place to stay while i'm in LA has helped me immeasurably during the record-making process. i highly doubt she'll read this but, THANKS AGAIN WENDY-LOVE!

a lot's gone down since pre-sf soundworks piano recording. i can't say exactly how well it went til i hear the paino's eq'd (equalized to make a better tone) and set in the mix. but the performances were cool and i trust we'll get it locked and sounding tight.

i worked with the guy who runs the joint, tony espinoza on monday 6/6 and another dude (who's name i'm spacing) on the prior friday 6/3. cool meeting tony and the other cat was alert, mellow and proficient -- traits i appreciate in an engineer. i'll get back on his name. sorry.

i did have some frustrating issues with "click bleed" once i reopened and heard the piano tracks down here in LA. Click bleed is when a microphone picks up noise (the click/metronome designed to keep the performer on time) from the headphones. i think andrew and i finally managed the problem but it cost me time, money, creative options and precious emotional capacity which tends to run low after several 20 hr days...

20 hr days? yeah, i try to keep them at a minimum. but when i'm down here, the label (PeaceLabs Records) pays for 12 hour days in the studio. that's 11am-11pm. but i get up with the birds who party at a feeder just outside the bedroom window at about 6am. i'm also pretty wired cuz i pull all this shit off by actively trading in the stock market -- and borrowing heavily to do so. without getting into numbers, let me say that stuff gets pretty intense and risky. suze orman would call my financial behavior absolutly insane. but i ask, what's more insane than dude in his 30s leaving a secure career environment to spend all his time and money making music. i still have absolutely no idea how an artist makes money in this business. it's hard work, much debt but all love (isn't that sweet? not always). you just have to love the music, the creative process and the human connection. i do consider this music life a priviledge...but, just so you know, at this point in my career, even when i'm rockin a packed house with my band, i don't make dick for money. once i pay my band, cover rehearsal space, promotion, etc i often lose money...seriously. that's just how it is.

that said, almost all businesses lose money during the start-up phase which is where i've been. i hope and expect the cash flow situation for PeaceLabs to change this year. it must for us to continue. and that's another reason why i want to make the record sound right. i've been blessed with a fair amount of interest from people who have the ability to kick this project up a couple notches either with $, industry contacts or other critical services. i believe now is the time for me to deliver...so, we'll just have to see how it's received : ) if the sound is booty then that will mean one thing. if the sound is slammin' (as they say) then that'll mean another. it's a trip living in such a constant state of not knowing even my near-term future, let alone where i may be down the line...

so, back to the record: got more randy jacobs guitar down this week. i love that guy. great energy. great player. you can check him out at sunsetstrip.com (go to acoustic showcase video of his band the "boneshakers").

got the pat warren string'n'things tracks. much of it sounds great but i didn't use all of it. big, stringy orchestration tends to take the edge off a kiff track (piano-based, melodic) and can push it more toward disney pop -- not exactly what i'm trying to do. that said, pat's moments of genious are greatly appreciated and have added a deeper, more beautiful texture and complexity to a few tracks. very cool mtg him too. i went to his house in hollywood and checked out his process. i also heard some unreleased fiona apple shit he's been working on...fiona's ridiculous. i mean she's amazing. huge and unique talent, doing her own thing. quirky. no wonder the major label behind her has been a bit confounded as to how to market the stuff. i say just let it out. people will dig it. you're not gonna make her fit into shit. think of her more as the american biork. you can love her but never try to fully understand her. definitly not the cute pop girl who fits into the marketing model.

there's some classic journal ranting for you homegamers. clearly i have no idea what i'm talking about. i can't even tell you what fiona apple's label is. i have no clue what the a&r executives behind her are thinking.

back to the record. so, i have a pretty good idea about what's left to do. the first time i've been at this point on this record and a small milestone. like, i see the end. would have been great to have vocals down by now. but my main objectives on this last trip were basically met.

next week is critical. gotta get some tweeks and loops as well as edit some existing tracks AND knock out my vocals. of course, some lyrics for "Die for the Cause" would help. re programming/loops/noises, we'll see what my boy enrique muller does (he co-produced the version of "Now" at garageband.com/kiffgallagher). i'm also running stuff by joey muller (no relation to enrique. funny huh? i met joey at the Luce CD release show at slim's. he played with and co-produced keithvaron.com. both muller boys are great guys. i like to have that vibe on my record. will hand'm each 2-4 tracks this wknd and see what happens...

so much more, but i gotta clean the guest room before i leave. not trying to miss flight.

OH YEAH, i'm co-headlining in SF at the independent on Thursday July 28. i go on 2nd. playing with KFOG local artist of the month, Zachary Ross. should be a great party. get tix here: http://www.theindependentsf.com/june2005.html

hit me back and lemmie know what's up

much love,
kiffg

yo,
r u really reading this? ok, here's some chatti-chat:

post-gig, long wknd, float zone is over. i've landed. now it's time to tighten up the piano parts for recording this Friday at SFsoundworks. did i mention that i often don't even "know" the parts i write? seriously. to be clear, i don't necessarily know how to play them in the proper key. how does this happen?

ok, i'll be at the home studio keyboard (yamaha motif 6) playing along and singing (a strange form of emotional jibberish, heard by few, understood by none). when i come across a melody over a chord progression that i like (the genetics of a new song), i'll get excited and eagerly follow it down its unchartered path. sometimes it wants to go to a place that doesn't quite fit my vocal instrument. like, what i want to do melodically is straining my voice -- too high or too low. my options are: change the melody or change the key i'm playing it in.

given this choice at this early stage of writing, i almost always go with the key change cuz all i have to do is tweek a button on my motif. then i may go ahead and write the whole song inthe "wrong key." next thing i know, i'll have a gig in 6 days and decide i have to see and hear how the tune goes over live...so, rather than take time to transpose it in the middle of rehearsals, promo, stock trading (yes, that's right, i may talk about that at some other time) and other issues, i'll just leave it as is. sounds good, button works, who cares, right? if you see me tweeking buttons on my keyboard during the gig, it may be because i've been too lazy to learn my own song in the proper key. get it? sorry if you don't. but don't worry, you didn't miss much.

it's not going to last much longer anyway. when i record on a real piano this friday (6/3) and next monday (6/6), guess what, there will be no little button to tweek. actually, i'll be recording on Gearge Winston's Yamaha C7, and i know for a fact that it has not one button. so i've been playing/practicing my songs today in the right key (next to a boom box w/ my rough tracks). a couple examples of this are "your body" and "lies", both of which i've played tuned down for the last year. what's funny is that it's been going on for a year and it took only about an hour (longer than the pros cuz i got NO theory, just ears) for me to figure these out. LESSON: turns out, it's not such a big deal to transpose my songs into the proper key and i should probably do it much sooner in the process : )

----
on the 7th i'll be Coast Studios in SF with my old buddy, emerging industry entrepreneur extraordinaire, Mr. Ben Yonas. A dude called Michael Spyro is gonna play percussion on a few of my tracks. mainly tamborine and shakers. i must confess, i've never heard brother Spyro play, but i've heard good things about him. and, while i played percussion on my first record and often play live, i've found the production process to be smoother and faster when i'm in the control room making sure i get what i want from a pro...

til next time,
put down the drugs and come get a hug,
kiff

Over 200 at du Nord on Thursday April 28th and over 400 at the Independent on Friday May 27th!!! Thank you for turning out with the love and energy. We've had a blast with these spring shows in the Bay Area. Now i gotta get back into the studio to finish my record. again, planning to finish recording by the end of July (fingers crossed!) followed by a fall release on Peacelabs Records.

as always, feel free to contact me with ideas or shout outs!

peace, kiffg

photos from April 23rd The Owl Mag Dot Com Launch Party at Little Fox Theater:
http://theindependentsf.com/may2005.htm

COME TO THE INDEPENDENT SF on FRI MAY 27
For a Night of ROCK & SOUL with KIFF and MAKTUB
Kiff Opens at 9pm, so pls come early!!!

Random disconnected thoughts:
1)It was an honor to be a part of OWLmag.com's Launch Parties last month at Little Fox Theater and Cafe du Nord (headlining both!) with some great emerging Bay Area artists including Megan Slankard, Austin Willacy, Tremolo, Miggs and Chocolate O'Brian. One of the my greatest joys in this business is meeting and playing with other artists whom I've heard about, but never heard. Each one of these acts was excellent. It always surprises me how infrequently i actually get out to hear live music so it was cool to check in and see some compadres rockin and croonin...great crowds at both shows too. Congrats to Jason at Owlmag.com for pulling it all together!

2)Rehearsed last night with new guys Jeff Anthony (Cheryl Crow) on drums and Colin Hogan (O'Maya) on keys. It was a good first run through (note to other Bay Area bands: the acoustics in rm 10 at Lennon suck), Jeff had the shit charted like a pro so there were minimal hold ups in getting the sound together. one more before the 5/27 gig ought be just right...peace for now, kiff

peoples-love:

i know i never really get my journal on here, which makes the click thru sorta unreliable...but check it out, it's tuesday morning, miraculously, i'm almost caught up on my bills and stuff so let's get up to speed.

been to and fro, LA/SF, for the last couple months -- creeping up on this record. hard to communicate what this is like to those of you who've never made a record but i think of these songs as children. they have different needs. i'm not sure if they'll all make it. they wake me up at night. they even pee their pants...but when they start to sound right, i'm rewarded and relieved. [no offense to those of you with real kids, i'm not totally qualified to make this comparison.]

they don't always sound right tho. for instance, i'm thinking my latest, "Tell'm Who You Are" might not make the final cut. it's a little late in the game to make a call like this (given the investment that's gone into it) but as i listen, even with strong drums (ramy antoun) and bass (mark calderon), i'm just not feeling moved after 3+1/2 mins of playtime. melody/movement needs to develop more. expect to hear "Tell'm" and some others who've been cast off the island -- like Photographs, Loving Strangers, Time to Kill -- once they get their shit together and grow up a little. i envision a B-side release, "Kiff B-Yatches," before too long. [to catch the 4+star grv ditty, 'loving strangers', before it disappears: go to http://garageband.com/kiffgallagher].

other tracks are falling into line. String/arrangement monster Patrick Warren (fiona apple, van hunt, etc) is about to git with'm. i'm particularly psyched to hear what he does with chill tracks like "Your Body" and "In This World." most of you haven't heard these ones since they don't always translate to the live show (when you all have had a few drinks and been rocking to "Give it Up" and "Now." [NOTE: live and record are two different things :), in fact, we've opened the last 2 shows with "Tell'm Who You Are" and, like i said, that ain't even ready]...

i expect Pat will also get gorgeous with "Starting Line" which i realized after several excellent takes, will not wind up with drums on the record. the only track w/out beats. i originally thought the acoustic thing was just for demo world. but now i understand that the simplicity of vocals and piano are the right nature for this one...adding PWarren strings/ambiance should go a long way to serve "SL's" character...

speaking of "Give it Up" and "Now," i can tell you that Ramy killed those in the studio (that means he did a very good job). Add "Coming Home" and "Talk to Me" to that. Now, however, continues to find itself and, despite 5-stars on Garageband in its current form (Enrique Muller Mix), i've always believed more could be sqeezed out of that hook. Andrew Bush (Grandma's Warehouse in Echo Park LA) and I have been dialing that in, including swapping out Ramy's passionate performance for Curt Bisquera's soulful precision. Bisquera (christina aguillera, elton john, etc) is also a pro and has a little different approach in the studio. He feels right on this one and a few others. so as i always say to my sisters, 'don't get too attached to the demo'...

clearly i could go on and on with this, song by song. i could talk about my session with Hammond B3 rocker, Bill Mason, or the 3 days with my boy Mr. D-Nerv (supposed to be 2-days but we missed our flight and said "f*it" lets get back in there and finish the job) or how, other band bro, Mark Caldi (bass) has held up his end of the deal -- the phat end! Lkg frwd to upcoming guitar session with Randy Jacobs (Seal, BB King, The Matrix). And we may get Andrew on the six-string before we're done as well (he also plays mean bass and keys). trying to stay on track for music done before i go to martha's vinyard in late july. fall release...

now in sf, scoping studio pianos and preparing for Independent show with Maktub http://www.maktub.com. i plan to gt my piano recorded up here. Now was done at Fantasy on their 9ft yamaha. i'll be checking SfSoundworks Yahaha C7 today. apparently it's george winston's piano. every studio has a wrap. i ain't really trying to sound like george winston (although i was in high school). he's kinda tinkly while i basically rock thick chord progressions. more on that soon...

rehearsing tomorrow night w/ band(dan, mark, ariah), add colin hogan (o'maya) on keys and jeff anthony (cheryl crow) on drums. we'll have 2 rehearsals with this crew before our gig on the 27th. please make it to that one!!! if you wanna help us turn people out, pls let me know!

headed back to LA in the 2nd wk of june...

'til next one,
kiff

Contents:
4/28: Du Nord this Thurs 9pm All Ages
4/30: Live365/NBC
5/27: Independent w/ Maktub
411: June LA/SF; Acoustic showcase fun; what's up(again) w/ Kiff?; Thanks

dear friends:

here's the update...

4/28 THIS THURSDAY: TheOwlMag.com Launch Party at Cafe du Nord w/ Kiff, Austin
Willacy and Chocolate O'Brian. I'll hit with faithful Dan Nervo (guitar) and Marc
Calderon (bass), joined by Valentino (drums-O'Maya), sweet MayaK. (keys) and
God-send, Ariah on killer back vocals. Austin(9pm) and Chocolate(11pm) will also
deliver the goods for an evening of soulful rock. All ages are welcome!
Buy Tix at: http://cafedunord.com/

4/30 Saturday: Kiff Acoustic (w/ D-Nerv) performs at the LIVE365 Internet Radio
Summit. NBC11 (affiliate Oak.SF.SJ) will interview Kiff and record the set. More to
come on airtime/date.

5/27 Friday: Opening for Maktub at the Independent. KiffG will feature Jeff Anthony
on drums (Sheryl Crow) and a surprise guest on keys. Showtime TBD.

411: Taking a brief studio hiatus for last gigs before i finish recording and mixing
by the end of june. fingers crossed for availability in September. been wonderful
working at Grandma's Warehouse (buddy Andrew Bush's studio in LA) with boys Dan and
Mark as well as other good folks who've recorded with The Matrix, Van Hunt, Fiona
Apple, BB King, Elton John, Seal, and others...

-Little Fox Theater acoustic showcase last wknd w/ Megan Slankard, Tremolo and Miggs
was poppin'! Of course, by the time i went on, we were all pretty loose :) thanks
for a good time and the kind emails. i look forward to getting back there with the
full band!

- What's up with "Kiff"? For those who remain curious or confused...Yes, it's real.
Old schoolers are affirmed. Early Adopters are appreciated. Haters, well, it'll only
hurt for a minute. Kiff is "Chris, BC." That is, CG was named "Kiff" by his sister
who couldn't say "Christopher" when he was born. She called him "Kiffifer." Since
Pops was already "Chris," family and friends adopted "Kiff" and it stuck like glue
'til he changed high schools at 15. Extended friends and family have maintained the
Kiff moniker for over a quarter century. Again, CG's all about it, he ain't goin
anywhere, much love, but the new record and shows are under KiffG baby.

- Thanks again to all who continue to come to shows, tell friends, buy the music and
keep me inspired in so many ways. you're making it happen and i love you for it.
(east coasters: keep the faith. we'll be out there this fall.)

rock on, peace,
kiff

Yo:
I think my last entry was in late April. Sorry. But a lot's been goin on. here's a cut'n'paste from my last email update (Nov. 4). To receive these updates just put sign the email list above. Take it easy, c
-----------
NEW SHOWS - NEW MUSIC - BILL CLINTON

Dear Friends:

If we didn't already know, some of us learned this week that reality TV can be
harsh. As part of an overall, soul-nourishment strategy, I plan to watch less TV and
listen to more music. Here's an update:

CG Shows (w/ Band):

NOV 9 LOS ANGELES
Next Tuesday @ Temple Bar
1026 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica
9:30pm http://www.templebarlive.com

NOV 18 LITTLE ROCK w/ BILL CLINTON
You're entitled to your opinion of Bill Clinton. Let me be clear: I love the guy.
And we're fixin' to rock Bill Clinton's Presidential Library Dedication! Other
performers incl. U2 and Maya Angelou. Yehaw!
http://www.clintonpresidentialcenter.org

DEC 1 SAN FRANCISCO
Wed @ Cafe du Nord in SF
Can't wait for our last hometown show of '04. It's gonna be a good one, so stay
tuned... http://www.cafedunord.com

NEW MUSIC
After a break in Aug. and time in the studio, I'd like to share some pre-production
tracks from the forthcoming album (early '05). For a window into the recording
process (song mixes, instrumentation, even lyrics will change) or just a taste while
you finish your email, click http:/ www.chrisgallagher.net

THANKS
To all who continue to check in, support and seek the music. To my family,
especially Nicole, Caity and Hahva. Bay Area musicians, band bros Dan, Mark, Darian
and Elijah. Welcome Mica! Thanks to peeps at Coast/Yonasty, Hibiki and Sy Klopps
studios.

Peace and music,
Chris

hey: news got away from me again. um, sorry. i'm gonna have to do this in installments but i'll start with some brief highlights.

ny was the shit. first, we survived some pretty harrowing logistics -- arriving in rainy nyc with all our gear about a half-hour before sound check at the makor (my keyboard disappeared for two days on the return flight)...while we pulled off a pretty fun show, the performance of friends, family and others who ventured to the upper west side in the rain and filled the room was what made the night. my dad, a very good dude, was gettin his b-day on too...so we all hung out a little after

on thurs the 15th i scheduled a rehearsal with a new drummer (darian had to get back to the bay area), Dave Diamond. after only an hour of musical getting to know one another, he had to go and i would just have to trust we'd pull it off...later we hit the Bitter End nice and comfortably, like we'd been touring together for a few months (not that i'd know what that's like yet...but it seemed like that). the room was warm and pumped. felt good.

after the Bitter End show i felt like i had to get loose cuz too much work (mangmt, planning, booking, biz, merch, lodging logistics, lugging equipment, etc) does not make my music very pleasant. so i joined the boys in some late night village activities. ny still's got to be the only place in the world where an absolutely random funk trio, virtually unknown, will take a small stage at 2am and just blow you away...

ok, we're part way thru. i'll fill in more later. two more things that i need to get down now:

1) sf independent may 6th with maktub; may 11 in la (santa monica) Temple Bar
2) and MOST IMPORTANTLY: THANK YOU TO ALL FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO GAVE SO MUCH TO PULL THIS OFF. especially, nicole gallagher, caity gallagher eills, andrew eills, mom and dad, deb jospin, katy the nyu merch girl, Peter Ferrell, hala, HD and bill fletcher. more thanks to come cuz, damn, ya'll been hookin me up...

hey:

i've been off-line for a minute, sorry. here's the update.

- the independent show with Gavin was so fun. short and sweet...and we weren't headlining so we actually got to hang out at the club for a while. thanks tons to all the new people i met who bought cd's and joined the mailing list.
- i'm loving that four-piece group too -- w/ d nerv on guitar, mark calderon on bass and darian gray on drums. granted, when we're only 4, i'm behind the keyboard more (rather than up jumping around like jamiroquai which is fun) but the sound is definitely more spacious and collected. i'm still learning what formats work the best...stay tuned
- lots of upcoming shows: of course this week the same 4 will hit at Sweetwater 3/11. then we introduce mike fiela on drums and bring back komiko joy for some back-up vocals at Cafe du Nord on 3/25. Check out Van Hunt too, who's gonna open for us at du Nord. i hear he's building steam. http://www.vanhunt.com.
- just recorded roughs for the new album (very early stage) last saturday. dan, mark and darian joined me for a few hours of live recording. i'll be going back in this week to listen. it'll be great to finally hear some of this stuff. it's one thing playing, but another to sit back and listen. if there's anything worth checking out, i'll thow it up on the site (and replace some of acoustic material up there now)
- some of you asked about a new song i solo'd at the independent show in sf. that's a new one called "starting line." the chances are very strong that it will appear on the new album. it may be released as a single. anyway, i' should have something up for you to check out very soon.

hey, there's more but i gotta go...i'll be back soon to fill in (plush room residency, ny shows, virgin megastore feature, etc.)

whatchu doin?

comin at you late nite. who's up? i just checked the (new) independent club in sf on their opening night (theindependentsf.com). congrats to michael o'conner (former owner of the justice league), allen scott and the whole partnership for pulling it off. the room is warm, the sound and lights are tight. you guys are gonna blow up and i'm psyched to be playing there this sat.

speaking of shows, keep an eye on the "live" section of my site. the schedule is falling into place rapidly. i'm looking at late april thru june right now -- bay area, la and ny. pls lemmie know if you hear of any good opportunities.

been rehearsing with a four-piece crew that i'm really feeling. it includes dan nervo guitar (of course), darian gray on drums and, new in the mix, marc calderon on bass. this is the group that's hitting on sat and i hope to do more shows with these guys in the future. we'll also be recording some roughs (new tracks) next week as i explore and consider material for the '04 album.

i'm going to the SXSW music festival in Austin (3/18-21) btwn the sweetwater and du nord gigs in sf. i might play, we'll see what happens, but i'm mainly going just to check it out. you know: meet, greet, grip, grin, plot, scheme and basically get inside a whole bunch of live music. cool. i think it's gonna be real good for me; i'll learn stuff.

PeaceLabs in May...

Special Thanks to Dr. Jordan Shlain for ridding me of my shitty cough, Hillary Sloss for connecting me to Bread&Roses and generally looking out for me and my sister nicole for hooking me up in a big way (that's all i'm gonna say)...i know i'm forgetting people. sorry. that's it for now. good night. c

Hey peeps: i hope you're sittin on top of your world.

i'm kickin it briefly at an internet "hot spot" in brooklyn for a quick update.

-scoping ny venues prior to april trip. i like the vibe at Southpaw in park slope, brooklyn and hope to play there in late may or early june. i hung out with some of the guys that run the place last night, kennon and matt, and they seemed down -- especially when they learned that i'm opening for gavin degraw in sf on 2/28 this month (i guess he's played at Southpaw a few times and shot his video there).

yeah, so that IS happening and it's gonna be fun. it's also gonna be short and sweet. i'll be up there for no more than 30 mins with my 4-piece, singing and playing my heart out...or my balls off -- depending on how you think about it. thanks to michael o'conner and allan scott for making it happen.

gigs: keep an eye on'm. headlining w/ full band at sweetwater on thurs march 11 and again at cafe du nord on 3/25. the du nord gig will feature a new band (w/ me) that doesn't exist yet. considering all that's going on btwn now and then, i have to admit being a bit nervous about securing new players (except D-Nerv who will be on board!). i think we gott'm tho, so it will be tight. :-)

distribution: i'm gettin hit up by a number of distribution co's who would like to get my album out to the masses. actually, they'd like to make some money (and at some level i suppose it's flattering to think they might be able to do so with my music), not sure how much they care about the masses. anyway, without a major tour or marketing campaign financed at this time, however, it just doesn't make sense to me. like so what if chris g can be found at boise idaho tower records if nobody's heard of me? so....i'm psyched about the new album coming out in '04 (haven't begun recording but much of the material is there) and i think a significant push -- more marketing and dist. -- behind this effort will be appropriate.

btw: virgin megastore in sf just selected my album, will and surrender, to be featured in their store. that means tracks will be played by the in-store dj, the album will be at a listening station (not sure when) and i will do soome in-store "support" (meaning i'll play on their stage during shopping hours). special thanks to mark walsh at virgin for feeling the album enough to stick his neck out. thanks dude...

sxsw??? i should find out this week. the major music conference in austin takes place 3/17-21 which means an exciting but nutty month if i'm selected. if not, there will be more than enough to do in prep for du nord (w/ new band) and mid-april ny-bos-new england swing. keeping expectation low since i'm not being pushed (as far as i know) by any "showcasing entity" (label, media outlet, club, etc). it's all good either way...

peacelabs: my label and more to come. in conversations with some very cool people who are on board..i'm excited about this

gee, that's all that comes to mind right now. thanks again to you for caring enough to check me out and keep supporting my music. much love to my family, friends and all the beautiful musicians that continue to be a part of this. give it up also for NY...we're gonna rock this shit in april. back to frisco (yes "frisco") on mon morn.

peace, cg

"Live Free or Die"
(did William Webster say that? anyway, it's the NH motto and today is presidential primary day)

gigs: let's see, ok, dan, darian and i are playing tomorrow evening at Sweetwater in Mill Valley. i'm not pushing it cuz it's sort of a low-key, new artist showcase event. it will be fun but i'm really trying to push for the following night, this thurs, plush room in sf. Sweetwater, which has great sound and a dope environment will get the push for a March 11 full band event (see "shows" for details).

still waitin on SXSW (austin) in late march and a possible Fillmore (sf) show in mid-april after my 4-14 nyc (the makor) gig and new england swing...stay tuned.

random info: two friends had babies while "Will and Surrender" was playing (that's the name of my album, fool). josh and verna had little alexander and my friends lee lee and richard had a sweet little guy whos name i'm spacing. on the one hand it's kinda funny and flattering, on the other it's kinda scary -- like, i hope these kids don't sue me later in life for early childhood psychological damage (my lyrics aren't really marilyn mansonesque are they?).

Playaz: hey check out my peeps Dynamic, these are the guys who've been working double time as my band. http://www.dynamicband.com

Help: still need crowd photos at shows! please bring your digital camara!!

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." -Martin Luther King, Jr.

Here's a dude who gave his life to universal justice, compassion and service. Thank God we finally honored Martin Luther King, Jr and the founding principles of our country with this federal holiday.
-------------------------
Now, back to biz. Gavin DG: I heard you might be checking my site. Sort of a shot in the dark here but, if you are reading this, lemmie just say that my sister saw in you NY a year ago and told me to 'check this guy out.' I didn't get a chance until your recent show with M5 at the Fillmore. Bro, you know you crushed that shit. Honestly, I was psyched and inspired. Yesterday, my friends at SF's Independent (hot new live venue, formerly the justice league, opening soon) told me of your late Feb show...needless to say, i'd love to open for you.
---
Sactown: D-Nerv and I had fun doing our thing...but the highlight definitely was seeing my old friend Karin Bloomer (damn) and hanging with her Sactown posse. Sacramento haters get out. I've been there and back, and I want to report that Sactown rocks. In fact, I read a biz story today that predicted the company PeopleSoft would go under on '04...I strongly recommend they secure their future by changing their name to 'PeopleSac.'
---
Since i'm apparently feeling silly, i'll throw in recent comments by my sister Caity's kids upon viewing my live footage:

Lucy (6): Does U.Kiff have any pants on? Because it doesn't look like he does.

Ajah (4): I bet he's going to be a famous singer when he grows up.

Thatcher (8): U. Kiff's arms hurt right here. I can tell just by watching.

(yes, they call me 'Uncle Kiff'. and i have tendonitis in my forearms)
-----
On the Horizon:looking out to spring music jaunt (april mini tour): NY, Bos and hometown NH. Filtering festivals and other opportunities. also, beginning to look at '04 recording options. there will be new product...but should it be another full album? an acoustic EP? singles for download? Live? hmm, kinda strage and funny that these are the things i ponder now...
-----
So Grateful: Once again to Tim Oleston and his crew for making the videos. Thx also to Tora Newcomer, Shana Abeloff, Josh Becker, Jim Pitofsky, Michael O'Conner, Allen Scott and Cristin Robson for helping in various ways...love and thanks to my family: caity, nicole, mom and dad.
special props to bro, andrew eills.

peace, MLK,
c

Ok, not slackin on these blogs...just added an acoustic gig at the historic Sweetwater in Mill Valley http://www.sweetwatersaloon.com. it's gonna be fun -- i guess there will be two other acts. hopefully D-Nerve and Darrian will join so we can lock in for our big gig the following night in SF at the Plush Room.

Thanks again to Nadine Condon http://www.nadinecondon.com for plugging me last week on KFOG's morning show. Thanks also to the good folks at Nitewise http://www.nitewise.com for making us a "pick of the week."

My boy Joe Chellman http://www.shooflydesign.org has been hard at work elevating my site to handle press and live material. Check out the new sections, including video from last week's show at du Nord.

Finally, got friends in Sacramento? please encourage them to come out to Moods in Old Town tomorrow night. See "Live-Shows" section for details. outtie 5...

hey, what's this? my browser just "searched" for me rather going to my site...another review popped up. cool : )

"Here is a new guy for us all to check out. Imagine Ben Folds mixed with a soul edge a?la Prince and Seal mixed with Lenny Kravitz...pure melodic pop heaven ? that with an ounce of soul in the mix. Cool for sure."
- Melodic.net

click and scroll down for more:

http://melodic.net/latestreviews2.asp?page=6

yo, here's some video from the du Nord 1/8 show. you need windows media player 9 (free download) to play it. special thanks to Tim Oleston at norcaltv.com for making this happen.

http://www.norcaltv.com/content/artists/gallagher/3.wmv

cafe du nord sold out last night! we had a great time. thanks for coming out and sorry to folks who were turned away...back w/ full band in late feb but sf-heads should check darrian (drums, vox), dan (guitar, vox) and me (keys, vox) for an evening acoustic set at the Plush Room in SF on Jan 29th. First, Sactown on the 16th...more soon, c

hey, check this out...

http://sfweekly.com/issues/2004-01-07/music.html/1/index.html

OK, pathetic. 3 months since my last entry. New Year's resolution: stay current on my site. duh, obvious. Thanks to several friends for nudging...anyway, good stuff goin down:

- i'm very psyched for the upcoming full-band show this Thursday at Cafe du Nord. Thanks to Jocelyn Kane from my team and Guy at du Nord for making it happen. Josh Fix and Eoin Harrington agreed to join the bill so we have a great night of music ahead of us. See shows.

- thanks to all who came out to the Boom Boom Room on a rainy thursday evening last month. Almost 150 people rocked the pre-holiday lovefest. the fact that our sound check was only the second time we had played together as a group didn't seem to matter much...your energy inspired us. Most importantly, my sister Nicole -- my #1 player/guidance counselor -- was out here from New York and had a great time.

- Live 105.5 played "Wide Open" from my album on it's weekly show 'Fast Forward' which features up-and-coming national music acts and artists.

- SFWeekly is doing a ChrisG music feature this week, Jan 7 issue...hope it's a good one...

out for now, back soon, c

Hey, how you feelin? Think about Arnold much? OK, whatever...

Thank you, thank you for buying my CD and keeping Will and Surrender on the top-seller list at CDBaby!!! They have over 45,000 CDs available, so being in the top 10 is kinda sweet, right? That said, getting exposure, even surviving, in this thing w/out big label marketing and distribution is only possible thru friends who are willing to drop a 10-spot and spread the good word. Thanks for awesome reviews too! (http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/chrisgallagher)

I'm psyched about upcoming GIGS -- NEXT WEEK. Thursday, 10-16, we're opening at the Boom Boom Room (Geary and Fillmore, SF) for "Josh Fix and the Furious Force" (they're great). That means we go on at 9:30pm SHARP and we're off at 10:30pm. If you wanna check it out, get there about 9pm, chill for a minute, get with the set and hang afterwards.

Finally, it feels so good to be making live, organic music. Most folks start here, let the music mature, and then cut an album. My process has been the other way around. Crash-cram-write-studio-product. Now it's like, what happens if we get four guys in a room and actually play this mess? Turns out, it's a blast and apparently why i'm doing this. Anyway, my bad-ass bros from the album -- Dan Nervo, Uriah Duffy and Joel Griffin -- will be with me next Thurs (BBR) and Sunday afternoon 10-19 at the Cole Valley Street Fair (stage at Cole and Grattan).

Thanks again for everything. If we haven't connected in a while, please let me know what's up.

peace, c

Dear Friends:

MY CD IS FINALLY DONE! If you haven't already picked one up, please do so. We decided to go with the $10 price point since cash is crucial and we don't want anybody priced out of the product. Yup, that's right, I said it, P-R-O-D-U-C-T. Not all artists think that's a dirty word. Tons of energy went into the creation of it -- joy, frustration, learning and EVEN LOVE. HUGE thanks to all the family, friends and players who continue to support the CD and live shows as well as connect me with other folks who can help. If YOU can help in any way, there's plenty to do. Just pick up a CD, get on the mailing list and shoot me an email.

I'm just starting to deal with DISTRIBUTION. The online thing thru CDbaby is up. I'll also be on Amazon and CDNOW pretty soon. Other than that, I just pitch outlets wherever I go. We're at number of locations in San Francisco and, since I was just in Concord, NH (where I grew up), the CD is at the Concord Boarders Books and Music and at the St. Paul's School bookstore. If you know some places that would sell my CD or you want to help with distribution yourself (make $) please let me know.

GIGS are coming. Looking at various formats from solo (me on keys) to a trio with Dan Nervo on guitar + percussionist to the full band. In the afternoon of OCTOBER 19 in San Francisco's Cole Valley the full band will be playing. If you're in town, please come check us out. By the way, we could use some killer back-up vocalists...

REVIEWS. I need'm. If you know anyone at a MUSIC PUBLICATION or even an alternative weekly, please let me know and/or just go ahead and write one yourself. There's an easy link on my homepage. And, speaking of the site...

Thanks to my boy Joe Cellman from Shooflydesign for delivering on the "SIMPLE, CLEAN and FUNCTIONAL" directive. Sure, Joe knows how to be arty-flashy but I needed something fast and affordable. I hope you like it. As always, comments are appreciated.

'til next time, thank you, Chris