Jabi Shriki
Pop/Rock musician Jabi Shriki is interviewed by SiS Organizer Chris Klimecky. Jabi shares tracks from his new album, Puzzle Pieces, and the philosphy behind them as well as a new tune played live.
Click the play icon above to stream, or click here to download
Click here to read more about this podcast from Chris’s blog archive.
After almost a year of paperwork and back and forth with the IRS, Songwriters in Seattle has received official approval for recognition of tax exempt 501(c)(3) and public charity status beginning Feb. 23, 2011. While we have been working under the assumption that this would be achieved for tax years 2011 forward, we are happy to publicly announce that it is now officially and legally the case.
So, what does this mean? In simple terms, it means that any donations made to Songwriters in Seattle (including those made last year) are tax deductible. It means a lot more in reality, as it opens us up to many more avenues of funding, including corporate matches (and in some cases like Microsoft, matching of volunteer hours with dollars) and grants, both public and private. Also, the likelihood of corporate sponsorships and others jumping onboard to help us increases. These are areas we can now pursue that had been on the backburner. If you have knowledge or ideas for funding opportunities, please contact us at donations@songwritersinseattle.com and we will help set it up.
More funding means more opportunities for the musicians of our region to learn, grow, and enrich the culture of the Pacific Northwest. We are proud to serve our membership and the region in this endeavor and thank you for your support.
Charlie Heinemann
Americana singer/songwriter Charlie Heinemann is interviewed by SiS Organizer Chris Klimecky. Charlie shares songwriting tips, songs from the album “Disheartened” with his band The Repeat Offenders, and plays a new song live.
Click the play icon above to stream, or click here to download
Click here to read more about this podcast from Chris’s blog archive.
Adena Atkins
Electronica art song singer/songwriter Adena Atkins is interviewed by SiS Organizer Chris Klimecky. They dive into the four songs of her EP “The Slowest Curve” and her many art form influences.
Click the play icon above to stream, or click here to download
Click here to read more about this podcast from Chris’s blog archive.
Jennifer Cadence
“Sapphire Blues” pop artist Jennifer Cadence is interviewed by SiS Organizer Chris Klimecky. They discuss the origins of her unique pop sound, her new EP “Mr. Universe,” and she gives 5 music business tips all musicians should follow.
Click the play icon above to stream, or click here to download
Click here to read more about this podcast from Chris’s blog archive.
Bill Derry is a musician and songwriter who has been regularly playing live throughout the Pacific Northwest for many years. He says he just “likes to perform” and has many variations with his band, solo, duo, trio, etc. playing a mix of classic rock, folk, and jazz. He has a a very laid back and easy-to-listen-to style – no doubt in part due to his smooth, mellow voice.
He has a CD out with his band, entitled This Old Dog – which you can get at a live show or on iTunes here:
Bill Derry Band – “This Old Dog” on iTunes
There are many places to find and connect with Bill on the web – here are just a few links to get you started:
– Bill’s Website
– Bill on Reverbnation
– Bill on Facebook
His SiS podcast features a discussion of his history as a songwriter, the CD This Old Dog and what’s next for him both as a performer and recording artist. In addition to the song “Friday Afternoon” that is spun during the podcast, Bill performed 2 new previously unrecorded songs live in the studio. You can find his podcast post by clicking here!
There are many ways to support Songwriters in Seattle – with your time by attending events or volunteering, and financially through the purchase of music or direct donation. Now there is another easy, fun and stylish way to give back to the creative community: Songwriters in Seattle merchandise! We are proud to announce the launch of the official SiS online store at CafePress.com. When buying SiS merchandise, not only are you contributing financially to our cause, but you are publicly showing your support and spreading the word. Let’s have a look at just a few of the wide variety of initial offerings.
First off, we have four design treatments of the logo, the original circle version by Jill Christoffel, The full name/logo/website rectangle by Chris Klimecky, then two cool new shirt designs by Kimberly Newland: the musicians of SiS and the stylized acoustic guitar.
Within each of these sections of the online store, you’ll find the categories of items you can choose from to focus your search. In the case of Kimberly’s two designs, only men’s and women’s shirt styles are available. Here are a few examples of each:
The name/logo/website rectangle is designed for promotion and the items associated with it are, too! Magnets, bumper stickers, bags, notecards, buttons, calendars, laptop skins, and more. Here are a few examples of this one in use:
Last, but certainly not least, is the original circular logo. One of the cool things about this design is that it’s super flexible and looks great on just about anything – and I mean anything! This section of the store has the most to offer, so take a minute and see what might tickle your SiS fancy. Here is just the tip of the iceberg:
So the holidays are coming up – could SiS merchandise fit on your wish list? Maybe there’s an enthusiastic musician you know who would like to display his or her support for the organization in a cool new way? Maybe you’d like to doubly support SiS by purchasing something that you then donate as a contest prize? Or a promotional item that you buy then spread around for the group to use (stickers, magnets, buttons, etc.)? Lastly, if you have ideas for new designs or other products you’d like to see, we are definitely open to expanding this store in the future. Please write to info@songwritersinseattle.com if you’d like to contribute in this way.
Thank you so much for your continued support – we hope you enjoy the SiS online store!
Michael “The Wanz” Wansley
R&B/Hip Hop/Soul artist Michael “The Wanz” Wansley is interviewed by SiS Organizer Chris Klimecky. They discuss his long musical history in Seattle, his new songwriting and production process, and his evolution as a musician.
Click the play icon above to stream, or click here to download
Click here to read more about this podcast from Chris’s blog archive.
Andy is a great guy and talented musician whose positive attitude shines out brightly in his songwriting. One of the most interesting things about Andy’s songwriting development is that he has documented it on YouTube at a steady pace over the last few years. Being an avid social media communicator and consistent, prolific songwriter has gained him a committed following. Being able to share this growth and artistic evolution in almost realtime video is a great example of how modern technology can build strong connections with fans around the world.
Please connect with Andy at the following links:
– Subscribe to Andy’s channel on YouTube
– Fan him on ReverbNation
– Like him on ReverbNation
– Follow him on Twitter
– Purchase/download his recordings from Bandcamp
His SiS podcast features a fun conversation about his YouTube experiences and more. Andy also talks about his new studio recordings that he’s working on, and as an exciting first for this podcast, performs all his podcast songs live! So these are unique recordings that are a great reflection of his personality. You can find his podcast post by clicking here!
Thanks to everyone who sent in entries to the Songwriters in Seattle contest and thanks to Brian Nelson of Paintshaker Music for providing the grand prize: 8 hours of studio time at Elliot Bay Recording Company.
For his song “LA Is Totally Awesome” – click this link to have a listen For yourself.
Judges’ Comment (by SiS Organizer Chris Klimecky): “This song has a great combination of a singable melody, a chorus I can’t get out of my head, brilliant phrasing, and a tight structure. Lyrically, the storytelling rides the fine line of cleverness, humor, and a touch of sarcastic attitude which always makes me smile while also making a subtle point about what is really important in life. Nothing outrageous or innovative, per se, just all the right parts executed extremely well.”
There were many fantastic entries in the 33 we received – here are links to more songs our judges feel deserve recognition:
Finalists:
– “I Am The Water” by Zoe Wick
– “Take Me Away” by Scott Burkhalter
– “Desert Highway” by Derek Medina
– “Sleeveless Season” by Jean Mann
– “Life is Alright” by Steve Church
Other Top Picks:
– “Mr. Universe” by Jennifer Cadence
– “Just Fine” by KC Brakes
– “That’s When Life Began” by Bruce Hunt
– “Tale of a Missouri Girl” by Erin Jordan
– “It’s Time” by Cat Henderson
– “Morning Aire” by Leo Brodie
– “Heroes” by Randy Edwards
– “(My Meeting With) Mr. Vegas” by Jim Marcotte
– “Feeling’s Gone” by Lou Gopal
– “Chelsie Don’t Cry” by Segrid Coleman
– “The Wedding Song” by Andy “Roo” Forrest
Archive of contest info and rules:
Grand prize is 8 hours of studio time at Elliot Bay Recording Co. courtesy of Brian Nelson at Paintshaker Music ($550 value)!
This contest ends Sept. 30 – See rules and submission procedures below…
1. You must be a Pacific NW Songwriters in Seattle member in order to be eligible.
2. SiS Board of Directors and Employees/Associates of Elliot Bay Recording Company and Paintshaker Music are not eligible.
3. Entries must be submitted by Friday, September 30.
4. Submitted songs must be publicly and freely available on the internet via weblink. This is for your benefit! We will showcase and publicize you and your song to everyone if you win! MP3s submitted directly to SiS will not be eligible. Songs with any listening gate/restriction (for example, must sign up for a mailing list) will not be eligible.
5. Multiple songs from a single writer are not eligible. Only the first song submitted will be considered.
1. Send a link to your song to contests@songwritersinseattle.com. If there are multiple songs accessible from that link, be sure to state specifically which song you are submitting.
2. Only one song per songwriter will be accepted. It is okay if one artist performs the songs of multiple songwriters. We are recognizing and awarding the songwriters, not the performing artists.
3. In your e-mail submission, please be clear about stating who the songwriters are (i.e. credits).
1. The winner will be determined by the SiS Board of Directors. All decisions are final.
2. The winner will be announced Monday, October 17th at the SiS Monthly Networking Meeting at Cafe Allegro in the U District and posted here on songwritersinseattle.com the day after.
3. Coordination and scheduling of the grand prize awarded max. 8 hours of recording time at Elliot Bay Recording Co. will need to be arranged between the winning artist and Brian Nelson of Paintshaker Music.