Excited to have a FAR-West Reunion for our November edition. We have my great friends, Joselyn & Don, and a new friend, Mz. Etta — who’ll I’ll accompany — joining us. RSVP on Facebook or right here below.
Montana-raised, Los Angeles-based music duo Joselyn & Don are celebrating the release of their third album “Lost & Found Highway,” which is receiving critical praise for its blend of soulful grit and intimate Laurel Canyon-esque songwriting. Its songs have been featured on NPR syndicated radio shows and recently charted on the Folk Alliance International radio chart. The duo tours venues across the West with their warm and engaging show, using their music as a way to share truth and build community.
It’s rare to find anyone in the blues, jazz, soul, funk, or R&B genres who isn’t familiar with her name. Arietta Ward, affectionately known as Mz. Etta has become an integral part of Portland’s vibrant and diverse music scene. She began her musical journey alongside her beloved mother, the late pianist and esteemed Northwest legend, Janice Marie Scroggins.
Because of her diverse musical background and unparalleled versatility, Arietta has been a Featured Artist-At-Large at the 2023 Sawtooth Valley Gathering festival in Stanley, Idaho, a beloved staple at the Portland Waterfront Blues Festival for many years & as a bandleader, opened for the Iconic Macy Gray at the famed Elsinore Theatre in Salem Oregon.
In addition, She has worked with acclaimed artists such as Esperanza Spalding, the late Obo Addy, Linda Hornbuckle, Curtis Salgado, Jarrod Lawson, Nigel Hall, Tony Ozier, Tyrone Hendrix, and Farnell Newton.
Nearly 50 of LA’s finest musicians will take the stage to celebrate The Beatles’ timeless catalog—sing along to your favorites, discover deep cuts, and soak in the magic. As always, we’ll kick things off with an acoustic opener to set the vibe.
Archetype Yoga 638 E. Colorado Blvd. Ste. 301 Pasadena, CA 91101 626-345-5676 Please RSVP to coordinate accessibility options. Elevator is in the back so we’ll need to meet you there.
In Playhouse Village in the heart of Pasadena, just around the corner from the Playhouse, plenty of parking on Colorado or in the city lot behind Urth Cafe.
Enter through the front, we’re on the third floor. Let us know if you need an elevator and will let you in the back through the alley. 626-345-5676
Archetype Yoga 638 E. Colorado Blvd. Ste. 301 Pasadena, CA 91101 626-345-5676 Please RSVP to coordinate accessibility options. Elevator is in the back so we’ll need to meet you there.
In Playhouse Village in the heart of Pasadena, just around the corner from the Playhouse, plenty of parking on Colorado or in the city lot behind Urth Cafe.
Enter through the front, we’re on the third floor. Let us know if you need an elevator and will let you in the back through the alley. 626-345-5676
Always a joy! Not singing this time — I’m “just” playing the solo for “Something” (!!!!! — What? Yeah! One of my favorite guitar solos of all time! So much feel!!)
Nearly 50 of LA’s finest musicians will take the stage to celebrate The Beatles’ timeless catalog! Join us — sing along to your favorites, discover deep cuts, and soak in the magic. As always, they’ll kick things off with an acoustic opener to set the tone.
Nearly 50 of LA’s finest musicians will take the stage to celebrate The Beatles’ timeless catalog—sing along to your favorites, discover deep cuts, and soak in the magic. As always, we’ll kick things off with an acoustic opener to set the vibe.
FAR-West Conference Schedule Thursday Night, October 9 Mother Hen Promotions / Two Blue Roses private showcase 11-11:55pm — 4 Songwriters in the Round Everybody Sings —12:20-12:40am Friday, October 10 My Presentation, Songs Between Us — 2-3:30pm Official Showcase accompanying Zoe FitzGerald Carter — 9pm “Chase Rainbows, Not Dustbunnies” — 10:30-11:30, one hour in the round with Milo Binder and Claudia Russell + Bruce Kaplan.
Songs Between Us is a 60-90 minute interactive workshop exploring ways to ignite songwriting in people of all ages, backgrounds and musical experience levels. Drawing on my work with youth, seniors, and multicultural communities, our core exercise combines visual prompts, storytelling, and music-making to spark creativity. Inspired by Colum McCann’s Narrative 4 and my own Merging Pictures workshops, participants will exchange and reimagine personal stories — using photographs and sensory details as entry points — then they’ll transform these fragments into building blocks for songs.
Additionally, we’ll explore inclusive approaches that guide groups toward songwriting, whether they’re beginners or seasoned artists. These include circle singing, line pattern techniques, and methods for building empathy, drawing out sensory language, and fostering trust through group dynamics. Attendees will leave with a new songwriting exercise and a practical toolkit for teaching, facilitation, or personal creative practice.
FAR-West Conference Schedule Thursday Night, October 9 Mother Hen Promotions / Two Blue Roses private showcase 11-11:55pm — 4 Songwriters in the Round Everybody Sings —12:20-12:40am Friday, October 10 My Presentation, Songs Between Us — 2-3:30pm Official Showcase accompanying Zoe FitzGerald Carter — 9pm
Before I get to the gigs, I want to celebrate my musical home and put out that I’m looking for a new music studio. I’ve been lucky to have a spot in a 100+ year-old building in the heart of Hollywood for the past decade, but the building’s been sold and I’m looking to find a new place this month. It was a unique situation, and I’d like to find something similar!
Our next Second Saturdays in Pasadena is on July 12. I’m excited to be joined by First Fridays/Second Saturdays alum, Alison Lewis,and Kēhau Kahananui with Jason Arimoto on ukulele, for an eclectic evening of song — and in the case of Kēhau’s set of Hawaiian music — dance! I will be accompanying all and doing my own set to close the night. Yes, there will be hula! And you may know that Hawaii is a very special place for me, so I can’t wait! Read about these brilliant artists here.
Then on July 22, I’m going to sing a couple of songs with the house band where FF/SS alum, Jami Lula is the music director, at the North Hollywood Church of Religious Science. I’ll be singing, “Silos (& Joy)” and “All Souls Are Free.” The theme is, “Big Spirit = Big Healing!” I’m up for that! 🙂
By the way, the photo with my “Worn Olive Drab” Epiphone Casino, by Kimberly Adamis Fongheiser, is from the Beatle Jam tribute to June birthday boy, Paul McCartney. I was playing George Harrison’s classic solo to “Till There Was You.” Then I sang “Michelle!” with the amazing house band’s harmonies (including FFJN alum, Lisa Crawley).
The week after the Beatle Jam, I did the Nilsson tribute at Molly Malone’s. This photo by Stevo Rood links to a video of my performance of “Open Your Window,” a lesser-known classic in the Nilsson catalog, once covered by Ella Fitzgerald and also The 5th Dimension! Thanks to my brilliant friend and occasional songwriting partner, Todd Lawrence, for putting this together. (Read about the rest in the YouTube description.)
Lastly, I just wanted to acknowledge that Tuesday would’ve been the 74th birthday of my friend, Anne Feeney, who I met at the Kerrville Folk Festival around 2007 or 8. She enlisted me to tour with her during the start of the Obama Administration to promote universal health care, the Sing Out For Single Payer Road Show. It was one of the most exciting tours of my life, being inspired by her endless energy and commitment to engaging, entertaining, and advocating. She passed in early 2021 from COVID-19. How I wish she were here now to speak, sing, and agitate! I recorded a version of her classic, “Have You Been To Jail For Justice” for her while she was in the hospital, if you’d like to hear it. But seek out her records and support the foundations set up in her name.
Wishing love, peace, and fortitude to you all! Have a safe holiday weekend! And I hope to see you the following weekend or be in touch soon!
J
PS Thanks to veteran IRS publicist Cary Baker for the top photo of me at the Nilsson show. He’s alway in the right place to get good shots!
And, the building where I’ve had my music studio for what’d be 10 years in October has been sold to owners that want to do something different with it.
UPDATE:
On the morning of July 31st, I saw a place 6 blocks from home! I grabbed it! Believe it or not, it’s less expensive and a little bit bigger functionally. I am incredibly lucky!
The skinny is that I need a new musical home somewhere before July 31.
Here’s the love story:
I started out in Laurel Canyon, renting a room adjacent to a garage — which I found on the Canyon Country Store board, I think — in a building owned by a photographer. The photographer had moved to LA from Israel in the 60s, was part of the Hollywood Foreign Press, and it turned out he knew well a dear departed Swedish friend of mine who’d written about me… Small world.
Initially, I was renting unknown to him from people who were renting from him. I was in love with that little place, so when he kicked out those tenants, he and his business partner tried to rent the huge house with me attached! Who does that? So generous and sweet! Well, when that situation didn’t work out, they rented me a space in their building across the street from Hollywood High School.
It was so much better!!
This place was on the top floor of an historic studio where Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, and Frank Zappa had recorded in the 60s. And my now friend and his wife had bought it in the late 80s(?) and turned it into his photography studio, archive, and real estate office. The vibe is so historic here! He’d actually taken pictures of Laurel Canyon luminaries back in the day. It was all just a perfect circle.
I started using the place for my recording and bringing in other singers to do their records. But mostly it’s been my sanctuary. I learned how to sing loudly again after quieting my voice in shared spaces. I felt so free.
When I left Laurel Canyon, I moved to the edge of Beachwood, and this place became walking distance — which was extremely convenient when I was without my car for 4+ months during the catalytic converter theft epidemic! It’s a healthy walk, and I think some of you saw my posts about the local color as I walked down the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I still find it wonderful!
Here we got through the pandemic. Then the owner died. His wife and I both shared our cancer stories, learning about it within months of each other. She was the sweetest. She reminded me so much of my mom; we’d talk about theater and politics. And, of course, I was often enlisted for tech help! She passed about 18 months ago.
The children have finally sold the building, and it’s bittersweet.
This place is a veritable museum of collectibles. And just like I didn’t take many pictures while we were having sessions, I never took photos of the building or the legend that was posted, telling its history from 1922 when it was built.
I’ve made so much music here. I’ve found myself here. I’ve helped others do the same. My favorite comment came from a young artist who told her mother — who’s also recorded here — “We feel safe at Jason’s studio.” It wells me up even now to write that.
That’s what we’ve had here. We’ve had a safe space to be artists. That’s the greatest gift for any sensitive soul who wants to make art. I’m looking for another musical home for that.
I absolutely love my actual home, though it’s too small to bring the studio there. I’m willing to consider moving if finding a place to make music that fits in my total budget means that I’ll have to bring it in-house. Ideally, I want to find a separate place within my current neighborhood, meaning a two-mile walk. An ADU, a garage, whatever will work. This place did not look like a music studio when I took it over, despite the fact that it had been a control room prior to the 80s! I’m open to almost anything. The priority is to have a place to practice, record, and be creative.
I’m so grateful to all the artists who’ve been up my elevator-less three flights to create with me! And I’m grateful to the family that’s rented this space to me. It has been a joy! It hurts to see it come to an end, but as George Harrison said, “Sunrise doesn’t last all morning. A cloudburst doesn’t last all day.”
Much love to you all. Please send ideas my way, and prayers up, if you’re so inclined.
We’re back at Archetype on July 12 with Kēhau Kahananui and Alison Lewis. I’ll be accompanying both before doing my own set. It’ll be quite an eclectic evening with Kēhau bringing traditional Hawaiian songs and Alison bringing her beautiful arrangements of classics and a few originals (maybe even some of my songs)! Some of you might know my connection to Hawaii — and my love of a well-written song! — so you can imagine that I’m really excited for this evening! (And thanks to Cary Baker for the pic of me above from the Nilsson show last week).
Here are some snippets from their bios:
Kēhau Kahananui is an accomplished Hawaiian singer, drummer, chanter, and hula dancer. Having grown up listening and practicing to a wealth of Hawaiian music through her father, she was influenced by Hawaiian vocal icon Auntie Genoa Keawe and local legend Auntie Moana Chang. She has taught at hula workshops and performed in California, Hawai`i, México, and England. Having learned her first hulas as a child from her aunties, she has continued her studies throughout the years. Singing and dancing hula standards remains a joyful expression of her cultural heritage.
Additionally, Kēhau, is an experienced and vivacious singer, well-versed in blues, soul, and rock. She is skilled both as a lead and background singer. She landed her first background gigs as a teenager and has been gigging ever since. Audiences enthusiastically receive her and are bound to get out of their seats and dance.
Alison Lewis was described by Cabaret Scenes as, “a singer with a hauntingly beautiful voice who transformed the ordinary into the extraordinary with brilliant arrangements and vocal experimentation.” No stranger to stages large and small, Alison has performed as a soloist at venues ranging from Disney Concert Hall to Lincoln Center. She has performed/toured with world music a cappella groups, major cover bands, R&B acts, as well as gospel and classical ensembles at high profile events throughout California. She has also shared the stage with such notables as Michael Franti, Peter Yarrow, and Patti Austin. She has additionally performed the national anthem for the LA Lakers, the Clippers, the 49ers and the Golden State Warriors.
Her debut solo album, Seven, received much national and international acclaim, as well reached the top 40 of both the CMJ and RMR charts. Here are just some of the things reviewers across the globe had to say:
” Seven is a tour-de-force, varied in styles of jazz, what is best about today’s jazz vocal offerings, but taken to task by a highly qualified and potent vocalist. One I hope to hear for years to come. Well done, and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.”
“A really wonderful first outing from a talent that will have your attention from start to finish”
“… a true vocal talent that you will only encounter once or twice in your lifetime”
“Seven is in a world of its own”
”…seeing songs like Irving Berlin’s “Cheek to Cheek” and Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” in a new light, a way that makes the songs seem even more brilliant than their original version.”
Second Saturdays Jazz Night w/ Jason Luckett & Friends Saturday, July 12, 2025 7:30 Doors, 8pm Showtime, runs until 10:30
Performing: Kēhau Kahananui Alison Lewis Jason Luckett
Archetype Yoga 638 E. Colorado Blvd. Ste. 301 Pasadena, CA 91101 626-345-5676 Please RSVP to coordinate accessibility options. Elevator is in the back so we’ll need to meet you there.
In Playhouse Village in the heart of Pasadena, just around the corner from the Playhouse, plenty of parking on Colorado or in the city lot behind Urth Cafe.
Enter through the front, we’re on the third floor. Let us know if you need an elevator and will let you in the back through the alley. 626-345-5676
