Melina Kastle: News

Hey all! I have new dates posted...playing at some places in Seattle and roundabout there! I hope you can come!

Also...thanks to all my new students in Olympia! I'm having such a great time with y'all! Looking forward to meeting you new ones and getting going on making some great music!

If you have thought about taking lessons...now may be your time! Shoot me an email over at the contact page and we can see what we can do!! Hurry though...my time slots are filling fast. (Sweet!)

Happy day!

I was more than happy to see my CD reviewed by Jazz Weekly... hurrah! You can read it here...
http://www.jazzweekly.com/reviews/Kastle_Melina.htm

Ericka Corban and I had a concert last Sunday night as a fundraiser for Haiti relief. Our bands are good guys and they were all in, the beautiful D & R theater was donated and a lot of people came out for the evening- 350!

Thanks so much for your generous hearts and for cheering on Ericka and I's music. If you missed the night you can hear some of Ericka's music at www.MySpace.com/ErickaCorban. She's a good friend and a wonderful person and you'll love her music!

Thanks again all!

Well this is cool! I've been thinking of taking students in the Olympia area and it looks like it's actually going to happen.

I'm always looking for new ways to stretch and grow and sometimes that means little things (making a new quilt) and sometimes it means exciting bigger changes like this. I love Aberdeen and still will be teaching and living here but Olympia has long been a place of fun and excitement for me! Make all the jokes you want about a small town girl but Oly has something special about it!

So, if you're in Thurston county and you're interested in taking lessons, please email me. I'll have more details soon about when and where.

Last weekend I stole away for a bit and went to my favorite Bulb Farm. Now, this is no ordinary Bulb Farm! One advantage to living in or near an area for a long time is the memories you attach to places and things.
So, this Bulb Farm is special to me because I have been celebrating the approach of Spring there for years and years!
I bought armloads of pussy-willows, daffodils (Ice Follies are probably my favorite) and huckleberry foliage. As I type, I have a vase of these lovelies on my desk (which doubles as my dining room table...isn't that breaking some rule somewhere?) and I keep looking at them as I'm working.
I just love Spring! And it's on its way!

If you know me or are familiar with my music, you might know that I especially love playing at a certain GORGEOUS old hotel (www.SorrentoHotelSeattle.com) in downtown Seattle.

First, I must say that Seattle is one of my favorite cities. It's enclaves of artists, foodies, coffee snobs, musicians and hikers set it apart. I especially love Ballard for its Cafe Besalu and Bastille (two lovely restaurants) and the park surrounding the Locks. I also have a deep seated love for Fremont though it's becoming more and more urban and less grainy and so I enjoy it less and less. So it goes. But Ballard - Ballard is still authentic and fun! I love it!

But wait, I was going to tell you about French Fries. At the Sorrento Hotel, they have a very nice menu for the Fireside Room (where I play on this sweet ol' baby grand) with lots of fun or serious drinks depending on your style and some very delicious foods. Last time I was there, I was craving something hot and greasy and fortunately for me - the menu offered French Fries with Aioli. Ahhh. Yum!

My taste buds were not disappointed. Each potato stick was so delicious and perfectly deep fried!

You too, my friend, may enjoy the French Fries and Aioli at the Sorrento AND you can do it while supporting me! I'll be there on March 4th, 7-9:30 p.m. and we'll have a really great time! I WILL be accepting orders of French Fries sent to the piano as I sing. ;)

Well, it's hard to understand where 2009 is quickly fading off to but we all knew this had to happen. Goodbye 2009! You've been a good year!

Truthfully, while it's been a year of growing and learning, it's also been a heartbreaking one for me. Things are definitely looking up, but for a while there, I was sadder than heck. Guess it's all part of growing up.

I'm excited to get into this new year of ours. I've been mapping out my plans and dreams for 2010 and while exhausting it's also motivating. I found a really helpful link to planning out your year - check it out here. Maybe it will inspire you like it did me. http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/how-to-conduct-your-own-annual-review/
Happy dreaming and planning!

I am once again playing at the Sorrento Hotel downtown (Seattle) and am so looking forward to it. There's something about those super comfortable chairs, elegant wall hangings and delicious food choices that just get to me. I do love to be comfortable!

I'm bringing a couple of musical guests with me which I am so happy about! I just love making music with other people. So creative and fun and always challenging in a good way.

So, get yourself over there next Thursday evening, 7th of January, 2010, and have fun with us! We'll be playing from 7-9:30 p.m. in the Fireside Room.

Dear friends,

I have been in the studio this Autumn and I have two new songs I want to give you. Let me know what you think of them! Just go to the music section of my site and scroll down to see "Christmas Gifts". Enjoy!

Tonight I had rather belated catching up to do in several sections of my life. In no particular order these were:

Hand-wash

Emails

Finances

I did get 11 items of hand-wash clothing clean and drying on my laundry rack. That felt great to get done. I updated my finances (I'm a real nerd and do all that with an Excel spreadsheet. Microsoft should hire me for one those ads..."My name is Melina Kastle and I use Excel spreadsheets for my financial planning. I can create a budget, manage long term goals and -yay!- see how much I still need to earn in order to pay my rent." Ahhh. Ok.

Enough of that. While checking my emails I saw that an acquaintance of my family's- a wonderful man, father and husband- died after a 3 year battle with cancer. I hope that he knew how much he was loved by his family and community; I think he did. I am praying now for his family and hoping they feel loved tonight too. It's sad to see a good man die. He will be missed.

This morning, I sit eating German Pancakes (deelicious!) and drinking Butter Butte's Goat Rocks Blend coffee from my favorite tea cup (the white one with many colored flowers). It's been such a busy week since getting back from an awesome mini tour last weekend that I haven't been able to sit down and let everyone know about it.
So, here I am.
First stop: Seattle at the Sorrento was wonderful. Martin, Brad, Jim, Don and Raff were so easy to work with and put up with my weirdness. A highlight of the evening was getting to hear Paul West play and sing "Georgia". Thank you new friend, for sharing that with us. I loved it.

Second: Friday night at North Town Coffee House in Yakima was intimate and warm (it needed to be, it was cold outside!) and I so enjoyed meeting some new friends. Dave, North Town's proprietor, treated me like a queen.

Third: Saturday I got to play at this lovely Apple Festival in Grandview. It was so much fun! Bill's Berry Farm in Grandview will delight you. They also have a Blueberry festival in the summer, anyway, that was so refreshing and fun! Say hello to Bill and Julie online at www.billsberryfarm.com.

Fourth: Later that evening, I played a freezing cold and rain soaked show at the Central Washington State Fair. Thanks to Deb and Bjorn for their help in that as well my dear old Grandpa for his help!

Fifth: Butter Butte Coffee Co. in Packwood welcomed me with sun and the most beautiful afternoon ever. My dear Dad and I so enjoyed being outside and sharing music with that lovely community. Plus, lucky me got sent home with Jeb's coffee and home made cookies. Seriously, people, make a trip (especially now, it's beautiful!) through the mountains and stop at Butter Butte. You will be so glad you did.

So that was my weekend. I really enjoyed it all, even the bad weather at the fair.

I've just been nominated for the Live Music section in Evening Magazine's "Best in Western Washington" contest. I think it would be great if you voted for moi! You can do that, and write a review too (thank you in advance!) here: http://best.king5.com/melina-kastle/biz/492142
Hurry, the contest ends October 11th!

So far, there have been two reviews of the album in Japan. Here are some pics. I need to get this one translated since I'm burning with curiosity to hear what this reviewer thinks! Anyway....fun! Click on the link to see the pics!

It's just so cool!
Check out the Japanese label Inpartmaint's website and you'll see...moi! Whoa, I'm amazed!
http://www.inpartmaint.com/ipm_label/IPM-8019.php

Soul Food Books in Redmond streams their concerts live so tonight, if you aren't able to get to Redmond, Washington - you can still see part of the action! Go to http://soulfoodbooks.com/OldRoot/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=44&Itemid=49 from 7-9 p.m.

I was really curious to hear which songs this Radio Station had picked to air...turns out nearly all of the songs will be getting airplay! Great news. I do think that each of the songs are special in their own right, and I'm proud of the quality of each, so it's really encouraging to me to get this news. Hooray!

Not sure which songs this station will be playing, but starting July 6th, you'll be able to hear the Melina Kastle CD on the airwaves in Japan! I'm so excited - what great news! Here's the site of the station if you're interested in checking it out!
http://www.hidanet.ne.jp/%7Ehitsfm/

On Saturday I'm heading out for a week long promotional tour (i.e. drumming up places to play and ways to spread the Melina Kastle love) through the Oregon coast and down to San Francisco. If you know of places that are especially great venues for indie music, let me know at melina.kastle@gmail.com. Thanks!

Feeling better - hooray- but with a ways to go. Today, though, I did wake up with a little more pep in my step than I've been lately. I'm glad.
Cool stuff this week happening - tomorrow a lunchtime gig at Sunny on 7th ( a sweet deli in Hoquiam, really great food and wonderful staff), Thursday evening, a swanky CD release party in Seattle at the Sorrento, Friday night playing with Don Stone at the Westport Half Moon Bay Bar and Grill and Saturday evening, a concert in Aberdeen raising fund for the Relay for Life team. That will be a really fun night! I'll get to hear and meet a rising young country singer - Alex Mabey- whom I've heard so much about - and I'll get to play with some of my all time favorite musicians...
A good week for Melina. I hope the same for you.

There's a vase of dying tulips next to me. It's such a very sad thing when flowers come to their end. Spring is in full throttle, loads of lovely blooms in the yard but these pinky pearly tulips bought out at the Satsop Bulb Farm (delightful place) are shriveling and I hate to see them go.
I sure feel all the beautiful energy of spring and fresh green things in my blood today. For one thing, it's great waking up to sun! For another, I'm feeling better after a horrendous cold and lastly, I am excited about the good news happening with the CD and my future in regards to it. The Japanese deal is working out great (they'll be sending over proofs of the album in Japanese! I'll be sure to share here later!) and next week, I am playing for a party (a CD release deal) in downtown Seattle which just makes me feel so darn sophisticated. I'm still the small town girl I always have been, but having things like this happen makes me pinch myself to make sure it's not a dream.

My cousin Trevor visited us today. He's just completed ranger training - difficult to say the least!- and is stationed in Washington until he's deployed later this summer. Of course, seeing my cousin, (whom I used to think such a cute little toddler when I was about 7 and wanted to play house with him as the baby) grown up and a soldier is strange.
I'm so proud of him and all the servicemen and women. Thank you all for serving your country in such a sacrificial way!

Well my achy head and runny nose match the weather today in Grays Harbor. Don't worry - it's not the swine flue! In other news, Pete Seeger is 90 years old and still performing. I find that impressive.

This is cool - those in Japan can walk into the nearest CD store and, beginning in early July, purchase a Melina Kastle CD. Golly, that is thrilling! Thanks Sho and team for bringing my music to more people. Looks like we need to all travel to Japan sometime soon!

Saturday night was really fun for me! I got to play some music with some of my favorite musicians and people -Doug Senibaldi, Lew Chapman and very own Dad, Doug Backholm - and enjoyed watching other people appreciate them with me! The crew down at Saginaw's are always gracious and fun too, which makes the evening even better. Big thanks to Ged and Jenni, Chloe, Don (another of my favorite musicians, check him out playing the acoustic here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69_eu--aWmY & his lovely wife Val for being extra great supporters!

I was reading in my journal from 2007 last night before bed. It's one of my favorite things to do - look back over the past years and months and reflect on life and what's happened in mine...since every day is so busy with stuff, it's not often that I stop and realize that this day, right this very minute, is my life!
But I wanted to share something with you from 2007. Here's what I wrote in Bellingham, Washington, on September 6th of that year:
"The sunset is stunning today. I'm looking over Lake Whatcom - a silvery baby blue, with the dark of the trees edging the shore and violet mountains in the far distance. The sun makes the sky pink above them, and then it turns from pink to palest blue. Someone mows their lawn and boat engines make sounds that drift up the hill to us. I made fish tacos and peach salsa for dinner. Here's something: I want my life to be Peach Salsa. I'm not interested in bland living. Give me purple onions, peaches that are like sunsets, bursting with juice tomatoes, fragrant cilantro, spicy banana peppers, lime juice and salt and pepper. Now, THAT is a life to love!"
Maybe you have to have eaten a really good peach salsa to appreciate the thought here, but it really hit me again that that's what I want. And I wish for you, dear reader, a peach salsa life!