Kay Ashley: News

... and so is my CD! I've decided to name the CD "HELIOTROPE", which is a return to an old idea I had for the name of the CD. Then over time I thought that heliotrope was too obscure a word, and that I should name the CD after its meaning: leaning towards the light. Now I've decided that dictionaries are good for you, so please read all about the varied and multi-layered meanings of the word 'heliotrope'. Happy hunting! The CD is steadily moving down the assembly line towards the mastering stage, and then it's off to the factory... more updates soon!

And I've got a show coming up on Sunday, April 13th at Brooklyn's Perch Cafe. I'll be the featured artist that night at the weekly open mike series, hosted by the venerable Sara Holtzschue. See the Calendar section for more details...

2008 brings in a new leap year, and a new CD from me ~ "Leaning Towards The Light" will be coming your way very soon... 2008 also brings a new show at Rockwood Music Hall, my most favorite venue in NYC. I'll be playing there on Tuesday, January 22nd at 7 pm. See my Calendar for more details and for information about additional upcoming shows...

I've been keeping quiet for a while, working on my debut CD "Leaning Towards The Light" with the brilliant Michael Leonhart (Steely Dan, Lenny Kravitz) in the producer's chair. And for those of you who thought I would *never* finish, I must say, in the immortal words of Winnebago Man, "Bullsh*t! I'm gonna slate this f*cker!"

So anyway, I've posted a few new rough mixes, so check 'em out. The CD will be mixed, mastered, and duplicated early in the new year. Look out for the "Leaning Towards The Light" CD release party on or near the vernal equinox...

So, what did YOU do on your summer vacation?... Actually, no summer vacation for me, but rather a new day job, which has occupied my time and attention.

But now I'm back! I'll be playing tamboura for Hindustani Classical vocalist Sounak Chattopadhyay on Thursday, October 4th, and later this month, I will FINALLY be finishing up my first full-length CD, "Leaning Towards The Light", with brilliant producer and all-around musician (not to mention Grammy-Award winner) Michael Leonhart. I'm apoplectically excited to work with Michael and to finally, officially, put this music out there. Stay tuned for updates about the CD and the CD release party, which will be in early 2008. I will be continuing my break from solo performances in order to focus on finishing "Leaning Towards The Light".

There's a lot going on in May... On Saturday, May 5th, I'll be returning to my favorite venue, Rockwood Music Hall... On Sunday, May 13th, I'll be the featured performer at the CATHARSIS Open Mic at Park Slope's Perch Cafe... And on Friday, May 18th, I'll be returning to The Living Room/Googie's Loungefor a triple bill starting at 8:30 pm with my dear friends Allison Tartalia and Denise Barbarita. There's sure to be some crazy collaborations, including ABBA's "Waterloo" (på svenska, naturligtvis)... See the CALENDAR section for all the details...

April brings another show at The Living Room/Googie's Lounge on April 6th, and on April 18th, another chance to play tamboura with the amazing Steve Gorn at a benefit concert for Camphill Village.

March brings a very exciting show for me: On Saturday, March 24th, I'll be accompanying bansuri flute virtuoso Steve Gorn and tabla master Naren Budhakar on the tamboura at a cosy loft concert at InHouse, hosted by Friends of New Music, Inc... On Friday, April 6th, I'll be returning to The Living Room's fabulous Googie's Lounge. My dear friend Denise Barbarita will be playing before me, and we're sure to collaborate on each other's songs... As always, please see the Calendar section for further details...

February brings another show at Googie's Lounge Above The Living Room. This is a brand new venue, complete with a Yamaha white baby grand piano that would have made Liberace's heart go a-twitter. I'll be playing a double-bill with the ridiculously talented Allison Tartalia on Thursday, February 8th... As always, for further details please see the Calendar section...

Drag yourself out from under your post-holiday, misanthropic stupor and check out my first show at Googie's Lounge Above The Living Room. This is a brand new venue, complete with a Yamaha white baby grand piano that would have made Liberace's heart go a-twitter. I'll be wearing all my rhinestone rings to make up for the lack of sunlight this time of year... As always, for further details please see the Calendar section...

December brings the holidays, and Maggie's Music Salon will be fulfilling your every holiday musical craving... For the first time ever, all 11 members of Maggie's Music Salon will be performing together at the Parkside Lounge on December 10th, from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. See the Calendar section for more details.

November has finally brought cooler weather and colored leaves... and more music (how predictable).

I'll be at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference from November 10th-12th, and I'll be playing a number of showcases, including the Indiegrrl Guerilla Showcase, Pat Wictor's Manhattan Songwriters Circle guerilla showcase, Maggie's Music Salon guerilla showcase and the Quelles Sauvages guerilla showcase.

Then after I recover from the all-night jams at NERFA, I'll be heading up to the Peekskill Coffeehouse on November 18th with the amazing Martha Colby.

On November 29th, I'll join Meg Braun and Patrick Fitzsimmons at Night & Day/Biscuit BBQ in Park Slope, Brooklyn...

See the calendar section for more details...

Happy Autumn! I've got a couple of shows this month... One with fellow Maggie's Music Saloners Victoria Lavington, Anna Dagmar and Martha Colby on October 6th at Peekskill Coffeehouse at 8:00 pm...
on Friday, October 20th, I will play tamboura, accompanying Hindustani classical vocalist Sounak Chatterjee. Naren Budhakar will play tabla...
and on Sunday, October 22nd, another show at my favorite venue Rockwood Music Hall, where I will be accompanied by the brave souls who dare to be a part of the QUELLES SAUVAGES and Miss Priss projects...

As always, you can find more details in the Calendar section...

I've got a couple of shows coming right up... check out fellow Maggie's Music Salon gals Allison Tartalia and Kirsten Williams and myself in Schenectady, NY on September 16th... and don't miss my BIRTHDAY BASH at Rockwood Music Hall on Monday, September 18th at 7:00 pm... as always, see the Calendar section for more details...

Thanks to everyone who came out for the inaugural MAGGIE'S MUSIC SALON show at Night & Day!

I've got another MAGGIE'S show coming up on August 27th at the Heirloom Tomato and Music Festival. The line-up includes myself, Sharon Goldman, Kirsten Williams and Meg Braun.

...and put SEPTEMBER 18th on your calendar, 'cause that's my BIRTHDAY BASH at ROCKWOOD MUSIC HALL!

As always, see the CALENDAR section for more details...

Thanks to all of you who came out to hear me open up for Sharon Goldman's CD release party! Play those kaYzoos in good health! And a grand shout out to my friend Rich Boniface, who, despite all advice to the contrary, will become a father before the year is through - congratulations Rich & Shana!!!

THANK YOU to everyone who came out at the midnight hour to make our Joni Mitchell tribute NIGHT IN THE CITY such a special evening. We raised nearly $600 for KATRINA'S PIANO FUND, which is helping New Orleans musicians get re-equipped with new instruments.

I feel honored to have been surrounded by such great musicians and such a great audience.

A very special thanks to John Kelly for revisiting Joni's persona for us, and to Rockwood Music Hall for letting us play until 4:00 am!

THANK YOU to everyone who came to my show at Rockwood Music Hall on the penultimate day of 2005. I had a great time and I owe it all to you. :-)

Thanks to everyone who came to hear my show and bid the C-Note farewell yesterday...

Thanks to everyone who came out for my shows at the Postcrypt Coffeehouse and the C-Note this month!

Just played a show with the Amazing Denise Barbarita at Espresso Joe's in Keyport, NJ, right on the watah... it's wicked nice there, and Denise says it's the best coffee on the east coast. I'm sure she's right. Thanks to all who came out to hear our songwriter-in-the-round show... we hope to be back there soon!