Jazz Week, People!

There is less than a month until the Saskatchewan Jazz fest starts! And there is noone in Saskatoon more excited/busy than me. Well, there will be a lot of busy people... not just me, but I am pretty busy and that is super super super super super exciting!!!!

Anyway, I just thought I would put my two cents in about the artists that are coming, what shows you should avoid and go see, and then let you know when I am playing in case you feel like checkin' me out a little bit too.

Last year the Jazz festival had an amazing lineup. Hellllllllllo Dave Holland! Also other jems from last year include Aurturo Sandoval, Ed Thigpen, Hugh Fraser and VEGI, Mavis Staples, and Sharon Jones (RETURNING THIS YEAR). This is only a few of the amazing acts we had come through this wonderful city of ours.

This years lineup is pretty good as well, including Little Richard, Jesse Cook, and Divine Brown. These are great... I guess... but the problem is that they aren't really jazz and they are spending a shitload of money bringing these people to our city. Now, I do understand that bands like Kardinal Offishal, and K-os, who passed through the city last year, aren't really jazz, but they are part of the "groove series" that is meant to bring out a younger crowd. Included in the groove series is one of my favorites, Sharon Jones. Last year that series of shows worked out wonderfully for the festival and they had the best turnout overall that they had in years. Why did they all of a sudden have to get stupid and crazy with the lineup? They could have brought in Oscar Peterson for the amount of money they are paying for Little Richard. It just seems they are slowly moving away from a jazz festival concept, and closer to a musical festival concept.

Anyway, that should be enough of my ranting... and now that I am into it, you may get to look forward to a entire blog dedicated to this concept. But for now I leave you with my jazz fest dates:

June 22- Buds on Broadway with Elly Paris and the Band That Got Away 10pm
June 24- Kiwanis Park Freestage with Tin Bridge Sextet 6pm (**** Sharon Jones to follow at Odeon!!!)
June 25- Lydia's Pub with Tin Bridge Sextet 9:30 pm
June 26- Bassment as the house bass player for the Jazz Jam night 8pm (musicians bring your horn!)
June 29- Kiwanis Park Freestage (the band doesn't have a name yet but it will be funky) 4pm
June 30- Tentative date set for Lydia's Pub with Tin Bridge Sextet 10pm
June 1- Kiwanis Park Freestage with Elly Paris and the Band That Got Away 4pm
June2- Kiwanis Park Freestage with U of S Summer Jazz band 4pm

There might be a couple more gigs stuck in there that I am still waiting for, but its gonna be a busy, but wonderful week. Myles also graduates that week too, so that will be a lot of fun. I hope to see you guy out at some shows... SHARON JONES, BABY!

Song of the day- Crazy- Gnarls Barkley... yea I probably spelled his name wrong. Can't say I really care right now though.

Start Countin!

Unfortunatley, life can get a little shitty sometimes. Like the other day when I found out from Mr. Doctor that I have carpal tunnel syndrome in my right hand. Awesome news, especially if you have gigs five evenings in a row. Tonight was the fifth gig and I'm sore. I shouldn't be typing, but as I was playing tonight, and being angry about my hand/elbow/arm, I thought about all the little things today that made it special. Sure, this thing with my hand sucks, and I have PMS, but really, things aren't always as bad as they seems.

1. I went to my Uncle's birthday party with my family this afternoon. I got to visit with everyone and eat amazing spinich and artichoke dip. I find that because I don't see my parents everyday now that I really cherish the time when I do get to see them. I appriciate them a lot more. It was so good to see them, as well as the rest of my wonderful family. And my dog. I love Roxi.

2. I got to see my brother. I havn't seen him for awhile he was on a canoeing trip.

3. I played lots of pool at the party. It was fun.

4. I danced in my room to Gnarls Barkley.

5. When my room mate got home today he also brought our cute friend with him, and when the friend greeted me at the door, he said "Hey Sexy". Sweeet.

6. Driving along the river in the rain, and listening to Ron Sexsmith. Beautiful.

7. I had a few really good solos that I was proud of tonight at my gig.

8. Tim Vaughn showed up to my gig and heard my really good solos.

9. Rick gave me a beautiful picture of took of me a week ago, and then showed me a halarious photoshop picture he made of the band. So funny.

10. I got to visit good friends at Lyds.

Ten things. All you have to do is count. It is 2am right now, and I work at 8, which kinda really sucks, but when I read my list I realize things aren't so bad. So, just count. It is too often that we focus on our problems while all of the beautiful, simple moments in life just pass by. Count.


song of the day- Theres A Reason For Our Love- Ron Sexsmith

"Ijustwannabefriends"

Finally it ends.

The whole Tim/Teegan drama is finally over. I now realize that he isn't mature enough to be the boyfriend that I would want him to be, so it will never work. We had a nice little chat when I dropped him off at his friends house. It went something like this:

Teegan: We never did get to talk about "the night"

Tim: Yea... we didn't.

Teegan: Yea that night sucked.

(insert awkward silence)

Tim: Ijustwannabefriends

Teegan: Me tooo... (insert sigh of relief)

Tim: (insert many ramblings to try and make Teegan feel better, even though she is not sad)


Now I know all my readers, sorry, let me rephrase. I know that all two of my readers will be disapointed that this ridiculous saga is over, I know I am... well not really actually. I'm not disapointed at all. I'm more just relieved I don't have to think about it anymore and that I don't have to deal with immature horny boys flirting with skanky face girls right in front of me... right... anyway, I know it was fun while it lasted, but I really do think we are better friends. Look on the bright side, we get to start from scratch. No, not Tim and I, I me I guess. Whatever. Anyway, from this point on you will get to read about even more ridiculous new encounters that I get myself into with the opposite sex, and other things... ummm yea... awkward. Nevermind, then. You have to admit my stories are amusing. Funny? No, that is probably a stretch, but it is definatley amusing, and you know what? I'm okay with that.

As my long time lover friend John Mayer has said many a time to me on occasions like these, "Good Love Is On The Way".

Word.

The Right Thing At The Right Time

Usually when I get in some sort of heated discussion or am pissed off, I will leave the conversation and then four hours later, I will think of the perfect thing to say. I never have been one to say the right thing at the right time. I am not witty enough I guess, or I just get too pissed for my brain to function properly.

I have always been envious of people that can be quick enough to reply with the right thing. The thing that will completley shut the person down, get your point across clearly, and ultimatley let them know exactly what you are saying without actually saying it. It is an art. My Dad and my brother are extremley quick witted, and I've been a little slower, and then my Mom, the slowest. It has nothing to do with how smart you are, its just how you deal with things in the heat of the moment.

Anyway, last night I actually had a breakthrough of sharpness. I am really sick of talking about this guy, but the story is just so good, so naturally I need to tell it to you.

Last night I wore a mini skirt... I wouldn't exactly call it a mini skirt though. It's pretty much standard length for a short skirt. Right around knee length. Just perfect. I don't usually wear skirts though, so it was kind of fun. Sarah and I were going to Lydia's to see the guy I made cry's band... I'll just tell you his name. Tim is the guy I made cry, and we were going to check it out. I will also mention that Tim has been at every gig I have played in the last week and half, so It was seeming like things were starting to get on the right track again.

Sarah and I got there, and we visited and Tim came up and talked to me during his first set break. I visited with his parents and his sister, and my second Mom Gillian was there, and our friend Katherine. It was a great night at Lydia's because it was just the regulars. We danced a lot, and were just wishing the night would never end, like we do so many times when the great aura of Lydia's is present.

The last song finally arrives, we are all dancing, and this girl in a very, very, VERY short mini skirt tries to push me out of my dancing area... which is the same place it always is, right in the front. She keeps pushing, and I'm annoyed, so I give her a nudge and just keep dancing and she stops being annoying... that is until the song ends.

Song ends, she pushes in front of me and, for everyone to see, propositions Tim. Nice. Very classy, and of course, this fills my soul with RAGE.

I sit down, and visit with friends, growling to myself every so often. After hours kind of begins, and everyone is still visiting, and I notice this skanky girl with the short mini coming on to Tim. She is allll over him, and then what I witness shocks and bothers me. He takes down her number in his cell phone. This pisses me off even more, but I continue to visit with friends, and Tim does a little business with the manager, and then he goes right back to this skanky girl who is now hitting on the bouncer. Classy. We keep visiting.

Soon it is time to go though, and Sarah, Katherine, Gillian and I leave. Tim is still talking to skank face, but sees me leaving and approaches me. I will write out the exact dialouge of what happens next:

Tim: You are leaving?

Teegan: Yea, I'm leaving. We are getting kicked out.

Tim: Really? You aren't going to stay?

Teegan: No... my mini skirt isn't short enough to be able to stay.

SNAP

Awkward silence. I can feel he is uncomfortable. Luckily, he didn't start crying in the bar.

That is the story of my one moment where I actually knew exactly what to say. I don't care if I hurt his feelings. I am totally sick of this bullshit, and he needs to know exactly where I am at, which is "I'm really pissed off at you and you need to get your shit together".... among many other things. And the greatest part was that I wasn't drunk. I just said exactly what I wanted to. It was pretty awesome. And I feel damn good about it today.

La De Da

I just wanted to announce my own engagement to Joel Plaskett. I was just at his show at Amigos and I decided that him and I are going to get married. He does not know this yet so give me about three years to close the deal. I will let you know when everything is final.

Unfortunatley, this is not the case... yet. But I would like to say congratulations to my great friend Karen on her engagement. I am very happy for both her and Rees.

Anyway, I did actually just get home from the Joel Plaskett Emergency concert. It was an amazing night musically and personally for me. I learned a lot about myself in just one concert and it really changed my perspective on a few things. It is amazing how that can happen in just one night.

Musically, it was an amazing concert. Joel Plaskett, to me, is what "Canadian" music sounds like. Whenever someone asks me what he sounds like, I just say "Canadian". His song writing is so personal so when you listen to him you are taken to many different places. It rocked. It talked. It was honest. Honesty is such a huge thing for me when I am listening to music, and he is honest. You experience his life in his music because he is such a good story teller. It was the first time in a long time that I could close my eyes and just listen. The place was crowded, but I was so into the music that I was just in my own little world. I got so many of those little tingles that we are constantly searching for in the music as musicians, but also as listeners.

You can probably tell I am really impressed by Mr. Plaskett. It was all very impressive. But the music ended up taking me somewhere other than tingles. Music is incredibly personal no matter how you look at it, but instead of just being a personal experience, it ended up changing a little part of my person. This was a place I never expected Joel Plaskett and his music to take me when I walked into Lydia's tonight.

I got there and discovered that my ex-boyfriend, Luke, was going to be present. I havn't actually seen him since the breakup, but he loves Joel Plaskett. In fact, he is the very person that hooked me on Joel Plaskett. On my birthday he made me a CD, and Joel Plaskett was on it. I was obsessed with the song and made him listen to it over and over everytime we drove somewhere in my van. Poor guy, he ended up getting pretty sick of that song.

Anyway, he was there tonight. I noticed him standing at the bar and he was staring at me. As soon as he knew I noticed him, he turned away. Luke definatley knows that I am pissed at him, and at that point in the evening I had every intention to ignore him all night. He hurt me, so I didn't want to talk to him. Fair, I guess. I figured that I had avoided seeing him since the breakup for this long, I wasn't going to sacrafice my record now.

After awhile of visiting with some friends and ignoring Lucas, Joel Plaskett finally takes the stage and I go by myself to the front. Luke, unfortunatley, decides that he would stand not too far down from me. The first song starts, and it is the song that Luke put on my birthday CD for me, Happen Now. Coincidence? No, probably not. And what happened inside of me next wasn't a coincidence either.

I was overcome with this strong feeling of forgiveness. I have never felt a feeling so powerful and it literally took over me. I felt a little emotional, but in a happy way. I was so happy I could have cried. I was so into the song, and it became clear to me what I needed to do. I walked over to Luke, tapped him on the arm and I whispered in his ear "No hard feelings, okay?". I smiled at him, squeezed his arm a little, and I walked away. Luke smiled. My resentment had finally vanished, I felt a little lighter than before, and I continued to be completley taken by Joel Plaskett.

After the show I went and said hi to a friend, and began to leave but I felt someone squeeze my arm. It was Luke. At this point, I couldn't help feeling a little sad. Forgiveness is a powerful thing, but I think it is a rare thing for a human being to forgive and forget. I won't forget the relationship that we had, or how much the breakup sucked, or how much I probably hurt him just as much as he hurt me. But at the same time, I will never forget driving in the car and making him listen to Happen Now on repeat either. I won't forget him smiling at me from behind his drum set when he was playing a show, or me smiling at him while playing my bass at a show. I won't forget about the night we played chess at the yard for like five hours. I won't forget hanging out in his room listening to jazz, or the night we went to the Jason Collett show together. There is no denying that he did care for me even though its easier to just be mad. It was bad timing, and some things just aren't meant to be.

After the Joel Plaskett concert we visited a little. He gave me updates on his band. We talked about jazz fest a little. We talked about moving out, and moving in, and our jobs. It was good to catch up, and at the end of it all he said that it was good to finally see me again, and he gave me a hug... which ended up being a little awkward because I was a little suprised. I actually said "oh... okay we're doing that?". Besides the fact that I have no tact sometimes, it was a step in the right direction. Not just for a friendship, but for striving to become a better person. Forgiveness is a powerful thing. I had every intention of ignoring him for eternity, even just a few hours before. All it took was a little Joel Plaskett to save the day.

Which is why I have decided I am going to marry him. No date is set yet, but I will let you know the details as soon as Joel and I discuss them. This will, of course, take place after I meet finally meet him, get him to fall desperatley and passionatltey in love with me, and ultimatley, propose. La Deeeee Da.***

Anyway, work in the morning. Damn the man.

Song of the day: NonBeliever- Joel Plaskett (aka my future husband)

*** Name of Joel Plaskett's latest album. Check that one out, as well as Truthfully, Truthfully and also the album Clayton Park, which he recorded with his former band, Thrush Hermit. Yes, that is right. THRUSH HERMIT. Word.

This Town Has Got Me Down

It seems as this weather has managed to bring everyone down lately. "Weather" it gives you a cranky mood, bad attitude, lack of motivation, or in some odd reported cases, makes you cheery, the rain and gloomy weather seems to have an effect on everyone. Don't get me wrong, I love the rain. It makes everything fresh and it will make the dust go away, but it definatley puts me in a wierd mood.

Tonight was the first time I have come home to my new place and felt like it wasn't really "home". It may have been because I was returning from my three hour tv marathon with my parents, or maybe the fact that my downstairs neighbor was difficult today, but it just didn't seem like home. I was sad when I left my parents tonight. Sad that I wasn't going up to my room to wake up to my puppy crawling in bed with me. Sad that I couldn't hug and kiss my parents good night and tell them I loved them right before bed. And I was a little sad when I unlocked the door and came home to an empty house. But maybe its just the rain.

I should feel happy right now. Things are all falling into place. I moved out, I finally secured a job with Shaw, and I'm making a bunch of money on the side doing exactly what i love: selling drugs.

Just kidding. I meant music.

I guess I just feel blah. But the four pieces of pizza I ate tonight might be contributing to that. And the beer I had with it. And the onion rings.

Shit. No wonder I am not feelin' so hot. That is a lot of junk food. Now all I am thinking about is what I ate for supper. And dessert... three double chocolate cookies. Hmmm cooookies... Shit. I mean dammit! Now instead of feeling "blah", I feel guilty for eating my weight in grease. Everytime I burp now its going to taste like onion rings. Fantastic.

Anyway, I'm sure this is exactly what you wanted to read on this rainy, damp eve. I hope that instead of the general unpleasant moods the rain can bring (ie: crank face syndrome, eating yourself to death), it will instead bring renewal and refreshment.

"Strive to be happy"

Song of the day: Heart of Gold- Neil Young

Freak Magnet

Bartenders come across a lot of strange people. Musicians working in bars also encounter many strange people. But in my experience, women musicians who work in bars come across the strangest people of all. I have only been doing this for a year, but my fellow musicians (mostly men) have dubbed me as somewhat of a "freak magnet" of some sort.

I don't know if its just because I'm a woman, or maybe because I play an abnormal instrument for my size, but I really do seem to attract a lot of freaks when I am working. I usually get some nut bar coming up to me in between my set breaks wanting to talk and then they decide that they should follow me around the rest of the evening. Now to be fair, I do attract a lot of nice and interesting people as well, and often you can sit and visit with someone that you met on a gig, but really, who wants to hear about that. I will share with you some of the infamous crazies who graced me with their presence.

One particularily rowdy night at Lydia's, a guy approached me. He had many, many peircings and tattoos and a metallica shirt on. He followed me around, sat at the table with me, and of course, he was deerrruuuunnk. Finally, we start playing again and his friends tell him they want to leave. He starts babbling in a very loud voice "NO! We have to stay... I'm in love with the bass player and I want to stay NO NO NO". His friends finally dragged him out. We all had a chuckle.

One another night at Lydia's, a man sends Gillian, our singer, a drink. Gillian goes to thank the guy and then realizes that he actually meant to send me the drink. This guy ends up sending me one after the mix up, so I wave, and go begin the set with the band. Mid-way through the set, I get another drink from the same guy. He was probably in his early 30's, but he looked like he was on crack or something... seriously. He looked rough, and he was by himself and drinking alone. At the end of the set, he sends me another. I go and thank him, get a billion cheesy pickup lines, he buys me yet another drink (by this time, Brandon the lovely bartender just started to give me soda... and no vodka) and I finally tell the guy I'm 19. He leaves me alone after that... but comes back the next week.

At another Freehouse gig, the band notices two guys who are getting pretty wasted, but seem to be really enjoying the music. We play the set, and this guy introduces himself as Dean. He looks about 27. He buys me a drink and begins to tell me how attractive a female bass player is. He asks how old I am and I tell him 19, but he wouldn't believe me, so he just continues shamelessly with the pick up lines. He asks me for my number a few times, I wouldn't give it to him, and he sticks around all night waiting to get my number. Of course, I don't give it to him. It was also really funny because he started asking my band members if they thought he was too old for me.

On a similar occasion, a man comes up to me in the middle of a set at the Freehouse, shakes my hand, and tells me "There is nothing more enticing and stimulating than a woman who plays the bass". Umm... right.

Now these stories aren't really that bad. These guys are more than annoying than anything, but last week at Lydia's I met a guy who creeped me out so badly that I have been having dreams about it all week. So heres how it went down:

I finish a set and this guy introduces himself as Chris. He is a little older, maybe 35, and during the whole set he was cheering after solos and seemed to really be enjoying the music. After he introduces himself to me he tells me a little about his his Grandfather started the jazz festival. This is descent thing to talk to someone who plays jazz except for the fact that he was a close talker. His face was uncomfortably close to mine. I finish the conversation and go and sit down and visit a friend who informs me that this Chris character showed up to one of his shows, hit on the guitar players mom, and then proceeded to tell everyone about how he wanted to shoot his girlfriend. Nice.

So the night continues and my friend leaves, which was a little disapointing because I never got to say bye and I wanted to hang out. We finish playing, this Chris guy talks to me a couple more times, and all conflict and awkward situations are diverted. I leave thinking that I have avoided him. I then decide to walk to Vangeli's down the street from Lyd's to go see if my friend is there.

I get there and my friend is not there, so I turn around to leave and I hear someone call out my name. I turn around and it is Chris. He asks if I want to have a smoke. I tell him no and that I'm going home for the night, and I'm not feeling to well. He gets a little offended and asks me to just visit him when he has a smoke. I decline, and keep walking away from him. He then starts to tell me about how he was mad that I couldn't even give him the time of day, and that he just wanted five minutes. I tell him that I saw him at Lydia's and he listened to me play music all night, so really I wasn't avoiding him. Now, my friends, this is where I get slightly disturbed. He then says "You didn't play music for me all night, you played music for everyone. You just need to play music for me. How can you do that. I just want you to play music for me". It was all very Criminal Minds-esque when the serial rapist is about to attack his next victim. I backed away slowly, told him goodbye, got around the corner and ran like hell.

This actually scares me. Today is Sunday, so I really hope he doesn't return for Part II.

I will continue to share my ridonkulus stories of my life as a freak magnet, and give you an update on Chris "You need to play music just for me" whateverhislastnameisIdon'twannaknow.

Cool New Experiences

Today I learned to cook chicken. I know that sounds really lame and I'm sure that most of you wonderful people can cook chicken already, but I never knew how. This is just one of the many other interesting, yet minor, things I have experienced since moving out. This move has been pretty awesome. Pretty empowering, and pretty dang exciting.

Our place is great so far. Except we don't have a couch. We won't get one until the third roommate moves in on the 15th. Other than that I love it here. I stole a yield sign on Wednesday and now its hanging up on the wall as well as many other musical things like drums, and a drum practice pad. We also have a pretty sweet photograph of Miles Davis. It's nice living with other musicians because you all want to decorate the same... music themed!

Sleeping in my bed in a new room was pretty wierd. Good wierd though. I've been sleeping really well. We definatley aren't settled but we are close. It's super exciting.

The only thing that is kind of lame is Yvonne. She is the lady that lives downstairs and does shift work. Yes, shift work. So we are having to be very careful of what we do when shes sleeping. Luckily, she gives us a scheduale so we know exactly when shes working/sleeping and everything but its hard to remember there is a person downstairs when you aren't used to it.

Anyway, thats as far as things go with the house. It's super exciting and everyone will have to come and see it, its wonderful.

I will write more later, right now I am off to 2nd ave grill for some Michael Jackson MARTINIS!!! HECK YEA!

song of the day: Dream Girl- Dave Matthews Band

False Alarm

Tonight will actually be my last sleep in my own bed. The carpets took a little longer to dry than expected so we decided to give it the night. So tomorrow at 9 a.m. I will be movinnnnn' out! If anyone wants to come and visit, just let me know and I will give you the address!!

I would also like to introduce to you my new pet fish, Fabio Beso. He lives in my blog. And he is hot. And he has a sexy name.

Other than my new fish, and moving out tomorrow nothing is really new. I havn't heard from "friend" who thought it would be a good idea to start crying. I actually think its a really halarious situation now. I hope he doesn't cry that easily all the time. I would hate for him to be in the middle of a concert, break a string and start bawling.

Back to business though... one more sleep!! 12 more hours!! I will try to keep this updated as much as I can over the next couple of weeks too. I don't know when I will get internet at my new place. Hopefully I will get it soon so I can keep updating and posting on this crazy blog. Truth be told that its kind of replaced my daily journal that I kept for so many years.

Anyway, I must tend to some laundry, and then turn into bed.

gooooodnight, lovers!

song of the day: Moving- Supergrass

The Last Sleep

"One more sleep" has finally arrived. I move out tomorrow and this is the last night I will ever be spending in my room. Except tomorrow it won' t be mine. I won't live in my house anymore. I will have a new house. I will be away from my parents, my brother, and my dog. I won't have to awnser to anyone.

In one more sleep I will officially be an adult. I will have no one to awnser to but myself. I will have responsibilities. I will pay rent. I will buy my own food. I will pay for my own internet. Tomorrow I am officially independant.

The majority of my stuff is in boxes... in the middle of my bedroom. It actually looks like I am moving out now. Yesterday it still seemed like a fantasy. All of my things were untouched. I hadn't packed anything yet. But today... boxes. Large ones. Packed to the top (thanks Haji!).

This is the most bizarre feeling ever. I feel like I want to be sad about it. Sad because I am leaving my parents and my dog and my room and my brother and my life. Tomorrow I officially grow up. I feel like I should be in mourning because of it. But I am not. I am excited.

I can just picture my first night now... me crying... in bed because I am so sad and lonley and wierded out by my new house. New sounds... new room. Wierd.

Holy shit. I can't even organize my thoughts right now. I really can't. It is very overwhelming.

One more sleep... starting now.