AUTUMN MAGIC

Growing up in Michigan, there was a feeling of magic in the way the leaves on the trees transformed each fall. Living there at such a young age though I didn't really appreciate the beauty at the time. For me the highlight was putting those leaves in huge piles and then, with a running start landing right in the middle of them until I nearly disappeared!  I still remember the smell of the leaves and the fun I had with my family and neighbors.

Another highlight of Autumn was Halloween. I have a ridiculously sweet tooth, so going door to door to collect candy was just about the most exciting thing ever.  But also - I loved dressing up and becoming a character for the day, first at school and then as I ventured out with pillow-case in hand.  There was a sense of sadness in having to let go of that tradition as I grew older. Just one of the ways in which we leave our childhood behind as we go on to more serious ventures.

Several years ago I had the opportunity to record some songs in a real recording studio - the kind of studio that has a grand piano and an engineer on hand to press the 'record' button in a room behind glass. I was the receptionist at the time.  The studio was in W. Los Angeles, called The Village Recorder and it's still there today. Just to give you an idea of the kinds of artists who have recorded there, here is a partial list: Aerosmith, The Beach Boys, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, Alice Cooper, Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, The Doors, John Lennon and Elton John. A more complete list can be found on Wikipedia. Not only was I the receptionist at the studio (in the early nineties)  I was also the receptionist for Robbie Robertson of The Band, who had his office and studio upstairs. My heart always skipped a beat when he would come in or out of his studio, although I tried to play it cool whenever he passed by. He never knew what a thrill it was for me to be his receptionist.

The owner of the Village Recorder was Geordi Hormel. He came in to the studio from time to time while I worked there. He was an amazing but quiet presence. Instead of continuing the family beef business he decided to purchase the building on Butler Ave. He himself was a musician. Geordi died in 2006 as modestly as he lived, yet leaving quite a remarkable legacy behind.

The building itself was also quite infamous. Built in the 1920's, it was originally a Masonic Temple, built by the Freemasons.  In the 1960's, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi used it as his L.A. based Transcendental Meditation Center. I remember when I worked there marveling at the odd symbols in the hallways, on doors and windows.  I didn't know at the time of its unique and eclectic history. It was converted into a recording studio in the late 60's by Geordi and was soon discovered by artists like Steely Dan (who recorded Aja there), Frank Zappa and Bob Dylan. The rest, as they say is (rock and roll) history.

But I digress... Back to my very own recording experience at the Village Recorder! There I was one night sitting at a grand piano - one in which John Lennon or Elton John may very well have once sat at, with my friend and co-worker at the huge board behind glass. He was kind enough to indulge me. I had asked a few times if I could record a few songs, perhaps on a rare slow night when most of the others had already left.

As I sat down to play, the sound of the grand piano was pure perfection!  I improvised, as I often do and came out of the session with three of four decent tracks.

I held on to that tape for about ten years (mixed onto a DAT).  I must have moved a dozen times during those years, but, I never lost track of that recording. I kept it with me in a shoe box full of cassette tapes even though I had a sinking feeling that I would die some day without anyone else ever hearing it.

But then eventually as the years rolled by something amazing happened.  The music industry changed.  It was no longer about getting that record deal on a major label and being discovered. It was suddenly about being your own record label.  Discovering yourself and putting out your own music on the internet or college radio or just pressing it onto a CD and handing it out to friends and family. You might still be a small fish in a big pond, but, now you could at least SWIM in that pond! It was an incredible change - a new paradigm - which unfortunately has caused many record labels to scramble to reinvent themselves. But all in all, I believe it's been a good thing for artists - songwriters like myself who would never have had the opportunity to be heard otherwise.

So, I dusted off those songs and recorded a few new ones and put out a CD called Winter Magic.  I gave my CD to friends and family for Christmas and sold a few too.  And, then six years later came Summer Magic. And, now, my latest CD in the series is Autumn Magic - seven songs written and recorded in about a month's time in my home studio using a Tascam 8-track digital, which I love. (If I can figure out how to use this thing, anyone can.)

Yes - Autumn is a magical time, and working at the Village Recorder was too.  (I hadn't planned on writing about my time at the Village but somehow the memory of it intertwined with my memories of Autumn!)

AUTUMN MAGIC is available on my website - 

j9art.com

QUOTABLE THOREAU

When I think about the people who have influenced my life in big ways, Henry David Thoreau immediately comes to mind. I really don't know when I discovered this amazing man who was one of the first environmentalists in the world, but he has shaped my way of living hugely.

In a nutshell, he teaches us to live in harmony with nature. To live simply.  To not be greedy or gluttonous.  "Let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand... and keep your accounts on your thumb-nail."  

I'm not going to lie and tell you that I've always had it glued together, following Henry's advice to the tee, living simply and without complications. I've had credit card debt go wild - I've multi-tasked at times, playing in two or three bands at once, two or three part time jobs, juggling like a wild woman, running from one task (or dream) to another. But, as I get older, and hopefully wiser, I'm learning the beauty of keeping it simple.  I don't buy things I don't need. I don't buy things I can't afford. I keep it simple.  Life is not a race to see who's going to win, it's an amazing journey and every day I get to live on this planet is a great gift.

My husband and I have always talked about having children, but not in the way that most might think. We wanted to have creative children.  Projects. Books. Screenplays. Music, etc.  We wanted to leave this world with meaningful co-productions but the years flew past and we just kept putting things off. Until this year!  We now have six children (books).  Our most recent is "Quotable Thoreau".  And, as you can imagine I am very excited to announce its arrival!   I hope I can introduce (or re-introduce) his works to many people with this book.  

If you would like to read a free sample - or buy the e-book please click on one of the links below.  (Hopefully it will be available in print soon too.)

AMAZON.COM

Barnesandnoble.com

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the Life you imagined."

                                                                             Henry David Thoreau

Many thanks to my friend and talented musician Carolyn Downie for taking the photo of Walden Pond which graces the cover of the book.

HOW TO HAVE A MONEY MAKING GARAGE SALE - Now Available on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble

CRACKING THE E-BOOK CODE

Last year when I told my parents that I wanted to learn how to write e-books and start an on-line publishing company I asked them to think of a book that we might be able to write together.

It didn't take long for their response. They knew immediately what they wanted to write about:  how to have a money making garage sale.  Over the past several decades my parents have gone to hundreds of garage sales, yard sales and estate sales. They've also hosted dozens and dozens of sales themselves.

With their vast knowledge I agreed that this would be an excellent choice.  So I started with a rough draft and sent it up to them. They embellished on it and sent it back to me and then we did it all over again. (Writing is re-writing...)

We worked on the final draft together while on a cruise up in Alaska last September and then came the tough part.  How the heck was I supposed to get it from my computer onto the internet?  I read several 'how to' tutorials and I even purchased a subscription to an amazing website called My Ecover maker.com where I learned how to design e-book covers, but I still had this awful block when it came to finishing it. So instead I played 'Scrabble' on my computer for a couple of months. (I even made it to the 'elite' level.)

Then one day the planets must have aligned.  My confidence made a rare appearance and I barreled through the concrete wall of fear that I had created over the months. AND I DID IT!

The flood gates are open now.  Several more e-books are on the way and I'm assisting others with their e-books too (including my husband who now has THREE e-books available on Amazon.com!).

I'm excited about this new direction and I hope that I can help others with their e-books too. I still have a lot to learn but I think it's safe to say, I've cracked the e-book code!

Click here to read a sample from our book on Amazon.com!
Click here to read a sample on your Barnes & Noble Nook

Meet the Authors!  JACK, JANINE & IRENE 

MANY THANKS to Michael Dougherty (I took 2 excellent night classes from him) and local romance novelist Catherine Bybee (who gave me some excellent advice last year).

I'm very happy & honored to once again be exhibiting my paintings at the La Canada Flintridge Library during the month of February. 

Below are the paintings on exhibit along with the price list.  If interested in purchasing a painting or print, please e-mail me at:  j9art_music@yahoo.com 

Thanks!    J-nine

Klina Dog -  18" x 28"  - $150.00

Peace on Earth -  11" x 14"  - $100.00

    Hearts  Acrylic - 11" x 14" -  $125.00

Mexicat - Acrylic  11" x 14"  - $150.00

Night Horse - print - $50.00

    

Felix - print - $50.00

Sad Cat - print - $50.00   

            

         

Toraya - 16" x 24" - $175.00

      

Head in the Clouds - 16" x 24" $175.00

Wink  11" x 14"  SOLD

            

Thoreau - 11" x 14" - $200.00

Soleil - 11" x 14"  $150.00       

Elliptic 11" x 14"  $150.00

Just arrived - 16" x 24" - SOLD

Hopeful  15" x 15"  $150.00

Candle  16" x 24"  $500.00

    

Blue E.T.  11" x 14"  $150.00

Emmy - 24" x 36"  $200.00

                 

Linda @ the Getty 24" x 36" $200.00

Faith  16" x 24" -  $200.00

Hoot Owl - 16" x 24" - $150.00

Jack Cooper's article in the Kodiak Mirror

Proud of my Dad today (on Veteran's Day) and always, for being such a great man!  Here's an article about him.

 

 

 

A Veteran recalls Kodiak Experience - published on November 12, 2012 in the Kodiak Mirror

 

 



                                           

                                           Jack is second from the right playing the saxophone



Spring 1944 promised a surprise for both the civilian and military personnel of Naval Operating Base Kodiak. A press release announced that an all-girl dance band would arrive to perform for the whole community. Enticing ads appeared in the military newsletter and the Kodiak Daily Mirror. Flyers flew around town and anticipation grew. There were few enough women in Alaska, especially during the war years. The Navy had a local dance band on the island, but they were all men. This would be something different.

The band’s sax and clarinet player knew it would be more than just different. It would be a complete surprise.

The evening of the show, the naval auditorium filled with military and civilians. But it was mostly military men, anxious to get an eyeful of this all-girl band. With the curtain closed, and the band set up behind it, the lights dimmed and the sax and clarinet player placed his instrument to his lips and waited for the conductor’s signal.

Soon Glenn Miller style big band music filled the theater and the audience waited anxiously. As the curtain crept opened, the applause and cheers and hoots grew to a crescendo. Then, as the band came into full view, the sax and clarinet player recalled, dead silence ensued. Anyone who has performed on stage knows this can be frightening — audience reaction can turn in many directions. In the stillness, the band could feel the audience studying them, observing the dresses and wigs and makeup and high heel shoes.

Suddenly, the awkward silence turned to bursts of laughter and applause as the audience recognized the male members of the naval band and orchestra dressed in drag.

The sax and clarinet player was 21-year-old Jack Cooper. This summer, I met him and his daughter, Janine Cooper-Ayres, while I worked my way through Southeast Alaska as the naturalist aboard the cruise ship Sea Princess. This was his third cruise to Southeast Alaska. I asked his daughter if her father had any photographs and was willing to share his memories. Back home, Janine rounded up several of Cooper’s photographs from the period, interviewed him about his experiences during the war, and sent me the photos and the transcript. I thank her for help in writing this story. (Janine is a singer, songwriter and artist in her own right. Google her name to check out her work.)

Cooper was born in Plymouth, Penn. in 1923. His father was a professional musician who had a dance band, and Cooper grew up playing sax and clarinet at dances, theatrical events and on weekends. The family moved to Detroit, where Cooper graduated from high school. For a while, he worked at WXYZ-AM as the music librarian.

That’s where Cooper was, in the radio station’s newsroom, when Pearl Harbor was bombed. He was one of the first people in Detroit to learn of that event. A co-worker ripped the story off the Teletype and handed it to Cooper to take to the announcer. He and two of his buddies enlisted right away. Cooper went as a rated musician, since he felt that was the best way he could serve his country. He was 19 years old. He trained for six weeks at the Great Lakes Naval Training Facility in Illinois as a musician 2nd class. He also played drums , did shore patrol duty, and was assigned to the bugle corps. From there he went to Bremerton, Wash. before his assignment at Kodiak.

Cooper had never flown before, and he recalls the pilot making three attempts to land amid Kodiak’s steep mountains in the heavy fog and rain. It was autumn, and with the mild weather the landscape was still green. Kodiak was a frontier town to Cooper, with its muddy unpaved streets and its wooden sidewalks.

Rehearsals with the small band and occasionally with the larger 16-piece orchestra during the day kept him busy as well as the performances at night along with one or weekly radio broadcasts. His band played at many local dances and Cooper recalls the residents of Kodiak being very hospitable toward the military. His unit had other duties and chores, including keeping the recreation hall in good shape. On his days off, he fished for salmon and trout and viewed eagles, bear and other wildlife.

In addition to the all girl band program, Cooper recalls helping put on the largest stage production on Kodiak up to that time. They called it “This is the Navy.” Military personnel from all the branches of the service participated with the music, songs, costumes, stage scenery and lyrics. Many local civilians also took part. The show ran for several nights and got great reviews in the local newspaper.

After 10 months in Kodiak, Jack Cooper’s unit was sent back to the States, but Cooper hadn’t fulfilled his overseas duty, so he was transferred to Adak. He spent some time in Dutch Harbor awaiting transport, keeping busy on guard duty along the docks — four hours on, eight off — around the clock. The memory of the darkness and the cold, foggy and wet weather remains with him today.

Finally, he got a flight to Adak. It’s not so bad there, he was told — there’s a girl behind every tree. Of course, there were no trees on Adak and hardly a bush. (Today, a tiny grove of trees is ironically called the Adak National Forest). Cooper spent a year on Adak playing for dances with a seven piece jazz band. But he also trained to operate 20- millimeter anti-air craft guns, and was assigned to a bunker during general alarm alerts.

Among Cooper’s memories of Adak were its limited food supply, and the rare event of a beer shipment allowing every man two bottles. He recalls the erratic weather — listening to the hard rain on his Quonset hut roof while playing poker with friends. Then silence, and when the soldiers looked out there was nearly a foot of snow. By morning it had turned to rain and the snow was gone. Rain, snow, fog, ice, hurricane-force winds called williwaws, and crashing waves, especially on the Bering Sea side of the island. That was life on Adak.

Sunny days were so rare that, when they finally got one, the base commander declared it a holiday and gave everyone the day off. Cooper recalls the dark days of winter and the light days of summer — and a summer baseball game played at midnight.

While he was on Adak, President Roosevelt visited the island, the last military base he visited before his death. Cooper and the Navy band stood in the rain for an hour waiting for the President’s arrival. The band eventually greeted and saluted him as his motorcade drove by.

By December 1944, his time was up and he returned to Bremerton via a captured German luxury liner that had been converted to a troop ship. He recalls 20-foot to 30-foot seas and no one allowed on deck. Nearly half the troops on board became sick, and Cooper lost nearly 15 pounds on the 11-day voyage.

“When I walked off that ship,” he says, “I was carrying my duffle bag and alongside that was a diddy bag containing my personal effects plus my saxophone and clarinet cases. I was pretty weak, but I was so thrilled and happy to be back on land … I could’ve carried a two-ton elephant.”

When Cooper arrived in Washington, D.C., the war was still on. A two-week leave brought him back to Detroit, then to a music school in Virginia. Finally, he got an assignment as an armed guard at Camp Shelton in Norfolk, VA. There he recalls talking with many German prisoners of war. “We were in the base when the information came in,” he recalls. “The bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.” Two days later the Japanese surrendered.

“Thanks, but no thanks,” was his response to joining the Naval Reserve. With his honorable discharge, he returned to Detroit and got a B.S. in Business Administration from Lawrence Institute of Technology under the G.I. Bill, working odd jobs, including band gigs, to supplement his income.

During this time he met and married his wife, Irene. Together they raised four daughters. Today Cooper is 89-years-old, and lives in Grass Valley, CA with Irene.

Most of us know a little about World War II in Alaska — about the coastal defense forts, the bombing of Dutch Harbor and the war in the Aleutian Islands. But we know little about the personal lives of the thousands of individual soldiers stationed here. Their photographs and letters and stories are still in family hands.

Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower once said: “I know nothing which so improves the morale of the soldier as to see his unit, or his name, in print — just once.” Let his be a tribute in print to one veteran stationed in Alaska during World War II, and to the sacrifices he made — a small sampling of one soldier’s story.

Doug Capra is a writer who lives in Seward. This article was first printed in the Seward Journal.

 

 

My Hollywood Years - part 1

When I was young, living back in Michigan, I used to watch the Carol Burnett show religiously every Saturday night at 8:00 on CBS.  She was my idol.  I wanted to be a comedic actress just like her when I grew up! 

But then my family moved to northern California and life was anything but funny.  The move was traumatic and life became (melo)dramatic.  I was so self conscious about EVERYTHING as are most adolescents.

But, still I had a fascination with the glamour and magic of Hollywood. So, when I moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music, it didn’t take long for me to  find my way into the entertainment industry.  My first experience was as an ‘extra’ in a movie directed by Clint Eastwood. It was called “Bird” about the life of jazz saxophonist, Charlie Parker.

One day while on set, during lunch, Mr. Eastwood walked toward me with his tray of food. He nearly sat down right next to me. I sat there frozen as a statue as he approached - I probably scared him off with the look on my face as he slowly walked past me.  He went on to sit a little bit further down at the same table - with the background actors!  Later I found out that he sometimes ate with the extras.  (I've worked on hundreds of productions since and have never seen a director do that.)  He also had the most unique way of directing. He never yelled, "ACTION", it was more of a subtle nod of the head and a quiet, "Okay, let's go."

Although I enjoyed background acting I couldn't get by on the wages, so I began doing temp. work.  I was living in Venice at the time, near the beach and I rode my bike often.  One day I passed by a disheveled group of warehouse buildings with the facade of a castle being built in front of one of them.  I rode my bike into the lot which turned out to be the home of Roger Corman's movie studio.  I really didn't know who he was at the time, but later found out he was "KING OF THE B-MOVIES - a producer who discovered actors like Jack Nickolson, Robert DeNiro and Dennis Hopper. 

As I was admiring the painters creating the look of carved stone on the make-believe castle facade I told them that I was a painter and asked how I might get involved in doing art on film sets. I was directed to talk with the Production Designer and he asked if I might be willing to do an 'internship'.  I agreed and began working at Roger Corman Studios the very next day. 

I worked for free for two days and then after that I became a paid employee making $75.00 a day!  I went on to work at the studio for four or five months ("Time Trackers" and "Transylvania Twist" were a few movies that I worked on) and then I found out about another movie that was going into production. That's how it worked, and still does - you just start putting the feelers out - "What's next?" Who's crewing up?" "What's the budget?" "Is it union or non-union?" and so on... 

My next job would turn out to be on a movie of the week being filmed at the legendary MGM studios in Culver City. It was my first time on a studio lot - and it was magical! I worked on a TV movie called "Till We Meet Again".

That project led into another one called "Solar Crisis" which turned out to be one of Charlton Heston's last movies!  It was a Sci-Fi movie and we had to create otherworldly landscapes inside of a large warehouse somewhere in the Long Beach area.

During this time I moved from Venice Beach to a guest house in Santa Monica. I had heard that a movie about the rock band "THE DOORS" was crewing up so I gathered the courage to walk into the "Doors" production office with portfolio in hand and met the Art Director.  She looked at my art work and said that she might have a job for me. And, indeed she did!  I was hired to re-create Jim Morrison's sketches in the dozens of journals he wrote in while he was alive. Every couple of days I would go into the office and I'd be given a few notebooks to doodle and sketch in. (Somebody else had already done the writing part).  

One day the Art Director took me in to Oliver Stone's office and introduced me to him.   It was exciting to meet the famous director!  I thanked him for the work and told him how thrilled I was to be a part of the project.  When the movie came out I was anxious to see if my art had made it onto the screen. And, sure enough it had!  There are two close-ups of my artwork and although I was never given a credit at the end of the movie I'll always know who's artwork it was on the screen! It was one of my highlights of being an artist in Hollywood!

Me & Fred Savage - while working on THE WONDER YEARS

Still on a confidence high, I rode that wave right into the production office of my favorite TV show at the time. It was called "The Wonder Years".  I left my resume and portfolio with the Art Director (Bill Ryder) and hoped that he'd give me a chance to work on the show.  A few days later I was called in to work!  It was so unreal being on the set of a show that I watched all the time. I felt as though I'd already known the actors. And, everyone treated me with kindness from the start.  I went on to work on that show for three years as their on-call set dresser/scenic artist! I remember the last day of filming. We were each given a Director's chair with our name on it.  They served us lobster for lunch and there were plenty of tears and hugs to go around as we said our good-byes.  When you work long hours with a crew you often create a bond.  Although I've lost touch with those I worked with, there will always be a place in my heart for them and for the "Wonder Years".

MORE HOLLYWOOD MEMORIES TO COME!


Janine's art and music can be seen and heard @  www.j9art.com





   

Painting VIPS (Very important Pets)

Several years ago my friend Chris asked me to paint three of his cats and his dog.  In fact, they were to be the first of my series of Pet Portraits. Although Chris and I lost track of one another I recently heard from him again. He has two new family members (a cat and a dog) and he asked me if I could continue the series.  The painting below of his cat ("GEORGE") may have been the very first pet portrait I ever did!



GEORGE

 Since then I've painted dozens of them and it's really an honor to commemorate these VIPs (very important pets).  It's also a bit anxiety provoking because each time I do it I strive to capture the spirit and personality of these special creatures.

When I was young we had a family dog (she was a little wiener dog - a Miniature Dachshund). We rescued her from at  a shelter back in Michigan. She soon became part of our family. It didn't matter that she looked a little different (and smelled a little different!).  She was one of us and when she passed away, it was one of the most difficult times of my life!  Can you believe, it still brings tears to my eyes to think back on her passing...

As sad as that time was I'm glad that I experienced it because it made me realize just how important pets are - all animals really - to those who love them.  I also realize that with each portrait I paint, there's a responsibility of trying to get it right. With that being said, I have to admit, I'm really not a great artist, so it's a real challenge, each and every time! 

One of the first portraits I painted was of "NOCHE". He  liked to be out at night prowling for mice and other critters. For this reason I decided to paint him in a night scene.  I call this painting NOCHE @ NOCHE.

NOCHE @ NOCHE

I've met some interesting people through the years who've collaborated with me in unique ways. I've been asked to paint clients' pets on different planets - or flying through the sky with wings.  A few years ago I was commissioned to paint a pet portrait as a wedding gift to a couple who lived on the East Coast.  I was asked to send it to them directly upon finishing it and I did, but the package got lost in the mail! Just as I was about to start all over it was found. Thank God for that because I think I got lucky and the painting came out well. The dog's name is "OTIS" - shown below.



OTIS



I'd like to thank all of those who have entrusted me with painting their VIP! It's something I'll probably continue to do for as long as I'm able to - and for as long as I'm asked.

If you would like to immortalize your pet, or know someone who might, please don't hesitate to contact me at:



j9art_music@yahoo.com



MARLEY



MADDIE