Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Jessica Star blogs about her new Country cd and recent show

Hey y’all!

Greetings from Brooklyn, NY where Country music does indeed live!

I’m still writing new songs for my upcoming Country cd and I’m well on my way. I’ve got about 14 so far and my goal is to have about 20 and then choose the strongest 12 songs for album. I’ve never written a whole album before and it’s a really fun process. My past three albums have been compilations of songs that I already had finished that we recorded and put out as an album. The thing about that way of doing it is, at least for me, you get a variety of genres. This way of writing is more focused and I think it’s going to end with a very cohesive Country cd.

My show last Friday at the Dinosaur BBQ in Harlem was very fun. I sang with Jason Rosen’s band for a good three hours and then went home and enjoyed delicious barbeque at 3am.



That’s all for now,



Jessica Star

Monday, May 18, 2009

Jessica Star sings with Last Tribe at the Dinosaur BBQ in Harlem, Friday, May 29th!!!

I’ll be fronting Jason Rosen’s band this night. The band is smokin’ and the food is delicious. This is a very cool venue with a vibe all to itself right in Harlem.

My first show since I brought little Joshua into the world!

This is a very fun, high energy gig so come on down!

See you there,

 

Jessica Star

Friday, May 29th

10-1am

The Dinosaur Barbque, Harlem

646 W 131st St. (behind Fairway market)

New York, NY 10027



212-694-1777

Monday, April 20, 2009

Jessica Star writes about the birth of her son Joshua Star Sanders

Hey world!

I had my baby! His name is Joshua Star Sanders and he was born on Wednesday, February 25th, 2009 at 12:04 pm in Greenwich Village, NYC at St. Vincent’s hospital via cesarean. Little dude was breech and we did EVERYTHING to try coercing him in to turning but no, he had his own plans.



We were planning on a home birth but when you have a breech situation that’s not really a great way to go. So, I had to suck it up and go do the thing I feared most about this pregnancy, getting cut open and having the baby just taken out. I was actually looking forward to the rite of passage that comes with the natural birth process. I’d read up on it for 8 months and really done my homework, only to have a spinal block in the operating room and be totally numb from the torso down when he was brought in to the world. Ah, well.  Everyone kept saying,” You’ll forget about the actual birth when you have that beautiful little baby in your arms.” I heard that so many times that it actually started to annoy me. I wanted the experience of giving birth and after seeing Ricki Lake’s movie,” The business of being born” I really wanted a homebirth.



Before I went in for the cesarean, I felt like I’d gone through my fears and disappointments about the change in our birthing plans. My husband Ben was with me the whole time and he wore my majorly mojo-filled birthing necklace that I planned on wearing, as they don’t let you wear any jewelry during surgery. The necklace is a long and heavy piece containing 23 different friends beads, trinkets and charms that they’d given to me for the necklace, sending their support for a safe passage. Well, all the mojo worked! It was a weird experience having a cesarean, but honestly all the staff members at St. Vincent’s were really cool and very personable. I felt I could connect with all of them which made a weird, sterile situation much more tolerable.



We stayed in a private room in the hospital for three days so that Ben could be with me the whole time. All of the nurses were really helpful with teaching me how to breast-feed. Our room was on the ninth floor overlooking Manhattan, the Hudson River, and Jersey. The three days I spent in the hospital were pretty painful with the stitches and staples in my lower abdomen but I was on a pretty high dose of Motrin that whole time.  One part that sucked was that both Ben and I had the flu at the time, and with it an awful cough. Every time I coughed it hurt a lot! Luckily there’s cough syrup that’s safe for breast-feeding so, at two in the morning after we were home for a day, Ben went out and got it for us.



By Saturday we got to go home but there was a possibility that they wanted to keep Joshua for a few days because he had a high Bilirubin count, indicating jaundice. We had to take him back to the lab and the pediatrician the following Monday and Wednesday to have that checked and you can imagine how much fun it was traveling with a newborn after having a cesarean. Thankfully, his count went down by the second appointment to the pediatrician. It was so good to be back home. I was so grateful for our nice home and a quiet environment.



At the time of this writing, Joshua is seven and a half weeks old! Time is really flying by. I can now go back to yoga, which I did yesterday for the first time (you’re supposed to heal for six weeks first).

After hearing stories from women who had their babies around the same time as me, I don’t think having a cesarean was really all that bad. Sure, it’s not what I would have chosen but there are positives like, I never went in to labor, I didn’t go through labor, I’m not stretched out down there at all, I’ve actually healed up rather quickly, and Joshua’s head was never cone shaped- he has a cute, round head.



Now, I do know there are aspects of a natural birth that I wish he and I would have gotten to experience; the first being him going through the birth canal. There is the stretching and squeezing of the baby that awakens their nervous system and lengthens their bodies that we didn’t get to do. Also, there are hormones that are released in the mother during the delivery that make her naturally protective of her baby. I’m super protective so, that happened even without the natural delivery.



So, in conclusion, I’m very grateful that we’re at a point in time where cesarean is a safe option if you need to do it that way. We are both healthy and that is what’s important, just like everyone said. I don’t feel cheated out of my birth experience because I feel like this WAS my birth experience. For whatever reason, the universe had it’s own agenda.



Jessica Star, mother of Joshua Star Sanders

4/20/09 Brooklyn, NY

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

New Year’s in New Mexico

We just got home from nine days in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico! What’s there? Friends and natural hot springs! We soaked at least two to three times a day, every day and ate a lot of Mexican food. It’s such a trippy place. We were there for New Year’s and went to a party at an Italian restaurant in the town. I’m very happy to be home even if it is to come back to the city of cold, wet weather.

If you’ve been reading my blog, then you know I’m very pregnant. I’m in my eighth month and I’m pretty huge. More rotund every day. It’s cool, I’m digging it. One of the things we noticed once we left NYC for our travels is that people say things to pregnant women that they really shouldn’t. It’s like they think that just because you’re pregnant, it gives them license to stop editing their mouths and just say whatever they want and the pregnant woman is supposed to just take it. Lucky for them I did hold my tongue. I have a pretty sharp comeback unless I’m trying to be good. Also, when you’re pregnant, you’re way more emotional and hormonal so it’s kind of ironic that that’s when people start saying whatever they want to about your size, looks, etc. If you’re reading this and you know someone or interact with someone who is pregnant, the only real good thing to say is something along the lines of,” you are absolutely radiant!” Get my drift? We don’t need to be reminded of how huge we are. We also don’t need the unprofessional opinion about how we look like we’re going to “pop one out any day”. Geez! Learn some manners! It’s alright, I wrote a song about it.  More fuel for the fire!



Jessica Star and little Nugget

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Jessica Star rocks with Last Tribe at Harlem’s Dinosaur Barbque on November 15th!

I’ll be fronting the smokin’ band Last Tribe once again at this AWESOME venue!

The show starts at 10pm and there’s no cover. There is great food at this place!

**************************

Saturday, November 15th

10-1am

The Dinosaur Barbque

646 W 131st St. (behind Fairway market)

New York, NY 10027

212-694-1777

My Gizzi’s Coffeehouse appearance is cancelled although, the show will go on

hi folks,

I had to cancel my solo show for this Friday, Nov.7th at Gizzi’s Coffeehouse. 

Sorry if you planned on coming there to hear me! Come to the Dinosaur BBQ on the 15th and hear me with Last Tribe instead!

 

Jessica Star

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Jessica Star is having a baby boy!!!

Well, we got our 20 week sonogram yesterday in NYC and the baby is a boy! Looks very healthy, smart, funny and cute. Oh, it also looks very talented. It is so mind bending to watch a little person moving around in your belly! I mean, I’m aware of it and I know it’s happening inside me but when you actually see it on a monitor with those 3-D shots where you can really see it’s (his) features… Absolutely wild. The funny thing is, it’s the most normal thing in the world and that’s how every one of us got here! I watch so much sci-fi that sometimes when I think about birth and how women are the only way people are born onto this planet, it seems almost old fashioned. Like the test tube way of doing it and science taking over is the more “posh” way to create babies but, at this point and hopefully forever actually, babies are born through women. Nothing else can recreate the loving environment that a real mommy provides.

I’m hoping to glean some songwriting inspiration today from our sonogram experience yesterday. Oh, the baby was moving around the entire time we were watching it! A Very active New Yorker!

 

Jessica Star

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Jessica Star rocked with Jason Rosen’s “Last Tribe NYC” at the Red Lion tonight!

Wow! Just came home from the Red Lion show… Nice one. The band, “Last Tribe NYC” was SMOKIN’!!! We ripped it up for 3 hours on a Monday night. That crowd down there on Bleeker Street really knows how to have a good time!

My belly is growing and growing! I just saw the pictures from tonight’s show. It’s amazing how much your body can change in so short a time. I really am having a blast being pregnant. I was the girl who didn’t know if I ever wanted to have kids; it didn’t look all that appetizing as I looked around at people who were doing it but, I read somewhere lately that it’s God’s secret really that you never know how amazing the journey is until you’re on it. I believe that. We’re just beginning the journey and it’s amazing.

I think this was Nugget’s fifth gig so far. Yes, Nugget is what we call the little one inside. Of course, we’ll name it something more appropriate once it’s born!

Okay, it’s 4:14am and I am officially TIRED!





Good night fair reader,



Jessica

Monday, September 29, 2008

life in NYC

The Honky Tonk Angels show was FUN! I played solo for a half hour and had a great time doing it. I debuted two new songs: Boxes of Tears and Wild Rose. Yep, hopefully soon I’ll be able to add the video from these shows I’ve been doing onto my website and myspace!

And for all of you who haven’t heard yet…

I’m pregnant! As of now, I’m 17 weeks! Pretty cool. I’ve had three shows so far as a pregnant lady; one in Greenwich Village, one in Harlem, and one in the East Village. Thank God they make stylish maternity clothes! It’s relieving to me to be able to get really cute clothes as I grow bigger and bigger.

  I guess our baby is going to be a New Yorker! I have no desire to live anywhere else.  I love it here. I feel like I’ve thrived as a person and as an artist in this crazy environment.  I’m spoiled now too. Where as I used to shop at flea markets and garage sales, now I never find anything I actually want to have in my possession at those places; nothing used really. I have a theory about the clothes that you get used here in NYC compared to the ones on the west coast; I think the ones here are just more used and stinky. More likely my taste has just changed. Although, because there are so many stylish people here, every once in a while I’ll happen upon a stoop sale with ladies my size and find designer stuff like Betsey Johnson dresses, and they’re cheap! Those I pick up.

  I’m so happy to be home after so much traveling in late August and mid September.

We went to Burning Man, our annual pilgrimage, and as you can guess, I was super tired this year! I never even made it out on the playa at night to check out the art and the parties. Ah well, I was having my own inner party. I pretty much just hung out at camp, ate and slept. It was a hotttt year too. We left two days earlier than planned and thank God for that. There was a nine-hour dust storm on Saturday that pushed the burn back til like, 2am or so. We left on Friday. I’m so grateful for my intuition. We were in my favorite spot, Mt. Shasta, before and after Burning Man and that was awesome. It was our one-year anniversary of being married so we went up to the spot on the mountain where we had our ceremony. What a special place.

  We flew home for one week of sleeping (for me) and then flew out to Seattle for my best friends’ wedding near Port Townsend, WA. It was a beautiful wedding on the beach.  We flew home and it all added up.. All the traveling, all the socializing, I was so pooped! The Dixie Chicks said something about never plan a tour when you’re pregnant and I can totally see why. Just the plane flights are exhausting!

  I’m all better now and just very happy to be home without any big travel plans in the too near future. I just wanted to write a little more than I have been, let you in on a little bit of my life here in this wild city. I wish you, the reader, all the best and hope you’re enjoying your time on this fair planet.





Jessica Star

Monday, September 08, 2008

Jessica Star’s single,"What she is” is in rotation on American Country Radio Network!

Hi!

Things are definitely heating up here for my music!!! This is a radio show my newest song,” What she is” is on AND in rotation!!! Check out the show! Notice that my air date happens to be on the anniversary of 9/11. I dedicate this show to everyone who was affected by this tragedy. May we all experience greater and greater bliss in the times to come,



  Jessica Star



**************************************************************************************************************

The following is the playlist for the Ladies of Country Music Radio Show which will air on American Country Radio Network on 9/11. This new show will broadcast at 11 am and re-broadcast at 6 pm and 10 pm (Central Time).

To tune in click on the link below:



http://www.acrn.fm/listen





Thursday – 9/11/08:

Artists featured in this show are:  Jessica Star, Rustie Blue, Danielle Tucker, Natalie Logan, Tabatha and Southern Fryd, Kelly Lee, Valerie Borman, Tori Bigelow, Jenny Brooks, Shauna Faegan, Amanda Nagurney, Ashley McWalter, Ashleigh Cole, The Kelly J Band, Katy Kiefer, Sherry St. John, Sarah Vetrano

Sunday, September 07, 2008

Jessica Star sang at the Dinosaur BBQ in Harlem last night!

Last night I sang with Jason Rosen’s band at the Dinosaur Barbque up in Harlem. It was a lot of fun! We played for about 3 hours I think and ate some delicious food. We got video of the show, some of it good, some of it not so good depending on where my husband was standing with the camera due to the other audience members moving around and in front of it. I must say, I looked a bit like a lady pirate last night, all in black. The idea is to put some of the video up on my website and on myspace. This of course takes editing and converting and time so we’ll see if it happens and how soon.

We’re in town til next Wednesday when we fly off to Seattle for my best friends’ wedding on a beautiful island near Port Townsend, WA. They’re getting married on the beach! I still need cute shoes but the need for shoes always translates to me as the opportunity to acquire new cowgirl boots. Okay, maybe a beach wedding isn’t exactly perfect for boots but I think I can make it work. The tricky part is finding cute boots here in NYC that are REAL cowgirl boots, not just the style, but the real thing. The last good ones I got were in El Paso, Texas.

We’ve been home from the west coast for almost five days now. It’s kind of funny to be home for only a week and then fly off across the country again! It’s preparing me for touring!

Alright you readers!





Jessica Star

Saturday, September 06, 2008

Jessica Star is back from Burning Man 2008!

Hey! Whoo! We just got back from our ten-day trip out to Northern California and Black Rock City, Nevada! It was our one-year anniversary of being married and since we got married right on Mt. Shasta, we went back and celebrated there. We also visited my good friends who live nearby and swam in the most beautiful Castle Lake.

Our Burning Man trip this year was the shortest one ever! We were there all of two days! We got there Wednesday and left Friday. My brother came with us and it was his very first burn. We went back to Mt. Shasta for four more days after Burning Man and mostly slept and relaxed before coming back to our lives in NYC. Now we’re back to work and it’s soon going to be FALL!!! I play at the Dinosaur Barbque tonight, Sept.6th, with Jason Rosen’s band and then at the end of the month, Saturday, Sept.27th I’m playing solo at Banjo Jim’s for the “Honky Tonk Angels” show!

Rock on!

Jessica Star

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Jessica Star blogging after the Tuesday night jam, NYC

Good evening! I just got home from the jam at Kenny’s Castaways with Jason Rosen. I walked in- he called me on to the stage! I must remember to apply my lipstick BEFORE I walk in the club. So, I sang the first set with no lipstick, whatever. The microphone usually covers my lips anyway.

Tonight was fun and there were a lot of people down there. I went for a walk with some musicians and found a slice of pepperoni pizza… Why is pepperoni so darn good? It just is.

It’s late- 3am. I must go to bed now!



Other news? I just wrote a good tune called,” Boxes of tears”. It’s the second song on my new cd!





Kisses,



Jessica Star®

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

website construction! Live shows! Benefit jam!

My website is getting some lovely reconstruction! There is music on my site now! Soon we’ll be adding video! I’m very excited about this. 

Live performing has been great. I sang up in Harlem at the Dinosaur Barbque with Mo’Soul, which is Jason Rosen’s band. The audience was very supportive and they dug the music. The food there was delicious. The Tuesday night jams at Kenny’s Castaways are always fun. It’s a very cool venue and looks like the inside of a pirate ship. I’ve been learning new cover songs and it’s a good place to debut them.

I’m writing new songs for my forthcoming album (get it; 4th coming, it’s my 4th album!)

What else, what else? There’s a benefit reunion jam coming up next Monday the 14th here in NYC for a musician named Lorin Donadio. Here is the info:



Bobby Nathan Reunion Jam



July 14th, 2008

7pm

at The Underscore

1733 First Avenue @ 90th Street, New York, New York 10128

Cost : $20



This is the Reunion/Benefit jam for Lorin Donadio







That’s the news for now!



Jessica Star

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Jessica Star sings at Kenny’s Castaways for the Tuesday night jam and talks about it!

Tonight was a great time at Kenny’s Castaways. I have seven new songs that I’m singing with the band; Damn your eyes and Shakey Ground (Etta James), Groove me (King Floyd), Super Duper Love and Some kind of wonderful (Joss Stone), I want to take you higher (Ike and Tina Turner), and Do right man (Aretha Franklin). We played all of them tonight in preparation for our gig this Friday at the Dinosaur Barbque in Harlem. I have a feeling that show is going to be very fun.

 There’s a lot of energy in the air right now! Summer solstice just happened and it definitely feels like there’s more light!





Good night,



Jessica Star