Wednesday, March 26, 2003

Entry #18

What a long way we've come since those blessed caveman days...Tonight was a great show at N.Y.C.'s Village Underground!!! We played the last slot on a bill of women rockers! My band really played fabulously.~Really. Tom Hopke on lead guitar, he's great, Dean Zucchero on bass, and Dave Dawson on drums. They were tight and everyone who responded after the show was really impressed with the band. Thursday night is my birthday party and we'll be at Le Bar Bat from 10:30pm on...You know, this is really fun stuff. It's easy right now 'cause there's a great amount of synchronicity but, I remember about two years back, things were not as groovy..."Get it while you can" and dig it while it's happening. That's the big key. When the good times are upon you, dig them and really be present. Be in the moment. That is how you can be present. Enjoy it while it's happening, then it changes into something entirely different, then, you dig that. I wish you all the best time that life has to offer... Love, Jes

Saturday, March 22, 2003

Entry #17

Good evening campers!!! Isn't this a cool backdrop for the "captain's log, star date 2003"... Ha ha ha haa!!! We just had the coolest show at Le Bar Bat tonight! The band rocked!!! Two rehearsals and those guys went in and ripped it up! Yippy!!! I'm so happy! Yep, a real good show. We might play there again this thursday night for my birthday party! We went out to eat dinner afterwards at one of my favorite digs, Carmine's.~Family style portions of Italian food.~Bliss on a plate!!! It's funny, being here and living my dream, literally! I literally used to dream at night that I was here doing this, for a year straight and now I'm really here living it. I just remember what it felt like to not be here and feel sooooo pulled to be here and to do exactly what I'm doing now. I guess I'm trying to say that if you're reading this and can relate to the feeling that you know there's something you have to do for your soul to feel complete then, by all means, go through whatever fire you see before you and live it 'cause it is worth every struggle!!! No regrets!!! I just found it harder to live with possible regrets about my choices in life than the fear of doing it~really living it. That's my  post-show sermon! What a great time! And, we had some special guests on stage!!! Jeff Watkins on sax and Ginetta on pocket trumpet! We had a six-piece band and they rocked!!! Over and out, Jessica Star

Thursday, March 20, 2003

Entry #16

There's a mighty heavy feeling in the city this morning. We are officially at war with Iraq. There are no planes coming in or out of N.Y.C., I guess that's more protection for us but, it makes me feel a little claustrophobic! On a lighter note, the band is coming along splendidly and we play our first show tomorrow night at Le Bar Bat! So strange how such wreaking devastation and such brilliant dream living can all be happening at one time on one planet...The yin and the yang? I guess I'm here in N.Y.C. for the long haul, I hope it turns out peacefully. Amazing how after only two years in the White House, we're at war with Iraq... Yes, I'm very opinionated, very opinionated. I just keep focusing on music as that's my own way of bringing healing and sanity and love into this world. No one knows the outcome...I pray for Truth, Justice, and Liberty to be realized once again and lived!!! Planetary Peace!!! Jessica Star

Tuesday, March 18, 2003

Entry #15

Happy St.Patricks's Day!!! Just fresh in from the monday night jam at Le Bar Bat. My band and I got to jam together with Bobby who runs the jam and plays a rippin' lead guitar! We had Richie Cannata on sax tonight. He's on all the Billy Joel ablumns... As I said, I love this city! This friday night, the band and I play a full set at Le Bar Bat from 8:30-9:30pm and then a great band from Sydney, Australia called," Citizen Dog" are right after us. Well, tonight was the official speech from Bush about how Saddam Hussein has 48 hours or else...We'll see how it all unfolds... Well, they made it onto my website. What a trippy time on planet earth!!! I felt so much better tonight after I went down to the jam. Music truly is healing. It's your soul expressing itself, yourself... The band rocked tonight. I sewed curtains for the apartment today...How totally hard rock!!! Love, Jessica Star *** Any suggestions for great names for the band??? Write in the "guestbook"!!!

Thursday, March 13, 2003

Entry #14

Yesterday was my first rehearsal with my first band in New York City!!! We rehearsed down in the east village in an underground studio that you enter by going down through the sidewalk! It went really well for the first time. I'm definately excited to play with the guys. It's Tom Hopke on lead guitar, Dean Zucchero on bass, and Dave Dawson on drums. I met them all at Le Bar Bat through the monday night jam. Tonight, I play at a coffee shop called Bean, on the upper west side from 8-10pm, then I go to a private party and sing,"Happy Birthday"...A friend of  mine, Sheri Wagner, will be sitting in for me over at Mr.Bigg's tonight. She's great! She plays guitar and sings and does jazz, swing, and blues. She covers old songs from Bessie Smith! Yep, she's great and a nice lady. I'll be playing at BB King's club on April 23rd for a party for "Talent" magazine!!! I am having so much fun here! Love, Jessica Star

Tuesday, March 11, 2003

Entry #13

Tonight is my show at the East Village's Sidewalk Cafe'. Last night I was there at the Sidewalk for the open mike and a classical violinist sat in with me on "Dragon's Lair"!!! I was in bliss! He was great! Then, I went to the blues jam at Le Bar Bat and sang with the band, some Joplin tunes,"Get it while you can", "Move Over" and then I'd hop on stage whenever the music pulled me up there! Ed Terry was singing,"Man's World" and oh! I couldn't help myself!!! I sang the  second verse and then another female vocalist took  the stage!!! We had a very diverse audience too,  people from  Switzerland and Russia and Texas. Then, in the cab on the way home, my  driver was a pianist who used to play with Chubby Checker! What a WILD island this is!!! I walked about 50 blocks yesterday through the city. I passed the U.N. and there was a rally for freeing Tibetan people from Chinese prisons. It's amazing that there can be SOOOO many different stages of  reality and evolution on one planet at the same time. Tibetan monks in prison!!! Lord help us! My friend says that at least it will be St.Patrick's day, next sunday when Bush wants to go to war, people will be drunk and probably won't notice. A little ironic humor!!! One mudball flying through space..... Love, Jessica Star

Friday, March 07, 2003

Entry #12

Greetings from the isle of the Heart of America...Oh people, we have to pray for world peace!!! It seems that is the only thing that is in OUR POWER to do since our voices and votes seem to not count for much in these strange times.The times the prophecies talk about...Times like these force people to become political when they wouldn't otherwise.If we don't get involved I think, well, it looks pretty grim if we let those with the reigns stay on the course of destruction.Like a stampede that doesn't see the cliff they're about to go over, or they don't care that there's a cliff because they see a gigantic pile of money and think somehow they can land safely on top of the pile even though they know the rest of the herd will die in the fall. Sorry for the dark mood but, Disneyland is a theme park, not the current state of the world. That's why so many people go there! Escape from reality. Wouldn't it be great if we didn't need ANY escape because we participated and made our communal reality one that served the masses possitively and not just the few that have the most money? I hope the rest of the world somehow knows that not all Americans are supporting the current government. These are indeed, strange times. What would the prophet Bob Marley have to say? "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" ... Peace, Jessica Star

Thursday, March 06, 2003

Entry #11

It's snowing!!! Yesterday felt like spring and now it's snowing!!! Ah, the greenhouse effect!Tonight I play at Mr.Biggs, we'll see what sort of magic happens there...My band is coming together for the shows on the 21st at Le Bar Bat and the 25th at the Village Underground-yippy! I just checked out a rehearsal space in the east village~one of those places that's down a very narrow staircase in the sidewalk- you'd never suspect it was there! I'm getting extremely busy here in New York, for a former Sonoma county beach comber!!! May peace prevail on Earth!!! Jessica Star

Tuesday, March 04, 2003

Entry #10

Late night greetings! Just in at 3a.m. from the jam at Le Bar Bat. Tonight was pretty crowded with alot of good talent. I'm putting together my band at this point and tonight's jam night is a great place to find great musicians! This weekend, I attended a music conference there at Le Bar Bat also. They see me there alot these days! So, today was monday and I spent the entire day at the computer doing music stuff. I met soooo many connections at the conference. I put them all in the computer file.I cannot wait until the no smoking law goes into effect!!! I think I second hand smoked at least three cigarettes tonight! Security is wayyyy up here in Manhattan. Lots of police and the National Guard in the subways...Strange days these. They were even telling me I had to check my coat to come into the club tonight. I found out it's because of some law. The police were there earlier and told the management they'd shut them down (?) if they came in and saw people wearing coats, because you can conceal a gun in a coat. Strange times indeed. Anyhoo! Peace, Jessica Star

Friday, February 28, 2003

Entry #9

Ah, last night I played two gigs here in N.Y.C., one at Mamma Cassie's, a very cool bar/garden shop and one at Mr.Biggs. Mamma Cassie's is a neat place to check out. One half of it is a smoky bar with a grand piano, cushy couches and seats and a nice laid-back atmosphere and the other side of the room is literally a forest! If the smoke gets to be too much, you can do what I did and go sit amongst the trees, shubbery, and foliage! Ah, what a sweet smell it is with all that green! Then, at 10p.m., I cabbed it over to 10th and 43rd for my "weekly" thursday night gig at Mr.Biggs! My friend Jeff Watkins, a sax player (and he also happens to be James Brown's sax player), sat in with me on some songs! You can see him in action with James Brown on a website http://www.digfotos.com .The photos were taken by Chet Helms who, in the 60's was the manager of Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Co. Chet also originally brought Janis back out to San Francisco from Texas where they both grew up. Just a little history for you there! So, today intailed a music seminar at none other than Le Bar Bat! I feel like I live there! I wish you all the clarity of vision and strength to live your dreams!!! Love, Jessica Star

Tuesday, February 25, 2003

Entry #8

Greetings! I played last night at the blues jam at Le Bar Bat. It was fun! I sang,"Get it while you can" and "Piece of my heart" from Janis Joplin. The band was hot! I have another show at Mr.Biggs this thursday night, February 27th at 10p.m. and I'm putting out my feelers to drum up a band to play my original tunes! You know how Disneyland is for kids? N.Y.C. is Manhattan for musicians!!! Every day that I'm here I discover new layers and depths of music and people who love and make it! I'm already thinking about Burning Man 2003! If you're reading this and don't know what Burning Man is, check out http://www.burningman.com . This won't even begin to describe what it's like to actually BE THERE but, it can give you a glimpse into a world that 30,000 others and myself call, "Home". Believe me, Manhattan's a great place to spend the rest of the year! But, like Black Rock City, "There's nothing like it and it's not for everyone!!!"-I quote myself there! Rock on people!!!!!! Jessica Star a.k.a. Black Rock's "Sweetpea"

Saturday, February 22, 2003

Entry #7

Hey rockin' people!!! More shows are coming in for me here in the city! I feel like the spirit who is Manhattan wants me here and is making it possible for me to stay by giving me opportunities to do what I love, which is play music and make some money at it! I am grateful! Last thursday night, I played at Mr.Bigg's in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. I started at 10:15p.m. and played two 45 minute sets ending sometime around 12:30a.m..The owner and bartender were very cool. I told them I wanted one of their Mr.Bigg's t-shirts and as I was playing my first set, I saw a black t-shirt being moved to the bar counter and indeed, they gave me one! It's very cool and reminds me of my old Jessica Star t-shirts! They gave me a small black baby-doll style t-shirt with a grey and red small circular logo in the middle that says,"Mr.Biggs New York City Hell's Kitchen" and there's a mean looking bull dog with a spike collar in the center. On my old Jessica Star t's, I had my face in a cartoon style in the center of a star with the words Jessica Star. So, it's really the same idea. Kinda funny! So,they want me to play again next thursday night so,hey,I might have my first regular gig! If you read this and want to reply, sign the Guest Book! It goes to my hotmail account! Pray for peace!!! Jessica Star

Tuesday, February 11, 2003

Entry #5

Greetings! Tonight was another night at Le Bar Bat and the blues jam. Rockin'! I got to play with the house band which was awesome! We played Aretha Franklin's,"Baby,I love you" and my original,"Baby Blue". So fun! There are soooo many great musicians here. Amazing! And...last thursday morning at 7a.m. in Central Park, in the freshly fallen snow, me and 29 other women posed naked spelling out the words,"NO BUSH" and "WAR"!!! There were pro photographers up on the bridge taking the photos and two of the major news companies were there to spread the pictures and story all over the world in a matter of hours!!! Yes, I am definately against the proposed war. It felt REALLY GOOD to be able to do something to have a voice so that not everyone thinks all Americans follow the current government. I dearly love America. I love it more and more when I get to travel and actually see the geography. It is such a rich and beautiful country. Liberty, Freedom, and Justice will prevail but, we all must take responsibility to have our say and have our voices heard. Art is always a great and non-threatening way to do that. Anyway, on my next journal entry I'll give you the website to go to if you want to see our NO BUSH and WAR pictures! Rock on and keep the faith! Jessica Star

Entry #6

Alright! The website to see the NO BUSH and WAR pictures and a whole lot more is http://wendypolyploidy.com .It is definately still winter here as it snowed all day today! Cheers! Jessica Star

Tuesday, February 04, 2003

Entry #4

Last night, monday, we went down to a club called Le Bar Bat where there was a rhythm and blues jam going on. Great musicians! This club used to be a church, way back and then it was a recording studio. There are framed albumns on the walls. Jimi Hendrix recorded there as well as Barbra Streisand, The Rolling Stones, and many other artists. Now it's a dance club and live music venue. So, I got to get up with some fine musicians and play Me and Bobby McGee and Piece of my Heart by Janis Joplin! It was really fun! Great sound in that place! It feels like spring is starting here in New York but, I think we still have another cold spell to go through! Anything warmer than freezing feels like spring! I wish you all greatness! Love, Jessica Star