My regular blog is updated, well, regularly. http://www.kikucollins.com/news.html

But for those who have sent kind notes for my daughter's speedy recovery, thank you. We'll get there, one day at a time. She has even started trying to smile today, she can't really do it yet but I know her heart smiles because she's surrounded by love!

Be grateful for your family, and by family I don't mean just your children or parents or cousins or uncles and aunts. I mean those people with whom you exchange mutual love and respect. I'm just lucky to have such a wonderful child, and I can't help but smile when I see her, hear her voice, or even just think about her.

xoxo

http://www.musicconnection.com/

Click on "Studio Mix"!

Thanks to Nic and all the guys at http://www.vocalbooth.com !!!

Ok, a bit of a rant today. I'm just frustrated. For the most part I don't have issues with this. People stretch the truth, fine. But there is someone completely misrepresenting himself out there regarding my career. It's just annoying and I hope nothing more.

If anyone ever contacts anyone about ANY artist and their affiliation, please check with the artist directly.

Goodness, people! I'm out here busting my butt trying to make a living as an artist, please don't blindly let others take credit for my busting. Or anyone else. We work hard, and it's good to work together, but for someone to sit on the sidelines and talk a lot of talk but while sitting and not walking, then taking credit and using someone's work or success to try and gain their own, that's just lame. Be a cheerleader, help network. Helping and being kind will get you a lot further in the long run.

Otherwise, it's a gorgeous day out!!! :) I'm gonna finish warming up so I can take a walk in this lovely air before my show!

You can see more reviews here: http://www.kikucollins.com/press.html, and my rambling *real* blog here: http://www.kikucollins.com/news.html . Thanks to everyone each and every minute of the day for your support and love and other good stuff!!!

*****

There is a contemporary sound to this music, a mixture of modern jazz trumpet, fusion and rock that all blends together surprisingly well. Ms. Collins plays trumpet and flugelhorn like a twenty-first century Miles Davis; there is a Spanish tinge to many of these improvised solos and also a touch of melancholy, similar to that which was always present in Miles's music. Flute and vibes solos are pretty much straightahead jazz contributions and the rock flavoured bass and drum punctuations are somehow quite appropriate and suitable for this music. The Messenger is essentially a slow ballad with Ms. Collins blowing moody, atmospheric trumpet and Harris shining with a mournful guitar solo. Confidential Obituary continues the dark, sad mood and offers more, intense trumpet playing...

... the result is really good music; in the contemporary manner, in terms of instrumentation and recording practices but sounding fresh and inspired all through. I would urge all enthusiasts to put aside pre-conceived notions of any kind and just listen. It is well worth the effort.

Derek Ansell - Jazz Journal International

So this new MySpace Mobile absolutely stinks for the iPhone!

Go to your Safari Browser. Type in home.myspace.com .

SAVE it to your Home Screen.

So far it seems to work!

"3-Legged Dog was approached by the renowned writer Charles Mee this year to create a large-scale multi-media installation and performance piece incorporating his experimental new text Fire Island. Fire Island explores the many ways which people experience the birth and dissolution of relationships amidst the diverse and fragile ecosystems of this barrier island. After our initial scout, we immediately realized that the natural phenomenons of the island are just as interesting as the complicated relationships of the inhabitants. Shooting on HD Video, the 3-Legged Dog team has already captured hours of video, (both fictional and documentary), and has begun designing the physical environment of the installation.

The ultra wide format film will be a constantly shifting collage of 2 to 6 pieces of simultaneous video. Using architecture (such as the edge of the board walk or swimming pool) and natural barriers (such as tree limbs, the edge of the dunes, or the bay) as our definitive lines for editing, the 84' wide rear projection screen will be able to show multiple perspectives, collaged into one giant array of imagery. All at once, the viewer will experience a couple falling in love from their perspective, close up, from a distance, as a voyeur peeping through the window, as well as the details of the environment around them (the weathered, salted boardwalk or the decaying pine needles). The installation will go a step further. Using the invisible Eyeliner screens from Vision 4, we will be able to create multiple layers of video, popping up in thin air, surrounding and hiding the performers.

The interactive performance/installation will transform our largest studio into a beautiful collaged version of Fire Island, with white sand, beach chairs, pine trees, and blended drinks. Creating a party atmosphere, some of the performers include drag queens, little girls, freak clowns, Japanese bondage junkies, old folks and 50 other characters all dealing with various stages of their relationships. Also performing is the Tuvan throat singer Albert Kuvezin. Kuvezin's album Re-Covers, which is specified in Mee's Text, consists of covers of popular songs (like Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" and Iron Butterfly's "In a Gadda Da Vid") performed with Tuvan overtone singing and traditional Tuvan instruments. Kuvezin will travel from Tuva to perform in the piece both in the video, floating in the installation on the eyeliner, and live."

What does this all mean? Hell if I know, except to answer a few questions that have come my way... I am an *actor* in the cast, and may be singing a bit. I will not be suspended in the air and I will not have red hair, and no, I'm NOT the Japanese bondage junkie. So far trumpet hasn't entered the picture yet. Come see the show in April and find out!!!

As always, I don't usually blog here but decided to post this. To see my actual blog: http://www.kikucollins.com/news.html

Thinking about feedback received, I am usually thrilled with peoples perception of me as an artist. I never think of myself as *just* a trumpet player.

Every once in a while (usually a fellow trumpeter) will mention that I've sold out. Whether it's selling out by playing with pop stars, or by acting or doing performance art pieces, or simply by having fun with what I do... I've sold out in their minds. Oh, and God forbid, because I'm a woman - who likes to wear makeup on stage. Seriously.

There are some serious purists out there. And I'm not talking about racism or sexism.

Musicianism.

It's wonderful if you're an amazing screaming lead player, or a phenomenal orchestral player. Or killer with concertos, blistering bebop player. I commend and applaud you. But I think to accuse a musician of selling out because that musician doesn't stick to one style, or happens to work in other lines of work, should not be selling out.

Music is a beautiful form of art with a zillion facets. I know that people get put down for first landing a big acting role, then releasing an album, or modelling then starting their own tv talk show... whatever. I say if you enjoy something and find a good and interesting gig that you like doing, that's far from selling out. That is using your artistic potential to its fullest, which usually leads to expanding more artistic talents previously hidden.

To the multi faceted artists out there: discover yourself. Have fun with what you do, try things that you're not experienced or comfortable doing - why NOT act? Why not take classes in trapeze? I did! And ya know what? I didn't fall, and I had fun! I'm not planning on joining the circus anytime soon, but I love knowing that I can do what they do!

I never knew that I could move while I play before I tried. Choreography... are you kidding me??? But I learned, as awkward as I felt for a long time, I stuck with it. Now I love it. You should try it too!

I never knew I could act until I was approached to audition for something. And telling the director that I wasn't an actor was immediately dismissed. When he said that I didn't know that I was, he was right. I didn't know, and I nailed the part.

I never knew that I could sing outside the shower until I tried.

I never knew that I could lift weights, run, do yoga, etc, until I tried.

People. Lose your insecurities about things that you do not know. It's not easy. I was brought up strictly as a classical player, because I was told I was good at it. Nobody knew I would be good at anything else, simply because I hadn't tried.

Try something today. And if you fall, smile because you tried. If you had fun, try it again. You'll get it!

I know folks have been a little mixed up with my crazy tour schedules in the past 2+ years... but I'm supposed to be in NYC until mid January, so I'm open for gigs!

Please contact me at kiku@kikucollins.com .

Happy Holidays!

Thanks, Brett and the entire Getzen Family!

Breaking up the Boys Club

The Getzen Site.