Status: Single
City: North of Palm Springs
State: California
Country: US
Signup Date: 10/24/2006
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
|
Current mood:  amused Category: News and Politics
To all DCC Community Folks,
I’ve got too much news to wait until July. This will also be posted on myspace.com/catcohen.
THIS MONTH’S THEME - THE GREEN SHOOTS OF SPRING ARE GROWING UNDER THE WARM SUN MOVING TOWARDS HARVEST
*JUNE GLOOM IS DISSAPATING INTO THE HEAT OF SUMMER
*DESERT FILM AND PERFORMING EVENTS CONTINUE INTO SUMMER
*CAT COHEN ALUMNI IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING UPDATED- Your bio may be featured in DCC cyberspace (this could mean a Google plug)
CAT IS ALSO RESURRECTING ANATOMY OF A HIT ON HIS WEBSITE WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL DRAW A LOT OF LOOKIE LOUS WHO MAY READ YOUR BIOS AS WELL
*CAT TO CRITIQUE AND SPEAK IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD SONGSALIVE on AUGUST 16th
*A WONDERFUL PLAY BASED ON THE LIFE OF VINCENT VAN GOGH OPENS TO RAVE REVIEWS HERE IN MORONGO VALLEY
*THIS AWARD WINNING LOCAL THEATER GROUP, THE GROVES THEATER, IS TAKING A LOOK AT CAT’S MUSICAL “OH SHIT, I’M GOING TO LIVE!”
A SUBMISSION TO THE THORNY THEATER IN PALM SPRINGS WILL SOON FOLLOW
*DR. DEMENTO SAYS HE IS STRONGLY CONSIDERING PLAYING CAT’S SONG “BANKSTA RAP” ON HIS SHOW
*CAT’S CHICKEN SOUP COOKBOOK IS ALMOST DONE and will be in print and for sale soon.
*CAT’S APPLE TREES HAVE THEIR FIRST APPLES AND HIS TOMATO AND ZUCCHINI PLANTS ARE FULL OF LITTLE VEGGIES
*CAT IS PRACTICING MAKING HIS OWN CHERRY LIQUEUR TO BE READY FOR NEXT YEAR’S CROP
************************************************************************
JUNE GLOOM IS DISSAPATING INTO THE HEAT OF SUMMER
For three weeks now we in the desert have been enjoying well below average temperatures with gray mornings and hazy afternoons. I almost feel like I still live in LA when I look out the window and walk outside and smell the ocean air these days. However, the weather people say that today is the last day of this blessed event. We probably won’t see such moderate temperatures again until late September.
DESERT FILM AND PERFORMING EVENTS CONTINUE INTO SUMMER
The Palm Springs International Shortfest, A Short Film Festival and Film Market runs from June 23 to June 29. The Show at Agua Caliente Casino hosts Big & Rich on June 19, Elvis Costello on July 10, and Huey Lewis on July 31. The Blak Box Theater in Joshua Tree will run another production of the play VINCENT VAN GOGH on June 27.
CAT COHEN ALUMNI IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING UPDATED- Your bio may be featured in DCC cyberspace (this could mean a Google plug)
CAT IS ALSO RESURRECTING ANATOMY OF A HIT ON HIS WEBSITE WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL DRAW A LOT OF LOOKIE LOUS WHO MAY READ YOUR BIOS AS WELL
I am planning to spend the time copying from internet sources or writing a paragraph or two on each of the following alumni and colleagues for my ALUMNI NEWS pages at catcohen.com. If you don’t want your name included please let me know. Also, if you want to update, add or delete anything from these descriptions also contact me. Obviously this is a lot of work on my part which I am happy to do and will take some time to finish. The purpose is to improve everyone’s internet presence, which is the name of the game these days.
ALUMNI WHOM I WILL TRY TO RESEARCH AND POST
Garret Adkins, Matthew Alexander, Shane Alexander, Ryan Andreaz, Tyler Azelton, Patricia Bahia, Rob Binkley, Tom Bimmerman, Barry Bortnik, Stephen Bray, Tracy Caine, Katrina Carlson, Gina Raye Carter, Ceci Castro, Alexandra Celano,
Susan Chadekowitz, Phillip Cohen, Sarah Coleman, Esperanza Cordero, Kelly Couchman, Monique DeBose, Julie Dolan, Pauine Drossart, Allan Frank, Ellie Goldman, Ariana Hall, Christopher Hawley, Liz Howard, Jon Hultman, JD King, Gunnar Larsson, KerriAnne LeBlanc, Lisa Linehan, Irene Malloy, Steve Mercer, Sam Morris, Sean Nearhoff, Dani Nicole, John O’Hara, Arnic Robinson, David Roth, Scott Sayre, Tracy Scharf, Shakeh, Francis Soriano, Hiromi Takahashi, Michelle Umali, Zera Vaughan, Lalita Tavedikul, Kelly Williard, Whitney Wright
ALUMNI already on my website) WHOM I PLAN TO UPDATE
Susannah Blinkhoff, Sarra Gallagher, Jamie Green, Libby Lavella, Jay Roewe, Richard Soriano, Bob Wayne, Mark Winkler
COLLEAGUES WHOM I WILL ALSO TRY TO RESEARCH AND POST
Samm Brown, Duff Ferguson, Nick Henry, Jorgen Ingmar, Alfred Johnson, Dan Kimpel, Steve Kobashigawa, Candace Kruse, Judy Lamppu, Lis Lewis, Gilli Moon, Harold Payne, Ed Tree, Micheal Viens, Jimi Yamagishi
I am also going to analyze several songs which have been hits in the past three years to update my ANATOMY OF A HIT section. Here are the ones I am considering. If you have a favorite you’d like me to put under the microscope let me know. I will only look at recordings which, in my opinion, have quality songwriting and production that are more than flavors of the month.
ANATOMY OF HIT ADDITIONS
*Rehab - Amy Winehouse, Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson, The World - Brad Paisley, Big Girls Don’t Cry – Fergie, Hey There Delilah – Plain White Ts, Please Read The Letter – Krauss/Plant, Viva La Vida- Coldplay, Love Song – Sara Bareilles, No One - Alicia Keys, Bleeding Love – Leona Lewis, David Cook – Come Back, Lady Gaga – Just Dance, Jonas Brothers – Tonight
************************************************************************
CAT TO CRITIQUE AND SPEAK IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD SONGSALIVE on AUGUST 16th
Here is the official Songsalive! blurb about my forthcoming appearance.
DATE: SUNDAY AUGUST 16, 2009 (3rd Sunday)
TIME: 12:00 pm till 3:00 pm
TOPIC: SONGWRITING FOR AN ORIGINAL ACT (your own or someone else’s)
Cat will be critiquing songs and also be offering CD Reviews for members only who attend and participate in the workshop.
(Review will be emailed at a later time)
WHERE: THE FINNISH CENTER
10701 Magnolia Blvd. North Hollywood, CA 91601 Just East of Vineland
Parking on Street (easy on a Sunday)
Moderated by: Paul Lawrence Moyer at paul@songsalive.org
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP: Songsalive! holds workshops where songwriters gather to share their songs, gain feedback and develop relationships within the songwriting communities we have created around the world. The first half is solely dedicated to an in-the-round workshop where writers present one song each - either on tape, CD or live - followed by a guest speaker/industry discussion in the second half and plenty of time to talk and network.
ABOUT OUR PARTICIPANTS: Not all participants are singer/songwriters. Some are just songwriters. Some are also producers and few are musicians in other bands.
Cat Cohen is a prolific author, educator, NARAS and ASCAP songwriter with pop, R&B, jazz and blues songs cut by recording artists Cheryl Lynn, Syreeta, Freddie Hubbard, Bo Diddley and has had his work featured in the HBO movie The Rat Pack and the Universal feature film Undercover Brother. Among Cat’s music books is his latest, SONGWRITING FOR YOUR ORIGINAL ACT available at his website www.catcohen.com <http://www.catcohen.com> or at amazon.com. He also wrote the music theory chapter for John Braheny’s recently revised book The Craft and Business of Songwriting. Cat has taught songwriting at UCLA Extension, Musicians’ Institute and Cal Poly Pomona. He’s been a regular consultant and industry panel participant for many songwriting organizations such as Taxi, Songsalive!, Songnet and The Songwriter’s Co-op. His CD of gritty insightful original tunes Songs Of Survival and Sweet Surrender can be heard at myspace.com/catcohen and is available at CD Baby and amazon.com. Cat coaches and consults with keyboard players, singers and songwriters in private sessions throughout Southern California. www.catcohen.com <http://www.catcohen.com>
**********************************************************************
A WONDERFUL PLAY BASED ON THE LIFE OF VINCENT VAN GOGH OPENS TO RAVE REVIEWS HERE IN MORONGO VALLEY
The Grove Theater, a small but well respected and award winning non-equity waiver theater in Morongo Valley opened a three week run of VINCENT VAN GOGH, a play about his life, trials, victories and ultimate demise. Expertly written and directed by Dolores Becker Trost, this two-act play traces highlights of Van Gogh’s life with intimate details heretofore rarely discussed or shown. The cast of six, most of whom played several parts were excellent, especially the lead actor Lloyd Steele, who made you believe that Vincent was right there alive in front of the audience.
THIS AWARD WINNING LOCAL THEATER GROUP, THE GROVES THEATER, IS TAKING A LOOK AT CAT’S MUSICAL “OH SHIT, I’M GOING TO LIVE!”
A SUBMISSION TO THE THORNY THEATER IN PALM SPRINGS WILL SOON FOLLOW
Cat was in the audience for opening night and was overheard by a few cast members afterwards when he was talking about his musical “Oh Shit, I’m Going To Live!. Before he knew it the director of the theater group, Joy Groves, invited him to submit the show to the theater company. They like to showcase works by local writers, and Cat lives only two miles from the theater. How local can you get? He has also been encouraged to submit the show to a Palm Springs troupe, The Thorn Theater who did an excellent job of producing an original musical from Brooklyn, WAVERLY STREET a couple of years ago. Cat responded, “Twist my wrist!”.
DR. DEMENTO SAYS HE IS STRONGLY CONSIDERING PLAYING CAT’S SONG “BANKSTA RAP” ON HIS SHOW
Cat sent out an mp3 of his latest song “GANGSTA RAP’ and was encouraged by a recipient to submit it to Dr. Demento. Once again his wrist was twisted. Dr. Demento responded right away with the letter copied below.
Dear Cat - Thanks for sending this. It's certainly timely and I'll give it careful consideration for the show.
All the best, Dr. Demento
************************************************************************
CAT’S CHICKEN SOUP COOKBOOK IS ALMOST DONE and will be in print and for sale soon.
I finished my book CHICKEN SOUPS FROM AROUND THE WORLD and have it about ready for printing. However, I need to finish preparing all the recipes first. I’ve cooked 35 of them and have 17 to go. Last night I prepared Caldo De Bolitas De Tortillas, a Mexican version of matzo balls made from tortillas. The night before that Wyoming’s Cowboy Chicken Soup with stew beef and succotash. Before that, a Minnesotan wild rice and mushroom chicken soup and before that a Basque chicken soup with cabbage, leeks and Spanish sausages. I’ve had some form of chicken soup almost every night for the last month and a half. In the process I’ve lost over 10 pounds. I also have never felt healthier. Maybe I’ll have to write a companion book, THE CHICKEN SOUP DIET.
CAT’S APPLE TREES HAVE THEIR FIRST APPLES AND HIS TOMATO AND ZUCCHINI PLANTS ARE FULL OF LITTLE VEGGIES
What can I say? I’m thrilled about my burgeoning little farm. However, the trick is getting to harvest before the desert critters get to it first. I’m 100% organic, so I’ve had to build fences of chicken wire, spray garlic-chile mixtures, build high shelves above the ground for my containers and watch daily for invaders. I even had to set a few traps for the pesky squirrels and rats. A few locals have suggested that I actually urinate around my trees to discourage the pests. The price is right, so I’ll try it.
CAT IS PRACTICING MAKING HIS OWN CHERRY LIQUEUR TO BE READY FOR NEXT YEAR’S CROP
If anyone is coming to the desert this fall I hope to be serving up some of the cherry liqueur I have recently set out in bottles. It is called VISHNIK, a recipe I learned from my crazy Polish Jewish grandfather on my father’s side, one of the few things he taught me when I was a child. You take cherries, vodka and sugar and put it in a capped bottle. It needs about 3 months of brewing before ingesting. It should be ready around my birthday on the first of October. My parents weren’t exactly thrilled with his influence on me on many levels. The old geezer was a vagabond gypsy who roamed the U.S. until late 90s. I shouldn’t mention that he ran a teahouse for radical left-wing politics in Warsaw in the early 1900s and had to escape the authorities and travel to America from Poland and change his name to Cohen from his prior name Kravitz to avoid them. Oops, I guess I just mentioned that. (Can you imagine me as Cat Kravitz?) I hope that as well as inheriting his crazy genes I got his longevity ones as well. He was vagabonding well into his 90s. My other grandfather was born in steerage on a boat coming from Germany. Oy vey iz mir. Someday I’ll write more about my background of craziness on both sides of the family.
That’s all the news fit to email for now. What’s going on in your world? Wishing everyone a great summer.
ALL MY BEST,
CAT COHEN
9:04 PM
Powered by  | | English | | Albanian | | Arabic | | Bulgarian | | Catalan | | Chinese | | Croatian | | Czech | | Danish | | Dutch | | Estonian | | Filipino | | Finnish | | French | | Galician | | German | | Greek | | Hebrew | | Hindi | | Hungarian | | Indonesian | | Italian | | Japanese | | Korean | | Latvian | | Lithuanian | | Maltese | | Norwegian | | Polish | | Portuguese | | Romanian | | Russian | | Serbian | | Slovak | | Slovenian | | Spanish | | Swedish | | Thai | | Turkish | | Ukrainian | | Vietnamese |
|
|
|