Ann Marie Calhoun's blog

Promotional Tour with Ringo!

2008-02-04T19:59:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, a surreal dream of mine came true. I played the guitar, sang, and played violin with a Beatle! I'm still pinching myself, and I must say that the experience was a bright spot in my musical career. Ringo was such a lovely man and the musicians from the Dave Stewart Band were phenomenal. We only played three shows, but the sweetest tours are always the shortest.

I could have asked the make up artist to give me a mustache! I saw this while I was getting my make-up done for the Craig Ferguson Show.

Backstage at the Craig Ferguson Show

I took this picture with the very lovely Nadira and Cindy Gomez right before we went on Larry King.

This photo was taken on stage at the House of Blues in LA.

Vai tour in South America

2007-12-03T09:15:00.001-08:00

This journal update is an ode to the overdue. Since I left for the South American tour with Vai, the leaves in Virginia have changed color and fallen to the ground. I feel particularly guilty that a season has practically passed since I last posted

Speaking of seasons, South America was particularly delightful because it was the peak of spring bloom in Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. The air was perfumed by exotic flowers, and in a way, fall was mimicked by the jackarand trees shedding their purple blossoms in a floral snow storm upon the city streets. I was also reading “Love in a Time of Cholera” during the tour, and in retrospect, I’m sure it made me see everything through a rosy romantic filter. Still, I’m very nostalgic about this South American tour, and I will picture myself in a beautiful Argentina café when the cold winds of Virginia come calling the next few weeks.

Mikey was my faithful partner in seeking a caffeinated beverage every morning. In Buenos Aires, we found this lovely cafe.

On our precious day off in Argentina, we visited the cemetery and church were Eva Perone (Evita) was buried.

I was so impressed by the green spaces in the city. This park was in the middle of Buenos Aires.

Vai US tour

2007-10-24T07:20:00.000-07:00

The US tour flew by too quickly for my liking, and I find myself swimming in too many highlights to post. I’ll just share a few especially sparkly moments.

Speaking of sparkle, this tour marked my first trip to Vegas. Seeing the city glitter and glow its way into view during a nighttime bus ride is something I’ll never forget.

This tour also marked my first foray into Canada. After briefly experiencing Vancouver and Toronto, I can officially add them to the list of places I fantasize about running away to.

Even though I traveled to many new cities on this tour, I especially loved coming close to my home town in Alexandria, VA. My sweet mother and father actually came to their first rock concert to see me play! Vai also toured near the hometowns of other band and crew members. Our bus became stocked with homebaked goodies- in addition to the massive quantity of chocolate in our rider.

I’m currently suffering from severe chocolate withdraw. Reflecting on the past tour in photos has helped take the edge off of my pain.

This was the view from my hotel room in Vegas

Brian came out to visit me in San Francisco. I couldn't resist cuddling in the trolley.

The farmer's market in Seattle was incredible.

I got to meet one of my violin heros at the Chicago House of Blues. Here I am with Rachel Barton Pine!

The Mark Wood Experience joined us for our shows in the New York area. Mark is THE rock violin pioneer, and his band and family were some of the lovliest people I have ever met.

I walked around Boston with Dave and his i-phone. Dave loves his i-phone almost as much as Steve loves his i-phone.

We played at Steve's old school.

Ending on a sweet note, this was the chocolate spread in one of our dressing rooms.

On tour with Vai

2007-10-24T07:13:00.000-07:00

Oh how lovely it is to be a woman on tour with the Vai band! I get to live on a tour bus full of boys, share a dressing room full of boys, and perform on stage to an audience full of boys. It’s a good thing that I like boys, especially the boys in the Vai band and crew. Being the only girl in the band has taught me some unique life lessons that I would like to share.

1. It IS possible to put on a little black dress in a room full of guys without flashing anything scandalous. My modesty in the high school locker room finally pays off.

2. It takes the perfect pair of heels to rock out on a stage littered with cables and pedal boards. The “prance-test” in the shoe store is embarrassing but crucial.

3. Boys look cute in the morning when they wake up on the bus. I’ve learned how to pretend that I look cute too.

4. I’ve learned that the guys in the band don’t spare me from teasing just because I’m a girl. They call me “stinky” and are always honest with me.

5. I’ve learned how to de-odorize a very stinky pair of performance shoes. (See previous lesson)

6. I learned that I need an i-phone. Steve, Mikey, Dave, Paul… I’m jealous.

7. Starbucks. I can’t resist the siren call of the two-tailed mermaid and her green ring of fury. I’ve also learned that buying Roger (on stage monitors) a medium mocha keeps him from practicing karate moves on me. Mikey’s quad grande lattes keep him from killing people.

8. “Meh” is a perfect word. Meh. Meeeeeeeh!

9. Including chocolate in the dressing room rider is absolutely brilliant and necessary. Jeremy concurs.

10. It is good to be a girl in the Vai band. I have fifteen boys that I’ve come to love and respect like brothers.

Steve Vai Tour in Europe

2007-08-07T17:56:00.000-07:00

I know that this blog posting is overdue (My mother reminds me daily....). I have been all over Europe and have way too many experiences to share all at once. All the stories are knotted up inside of me and the threads will have to be pulled out slowly and at the right time. In retrospect, I realize that I should have posted a separate blog for each country I visited, as I was visiting them. I know that some other members of the Vai band posted blogs that way. Unfortunately, I have an aversion to spending time on my computer when I am traveling the world. I also love procrastinating to the point of pain.

I'll just share a few lovely memories from the tour, and let the pictures do the talking.

The band rehearsed in North Hollywood for four weeks. Steve demanded the nearly impossible out of me, and challenged me with his brilliant compositions. He was so kind and patient with me as I learned how to work a pedal board, play the five-string violin, and play the keys! The picture shows me with my shrunken head ornament at my keys station.

The tour started began in Luxembourg and I had a day off to explore the beautiful city. The picture above and the two pictures below were taken on my free day.

I didn't have time to see the Lourve or the Eiffel Tower, but I had the most wonderful day wandering the streets of Paris. My friend Mikey and I stumbled upon the National Opera house and this picture shows the gilded interior of the impressive building.

I never imagined that my first Rock Festival would take place in the Netherlands! The picture shows me standing backstage at the Aerosmith concert.

When we arrived in Ulm, Germany, I was pleasantly surprised by the gypsy circus vibe. We performed in a colorful tent and mingled with the venue volunteers around a campfire after the show.

The striking skyline in Barcelona

I was surprised by the sandless beaches near our hotel in Barcelona. The paved shores and the large sculptures were uniquely beautiful.

The organically designed Gaudi Cathedral in Barcelona made me see churches and the splendor of nature in a new way.

It was such a treat to spend the afternoon by the beautiful beaches of Almeria, Spain.

We performed at the stunning remains of a castle in Lorca, Spain. The landscape and the view were amazing.

I spent the afternoon walking around with my friend Zack in Porto, Portugal. We found this sign in the middle of a tiny mall.

I had a lovely morning in Lisbon, Portugal walking with Steve and Mikey. We took this picture on the way to a cafe.

I spent the afternoon walking around with Zack and Pia (Steve's wife) in Barcelona. Pia snapped this picture of me. I really need to learn an attractive pose for occasions like these.

Even though I've seen the Duomo in Milan three times, I've never seen it without scaffolding until this tour.

I wished that I had more time to spend in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. The outdoor venue was a short walk to a beautiful lake, a charming town, and a crazy crowded beach. I snapped this picture of the boys relaxing by the lake.

I got to meet the Eric Sardinas band at a festival in Pistoia, Italy. Eric let me wear his hat for this picture with him.

The Vai crew let me hit the drums at sound check in Pistoria. I was hoping I would be a natural.....

I can't believe I laid my own eyes on the Coliseum in Rome. Sometimes when you see something so many times in pictures, seeing it in reality is a shock.

I climbed all 550 stairs. In heels. The view from the top of the St. Peter's Basilica cupola was worth every step.

I climbed down all 550 stairs. In heels. Walking around St. Peter's Basilica was more than worth it. I gazed at Michelangelo's Pieta for twenty blissful minutes and will never forget how profoundly moving it was to see the sublime sculpture in person.

Jeremy and I bought rock-star sunglasses in the airport before flying to Amsterdam.

Amsterdam was such a feast for my senses. I was overwhelmed by the charming shops, the zany architecture, the glittering canals, the exquisite people watching, the eclectic food, and the world class museums. I especially enjoyed visiting the Van Gough museum.

Our performance in London marked a high point in the tour. I loved every minute on stage and I only wish that every show could feel so good.

I was really looking forward to seeing Ireland, and I am happy to report that Dublin surpassed all my expectations. It was the perfect Ireland of my dreams and more. The vibrant flowers I saw around town made me want to plant flower boxes at my own home. (I was disappointed later to learn that flower boxes are a seasonal thing.... I couldn't find them at Lowes. Boo hoo hoo!)

I spent quality people-watching time at this lawn garden in Dublin.

Moscow, Russia is too beautiful to capture in words. Just look at this view from The Red Square.

I have to thank our lovely hosts in Russia for their generosity and attention to us on our free day. Yuri, Michael, and Arthur gave us a guided tour of the city highlights, including the war memorial depicted here.

Kantara in Virginia

2007-08-07T17:12:00.000-07:00

I've always toured with Kantara abroad, and it was such a refreshing change to tour with them in my home state. I even got to host the band at my home for a few days while we were rehearsing. Even though our pranking wars continued to pepper rehearsals, nobody was permantly injured by the super-soaker water gun or the whipped cream pies. The tour was a success on many levels and we played to packed audiences at some of my favorite venues (The Kennedy Center and The Theater at Lime Kiln). We also managed to record a big portion of our studio album at Bobby Read's studio. Both pictures were taken in the studio.

Vusi Mahlasela

2007-08-07T17:38:00.000-07:00

I met Vusi earlier this year when I saw him performing in Washington, D.C. He blew me away as a musician and he impressed me even more as a person. Within minutes of meeting me, he affectionately called me "sister" and meant it. The joy he brings to the stage is only rivaled by the joy he brings to his friends. His smile, his hugs, and his poetic way of speaking have endeared him to my heart. It is easy to see how he is a star in South Africa and the esteemed friend of Dave Matthews. The picture above shows me in concert at Starr Hill in Charlottesville with Vusi and his band. He invited me to play with him at the last minute (I had to race home for my violin) and I was honored to play a few tunes with him. I hope we can play together more often!

Jethro Tull South America 2007

2007-05-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

The South America tour with Tull was an incredible experience! It seemed like we were on an airplane everyday, and I lament not having more time to take in the gorgeous countries that we visited. I did my best to take everything in, and have wonderful memories from four different countries and seven cities.

One of the highlights was making new friends. I loved meeting Doanne for the first time, and it was great to share the stage with him. I also enjoyed getting to know the promoter Aquiles. Aquiles was my partner in doubles tennis, and we vanquished our foes (Mike and Martin) in Porto Alegre. In Chile I got to meet the lovely Vial family. I bonded over underwear shopping with Frannie Vial when my luggage was lost for a couple of days.

In addition to making new friends, I enjoyed bonding with the rest of the Tull family. We had a few "family-style" dinners together where the conversation kept us at the table long after the food was gone. In Sao Paulo, Doanne, Ian, and I had a "hot-off" an an Indian restaraunt to see who could take the hottest curry. I wish I could say we were all winners. Unfortunately I ended up getting sick later that night. I also spent some quality time with the Tull sound crew. Mike and Chris were really helpful in teaching me a little about in-house sound. Ian also schooled me a bit during our sound checks.

Seeing a bit of South America made me ache for more time in every city. Even though we had a tight schedule, I still got to see a rainforest on the way to visit the Jesus statue in Rio (one of the seven wonders of the world). I also spent a lovely day walking around Buenos Aires with Dave. He actually saved my life when I fell of a curb into incoming traffic. He pulled me out of the way before a car hit me! I also enjoyed taking in the sight of beautiful beaches, expansive city sylines, and rolling countsides in our van rides between airports and hotels.

Most of all, I was struck by the enthusiasm of the South American fans! They absolutely packed our shows and greeted us with deafening cheers. I've recieved an incredible amount of appreciative email from them and refused four marriage proposals from fans so far. One fan sent me a link to his youtube video of our concert in Argentina. You can find it by entering "Jethro Tull Argentina" in the search window.

Even though I really enjoyed seeing South America for the first time, I'm really glad to be home for a while. I'm looking forward to working with my violin students and to the Kantara tour in the states later this month. I'll keep you posted on Kantara in America!

Some additional pictures below...

This is the view of the beautiful horizon from my room in Belo Horizonte.

The trees in South America were so exotic and beautifully formed! Some of the most beautiful trees were in the downtown areas of Buenos Aires. This is what I saw when I looked up.

The view of the courtyard in front of our hotel.

The city architecture was so bold and elegant.

I loved seeing the houses on the hillside in Rio.

The beautiful coast in Rio.

Inside a forest in Rio.

Kantara in Morocco Mar. 2007

2007-03-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

Kantara began the Moroccan portion of the tour in Rabat and checked into a beautiful hotel downtown. We walked around the medina and saw the sun set over the ocean our first night in town. The next day, we met with music students and professors from Rabat. We were supposed to give a master class, but Kantara ended up getting schooled instead. The Moroccan musicians taught us some really tricky rhythms (in 11/8!) and tried to teach us one of their most popular melodies. We did our best, but I’m not sure we ever really learned it with the correct nuances and rhythm. It was still really fun to meet such talented and kind musicians in Morocco. They came to our concert at the Mohammed V Theater in Rabat and it was nice to see that they appreciated our fusion music too.

After performing in Rabat, Kantara journeyed to Casablanca for the final concert of our tour. While we were in Casablanca, we did last minute gift shopping in the medina, visited the music conservatory and jammed with the professors, and did lots of relaxing in the Hyatt Regency. One of my favorite moments on tour happened while watching TV in the hotel room. The American musicians were trying to find an English speaking station when we stumbled across ourselves on the national news! It was even funnier because they aired footage of us goofing off backstage. Brian was playing “Sweet Child of Mine” and a random Moroccan kid who wasn’t in the band was playing the mandolin. Almost every concert had news and media coverage, but it never occurred to us that we would make the top news. It was surreal to see ourselves on television and then to get recognized in the street. After performing at the Moulay Rachid Theater, Kantara celebrated the end of a long successful tour.

It was hard to say goodbye to Kantara, but I know I will see them soon. We are getting together in May to do a US tour and to record a full length album. I’ll post more info about the upcoming tour soon.

Kantara in France Feb/Mar 2007

2007-03-15T07:44:00.002-07:00

This was my first extended visit to France! Kantara stayed at the Consular General’s house in Marseille where we enjoyed a gorgeous view of the Mediterranean sea outside of our bedroom windows. We performed at the Consulate in Marseille and also at a hip club called Espace Julien. I was able to enjoy two amazing days of seaside strolls and downtown shopping before I was struck by a powerful bug (or food poisoning). Unfortunately I got sick on the day of our concert at the rock club. After an emergency trip to a clinic, I felt better in time to “participate” in the performance. Even though I barely got through the show, everyone else in the band thought it was the best performance of the tour. Thanks for making me feel better guys.

Kantara in Tunisia Feb. 2007

2007-03-15T07:44:00.001-07:00

This was my third time back in North Africa, and I was looking forward to the relaxed schedule and warm weather. Even though Kantara had performances at the Ambassador’s residence and a concert at a venue called Sadika’s, it felt like a vacation. I treated myself to fresh squeezed orange juice at the cafes, shopped in cute jewelry stores, and took walks through town just for fun. The Virginia members of Kantara also had some legendary jam sessions in Brennan’s living room.

Kantara in Italy Feb. 2007

2007-03-15T07:43:00.001-07:00

After recording with Ian in London, I left directly to begin rehearsals with Kantara in Florence. It was so wonderful to have Kantara reunite! We were polite to each other for approximately one minute before the teasing and wrestling began. The first spitball war began on the train from the airport to the Consulate.

While we were in Florence, our host treated us like royalty. We stayed in opulent rooms with 30 foot vaulted ceilings decorated with gold trim and gorgeous murals. We rehearsed in a ballroom and dined at a banquet table. Even though we were very comfortable, we still worked really hard to prepare for our tour.

After our first performance in Florence, Kantara toured in Reggio Emilia and Milan. We had the good fortune to be in Milan during fashion week, and we were surrounded by the most beautiful and beautifully dressed people. We stayed in the same hotel with a bunch of runway models, and it was shocking to see such tall thin girls in person. On our free day in Milan we viewed the Last Supper painting in the Church of Santa Maria Delle Grazie. It was so amazing to see the masterpiece in person, and I left with a newfound appreciation of Leonardo DaVinci. On another one of our free days, we went to Venice and were lucky enough to visit in the middle of Carnival. I’ve always dreamed that Venice would be a magical romantic place, and the city more than surpassed my greatest expectations. It made me swoon to see the Carnival costumes, the crazy crowds, the street performers, the gondolas, and the beautiful architecture.

Italy was so kind to Kantara. I was sorry to leave, but looking forward to adventures in Tunisia.

Recording in Jan/ Feb 2007

2007-03-15T07:42:00.000-07:00

I was looking forward to lots of time off after the 2006 tours, but I actually spent a lot of time in the recording studio. I ended up playing on six different records! Three of my recording projects were done with a humble Grammy winning arranger named Fletch Wiley. In addition to working on other people’s albums, I finally started recording a few of my original tunes. One of these days I’ll have a CD to call my own.

After recording in the states, I traveled to London to do some recording with Ian. We recorded a couple of tunes from the acoustic tour, in addition to recording my tune, “Runty”. The Tull band also recorded tracks for “Bluegrass in the Backwoods” as a gift for me. It was fun to work with Ian in the studio, even if he does hear and point out every little mistake I make. Ian is a whiz at recording technology! He made the studio engineer feel redundant when he stepped up to help at the control board. I can’t wait to hear the mixed tracks.

This picture is from the cute London studio.

Acoustic Jethro Tull in Germany/London Dec. 2006

2007-03-15T07:41:00.002-07:00

My first adventure in Germany took me to the beautiful and idyllic Maria Laach. Acoustic Tull was scheduled to perform for the televised German President’s concert, and I thought that it would be fairly simple to rehearse and shoot 15 minutes of music. I was surprised by the number of rehearsals we had, and I rather enjoyed having my hair and make up done by a professional. I looked nothing like myself, and the German promoter exclaimed “Oy, yoy, yoy!” when he saw me. (A compliment?) The band spent a few fairly restful days at Maria Laach and I enjoyed a couple of walks to the lake, evenings in the hotel pub, and the good company of the band and our new German friends. I also got to meet a new guitarist, Florian Ophale, who had toured earlier in the year with Jethro Tull. After the concert, the band was invited to a party with the president of Germany. The picture above shows me and Ian meeting the president.

This is the monastery where we filmed the concert. It was beautifully decorated on the inside with the most perfect Christmas trees I have ever seen.

I took this picture on our walk to the lake.

The view from my hotel window.

Flo posing with a smart car.

Right after our show in Germany, we traveled to London for a charity performance at St. Bride's. I stayed with Rev. George Pitcher at his country home in Sussex and his family made me feel so welcome. His wife was a fantastic cook and his sons were absolutely charming. I was so inspired at their home that I composed “Bach or Whatever” for the violin and wrote a Christmas prayer for the Tull performance. Rev. George also took me to see the hundred acre wood in the “Winnie the Pooh” books and showed me around St. Bride's. At St. Bride's I stayed in the rectory and was free to wander the streets of London on my own terms. I walked around and visited the markets, wandered into book stores and cafes, and gazed at St. Paul’s cathedral in its full Christmas glory. The concert at St. Brides was sold out, and it was truly special to perform with Tull in such a spiritual context. We read from the Bible, played Christmas tunes, prayed, read Christmas poems, and played some of Tull’s classic tunes in the mix. The picture above is the sanctuary/ concert stage at St. Bride's.

I took this picture of St. Paul's cathedral during a night time stroll through the streets of London.

This is the famous steeple at St. Bride's. Apparently, tiered wedding cakes were modeled after the beautiful steeple of the appropriately named church.

Kenneth Cole, NY December 2006

2007-03-15T07:41:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure of visiting the design studio of Kenneth Cole earlier this month. He came to an orchestral Jethro Tull performance and took pity on me when he saw me wearing a spandex, abstract leopard-print dress with a pleated skirt. (See my pictures from the America tour if you don’t believe me). It was a girl’s dream come true to try on different looks and get fashion advice from a famous designer. In addition to being very generous with his time and practically giving me a gorgeous new wardrobe, Kenneth also invited me to perform at his Christmas party. At his party, I watched Kenneth get mobbed by people wanting their picture with him. Joan Rivers got his picture at his arrival, and he couldn’t take more than one step without a new person at his arm and a camera aimed at his face. I composed a piece for his party on the spot called “Kenneth, will you take a picture with me?” and then I did exactly that in the picture above.

More pictures from Europe/Scandinavia Nov. tour

2007-03-15T07:40:00.001-07:00

I took this picture myself of me with Martin Barre. He's an amazing guitarist in addition to being a sweet person.

The streets of Copenhagen were decorated for Christmas.

I loved this lonely tree in a Copenhagen courtyard.

In Copenhagen

Our two-story tour bus.

The rubber duckie in the fountain of our fancy hotel made me smile.

I took this picture with our lighting prodigy. He was only 17 years old and did an amazing job. I affectionaltely called him "young'un".

I stumbled upon this cathedral while walking the streets of Tilburg.

Acoustic Jethro Tull in Europe/ Scandinavia Nov. 2006

2007-03-15T07:39:00.001-07:00

I was really excited to play acoustic Jethro Tull because I grew up playing acoustic folk music. The selections were conducive to fiddling, and it was a fun challenge adapting orchestral music to the smaller acoustic arrangement. Martin Barre also played guitar on this tour, and I enjoyed the honor of playing with him.

Unfortunately I was away for Thanksgiving. It was lonely celebrating a great American holiday in Tilburg. No love from the Englishmen or from the locals. I was on my own to find turkey (no luck), and I couldn’t even get cranberry juice at the bar! Even though Thanksgiving was bleak, I enjoyed the beautiful cities we visited. I loved Malmo in particular. The shops were decorating for Christmas and an accordian player was working the street corner. Everyone rode bicycles and the streets were paved in charming cobblestone. I also enjoyed being in Helsinki, Finland for a day. It was amazing how the sky darkened at 3:00 in the afternoon! I also loved traveling in a two story tour bus and going across the English Channel in a ferry. We don’t have rides like that in America.

More pictures from America Sept/Nov tour 2006

2007-03-15T07:37:00.002-07:00

Taking bows with Ian in Atlantic City.

On stage with Ian in Atlantic City.

Me with Ian after the show.

Shopping at a toy store in New York.

It wasn't Halloween, but it was close enough. We celebrated in full costume at this sound check.

On stage with Ian

I actually had a drink named after me at the Warner Theatre. A quote from Ian described me and the drink. " A non-alcoholic fruity cocktail in honour of our special guest violinist who is a tea tottler, doesn't drink, doesn't party, reads difficult books, teaches conceptual physics, is a devout Christian and happens to be one of the hottest babes in the known universe..." Thanks Ian.

I loved the "cow art" that decorated the streets of Madison, Wisconsin.

On stage with Ian.

Eating sushi with the band and orchestra after playing at the Rose Theatre in New York.

Orchestral Jethro Tull in America September-October 2006

2007-03-15T07:37:00.001-07:00

I had gotten used to being the only girl in the band, and it was treat to do the America tour with an all girl (and one guy) orchestra in tow. We were a big happy family traveling in two tour busses. It was fun to sleep on the moving bus and wake up in a new city every day. My favorite city was Madison, Wisconsin. I bought a big pink hat and some clunky cow-girl boots in their down town stores. I also walked the farmer’s market and ate my body weight in cheese samples.

Boy did we have adventures! I explored a haunted theatre, learned how to salsa dance, dressed up for an early Halloween party, and suffered an embarrassing bowling tumble. I met fashion designer Kenneth Cole, inspired Ian to dance a jig on stage, and went wading through a muddy pond on a dare. I had a drink named after me at the Warner Theater (non-alcoholic of course), learned how to wear a du rag, and made a dictionary of crazy Englishman sayings. I stepped inside my first casino, had a dressing room next to Winton Marsalis’ office, and went jogging in Central Park.

The tour had so many rich moments that I couldn’t possibly list them all in a short blog entry. The rockin’ members of the orchestra truly made the tour special, and I enjoyed every drop of their company. I expect to hear great things about them in the future, and I’m so happy to have met them all.

The picture shows me with some of my friends in the orchestra.

More pictures from Israel September 2006 tour

2007-03-15T07:36:00.002-07:00

On stage with the Orchestral Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull.

I was checking my monitor levels here.

I couldn't resist asking Ian for a picture with me at Jaffe. I tried not to bug him for a photo, but my parents would have killed me if I didn't get one before the end of the tour.

Yuri, our Israeli promoter (and my favorite pen-pal) bought me this cup of pomegranate juice in Jerusalem.

Seeing Jerusalem was overwhelming. Yuri was an excellent tour guide and did a good job of showing us the highlights of the city in a day trip.

I took this picture from the balcony of my hotel room.

This was the beach that I could see from the hotel.

I saw this hanging tree in a courtyard in Jaffe.

Orchestral Jethro Tull in Israel 2006

2007-03-15T07:36:00.001-07:00

This was my very first tour with the orchestral Jethro Tull. Ian and I met through a mutual friend, and we had a lengthy cyber correspondence. He was very brave to hire me without ever seeing me (or hearing me) in person. I was thrilled to meet him in person, and amazed by how much we had in common. He likes hot peppers and little black cats just as much as I do. I met the rest of the band in London for rehearsals, and they put me at ease right away. After one day of rehearsing with the band, we flew to Israel and rehearsed with the Ra’anana Symphony. Our lovely promotor also took the band on a tour of Israel and treated us to traditional Israeli cuisine. There was so much to see and do, that I desperately want to return to Israel when I have more time.

This picture was taken of the stage before the show.

Kantara in Tunisia June 2006

2007-03-15T07:34:00.000-07:00

This tour fell on my summer teaching break from Woodberry. I was really looking forward to returning to Tunisia, especially since we would be performing with several guest musicians and the Vienna Opera House Orchestra in the Carthage ampitheatre. Unfortunately, I arrived in Tunisia feeling ill. Brennan Gilmore (guitarist, mandolin player, vocalist, and good friend since college) had to take care of me when the condition escalated. He called doctors to the house, checked on me when I couldn’t stop being sick, and eventually spent the night with me in the hospital/ clinic. He translated for me in the hospital and calmed me down when I had a panic attack and tried to leave. Luckily, the sickness passed quickly and I was well enough to attend the dress rehearsal and perform in the concert.

The picture abovewas taken during a rehearsal break. From left to right: Zack Blatter, Tom Rosenkrantz, me, Brennan Gilmore, Pedro Eustach, Riadh Ferri.

We performed here- in the ruins of the Carthage ampitheatre.

Practicing with Brennan.

I loved seeing camels on the beach.

Kantara spent a day in the studio to record our demo.

I promise that I am not making this up. While we were in the studio, I watched a mother cat nursing her two big kittens. A turtle started running towards the cats, climed over one of the kittens, and partook in the nursing! I wish I had a video camera. At least I was able to take this picture with live witnesses to the event.

We spent a lot of time at the home of a glass blower named Sadika. Here I am relaxing on her sofa.

This is the front of Sadika's shop.

Tunisian rugs are so beautiful. I bought a little green rug for Brian.

Kantara in Africa/Italy March 2006

2007-03-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

I completed this tour in North Africa and Italy while I was still teaching full time at Woodberry Forest School. The tour fell beautifully on my spring break, and I took a break from teaching private lessons. The tour started in Florence, where we were hosted by the consulate general. (The picture is of the view from the balcony in Florence) While we were in Italy, we performed in Colle Val D’Elsa, Modena (at Pavarotti’s conservatory!), and Bologna. In North Africa, we performed at the Theatre Municipal in Tunisia and did a master class and performance at The University of Sousse Institute of Music.

Off stage, Kantara is the craziest band I’ve every worked with. We had raging food fights, danced in the streets, had spitball wars, and wrestling competitions. Before the tour, I thought that music would be the common thread, bonding me to the Tunisian musicians in the band. In reality, I think it was a shaving cream battle that endeared us to each other.

Kantara plays Arabic-Applachian music with the goal of encouraging positive communication between American and Muslim people while pioneering a unique sound. Check out the website kantaramusic.com.

This picture was taken on our free day in Milan.

The beautiful cathedral in Milan.

Smart cars were all over Italy. They never failed to make me laugh.

We arrived in Tunisia during the "green season". I was surprised to see sheep and green meadows in North Africa.

A view from a roof top cafe in Tunisia.

Brian looks good behind Riadh's desk at the conservatory.

We performed at the Municipal Theatre in downtown Tunisa. The interior was extremely formal and we were shocked to see that the stage was decorated with bales of hay! I guess they wanted to bring out the "Appalachian flavor" of the group. Brian helped the stage crew remove the hay before we performed. I also got a kick out of having a make-up artist paint a new face on me. I hardly recognized myself at the end of the ordeal. It was also hilarious watching my husband getting made up.

We took this picture after a house concert for the American Embassy in Tunisia. We wanted a good group photo, but we didn't really get anything professional enough. We must have taken a hundred pictures of the band that night but someone was always goofing off, making a face, smacking someone, or not looking at the camera.