writing a short bio

Today’s thought. Heard on the radio that Hemingway was once asked to write a story in 6 words. His response: For sale, baby shoes, never worn.

Another author added: You called, I answered, wrong number.

Today I’m trying to write a bio, so people can know who I am as they weave through the web waters and come across me. How can I quickly say who I am, what I’ve done, were I’ve been and where I want to go? If I want to talk about all the places I’ve performed in the world, or the crazy eclectic experiences I’ve known, how do I convey it in a concise form? So far I’ve come up with this line.

Cathy’s main guitars a ‘Tokai Stratocaster’ brought back from Japan in 1983 and her ‘Guild Songbird’ acquired in 1990 could tell stories of recordings and performances, and world travel. (too long)…

How about:

My well traveled musical road as witnessed by my two guitars, tell stories of recordings and performances, and world travel.

Or better yet:

My guitars tell stories of recordings and performances, and world travel. (and ironically not many broken strings).

 

The Subways

Performing: in NYC subway system is not a placeholder to better things, performing underground transcends career ambition.  The act is the soundtrack to a continuous story played out in the eyes and ears of the thousands who pass by. Music underground transcends the musical taste of the listener, because it’s momentary, it either masks other underground sounds or is drowned out by screeching wheels, closing door chimes, public announcements on distorted speakers and the multiplied sounds of people moving about carrying, dragging noisy items. 

I change my playlist to what I see and hear.  At any moment a woman’s clicking heels, a man’s cane, a child’s stare, an old man’s gait-all act as catalysts to my performance. Like a conductor with an orchestra playing a score, I watch attentively conducting, watching an unfolding movie on a screen.

A major key sounds minor, a dance groove sounds bluesier, a note held shorter, longer, all changes at an instant, instant reaction cause and effect, and affect! And is so pleasurable to me.  This is not a concert, this is a musical installation that metamorphoses.  It’s upside down and inside out.  It’s not waiting for a response-it is the response.  It does not work the same with a sitting audience, it exists in the flow of commuter traffic and energy.  It’s improv, it’s jazz, it’s bebop, it’s free, nothing pleases me more.  No stage lights that blind, giving inhibitions a chance to hide, no your side, my side or the performance game, we’re all in this together.

 

What does music sound like?

Music envelops our daily lives, we can’t live without it, even if we can’t hear it, we feel it. 

Vibration=energy=existence and why it is so important to us.

The 1970’s and the boombox carried on the shoulder, loud enough to annoy or entertain an entire subway car.  Race forward to the 2000’s ubiquitous white earbuds, wires traveling into hidden pockets or a hand holding an MP3 player with treasures of sound.

Breaking New Ground 1986 MTV basement tape win

A bit of history, In 1986 my group Students of Life won an MTV Basement Tape award for this video, produced by Steve Sattler and Michael O'Keefe, filmed at Bradley Air museum with a crazy (typical video script of the times-none) idea that my character was based on what happened to Amelia Earhart?  She ended up a musician in a wacky 1980's video!!  That angular hair, the Adam Ant make-up and stretch pants-Thompson Twins clothes! The bouncing drummer (sorry Harvey-but too good not to mention), the moog synthesizer, the comments are endless.....

South Ferry new station opening

Monday, March 16, 2009 at 8:29am

I'm off to South Ferry today, it's a new station with amazing art installations from brothers Doug and Mike Starn who were commissioned by the MTA and Arts for Transit. I had a chance to perform for the private artist viewing of the spot-it was great. Today is the public opening, so it will be fun to just perform for people trying to get from one place to another, and possibly others coming our of curiosity. When was the last time a new station opened? There have been delays and complaints, but what I can see so far is that it's accessible-elevators and escalators (most stations have none or are difficult to find, disgustingly gross, or out of service). Here's a chance to give people beautiful art to look at (and fun music too).

 

The picture is from the opening party I performed at March 3rd by photographer Rob Wilson and sent to me from MUNY as a reminder of where to set up today (not against the elevator bank!). Funny

Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at 7:49am

the station opened without any ceremony, although I sat on a train held up because of a water main problem. I didn't realize until I got to the station that the main break affected the 1 line and so no one was using the new station-it was crazy. I set up where another performer Sean (a great cellist) was playing, and it worked out fine. By 4pm the station opened and so I moved. It was beautiful being inside by the art, but no one was walking by really, so that part was frustrating. It was great overhearing comments from people walking by "gorgeous", "beautiful", "wow". There were workmen there happy to see the station finally open.

Will be happy to go back.....


Mosaics spot-cold and cranky MTA worker

okay, so today it was cold, although not really too cold to perform-I almost couldn't play anyway as an MTA rep first told me this was no longer a sanctioned spot, then when I resisted, make numerous calls and threatened to have the cops come and arrest me. I held my ground showed my permit, called Tim at MUNY just to be safe, and to be sure that the spot was still okay, and it was, so I set up anyway. And that was that. Not only did it go okay, but the same MTA rep later came over and apologized for the inconvenience and then went as far as to say that she liked my music. Apparently some groups at this location are just so loud the booth worker can't hear themselves think, I can understand. 

I got a chance to see the next group Tin Pan who performed after me with Jesse Selengut a trumpeter I've known for many years-they sounded great!

 

Nico Mulhy

re Young Composer Reveals Musical Resolutions           

Love what Nico is saying, I see how the city thrives each time I perform in the Music Under New York program. No need to trick anyone-they get it Nico...

Commuter Tucker Park

Your show (and the other performers) were a welcome delight. It was truly a real unexpected performance. I was in-between appointments and was taking a 'long' walk to my next appointment (several hours later) and was going to walk thru the park and 'rest' for awhile. I saw the stage being set-up, so I decided to stay and watch the concert. It was really nice to hear your original music and songs and not any covers of old songs. This makes you an artist and not just a 'singer'. Looking forward to seeing you in the subway, etc.