Nerissa Campbell: blog

Wow! I can't believe all the copies I had pressed of Paint Me Orange are gone and out there in the world with you all!! It feels great.. And it comes at such great timing - when the next cd is just at the final stages of being done. Perfect!

I decided after much thought that I am not going to press any more Paint Me Orange's. They will always be available as digital downloads though! As much as I love the tangibility of physical cd's (and records!), I also like the fact that there is a limited and exclusive amount of them, and once they're gone, they're gone. Maybe you'll have a collector's item one day!! (hehe, I like that thought!)... In a world full of materialism and saturation of 'things' it makes me feel good that I can choose to make something in a way that is not only somewhat socially responsible, but so that you can feel excited about having something that there isn't much of....I don't know about you, but things are moving more and more that way for me, - I am becoming more and more particular that I buy things that are unique, well-made and that I know I am not encouraging corporate overload by buying!!

Speaking of corporate overload, I took this photo in Brooklyn - I can see it from the awesome huge windows of my work, with lower Manhattan gleaming in the background! It always makes me feel good, (and wonder how people got UP there!)

Another class! This time I was lucky enough to work at and participate in
Lotta Jansdotter's surface printing workshop. It was just fantastic, and again I am inspired! Hmmm, our little apartment is really get a bit overrun with all of our fun things - keyboards, guitars, books, videos, fabrics, papers, pens and paints .. and it goes on. I was reminded of how much I love lino cutting and using inks (getting messy!) and can't believe it has been so long since I have printed. There's always something to amuse (and sometimes distract!) yourself with, isn't there?

Meanwhile, I read this quote "You must first have a lot of patience to learn to have patience", Stanislaw J. Lec (1909 - 1966), and had to laugh! I have been waiting patiently through some unforeseen circumstances for my album to be finished, and keep telling myself that I am learning patience - and if I tell anyone that, they say that I seem so patient already. I guess I am the epitome of the quote! In any case, sitting in my patience/impatience I have been getting to make those limited edition artist's books and am having fun making & being distracted with them. Can't wait for everything to be finished and out there in the world...

Patience, patience!

Days we keep on breathing in
The waves of beauty
You give to us with open arms
Although the truth fades through

We will come to you
To see
Who you helped us to be
I am living beyond you
Saya cinta kepadamu

Nights of gentle laughter
As we sit and feel your arms
Fold around our weary hearts
A moment flows alone

We will come to you
To see
Who you helped us to be
I am living beyond you
Saya cinta kepadamu


copyright NC08

I am gonna be on tv! I was chosen to be a part of the weekly show Metro Elvis - which is a showcase of musicians and artists in the NY area.

It's on TWC Channel 56 and RCN Channel 83 in Manhattan at 10pm on August 20th.

AND on streaming video! (Just go to www.mnn.org at 10pm Eastern Standard Time, Wednesday 20th August '08 and choose Channel 56).

So, for all of you out there who don't live in NY, or haven't had a chance to come to a live gig, you can see a gig of mine on telly - er, I mean your computer! And if you were there, then maybe you'll hear your fabulous clapping and my appreciation for your support (that's harder to hear in real life, but it's there!).

Chick Singer Series!

I have been taking a fabulous class on Monday nights called Artist's Books, which is a great mix of bookbinding techniques and artist book techniques. I have been having an absolute ball. I have been both drawing and making books and photo albums for quite a while now, so this class feels perfectly catered to me! I am learning some great new things and my creative juices are quite literally overflowing - which I just love! I feel that one of the most frustrating things for me as a musician is that I am on a 'high' musically for a while and everything is going full-speed and then I hit a wall, and I lose the inspiration. I don't know where it goes, but I am always left feeling like I am maybe being lazy that I should force myself to get in there and write and practice and KEEP GOING! But I have come to realise that I just don't work that way. I really need those peaks and valleys - it's almost like a rest at the top of the mountain. Still, I am always sad at the times the musical well has 'dried up', so to speak. And then I start drawing more. And making things. And then I get inspired by those things which I just love doing, that I give no credit to as a talent, I just do them because I love to. And so the inspiration does actually keep going around in a circle - to use the mountain analogy again - the stopping is actually taking in a magnificent view! I've been thinking a lot about this lately, and have wondered about making a (very) limited edition of hand-bound, hand-drawn books that will come with Musings of a Telescopic Tree when it comes out. I think it is high time that these inspirations that help me through the dry spells got a little credit.... don't you?

I am *finally* going into the studio to record my next album, Telescopic Tree. It has been so long in the coming that I have even started 'nicknaming' the title!! For ages I have had the title "Musings of a Telescopic Tree", but in the many months of preparation (procrastination?), it has been shortened to simply, Telescopic Tree. I like it! I don't know quite what it means, but I like what it conjures up.

So, July 2nd is the big recording date, and I have some really fabulous people onboard to help me out with it. I am so happy to have enthusiastic and encouraging people to work with and share my music with!

I will keep you posted on the release date (and the party that goes along with it!) - I am thinking it will be a little later in the year - maybe September. But I promise I will post some 'sneak peaks' before then!

And if you are in NY and want to hear the band first-hand, we will be performing at 55 Bar on July 1st as our last gig before the big day... (details on the gig page).

Find I'm missing you today
Memories sneak into my heart from far away
I said goodybe - I have to go
And not look back at what I may have done

But here you are on my mind
Yet so far away that I can't hide
My aching heart feels so alone
Now it's my time to know I let it fall apart

And do you ever think of me
Stop and wonder how I've been

If I miss you long enough
Will you think to miss me a little too
A moment spent on times gone by
Remember love Of Yesterdays
Remember times Of Yesterdays
Remember friends Of Yesterdays

City Boy in Singapore

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Just got back from a very glamourous few days in Singapore - where I was invited to perform with the Singapore Jazz Orchestra as part of Singapore's National Day Celebrations. It was in their botanical gardens, which are just divine and the audience were just as lovely!

My sister flew over (also very glamourously) from Australia to meet up with me, which was an extra special treat.

Thanks for having me, Singapore! I hope to see you all again very soon, la!

"Some say that to get a great gig you have to be willing to sing if a light goes on in a toilet, and while jazz singer Nerissa Campbell didn’t quite have to go to these extremes, she really worked hard to make it in the New York market. But when it comes to playing in some of the most famous and atmospheric jazz clubs in the world, it’s worth the effort. Nerissa’s back in Perth on a holiday and just can’t resist the chance to perform at her old stomping ground."




Where is home nowadays? Before I was going back to Australia to visit my family, I kept saying that I was going 'home'. Once I was there, I then referred to NY as home..! What a muddled up thing home becomes when the things that make home 'home' are spread out across the world.

Well, here's to you all in my Perth Home! Thank you all so much for your support at my Perth Jazz Society gig on the 21st May. It was so much fun!! (And weren't the guys totally awesome??!!). I really can't wait to come back and do it again soon...

720 ABC also made a podcast of my interview with them! They choose a feature per day to podcast, and they liked me that day! I am really honoured that I can share this with everyone now, whenever you want to listen! It probably came up when you came to this page, so maybe you've had a listen already!!

Meanwhile, back in my NY home (which I am excited to be back in!), I am inspired to get back into the writing and performing. I have a couple of gigs coming up at the 55 Bar and a Sweet Rhythm gig at the end of July. I hope I'll get to see you soon!!

Until next time..

Hello from my home town of Perth!

If you are in town, I am performing at the Perth Jazz Society on Monday May 21st at 8pm!

I am also going to doing some radio interviews to promote the gig, so if you feel like tuning in, that's where I'll be!

Friday May 18th at 1pm-ish on 720 ABC Perth

Saturday May 19th at 10am-ish on 92.1fm RTRfm

I got asked to compile a list of my top 10 Favourite Jazz Albums for the PJS magazine 'Jazz Review'. I chose 10 albums that have influenced me musically (and it was a hard task to narrow it down!).

I thought I'd share them here, in no particular order, too!

1. John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
2. Nina Simone - A Single Woman
3. Miles Davis - Relaxin'
4. Joni Mitchell - Mingus
5. Patricia Barber - Companion
6. Rickie Lee Jones - Pop Pop
7. Cassandra Wilson - New Moon Daughter
8. Holly Cole - Blame It On My Youth
9. Ella and Louis
10. Eric Dolphy - Out to Lunch

www.perthjazzsociety.com

When I was 8, my Mum was my age. I have vivid recollections of her teaching herself Indonesian. (This was just after she mastered the sewing machine and before she mastered jewellery making!).. She used to sit in the middle of the lounge room, knees out and legs behind her bum, with her tapes - talking the same lines over and over. She never seemed scared to give it a go nor minded if people laughed at her, and for that she has been a constant source of inspiration and courage for me. Now, 20 years later, you would never know that at one point she couldn't speak Indonesian - but I remember.

It is for my Mum that I am (slowly!) embarking on playing gigs where I accompany myself on piano. The time will never be right, and I know I will never feel 'good enough' - but life is about so much more than that, don't you think?

Paint Me Orange got a great feature this week on the internet radio station - radioio, in the jazz section! It was featured as a part of an Australian jazz feature, which made me feel very proud that the great music from my home country was being acknowledged.

Dr Mike has some great programming, with no ads, fantastic! Check out his music when you want to hear some great tunes....

Live @ Sweet Rhythm - the new songs!

Why am I still waiting?
Oh, waiting here on you...
There are so many better things
That I could be doing

I'm sitting in my blues,
Just waiting here on you
Won't someone come and rescue me
Before I wake up and find I'm through

Why am I still waiting?
Been through this before
You'd think that I'd have learned my lesson
And not be such a bore

But you know I adore you
There's nothing I can do
'til you come home
I'm waiting here on you...



copyright NC 2006

A new year, a new website, a new company and hopefully a new album later in the year!!

Guess what? You can buy my songs on itunes now (as well as the physical cd at cd baby)!! The digital world is very exciting to me - that as musicians we can get our music out so fast and so easily to anyone, anywhere in the world!

I am currently composing new songs for my next album - keep posted for some snippets of the lyrics, which I will post here every once in a while.

Oh, and don't forget to sign up for the mailing list - wherever you are, so I can let you know about all the exciting happenings when they happen!

Cheers to new things,
Nerissa