Deborah Crooks: News/Journal

Pretty, huh? I'm so happy to have found out about Madame Guitar Straps. Really pretty line of guitar straps coming out of Austin.

I hope you’ve been enjoying the new songs from the upcoming "Little Bird" CD. They’ve been getting a bit of airplay in CA and WA as well as online and I’m happy to be getting positive responses to the work. Yay! Meanwhile, recording of the final four songs of this project, now called “Little Bird” commenced yesterday, and we are expecting to complete them in May.  I expect to be pressing actual, physical discs in June. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, if you want to hear live versions of the new tunes, and will be in CA in April/May, please come to one of these shows

• April 30 Songwriter Serenade at Matt Denny’s Ale House, Arcadia, CA 7pm
• May 13, KC Turner Acoustic Bistro Osteria, San Francisco, CA 7pm http://www.osteriasf.com/

 Cheers, Deborah

A baseball-related tune for opening day, from the new CD "Little Bird"

I contributed music to this video detailing Operation Shanti's work in Mysore, India, to help those living in poverty. OS continues to add programs: Check out their site and lend a hand if you can. http://www.operationshanti.org/

Enjoy music from the upcoming CD!

 After many months of recording and mixing, I'm pleased share the song "Looking Down the Road"  from my soon-to-be-released CD "Little Bird." It's been great fun to work with Producer Art Khu on this latest collection. Let me know what you think and follow the links below if you'd like to pre-order a copy. Enjoy, Deborah Crooks

SoundCloud to "Looking Down the Road"

We always enjoy playing Off the Grid events — Food Truck extravaganzas around the Bay for foodie loving folks — especially on sunny days such as Sunday in Larkspur. A shout-out to Bay Area photographer Lindsey Rallo for taking some nice action shots. Contact her up if you're looking for photos.

Happy New Year!

A sincere thank you for being a part of my 2012! A lot certainly happens in 12 months and I hope you're looking forward to an abundant and expansive next round as much as I am. I am busy playing and booking shows for the year ahead while work on the new recordings continue. Very soon, I'll have some songs to share with you. In the meantime, if you'd like to book me to play or have any requests for venues you'd like to see me play in 2013, please drop me a line. January starts with a couple of private events and benefits as well a gig at Off The Grid- Larkspur. I look forward to seeing you soon. xo, Deborah

For information on booking me for your private event, reception or house concert, please email me at deborahrcrooks @ gmail.com

 

"...a more diverse take on Americana with a distinctly female tone, and quite charming." — East Bay Express
Named to Music Connection magazine’s 2012′s HOT 100 Live Unsigned Artists & Bands
"Deborah Crooks makes the case for a return to the roots of rock"- Consequence of Sound

 

 

Just added! I'm playing tonight, Friday, Dec 28, at The WestSide Cafe, a friendly neighborhood cafe in West Berkeley. Please join us!

Winter Acoustic 

Deborah Crooks @ WestSide Cafe 7pm-9pm

Much love and joy to you and yours this holiday season. Love, Deborah

Free sampler at NoiseTrade.com/DeborahCrooks

We just got on board to play in support of our friends Secret Town (formerly of Kitchen Fire) this Saturday at The Plough and Stars in San Francisco. Come down for a night of Americana at his super friendly pub on Clement St.! http://www.theploughandstars.com/

I was so happy to find I'm included in Music Connection Magazine's 2012′s HOT 100 Live Unsigned Artists & Bands. Thank you Music Connection!:

"MC’s annual, eagerly awaited Hot 100 list spotlights the live performers who made us sit up and take notice in 2012. Those involved in determining the results of this year’s poll included not only Music Connection staff members, but freelance journalists, club bookers and other industry professionals from across the US....read more

Hello and Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm feeling extra grateful as I just moved into a new place. The past month has entailed much home dealings and not so much performance but I'll be getting back to it later this month with a feature spot at Steve Witt's Open Mic at High Street Station in Alameda, Thursday, November 29. If you're in the Bay Area. Amid that I HAVE been recording and getting closer to having some ear-ready tunes SOON. Extra special thanks to those who contributed to my IndieGoGo campaign (you'll be hearing from me very soon). Have a great week. xo, D

Greetings! I hope this finds you warm, dry and gearing up for a month full of thanksgiving. It's been a very full year and I'm appreciating this month is seeing the fruition of several projects, some this weekend!

I did a lot of writing this year, not all music related, and one of the projects I worked on was a new evening length work by Deborah Slater Dance Theater. 'Private Life Stories'explores both the classic text 'The Art of War' and the everyday art of relationship. Initially inspired by the life of a dancer who was also a soldier, it features Slater's choreography with my prose and music by composer & neuroscientist Bruno Louchouarn.

Private Life Stories will be performed Nov 2, 3 & 4th 2012 @CounterPULSE, 1310 Mission Street, San Francisco, CaliforniaGet your tickets here: Eventbrite I'll be there opening night, this Friday!

The following evening, I'll be playing a set of my tunes as part of an evening of Americana and Blues music at Brainwash with Alex Walsh and Kwame Copeland. We'll all be doing our own sets and playing together. Guitars, harmonicas, percussion, some harmony...sounds good to me. Show starts at 8pm

A night of Americana & Blues, Saturday, Nov 3, 2012
Brainwash Cafe, 1122 Folsom
San Francisco California 94103
8pm  415-255-4866

Still time to Support the New Recording!

Big thanks to those of you who donated to my new recording! There's still time to support getting the latest batch of songs out into the world via IndieGoGo! Sponsors receive the completed work first and are eligible for other benefits. Plus I've added some new perks including a $9 3-pack.  No amount is too small to give and all goes to the completion of a new CD to be released early 2013. Make a donation now: www.indiegogo.com/DeborahCrooksCD

Thank YOU!

A special evening in the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland next Saturday, Oct. 13.

The Gardens grounds will be filled with lanterns, carved and lit gourds and illuminated sculptures, all created by local Bay Area artists.  And there will be live music by a number of acts (including myself), as well as wine and delicacies from some of the East Bay's best food trucks.

Proceeds will benefit the Gardens at Lake Merritt, and its stewardship and educational programs.

Tickets available online at: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/277296

I'm partway through recording my latest release and am asking your help in taking it to completion. Make a donation and you'll be the first to receive the new tunes as well as special perks and benefits. The songs I'm currently recording were written over the last three years of playing, writing, performing and traveling (including two several-month-long forays to India to study yoga and Carnatic voice). Exploring faith, relationship, lineage and legacy, I'm enthused both for the project's lyrical content and the chance it's giving me to fill in my Americana palette that much more: I'm working with noted jazz artist and composer Art Khu — whose played on previous recordings — in the producer chair.
I'm halfway there....but your donations are crucial to covering the next half of my basic recording. Please take a look and listen to see how to help me finish my project. Many thanks! Deborah

October music performance life kicks in with a two-gig day in the East Bay on Saturday, October 6th, 2012

 First up, I'm playing the Alameda music party that is the High Street Station Harvest Festival. 

High Street Station Harvest Festival - 1-6pm

Part of a full afternoon of music (&BBQ) at High Street Station in celebration of the season. Come hear Alameda artists Steve Witt, Deborah Crooks, The Sheets, Bad Ass Boots and more. I play with the band at 2-3:15pm 

Then I go North to play a set at 

Ale Industries "First Saturdays" Artist Market - 6-9pm

Part of a full evening of Live, Local and Independent Art, Music and Craft Beer. Americana / Folk / Outlaw Country musician friends PETE AHONEN and ANDREW GIBSON invited me along to play a set.