Jim Moffatt Starts 2011

I know, I know. I promised to release a brand new Christmas Song to you all for Christmas and I didn't do it.

The reason is the tracks didn't get back from Nashville until 2 days before Christmas and there just wasn't time to finish and mix and produce and get it out. I am sorry. I will make it up to you though.

"Never be in a hurry to make a bad recording" This is a quote I heard a while back and I have learned to adhere to it.

So what goes on now? "Where is my Christmas Present that you promised," you ask? Never fear...

I tell you what, next year it will be released and then I will give all my fan and supporters a free copy. But in the mean time… Mike and I have been working on releasing a song called "Wander Lust" and in the next few weeks when it is done I will be sending it out to you all via an email and link. It’s a cool song with great haunting guitar parts. I wrote it while touring through BC and Alberta and thinking of a girl I left at home named Beth. When it was originally done I called it Beth’s Song but then I married a woman named Merri-Lynn. She didn’t much like the title to I changed it to ‘When I’m Traveling” and rewrote it a bit. But you know, I was never happy with it as such and after a few more rewrites, a divorce and changing the title to “Wander Lust” I am finally going to record it and release it. In fact Mike and I have been recording it for a bit. So it should get “done” soon. We are just trying to get the good tones on the guitars.

What’s new? Well let’s see... It looks like I will be going to the International Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis in Feb. I was given a "First Timers" scholarship to cover the costs of the conference and now I just need to figure out how to get there. I will probably drive and turn it into a 3 day road trip, picking up others along the way to share driving and help cover costs that way. Yup this will truly be the old folkie tradition. Even got an email from a guy who plays out of Boise telling me I could stay there on the way through for a nap. Yup this might just happen.

On a personal note I didn't hear a word from the boys. It looks like we’re a bust. Can’t really blame them though I just wish it was different that’s all. “Tel est la Vie”

I will also be playing some gigs in Vancouver at the Trees Coffee houses, the Harbour Hotel on Salt Spring Island and a gig in Kamloops but I will send out more on that later.

So tell me, how was your Christmas or just how was your Holiday season? Let’s have some fun with this. Who ever gives me the best story gets a free T shirt and a CD. I will publish the story in the next newsletter so make sure you send it to me via email and don't write what you don't want others to read. :-) Bloggers, you can enter too. I will be looking for humour, and just down right good story telling. No one is going to check your facts to read into that what you will.

All the best of the season to you all

Jim

http://radio3.cbc.ca/#/profile/Jim-Moffatt

Reply  

Video Shoot

Hi to who every you are reading my blog..... Currently I have an important opportunity to attend and present at the Folk Alliance International conference in Feb 2011. In order to get the most out of this i need a multi-camera video of me performing in a house concert. Cool. But I need your help. Things needed to make this happen....... 1. I need a venue somewhere warm and inviting near Victoria BC to do the concert/shoot in. This should not take more than an afternoon. 2. I need cameras there to do the shooting. I have 1 but I need at least 2 maybe even 4 more to get more angles and interesting shoots. Any video camera is a good camera. 3. I need your supporting enthusiastic faces, Please be there. Even if you can't bring a camera or know a place, once we do get the mechanics handled what is needed more than anything is your smiling face. Please come sit, dance, enjoy. There is no cost except your time and understanding as this will be a shoot

So if you have a camera please bring it. This is a no pressure type shoot with several cameras (hopefully) taking shots and recording performance There will be one main camera shooting front and center also recording sound then the others will be edited in later, to give the story.

There is no set date yet. Heck there is no set venue yet either so we are really starting this from the ground floor.

This is to be a house concert setting with people sitting and singing and having a good time listening with me singing, playing and telling stories. The whole thing should last less than 2 hours as we only need 1-3 good songs to have enough. ( but I plan on playing at least 8) The finished project will be posted after the conference and you will all get free limited edition copies with a personal thank you note from me to you. This limited edition will contain content not available anywhere else. Think bloopers. And there will be some drinks there to as my gift to all. I am hoping to make this as much fun as I can. Thanks for your help Jim Phone 250-858-9323 Email jim@jimmoffatt.ca

Reply  

Special Show and Christmas Coming

Hi Everyone The best of the holiday Season to you and yours. That’s Christmas where I come from but I have so many friends and there are so many holidays at this time of the year it’s just to long-winded to try and wish 'em all, so..... ".HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOURS” I have a new song that I wrote with some friends and it's getting recorded in Nashville. I am hoping to have it ready for my next visit with you and be able to give it to all my friends and supporters as a Christmas Gift. It is called "1st Christmas Waltz". I am so excited.

SPECIAL SHOW = THURSDAY NIGHT 2 sleeps from today, we are having "THE" event of the season in our area. Counting me there is going to be 5 bands. YES FIVE BANDS doing a fund raiser for the Victoria Cool Aid Society and The Victoria Women in Need Community Cooperative. Tickets are 20$. If you want I have 6 left and I will drop them to your door between now and then (as long as you are in Victoria BC or close of course) No extra charge at all and a big hug of thanks to boot.

Join us for the holiday season! All proceeds to The Victoria Cool Aid Society and The Victoria Women in Need Community Cooperative. Proudly sponsored by CFUV 101.9fm and The Times Colonist.

Doors 7pm, Show 7:30 Licensed.

Whets it all about?

VICTORIA COOL AID SOCIETY: This non-profit society operates 315 housing units, three shelters, and provides 225,000 hot meals and over 34,000 health appointments annually to clients that are homeless, disabled and otherwise in need. Cool Aid accepts donations of clothing and food, but 'hey' cash is always good too. Learn more about their programs and how you can get involved as a volunteer or donor at: www.coolaid.org

VICTORIA WOMEN IN NEED COMMUNITY COOPERATIVE: This non-profit organization operates three WIN Resale Shops in Victoria that offer high quality, affordable, second hand items. This revenue, along with donations, makes it possible to provide programs for local women who are in transition. WIN's mission is to create opportunities for women and their families to be self-sufficient. This support helps women to be inspired, socially and environmentally aware, and connected to their communities. Cash donations, clothing and household items are needed year round (don't wait until Boxing Day). The latter are used to equip new living spaces for women and families moving from transition houses. www.womeninneed.ca

THE MUSIC: Known for their lively acoustic sets and quirky humour, the fun-loving, always community-minded Children of Celebrities have organized what will be THE benefit concert of the holiday season. Hosting a line-up that includes five great local bands, the boys invite one and all to "shake yer booty" and raise some dough for two of the hardest working non-profit organizations in town www.childrenofcelebrities.com

LOOSE CHANGE: It's a big, danceable sound with tight rhythms, colourful vocal harmonies AND a pretty decent horn section. Loose Change is: Dee Cooper (Keys), Paul Stapleton (Guitar), Sue Regimbal (trombone), Kevin Paetz (sax), Mike Regimbal (Bass) and Lincoln McCollough (drums).

FOUR ON THE FLOOR: Four on the Floor deliver an eclectic mix of acoustic folk-pop, rambling though songs from Neil Young to The Wailin’ Jennys,

99BUCK This band has chosen to be mysterious and not supply a bio.

and of course... JIM MOFFATT: You all know things about me here are some more you may not know... 'his 30 year musical career eventually landed him in Victoria, where he has become very involved in Victoria’s grass-roots folk music scene including hosting the “Art of the Song” songwriters’ group. You'll also love Jim for having once piloted a Zodiac for Greenpeace’s “Save the Whales” efforts and spending a short time in a Newfoundland jail for his anti-sealing protests! www.jimmoffatt.ca

Have a great season and nothing but love to you and yours Jim

Reply  

Losing our Democratic rights

I've just joined the David Suzuki Foundation and its supporters in denouncing the undemocratic move by Conservative senators to kill the Climate Change Accountability Act (Bill C-311), November 16.

Please join us in demanding that the federal government defend Canada's democratic traditions and the Earth's biosphere by making governments accountable on climate change – and, if possible, ask three friends to join us, too.

Take action at http://action.davidsuzuki.org/C-311

Thanks for reading Jim

Reply  

Jim Moffatt November News

Guess what? Remember a few months ago I was telling you about the house concert tours? Well I got accepted and will be doing a tour in Oct-Nov next year, Cool ah? I will be playing a series of house concerts in Southern BC and Alberta and will get the exact times and places in a few months. I get to make new friends and see some country that I love again and best of all… a road trip! WEEEEeeeeee!

I have 2 new songs that I am working up to play this Friday on Gabriola, at their folk club. One is called “Never Ceases to Amaze Me” a ballad of course and the other is “Something’s Going Down”. This is more of a driving blues/roots song. Not quite the Chicago style but closes enough to beat like it. Both are cool and as yet unfinished. Could be a train wreck, could be wonderful. It will be fun in any case.

I have some people who like my music enough to assist me in writing promo and putting me on their rosters for artistic support and gigs. This could evolve into me having a manager and agent. This is the type of thing I need and it seems to all be coming together. I really wish it didn’t take so long!

You know at my age to be starting a career in music again is tough enough but I feel like there just won’t be enough time and I may get to touch the proverbial brass ring but just as I go to grab it I may run out of time. I guess we all feel like that as we mature and realize the ride won’t last forever.

My Janice has been sick for over a month now. We thought it was a cold but now she is taking antibiotics for the 2nd excursion and we seem to be winning.

The songwriters group has been floundering a bit mostly because I canceled it too many times in a row because of travel but last meeting we actually had some new folk show and I now plan on being here for the next several at least so it should be OK. I hope it is anyway as I really am learning and getting better at the art of song writing mainly because of what I am learning with other writers. Much better, than a book and talent and desire help too. :-P

Lastly, please check out my web page at www.jimmoffatt.ca and give my songs a listen. I am going to release a ring tone with the riff of the Bluesman as the main. Just image that as your wakeup call.

Oh on a more personal note my son Jordan has moved to the interior. Seems to really like it but now I wish he wasn’t so far away.

Talk with you all later and feel free to write if you want, Jim

Reply  

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!! Let’s see...the last time I wrote I explained about releasing a new mix of one of my songs. Well that went just as I had hoped. On web radio it got more than twice as many positive comments as its first release. I am hoping to take what I have learned and use it to write even better songs. If you would like to hear what I am talking about just click here.... http://www.reverbnation.com/tunepak/3012726 ... and play the songs "Truth and Lies" and "Lies, Truth and Lies". The mix is really similar with only the intro changed. I love the art of song writing and if you are interested in why the difference is important just ask me and I'll be glad to explain what I have learned. I just don’t' want to put everyone to sleep :-) Song writing is really what I live for. As many of you know the group I work with is called 'Art of the Song". This years restart (after a summer break) has been really tough with so many of the members touring, playing or just moving but now seems to have settled and I am really looking forward to out next meeting and its continued success. I still have no day job and that’s tough. On one hand you would think that it leaves me with more time to play and record but on the other hand we have the money or lack of money issue. And on top of that I spend more time reading postings, hunting postings, writing cover-letters and resumes and then doing interviews than I did working. Damn it! Oh well, there are still lots of gigs for the month of November and I am doing a fund raiser for the cool-aid society in December, that should really be fun and supportive of a good cause. One of the gigs in November is a new cafe/restaurant or should I say new to me as I haven’t played there before. I love playing new places because it’s usually a new audience and that always means more friends. The other gigs are really some of my favourite places to play. Yup November should be good. Hope you have a great spooky holiday Jim

Reply  

Benefit for Habitat for Humanity

Hi Everyone in Victoria BC Area. I am doing a special Benefit for Habitat for Humanity as a guest, of Mr. Thomas P Radcliffe at the Solstice Cafe. Time:Friday, 15 October 2010 7:30 The widget below has details to this show and others coming up. It is 10$ at door and that money and 1/2 of my CD sales go to benefit Habitat for Humanity. Grab your Friends, loved ones, the guy or girl next door and come down and lets fill the place for a good cause.

Looking forward to seeing you there

Jim

Reply  

Jimformation Oct 7 2010

Glad you clicked and I get this chance to speak with you again.

September has been a month full of blessings and challenges.

Mike and I have played quite a few gigs and have more coming up. If you were at one then you know how hard we have been working and writing and I hope you agree that it is paying off.

I have also been doing some mixing and thinking.

I have edited and am remixing the song "Truth and Lies" and the new release is called "Lies, Truth and Lies" and you can hear it by clicking EXCLUSIVE MUSIC button and then just choice the new title. It has a much more powerful start now and as I learn to edit more there will be updated releases under the new title.

We have also started up the Art of the Song writers group again. This is a song writers group that meets every 2 weeks at my home and study on the skills needed to write songs. It's not only a lot of fun but we actually write and practice our chops. This meeting is open to all with an interest in song writing and if anyone is in the area and wants to come just send me an email for the time and address.

I lost my day job in the beginning of September. That lack of income is a strain with the extra time being a blessing.

Wish me luck

Jim

Reply  

Jim Featured in "The Province"

Hello Everyone

Jim is being featured this week in "The Province" news.

Below is a link to the page which features artists like 'My Darkest Days" and "Waiting for Sunday" and "Bobby Richards" and of course our own "JIm Moffatt"

http://www.theprovince.com/entertainment/music/downloads/index.html

The page includes free downloads of their music.

Enjoy

Team Jim

Reply  

Talk like a pirate day entry from JIm Moffatt

Ok, that’s all I will do because writing like a pirate is tough and annoying to read too. With that said let me catch you up on the news.

We had our first "Art of the Song" writers group meeting 2 weeks ago and we have our next one today at 2pm. This is a group that I started just about 1.5 years ago and just shut down for the summer and restarted. The first meeting was a bit complicated as I am trying to focus us on writing rather than so much a social event that I had watched it become. Surprisingly I got a lot of resistance from some members attending who don't seem to want to do writing exercises but don’t have any other ideas either They really didn't have a reason except "they didn't want to". So I am left with wondering how to please all the people all the time. I bet you just thought to yourself as you were reading that "You can't" If you did then points to you and I agree. I will have to stick to my vision of what this group is and if members leave that will have to be OK. It seems like such a hard butt attitude yet I can’t seem to come up with any other solution. Let me know if you have one.

Gigs seem to be doing OK. I played the Deep Cove Folk Club with Mike and we got lots of very positive feedback, Would have liked a bigger crowd only about half full but at times they were sounding like many more and very attentive. This was the first time I played this club sense before my accident and so I made it a “Thank You” concert giving away free CDs to any who wished and a donation jar on the table. Very successful and lots of folk got my music too. Add to that all the fun we all had and I am sure I will get a gig there again sometime. We also went up to the Duncan Folk club 'Cowichan Folk Group" and played their open stage as warm-up for our friends Jenny Allen and Leslie Alexander who were doing a short tour through and spent the night at our place before continuing on. If you ever get a chance to hear ‘em, do yourself a favour. They arrrrr that good (Ok… I couldn't help it… it’s only one arrrrr)

On a personal note I have some bits of News.

Jan and I went to a wedding for one of her co-workers yesterday and I snapped some pictures with my blackberry. I got a nice surprise this morning when I learned the new bride was now using one of my uploads as her FaceBook profile picture. I love this kind of thing. I think the tech that allows me to snap a quick shot and then post it is very cool.

I suffered a blessing and a curse on Friday. I lost my day job of the last 5 years. I really need that money but at the same time those that know me know how hard it was for me to actually do the job. Just one of those things I was not meant to do and fell into and then got too comfortable with to get out and yet not comfortable enough to want to stay. Oh well, I was looking for that job when I found it. I will find another.

A bit of heart break here. One of my long lost sons has decided to remain that way. He has requested that I no longer contact him and I will respect his wishes even though I don’t agree or want to. My one big worry is that contact with the younger son has become less also and I am concerned that he feels caught in the middle with split loyalties. Patience is a virtue I could use more of right now.

Well that’s pretty much it and got you all in the know. All the best to you and remember if you want to contact me directly just send an email to Jim@jimmoffatt.ca In Joy and Harmony Jim

Reply