Kelsey Jillette's Jazz, News and Life Blog

K's best websites for managing freelance finances

2010-07-13T09:32:00.000-07:00

I've spent a good part of the last year and a half getting my finances in order, keeping better track of bills, trying to have a longer view... So this post is unrelated to music and instead, all about the nerdy websites I've found that have really helped the cause:

1. Mint.com is invaluable. I have all of my accounts, credit, savings, debts, etc. all hooked into this free site, and in turn it analyzes my spending, lets me know when bills are due, alerts me to interest rate changes and helps me budget. I haven't racked up any accidental charges since since signing up. Plus, since all my transactions from all my accounts are categorized, this year's taxes are going to be a breeze.

2. Smartypig.com is an online savings account with a 2.15% interest rate. All I do is connect it to my checking account and have anywhere from $25 on up sucked out each month and put into Smartypig. There are no fees, and the only catch of sorts is that when I want to take money out, I have to take all of it. But that's cool, because it's designed for savings goals, in my case, long-term.

3. Billshrink.com - this one's handy for analyzing cell phone bills and figuring out what you really need. I was surprised to find out how few anytime minutes I actually use, once nights, weekends and mobile-to-mobile were taken out of the equation. I subsequently switched plans and cut down on my bill.

4. studentrate.com - not just for students. Speaking of cell phones and plans, anyone with an .edu email address can get these discounts, and some are substantial. I just switched to Sprint from Tmobile, and by using studentrate.com to make the switch, I got a $200 Sprint Evo for $125 after rebates and credits. Best of all, I get 15% off of each month's standard Sprint rate plan.

5. ibrinfo.com - a life changer for those of us with federal student loans. This new payment plan, income-based repayment, went into effect last July, but it wasn't well publicized. Turns out that you can send in a form along with last year's tax returns and potentially lower monthly payments a whole lot. IBR is a 25-year payment plan - long, I know - but after that, whatever is left is forgiven. I was on a 20-year payment plan to begin with, and this plan cut my monthly payment way down. Now I send extra payments every few months and I don't worry about the small monthly ones that get auto-debited.

6. creditkarma.com - an easy way to keep track of my credit. Its easy to use credit calculator lets you see the effects of hypothetical financial decisions, like borrowing more, or being late with a payment. It also suggests ways of improving credit.

Those are the ones that come to mind for now. Maybe I'll follow up with a second list if I remember some others or have another nerdy itch to scratch.

2010-04-30T00:12:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm up late on a night off, tinkering with the website, new photos and video. It has been a whirlwind week or so, and I am so happy to be sitting here in a big fuzzy robe, messing with my laptop at 3am.

This past weekend we went on the road to Ohio and packed close to 25 hours of car time into a 48 hour period. It was more driving that any of us needed, but somehow we all had a really nice time, had some good barbeque, saw some bible belt small-town America. We played the Presidential Gala at Shawnee University on a nice big stage, stayed the night and headed for home. Then, following a great gig with The Big Bang Big Band on Monday, we played the 55 Bar on Wednesday back in Greenwich Village, and I kind of think that all those hours together made the music that much more cohesive and good.

It's been a good, energy-giving week for music. I hope I can hang onto that feeling. Well, goodnight for now, and thanks for reading... -K

Musings on a night off

2010-01-23T17:47:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm almost at the end of one of my most musically eclectic months in some time. Five gigs more before it's over. I am still buzzing from the pleasure of being Dawnie Love's backup singer this past Thursday. I spend most of my time in the jazz world, and it was a great experience to work with a talented pop band. As a backup singer I got to half-watch the show from my spot on the sidelines, and by the end I was a huge fan! Happily I'll get a chance to play with them again next month at their next show. Aw yeah!

That same night, I met Brad back in Manhattan at WOR's radio station, to sing on The Joey Reynolds Show at midnight. I almost fell asleep on the couch before we went on, but as soon as we started I was wide awake and happy to be there. What a curious and interesting guy Joey Reynolds is. He comes across as a curmudgeon, and says wild, sweeping statements about anything that crosses his mind. But he is super smart and can back up everything he says. He is as honest and plain spoken a person as I have met. So, that was a nice end to the night: we played some tunes on his show and then headed for home.

And my band played last night at The 55 Bar for our monthly spot. Man, what a great place to play, and how much do I appreciate the guys I play with? More than I can say, that's for sure. They bring such a good vibe and so much good music to the table. We played some new arrangements last night, made some new fans, saw some friends. I can't wait to record again with them, and really hope that our tour plans come together.

I must admit, I'm writing this in my pajamas, at 9pm, glass of wine in hand. I am so happy for this day off! All I did was work on my website and bake cookies today :)
It's been a lot of rehearsals and new music and shows lately. Some of the prep has been for these next ones coming up, for which I have to be up to speed on all the Latin music I know and some I don't know. I like being so busy and having deadlines, and it makes having a day off extremely pleasant!

A new review, just in

2009-08-11T11:45:00.000-07:00

Hi folks,

I just got word of some new press for The Water is Wide, this time from jazz journalist and author Kevin Lynch. Here's what he wrote:

"Kelsey Jillette cuts to the heart of a song with a canny incisiveness that belies her age. Her voice, all honey dewed ripeness, seems to inhabit disparate styles as naturally as taking successive breaths. Yet each utters its own: from Paul Simon spirits to Bossa Carnaval to Dameron bop to [Duke's] blossom and Fats’ rose. Jillette’s Brazilian burbles effortlessly. It’s been ages since I’ve heard such self-possession in a young jazz stylist. 'The Water is Wide' is her album and Jillette’s prospective horizon stretches as far, and beyond." -- Kevin Lynch, award winning jazz journalist and author of the forthcoming “Voices in the River: The Jazz Message to Democracy.”

Photos from Tutuma Social Club this week

2009-07-03T09:33:00.001-07:00

A wonderful 2-night stint at the new Afro-Peruvian club in midtown Manhattan. I played with Freddie "Huevito" Lobaton, Yuri Juarez and Ramon de Bruyn.

Shows this week...

2009-06-24T20:53:00.000-07:00

Hi, it's getting late here on a Wednesday night. I thought I'd post about some upcoming shows and invite readers to come out for a show and a hang. Here's the latest...

The organ quintet is back at the 55 Bar on Friday the 26th - (this Friday). It's free and early (6 to 9pm) and we'll play some great tunes for you from a range of genres in a small assortment of languages. A reviewer recently described our music as "wide-ranging straight ahead"; I would add "lyrical, soulful and groovy". We'll be drawing on Latin folk music and rhythms, 70's r&b and pop, gospel traditionals and American songbook jazz. I really hope you can make it out! The 55 Bar is at 55 Christopher Street in Greenwich Village, and there is a clickable list of shows at the bottom of this email with more details.

A little further down the line, on Tuesday and Wednesday June 30th and July 1st, I'll be joining Gabriel Alegria's Afro-Peruvian Sextet for the 8pm set at Tutuma Social Club. The band is fantastic; I'm excited to get a chance to play with them. The place is a new semi-hidden spot on 56th and 3rd Avenue in Manhattan. They never charge a cover and since it's still their soft opening, mixed drinks and food are practically being given away. They are online at tutumasocialclub.com for more info.

Also, I'm happy to report some new press for our cd, The Water is Wide. Frequent Downbeat contributor John Mcdonough emailed to say that the album is "a first class work." And jazz critic Scott Yanow just published a review in Los Angeles Jazz Scene, saying,

"Singers rarely perform that extensively with organists, but Kelsey Jillette has the power and the spirit to do quite well in that setting and has led an organ group for over seven years. On The Water Is Wide she is joined by organist Brad Whiteley, baritonist Tom Abbott, guitarist Hiro Honma and drummer Adam Pache, and although she is first among equals, the singer is part of the band rather than acting as a diva with sidemen. Ms. Jillette arranged most of the songs, resulting in surprising versions of such songs as Bill Evans’ “Turn Out The Stars,” “Hot House” (which is given a Latin feel), “Honeysuckle Rose” and a medley of “The Water Is Wide” and Dizzy Gillespie’s “Con Alma.” The performances are consistently full of unexpected grooves but without a drop in musical quality. Kelsey Jillette’s phrasing is very appealing, her voice is flexible and easy to understand, and the musicians are excellent. While this is her third recording, The Water Is Wide is Kelsey Jillette’s first widely available CD. It serves as a very impressive introduction to the potentially significant singer, available from WWW.KELSEYJILLETTE.COM."

Well, that is all the news for now. Thanks for being a fan, and hope to see you at these shows.

Warmly,

Kelsey

New review from Scott Yanow, in May's issue of Los Angeles Jazz Scene

2009-06-18T09:14:00.000-07:00

"Singers rarely perform that extensively with organists, but Kelsey Jillette has the power and the spirit to do quite well in that setting and has led an organ group for over seven years. On The Water Is Wide she is joined by organist Brad Whiteley, baritonist Tom Abbott, guitarist Hiro Honma and drummer Adam Pache, and although she is first among equals, the singer is part of the band rather than acting as a diva with sidemen. Ms. Jillette arranged most of the songs, resulting in surprising versions of such songs as Bill Evans’ “Turn Out The Stars,” “Hot House” (which is given a Latin feel), “Honeysuckle Rose” and a medley of “The Water Is Wide” and Dizzy Gillespie’s “Con Alma.” The performances are consistently full of unexpected grooves but without a drop in musical quality. Kelsey Jillette’s phrasing is very appealing, her voice is flexible and easy to understand, and the musicians are excellent. While this is her third recording, The Water Is Wide is Kelsey Jillette’s first widely available CD. It serves as a very impressive introduction to the potentially significant singer, available from www.kelseyjillette.com."

NYC Jazz Jam Session Calendar

2009-04-25T11:51:00.001-07:00

Hi, I was looking for local jazz jam sessions and couldn't find them all in one place online, so I ended up creating a calendar of session and open mics. I thought other people might find it useful, so I posted it on my site at this link: kelseyjillette.com/jamsessions.cfm

You can email me with additions and edits to the calendar through my site. Hope it helps! -Kelsey

Like the music? Want to help get the word out?

2009-03-27T22:08:00.001-07:00

Join our effort to reach more people online, on the airwaves and in concert. If you know of a great venue in your area or have a connection to the local newspaper or radio guy, let me know and I'll supply posters, fliers and cds. If you have a few minutes and like to do stuff online, rate/review me on any and all of these guys right here: ilike.com, reverbnation.com, indie-music.com, cdbaby.com, amazon.com, imusic.com, rhapsody.com, itunes.com or digg.com.

Post-gig musings and plans for Saturday

2009-03-26T23:59:00.001-07:00

Back late tonight from a gig at Swing 46 with The Big Bang Big Band, and up much later reading the news and unwinding. It's so cool to work with a good big band. Unlike my own gigs where I'm singing on every tune, at a big band show I get to hang at the back of the room or bar and listen to the 50% or so of iinstrumental numbers. The upside is that I love relaxing and just listening to these guys play. The downside is that it's harder to stay focused and warmed up when I'm popping on and off the stage. But listening to these guys is wonderful, and tonight was no exception.

I'm going to hear Alexi David, the bassist for the big band play with his own combo at Fat Cat this Saturday after my show at 55 Bar. He has a rockin' good band, and Tom Abbott, the big band's leader, is in it. http://alexidavid.com/ is his site. My show is 6-9pm at 55 Bar, and Alexi's show is 10-1 at Fat Cat about 100 yards away, so naturally I recommend both :)

New Reviews on jazz.com!

2009-03-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

New Reviews:

From Norman Weinstein, currently covering jazz for The Christian Science Monitor, winner of the Deems Taylor-ASCAP award for jazz journalism, author of A Night in Tunisia: Imaginings of Africa in Jazz:

"Your singing is wonderful! Absolutely! Unique, lyrical, individual. Believe you’re the best female vocalist I’ve heard in a long time."

From Walter Kolosky for jazz.com:

Kelsey Jillette: Turn Out the Stars, The Water Is Wide (CAP 1016)

What a pleasure it is to hear the talented jazz vocalist Kelsey Jillette. Above and beyond her distinctive voice, and the talented musicians she has surrounded herself with, is an admiration for the material she has chosen to interpret. The songs range from composers such as Rodgers & Hart, Fats Waller, and Billy Strayhorn to Paul Simon. Each presentation is 100% modern in arrangement, instrumentation and style.
Music author Gene Lees wrote the lyrics to the classic Bill Evans melody "Turn out the Stars," which Jillette sings above a shuffle intro. She has an intriguing voice. It is breathy, yet has a deepness at the same time. She enunciates in a cool emphatic manner that compels you to listen to every word. The instrumental break is proof that the Kelsey Jillette Group is not simply a backing band for a talented vocalist. Drummer Adam Pache's beats support the very fine efforts of guitarist Hiro Honma, baritone saxophonist Tom Abbott and B-3 player Brad Whiteley. On "Turn out the Stars," Whiteley's role is especially impressive. (He and Jillette arranged the piece as well, which may be a clue to his performance.) The Kelsey Jillette Group is the real deal. You need to give them a listen.

From Walter Kolosky for jazz.com:

Kelsey Jillette: Medley – Hot House / What Is This Thing Called Love?

Every time I hear a version of Tadd Dameron's "Hot House," my eyes and ears return to the one-of-a-kind video clip of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie putting the tune through its paces. Though the "Hot House" heard here is a lifetime and galaxy away from beboppers Bird & Diz, it is born of the same spirit. Kelsey Jillette sings the melody vocalese-style above a throbbing bassline provided by organist Brad Whiteley and guitarist Hiro Honma. Soon, the lyrics from "What Is This Thing Called Love?" are coming from Jillette's lips. She owns some well-honed pipes and the emotive powers to use them effectively. The tune takes on a slight Latin feel even as the music becomes denser. Jillette eventually adds a touch of Latin scat herself. Interestingly, the arrangement catches a deep groove but is still somewhat at odds with itself. This tension is explored even as Jillette's voice stays above the fray. Absent her voice, this performance would still make a good jam-band number, given how talented these players are. Yet together, vocalist and musicians creatively transform historic material into an engaging modern mode. This is what playing the standards should be all about. You know, making the music your own. Such distinctive arrangements and performances help make jazz the timeless music it is.
Composed by Bill Evans & Gene Lees. Musicians: Kelsey Jillette (vocals, shakers), Tom Abbott (baritone sax), Brad Whiteley (B-3 organ), Hiro Honma (guitar), Adam Pache (drums)