End Of The Year 2010

Yes, yes, yes!!! Another banner year for the Pearl Foundation! First, the new-but-now-annual Christmas in August sale netted over $9,000. Next, the fan-run annual Message Board Auction raised a beautiful $7,203.00. (Thank you Kathleen, Hoops, and Jeff!) Last, we were able to donate an additional $10,381.00 in profits. All that, plus your Paypal and tip jar donations (and the maturation of a smartly-purchased Certificate of Deposit by yours truly five years ago) is allowing us to continue building our scholarship funds at Berea College, KY and Warren Wilson College, NC by donating $90,000.00!!!

Yep, you saw it right. Ninety-thousand dollars in Pearl Foundation scholarship money went out to these wonderful institutions last week. A huge thanks to each and every one of you!

On the business end of things (as it were...), Sony Japan are preparing a beautiful set of reissues, culminating in the release of my two-album recording Remember: Live In Japan & Australia. This is great news for anyone who's hoped to get a copy of the long out-of-print 1979 set! We are hoping to manufacture them here in time for next fall... because it's looking a lot like I'll be spending most of the fall touring in the UK and Europe!!! Dates aren't finalized, and we're still hoping to expand a bit into other territories (Scandinavia, Germany, France, Prague anyone?), but I'll definitely be playing Benelux, Ireland, Scotland, and the UK. (Remember - if there's a venue you think I would do well in, bother them until they contact my agent!!)

I'll be leaving town in early January to spend a few days at the home of Kevin Eubanks, guitarist extraordinaire. We met because my Google Alerts told me he'd cited my song "Stars" as his favorite song; I sent an e-mail thanking him, and the rest is history. He has a brand new house by the ocean, and he cooks, so I'm really excited at the prospect of spending a few days with him, talking and making music.

After that, it's into rehearsals with Natalia Zukerman, who'll be coming to Japan with me on January 16 for two weeks. Looking forward to seeing all my friends at the Billboard Live clubs again - and we actually have two days off in Osaka, can you believe it?! I'm planning to eat loads of sushi with Angela Aki and her crew, see my old friends Reiko Yukawa and Masa Kajimoto, and add a bunch of new songs to the shows there.

I also got a new Santa Cruz this year - check it out! She's absolutely stunning, plays like a dream. Still my own model, but this time I worked closely with Richard Hoover and his crew to design something very different from what I've been playing. Not that I don't still love The Black, but it's time to move on a bit.

I'm very happy to be part of Christine Lavin's wonderful new CD, Just One Angel. I have to tell you a funny story. When Chris was putting together an NPR show around the CD, she asked everyone participating for their favorite childhood Christmas memories. Without thinking, I responded "My favorite part of Christmas was being Jewish." Well, everyone cracked up, but after thinking about it for a while, I realized I meant it. So here's a little Christmas cheer to come your way!

On a personal note, every year Pat complains that my equipment is cluttering up the library - but this year, I solved it by throwing some sheepskin over all of it, then decorating the piles. Think she'll realize?

<grin>

I also solved the "How do we make that fireplace look Christmas-y" - and yes, the poster is from Peewee Herman, inscribed to Pat. Don't ask....

I'm about to marinate an amazing roast I'll be making tomorrow - thought I ordered an eight pound, but wound up with a twelve, so I've got to get cracking.... Best wishes to one and all for a great holiday season, and a very happy New Year!!!

Best,

Janis

• Previous Updates
• December 1, 2012
• October 5, 2012
• July 12, 2012
• May 8, 2012
• April 6, 2012
• January 10, 2012
• December 2, 2011
• November 15, 2011
• July 28, 2011
• July 1, 2011
• May 18, 2011
• February 18, 2011
• End Of Year 2010
• November 2010
• September 2010
• August 2010
• April 1, 2008
• August 2003
• July 2003