Musical Stories..."The Long View"

Many times I am asked if there are "stories" on each song I compose.  There are!  I am going to tell you a thrilling story about "The Long View".

Let me begin with telling you, that my musical journey is always filled with meeting new people, how they touch my life in many ways.  This song "talks about" those many people that have touched mine.

"The Long View" was taken from the vaults of my past.  I was in Texas when this song took its shape and form.  I was dating a guy that was seriously plagued with problems.  He would verbally abuse me, then it became physical abuse.  I am sorry to say, that I enabled him to hurt me.. to cross into my "bubble of space" and hit me to crack some ribs too.  THAT was an eye opener.  My life would have been hell if I stayed in that abusive environment.  So.. I picked up my heart and soul and left Texas... and drove west to California.  My loyalty has its limits... you mess with me whether its verbal or physical abuse.. or even treating me like crap... Good Bye.. end of story.

When I told my friends I was moving to California, it was the hardest thing I had to do at the time.  All my friends were against me coming here.  "Too expensive", "You won't ever get married", "Too far from your family"...etc etc etc.. NEVER tell me to never do something.  You are just asking for me to reach into my deepest part of me and I will conquer whatever you tell me I can't do.  This song is also a reflection of that spirit.

After certain events in Texas, I wrote this song in the early days of my California residency in San Diego, where I met my beloved Don.

I brought it out of the my musical vault when I went to Imaginary Road Studios. I played it for Will, and he immediately loved it.  Its so simple, but very strong.  I told him about what this song meant to me, and he named it "The Long View".  I found the name to be very ironic, because there is a Long View, Texas!  I liked the name so much.. because it is exactly describing my view on the whole lesson.

Meanwhile, before I went to Imaginary Studios.... I had been corresponding with a very talented Emmy Award winning musician: Jace Vek. We met online via MySpace.  He helped me with several questions I had with music software and introduced me to Jeff Oster.  This set the stage for what was to come...

I met Jace in person,  the year he was terribly injured by some attacking scum vermin in the city of Pittsburg.  He was jumped, he was beaten the crap out of with a brick. Mind you, he lived to tell the tale, and his story is amazing.  He came to California and performed with Scott D. Davis in San Diego.  I also met some wonderful people that night as well. We had talked about collaborating on a song long before this happened....  before he came out to California, he called me and told me all about this whole situation.  I chose "The Long View" to be orchestrated. Then we met.  We talked and talked... I love meeting kindred spirits and he is one of them.

I suppose it was a year later that he sent me the orchestrated version of the song... I.  WAS. Stunned.  I was amazed and what he had done.  He created "The Long Vue".. he 'Jaced' it.  He played the piano melody, and created the orchestration around the melodic line.

This version of "The Long Vue" made me cry because.. he didn't really know the whole story behind "The Long View" at the time.. and he re-named it to "The Long Vue".

So that is how Jace and I collaborated on my song.  I am so thankful that he was able to do it and that he took the time to rework the song.

Please take and listen, comment!  Its free of charge, and is my way of saying THANK YOU for supporting me.  Also here is a link to Jace's website. He has a concert coming up in DelRey Beach Florida.  For you Floridians... go see it his concert.  It is on Saturday, January 5th, 2013. He has some wonderful artists coming and performing with him.  It will be something you won't forget!!

The Long Vue

Jace Vek



Peace in Music....

Kori

Kindness goes a long way....

Lately, I've been thinking about how I want to be treated as a friend. I want to be talked with, go hang out with good kind friends, treating each other with respect, laugh, sing, love our quirks AND our strengths, love even when mistakes are made and makes things difficult.

That said, the other day I saw a post on FaceBook by Will Wheaton regarding toxic people.  He basically said to cut the negative people out of your life.  Which I have been doing.  I am tired of the amount of energy it takes to be constantly on call.  And then they hurt you.

My best intentions always tend to have my accepting nature taken advantage of, and I end up being a scapegoat, used and hurt, then finally I end up doing things I don't wish to do.  Nothing is worth the pain and stress of a toxic person.  They don't give, they take.  They don't treat people with kindness.

Dejunking my life of toxic people has been the best thing. My life is calmer, peaceful, more loving and me not being stressed out.

Then, there is the other part of this... being kind.  I know I am not the most patient person on the planet and I have my moments of anger, but I find that being kind, doing things for people helps me to get out of my funk.  I don't do these things for gain etc... I do it because I truly believe in the gift of giving.  I tend to do better when I think about other people than myself. Those times makes my day better and brighter.  I can walk with my head a little higher, shoulders straight.

So if you pay it forward by being kinder, that is the best gift ever.

Happy Hannukah, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Prose

I've gone in the vault of my writing from the past years and this is something I wrote, thought I would share:

 Heart of Chrome...  KLC 2000

 opened my heart and gained some real, opened my heart and got steel..

dropped to my knees..blood drained away... opened my eyes 

how I should feel?

too dependent on others opinion

too confident in world’s solution...

would be friends, betrayed in the end

learned fast and remembered again

what was real, what was then

Now..

heart of chrome, 

walking alone... 

better...

There are some good people out in the world...

Just a short observation about people in general.  Today, I was getting a few tweets from people I follow on Twitter.com , and one of them was Michael Shanks ( noted for his role as Daniel Jackson in SG1).  I noticed he does re-tweet some of his followers tweets... and so I thought what the hell,  I have nothing to lose, and asked him to re-tweet my website to his followers.   It wasn't long until my email lit up on my phone and he did it!

Sometimes I forget that people are basically good.  So THANK you Michael.  I hope you have a great weekend, and you never stop doing those "little things" to help others.

Peace in Music,

Kori  

Music is my Solace...

I posted this status a few days ago on my FaceBook page.  Music truly is my solace.  When I need to feel peace, or express my emotions, I go to my piano.  I need it.. it keeps me somewhat sane.

The trials I have been going through have made me a stronger person.  I also have lost myself in these trials. I forgot who I am.  Music has been the constant companion of these trials... and I know that God has been the founding source to inspire me.

Now, I feel like a different person.  I am not the same as I was 5 years ago.  At this point, I don't know if I will ever be the same, which is not a bad thing. I am more reserved, observant as well as very cautious.

I feel as I am getting older, that I can say anything I want, and not be intimidated by anyone.  I won't tolerate people treating me bad.  I won't tolerate other people treating my friends poorly as well. I will tell you how I am feeling if I feel like I want to. I won't tolerate people making fun of my children's choices regarding their career(s).  I have learned to open my mouth and express what I want.  The past is the past, and while I may be forgiving, I won't put an un-trustworthy person back into my inner circle.

My heart has been broken, rebuilt and changed.  I have come out of the latest of trials on my knees, realizing I need to humble myself, yet stand up for myself and become an independent being filled with love for my friends.....forgiving, less judgmental... BUT aware.

I am very grateful for those of you that have stood by me and helped while I fell to my knees.  I know I am not the most perfect person in the world, but I want you all to know that I am glad you hung in there with me.

My album "Fire in the Rainstorm" is written.. its ready to go... now I need the patience to save everything I can to record it.  I hope you are patient with me in this journey to release this album.  I may post previews of the songs!

Peace in Music!!
Paz en Musica!!
Pace nella Musica!
音楽の平和
Frieden in Musik!
La paix dans la Musique!
A paz em Música!

More to come...

Whats your favorite Holiday Tradition?

Its been a hectic month, and already we are in the middle of November.  Thanksgiving is a few days away.  When I was a child I loved snow.  I loved playing in it.. and then going inside for a nice cup of Hot Chocolate to warm my frozen body.

Come post your favorite holiday ideas, gifts or even pictures on my music page on Facebook!

KORI'S MUSIC PAGE

I would really like to see some of your favorite things you like to do around the holidays!

See you there!

Peace in Music,

Kori 

Some things are better... untouched...

Strange title for my blog today. I am in a reflective, strange mood.  November is sure to be a full month of activity within my family.  Each weekend we will be busy working and supporting our daughter, and Claire will be home. This weekend has been a bit on the crazy side.  We were supposed to go to Los Alamitos today, but I was asked to compose an improvisation of my favorite hymns at my church meeting today and so I will be sharing the improvisation during our main meeting today.

I am feeling the strains of our hectic week, and weekend so we opted to stay around the house to rest today.  I do apologize to those of you that were expecting to see us at the Wings, Wheels and Rotors shindig. Nothing personal, (I also realized we have company coming over for dinner..) so I need to be around to make dinner.

As I contemplate the comings and goings, the planning, the moments where I can sneak some time to myself I have come to the "aha" moment in my life today.  This realization is the main basis for my blog subject:  Some things are better...untouched....

As a musician I am tempted to push myself over the edge marketing wise.  Sure there is "never bad publicity, or bad marketing" or "too much marketing"... but sometimes I forget that  I don't need to keep up with the "Kardashians" haha. I really do NOT need to keep up with any body.  My expectations have been causing me some real stress.  Like, not having "Fire in the Rainstorm" recorded yet, or not touring, or not doing what my friends are doing.. that sort of thing will send me to my grave because if I let it, it will run with me, with my hair standing on end, and I won't be able to keep up eventually I will become so depressed that I am not getting "there" fast enough.

The last 4 years I had been SO busy with recording, "Trillium", traveling, touring, performing, marketing, working at a music store, quitting the music store after a year, being a wife, Mom, teaching, interviews, meeting people, dejunking my life of people bringing me down.. etc, etc, etc.

I am exhausted!!!!

The past year, I have devoted my time to being in California and being with my family.  I have enjoyed every minute of it, and just forcing myself to slow down has been the best gift I have given to myself.

So, I am not pushing myself right now to get everything done in one shot. I want everything I do to have a relaxed, un-hurried feel to it.  That includes my music. Trying to make things happen when things are not cooperating to "happen", is like trying to make a horse drink water, when its obviously not going to happen right then and there. Hence leave things to progress in their natural order.

I will continue to work at a pace that will bring me to my goals in a better frame of mind.

Thank you for your support of all of what I am doing. I know you will be patient for the next album, and I hope you continue to interact with me here on the web! Who knows what we can accomplish!!

MORE to come...

kori