Chix Lix: Revoulution (Song List)

Michfest 40

Chix Lix: Revolution

Songs (Not in Order)

1. Raise Your Glass by Pink (sung by Big Bad Gina w/ Gretchen Philips & Animal)

2. I'm Still Standing by Elton John (sung by Holly Hear)

3. Every Woman by Bernice Johnson Reagon (sung by Toshi Reagon, Shelley Nicole, Marcelle Davies-Lashley, Gina Breedlove)

4. Talkin' About Revolution by Tracy Chapman (performed by Bitch and C.C. Carter)

5. Shower the People you Love With Love by James Taylor 

(sung by Cris Williamson and Teresa Trull)

6. Sinnerman by Nina Simone (sung by Hanifah Walidah)

7. Revolutionary Feminist 70s TV Medly by BETTY

8. Woodstock by Joni Mitchell, Tuck & Patti (sung by Gina Breedlove and Christelle Durandy)

9. Earth Song by Michael Jackson (sing by Aleah Long and One World Inspirational Choir)

10. Stronger by Kelly Clarkson (sung by Shelley Nicole)

Encore: Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round/Roar/Amazon Womyn

Michfest 40: The Saturday Slow Down (Part 5)

Monday September 7, 2015
I’m on the bus again and there is nothing sexy at all about it. It is not a tour bus taking me to some swanky venue; it is the bus I take home to see my family because I don’t have a car anymore. That went the way of my first London trip with my band in 2007. It was either fix the car or take my $600, which was going to turn into $300 when I hit the UK shores with me one my trip. I chose the latter. I had some charity come and pick up the car for donation and that’s been it ever since. In essence that is the story of so much of my life, the sacrifice for the music. Now luckily in New York one can make that kind of choice without much worry because public transportation here, though in need of help, is still top notch. I learned that first hand in London when the Tube stopped at midnight. No such thing in NYC. You might have to wait a long while, but the train is coming.

Now riding the bus is always interesting. There is never a dull moment. I’ve been on a bus that broke down on Christmas Eve and they never talk about a refund. I’ve been on the bus that broke down in the Bronx on the way back to NYC. The Bronx? I mean I’m damn near home. I actually contemplated if I could make it across the Bruckner expressway on foot to get on the 6 train, which I knew was nearby. It would have been a real life Frogger situation if I had tried that one, but I did run across the Ohio Turnpike in 2009 to get the stuff that flew off the top of our van on the way to Fest so I was confident. LOL. I’ve been on the bus where the fuses have blown. Really? I’ve been on the bus caught in so much traffic that the 4 hour ride to Boston turned into 7! But through all these scenarios the objective was to get to my childhood home or to Brooklyn my chosen home. The things we will do to get home. Michigan was my chosen home, but sometimes I think it chose me.

On a Side Note: The night I wrote this entry the bus I was on actually broke down right as we were going through the toll plaza to get into the City. Some chick (sorry to sound like that, but you know what I’m saying) in her infinite wisdom and entitlement thought that she was going to get off the bus at the toll plaza and catch an Uber or a yellow cab right there. Of course the Port Authority authorities shut that shit down! But on the real, when they got the bus moving we only got as far as 2nd Avenue & 88th street when that joint broke down again! This time there was another bus coming behind us because it had been called when we were on the toll plaza. I finally made it home, but not before one of my friends came to pick me up at Penn Station where the bus let us off. What a night...

In late August during my Cali trip post-Fest I talked to Vicki about my sadness. She said she wasn’t feeling so bad because so many of the people that she loved from Fest were in her town or nearby so she knew she would see them again. I told her that it’s not so much the people, which I know I will see again, but it is the place, which I’m not so sure I’ll see again, which gives me pause. Luckily I’m in a business where I can put out an APB and say, “Hey folks, I’m coming to your town to play! Come see me!” And if schedules and the stars align there will be womyn in the house! There will be the faces and the love I remember, but I know that is not the case for everyone. I spoke to many folks on the land who were really sad about the possibility of not seeing certain people possibly ever again. One woman expressed the fact that she wanted her ashes spread there. Would that be able to happen now? Would her daughter who is not invested in that experience at all, honor her mother and bring her ashes back to the land because even if the festival never opens its gates again, the land is not going anywhere. Right?

Home is tricky. A slippery slope. For many of us, as soon as we were old enough to leave in some form or fashion we are out! I know I was and I love my family. But this place, as I said, was chosen or for some it chose us. For some we had no idea it would move us like it did. Me? I know I had no idea at all.

Saturday, August 8, 2015
This morning is always the longest if you are in Chix Lix. We have sound check in the morning that seems to never end. You could go and run two workshops and come back and that joint would still be going on and you wouldn’t have missed your spot. It’s real like that. On tap for Night Stage were Hanifah, Ferron and Chix Lix. That morning my voice was in even worse shape. I was trying not to panic, but I was surely concerned. So during this long sound check I really didn’t sing. I just said I was conserving so that I could make it all happen later. Folks got it so it was all cool. Also I knew folks heard what I sounded like so it was best for me to shut up.

Hanifah’s checked first I think. I just remember it being before Chix. I remember us being able to get through a few things and then we had to wrap it up and keep it moving. At some point during all this I got to talk to Gina. I think I was just looking for her so I could get the Loquat honey for my throat, but on the way to her tent I told her what happened at the sweat lodge the day before. So with that she went to work. I think I mentioned something about my witchy friends and Gina one of them.  I knew I was going to be OK, but she reiterated that point. She also told me to shut up and rest for the day, which I did, but with reluctance because that meant I was going to miss Staceyann on the Acoustic Stage and Crys Matthews, Mouth of Babes and Bitch on the Day Stage. I was bummed about that. I really wanted to see both sets, but Hanifah’s set and Chix were the original two sets that I was hired to be there to do. So I had to pull it all together.

I got the Loquat honey and went to my tent and lay down and went to sleep. I could hear Staceyann and Bitch wafting through the air. That is one of the beautiful things about workerville. Because of where it is situated you can hear everything. I could hear the crowd go up in a roar for Bitch during her set. It almost made me cry really. She’s been having such a time with protests from cowards who don’t know her. Humans are so good at making assumptions and believing their perceptions of others and not so good at real conversations and asking honest questions. More often than not, we just want to be right. The hell with the truth. But I digress...

 Showing Bitch big love! 

As I was in and out of sleep in my tent I just prayed I would make it through. I woke up and thought I should start doing some vocal exercises to see where I really was with my voice. Thank Goddess for Jeremiah Abiah my vocal coach because honestly he got me through everything vocally that night. The things I have learned from him are invaluable and I’m not done learning by a long shot. Am I giving my man a shameless plug? Hell Yeah! He’s the truth!

Me in my tent pulling it together

As I was going through my warm-ups I knew I was going to have to modify some things that night. My upper register was nonexistent. I just had nothing. Well nothing with power anyway. I could get up there is some weird space in my body that I knew was all wrong so I was just staying out of that lane for tonight. After a bit more prayer I pulled myself together to go eat. Of course I wasn’t talking to anyone at dinner cuz I had to keep it close to the vest. After dinner I got my things together and headed to Central Heating. Hanifah’s set was up first.

Michfest 40: Sweat Lodge, WOC Tent and a Melting Me (Part 3)

Sunday, September 6, 2015
I am on my parents back porch in MA and I can hear the water fountain bubbling, which is attached to the Koi pond that my mother dug herself. I call her the black Martha Stewart. There is a grasshopper trying to write with me or at least he seemed chill enough until he launched headlong my way. Really son? My grandfather is inside asleep. My parents are also inside watching golf. Yes, these are my people. It’s peaceful out here in the yard. I can hear the sounds of nature. I haven’t been here in a while, but my mom asks me if I want to take home some kale so I know the crop from her square garden was good this year. Clearly she managed to keep the deer and other hungry wildlife neighbors out. I am home and thinking about home. Home, the place that will crack you open and you won’t even know what hit you. Home. The place where everyone knows your name, and can lift you up or tear you down with just one look. Home.

Thursday, August 6, 2015
This was supposed to be my chill day. No rehearsals, no set, which meant time to do whatever I wanted to do. I signed up to keep fire at the sweat lodge that morning for the moon lodge with Fyre. I actually wanted to sit the lodge, but I knew we needed morning help. Just to be clear, morning help means that you have to be at the fire and starting to get it going by 5am. So there was no hanging for me on Wednesday night. I had to go right to bed after Night Stage.

Thursday morning I woke up early and got myself down to the lodge. That day I was keeping fire with Sharon and sadly I can’t remember who else, but it could have been Lola or Laura. Anyway, Sharon told me she wanted to go in the lodge that day. I told her that I wanted to as well, but knowing that we needed fire keepers I just opted to sit out. Well we talked about it and decided that she would do two doors and I would do two doors. But somehow it worked out that Sharon was able to sit all four doors and I sat two. Well, let me tell you, those had to be two of the most powerful doors I have sat in a while because afterward I was just a ball of tears. OMG!

When I came out of the lodge, Shirley was coming up from the Womyn of Color (WOC) tent dedication. I heard the African drums coming over the hill and I felt an urge like no other to be near them. So I just rolled down there fresh out of the lodge and ran into my friend Jaz and her wife Shawnta and proceeded to cry like a baby. I came in right at the moment Yaniyah was giving this powerful speech about Lisa who is there in the damn tent! I was done. I mean it was amazing and powerful and necessary and on point and I was a puddle through it all.

When that portion ended, the women who were instrumental in starting the WOC tent were brought up. I know Amoja and I believe Lola (not the one named above) were part of that and sadly I can't remember who else (if you know please let me know and I'll add them), but let me say I could be off about all the names because I was a hot mess at this point so I slipped out the side. I just couldn’t take anymore as the women started drumming again. I dragged myself back up to the lodge, rinsed off, got dressed and headed back out into the world. Not the real world, but to Festiland.

That day on Day Stage was Round Robin with Nedra Johnson, Gretchen Phillips, Holly Near, Marcelle Davies-Lashley and Cris Williamson and then Cocomama. Needless to say I missed both sets because after the lodge I was scheduled for a massage, but not just any old massage, a hot stone massage! Yes hunny, there were hot stones in the woods! So after the massage, even though I was melting, melting, melting, open to the point that someone could probably put a hand through me, I thought it was still a good idea to go see Gina Breedlove at Acoustic Stage. What was I thinking?! Really, what the hell was I thinking???! That woman proceeded to sing the house down and then start speaking in tongues to boot! Now just stop it. Folks didn’t know what hit them that afternoon. Sheeettt! I don’t know what hit me, but what I do know is that after Gina’s set I was damn near inconsolable. Anybody that came near me I could feel all their stuff. I was feeling everybody’s sadness, joy, anger, devastation and even numbness. I was a mess! LOL! I can laugh now, but that day, not so much. I know people that encountered me were probably like, “Whoa!” I was gone baby gone...

Medusa & Gina Breedlove

 

I wanted to stay for Marga Gomez, but I knew I needed to eat to find my way back to the ground. Also at some point during the day Elizabeth Ziff asked me if I would sing on the BETTY set. Great! But I’m a mess! She had no idea or maybe she did, but either way I had to pull it together.

Night Stage that evening was BETTY, Jill Sobule and Medusa. I really love them all and all my people were playing that night as well. Well, that’s crazy to say cuz all my people were playing every night on every stage, but that night I knew I would be up watching everyone.

BETTY

I pulled myself together enough to find something to put on for the BETTY set. It was just one song, but that now made two sets I had “crashed.” It was lots of fun to sing with Alyson, Amy, Elizabeth and everyone else who was asked to chime in the “E-I-E-I-O Yo!” chorus. Hey why not? I won’t get this opportunity again, like this, here.

Medusa

The Mama's Hustle Band

After the BETTY set, I quickly changed back into my “street clothes” to enjoy the rest of the night. Jill and Medusa were amazing as always. I first met Medusa in 1998 while working at VIBE magazine. I was invited to speak on a panel at a hip-hop conference at Oberlin and she was there as one of the musical guests. I had never heard of her before and for that event she came as Medusa and Feline Science. Her DJ then was Dres who has now gone on to take the yoga world by storm. Anyway, ever since that first meeting I have been in love with her style and that final Thursday night on the land she brought it along with Julie Wolf, Vicki Randle, LaFrae Sci, Kofy Brown, Shelley Doty, Judith Casselberry and Tammy Brooks. That set was nothing short of the super power that is the Gangster Pussy she sings about! And with that, another day is done.

Michfest 2013 Wrap-Up: It's On! (Wednesday & Thursday)

Wednesday August 7th
I woke to rain. I woke to a downpour and I knew that it was going to be a long day. I was not only firekeeping that day, but I had also planned to pour water for a two-door lodge that day. I peeled myself up at about 4:45am. I prepped what I was going to bring to the lodge the day before so I didn’t have much to do. I just had to pull it together and get out to the lodge. I put everything that I needed for the day in a plastic bag and ventured out into the early, early morning rain. My flashlight was barely helping me. I almost walked through what seemed like ponds of water. It was pitch black out.

When I got up to the lodge I could see a little fire going. Sharon, Brooke, Robin and Mia were there getting things going. That morning Mia, Cynthia and I were responsible for the fire, but Brooke and Robin camped right by the lodge so there were there in an instant. Once I got up there it was time to put the rocks (ancestors) on and keep the fire going at the same time. Certain people have very particular ways of getting a fire going, but when there is rain you have to do the best you can and use all methods available. We also had to make sure that the kindling was dry at all time. Eventually Cynthia arrived and it took all 6 of us to get that flame really going. There was a whole bunch of fanning happening and then eventually I brought some paper in the mix because one side of the fire was going faster than the other. It was wild to say the least. I think the sun was just starting to come up as we really got it going.

After things had calmed down, Robin, Brooke and Sharon went back to bed while Mia, Cynthia and I keep fire for the rest of the morning through the first lodge. After all that rain it turned out to be a beautiful day; really amazing actually and a great first lodge to firekeep for.

There was a bit of a break between lodges so I went in search of my friend Cassandra and lunch. I ended up finding both. Cassandra and I talked about me to do a Reiki session on her on the land long before Fest, which I was happy to do. So I found her in the WOC tent and we talked about times. Soon I was off to get some grub and head back for the Honoring Our Elders lodge. I was supposed to pour water, but I choose to just sit in that one. It was only two doors, which was good because when it was all said and done I don’t know if I could have done four doors that day. After those two doors I was done and I had a headache that wouldn’t leave me for three days. I don’t know if I was dehydrated or just trying to release something, but it lingered and it was no joke. It’s kind of hard to believe as I write this how much pain I was in for all those days. I was doing everything under the sun to try and get rid of that headache and you know that on a land filled with women, EVERYONE had a remedy. Nothing worked for a good long time and yes I took some drugs too.

Opening the Sky

It wasn’t until around Opening Ceremony that I started to feel the headache really come on. I was actually hoping that might cry at Opening so that maybe I could release some of the tension. I don’t know what it is about that damn event, but every time you may find yourself crying, cheering or both. Seriously it’s amazing. This year we celebrated 13 and it was very powerful. Hanifah and Animal did a rendition of “Pussy Manifesto” that was off the chain and really just warmed people up for Hanifah’s show the following night. Marcelle [Davies Lashley] sang a beautiful song and Lisa [Vogel] did something she rarely does at Festival, she spoke and talked about the event that she created. If it was ever going to happen, this was the year. I won’t get into all the Opening details, but I will just say as usual there was serious dancing and fire involved, followed by the annual singing of “Amazon Womyn.” This year Reinna Williams joined Judith Casselberry on the rhyme and it was off the chain. I have heard that song sung or been a part of singing it for many of the years that I’ve been to fest, but this year was something special. I swear that was the really the kickoff to what was going to be an amazing week of music. I feel like every artist that showed up at fest really showed up this year. It felt so incredible at so many moments.

Heartfelt Opening

Animal & Hanifah: Sisters from another Mister

"Pussy Manifesto"

Amazon Womyn Rise!

The opening ceremony was followed by Gina Breedlove. Can you say off the chain?! This was her Night Stage debut and it was one of the best sets I’ve seen on the land. I know you might think I’m a little bias because she is my friend, but for real it was killing! Gina left us in BK for the Bay, but damn if I don’t think that was one of the best moves she made in her life. While she was on stage I could see and feel the joy in her heart, soul and spirit. Now that brought tears to my eyes. That show was banana-balls. Her band was Vicki Randle on percussion & guitar, Shelley Doty on guitar, Kofy Brown on bass and Julie Wolf on Keys. Also everyone, but Kofy were also on vocals! They were all in white and were calling in the ancestors for real that night. Everyone looked and sounded gorgeous. It was just brilliant. These are also the same ladies that are on Gina’s latest album Language of Light. Pick that joint up immediately. Get it now! In fact open up another tab on your computer right now and buy it! I’ll wait for you to come back…Ok, now that you have the album feel the vibes. LOL! Yes, I am serious.

The angelic Gina Breedlove and what might have been the sexiest band on the land!

Gina Breedlove, Vicki Randle, Shelley Doty, Kofy Brown, Julie Wolf

Gina looking good front to back!

After Gina’s set my head was really pounding and it was cold. The Indigo Girls were up next. There was a lot of controversy around their performance at Fest this year. It was expected that they were going to talk about the trans-inclusion issue while on stage, but it didn’t happen. They did a really sweet set and Amy Ray talked about having a baby on the way. I missed much of it because my friend Rachel was giving me an acupuncture treatment by flashlight. Yes you can get acupuncture in the woods! Sadly it did nothing to ease my pain so we went back and caught the tail end of the set.

After Night Stage there is a midnight meal for the artists and workers. The first meal of the week was one of my faves, sesame noodles. I couldn’t enjoy it as much as I would have liked because my head was still killing me. I hung for a bit, but then I went to bed to see if I could sleep it off.

I was a very eventful day and a seriously powerful kick off show to a powerful kick ass week. Rest.

Thursday August 8th
I woke with a calm mind and then just that fast the headache was back. I just had to keep moving through it. I drinking so much water, Emergen-C and Hibiscus tea that I had to pee every five minutes. I know that’s probably the best, but it was killing me. I just kept drinking because I was thinking that I dehydrated, but clearly after a while I was thinking that something was on me in the lodge and it was taking some time to get it off. Nothing I was doing was helping, but I had work to do so I had to hop to it.

At 10:45am I went to soundcheck for Hanifah’s show. I’m not sure what I did before that. Maybe just chilled and checked out the schedule. Hanifah’s soundcheck was fast, but good.

After soundcheck I still had a headache, but I wanted to go check out Round Robin and I really needed to take a shower. So I ate some lunch, took a shower and then headed to Day Stage. But instead of finding a seat I went to check out my girl Kelly Horrigan at her booth. The crafts area is situated at the edge of the Day Stage area so it’s a good place to hear the music, but not be in then blazing heat. There is really not much shade at the Day Stage at all. In fact there is only a big tent that only so many people can fit under and it usually gets filled up quickly. Anyway, that day on the Round Robin was Marcelle, Gretchen Phillips, Laura Love, Jenn Todd, Jill Sobule and Cris Williamson. They all sounded so great and I was glad I caught a bit of it. One of the songs that they sang was “We Shall Overcome,” which I hadn’t heard in a long time. That moment turned out to be more poignant than they probably know. Later that day Shirley told me that the song started just as the Cancer Survivors lodge was getting ready to start. So they sat with the lodge door open, listening and releasing until the song ended. It’s not that the Day Stage is right next to the lodge space, but the sound carries on the land and that song came right on time.

After Round Robin was Big Bad Gina, who I had met on the road and at sound check the day before. I only caught a bit of their set because my head was killing me. I chilled with Kelly a bit longer and then headed back to my tent to take it down for a bit. I had missed poet/actress/writer Lenelle Moïse’s set on Tuesday and I heard it was great. So after a brief rest I peeled myself up and went to see her on Acoustic Stage. I’m glad I did because her show “Womb-Words, Thirsting” was off the hook. Sadly I couldn’t stay to see Stacyann Chin do her thing because I had to get ready for the set with Hanifah.

I still had a headache, but by this time I was just moving through it. I have had this top with a Chinese collar that I have been wanting to wear for a long time, but I need a camisole or something underneath it and I don’t have one. But at Michfest that’s the only time I feel like I can go with just my bra or something like that and get away with it; meaning I feel safe to wear just my bra because it’s a safe space.

Hanifah is always the cool nerd so her and Julie were right in step, but I know Hanifah likes heels so mine were in full effect. I wore the shoes that I had on at Pussypalooza; black, open toes with rhinestone heels. I really love them. Black pencil skirt and my top, which was all the way open so you could see my new bra (I love it) and my dangling hoops. We were ready to rock!

The outfit in full effect!

Hanifah was debuting the music that she’s been doing in France with her band St. Lô and it’s off the chain. I think my favorite new joints are “Flight and Fantasy,” and “Legendary,” but really she does a killer rendition of “In the Pines” that I love too. We had the early set so we didn’t have the luxury of the stage lights to really set it off, but Hanifah is nothing if not a show-woman and she killed it. We officially ended the set on “Hero,” which is a crowd favorite, but of course we couldn’t get out of there without doing “Happy,” the unofficial Michfest anthem.

Hanifah Kicking it off!

In the air!

The Mezz & I

The Cool Nerds!

Marcelle and I getting "Happy!"

The "Happy" Dancers!

Hanifah & Julie in a post-show glow

Brooklyn/Bay Area Love!

Footwear: That's what it's all about.  Ha!

Hanifah did a remix on that joint and it was dope! People came up on stage to dance and it was a blast! Marcel was the first person to crash the stage so I told her to come over and sing harmony with me on “If you feel it/you can do it!” Shelley Doty danced on the catwalk and said it was her first time out there. She never gets out there because she’s a guitarist and usually the band is glued to the stage. Well that is unless you are MEN, but more on that later. I think that moment was the beginning of the Brooklyn/Bay artist love affair that was at a high level this Fest. I mean there has always been love between us, but this year for some reason it just felt really strong. We danced together that night and danced together though the week. It was the beginning and there was much more to come.

Emily Wells followed Hanifah that night and if you are not familiar with her she is a one-woman band. She played drums, violin, keys and samples. Oh yeah she sings too. That was a really cool set as well. Right after Emily was the return of JD Samson & MEN. I’ve seen MEN before at Festival; in fact I think they followed me on Night Stage in 2011 if memory serves me correctly. Although I had seen the set I stood in the audience for a while to catch them once again because my girl Ginger was back with the group and it’s always a pleasure to see her. As I mentioned earlier, usually guitarists are glued to the stage, but next thing you know I see Ginger heading to the catwalk. Shortly thereafter Gretchen come up behind her and starts playing Ginger’s guitar while Ginger just lay back like and angel and let her play. From where I was standing it looked like Gretchen had picked her up in the air. She didn’t, but it really looked like Ginger was flying. That was a really cool moment.

What was also fun was watching and listening to people in the audience negotiate whether or not they were going to body surf through the crowd. People were going up left and right so if you ever wanted to body surf that was the night.

The rest of the MEN set was really great! I won’t give away the ending of their show in case you get to see them one day, but I will say this, “Who am I to feel so free? Who am I?!”

I think the midnight meal that night was chicken. I say I think because I could be getting my days mixed up, but I’ll go with it. There was a dirty rumor that it would be fried chicken. Not so much! Maria [DJ Rimarkable] and I were joking about that on the line and cracking Elvira [Kurt] up. Fun, fun night all around!

Stay Tuned...

WRFB: Radio Free Brooklyn: May 25th is all about "My People!"

Hey Everyone,

We had another great show tonight at WRFB.  It was the second installment of "My People."  I had to make some tough decisions since I know all the artists in the segment personally, but luckily I will do it again next month. So please take some time to check out the list get hip to some folks that you probably will not hear on commercial radio. Not yet anyway, but we are poised to bust through!

Finally I have to give a huge shout to Lionel Sanchez & Achuziam Maha-Sanchez as they welcomed their new baby boy Kanayo into the world on May 24th.  We have another addition to our musical family. Pictures coming soon.

Don't forget that Radio Free Brooklyn is on Every Tuesday from 7-11pm at www.brooklynmovielabs.com/radio and you can follow us at:

www.twitter.com/radiofreebklyn
www.radiofreebrooklynonline.blogspot.com
Email us at: radiofreebrooklynonline@gmail.com

Have a great rest of the week and enjoy the music.  This is Radio!

Peace,
Shelley


1. EveryANYTHING – “Joga” on Envy (2006) (www.everyanything.com)

2. LyricL – “Ooh U & I” on Ooh U & I EP (2007) (www.lyricl.co.uk)

3. Gina Breedlove – “Wind” on Open Heart (forthcoming 2010) (www.ginabreedlove.com)

4. Annekei – “100 Square Feet”  (Unreleased) (www.annekei.com)

5. David Pilgrim – “Older” on The Soulfolk Experience Volume 1 (2009) (www.davidpilgrim.com)

6. Jeff Jeudy – “Isaac & Ishmael” on The Soulfolk Experience Volume 1 (2009) (www.myspace.com/thesoulfolkexperience)

7. KUKU - “The Cure” on Soldier of Peace (Unreleased) (www.kukulive.com)

8. Emily Musolino – “Mr. Smooth Talker” Live (www.myspace.com/emilymusolino)

9. Vinx – “Tell My Feet” on Rooms In My Fatha's House (1991) (www.vinx.com)

10. Pamela Means – “Cold Ass M.F. (Solo)” on Precedent (2009) (www.pamelameans.com)

11. Sophia Ramos – “Freedom Is Over” on Boldaslove.us Presents: Fire In The Dark (2009) (www.sophiaramos.com)

12. The Family Stand - “The Undiscovered Country” on Super Sol Nova - Volume 1 (2007) (www.thefamilystand.net)

Michfest Part 7 (blaKbüshe Finally Hits Michfest)

Day 7 (8/8) Saturday
About 3 or 4 in the morning the monsoon rain began and I do mean monsoon. My wonderful condo tent started leaking at all the corners and I was cursing the ladies who helped us put up the tent who told us we didn’t need a tarp over the top or bottom of the tent. Lies! Lies! Lies! Okay I forgive them, but damn it was a mess. Then the tent started leaking from the top. So little drops eventually started falling on my head. Not cool at all.

I woke that morning very cranky because I didn’t get much sleep and then I was thinking, damn! I have been here all week waiting to do my set and then the rain of all rains comes on the day I’m supposed to perform. I mean I wasn’t the only one. Gina’s show was that day as well. Not to mention all of the other groups performing on that day (LAVA, Evolution V, Nervous But Excited and Jen Foster). It was a wet mess.

We were all up at the Belly Bowl for breakfast just shaking our heads. Chix Lix sound check was supposed to be at 8:45am, but that was a no go. So the ladies sat in Central Heating and practiced. I was told that my sound check may not happen, but then out of the blue I got word that it was happening because the rain had slowed. We gathered all our stuff and went over to the Day Stage only to have the rain start coming down in buckets again. It was a mess. I watched as the sound ladies did their best to keep that stage and all the equipment dry. We didn’t want any electrical mishaps out there.

Somehow they managed to sound check Nervous But Excited and then it was our turn. When we checked the rain was slowing, but still going. One of the stage hands was tipping water off the canopy so that it wouldn’t cave to the pressure of the water. We did a brief check and then I headed back to the greenroom tent to get ready.

My hair was still wet from the night before so no waves were holding. We tried to blow dry my hair, but it was too late. Bombshell started working on my face and slowly the band trickled back to the tent. Ganessa and Maritri had to go to Gina’s sound check and Pamela had to go back to Chix Lix sound check. Everyone got back in time, but Pamela was the last. There was no time to get her in gear because we were heading to the stage. It was all good. It’s really about the music right? Right! So we hit it.


[Beauty takes time...]










On a side note, Maritri had not originally planned to sing with me, but since she was there and I asked, she chimed in. Maritri knows some of my songs, but not all. I wasn't worried though. She jumped right in and sounded amazing with Tiffany!

Gaetano, my stylist, made me a dress for Michigan even though he couldn't go. It was a sheer sequence dress that hit above the knee that was screaming Tina Turner. You know what I’m talking about? Under it I wore a hot pink bikini top and hot pink hot shorts. I had on some hot pink heals and we were good to go. The colors were yellow, hot pink and orange. We looked great. Even the canopy matched!


[Maritri, Luci & I pre-show]


[Maritri, Ganessa & I pre-show]


[The büshe Rockin!]


[Ladies enjoying the show]

The sun came out and the show went off without a hitch. We had a lot of fun and were joined by the mud ladies who came running naked into the area of the day stage, danced and disappeared as quickly as they arrived. They were a lot of fun! You had to be there. I did a little shimmy with Bombshell and we all played to our hearts content. The set was "Release," "blaK Girls," "Give it to Me," "I'm a Woman (I'm a Backbone)," "Can't Blame a Tree," "Box," "I am American," "Go Head & Rise," with "Long Train Running" (slow blues) as an encore. It rocked! blaKbüshe on the land was Pamela Means (guitar), Lucianna Padmore (drums), Ganessa James (bass), Christelle Durandy (percussion), Tiffany James (BV) and Maritri Garrett (BV). I can’t forget Cathleen Ridley (on hands) who signed the hell out of my songs. The ladies put their stamp on the music. I know it will happen again. Hopefully next year. Please Lisa, Please!!! LOL!

After the show Lisa came up to me and gave me a big hug. She said my show was everything she expected and more! What a great complement. Elvia Kurt who is an incredible comedian and host for the Saturday Night Stage, also greeted me with very kind words. I think all my Buddhist “training” teaches not get to attached to things good or bad, but I did hold on to that moment and others to follow for a while. I worked very hard for this festival. It’s one that I’ve wanted to play for a very, very long time. I felt and feel very blessed.

After the show I made my way to Goldenrod to sign CDs. It took me a while to get over there so some folks bought music before I got there and I wasn’t able to sign for them, but others came through while I was there. Tiffany came with me so we both signed. The rest of the crew had to run to other stages.

While I was at Goldenrod two things happened. A sista named Olokun came by and give me a bottle of wine, which she insisted that I drink in the woods. Then Maria, one of the Native American sistas who worked the womyn of color sweat, came by the table to tell me the she enjoyed the show. I mentioned the Native womyn's sweat that was supposed to have happened that morning. I figured it didn't because the rain was coming down so hard I figured they would just call in off. Well Maria informed me that Barbara, one of the other sisters, got up at 3am and started the fire to heat the rocks for the sweat. She kept the fire going through the rain and then 5 women showed up for the sweat and they kicked it off at 9am as planned. What??!!! Do you really feel me when I tell you the kind of rain that was happening there? How do you keep a fire going through that kind of rain? Those Native sistas are fierce! I mean really. Maria said it was the hottest sweat of the week. Amazing.

After signing I want back to my tent, changed and headed over to see Gina Breedlove and Evolution V at the acoustic stage. Gina’s set was off the hook. Her band included Ganessa (guitar), Maritri (guitar), Judith Castleberry (vocals), Mayra Casales (percussion) and Jennifer Vincent (bass). Gina’s set was way too short for my taste, but as I said above the sets are shorter on the acoustic stage. Gina’s voice is like water and it just washed over us. Also I don’t know anyone who can wear a pair of jeans like Gina. Just beautiful. I hope to see her back at Michfest next year on the Day Stage so the festival hear more of her. After Gina was Evolution V. I really wanted to stay and see their whole set, but my stomach was angry at me. I had not eaten really the whole day because I can’t eat before I perform.


[Gina Breedlove setting the stage on fire!]


[Maritri, Gina, Jen & Mayra]


[Ganessa & Maritri holding it down for Gina]

Some of you know that I am witch. So it nice to be on the land and surrounded by my people. I have to be honest and say that many times when people think of witches they just think of white women, but we are much more than that. That was made very clear with Evolution V performed. This ensemble consisted of Aleah Long, Tammi Hessen, Ubaka Hill, Yaniyah Pathfinder, Queen, Nyame-Adama Selassie and Tory Trujillo. All women of color. All fierce. All doing the spiral dance! They opened with a procession down the long isle that leads to the stage. The called in the Goddess and proceeded to show Michfest how the sistas do it. I was only able to stay for the beginning before my stomach took over, but Olive has not stopped singing the Spiral Dance song. In fact she sang it all the way home. Fierce women! Just beautiful!


[Yaniyah Pathfinder calling in the Goddess]


[Ubaka, Tory & Aleah]

I headed back to the Belly Bowl to get some food and then I had to get ready for Chix Lix. It wasn’t starting until 10pm, but I just wanted to be ready. Christine Love let me borrow her white knee high platform boots. With them I wore a jean mini and a tie-dye shirt with a big peace sign. Was that 60s enough?

The night began with Leslie & the Ly’s. I had no idea what to expect and because of that I got way more than I expected. Leslie & the Ly’s was a lot of fun and although they do music, it was all theatre. Who knew that was going on in Iowa?

After Leslie was Melissa Ferrick. Her set sounded great! I was really getting ready at that point and helping other folks get ready for Chix Lix. Hanifah was singing “Girl From Ipanema” and she decided to wear a long dress. I was great! She looked incredible. Vicki was in her black gown for “Baby Love” something she says she rarely does, but she was wearing it well. The Topp Twins were decked out in wedding dress and suit while Teresa Trull was in her priests collar for “Going to the Chapel.” The Chix Lix band had on their CHiX t-shirts and we were ready to roll.

[I am ready for my closeup]


[Hanifah wowing the Night Stage with "Girl From Ipanema"]


[A few of the fab chix on Chix Lix. Pamela, Tory, Vicki & Aleah]

The set turned out really great. Some of the other songs we did included, Toshi doing “White Rabbit,” Aleah doing “Piece of My Heart,” Judith doing "Everyday People" and Ferron doing “Downtown.”

After the show there was a party in the Belly Bowl with DJ Rimarkable on the wheels. The place was packed and everyone was jammin’. I cracked open the bottle of wine I got earlier that day and shared it with my peeps. I was damn good indeed. Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz 2004. Check it out.

[DJ Rimarkable rockin' the impromptu set in the Belly Bowl]


[Happy dancing people in the Belly Bowl]

The party ended way too soon. In the workers section everything has to be shut down by 1am. It makes sense because the ladies in the kitchen have to be up at the crack, but it was our last night and I didn’t want it to end so soon. I wandered around a bit because I really didn’t want to go back to my wet tent and in particular my wet bed. My air mattress was soaked. Basically I had to sleep on the top half of the bed. That was not cute at all. We had contemplated staying for another day to see the Closing Ceremonies and to support Gloria who was performing her set on Sunday afternoon, but we decided to stick with the original plan and get on the road. I really wanted to stay another day because it's always hard to leave, but in retrospect I'm glad we left when we did. There is always next year.