Sara Lewis

my songs are almost ready to leave the nest! nervous nervous nervous.

SARA LEWIS — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:12:54 +0000

The winter is cold, yo. The other day I walked outside with wet hair in braids and the ends of my braids were completely frozen in under 10 seconds. This is New York, people. This is how we roll with winter. I hope very soon it will actually SNOW so we can have a reason for all this coldness! So glad I’m inside a cafe right now, warm and toasty with a cup of earl grey tea in hand.

The winter has also made complacent this album process. The holidays put a hold on things for a few weeks there, but now we are back on the ball! Mastering and artwork should all be totally done by the end of the week if all goes well! So so so exciting. Then it is off to the manufacturers sometime next week. My beautiful baby is about to fly the nest. Not ready not ready not ready not ready. But also SO ready.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

In other news, I have a show in Brooklyn this FRIDAY, JAN 20th @ 10PM at Pete’s Candy Store. You should all come cuz it’s free and my friend Yoni Gordon is doing this wacky thing called the Yoni Gordon Orchestra right before my set. He emailed a bunch of musicians, asking them to learn his songs, and then we’re all gonna come together and perform them on Friday unrehearsed. Could be amazing or completely disastrous. We shall see! And then I’m doing a full band set with all my original songs at 10:00. Should be a pretty fun and interesting evening of music! I hope to see some of you there.

Anyways, that’s all for now, mis amigos. The cold has also made me feel lazy about writing a post any longer than this.

But I love you all, thanks for reading. It means a lot to me.

Love,
S

the life tests

SARA LEWIS — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:29:01 +0000

Sometimes when I look at the state of the world, I feel like Cindy Loo Hoo on Christmas Eve, standing in awe as the Grinch steals Christmas away. Most of the time I see things in the simplest bubble gum rainbow sort of view, that everyday has the potential for great things. That you can find pleasure and beauty in little moments. And then when something happens that causes me to question that, I feel as though my world is completely shaken. I have trouble separating isolated events from the bigger picture, and take those little moments to mean that everything must be completely horrible if something like THAT can happen.

Everything is not this way, of course. They’re just life tests — moments that question how badly you want your dream, and what you’re willing to give up to chase after it. I had one of these tests yesterday, as some important people in my life questioned whether a decision I was about to make was the right choice, convinced that it was going to sabotage my music career. So I had to stop and think. To realize that they were right. And to give up that less important desire for the greater cause of my music. My music is like my child. This ever-growing and precious spirit of mine that is so dear to my heart. I have to be careful to protect it all the time, to make sure that I am doing all the right things to ensure it’s success. And that’s a tough job sometimes because it really does involve giving up a lot, to work my ass off to support myself and it, and to not let other people’s naysaying get in the way of my confidence in pursuing it.

Here’s to everyone that is pursuing a dream of their own. I hope you are not letting anything get in the way of what you want to do more than anything else in this world. I hope you are able to find people and money and resources behind what you believe in, in the same way that I have been so lucky to do. I thank the stars every night for giving me such a beautiful life. It’s a hard path that makes me break down and cry sometimes, but the rest of the time I would have it no other way. Thank you, world.

Cheers.

power tools and salsa dancing

SARA LEWIS — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:41:23 +0000

Hello glorious friends. How were your Thanksgivings? Gluttonous I hope.

Life gets better and better all the time. I have, for one, taken up salsa dancing. Win. Also, I used power tools recently to help build a bar, AND I’m going to see the broadway show Lysistrata Jones this evening. And these activities have all been on dates. Fancy that! (He pays for everything. I’m dating up, yo.)

In other news, 10 days till I go to Woodstock to finish the album!! Woohooo! Stay tuned amazing beautiful people.

Love,

Sara

the word ‘family’

SARA LEWIS — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 19:50:52 +0000

‘Family’ is a really broad word. It of course describes our immediate family, into which we were born through our mother’s womb. We have a real blood connection and birthright to be there, and unless a relative passes away or gives us up or runs away, we are connected to these people our whole lives whether we like it or not. We might feel naturally close to them or feel like strangers that happen to know one another very well. But either way, no matter how much love there is or isn’t, they are there by default.

And then there are the people we choose to become part of our lives. That we bring closer to our hearts through a fascination and curiosity. It is a lovely thing because we get to hand-pick all of them, like delicious, refreshing apples off the tree. We grow closer to these people and start to love them, as if we have known them all of our lives. They are there for all of our birthdays and special concerts and occasions, and will listen to us rant about the same mini dramas all the time because we do the same for them. They bake cookies with us, show us things about ourselves, and love us for exactly who we are. These people are also family.

I have found that kind of family here in New York. They are this marvelous, loving group of artists/musicians/hippies that have taken me in. I am never a super regular member of their hang-outs, as I am a Harlem-dweller and they are, for the most part, Brooklyn-ites. But they make me feel so welcomed every time I see them and it is always as if no time has passed whatsoever. I know them all through mutual friends. Many of us are musicians, and we often go to see each others’ shows in the city to support one another. We play in each others’ bands, help collect tips, or make a crazy mosh pit up front and bring up the energy. There’s always this vibe of support and love that is indescribable and just so beautiful.

And I feel so lucky because tonight we are having an acoustic Thanksgiving potluck show at the house where many of these friends live. We are all gonna sit on the floor by candlelight, eat food and listen to each other play music totally unplugged. I can’t wait for the magic to start.

Thank you, New York, for giving me this gift. I owe you big time.

Love,
Sara

the pro and the gress of album-making

SARA LEWIS — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 01:45:50 +0000

Love makes us all do crazy things. A few weeks ago I wrote a very long and foolish (albeit honest) letter containing all the deepest, darkest and love-filled chambers of my heart and mailed it to a boy. It was after much ado between us had passed and all the residual feelings remained post-pardum. It was the leftover spaghetti in the fridge that you leave for days and get tired of staring at it so you either microwave it and eat it on a Tuesday night or throw it out. For me it was the former. Except I microwaved my words and gave them to my former love. And now everything’s confusing.

At least my music life is all in order. I have been having many a successful meeting with my artist lady, Jenna. She is a magnificent gem of a person who often wears many different patterns of clothing all at the same time. She paints me beautiful water-colored pieces of paper with birds and hearts and flowers on them in the exact aesthetic that I had always dreamed could be the album artwork for my first CD. Oh it’s so extraordinary. And I have my last final session with my producer/engineer Julie for 5 days in December. We’re going to record some cello and do a mixing ho-down for 4 days (not much time in the conventional sense). Then it is off to the mastering man, Jim! He will make magic.

And then another company will take all of Jenna’s gorgeous artwork and all these words I write down and all the songs I’ve recorded and press them onto real CD’s and CD cases in a factory somewhere in NJ. And then it will all arrive in a big box addressed to me when it’s all done! Oh, it’s the life I tell you! I could not imagine a project more exciting.

That is all for now, my love buns. Let’s chat soon, shall we?

Love,
Sara

P.S. Here’s a picture of the studio!

the crazies

SARA LEWIS — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 16:52:49 +0000

Today a woman at the cafe that I work at yelled across the room, “WHERE’S THE ELEVATAH” straight-up like a new yorker. Loud, rich old lady. Literally the entire building of 40 or so tables turned around and looked at her. These are the trials and tribulations of food service. Mainly they involve crazy people.

more about the ALBUM!

SARA LEWIS — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 03:06:58 +0000

Hey amazing friends!

Over a month has passed, and more people keep asking, which makes me realize that it’s time to update everyone about the album! Shame on me, forgetting about keeping in touch with you, my adoring fans and friends.

Well, here’s the story. Over the past 2 months (since mid-August), I’ve recorded for a total of 15 DAYS up in Woodstock. (not bad considering my regular full-time life as a piano teacher and barista here in the city). We’ve laid down the drums, piano, vocals, bass and guitar, and many harmony vocals and extra “icing-on-top” special things like synthesizer sounds, shakers, whistling, special guest singers, etc. Sigh, it’s been so, so great. I wish I could be up there all the time.

So what’s next is finishing up all the “extras” — recording more harmony vocals and hopefully bringing a special guest cello player into the studio for a few tracks. And then Julie (my engineer) is going to help me with the mixing process, which is the next big step. It’s the part that comes after all the recording of the instruments is done, and involves sitting down for 3-4 hours per song, and tweaking to the extreme. Making the drums louder here, bringing out that word there, fading out on the shakers here, adding more reverb to the vocals here, etc. etc. There are a gazillion different ways you can change and alter a single track to make it sound the way it’s supposed to. It takes a while, but it’s absolutely essential.

Then after that the music will be off to a mastering company to make it shine even more — they enhance it in this special way, to make the whole album sound seamless as a whole. So that one song isn’t louder than the next, so that the CD sounds the same through your ipod earbuds as it does through your car speakers…things like that. It gets the super royal treatment, like Dorothy and her friends when they visited Oz for the first time. But it’s also a super important part of the process. Hopefully all of the music portion of the album will be done by Christmas.

Also I’ve been meeting with a new artist friend Jenna to figure out the album artwork. We’re going to work with images of birds and hearts and color to suit the nature of the songs and my style. It’s going to be so, super great. I’m hoping with the highest of hopes that all the physical stuff (artwork, pressing and packaging everything) will be done by end of January or thereabouts. Like I said before, it’s my goal to have everything done by Valentine’s Day! We shall see!

I have officially dwindled down completely on my Kickstarter money through all these trips to the studio, paying my musicians and the engineer. So if any of you didn’t get a chance to send some monetary love my way during the fundraising campaign, any and all donations are still welcome! I could totally use as much help as I can get in the coming few months, because all the money from here on out will be out of pocket. Just say the word and I will send you an email with my mailing address.

Thank you thank you for listening and staying interested in this project. As always, definitely send an email to say hello if you feel so inclined. I’d love to know how all of you are doing!!

Love,

Sara

here’s a what’s-a goin on with the album!

SARA LEWIS — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 19:21:52 +0000

Heyyyyy everybody!

So everyone keeps asking me about the album, so I have deduced that it is time to unveil some of the mystery by delivering some 411. Yes?

Here’s the long and short of it.

I have spent approximately 70% of the Kickstarter money already!! I have gone up to Woodstock to do sessions 3 different weekends so far – once to lay down the drums, once for vocals, and once for bass and guitar. The first weekend that me and Jesse were there we got to take part in a legit drum circle in the center of town. Ha! And in between some of those weekends, I headed to Brooklyn to lay down the piano tracks (because Julie doesn’t have a real piano upstate). I used a new friend Bennett Pastor (http://www.bennettpaster.com/) to do that second part, and he was great — totally knows his stuff.

It has been so fun so far. Like, SO fun. It’s crazy to have all these people I have hand-picked to help me record this project all paying so much careful attention to doing it right. Julie’s a TANK – she could work for 12 hours straight and seem like she hardly feels it. Just stare at the computer screen and be super into it. And my musicians are such hard workers too and such great, fun guys. I have some funny videos that I have posted on my Kickstarter page of Will (guitar) and Mike (bass) being really silly in between takes that you all should check out. tee hee –> http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/557032187/sara-lewis-first-full-length-album/posts/117707

One little downside right now is that Woodstock got crazy flooded from the hurricane and many residents, including Julie, lost power for over a week!! Thank goodness Julie’s place was alright (otherwise who knows would’ve happened to all my files!!!) — but apparently some of the people she knows in town had a lot of things totally wash away. It’s insane. So because Julie had a bunch of sessions scheduled and is very busy catching up with all her work, my next sessions have gotten pushed back a bit — till mid-October or so. We still have to record a few more guitar tracks and some harmony vocals and cello. There’s no saying when it will all be done, but hopefully soon. My ultimate goal is by my birthday (Feb 15th) – right next to Valentine’s Day.

This experience really is all a big, giant, glittery, swirly dream. It’s been tiring, no doubt, to drive up to Woodstock and back many weekends in a row, to sleep on blow-up mattresses and sofa beds that sink in the middle. But it’s magical to be in Woodstock where so many insanely famous and really good musicians have lived and brought so much history to the town. It’s just….so ridiculously cool.

Thank you for this gift, for those of you who helped me get here. And for the rest of you, I appreciate your support from afar. Please feel free to drop a line to say hello anytime and ask me about the project. I’d be happy to give you more of the inside scoop!

Love,

Sara

www.myspace.com/saralewismusic
http://saralewis.bandcamp.com

Woodstock: Phase 1

SARA LEWIS — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 00:06:01 +0000

Here’s what I can say about this recording experience so far:

1. Darla and Priscilla are excellent names for GPS’s.
2. I didn’t know until today that Julie Last (my engineer) has a PLATINUM RECORD for assistant-recording on John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s album “Double Fantasy”! Whaaaaaa???
3. There are like 7 overtone harmonies that come out of drum heads. It’s so nuts.
4. We went and saw a tribute event for Happy & Artie Traum in the middle of town today, and all these famous folks played. Happy Traum, John Sebastian (from The Lovin Spoonful), Levon Helm (from The Band), etc. Amazing amazing. Delicious experience of Woodstock history.
5. Everything is making me emotional. All this inspired music-watching, the recording of all these songs about my past loves, and the fact that this will be my first full-length album of all time is making me well up with tears. It’s a little cheese-tastic.

Oh, world. Life is so good.

Hope you guys are as swell as I am right now.

Sara

KICKSTARTER SUCCESS!!

SARA LEWIS — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 20:19:22 +0000

Hey dearest dears, My Kickstarter MADE IT!!! I’m so excited! We actually made OVER my goal amount somehow — to $5,730 to be exact! I’m beyond pumped. Check it out!! –> http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/557032187/sara-lewis-first-full-length-album

So here I am at the end of the project, relieved and emotional, but ready to enter into Phase 2 — the recording! My drummer, Jesse and I are headed up to Woodstock next weekend to lay down all the drum tracks, then that will be followed in subsequent weekends by the vocals, piano, bass, guitar and cello! It’s gonna be absolutely sick. I plan to keep y’all updated on here and on my Kickstarter page so stay tuned!

Love, Sara