Fall Music Notes

Greetings folks. It has been a while since my last blog post. I want to update you on what I’ve been doing music wise and of some upcoming gigs and an announcement.

Singing "Hallelujah" Yosemite Festival

As I wrote last time my partner had passed away in March after a very grueling fight against pancreatic cancer. It hasn’t been seven months and I still have moments of crushing grief. Anyone who has been through this has my deepest empathy. Wayne and I collaborated on three recording projects and on my latest CD release “Pura Vida – This is Pure Life” he co-wrote the title track as well as performed spoken word on the song. This CD was nominated for 4 New Mexico Music Awards and received “Best World Music” recording. I’m honored to announce Pura Vida has made it to the final round of this year’s 13^th annual Native American Music Awards, aka The NAMMY’S. What a thrill to be in the company of such wonderful Native musicians many with NAMMY’S and Grammy’s® of their own. The voting is open to the public through October 7 when the awards show will take place. I can’t afford to attend the show but will be working a local gig that night anyways. I will be thinking of Wayne that night.

Please take a moment and visit the NAMMY voting website at http://www.nativeamericanmusicawards.com/votenow.cfm where you will provide your email and name and find a ballot. I am nominated in categories #16 Best Latin American Indigenous Recording and #33 Best World Music Recording. In this case every single vote actually counts so please share it with your friends, on message boards, your co-workers. Feel free to vote in the other categories as well.  

 

It has been good to get back to work and on the road as soon as I could after Wayne passed. Both because the income but also I love what I do and the interaction with fans and other musicians sustains me. This spring I played with Michael Allen at Musical Echoes, again for the World of Faeries Festival in S. Elgin, IL, the Franciscan Fine Arts fest, many smaller gigs and have just returned from performing The Yosemite Flute and Art Festival in Oakhurst, CA. I’ll be on the main stage again at the 40^th annual Dona Ana Arts Council Renaissance ArtsFaire. How awesome that my music takes me coast to coast and to such humbling places like the National Parks. You really make fans one at a time just like friends. Radio and print interviews continue and they always ask my future plans. Usually I say to make the most authentic, expressive and best music I can and to challenge myself. With Pura Vida I brought back a layered more fleshed out sound with drums, guitar, bass, hang, halo, world flutes and vocals. The Native American flute is still a central part of my sound because I live in the Southwest and of Native American ancestry so it’s my DNA so to speak. I feel more and more comfortable becoming myself—the entertainer—breaking free somewhat of the stereotyped leathered, pony-tailed, fringed, stoic Indian never playing the same song twice as if channeling spirit. That’s all cool, but I’m more than that and at the heart of what I do is entertaining you with interesting stories, heartfelt emotive music and a stage show that makes time go by quickly.

Some upcoming shows:

Friday Oct. 7^th, MVS Studios 535 North Main Street · Las Cruces · New Mexico  88001 · 575·524·3636 5-7PM. Part of the First Friday Las Cruces Downtown Ramble, I’ll be playing outside.

Sunday Oct. 23^rd, Beatlick Press Launch Party, The Projects 3614 High Street NE, Albuquerque, NM www.beatlick.com, beatlickpress@yahoo.com for info. Featuring poetry, Storydance, Randy Granger, Zen Jazz, an Open Mic and more. This night will also honor poets late Joe Speer and Dr. Wayne Crawford

Nov. 5^th&6^th, 40^th annual Renaissance ArtsFaire, Young Park Las Cruces, NM. Open 10-6 Sat. 10-5 Sun. http://www.las-cruces-arts.org/events/renaissance-artsfaire/ Randy performs 2PM both days, Main stage.

Hope to see you out at some of these performances. As always please say hello. And remember CD’s make excellent holiday gifts. You can purchase my music at Amazon.com, iTunes, CDBaby.com or my website RandyGranger.net.

Thank you for your support as always. And please go vote!

RandyPura Vida - This is Pure Life