"Go to Stay" - Heidi and the 9 Feathers

So, how does sound to you

"alternative / experimental / freak / folk / new weird america / folk pop / psych folk"?

That's the tags jam for Go to Stay, now in streaming and download on bandcamp; it's the first album from Heidi and the 9 Feathers (fb, soundcloud), a project in which I had the pleasure to be involved by Heidi Harris, with whom I had already done several different and lovely collaborations in these last years, growing a sweet and sweeter understanding.

Here's my front cover for them!

In these months, sometimes on the top right of my monitor I was visualizing some messages from my Dropbox and then I knew that almost always that was some magic from my dear Feathers, sharing their work in progress in those folders where I also could have the joy to spy how their music was growing. They were rehearsing in New York and then putting there a lot. I love how I could somehow join their process from Europe. Often I was receiving whole traces full of their dialogues, random, technical, sometimes it was really fun! It was really a bit like being in their room. At a certain point I told Heidi how much I was liking that and, oh well, that was brilliant, haha, 'cause actually she had forgot that I was in the Dropbox too! Honestly, it made it even funnier and more special!

For the back cover we used an amazing portrait of Heidi made by the photographer Micheal Cooper.

 

The more the time passes by, the more I love collaborating with Heidi, appreciating her kindness and discovering how, probably, our artistic processes are very similar, in pace and needs.

I fantasize more than a bit about what more we may do together and I'd love very much to meet in person all the Feathers. And, well, ideas are always too many, here around, but perhaps this year will bring some little news… Anyway… Shhhh now! Listen to this little treasure!

♥

PS. Don’t touch the Teddy Ruxpin!!!
…That title is something, ah!!!

"Not Flamingos"

Heidi and the 9 Feathers  – no, wait.

I meant, we! Ah!

So, wait, let's start all over again.

Thing is that today, 13th or 14th of January 2015 (depending if you count the New York City time or the Dutch time zone), today more than ever I feel I'm "a Feather" too: I'm really a member of this amazing band and it's really a big joy! And this year I feel that somehow I'll manage to meet Heidi Harris, after some years of collaboration, and perhaps, who knows, all the Feathers. I'm so glad!

So, let's start again… We picked up the Flowerism from Felice that I've shown here some days ago as illustration for Not Flamingos, a song to let you taste a bit in advance how their coming album will sound!

Plus! Later today (14th) there will be a gig from them! I won't be there in New York, but I hope to hear them on streaming! I think it will be very special!

Enjoy!

Much love to all the Feathers over there in New York. Feeling you so much from here!

The Feathers are getting ready

Yesterday I woke up in front of the most brightening windows I could imagine for my 1st day of this so hopeful 2015, in Amsterdam, and the first thing I've done, after my very healthy, beloved and regular checking tour at the toilette, has been, back under the blankets, grabbing my current sketchbook and my colours from the backpack next to me and starting to sketch my grandfather Carmine as surrealistic symbolic cosmic tower tree, as note for a painting I pictured today and that I want to make on a big canvas, soon. It has been a sudden inspiration after my first 2015 phantasying after the sleep.

Later in the evening, while I was waiting for the bus to go in the center of Amsterdam and then back to Utrecht, enjoying my time walking, I realized better this little sweet thing: the first thing I made after my first 2015 awakening has been: drawing, working.

:)

I think that's one of the nicest wish I could give to myself, considering the little big goals I set for this year (you'll notice about that, I hope).

In the Amsterdam Central Station then I found this big piano up to be played by any person (there was a viral video I've seen months ago with such a piano in another train station somewhere else). Two people were playing and singing, quite nice, and a lonesome wild fellow was dancing with his red red red umbrella!

Coming back home I had to struggle to do not sing and jump and dance all alone in the street, with this too-big smile for my little cheeks.

Yesterday I kept thinking of all the beautiful people I met in my life and wishing them the best, despite I sent a very few texts or so. I had a big smile also thinking of my dear Heidi Harris. Back home, I found her request to use an illustration I made this fall for the new album she's working at with her band Heidi and the 9 Feathers. I made this illustration a little after my trip in Italy for Felice and the consequence of two-three months backpacking and performing has been this extremely hot need of research into my style, I started to do stuff totally different, feeling completely amazingly free. Most of these works are still illustrations that I didn't show. Daring this way, I also happened to do something that I wasn't sure if I like or not. That's the case of this drawing I had made for Heidi and the 9 Feathers. After a while, we agreed together that it was not the one we wanted for the cover of the album. But the album is now coming soon, on the 27th of February, hopefully with the art we want for it, and in the meanwhile this strange weird freak picture can anyway visit your eyes to make you a little more curious… (So it's now the profile picture of Heidi and the 9 Feathers and their way to wish you Happy New Year!)

 …The way I mix media is getting more and more insane, by the way, so no surprise if I end up sticking things on paper. You recognize those leaves, right? (Mediterranean friends, I know you do!)

A lot of feathered rainbow brightening wishes from me too

PS. Love you, Feathers! So cool to play with you! Big big hug from The Netherlands to New York!