IN THE ZEN
by Kerilie McDowall

It is true that I have wonderfully exciting news!

I have been getting approached almost daily and heavily on weekends for years by musicians. It commenced when I began writing for the USA jazz magazine DownBeat. No matter how much I publish that I no longer write for that magazine (and have not done so since the pandemic hit), it makes no difference, musicians contact me a lot. Why? I still write and I also judge music for the Polaris Music Prize. In past years I have also judged for the JUNO Awards occasionally.

I still write for time to time for various international publications and online, like Michael Ricci ’s All About Jazz in the USA. A few magazines like Musicworks, Inspired 55+ Lifestyle Magazine, and Canadian Musician have been such a blast, such fun to write for. When inspired, I tend to float around freelancing. I specialize in reality and music non-fiction, mostly internationally focused music magazines or online-oriented.

So, more recently I had been writing for various places online and it dawned on me that I just have to launch this blog more formally and even seriously, as it keeps calling for me. What do I mean by this? I have just completed four articles and am working on four more, some of them you can enjoy at All About Jazz, others will now remain and launch within my new blog In the Zen. I am not currently seeking submissions. I have a few artist and record label profiles on the way.

I have been so inspired and moved by the music of recent All About Jazz chat interview guests Francois Houle and Ryan Oliver.

Houle’s working on his 15th album soon from a prolific 18 month or so period of wonderfully intricate composition and improvisation. You can not miss his tribute to Ken Pickering, In Memoriam, nor his exciting brilliant work with prepared piano master France’s Benoit Delbecq. Serious business, and at times profound.

Also getting into “the deep,” Ryan Oliver transported the audience in a transcendent blitz at his annual John Coltrane birthday blasts on Vancouver island this year held in Nanaimo at Simonholt Restaurant thanks to jazz producer Luigi Porretta of Qwadrangle Music, who features Ryan Oliver on his splendid release with Reg Schwager, Senza Resa.

My early jazz mentor, the 92-year-old music and early jazz radio host of, What’s Next, Tom Roden, and his wife Yvonne and I loved the recent Oliver show. We adore Ryan Oliver.

Enjoy the latest about Houle and Oliver in my articles at All About Jazz here:

The latest from Canadian Online Guitar Lessons' for beginners fave fun campfire and easy tunes list. From most styles (pop, country, rock, folk, R&B, classical, jazz, blues, etc.)for complete beginner and advancing guitar beginners. Pick your style or create your own through songwriting study.

1. Love me Do - Beatles
2. Twist and Shout - Beatles
3. Wish you Were Here - Pink Floyd
4. Stand by Me - Ben E. King
5. Walking on Sunshine - Katrina and the Waves
6. Drops of Jupiter - Train or Taylor Swift versions- made easy for the beginner version
7. Back in Black - AC DC
8. Let it Be - The Beatles
9. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen
10. Achy Breaky Heart - Billy Ray Cyrus
11. Blue Suede Shoes - Elvis Presley
12. Hallelujah- Leonard Cohen

Jazz:

1. So What - Miles Davis
2. All Blues -Miles Davis
3. Autum Leaves - Jacques Prevert, Joseph Kosma

Classical:

1. Ode to Joy - Ludwig van Beethoven
2. Spanish Romance (Romance Anonimo) Traditional
3. Andantino in G - Ferdinando Carulli

Blues:

1. Call it Stormy Monday - T-Bone Walker
2. Cold Shot - Stevie Ray Vaughan
3. No Place to Go - Howlin Wolf
4. I'm Ready - Muddy Waters

Add each of your own faves to the repertoire list so Canadian Online Guitar Lessons can teach them to you.🙂

October registration is underway for students of all levels/styles for open house welcoming visits and information sessions in Nanaimo in studio and in Canada online on Zoom. Message to arrange your open house session.

The upcoming next two In the Zen articles, what do they include? Vocal bliss with Italian jazz vocal pioneer powerhouse/renaissance woman Lilian Terry and Canada pop-jazz diva extraordinaire and award-winning playwright Andrea Superstein. Stay tuned! If you enjoy the articles and want to see more, be sure to opt in to In the Zen and suscribe to the newsletter HERE and to support the blog, send your one time or regular weekly or monthly donation to In the Zen writer Kerilie McDowall by e-transfer in Canada to [email protected]. Please indicate your province of origin to finalize your transaction within your etransfer. If you like, pass along an email note (screen my email address for typos) or PM on socials for a personalized thank you.

I appreciate your reader support that I have enjoyed over the years. It has been such an honour to serve you the readers and musicians. Much to my surprise and dismay, I am a bit shocked to now organically reach 10-12 million monthly hits on IMDB Pro since releasing my past short jazz documentary TV film In the Zone: Rick Kilburn. ( Despite taking the film offline due to the constant global inquiries. Without staff, I just could not accommodate it. )

I recognized recently that I was not designed to be a mainstream media or even a community-oriented writer, and am more suited to international and national writing.

I prefer complete writing freedom without limitations except for music editor preferences.

I also think that the press and writers need genuine unrestrained freedoms in all areas, without censorship or political stances, nor that of presumption or falsehoods/propaganda, or divisive political or vaccine or freedom correctedness by any “side,” getting in the way. The press need to pursue true journalism without influence.

I often think that musicians have the true transformational powers politically within society.

I am not sure of reader In the Zen interest where that will go yet, except to say it is an absolute delight to serve readers and the public. I enjoyed my TV years TV directing, producing and hosting as a volunteer at Shaw Spotlight, the past previous Rhythm’a’ning radio years, too, and I hope to find time to sit down to jazz guitar composing and even recording once again. It is very much on the bucket list along with other creative interests.

I hope to share the journey with you as I profile musicians and other highlights as the new blog takes shape. Send along your thoughts and feedback, I am all ears!!!

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keriliemcdowall@gmail.com or PM on socials.

Kerilie McDowall is a guitar, writing, and film/music industry instructor. DownBeat Critics Poll judge, former DownBeat writer. Polaris Music Prize juror, Past JUNO Awards judging, and talent judge for the Canadian Musicians Coop, 12x award-winning jazz short documentary maker, and TV Movie Director of In the Zone: Rick Kilburn (2020). Black Women In the Arts Stiletto Award (2016, radio), past writing for Musicworks, DownBeat, The Discourse, All About Jazz, Canadian Musician, Inspired, Canadian Antique Phonograph Society, Nanaimo Magazine+. Guitar instructor/owner of Canadian Online Guitar Lessons. Jazz guitarist and jazz bandleader in Vancouver (1990-2000), music and arts events publicist/media contact, #1 globally on Google Player FM jazz radio podcaster from 2013-15 (7-year jazz radio podcast). Past jazz radio host/producer, volunteer (17 years), TV Hosting/co-hosting, volunteer, Splicer’s Daughter Director Assistant (2016,) Shaw Spotlight (7 years) TV Director volunteer (5 years 2015-20).

Book 15 min: https://calendly.com/kerilie/guitar-lessons-workshops-writing-publicity-media-contact

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Kerilie works very hard to bring you jazz news and to assist musicians. Permit Kerilie to have the time to bring it to you. Donate to In the Zen! Use your personal name and I will get to work and email you with a sincere heartfelt thanks with the deets on which article it supported! With e-transfers, just copy and paste my email address into your one-time donation or suscribe: weekly or monthly by e-transfer: mailto:[email protected]

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Images of Kerilie McDowall by Dirk Heydemann of HA Photography. Trophies: With thanks to the Vegas Movie Awards.

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