ContactJuggling.org

ljcoombes · Joined: 24 Jul 2024 Posts: 42 Location: Portland, OR

Hey guys. It's been a LOOOOOOOONG time since I came by for a visit. I used to live on this site. Heehee. Last weekend, I had one of my favorite shows and thought I'd stop by to share.

I received a call from a friend in mid October asking me if I could perform at the Dark Cabaret in Portland, OR. I had already been planning to attend, as any chance to see Jill Tracy perform is a chance I don't pass up lightly! I was also looking forward to seeing violinist Paul Mercer. The event sounded like a lot of fun and now it would also be a good chance to get to talk with Jill and to meet Paul!

I had been planning to perform to "The Weeping Song" by Nick Cave. However, on the night before the show, I received a call from Jeremy, the event organizer, asking if I could perform with Paul. I informed him that I could perform to any music and that it would be fun to perform with a live musician. I wasn't sure how many times he wanted me on stage, so I practiced to "The Weeping Song" anyway. Just in case. ^_^

Well, when I arrived at the venue on Saturday, Paul and Jill were on stage preparing. Introductions were made and I discovered that they were BOTH going to be playing for me and that I'd be performing twice in the set! Hurray! So, goodbye Nick Cave. Heehee. We worked on some ideas for how to put the performance together. Jill and Paul were amazing together. They are both such superb artists! We tried out a few different songs and ideas to see what would work best with my juggling style. We decided that, for my first song, I would perform with both Jill and Paul. My second performance would be just Paul and me. This was because it was a piece that Paul had a hard time performing with another musician. He had a lot of impromptu key changes and such, which made it a poor candidate for an improvised collaboration with another musician.

Both of my performances were great fun. Usually, I perform to a recorded piece of music and improvise my routine to match the tempo, mood, and melody of the music. In this performance, though, the music was effected by my actions as much as I was affected by the music! We played back and forth with each other and as the music changed, led by my actions, I would be led, by the same music, into the next portion of my act. It was a marvelous, energetic, and inspiring way to perform! I am SO glad that I agreed to do the show!

Jill, Paul, and I all agreed to keep in contact and that we would all love to perform together again. All three of us had a great time! I know Paul is going to be back for the Portland Vampires Masquerade Ball this year and we are already planning to do a collaboration there. There is a chance that Jill may be there, as well! If so, I am very hopeful that we can all do another performance together. I have a video camera on order, so maybe I'll even have some video to share!

Anyhow, I hope everybody is doing well. I'll poke around a bit and see what's new in CJ land. Hope to see you around!

Zoc · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2024 10:31 pm Post subject:

heya, it has been a while

cool story. Thanks for sharing. Good to hear you're doing well and still rolling about...

::goes and digs up the old Lodi videos::
_________________
"Were it not for this heritage of accumulated experience, my efforts would be feeble."

Illumilatte · Joined: 13 Apr 2024 Posts: 541 Location: San Marcos, Texas

Sounds like a lot of fun . Welcome back, though I haven't seen you around before. I hope you do get to perform again and show us that video, if it's anything like your description it sounds very exciting!
_________________
http://www.myspace.com/illumilatte
Just because I have a short attention span doesn't mean I

Saulie · Joined: 23 Aug 2024 Posts: 205 Location: Norfolk, VA

WB
_________________
Contact juggling is a disease, to which there is no cure. It is a poem of which each movement is a word. If you CJ with your heart, your body will follow.

Saulie@contactjuggling.org

silver · Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2024 12:39 pm Post subject:

hi lance, good to see you back. performing with live music is fun.
_________________
...create pointless acts of beauty.

ljcoombes · Joined: 24 Jul 2024 Posts: 42 Location: Portland, OR

Yeah, live music is a lot of fun. This is the first time I've performed with such highly talented musicians in such a collaborative way, though. Previously, the closest I'd come was performing with a couple of guys playing drums and a flute at a Ren Faire, which has a special magic all it's own. But this really felt like something more. We were weaving a magical piece of artwork, live on the stage. The music was PERFECT and the way we all clicked together was inspiring and energizing. I want to do it again, and again!

Gah! I WISH I had some video of the performance!!!!

(really, I wish I had good video of ANY of my performances. That ancient, crappy Lodi video is still the only one I have.)

Dizz · Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2024 1:53 pm Post subject:

*drool* That is an amazing story!
_________________
And like a rubber ball, I come bouncin' back to you.

Cameron · Joined: 01 Jul 2024 Posts: 886 Location: Toledo Ohio

Ahh Lance yes we do need something new from you *Rembers way back in my early days watching your video over and over again* good stuff i must say... but we need more I hope everyone puts together something for the tree this year I have begun my colaboration with my video person... and hope to put out a nice professional pice something i can use for a promo as well =)

ljcoombes · Joined: 24 Jul 2024 Posts: 42 Location: Portland, OR

Aw, thanks. ^_^ Well, to be honest, my performance hasn't really changed all that much. It'd be good to get a video of a GOOD performance, though. Rather than that one. Bleh. Nothing like being totally unprepared! Heehee. Also, since I'll likely be filming myself, it's not likely that my vid will be particularly professional. But at least it should be cleaner than that old one.