Updates on Common Chord (with Michael Bryant) and Acoustic Alloy (with TC Peart)

My usual disclaimer: If you want to stay informed the best thing would be to either be my "friend" on Facebook (search for my name) or "like" my Facebook page (separate from my personal profile). I don't do updates here often, but here is one...

In the days since Wild Heart's last show (Sept. 2015) I've remained very busy with music! Most of my creative time has been spent reconnecting with a longtime friend and collaborator, Michael Bryant (former leader of our trio Sticky Fingers, from the early 2000s). He and I have regrouped as an entity we are calling Common Chord, and you can find us at www.commonchord.us (which currently connects to our Facebook page...website coming soon). We perform as a duo but also usually have some help from the likes of Delores Jenison on additional harmony vocals and Faye Bruggink on clarinet. In the future we will sometimes be joined by percussionist "Bad Alan" with whom I have worked in several projects. We focus on original music but do bring in some choice covers from some of our favorite singer-songwriters and we generally have enough instruments to start a small music store between us. You'll find us in listening venues -- concert settings and coffeehouses, playing in Madison a few times a year. We will be looking to branch into neighboring areas soon, and may begin working on some recording projects as well.

About Michael: In a captivating, smooth baritone, Michael delivers his unforgettable songs, moving between catchy, can't-get-it-out-of-your-head tunes to stunningly beautiful, moving ballads. To the rest of us who call ourselves songwriters, his songs fall heavily into the "Man, I wish I'd written that!" category. I have the fun and satisfying role of adding to Michael's songs with harmony vocals and any of a number of instruments I love playing: Cello, viola, hammered dulcimer, guitar, bass, and/or piano. I generally can't bring them all to a show because my car won't hold everything, but I usually have 3 or 4 with me. (You gotta see my new electric viola and cello!) I also enjoy the opportunity to share some of my original tunes and choices of covers with Michael's assistance (harmony vocals plus extra guitar or bass or mandolin).

Otherwise, Acoustic Alloy is also alive and well! That is my duo with TC Peart, who was my colleague in Wild Heart. We have started booking some spring/summer shows. This is a cover act (with very occasional originals), featuring mostly TC's choices from a variety of styles and her powerhouse vocals (and me on harmonies). We perform as a duo (using guitar, mandolin, and keyboard) or sometimes as a trio with help from percussionist "Bad Alan." We have a lot of fun finding ways to arrange a complex variety of songs for our minimalist format. Crowd favorites in the past have been "Man in the Mirror" and "Uptown Funk." We play clubs/bars as well as small venues. Watch our website for schedule info if this sounds like your musical cup o' tea.

Obviously I'm not good at updating my blog. : - )
If you want to stay informed the best thing would be to either be my "friend" on Facebook (search for my name) or "like" my Facebook page (separate from my personal profile).

That said - I do have a show of my own coming up AUGUST 14 (2015, 8pm) at the Brink for the first time in a while! I'll have some friends participating with me. Please see the SHOWS page of my website. It would mean so much to me to see some smiling faces as I put a proverbial toe back into this water. I have been working on new material that I'm extremely excited about and I have fabulous colleagues joining me for the evening. Yes - even cello! (There's always room for cello!) And harmonies! And percussion! This is definitely my "dream team" and I can't wait to share this music - a mix of originals and some very fun covers drawn from jazz, blues, folk, and even some pop, from some of my favorite songwriters (Laura Nyro, Elton John, Nat King Cole, Diana Krall, and more).

Otherwise - I put in my resignation from the band Wild Heart (which plays "new country" covers) after six years, and it turns out the band is actually dis-banding after our last show, September 12. It's been a fun six years, but I (and at least a couple of my bandmates) have found the format too limiting. Today's new country has gone in directions that just don't interest me. More importantly, I have missed having time/energy available to put into music that is more in keeping with my own tastes and musical styles and which is more listener-oriented than dance-oriented. I will continue performing on occasion with TC from Wild Heart in the form of our side project Acoustic Alloy, which is a variety cover act (duo or trio with percussion). But mainly I am looking forward to returning to solo and collaborative performing again. I will be focusing on listening-oriented venues around the Madison area and perhaps will do some short road trips to neighboring areas.

I hope to see you soon!

Upcoming Shows - TJC/Acoustic Alloy/Wild Heart

Hi folks - Here's a list of shows on my radar for the next few weeks...see the links for details!

• July 16 (Tues)- WILD HEART @ Black Earth Concerts in the Park (Black Earth WI), 6:30-8:30pm. Free show. Food available for purchase on site.
• July 18 (Thurs) - ACOUSTIC ALLOY (duo with TC Peart from Wild Heart) @ The Brink Lounge (Madison WI), 7pm.  Early show, in the lounge. No cover. Special guest Shaun Petts will join in for a song or two.
• July 19 & July 20 (Fri/Sat) - WILD HEART @ Ho-Chunk Casino (Madison WI). No cover.
• July 28 (Sun) - Supporting Briana Patrice @ Waunafest (Waunakee WI) - 3pm, in the Chamber Beer Garden
• Aug. 1 (Thur) - WILD HEART @ Verona Concerts in the Park (Verona WI). Bring a blanket and a picnic! 6-8pm.
• Aug. 3 (Sat) - TRACY JANE COMER (solo) @ Sugar Maple Festival (Madison WI). With John Duggleby and Rich Baumann. We will each do a solo set and then finish with an in-the-round set.

Happy summer!

Website updated (finally)!

I have finally updated my website - www.tracyjanecomer.com. The photo gallery is still yet to be finished but the rest is done. If you are looking for something you can't find, please let me know!

I have some solo shows coming up for the first time in a while (August and November)...see the SHOWS page on the new site for details. Otherwise I am keeping busy with Wild Heart (www.wildheart.ws) and Acoustic Alloy (www.acousticalloy.com).  In fact, Acoustic Alloy has a show on Thursday, 7/18/13, at The Brink Lounge. Come on out - it's an early show, starting at 7pm! We will go until about 10:30pm.

wedding music songs

I was asked recently for some suggestions for nice wedding ballads. Here are my quick suggestions, drawn from ones I've done at weddings or have thought would be ideal. I'll try to add to the list if I think of others, or if folks suggest some good ones to me.

"Grow Old Along With Me" as performed by Mary Chapin Carpenter (John Lennon)

"I Will Be Here" - Steven Curtis Chapman

"He Is Good" - Carrie Underwood - Sung from a daughter to mother about wedding day - A fairly new song but I predict is being done/will be done at MANY weddings

"When I Said I Do" - Clint Black (best as a duet but could work as solo)

"Something That We Do" - Clint Black (similar sentiments to 1 Corinthians 13)

"The Gift of Love" - Hal Hopson's setting of 1 Corinthians 13 to tune of "The Water Is Wide"

"Beautiful In My Eyes" - Joshua Kadison

"Bless the Broken Road" – Carrie Underwood sings a nice solo version

"Valentine" - Martina McBride

"Here, There and Everywhere" - Beatles

"One Hand, One Heart" - from Westside Story

"The Wedding Song (There is Love)" - Still a goodie!

AND, a couple of unique choices - think outside the box!
The Wedding Song - By Tret Fure - It's on iTunes, on her "My Shoes" album. This is a REALLY beautiful wedding song! It's a shame not many folks know about it. (Tret is a very successful indie folk artist.) (If sheet music is required folks could ask me and I can work on getting this accomplished with Tret's permission since I create sheet music as a freelance, and I do know Tret personally.)

Ahem...My tune "Perfectly" has been used at weddings and it can be sampled on iTunes (from my album "Second Wind"). Here is a video link I did for someone after her wedding, and it shows the lyrics:
http://www.youtube.com/user/porchstringmusic#p/u/15/KGVDCnzdxKI
(I could provide sheet music for this tune.)

Cheers,
Tracy

New TAB available

*******EDIT 7/12/13:  The files are available on request, vs. being posted on the site. Please see www.tracyjanecomer.com and go to the CONTACT page to ask for the tab files.E

Hi folks - Over the years I've had requests for tablature for some of my instrumental guitar works. I finally just finished a new one - Rondo. Below are links to the two I have done so far....for a limited time I'll have these up for free....later I may be publishing a songbook and will have to pull the plug on the freebies then!

1. "Rondo"
2. "Movin' in the Right Direction"

Later I plan to publish "Inside Passage" and "Riffles and Runs."

(If you want to pick up the tunes themself and don't have the CDs they are on, you can find them on iTunes, Broadjam, and many other download sites.)

NOTE: Both of these require both a full capo and a partial capo. The partial capo is typically called an "Esus" capo and is available from Kayser or Shubb.

If there are other songs of mine that you would like to see a chart or some tab for, let me know. I have some full lead sheets that I've prepared on request for several tunes. (Flattery will get you everywhere.)

(And, if you are a songwriter or guitarist and would like something like this for your works, let me know that too....I do notation and transcription as a freelance.)

Feedback welcome.

Peace,
Tracy

Howdy from Tracy, and MAMAs info

Hi folks -I haven't written much in a while because I've been keeping busy with band WILD HEART (www.wildheart.ws) and also with my church band, Cornerstone. I haven't been performing much on my own lately but do have some plans to do that in 2011 and also plans for a couple of collaborative shows this year. Stay tuned!

For now, I wanted to encourage you all to participate again in the Madison Area Music Awards.

The first round of voting is now open, through March 21. This round will determine who becomes final nominees. You do have to join the MAMAs (Madison Area Music Association) with a minimum $5 contribution but that money goes to help put musical instruments into schoolkids' hands, so it's a great cause. You don't have to live in Madison to vote.

* NOTE: You do not have to vote in all categories (tons of them)
* Be sure to do the FINAL REVIEW and do that part (see bottom of the category list)
* Don't forget these categories, please! You don't have to vote for the things below...I won't know who did of course....but just in case you are so inclined and want to know where to find me....

• JAZZ SONG (I have TWO original songs in this category - "Just One Person" and "The Edge of Tedjhara" from my recent Jazz EP)
• FOLK/AMERICANA ALBUM (My recent acoutic EP, "You Have 29 Messages")
• COVER BAND - Wild Heart is here (visit us at www.wildheart.ws!!!!)
• RECORDING STUDIO - Randy's Recording (my producer/engineer/cowriter/performing partner)
• STUDIO SOUND ENGINEER - Randy's Green/Randy's Recording

TO PARTICIPATE: Go to www.themamas.org and choose NEW FAN SIGNUP.

Thanks, y'all!