Juana Camilleri: News

My show last Friday night at The Best Western Hall of Fame Lounge was great. I had a wonderful time and it all went so well. I'm going back next Friday ... in a few days ... to do it again.

And I'll be playing on Thurday night at The Crescent Cafe. I've never been there, but it looks like a cool spot. I will be performing with Jonny Downs and Steve Jones. Thank you Lindsay Timberlake.

Check out

http://www.myspace.com/juanacamilleri

also

http://www.cityatnightmagazine.com

Oh and ... the weather has been ... fabulous!

JC

Wow!

What a day! It's so beautiful out, I tried to take my laptop outside and write, but I couldn't see the screen, so I'm writing fast so I can get out there. I'm so excited to dig in my garden and plant some things, like wheat grass. And I got a bicycle last week. I haven't taken out for a ride yet, just around the block a couple of days ago in the sub zero weather.

I plan to start recording a new (Nashville) project soon, like next week or maybe the week after. I have a few ideas about where and with who. I'll share as this unfolds.

And I have a songwriter's in the round coming up, my first in Nashville. It's on my calander, March 2nd.

Also, my My Space page is almost ready to share. I'll be sitting down with a friend tomorrow evening and finishing up a few (minor) details, like uploading the songs and adding some color and ... Flash.

Okay, I'm goin' outside! Yay!

JC

I made a New Years' Resolution (over a month ago) that I would start to write regularly in my journal and now .... I'm going to begin to honor it. There's been so many excuses not to, but things seem to be evening out in my life so ... here goes.

I have a regular job, finally. It's a job I can count on, not a temp job and that's a good thing. I'm working at The Edgefield Sports Bar, waitressing and bartending. I mostly work days, only one night a week - if I can help it. I don't care for the night scene in a bar. The day shift goes by quickly and leaves me lots of time for ... me.

I live in a really cool house in a neighborhood called Inglewood. It's next to the river, though you can't see the river. The houses are spread out, with beautiful rolling hills and lots of space. It's a great neighborhood for running, walking, biking, etc ... Next week I plan to buy a bicycle and start riding. And everyday I plan to get out and run. It hasn't happened yet (another new years' res) but it will. We have a very big yard and I have started preparations for a huge garden. Among other things, I plan to grow wheat grass and make wheat grass juice (every day) and drink it (every day) (another New Years' Resolution).

I caught this awful flu last week and boy was I sick! I'm much better now, though I'm still coughing. This thing's been going around and it is the worst! So STAY HEALTHY!

And my music? Well, quite frankly, not much is happening in the area of music for me. I still haven't played out in Nashville. I plan to do an open mic this Thursday at The French Quarter. My friend from France, Herve, will go with me and hold my hand. I think I might play at The Hall of Fame on Music Row in March. I just have to contact the guy in charge. I've been writing a lot (till last week when I got sick). I wrote a song two weeks ago called "Paradise." This song was inspired by my son, Ben, who told me to "go to Nashville and stay as long as it takes." Well so far "it's" taken ten months, since that's how long I've been here and that's how long it's been since I've seen my kids. It's a painful journey.

Though I wish I could get back to Portland for a visit, I can't afford it. Ultimately, once I pay off my car (a 1988 black Volvo), I might drive back. But that will be next summer.

I did try to record a song with my friend Greg Perkins. Greg has a studio and he has worked with a lot of Nashville artists. But he was so unenthusiastic about my song and working with me, I decided to cancel it and hold out for someone who actually likes my material. It's pointless to work with someone who doesn't get you.

Speaking of which, Sergio Doumenc will be here in April and he wants to do a project with me and Herve. So that's something to look forward to.

BFN,

Juana

Okay, so I didn't write again... tomorrow, but ... lots of turbulance in the way ...

The first Nashville performance was ... difficult ... but it's done! And I don't have to do that again. All I can say is - after playing in a library - thank GOD for BARS! I love mood lighting! And PA's!Amplifiers, stages, and BEER! It's hard to play for a group of stone cold sober poets, who are sitting wo feet away from you with flourescent lights overhead. And no amplification in a room with carpet and (low) fibreglass ceilings. But the people were very nice and my songs were well received.

And it is indeed snowing out. As promised, I will be delivering the weather report from wherever I am in this great big wide open land of ours. And today - in Nashville - it's ... Freezing Cold and blustery snow with scattered clouds and little bits of blue sky now making an appearance.

Actually, those bits of blue sky are being covered by the scattered clouds ... more and more ... And no more snow, for the time being. I'll keep you posted on any new developments ... and now back to ...

I'm at Bongo Java. And every time the door opens I am blasted with cold air. I am dressed in a sheepskin coat with a black hat and red mittens and I'm drinking my usual hard core. I'm sort of killing time, since I'm a bit confused about where I should be right now. My things are all packed and I'm ready to move, but I don't have a place to move to - yet. I have to work tonight so my catering things are in the car. I don't want to be at my ... apartment because the new people who moved in are ... there and they never leave and they are absolutely wacko! Bubba! All I can say is BUBBA!

I'm going to write a sitcom called Living with BUBBA! The only thing is the sitcom will be funny. Living with Bubba is not!

And so ... music? Well, I really can't focus on playing music until I find a place to live for more than two months. Every place so far has been very ... temporary. And I have no idea what's next. But I'll certainly keep ya'll posted.

I'll holler at ya later!

We had some great weather for a week or so, but now it's back to sub zero temperatures. Okay, slight exaggeration (sp), but ... Baby it's cold outside.

I've decided that my journal will be a Nashville weather update. Or - wherever my music takes me, I can report on the local weather. It seems to always be the first sentence of my entries.

Tomorrow I FINALLY play my first show in Nashville. It's about time! I've been here like eight months and I haven't even played an open mic. I'll be thrilled to get that "first performance jitter" thang out of the way ... and then ... get on with it!

I have a booking agent. His name is Fred. Fred thinks he can get me some decent paying opening shows. I sure hope so, cause these "survival jobs" are getting worse and worse. I just quit yet another. Thank God there's still on-call, part-time banquet work. Yippee!

I'll write tomorrow and give a detailed report of my first Nashville performance. And of course, I'll also give my wonderful Juana weather report.

Till then,

JC

Summer is officially long since over. It's cold out there! I had a great playing session last night with my friend Mr. Tyler. He's starting to get to know a few of my songs and he does a fine job of accompanying me. This is a good thing, as I have got to "get out there" and play. There are so many showcases, writers' nights, open mics and what not, so I have no real excuse ... any more. For several months, since I moved here, in fact, I've been held back by a series of ... obstacles; such as no car, working every night, the sweltering heat, and ... some crazy flippin relationships. I've decided not to share the sordid details of my bizarre love life in my journal, mostly in an effort to protect the ... guilty ... and myself from any possible future lawsuits. So don't worry boys, mums the word. I don't kiss and tell, not any more any way. Your secrets are safe with me (from now on.)

I will however, in time, share other stories of my other Nashville adventures. I'm working up to it. These first entries are like a warm-up exercise. I'm gettin' there.

Right now I'm at my favorite coffee shop, Bongo Java. This is where it all started for me - almost eight months ago. I sit here today, not exactly a Nashville native, but a whole lot more Nashville savvy.

Okay, that's enough for now. I'm fixin' to call a booking agent and I should do that soon. I met this guy a few times and he's expressed an interest in booking me - for 20%. All I can say is, what have I got to lose?

I'll holler at ya later!

JC

Brrrr, it's cold here right now. What a difference from the hot and humid summer. I've been trying to use my day off from work to accomplish some stuff, like ... organizing. I've been helping a friend of mine get his place organized as well. He's a fabulous guitar player (and producer) named Bob Tyler. I'm hoping we'll record a project together sometime soon.

I'm also planning to work with Herve, who will be moving here from France in January. Herve works for a company called Innovasions, located at the Nashville Sound Check building. Herve is best friends with my long-time, on-line friend, Sergio. Hopefully, Sergio will also visit the U.S. and he too will be a part of that project.

I have a show (my first) coming up at The Bordeaux Public Library, in Bordeaux, TN. It's on Saturday, December 2nd, from 2:00 till 5:00.
And I'm fixin to get some more performances booked here soon. Check out my calander page for that info.

Till next time,

Cheers!

I had a cool day. I slept in. I had to recover from my 14-hour ... double at the Nashville Convention Center - doin' banquets for Food Staff. Tomorrow I start a new job for ... a spectacular cell phone at a undisclosed location in ... Tennessee. So ... I've been studying ... most of the day. Actually though, I've taken many breaks ... to "work on" new songs that I am writing. This is what I love to do. This is what I moved to Nashvile to ... do!

I have an interview at a music licensing company - (can't say which one as of yet) on Monday. I'm very excited about this. I would love to work in the industry. I would love to work on Music Row.

I'll write again ... tomorrow ...

I moved to Nashville seven months ago! And I haven't written in my journal a single time. Shame on me!

I've been wanting to start writing in my journal ... about my music and my experience (thus far) in Nashville.
First of all, I've been busy! Boy, have I been busy! And do I have stories! Unbelieveable stories.

I've definitely stepped into some pretty major pot holes since I've been here, and taken some detours, but boy! I'm sure happy I came to Nashville. Mostly, things go well here ... for me.

Though there's so much to write - regarding what's happening with my ... MUSIC ... I am very tired - after a double - 14-hour shift - and I must rest. I'm starting a new job this weekend.

JC

It's Monday, February 27. It's a gray day in Portland. I'm gazing out the window at the big firs and contemplating the year so far. We're only two months into '06, and already quite a lot has happened:

The first thing that happened this year was I lost my dear friend, Craig Hannabury. He passed away on the east coast. It was a shock. Craig produced my Palisades CD. Craig was one of my best friends and biggest supporters. He was always there for me. I miss him so much.

After Craig died, something inside me shifted. I've lost my patience for staying still (not that I ever had any anyway) and I simply have to "go for it." Consequently, I have decided to move to Nashville. I have wanted to go there for years now. I've left Portland a few times, and headed east, in an effort to get to Nashville. But each time something got in the way and prevented me from getting there. And each time I returned to Portland, a bit defeated.

But this time, I'm going to get there. It's a bit ... scary, since I know almost no one. But I'm looking forward to a challenge. And I'm looking forward to sharing my new CD. And I'm looking forward to playing my songs for people who appreciate a song. And I know they appreciate a song in Nashville.

So ... check back and see how my Nashville plans pan out. And, if you're in Portland, come hear me play at the Dublin on March 31st. I'll have the band with me - Finding Mississippi. Tony Coleman will be playing drums and Bob Shoemaker will be playing guitar.