Music Friday - Local Artist {Nicholas Lefler}

  Happy Music Friday! Today is bittersweet for me. It is my the last feature on the local artist project! The past couple months have been a blast working and getting to know so many wonderful people! I have worked really hard to keep this going the month of May and I am proud of myself that I accomplished my goal! I don't think I realized what a big task it would be but every ounce of energy was worth it! So if you stuck around and read each Friday blog this month then THANK YOU!

  I am really happy to have Nicholas Lefler as my final post. I feel that his music adds a different variety then the others I have posted and I am happy to have his talent on the blog! When Nick started playing this song I immediately wanted to start dancing. It is so fun and upbeat!  One thing I admire about Nick is his passion for his music. He puts a lot of energy into his work and it shows so much! Check out the song out below...
 

Meet Nicholas Lefler:

  

What bands are currently inspiring you and your music?

Well I rarely listen to music other than my own creations unless I am having writers block or need inspiration, but recently I've been enjoying lots of random stuff like Blackmill, Miguel, Empire Of The Sun and Leonard Cohen.
 

 

What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment thus far in the music world?

To be honest, being able to support myself and my daughter doing what I love. And sharing my passion with the world. We live in a world that shuts down dreams. A dream is energy. If you never stop the momentum of that energy, it will never fail you. For 20 years now I have kept momentum. I guess I'm proud of not giving up.
 

 

 

What is the main topic of yours songs?

Emotions. Most of my songs are improvised and I will literally

look out into my audience and read what they want, and that is what I will play.

 

 

Where can people find your music?

www.nicholaslefler.com  Free streaming. Plus I give away free music all the time. 

What do the moments look like right before your about to perform?

Depends... typically, I'm just totally natural, ready to do what I do...but sometimes, everything is
different... like someone in the audience startles me... and I get nervous, excited and I feel like a teenager again. I love that feeling.
 

 

 

What instruments do you play?

Guitar, Drum Set, Bass, Keyboards, Vocals, Percussion... etc... I started to learn multiple instruments

once I became a sound engineer. It was much easier to learn every instrument rather than seek out 

musicians. And much cheaper to make records if you could do everything yourself.
 

 

What are your fondest musical memories?

In 2005, I was in Arizona touring with my band Alma and a man came to me on a set break and told

me he had seen us 6 months before when he was fired from his job and cheated on by his wife.

He said he was going to kill himself that night. He told me, our show changed his life and since

then his life had been totally different. He got a better job and was seeing a beautiful girl.

Is there any funny/awkward situations between you and fans that really stick out to you?

I've had to deal with stalkers, but mostly fans are the most beautiful thing an artist could

ever wish for. 

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Dream and Imagine and try new things to fulfill your passions. That is a life well lived. I dare

 

I will still be featuring artist as I discover more but this is the end of the Local Musician Project! I hope you all have enjoyed following along with these post and more importantly I hope you have discovered some new music and musicians to follow! We all appreciate the support so much!

-Angel

Music Friday - Local Artist {The Experimentalist}

  Last week I was floored at the response of my blog! It's so exciting to be sharing such a big part of my heart with you all and to get good feedback is a huge plus! I had doubled the traffick from the very first music post, which blew me away! I am so thankful that you guys are enjoying this music project and you've been coming back every Friday to get to know a new musician! I can't say Thank You enough! 

  I have SO many good things to share about today's music feature that I don't even know where to begin. First off, I first discovered "The Experimentalist" when I moved back to California. I moved into a little duplex with a friend of mine and the first night she warned me..."Just so you know, we live next to a musician so it might be kinda loud sometimes." I will be honest and say my first thoughts were "great, someone is gonna be playing awful music and keeping me up at night" thankfully I couldn't have been more wrong! I was introduced to his music my second night and happily stayed awake to listen to him play his keyboard. I started to attend some of his local gigs and quickly realized he is incredibly talented! 

  This guy has so much dedication, passion and joy in his music! I've never met someone who could just create a beautiful song with amazing lyrics in under 10 minutes and I'll tell you a secret, he usually has the entire story/music video planned out in his head in that time as well. I'm telling you, this guys got skills and if you don't believe me just watch the video below.

 

My favorite thing about this video is that it's in his home, playing on his vintage organ. Seriously such a a treat to be able to capture him in such an intimate setting. I hope you guys enjoyed it and make sure to read the interview below and check out a collection of photos I've captured of The Experimentalist....

 What is the story behind your name “The Experimentalist”?
I had to come up with a band name for a social website some years ago and I thought,”Everything I do is just an experiment.” And boom, there it was. I also wanted to give my future fans a brain workout every time they said my name.

What bands are currently inspiring you and your music?
I’ve been listening a lot to this awesome band called Bo Dollis & the Wild Magnolias and a whole lot of Enya. It‘s my balance of mediation and dancing.

What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment thus far in the music world?
I feel my biggest accomplishment has been mixing and mastering my latest album. The whole mastering process was quite the feat.

What instruments do you play?
Piano, a pinch of guitar, a drop of bongo, and I play a mean mega phone.

What was your very first instrument you learned to play?
Piano. My parents bought my brother and I baby, baby grand when we were little. Haven’t stopped playing since.

Have you been in any competitions?
I’ve never been really huge on competing musically besides scholarship auditions in college. The last one I did was on a website called indaba where the challenge was to make the best John Legend remix. I was humbled to find that my remix made it amongst the top 10 out of hundreds of independent producers worldwide. I cherished that moment and have been working twice as hard ever since.

What are your fondest musical memories?
So I have three. One is playing my music a few years ago and watching my papa who was in his eighties dance nonstop around the living room like he was james brown’s daddy. Two is running to the piano room everyday after college courses to play music for hours. Three would be when I played my first show with albums to sell in 2008 at.

What has your experience been like so far working in the music industry and living out your dream?
It has been a wonderful experience. It’s been really cool seeing my dreams intertwine and grow with the norms of my life. I do hope that the dreams gain weight and take up even more space!

What are your songs about?
Well I’ve written a lot about love, heartbreaks, and those kind of themes over the years, but I’d say over the past four to five years I’ve been inventing quite new ones. Themes that capture a lot of the mysteries of my life, the galaxy, and complete stories based on small books I’ve been writing. It’s exciting, and I can’t wait to share it with the world very soon.
 

 Where can people find your music?
You can find my music on itunes, amazon, spotify,cdbaby,and on youtube. Just type in “The Experimentalist” and my album “Romanticism and I”.

What do the moments look like right before your about to perform?
I’m usually bouncing around with some kind of rhythm in my head while I’m hooking up my gear. I usually am pumping with energy and excited. I also like to connect with the early birds who are just as excited as me.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
Yes… I have a black cat named LoLo and she is awesome!   

 

Make sure to like his page on Facebook!

 

I hope you all have a great weekend!

-Angel

Music Friday - Local Artisit Feature {Nicole Sass}

Happy Month of May!

 

  I am really excited to announce a project I have had in the works since February! Every Friday in the month of May I will be posting a different {local} musician or band to feature here on the blog! The feature includes photos, video and an interview. For the past year I have been playing around with video work here and there and what I really like about the videos you will be watching here is that they are raw and in the moment. When I search YouTube for an artist I want to listen to, almost every. single. time. I search for a live or acoustic version. I personally connect with the song on a completely different level and that is what I want to share with you here. If you have a YouTube account make sure to subscribe to my new channel... click here to check it out:[TCuppPhotography] or click on the video below. :)

 

  Living in Calaveras County I am blessed to be surrounded by all types of artistic and creative people and I want to spread the word of there talent to the best of my ability and that is basically where this project stemmed from. I hope you follow along the next 4 Fridays to discover and get to know some incredible talent...Enjoy!

Meet Nicole Sass....
-The video below she is covering a song by Bon Iver called "Flume"-



Nicole Sass is a beautiful soul who is located in Murphys, CA I asked her a handful of questions to share about her music and here is what she shared with me...

What instruments do you use?

A guitar I borrowed from a friend, a mic I borrowed from a friend, a PA I borrowed from a friend, cables I borrow from friends, and my voice, which is all mine :)

 

What was your very first instrument you learned to play? 

Actually it was the clarinet.  Third grade.  Made twinkle twinkle my jam.

 

 

What has your experience been like so far working in the music industry and living out your dream?

 

Luckier than I could imagine.  I was given a trip to London for just a song.  And that taught me to believe in myself and what I can give musically.

 

What are your songs about? (What specific themes do they cover?) 

My songs are very different.  Each one is about something different but I would say that they all start with a moment.  I like to spread a single moment through an entire song.

 

What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment thus far in the music world?

I would have to say just getting myself out there in a solo aspect has been something I've wanted to do always.  Getting to do it for the first time in the United Kindom was a super big bonus though. 

 

 

What bands are currently inspiring you and your music?

I am totally in love with the Staves right now.  Kina Grannis is another who I am really into.  I love the powerful yet simple way a song sounds with just a woman and a guitar.

 

What do the moments look like right before your about to perform?

They look like pure light.  I can't ever identify any particular situations because I just get in the zone and see shapes and colors and nothing else.

 

Is there any funny/awkward situations between you and fans that really stick out to you?

I love intimate shows like the ones at the V where the audience can shout out song requests and I can learn em and play them.  Not awkward so much, but setting myself up for the possibility I'm sure :)

 

 

Have you been in any competitions?

I won Calaveras Idol in 2013.  And have been in many vocal competitions throughout my life.  Although, it was competition that turned me off to music briefly.  I believe there is no competition in expression, and I had to remember that when competition felt too draining.

 
What are your fondest musical memories?

So many!  Every beautiful moment I've ever recalled has a song that goes with it... Wouldn't have it any other way :)
 

 

Where can people find your music?

Right now I am on bandcamp.  Ohhearthesparrow.bandcamp.com but hoping to get on iTunes soon.

Where is your next show?

May 10th- V bistro

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I have never been great at adding.

 

 

Thanks for checking out the blog! Hope you come back soon!
-Angel

Next post: A lovely Senior Portrait session with waterfalls and big fields, you wont want to miss it!
 

Alex & Lily - {Acro-Yoga Feature}

I am really excited to share these images with you and to feature these lovely ladies here on the blog. I am becoming more and more fascinated with Acro-Yoga. It is absolutely amazing to me! This photo shoot was so magical and I am beyond grateful Alex and Lily let me spend a couple of hours inside their world. These shoots are always my favorite because we both donate our time to each other and there is no pressure, just room to create art. I like to get creative with the shooting and editing process and really try things outside the box from my normal process.  

 

Below you will find more info on each of these ladies... I hope you enjoy!

 

 

Meet Alex:

 

My first Acro experience happened in the desert at Burning Man 2008.  It was love at first flight!  It took me a few years to find someone that wasn't lost in translation when I shared my mind blowing experience.  In 2010, I finally found what I was looking for in the heart of Sacramento.  A small seed was planted.  Needless to say, I had no idea the true beauty that tiny seed possessed.  From that little seed grew a community & with community came connection.  By connecting with other humans I began this adventure into communication using tools like trust & openness.  It was huge for me to vocalize my needs, and in return, to be receptive of others needs too.  This practice had cracked open my soul and it didn't take long for me to develop a full blown AcroYoga addiction.

I love being upside-down!  Even as a child I loved standing on my head & inverting in every way possible.  Born in Reno, Nevada, I had the opportunity to see many Cirque du Soliel  shows with my Pop.  It was inevitable that I wanted to join the circus.  A dream I literally had since I could walk.  Finding Acro was a childhood fantasy come true.

My yoga practice brings awareness to my own body & mind, through breath & asana.  AcroYoga not only encourages you to be aware of your own mind & body, but your partner's as well!  Finding rhythm through trust, clear communication & openness, two people can begin to flow with each other.  The movement is beautiful, but the deep connection that can be shared is breathtaking!  Connecting with all spirits is something I think we as humans have lost touch with.  Acro ignites my spirit!  And through teaching I am able to share my spirit's passion.  Sharing the power of connection through play makes us all feel wild & free, just like a kid.  One of my greatest teachers likes to ask:  "Are you moving, or being moved?".  For me, my practice really solidified when I discovered Acro was much deeper than the physical movement that one sees.  It blends the structure of acrobatics, with the symbology of yoga & the healing touch of massage.  Making this practice an adventure to reflect in many aspects of my life.

For all of Alex's Acro offerings be sure to join CalCoAcro on Facebook & also follow @CalCoAcro on Instagram.

 

 

Meet Lily:

My practice started while in my mama's womb. Yoga gave her a different way of looking at the world, a different way of interacting with her relationship to herself. I'm incredibly grateful for the greatest gift she's ever given me: Yoga.

I received my 200-hour Yoga teacher training in July of 2012. Then, coming home to the studio where my practice solidified, I was blessed enough to start teaching there. The Studio Reno has been a home base for a long time, and now I've been teaching there for well over a year.

My classes are a mixture of inspiration from some lovely ladies: Janet Stone, Shiva Rae, Annie Carpender, Dena Amsterdam, Amy Harris, Melissa Martinez and Carol Lyons. I actively attempt to help people see the gift that is awareness. Using pranayama, organic flows, essential oils, circular arrangements, chanting, partner work, quotes, closed eyes, and stillness I promote an exploration of your place in the world. There's an extended invitation in all of my classes to release the habitual patterns, the habitual stories that our constantly churning in our minds. We move through our practice honoring where ever we happen to be, and exploring where that can take us. Connecting to the Apana Viau, the downward moving energy, we are allowed to ground back to whatever it is that inspires us.

 I've completed workshops in Acro Yoga, Partner Yoga, yin yoga, slack lining, raw food preparation, gardening and permaculture, natural building, and meditation techniques. I hope to create a more joyful and free community through my practices and learning. I am an avid gardener and work at a beautiful Raw food restaurant, called "The Seed."

I'm lucky to be able to offer private yoga classes, with flexible rates. I am confident that I can provide a personalized and fulfilling practice. Where we are able to work through any physical or mental tension.

A huge thank you to Alex & Lily for letting me be apart of their passion and in return getting to share my own. You both are incredibly inspirational people and I feel honored to have worked with you!

 

♥ Angel