Stop Playing it Safe… Be Brave!

Recently, a singer emailed over some songs for me to hear prior to our first meeting. They were good… other than some standard, easy-to-resolve tensions, there was nothing in his voice that was concerning or problematic.   What I did hear though, was...

Preparing to Sing Onstage and in the Studio

On one level, singers are master preparers. We spend tremendous amounts of time training and practicing, and for many of us, songwriting as well. In fact, we’re so focused on our instruments and material that we can be virtually non-stop in our physical and mental...

First, Do The Work!

A while back, I was chatting with a bartender at one of my favorite jazz clubs. Like so many New Yorkers, he’s a trained actor and singer working in the restaurant industry to pay his bills while focusing on his dream. And like so many in New York and beyond, he feels...

You Are Not Your Talent

Any performance can be nerve-wracking, but there is something about competitions– especially televised ones!– that really ups the ante. I sang backup on American Idol a few years ago and vividly remember how crazy things can get for those young men and women. So much...

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