Danielle Vinup
CD Release 2014
Dani's Blog
CD RELEASE CONCERT AND RECEPTION
March 30, 2014 7:30pm
The Southern Theater
Minneapolis
Email danivinup@yahoo.com to RSVP, or do so via Facebook
12-20-13: This week has been both fun and productive! I started off the week with a photo shoot for the album's cover, etc. I enjoyed having my hair done (by the best hairstylist EVER, Darlene Derr!!) and my makeup done (thank you Shaina Rae from Onsite Muse). And I am so happy to have found photographer Natalie Champa Jennings, whose professionalism was matched only by her creativity! I also brought along my mama, Janeen, who said she felt like she was reprising her "stage mom" role from many years ago. It was great to have her along for moral support. As expected, comic relief was provided by one Pat Balder...in the manner only he can provide! The rest of this week was spent in the studio recording lead vocals. It is absolutely rewarding to feel so exhausted at the end of a recording day- because I have given everything I have, musically and emotionally, into the songs. It all seems to be coming together now, each piece of the puzzle locking into place. It's a great feeling.
11-26-13: Last week was a busy one in the studio- including my first day recording vocals! I had done some "scratch" or "guide" vocals earlier this year, just quick takes to use as placeholders. So I wasn't too nervous going in. But I was unprepared for how hard I would have to work to get just one song done just right. I was exhausted! I am very comfortable with microphones, but singing in the recording studio is a totally different experience. It takes a while to get used to the feel of "working" the microphone, which involves moving yourself around the stationary microphone instead of moving the microphone itself. We recorded a wonderful song called "My Heart Belongs to You," an original song by Pat Balder. It is a starkly beautiful song, intimate and quiet. Pat had to really push me to relax into the song and into the lyrics, so that their emotion would come through clearly and simply.
We also had a full day of recording B3 organ tracks with the amazing Kevin Gastonguay. I'm including a few pictures here. Kevin brought in his cool equipment, and I got to learn all about what makes that signature sound. What also made the day fun was a visit from our friend Mark Fleischhacker, another singer and songwriter. Hopefully we will see an album of his songs in the future! This B3 is going to make a big difference on many of the songs on the album- from lyrical ballads to R&B bluesy tunes. So cool! Now that the organ is tracked, I can start to record vocals for the rest of the songs. I am READY!
11-11-2013: I am so pumped to share my project with everyone! ! Recording an album is something I have dreamed about doing since I was a little girl. To finally be acting on this dream feels incredible.
The first step was choosing a producer, and that was easy. Pat Balder has been a part of my life since I was 12, when he became the Music Director at St. Gerard's, my home church. Over the past 26 years, I have had the great pleasure of watching his own musical career, including the release of his own amazing solo albums. I have also been blessed to be able to sing alongside him at church, and share a stage with him from time to time. I have also had the opportunity to sing the creative, heartfelt, soulful music Pat has written for the church over the years.
Initially, I had thought that this album would be a bunch of covers of songs already written. But as Pat and I began hashing out a plan, we realized that we both had half-written songs that were in need of something... and it turned out that they needed a writing partner. I am ecstatic to say that 5 of the 9 songs on the album are originals- either written by Pat or myself or both. The other songs were carefully chosen for their beautiful melodies, poignant lyrics, and/or their sentimental value in my life.
More to come... there is so much to tell!
Join the CD mailing list!
Jazz Blues Adult Contemporary Gospel Rock and Roll Classic My Rock Funk Love Songs Spiritual Jazz Blues Adult Contemporary Gos
11-13-2013: Awesome day recording pianos on location. We were on the campus of St. Thomas, playing a beautiful big new Steinway in Brady Hall. Pat had the equipment set up and Kevin (Gastonguay) was ready to roll this morning- what a pro. He proved that he can play any style- we put down tracks for 3 songs in 3 different styles, including a Duke Ellington tune that Pat let him riff on- a blues introduction to the piece that made me so happy! One of my favorite songs of all time- Come Sunday. It is special to me for many reasons. We worked out the arrangement and then let Kevin loose. He nailed it on the first take. I couldn't hold my tears back- the experience was so amazing. Every phrase was perfectly punctuated. Every note was perfectly timed, as though he was speaking through the piano. I thought of my grandma, whose funeral I had the honor of singing this for. I thought of college days, singing this tune for the first time with my Jordan Jazz friends (and the man who would one day be my husband!) I can't wait to get into the studio to put down vocals for it.
2014 Advent Musical- St. George and the Dragon
The Church of St. George paid homage to its namesake, Saint George with a fairy-tale version of his story. The children's, teen, and adult choirs presented a fun, touching, if not quite historically accurate account of the dragon-slayer and his journey to bring Christianity to the town of Selene. Princesses and baby dragons were found along the way as well!
2015 Advent Musical- Once Upon a Time
What a fun trip through fairytaleland we had! One wouldn't think that Pinnochio, Snow White and Aurora's Fairy Godmothers could teach us about Christmas, but three little girls and their grandpa tell the stories that do just that.
New Art!!! I created this for the album. There is a separate piece of art for each track, one square for each of the nine songs. Those nine squares form the center of the larger piece, which is comprised of articles from the Star Tribune. They are all from one day's paper. But here's the thing.... in one day's paper, I found articles and headlines and advertisements that spoke to all of the themes in the album. I even found a picture of Billy Steele who sings on several songs! There was an article on the Sandyhook shooting, which inspired "What Do You Say?" So this piece of art captures one day of a news cycle that is always changing- and maybe, art and music can provide some kind of change, however small it may be.
CD Release Concert and Party Pictures
 |
|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
May 2016- Cover Girl!
Nottingham Living ran a lovely article this month on my music and artwork... and I'm the cover girl! How fun. A great way to start my 40s!!!
August 2017- Fringe Festival!
Coming up- a new venture for me... a role in a new musical comedy by Minrod Mier! The Second Banana Revolt is a charming, bawdy, funny, sentimental piece of theater that was chosen to play in the MN Fringe Festival.
may 2017- art installation
My latest mixed media artwork! For Kelly Kadlec's light and bright home office and music room that needed some color and inspiration... this piece includes inlays of music that Kelly has written and gestures of hymn texts surrounding the guitar! Each attached canvas features a quote about music.
April 2017- Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Morris Park Players' version of Joseph was like none other... set in the 1950's with an all-girl cast of Brothers- including yours truly!
April 2017- Godspell and JCS at WBLUMC
Palm Sunday Services have never been more inviting than what John Koziol cooked up at White Bear Lake United Methodist Church. Songs from Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar were woven between scripture and stories. Mark Fleischhacker played the roles of Jesus and Judas, and I, Mary Magdalene.
