Little Gray Dots.

I should explain. The little gray dots are the seats sold for my Lynne Jordan & the Shivers Concert at City Winery Chicago. The other ones – the little brown dots are the unsold seats and there’s quite a few of them. I try not to go to that page every minute though it is bookmarked on my computer and every mobil device that I own.

Everyone tells me “It will sell out! Don’t Worry!” My close friends tell me that I go through this every time I play at City Winery, and “it always sells out.” It’s true, I have sold well but not without a focused effort and every time I have ever slacked off the push, I can count the seats that it has cost me: “If I’d only dropped off postcards at the Hilton & Towers…I might have sold five more tickets…!” It’s that concern that pushes me to work so hard. I wish I could sit back and just let the chips fall where they may. But I don’t have that kind of juice. I can’t afford to sit on any laurels. I have to push, push, push because I have ten musicians to pay – PLUS I am so excited about this new material and I want folks to come out and share my joy! It’s a weekend night which would normally run in my favor but, it’s a Holiday weekend. It’s New Year’s Day/Night – folks are out of town, hungover and then there’s the unpredictable weather. A slight snowfall could cost me half of my audience.

So, in between learning the new material, nailing down lyrics of the other stuff and trying to schedule rehearsal to accommodate eleven people – I also have to sell the show with little or no press support. City Winery has been very helpful by giving me prominent placement on their site. I have postcards which I am passing out, as well as leaving a stack at the concierge desks of numerous hotels in the city. A good friend got me a nice mention on the Choose Chicago (Chicago’s Tourism Board) calendar. I am posting about the show constantly on at least five different social media platforms, sending out eblasts and emailing/calling friends – you name it! I have a loyal following who will tell their friends and hopefully put groups together to attend. It’s a great night out!

So, ENOUGH of this whining!

It’s time to focus on the music.

This show will be special. We are working very hard to present an eclectic, fun and danceable night of music. I will do all the old goodies, but the new stuff is exciting!

I am bringing in an eleven piece band with lots of new material. I’m singing one song in Japanese – it’s a fun big-band arrangement. I have added a percussion player so that the Fela Kuti tune Zombie will have as much organic rhythm as possible. I am bringing in two dancers to lead a quick dance for the audience to follow. That will be huge fun. I am singing a Pink Floyd song that Bettye LaVette covered on her R & B CD of reworked British classic rock tunes, but unlike Bettye, I will sing it straight up. It is such a lonely, sad song and lends itself to my voice. I have some surprises for the show. We are rehearsing vigorously. And the Shivers sound fantastic of course.

I am listening to the great music that we are playing for the show as I write this and that has made me feel better and hopeful. Come to the show. I am soaring right now and so excited to rehearse and bring this concert to my peeps! And (buy your tickets!)