Cathy is a 30-year veteran teacher-composer-producer-performer. Critic Zan Stewart of the Los Angeles Times summed up her talent: "In Control: Jazz singer Segal-Garcia's style leans toward heavily melodic vehicles that show off her flowing, at-ease, rhythmic sense … A voice that's soft and warm as cashmere." Visit her website: www.cathysegalgarcia.com
Here it is, the end of January, 2008! As a new year gets underway, I'm always looking ahead, pulling myself up out of the holiday relaxing mode, and kick-starting myself for what's ahead and as-of-yet-uncreated.
The fact of the matter is, I can create any idea that I can formulate in my brain! As I read through any literature that is thought of as spiritual or self-help, I see the same path, described over and over but in ever-changing perspectives. There seems to be a surge in this moment in history, of positive ideas and change! I personally love it! It's just the inspiration I need to keep me moving and creating.
Strangely enough, in this period of time, I'm also not singing that much. To be truthful, I'm going through a change in my perspective... I'm getting tired of crappy gigs! Gigs that are in a cold room, with no people listening, a bad piano, and no musical magic. I really want magic more than anything now. But that really has nothing to do with my overall emotionally positive or negative point of view, strange as that seems. You would think that my point of view of those bad gigs would make or break my happiness. It's kind of the other way around, actually. My emotionally positive or negative point of view is fire and fuel to my creativity. I'm always going to be going through changes... isn't that what life does... forever? You don't get to a certain age, and voila... it all is perfect, right? The changes never stop, right? You just get better at handling them. So... now when I find the way to feel better emotionally, going through the changes... now I'm feeling creative again. I'm getting new ideas for productions, new desires for projects... CDs, writing, teaching, touring.
It can be so difficult, finding your way up out of the morass. And because we are artists, we soak in what's around us very intensely. We need to be just as creative in blowing the crapola off us! It's important to communicate with people about this stuff, and to keep doing music... these things keep the crap off, or get it off.
So, I lift my glass to you all out there... I support your creative ideas... I applaud you for trying! Hook up with some people, plan projects, make your music mean something... there IS an audience out there, who is waiting or even dying for your message to touch them. It's your job to get your magical quality out into the world... that's it... that's your job! It is truly an important job. Your expression means something. Do it.
There's more bad music in jazz than any other form. Maybe that's because the audience doesn't really know what's happening.
– Pat Metheny
Glissando: A technique adopted by string players for difficult runs.
