Category: 1

Hey everyone, I'm reaching out because I need your help! I've entered my music in a competition to get my music heard on the soundtrack of the movie "Renee". I'm counting on friends and fans to vote for my songs from today until May 30th! It's so easy to help out, please take the time to vote at least once! All you have to do is go to www.reneethemovie.com/soundtrack, search for "Kala Farnham", listen to the song for 30 seconds and vote. You can vote as many times as you'd like! My song "Strong Enough" is doing really well. All I have to do is finish in the Top 20 and it will be considered for the movie by a panel of judges. Here's the details: Renee the Movie is about Renee Yohe, a teen who struggled through depression and addiction and inspired the creation of the "To Write Love on Her Arms" charity organization. Because music is so central to her story, they are going to chose one unsigned artist to be featured on the movie soundtrack next to Travie McCoy, Rachael Yamagata, Paper Route, & Between the Trees. Read TWLOHA's press release on "Renee" here: http://www.twloha.com/news.php?nid=229. This means a lot to me, please help me out! Thanks!!

Spring Fever!

03/10/2011

2 Comments

Hey folks!

As the end of the winter draws nearer and spring fever starts to kick in, I'm finding myself anticipating all the musical events that warm weather brings. This spring and summer I will be returning to some of my favorite outdoor venues in Connecticut for original music: Blue Back Square in West Hartford, Hank's Dairy Bar in Plainfield, and the Particle Accelerator Benefit Concert in Putnam. I'll also be sharing the stage with Kris Bonkowski & the Young Professionals as they provide summertime entertainment along the Mystic coastline. Keep your eyes peeled for upcoming performances. I can't wait to celebrate the return of spring and I want you to join in the fun!

A reminder that the first Friday of each month I host the Vanilla Bean Open Mic with Faith Montaperto. I encourage any and all poets and musicians to participate; share your stories and creativity in one of Connecticut's best listening rooms. Sign-ups @ 6:45, show starts @ 7:30. $7 cover charge.

February was a busy month for me. I debuted as the opening act for Adam Trudel at Indigo Pizza in Coventry, RI. My music seemed to go over well and I will be returning for another performance on March 25th! I also had an excellent experience at Javapalooza Cafe, a cozy, artist-friendly coffeeshop in the college town of Middletown, CT. The show was almost canceled due to torrential rains, and though I began playing to a nearly empty room, by the end of the night passers-by old and young were drawn in and I closed out the night with a full audience. I felt I was really able to make a connection with the Middletown community. One innovative young man expressed his appreciation of my performance in a spontaneous poem inspired only by my music and a Ginger Ale label. I was flattered, and the poem now lives on my refrigerator door! Thank you for the warm reception, Javapalooza Cafe... Between the friendly folk and the exceptional coffee and crepes, I can't resist coming back for more!

Outside of my work as a performing singer/songwriter and cover musician, I try to participate in the musical community in every way possible. This month I stepped in as an accompanist for a high school musical. I had a wonderful time working with the kids and got to enjoy a great show in the process. It's inspiring to see young people pursuing their dreams and exploring their creativity!

I want to mention that I've been writing a lot of new music for the new year. As I come out with these ideas I'll be sharing some rough demos via Facebook. The demos are quick, one-take recordings that I laid down in the comfort of my bedroom; the point is not to create studio-quality audio production but rather to share the ideas that I have been working with - I want to know what you guys think! "Like" my page on facebook to gain access to my unreleased songs here.

See ya around!

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Kicking off 2011

01/02/2011

Hey folks,

I hope you all had a great holiday season and started off the New Year with a bang!

My transition into the New Year was musical, warm, classy, and wild all at once. I started out New Year's Eve with a performance at Ballou's Wine Bar in Guilford, CT. It's a hidden gem and if you're ever passing through the area, it's my top recommendation for delicious food, a friendly staff, and needless to say a nice wine selection! Not to mention the great music ;-)

After a fine evening at Ballou's, I headed over to the VooDoo Grill to watch my new cover band rock out the remaining hours of 2010 and kick off 2011. The place was packed and there was a lot of dancing, singing, and general merriness. These guys really knows how to get a crowd going... we all had a blast. I'm excited to announce that for the new year, I'll be joining the band on keyboards and female vocals!

New Year's Day I performed with the band at the Black Sheep in Niantic, CT. Some of the songs I feature on include "Pokerface" by Lady Gaga, "I Love Rock N' Roll" by Joan Jett, and "Since You Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson. Quite a change from my usual mellow mix of folk and pop... I love it! I've got the band backing me on one of my favorite covers, "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey. It's so exciting to be playing with a full band!

In other news, I just got a Little Martin guitar... and we are in love, completely inseparable. If you've ever seen me perform live you know I'm a little person with little fingers, and the Little Martin fits me perfectly. We were made for each other! With the guidance of my guitar-playing friends, I've been diligently learning, practicing, writing, and building up my calluses... I feel more confident than ever about bringing the guitar on stage with me. Look forward to meeting Little Martin this year!

Last but definitely not least, you are probably wondering what happened to the full-length studio album I promised way back in the fall of 2010. We've had some major setbacks with that - recording always seems to be a much more grueling process than I bargain for - but I'm sorting that situation out and I'll keep you updated on the release date.

In the meantime, I've lined up my first few shows of 2011 and I'd love to see you there:

1/21/11 @ 10pm     - Daniel Packer Inn - Mystic, CT
1/29/11 @ 9:30pm - The Gold Eagle    - Danielson, CT
2/1/11   @ 8pm       - The English Club - Worcester, CT

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Peace~
Kala

First full-length studio album in the works!!!

08/26/2010

4 Comments

Hey everyone,

Hope you are all doing well. We're winding down to the end of summer and I've got a lot in store for fall 2010 that I want to tell you about!

If you haven't already heard via my Facebook Fanpage: My first full-length studio album is now in the works! The final interactive media CD will include my first music video, photos, live performance videos, and more. I'm super excited to announce that I'll also be bringing some talented musicians into the project. All this month I am recording with Adam Oppedisano of Dood Productions in Malden, MA - We're documenting the whole process, so you can keep track of my progress via www.doodproductions.com/kalafarnham.html. We'll keep it updated with photos, media clips, and other news. Don't forget to check the website on September 1st to pre-order your copy! We're shooting for a release date in fall 2010. More details on that soon....

Also, I now have a regular gig in Putnam, CT! I perform every Saturday from 9pm-12pm @ Casa Mariachi Mexican Restaurant. The show is 21+ and free; the food and drink is delicious and affordable. I'd love to see you there sometime :-)

Peace ~
Kala

4 Comments

Here's to the New Year!

01/02/2010

Hey everyone!

First off, I hope you all had a great holiday season. I enjoyed having a bit of time to relax with my family and friends, but also kept hard at work learning some new material for 2010. I'm hoping to play at a lot of new venues this year, one of which seems quite interested in having me as a mostly-cover artist. So if you hear me playing a lot of Regina Spektor, Jewel, Amanda Palmer; if you hear some Billy Joel, Elton John, Pink Floyd - and yes, by special request, Tool - don't be surprised! But don't worry, I'll still be writing like a fiend as always and still plan to work with primarily original material.

As a songwriter, I feel like its important for me to innovate and change. I don't want to bring you the same type of music over and over from year to year. Maybe you've noticed this - I try to find different rhythmic patterns in my piano playing from song to song, and I try to expand myself by writing in different genres: a little bit of folk here, a touch of rock there, some jazz and some pop. I'm trying to learn some different instruments - guitar, dulcimer, and harp to name a few - to broaden my knowledge of music and see it from new perspectives.

That said, I have some new ideas in store for this year's performances. I hope to be collaborating with some other musicians - ultimately I'd like a folk band to back me, but I'm willing to wait as long as it takes to find the right people. The main goal is to find inspiration from other artists and see what kind of magic we can create together. In addition, I've got some new equipment that will enable me to be a one woman band of sorts. It might look something like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0vcxA29okM - but with more real instruments! (I love David Ford and I aspire to be his female counterpart!)

So, there's a little bit of what you can expect as the year progresses. As always, be sure to keep track of my show schedule - I plan to have a year full of performing!

Also, remember that my new live album "Naked Honest" will be available at all of these shows along with my first home studio album "Raincloud". For those of you who can't make it to my shows, I promise to have "Naked Honest" available online very soon.

Well, here's to a new year - I can't wait to see what it brings!

New Album Out Available at Shows!

11/21/2009

Hey everyone!

After some time off from performing to do some writing and put together a live album, I've finally booked some shows for the fall... and there all coming up within the next month!

And yes, I will be selling my new album, "Naked Honest - Kala Farnham Live 2009" at all of these shows. All of the recordings come from this summer's performances - thanks to Kevin Farnham and Bradley O'Connor for running the sound - so, if you've been to any of my recent performances, many of the songs you heard will be on the album in their purest, stripped down, spur of the moment form. I'm also very excited to feature the work of photographer Marc Maksim for my album art.

After I spent countless hours designing the album art, mixing, mastering, and mostly listening to the same songs over and over again trying to decide which to put on the album (I think I started out with over 30 possible tracks, and finally narrowed it down to 13) it's so relieving and fulfilling to have the final product available to you all. The hard copies are being produced this week!

Right now, the live album will only be available at live performances - so be sure to come and get your copy at one of these upcoming performances!

On Thursday, November 19th, I will be performing at the Copper Stallion Restaurant and Pub in Sturbridge, MA from 7:30 to 10 pm. I'm working really hard to try to get my live album in production in time for this show!

On Friday, November 27th - yes, the day after Thanksgiving - I will be playing at Border's Books and Music at the Westfield Mall in Meriden, CT at 7:00 pm. My will that be a busy night... Come and get some holiday shopping done, than sit back and relax to enjoy a coffee and some music!

On Saturday, December 5th, I will be performing for the first time at Stoggy Hollow Restaurant in Woodstock, CT from 6 to 8 pm.

On Wednesday, December 9th, I will make an appearance at Central Connecticut State University from noon to 1 pm; so CCSU students, be sure to take a break from your studying to listen to the music (I won't bribe you to skip classes).

Finally, on Friday, December 11th, I will be participating in the Brian Jarvis Christmas Bash Benefit for CCMC Children's Hospital in the Autorino Hall at the Bushnell in Hartford, CT. I'll be performing early on around 7 pm as one of the acoustic openers. Tickets will be $10 for this event, but there will be a lot of great performers including Brian Jarvis, Article 19, and Columbia Fields.

And finally, I'll leave you with this lovely review Paul Rosano wrote up on my music and demo album "Raincloud":

http://www.thetrickismusic.com/?p=2057

I hope to see everyone soon!

New projects in the making!

07/03/2009

Hey folks! Gosh, I've been so busy performing that it seems I've forgotten to write about it these past few months. This past month has presented me with a lot of great opportunities and I'm excited to see where they take me.

It looks as though I may be singing on the soundtrack for an original theatrical dance piece being put on by a professional California dance company. I will be working with a talented local composer who was commissioned for the job. I am certainly excited to branch out in a new direction; I've heard some of the initial demos for the composition, and the music is absolutely beautiful, so I'm really enthusiastic about this project! More on that later....

Some of my recent performances include Blue Back Square in West Hartford and the Reed-Swale annual folkfest. It was my first time performing at Blue Back's outdoor stage, and I came home with a great feeling about the place. The audience was great, and the acoustics were surprisingly nice for an outdoor venue. Its set up really well for music and its a great place to connect with new people - I'm very much looking forward to going back for a second appearance on July 25th.

It was wonderful to be back at the Reed-Swale folkfest for a third year. I always love to share my music with other musicians and hear the local talent. At the folkfest I was invited to sing on a the demo for an original rock opera - that will ideally be sent in to the theater and performed locally next year. Back when I wasn't so busy with my original music and performances, I spent a lot of time singing at the local theater - so it would be nice to revisit the theater world from a different perspective!

With all these new projects - in addition to recording my second album which I hope to have out by the end of the year - I will be busier than ever. I'll try to keep in touch with you all the best I can! In the meantime, try to catch me at one of the shows listed on my calendar.

As always, thank you for the support!

Peace & love,
Kala

Upcoming performances

04/07/2009

Hello everyone!

Hope you all have been enjoying the warmer weather! I am certainly looking forward to performing outdoors again in the near future.

This month, I have three shows coming up and I hope to see some of you there! My first performance of the month is this coming weekend at Java Madness in Wakefield, RI. For those of you who haven't been there, its a lovely coffee shop located right on the seaside. Enjoy a great view, drinks and lunch, and a free show! I will be performing on Saturday, April 11th, noon to 2 pm.

The following Saturday, April 18th, I will be performing at Mocha Coffee House in Sandy Hook, CT with Brian Jarvis. Our show begins at 8 pm and ends at 10. I'm excited to see what this new venue has in store - every venue has its own character and audience, and of course I'm eager to try out their coffee selection! As always, it'll be great to play with Brian again; his music always has a magical effect on me. If you haven't heard him before, please take a quick listen at myspace.com/brianjarvis!

On Saturday, April 25th, I will be returning to Its A Grind Coffee House located at the Blue Back Square in West Hartford, CT. Show starts at 7 pm and ends at 9. The music is free, the beverages are delicious, and there's plenty of great shopping around the area. If you can't make it to this show, keep an eye out for me at Blue Back Square in next several months: I plan to return for some outdoor shows during the summer!

In other news, I've recently gotten the opportunity to restring my harp. Its a bit on the old and out-of-tune side, but it'll serve its purpose well enough until I get a new harp - that is, I intend to keep practicing and writing so that eventually I can introduce new instruments to my shows. That said, I have also been writing quite a bit on guitar. Hopefully you'll get to hear a snippet of that in the next several months. Stay tuned for more!

Peace and love,
Kala

A lot going on at the beginning of the year!

02/18/2009

Hey everyone,

Its been a couple months since I last wrote so I thought I'd update you all. 2009 has been off to a great start. I began by working with a few other musicians, helping each other out on our own songs and exploring some co-writing as well. I'm finding that the more I do it the easier it gets, but its definitely important to find musicians who are compatible with my style.

I've also been writing a huge amount, I've come out with 15 or 20 songs since the new year - I might note that it began with a friend daring me to write an album in a week, and ended up with an unstoppable burst of creativity. My life has been full of change lately and I think that is one huge point of inspiration; change without leads to change within, which is certainly an emotional experience. I've also been introduced to a lot of great music this year, and it has opened my eyes to new avenues of creativity.

I've performed at a lot of great venues, and thus far this year I've booked more shows than ever before. Its really exciting to see these opportunities growing after all my hard work. You can check out where I'll be performing next on the Performances page link on the sidebar on the left!

Last but not least, I've been in contact with two great producers who are well-established in the music business, and I've been planning out the production of my next album. Hopefully it will be out by the end of summer!

Well, that's all for now. Take care of yourselves, and get ready for the spring. I sure am.

Peace and love,
Kala