I’m getting started at the JuJu Bag Cafe this Thursday evening from 6-9 pm. The JuJu Bag Cafe is located at 5363 Franklin Ave., New Orleans, LA.  The phone number there is (504)  872-0969.

We’ll be on the deck jammin, chillin, and having a lot of fun. If you are an artist, poet, dreamer, or visionary, then come out and join us.  Share with us what’s on your mind.  You are welcome to come and sit-in and jam with me and my friends.

We’ll be hanging out each and every Thursday for a while or until they kick us out

See you there.  And let me know that you’re coming.  I’ll save you a seat.

We all have to work…or not….but at the end of the day, when we look at ourselves in the mirror we can only hope that we’re lucky enough to do work where we can be ourselves, laugh, enjoy.  We spend so much of our time working, we could very well think of our office places and jobs as our second homes.

Are you enjoying the work that you do or taking the stress of your job home to your families and loved ones….that is so 80s and 90s. Let’s enjoy the work that we do and do the work that we enjoy.

Take a note from Mr. David, a Southwest Airline Flight Attendant.  I LOVE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES.  They don’t charge me for the bags I carry on….unlike some airlines…okay..MOST of them.  I mean, would a bus driver charge me for carrying my backpack on the bus…ABSURD…anyway..i digress…different blog post for a different site.

He loved living so much, he’s even got the attention of CNN.  He may not LOVE his job, but it looks like he loves getting up in the morning. Kudos to him and a lesson to us all.

What do songs make us feel? Happiness, joy, sadness. We songwriters and conjurers know how to push your buttons.  And that is what music is supposed to do.

I’ve often believed we are  cheated by the radio.  We get to hear a few select artists’ music, some created by producers hired by record companies to create, manipulate, and solve a tried and true formula. The radio is then “hired”…I mean gets advertising dollars so the radio plays the same “hits” several times a day until even we begin to call them hits…so much more to tell on that story….I digress.

Last weekend, I awoke with a melody in my head.  Late at night and early morning and even away from my own life and goings on have always proved the best times for me to write.

So I got up and became obedient to the powers that be that wanted to see what Monica would do with this riff in her head.

What I thought was in my head, however, didn’t quite sound like what actually happened on the keyboard.  And most times, that’s a good thing.

It was quite effortless – this happy song that came along.

I’ve never really used the cheezy rhythm section on my keyboard, but it’s proving to come in handy.  I was able to “put something down” relatively quickly.  Remembering a thought and a musical idea is like gold for me as an artist.  i buy all kinds of gadgets to help me write on the fly….or remember what I want to write.  Usually lkike most folks, I’m so busy in the day, I forget that I’m supposed to be a creative being.  Sad, but true.  We must make time to create…even if it’s dinner.

So here’s a little something to inspire you.  You will hear this again   I call it a little “Happy Song” with a hint of the blues just to give us all a little tension and drama.

Version 1 – I didn’t quite know where to go with it.  I was just exploring the harmonies I could create.  I was ever reminded that I wanted a bridge somewhere.  I wanted this to be a song I could place in any group of musicians hands and watch it take life.  Simplicity is best I say.

Version 2 – Okay…still working on the bridge here. I had a few ideas, but was still getting comfortable with the structure of the song.

Version 3 – Okay, I wanted to hear other instruments…I’m a composer for God’s sake.  This is what I do.  Also, I wanted to see what a little tilt in the rhythm and style would do.  How about a jazzy swing? Not as convinced this would work, but let me know what you think.

Final “Rough” version – Okay, I was having so much fun and feeling so good by this time, I was convinced the dark cloud was lifting and there was a reason this all happened.  So this is the version where everything started coming together, although not a great intro – but I experimented with that in the first version.

So you should have lots of music to listen to and something to perk up your musical ears and make you think about the music you’re listening to.  After all, I wouldn’t be doing my job otherwise.  Enjoy and let’s talk soon.

My sister called me.  I thought she was sick. She was not. She was calling us all to let us know Big Mama had passed.  And that’s all I remember, besides surreal moments of hearing Deacon John sing “Many Rivers To Cross” and chords of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” from Aaron Neville as I surrendered and left for Mississippi.  Not before being accosted by a man who said I would look prettier if I smiled……boy did I let him have it…nicely, but I don’t think he’ll say that anytime soon to a woman.

Why did I aimlessly walk around Jazz Fest for 2 hours after learning the news?  I don’t know.  I just thought if there was any place I could be that would cheer me up, it would be somewhere surrounded by music…..that didn’t work.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers and I’ll talk to you soon.

Working on letting go and being happy because Big Mama got her promotion.  It will take time…It will take time.

Here’s the melody some of you requested.  I hope you enjoy it some more

Right click to download here

Hi everybody.  It’s great to be finally able to celebrate Spring.  I’m running The 2009 Crescent City Classic again this year and can’t wait to run the streets of New Orleans again.  Will you be there and what are you doing this weekend?

I have 2 free tickets to get into the Festival after the race.  So email me if you want to come and join me!!!!

If you’re on Twitter you can follow me here Monica Dillon on Twitter and I’ll follow you. I’m on Facebook too, but it’s so addictive, I’m not on a whole lot.  And yes, it’s nothing like actually talking and interacting face to face, but we do what we can….:-)

By the time you read this it will probably all be  melting.  We go nuts in the snow here…I mean we don’t get it often.  We take pictures, get out of bed and run outside. Kinda like a kid at Christmas.  We can’t help it….it’s snow!

I admit it…I gorged on Thanksgiving Day.  Potato salad, green salad, green beans, collard greens, and yams.  Delightful.  And who can forget dessert.

Green was my theme for the day

This bird never had a chance…….

Dessert was over the top and knocked me out…into the bed….overeating was of course the theme.  One day a year…..

Who could resist pound cake of every kind and a little homemade sweet potato pie!!

and then

The attack in Mumbai.

My heart is heavy for those who lost their lives -not just Americans. Most of the networks here spoke of the Americans who lost their lives and lumped everyone else into the same number tally of the dead.

As we continue to reflect on the year and what lies ahead, I hope we can rememeber to not take life for granted.  I wish not to talk about “terrorists” but living in the moment.  Afterall, that’s all we really have today, this moment, now.

These are the words I remember Odetta telling me as I walked out of her dressing room 2 years ago after opening for her at the Hilltown Folk Music Festival in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts.

She was graceful, an obvious pro at wooing the crowd, and precise with her voice.

I enjoyed her.  I realized she was also still one of our times best kept secrets.  For everyone thay knew of her, there are still many more who do not even know who she was.  Not having  quite the Peter Paul And Mary or the Sweet Honey In The Rock notoriety, she was nonetheless on the front lines pushing for change and EVOLUTION in the 60s.

Something I didn’t even know

One of my favorite movies in the whole wide world…wait for it….is “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman”.  Is you the one Jimmy, Miss Jane would ask.  Ernest Gaines’ novel has always held a special place in my heart.

I recently watched the movie again made into a special 25 year anniversary edition.  And guess who was in it?  No other than Odetta.  In the film she plays Big Shirley…I believe…forgive me if I’m wrong.  In the film she is the protector of MIss Jane as a youth after Reconstruction begins.  And protect she did, taking out several Night Riders before falling herself.

I did not recognize her at all!You see, I met Odetta in the very deep winter of her life.  Recovering from a hip replacement/surgery when I met her, Odetta reminded me very much of the elders in my life now, hanging on with every breath.

Odetta, however, never seemed to be searching for a breath at all.  She was vibrant, colorful, and fiery.  She instructed the audience to take all the pictures they wanted before she started her performance in Massachusetts.  She held a long pose…almost as if mocking us.  And then she told us to back off..the master was about to work.

I loved that about her.  She, like so many other women artists, inspire me to keep going and remember that this is truly a life long journey that will grow with me as I grow. Music is never finite and so the music of Odetta, her legacy, and her life will live on.

THIS PROMOTION HAS ENDED.  STAY TUNED FOR MORE SOON

******************************************************************************

I’m giving away relaxation music for a limited time to help with this uncertain period we’re in. It’s a great time to institute some stress management. Find out how to get these relaxation programs below or simply go to my home page -- Monica Dillon Music

Video Transcript:

relaxation music playing…..

Hey everybody. This is Monica Dillon.  Monica Dillon music is my website.

And for those of you who don’t know me I’m a musician based in New Orleans.

For almost 2 1/2 years alot of my audience has heard me talk about the release of my next cd project, A Beautiful Life. And my big announcement that I’ve been wanting to make for the last two weeks is that it is finally actually coming out.

I’m here in my home studio, recording the music now.

I’ve been thinking alot about what’s going on in the media. What a lot of us have   been experiencing with foreclosures, with gas going up, everyone having less money, it’s creating all this stress.

We’re in Mercury retrograde.  For those of you who are into astrology.  and understand that Mercury being in retrograde means that there are a lot of challenges with people communicating.

So what I did earlier this year, is create a lot of music for relaxation.
And I want to share it with you.

I want to give you this relaxation music in hopes that it will help you to relax, unwind, if you’re having trouble sleeping or maybe things are stressful at your job.

I hope that this relaxation music will actually help you to get some relief -- to sleep at night.

And I hope you’ll share it with your loved ones and family.

This is my way of saying thank you to you for hanging in there with me for all these years with the music I’ve created and the music I’m working on.

I wanted to share this music with you because I know how difficult things are right now.

We’re in the middle of an election. There are alot of people that are undecided.  Everyone is heightened.  Everyone’s emotions are heightened. We’re all more sensitive about it.

The election means a lot to a lot of different people -- to all of us and that a lot is riding on it- economically,  with the fall of the stock market, the foreclosures, the bailout that just happened.

So many things are going on right now. There’s so much stimulus that we’re being bombarded with on a daily basis.

This is my way of saying thank you to you. This is my way of saying let’s all find a way to relax, to find a way to take the stress out of things.

And I hope you enjoy it.

Some of us can’t afford to have a massage or spend $50-$200 at a spa right now.

And so the best thing I can offer to you right now is this music.

Run a hot bubble bath.Take it with you on your walks.  Use it to help you go to sleep.

So this is the reason I’m offering this music.  I also want you to stay tuned for the release of A Beautiful Life.

Let me know what you think about the music.  That’s very important…very important.

So I’ll be talking to you real real soon.

All you have to do is go to the link.  Put in your name and email address. I’m going to send you the link.  It’s about an hours worth of music. http://www.monicadillonmusic.com

Send it to your friends and family.

And we will all get through this period together.

At 4 min 12 seconds

More relaxation music playing….

• Total system integration
• Instant hardware recognition and compatibility
• Instant software compatibility and integration
• Great hardware stability
• etc., etc.

What was I thinking? To get such a great system and expect it to last forever….

In 2005 I’d been wanting an Ipod. Those cool gadgets sucking music in but never out. Except I waited too late.. Hurricane Katrina hit and I was music-less well almost. Most of my music did not survive the storm. But what a little bleach and water can’t too, let me tell you. Let me tell you.

So what music I could salvage I immediately headed to my friendly Best Buy store while temporarily exiled…ummhhh..I mean passing through Baton Rouge, LA. Vowing to never lose any music to the whims and ways of Mother Nature, I purchased my first I-pod.

And was I happy, joyous, spreading the sunshine, I was, that Fall October of 2005.

Except….just a few weeks later, Apple released the first video I-pod. Was I pissed!!! But like a child who begins to learn her siblings and parents’ nuances, I began to realize this was the Apple way. My growing dependency on Apple started with my I-pod and moved into the world of Mac computers.

I love it I love it…Like a kid in a candy store. I began to recognize other Mac users. We are an interesting bunch you see.

Slightly elitist we may be. We swallowed the red pill and see all the little PC lies around us. Get a Mac and never turn back.

The Old Ipod

So over the past 3 years, I’ve watched the additional generations of Ipods and Macs come to market, not really caring about upgrading. I am running a business after all. We don’t buy cars every year just because a swankier model just came out…do we…umhhh…do we?

My Ipod actually helped me downscale my life. I could take my Ipod in the car, while exercising, from room to room in the house with a few engineering hook-ups – speakers here, TV hook up there….you get the point.

Life was great, until about a week and a half ago. True, the Ipod is after all a computer. A small hard drive if you will. So on a few occasions, I’ve had to review it, restore it, and resuscitate it. All in all, it was good.

I started getting weird errors and decided not to fight the feeling anymore about a week and a half ago. Besides, my 60 gig Ipod was full….robbing Peter to pay Paul, I had to take music off at times to get other songs onto it. Let’s upgrade I thought. It’s time to make the leap and take our relationship to another level.

The Old Ipod Classic Prices

Not wanting to spend $399.00 I really didn’t have, I waited and procrastinated….I can do it well…how ’bout you? Well I waited until last weekend, only to find out I’d missed the big news.

THE NEW IPODS AND NANOS WERE OUT! New babies had been born and I missed the announcement. So I was confused at the Apple store in Baton Rouge (it wasn’t there 3 years ago…progress has been made…commercially that is).

Where were my two options of Classic Ipods I’d studied. Knowing my only option was the more expensive one. Something was wrong….. The sales person…Apple stores have lots of them, advised me to go online to the Apple store if I wanted a deal. Get the refurbished 160 Gig Ipod for the same price as the new 120 Gig if you really want a deal. Always up for a deal, I bit. Thanks where my consumer cap went on and the research began.

But that’s for another post. I give a detailed account of the differences between the new classi and old one. Get it while it’s hot if you want the refurbished Ipod for cheap. They’re just as good and come with a warranty. See here – Apple certified. Good as new. Save on a certified refurbished iPod. One-year warranty. Free Shipping.

Ipod Setup

So a week into my new Ipod Classic experience, I’m glad I made the jump. The house has been quiet without my Ipod.

Or maybe, I’ve just been too lazy to find alternative means to play my music in one room. NO fun! Stayed tuned for my upcoming post on how the Ipod killed the Independent Artist and other musings

Love it our hate it, the Ipod and mp3 players are here to stay.

It’s an election year and certainly music has been at the forefront of both campaigns. In another post, I’ll share my thoughts on more of the music I’ve seen transform the way both candidates have been viewed. But for right now, I just want to share my highlight moments from the DNC. I’m sorry, in comparison, the Republican National Convention just didn’t get it. Perhaps they forgot that the music wasn’t just for them but for the folks watching the convention on TV too….ya think.

Democratic National Convention

You see, music unites us. And the Democrats got it. Not only did they have R&B, but they also had Rock n Roll, and the Blues.

Some of my favorite artist were there – Stevie Wonder, my favorite soul sister Sheryl Crow & Michael McDonald (two of the soulful white folks I know), Take 6, John Legend, Melissa Etheridge, and of course the House Band.

They probably worked the hardest those 4 days and they definitely sounded great. Hats off to them for getting the gig. They played cover tunes that rocked the house and kept the party going.

And to the folks who thought Stevie Wonder went soft….give the man a break. His music as been so successful and timeless, he’s had to play it for over 40 YEARS!!!! He deserves to play new music just on GP (general principle) alone.

To me the convention are just that….big parties. My hope and prayer is that in my lifetime, we can party with more of a purpose and remember that we don’t have to live in a world with poverty or where folks have to choose between their medicines and bread.

The DNC did a much better job than the RNC at addressing some of those issues in my opinion, but let me know what you think. I was happy to hear about New Orleans artist and performer Margie Perez speaking at the convention and wrote about Margie speech here.

I suspect the best party is yet to come if Obama makes history again. Looking forward to finding out. What do you think?

While I’ve been quiet this summer, not really communicating very much to you, I’ve definitely been trying to enjoy the summer as much as possible. All work and no play, after all makes Monica a dull babe .

So to that end, I wanted to share with you my trip to Philadelphia in August for the Black Women’s Arts Festival. Organized by Monica McIntyre and volunteers, the BWAF ran for 4 days in several venues across Philadelphia including World Cafe Live, Kaffa Crossing, and the Rotunda.

Although I did not perform, Black Womyn Conversations, a recent documentary I scored, produced by Tiona McClodden, was screened during the Saturday night film screenings.

Black Women Arts Festival

All in all, the festival was wonderful. It is always a joy and gift to be in the company of such talented African American women. Despite the number of great vocalist out there, there is still an under-representation of Black Women on stage with instruments in the public eye and out there working.

Ebony Tay, BWAF Perfomer

In the coming weeks I’ll be shaaring more with you about these beautiful women who are working hard to realize their dreams and share their gifts with the world. I am inspired and even more motivated by them to continue to share my music as well. In some ways this trip was just what I needed

ZoiRose

Maritri, BWAF Performer

Hats off to you, Monica McIntyre, for organizing and pulling off such an amazing event and bringing us all together under the same roof.

Monica McIntyre, BWAF Organizer

Shelley Nicole's Blakbushe

As I have been on a mini hiatous, it was inspiring and invigorating. I’ve even picked up my Ovation guitar. Learning chords Baby!!! Whoo Hoo!!!

Monica On Guitar

Democratic National Convention

Before the DNC, my sister on the music scene, Margie Perez, emailed me to let me know she would be speaking as a New Orleanian musician living in the upper 9th ward after the storm. Apparently Obama and his staff remembered visiting the Musicians Village in the 9th ward and remembered Margie who also lives there in one of the homes. I haven’t been back to visit Margie since our jam session last year, but the Musician Village homes are quite nice.

Margie…aka…the Part Time Goddess definitely has friends in high places and friends who cared enough to record her speech. So here it is. Let Margie know what you think and leave a comment on Youtube, here or her Myspace page.

Click to Play

Gas prices suck, don’t they? Sure I complain like we all do. But now, I’m driving much less. I’m also digging deeper into what has caused this great increase in oil prices. What I’ve found has been nothing short of frightening.

A year or so ago I watched a film called “Crude Awakening” on Netflix. The concepts the film discussed “Peak Oil” were foreign to me. Why hadn’t I learned this in high school!!! I’ll be doing another review on the film soon. The music is pretty dramatic too

For now, check out Crude Awakening on Netflix if you want to learn more about the energy situation. Better yet, just go to the library. I’m sure they have it too as well as some books for references

Here’s the trailer of the film:

Most of you know me as an artist, songwriter, and composer. What you may not know or have a sense of is the incredible amount of work it takes to actually market my music as an independent artist. It takes work daily. Monica who??? Some say….well I’ve grown accustomed to having thick skin.

Luckily, there are so many channels on-line to help with marketing. One of the channels I love is Youtube. If folks watch your video there’s a chance you may gain a new supporter and fan.

I was pleased to see a fellow New Orleanian using “social media” in this way. Theresa Andersson new cd release is scheduled for September (when’s mine…I hear you asking…soon…soon).

So she cleverly released a video of one of her songs and wow did it create a powerful buzz. Although I don’t think recording music with pedals is earth shattering, and I’m actually a little concerned that so many people thought it was better than a live band, this is where we are.

So check out Theresa’s video and Na Na Na on!!! And use social media, no matter what business you’re in. It works

I just wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a Happy Father’s Day weekend.

As I think about my “Daddy” I’m thinking about the difference between mothers and fathers.

My dad was never afraid of letting me go and test my limits. He was never afraid of me getting hurt, or bumping my head. As me and my siblings got older, he would always remind us that “he didn’t fall off a watermelon truck yesterday” and if we wanted to we could “act a fool, kill yourself.”

We sometimes thought of him as a hard man, yet I think like most parents, he does the best he could with what he had. I now realize the older I get and the more I see my dad, he just wanted to prepare us for the hard times that would come and realize – like the Marine he always will be – that our actions have reprecursions.

My dad taught me how to ride a bike. I still remember that. He held the back of the bike until he thought I could handle it. He let go without me knowing it and shouted “You’re doing it!”

My dad also taught me how to drive a car (along with my older sister, thanks Michelle!). My mom only felt safe enough to ride with us once we had achieved getting our full license. She always wanted to keep us from hurting ourselves and getting bumped and bruised. I appreciate that too. But, my daddy taught me that it was okay to fly and test my wings, as long as I had a plan if the sun got too hot.

So here’s to the fathers on Father’s Day and to all of you who’s fathers have gone on, I invite you to hold the memories you have of your father close.

I’ve created a couple of Facebook Pages thus far to highlight

my work and music on Facebook. If you have a Facebook account, please stop by and become a fan of my pages. I’ll be adding video and more music samples soon.

See you on Facebook at Monica Dillon Music, All I Have Is A Moment, and The Relaxation Music Zone. Feel free to add your comments and shout outs about my music etc. You are welcome…welcome..welcome!

Monica Dillon Music on Facebook

The Relaxation Music Zone On Facebook

&

All I Have Is A Moment On Facebook

I had the pleasure of meeting both Bedonna Wakeman and Veronica Leandrez last year during the planning stages of Ladyfest New Orleans 2007.   While I was performing my set at Ladfest in November, LEandrez did this wonderful sketch of me.  You’ll notice she captured everything, including my but which seems to spread when I sit at the piano….I haven’t figured that one out yet…

Anyway,  I got a post card  about a touring exhibit featuring their work. Kudos to them!!

The tour is stopping in 4 cities :

1. Friday, April 4th 6-9pm  Premiere’s In New Orleans, Ray’s Neutral Ground – 508 Frenchmen St.
2. Friday, May 2nd 6-9pm Chattanooga, TN,  The  River Gallery – 400 East Second St.
3. Satuerday, May 31st 6-9 pm, Signal Mountain, TN – The Gibbons home – 1036 Lower Brow Rd.
4. Friday, June 6th 6-9 pm, Washington, DC – Artful Framing & Art Gallery – 1349 Maryland Ave. NE

Let your friend know and continue to support New Orleans Artists.!!!

So you’ve heard the news. Eve Ensler and crew (Oprah Winfrey, Salma Hayek, Jane Fonda, Jennifer Hudson, and a whole hosts of folks) will be converging on New Orleans this weekend.  Activists, filmmakers, thinkers, educators, etc. will all be present.  Will they/we be able to focus on the Vagina Monologues with all the activities in the city…that’s another question.
Superlove – April 11-12, 2008 – At the Superdome

The Superdome will be transformed into SUPERLOVE.  During these two days V-Day will reclaim the dome, making it into a place of empowerment and action.

Special wellness programs are being planned for the women of the Gulf South free of charge throughout the two days.  The space will feature events and programming – open to all – with international and local speakers, spoken word and performances, art installations, and more.

If you want more information on what’s going on this weekend, check out Eve Ensler’s official site. To get tickets, they are available at Ticketmaster here.

I want to thank everyone who does this work everyday locally and nationally who so often do not get the recognition they deserve.  It’s very easy to get caught up by the lights, camera, and the action, not to mention the star studded casts.  You are valuable to ending violence against women and you and I know WHO YOU ARE.

19 min. Right click to Download Here

Hi everyone. I had a wonderful conversation with Renee Schedeker about the New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival and all the events happening.

I love the festival because of it’s mission:

New Orleans artists and activists founded our festival, and we are
dedicated to nurturing community, supporting the work of local organizers and organizations involved in social justice struggles, and linking local issues to international issues. Our goal is to raise awareness and provide a forum for artistic expression of these themes.

I am excited to be a part of it and that it is here in the city we love, New Orleans. Check out my interview with Rebecca, whose own film, By Invitation Only, screened last year and takes a real look at the Mardi Gras Ball/Debutante stratification around race and class.

19 min. Right click to Download Here

Podcast –
Right-click to download podcast

There so much to do here in New Orleans this weekend..

What are you doing?

French Quarter Festival?

V to the 10th/V-Day?

The New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival?

New Orleans: Spirit a Risen?

Whatever you do, have a great time. Look for me, I’ll be around.

I’ve posted some additional information about these events and on the podcast. Check it out.

Podcast –

Right-click to download podcast

Hey Friends,

It’s time for the 5th Annual New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival. I’ve had the great pleasure of my music being featured in two films screened at the festival -- “NO! The Rape Documentary” in 2006 and this year “Black Womyn:Conversations With Lesbians of African Descent.”

The film is produced & directed by Tiona McClodden who will actually be in town this weekend for the screening. Featuring powerful voices such as Cheryl Clarke, Def Poet Stacyann Chin and filmmaker Aishah Shahidah Simmons; and well…I’m actually in it too…but you have to come to the screening to see me in action

I WILL BE AT THE SCREENING AND PART OF A PANEL DISCUSSION TOO WITH TIONA AND AISHAH.

The screening is taking place on:

When: Sunday, April 13th, 2008

Where: Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center
1618 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd, 4pm

For the complete schedule, go to the NOLA International Human Rights Festival Site.

Don’t miss it!! See you there.

Podcast --

Right-click to download podcast

Since I work mostly from home these days, I’ve been sheltered somewhat from the fuel costs associated with commuting. It’s still not fun watching the pump when I remember just last year it took half as much to fill my tank.

How are you feeling about the energy crisis?  do you think it’s artificial and man-made?  Let me know.

A Well Needed Diversion Last Friday At The Crescent City Classic 2008

The Crescent City Classic Expo happens every year before to the Crescent Classic Race. We fitness enthusiasts who enjoy running and walking get together and see what’s new in the industry and get some cool and not so cool stuff. I was trying not to buy anything this year!! It didn’t work. Last year I bought a couple pairs of shorts I desperately needed. It was hard not to buy any this year…. But I made it. I did, however, buy a running pouch that worked just lovely on race day. Enjoy

“Johnnie’s Song” is an upbeat, pleasant, simple and straightforward tune, and on Dillon’s very relaxed solo piano rendition of the children’s hymn “Jesus Loves Me,” she ornaments and only hints at the original melody. The songs “We Make Do” and Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready” sound like they are right from out of church.

The shaking tambourine in the introduction, Hammond B-3 organ on “We Make Do,” and profound lyrics of praise in Mayfield’s opus, are enough to convert any sinner. The reprise of “Think of Me” closes the recording, pared down from the earlier one, with Dillon accompanied only by her acoustic piano…”All I Have Is A Moment” is a very pleasant, creative CD that showcases a talented singer and songwriter – Craig W. Hurst, All About Jazz

Monica Dillon is a welcome addition to the wealthy talent pool that exists within the New Orleans community. A versatile keyboardist and vocalist, Dillon shines on this first solo effort.

Most of the 11 tracks are slow, mellow numbers in a smooth jazz vein with some noticeable strains of gospel, R&B and cabaret skillfully mixed in.  Dillon is equally dexterous on acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes and Hammond B-3 organ, moving up and down the keys with ease and creating a current of sound that flows evenly and is soothing to the ears….

It is a fine piece of work, with a nice version of Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready” as one of the highlights – Dean M. Shapiro, New Orleans, Offbeat Magazine

She may just have a moment to grab your attention, but for every soul music fan, this will be time enough, especially if you hear one of the vocal tracks of her album that let’s you gasp for more…. but all in all Monica really has a own style that digs deep into the roots of Southern soul and jazz… create an overall warm, organic sound that just oozes soul with obvious jazz influences – Dirk Binsau, www.jazz-not-jazz.de, Germany

True artistry is the best way to describe what Monica Dillon’s “All I Have is a Moment” articulates. This album is a complete and utter hybrid of the genres contemporary jazz, folk, R&B, soul and gospel.

Dillon is running on the same track as her contemporaries, Alicia Keys and Amel Larrieux to name but a few in that the music is much more than a superficial expression but a reflection of that which the above artists and Dillon inspire to achieve – spiritual harmony and completeness.

Perhaps the title, “All I Have is a Moment” is a testament to this. There’s a sweet and optimistic yet introspective undertone to this album. In one seemingly swift moment Dillon has complied a wonderfully ear pleasing album, which extends far beyond the boundaries of any category label.

Truly a hidden gem easily lost in the shuffle, but is not out of reach. In essence, “All I Have is a Moment” is intuitively just that – a diamond in the rough but at the right ‘moment’ in time – Cheryl T. Thompson, www.musosguide.com

Hey, hey everyone. Well, Easter is here and it’s looking alot like Spring here in New Orleans…well at least today it is. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and enjoy your time with family and friends.

I will be running the Crescent City Classic on Saturday. I’ve been training, but I was ill last week with this crazy bug, so I’m hoping to just make it across the finish line. At any rate it should be a fun time. I always have a great time running the race. Everyone seems to just have a good time. And the folks cheering on the sideline seem to be having more fun than those of us running. I’m looking for the hotdog guy this year…anybody for a lucky dog??

I haven’t picked out any music yet for the run….my own little tradition..but I’ll let you know what I come up with. By the way…what do you like to exercise to??

Monica Dillon Featured On NPR For Hurricane Katrina 2 Year Anniversary

Check out my interview with NPR during the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. This interview was conducted with Dianne Mack last year. We talked about the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the impact it’s had on us all. I talked about healing, transformation, and dealing with the loss. We really haven’t had much time to do that. I hope everyone will remember to take care of themselves especially those of us living here in New Orleans.

I hope you enjoy it.

Hey everyone. I hope you’re having a great day. I wanted to share a couple of videos with you. I was recently asked to participate in a filming here in New Orleans with Al Jazeera. Okay, I know what you’re thinking…I was thinking it too….not knowing what the heck or who Al Jazeera really was, of course I did some research and I’m always willing and anxious to talk about New Orleans and what’s going on here. So I was all in. However, if I tell you guys that the gov-ment took away my passport, you’ll know why. I ain’t shuttin’ up!

I’m in the second video singing my original song “When the Levee Broke” and discussing New Orleans and Katrina. Let me know what you think below.

Join Me and Aishah at University of Wisconsin – Madison next month during Sexual Assault Awareness month. While on campus, Aishah and I will meet with students, faculty, screen NO! The Raped Documentary & Breaking Silences, performing “For Women and Men of Rage Of Reason” and of course I will be tickling the keys to top things off.

I’m so excited to be performing and presenting with Aishah again. Each time we present and share with students and faculty I learn more and more about myself, eradicating violence against women, and of course, what’s on the mind of students right now. I hope you can make it. Check out my calendar for specific times and locations.

See ya there.

Hey Everyone. Monica Dillon here and I just want to welcome you to my new diggs. I’m a female musician, New Orleans Artist, Indie Film Composer, and hopefully you’ll see, a pretty decent person to know.

This is the new official website and blog of Monica Dillon Music. Join me here for conversation, inspiration, song-i-fication, and a whole lot of fun. You can leave your thoughts here, send me email, and listen to my videos and podcasts. They’re coming soon and I think we’re going to have a lot of fun. Stay tuned, join my mailing list and don’t miss out on the fun. We’ll be holding monthly contests and drawings and reviewing lots of music and film. Join me, why don’t you I hope to release some more music this year, get to a city near you, score a film or two or three, and have a lot of fun in the process. I know I’ll see you there!!!