#afterquake

Amazing Nepal..............

Amazing Nepal ............

LEAF: Lake Eden Arts Fest in Black Mountain, NC 

Huge thanks to everyone at Lake Eden Arts LoveFest for a mystical last weekend of music before motherhood! And special thanks to Billy Jack Sinkovic and all the folks that make LEAF go for taking good care of this super preggers lady. There couldn't have been a warmer audience for my first solo performance than a packed and smiling Eden Hall. Thanks to Ben Sollee for laying down some cello for my 8-month-momma-big-belly clogging close to the set. Sunday morning wrapped up with a set of City of Refuge music with Kai Welch and Jamie Dick. And thanks to dear friends Riley Baugus, Dirk Powell, Mary Lucey & Billy Cardine, Ben Sollee and Jordan Ellis for jamming with us.

Click here for a pile of photos from LEAF

AFTERQUAKE: Quake Relief Mixtape 

Watching the devastation of the Oklahoma twister this past week on TV, I'm thinking about the intense road to recovery ahead for the people and the region. To give a donation that will help provide immediate resources to people in need of food and water, donate here. 

  The Oklahoma tornado is reminding me of my time in Sichuan 5 years ago after the devastating 2008 earthquakes shook Sichuan province in China, killing close to 90,000 people and displacing over 5 million. In an effort to try to do something helpful and healing, Dave Liang of the electronic group The Shanghai Restoration Project and I went to Sichuan and created AFTERQUAKE, an awareness album incorporating the voices and sounds of those who had been affected. The project was produced in cooperation with Sichuan Quake Relief (SQR), a local relief organization that continues to help earthquake survivors rebuild their lives. May 12, 2013 marks the five year anniversary of the quake. 

  On April 20, 2013, another earthquake hit Sichuan and displaced another 200,000 people.  SQR is working hard to create temporary housing and help the disabled in this new area. 

  Dave and I teamed up with Noisetrade.com to release a special mixtape featuring songs from Afterquake.  The songs are free to download but any and all donations will go to Sichuan Quake Relief to help the ongoing relief efforts. Please listen, please share! 

  Click here or on the image below to listen to "Quake Relief Mixtape"

      Sala: music video from Afterquake

      And... exciting news...Welcome Juno Fleck!

  May 19, 11:17pm little Juno Fleck was born 5 lbs 10oz! 3 weeks early, I didn't see it coming… here's the story:

  I headed out for a walk at the Nature Reserve close to my house in Nashville. Somewhere deep into the woods, crossing over a bridge, water flowing heavy in the brook from a big storm the night before, sun spotting through on a little island carved out in the middle about 20 ft from the bridge, I suddenly locked eyes with a faun nestled in the middle of the island. Wet and shiny black nose, fuzzy dots and big round brown eyes, and wambam, I felt my first contraction. My midwife told me to go to the hospital and check if my water broke, but I was turned away as a case of false labor.  I was relieved to hear it because Bela had one more show in San Fransisco and would be back the next day with three weeks to spare before the due date. So I headed back home but the contractions kept coming every 3 minutes (timed by my mom, dad, and dearest friend visiting from NJ). ABout 5 hours into contractions we decided it probably wasn't false labor and at this point there was no way for Bela to get home, in fact it was time for him to hit the stage in SF. So we agreed that he would bring his phone onto the stage and I would listen to the show and he'd let the audience know that I was in labor. I remember 3 times when Bela asked the crowd to cheer me on and I gripped the phone thru the contractions and listened to the distorted crowd cheers through the little speaker! We headed back to the hospital after 7 hours of labor and up to the birthing room, into the tub, two pushes and Juno Fleck was born while Bela and Zakir Hussain were playing Happy Birthday on stage to finish the show on the other side of the country. 

  Juno seems to be a relaxed and centered little dude probably due to the fact that he had to endure all that clogging and banjo playing in the womb! Of course I'm pretty sure he is the cutest baby eVeR. We're taking leave this summer to stare at Juno continuously. First dates back out will be a family affair, our first "trio" shows. Bela and I are excited to develop our music together even more throughout the summer and hope to see you on the road in the fall… with little Juno.  

not sure if i've posted this before. i think of this song once in a while.