In This Issue:
Friday March 7th. 8pm to 11pm
4895 State Road
Peninsula 44264
Tel: 330-923-2665
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Doug and I recently went for dinner at Russo's and their 'everyday' menu has 'everyday' items in it such as pasta, steaks, salads and sandwiches. I know some people don't care for spicy food and Russo's understand that and are ready to accomodate all tastes!
The music takes place in the delightful wine bar called Bacchus which is at the rear of the restaurant. Since we were last there the owners have put in double doors and therefore elimiated the rather chilly draft so all is well!!
COME AND JOIN US AT RUSSO'S!
With L.R Smith on keyboards and George Lee on bass. More info...
GOOD NEWS!
ANTHES / PRIME
April 30th
Many of you have been asking about Anthes. Well I've been in touch with the new owners who are doing a sterling job - the food is even better and the restaurant is now called Prime at Anthes.
They have asked me to perform at a dinner/dance on Thursday April 30th.
There will be more information to follow so watch this space!! More info...
If you would like to book Helen for your private party, wedding reception, wedding ceremony or corporate function then please call Anne Desrosiers in the first instance who will be very happy to discuss your event with you.
We understand clients have different needs and different budgets so the size of the band is up to you. We can offer anything, from the most intimate of settings, using just piano and voice to the extravagant parties with an 18 piece big band and everything intbetween! It can be subtle dinner music, music for dancing or a concert performance. For inquiries, please contact Anne DesRosiers at DesRosiers & Associates; Tel 216.541.0345, ext. 2 More info...
There are some new photos added to the Photo and Video page on my web site. Feel free to take a look - most of them are from the various Xmas shows we did.
Enjoy! More info...
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Phew! infact, double phew for a few reasons (ha ha ha! - i don't think i've managed ever to put two phews/fews in one sentence before!)
Firstly - before I forget my manners a BIG WELCOME to all my new arrivals (I feel like an air hostess when I say that only , there's no emergency exits to tell you about!) Ah yes, a large number of people last weekend decided to join the bestest group of fans in the history of fans and subscribe to the bestest newsletter (well, I may be biased!) but welcome to you all and may you enjoy the journey! Usually these little ditties arrive once a week so LOOK OUT for them!
So - back to my double phew! I've been doing some serious memorizing since Januray- 25 songs for the Valentines show, 14 songs for Lakeland Jazz Fest and another 12 or 13 for the NEO Saxtet show - my brain is-a-buzzing with lyrics -not necessarily in the right order but buzzing none-the-less! People are always asking me 'how do you remember all those words?' - well I'll tell you! If the whole world were a song - if every exam I have taken in the past was a song I would be one smart cookie! BUT.....that is sadly not the case. I have probably exercised that particular 'muscle that remembers songs' in the brain so much that is in Michael Phelps form and could win 7 gold medals!! Every day i'm on the treadmill and I run about 3 and a half miles and go through as many songs as I can in that time by propping the lyrics up on the front of the treadmill or wearing head phones - it works i'm telling you!!
So, after all my hard work over the last few weeks Doug decided to treat me to his be-centennial cooking session! That's right, once every hundred years Douglas ventures into the kitchen to remind himself what it looks like and to supposedly cook dinner. Ah yes, an evening where Helen can sit back, watch tv, have a glass of wine and NOT be in the kitchen only somehow - this just does not happen! Somehow it turns out that I"M in the kitchen one hour before Chef Doug arrives peeling potatoes, making coleslaw, slicing potatoes, putting them on a baking tray with olive oil, setting the table etc etc etc. THEN when Chef Doug is ready he walks to the kitchn (imagine a John Wayne type gate) and one can almost hear a fanfare in the background as he arrives and see a halo of light surrounding Doug's frame (that's how rare this occasion is - no, really!) He takes his place by the work top, rolls up his sleeves, chants some kind of mantra and the 'secret recipe' is carefully prepared. The secret recipe refers to breading because Doug's speciality dish or should I say ONLY dish is Lake Erie Perch (which I absolutely love) so he prepares a breading - which as I say is a secret recipe but involves ingredients being put in a plastic storage bag and then being violently bashed with a rolling pin accompanied by various sound effects from Doug!
The 'special' pan is brought out and blessed ( I should tell you that he asks me which pan he usually uses cause he can't remember - it's been such long time!) - all the while I'm drumming my fingers cause i'm starving. He looks up and asks 'when will the potatoes be ready?' in a strangely dark, serious voice - one that i've never heard before and then he goes on to say 'I want to make sure that the fish is ready exactly on time - it's imperative to the success of this dish'.
'yes chef Doug' I reply and I check on the potatoes - give him an ETA and pour myself an extraordinarily large glass of wine feeling rather redundant having been extradited from my kitchen.
I'm allowed back in to serve up the potatoes and get the coleslaw from out of the fridge then (imagine a drum roll right now and another fanfare!)- about 20 minutes later in a flurry of oven gloves Chef Doug arrives, plate in hand and places it on the table. A plate full of beautifully breaded fillets of lake Erie Perch. The thin, tasty breading is golden and my potatoes and coleslaw are pretty darned good too! Of course, one has to eat really fast on this occasion as my husband isn't the type to look at the plate of fillets he's just lovingly prepared with any thought of sharing them!! He doesn't think "I must ensure to leave some for my beautiful, HUNGRY wife' oh no - it's a race to the end!!
BUT here's the bummer - usually when I cook I do it ALL - and I mean ALL - the preparing, the cooking and much of the clearing up as I go along so there's not much to do afterwards. Now to be fair, at the end of these meals Doug usually finishes off the cleaning and clearing - that I cannot deny.
Well on this occasion - because Chef Doug had graced my kitchen with his presence (even though I'd been there a whole lot longer preparing and cooking potatoes and preparing my own 'secret' recipe coleslaw.....I had to clear up whilst he remained in his throne looking rather full with that look on his face that said 'didn't I do well!'
So - I cleared up - grumbling under my breath but making sure to extol the talents of the cook.....come on guys, I'm trying to encourage him to do this just a tad more often - once a year, once every six months?
So do congratulate Doug on his culinery skills next time you see him cause he doesn't read my emails too much and I WAS banned from making him the brunt of my stories - however, I feel that to hold him to ransome on this issue MAY encourage him in to the kitchen just a little more often!
And talking of good food......we are playing at the delightful Jazz 28 this FRIDAY March 6th, and then Russos in Peninsula on Saturday 7th.
Have a lovely weekend everyone!
Helen
More good news below! More info...
[ Helen's Calendar Page ] [ Helen's web site ]
JAZZ 28 FRIDAY :-)
Friday March 6th. 8pm to midnight.
2800 Clinton Ave
Cleveland 44113
Tel 216-621-2828
I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS PLACE...when we first played there in Januaray! It was like playing at a family party. The atmosphere has to be experienced - so friendly, everyone was talking to everyone the food is good (click on the web link and look at the menu) and good value too and the owners take an active part in the running of the place.
Jazz 28 has caused quite a stir since it opened last year - I even took my Mum there too!
The owners, Debbie and Mark are also musicians and play and sing during our breaks so the entertainment is endless and so is the fun!
You may sit at the bar or reserve a table for dinner but either way I hope you'll join us on Friday night.
Requests are encouraged too!!
With L.R Smith on keyboard and George Lee on bass. More info...
[ Jazz 28's web site ] [ Helen's calendar page ]
Free Concert at Kent State University!
Monday March 9th. 7PM
(NOTE: CHANGE OF START TIME)
Ludwig Recital Hall
Kent State Campus
Kent, Oh
HELEN WILL NOT BE PERFORMING AT THIS CONCERT BUT......
Courtney Lambert (one of Helen's vocal students) sings along with the Kent State University Big Band in a free concert.
Songs include:
Fever, The Thrill is Gone, Somewhere Over the Rainbow and many more!
Come and enjoy the concert!
HELEN WILL NOT BE SINGING!! SHE WILL BE LISTENING FOR A CHANGE - HOORAY!!
More info...
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