Emily Zisman

I’ve got that unsettled feeling again. The kind of “unsettled” that makes me want to get a tattoo. Or hit the road to a new city and get a tattoo when I get there.

I think I need to get in my car and drive all over the the face of the States playing my music for people. I think they want to hear it. I think there are people out there who will really need to hear my songs. In the same way I needed to hear Ani and Ben, Even though I didn’t know it until I heard them. I feel like I need to find those people who need my music. Because, while there are some of them here, that can only mean that there are more of them “out there.”

I need to start making myself more available to them. I need to go to them and not keep expecting that my audience will always know how to find me. I hope they choose to hear me. I hope they like what they hear long enough to stay and strike up a conversation with me afterwards.

I’ve been writing like a screaming banshee and I hope it sticks. I hope these chicken scratch scripts adhere to themselves in a singable way. I hope someone concurs with them. I hope I shatter someone like I’ve been shattered.

It’s the best kind of shattered and I don’t think I can explain it. The kind of inexplicable feeling that is so personal people write songs about it in order to bring a sense of definition to the experience. Like meditation or having an orgasm. I hope I can help someone become shattered. It’s a beautiful wreck of a feeling. I hope everyone feels this shattered at least once in their lives.

I’ve been shattered twice. And I hope that’s not all.

Come Join Ryan and me at the beautiful new headquarters of Clif Bar & Company on Thursday, May 5th.

The shindig starts at 6pm and the fun doesn’t simmer down untill about 11pm.

Expect music, dancing, food and bevvies, silent auction etc. There may even be some drunk people to laugh at (Me included).

Bring some cash to throw at the fine women who will be climbing to the top of Mount Shasta to raise awareness about Breast Cancer Prevention.

the Deets:
where: CLIF BAR headquarters
1451 66th street
Emeryville CA 94608

When: Thursday, May 5th at 6pm
Why: Because breast cancer kills Boobs! We MUST STOP IT!!!

Love ya!

I recently went to a house concert in San Francisco. I wasn’t familiar with the headliner, but I enjoy seeing music in this more intimate setting. There’s something refreshingly adult feeling about sitting in a stranger’s living room with other adults and listening to someone entertain us minus the fourth wall. For one fleeting hour, the artist becomes accessible.

There is some magic about this situation that humanizes the performer to a level where audience and artist are equals. Yes, one is doing more of the “talking,” but the audience enhances the experience by participating and actively listening.

I’ve been to three house concerts so far. I admit, some have been more engaging than others. But I inevitably end up falling head over heals for the performer every time.
Ben Kweller was no exception.

In fact, I think I may have a new muse.

Up until this past week, my main songwriting barometer has always been Ani DiFranco. Ever since I first purchased Little Plastic Castle and sat transfixed in Central Park, Manhattan until the cd had been rotated three times consecutively and my musical mind was shattered, she’s been my siren.

I found myself feeling that same shattered feeling when I listened to Ben perform in the little Victorian on Futon Street and I absolutely HAD to tell him. And, we were standing on the same carpet. I figured that this thin, polyester commonality gave me SOME license. That and the wine.

So I did. I think I even gave him a copy of my CD (Naked Day Alone). How embarrassing and uncharacteristically forward of me. But he was so gracious. He even gave me a huge hug. I was so freaked out that I don’t think I noticed the hug until later in the evening. But I remember leaving with the thought “THAT is the kind of performer I want to be.” I want to be human.

This brings me to my existential crisis over Ani. I’ve never wanted to meet her. Her impeccable use of the poetic language is so embedded in the DNA of my womanhood and I think, on countless occasions, she’s even saved my life. But I would never be able to tell her that. Or, maybe with enough whiskey in my gut, I could tell her. But I don’t think I would walk away with the same freaked out but equal feeling that I did with Ben.

Then again, I wouldn’t know. I’ve never been on the same floor with Ani. I’ve been in countless rooms with her. But never on the same level. And that may also be my fault.

In any case, two days after the house concert, I walked out of an Ani DiFranco concert 3 songs into her set. One of my best friends tried to comfort me by saying that this is a natural part of the process. “We are supposed to out-grow our gods. If we are ever to move forward with our artistic expression, we must move past and make better that from which we came.” Okay, maybe he didn’t say that last part. But it was implied.

Hey thar! 

One of my closest friends, Mike Bond of the Bottleneck Cafe FCC Free Radio, is having a birthday!

To celebrate, he’s having a shindig at the Starry Plough in Berkeley. There’s going to be music from myself, the likes of Keith Mitchell, Cara Wick and Bigelow’s Treehouse!

Swing by and wish Mike a happy birthday!

Saturday, April 2 · 8:00pm – 11:00pm

The Starry Plough Pub
3101 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA

Doors 8pm, Show @ 9pm

$7 cover, 21 and up only please!

Also! Ryan and I had such a blast Playing for the dinner guests of the Forage SF Valentine’s Day Dinners and I think they liked us. They’ve asked us to return to play at the SF Underground Night Market! While I can’t be there, Ryan WILL be and I highly reccommend the event.

Here are the deets:
When:
Saturday March 26th
11am-4pm: Drinks, Hot Food, Mellow music
6pm-2am: Drinks, Hot Food, DJ’s, Projected MediaWhere: PublicWorksSF
161 Erie St. (b/t Mission/14th st.)
San Francisco

Love ya!

Hey folks!

Mark your calendars for either (or both) of the next two upcoming performances.

This Saturday, February 12th:

At the Actual Cafe in Oakland:

6334 San Pablo Avenue • Oakland, CA 94608
7pm-10pm

no cover- all ages

I’ll be sharing the stage with Steffy Sue Steffy Sue http://www.myspace.com/steffysueontheuke

Then on February 26th:  Take a trip down to Half Moon Bay and see me and Ryan perform at the Wine Bar:

270 Capistrano Rd
Ste 22
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019

7:00pm-10:oopm

$5 cover

21 & up

Hope to see you very soon!

Hey folks!

Hope your New Years Eve was spent unwisely and all in one place. Or all over the place.

I spent mine at a Primus concert, followed by the Dresden Dolls then joining Ryan onstage to play our own way into the new year.  Not a bad way to get started, methinks?

As a tribute to my muses of music, I’m going to resolve to do more of what I’ve been doing already.  Much Much More.

Hopefully I’ll write a couple of new tunes in the process.

SO! To rev up in 2011;

January 9th, at the Actual Cafe:

The Songwriters Collective:

I’ll be sharing the stage with two of my favortie Bay Area Songwriters, Wendy Beckerman and Cara Wick

http://www.actualcafe.com/

6334 San Pablo Ave

Oakland CA, 94608

We’ll be going from 4-6pm so bring some cash for eats and drinks (and CDs!)

On January 14th, I’ll be heading on down to Mountain View to the KMVT 15 studio for a taping of King’s Connection: An interesting look at music and local personalities.

For information about Mountain View Community television, click below!

http://kmvt15.org/index.html

We go on at 9:30pm.  Tune in if you’re in the area!

Beyond these giggeties, I’ll be looking into performing at some of the amazing house concerts in the area and beyond.   Hopefully someone will open their home to me.  Ryan and I will also be looking into doing a small tour sometime soon. 

keep your eyes peeled for more gigs!

LOVE YA!

The Wine Bar

in Pillar Point Harbor presents

New Music Event, every 3^rd Sunday of the month

7:00-9:30pm

Acoustic Round Robin series

Featuring 3 great musicians from around the Bay Area sharing the spotlight

This coming Sunday, December 19^th features:

All women’s Singer/Songwriter Showcase

 

Emily Zisman– Oakland,  CA

Essence– San Francisco, CA

Nomi Harper– Pacifica, CA

The Wine Bar

Harbor Village Mall- 270 Capistrano Rd., #22

Half Moon Bay, CA 94019

5$ cover

When I love a band, I LOVE a band. It’s not often that I will follow a band around. I have to watch my funds and Ani DiFranco doesn’t tour the West Coast enough.
Anyhow, There is a band that frequents the South Bay called Atkinson Kincheloe Band.

I love them.

I have a few reasons for why this band makes me so emotional.
I think number one is that they are accessible. It sounds trite, but I believe that, if an artist is accessible to their audience, if they seem just as human as their fans, they can be SO magnetic.
Number two, (or MAYBE number one, I’ll let you decide these spots) is how stupidly talented these MotherF*ckers are.
It’s like they blew through Nashville and said “K, what now? Let’s retire to Half Moon Bay and play for the f*ck of it!”
Number three is that they are ALL about their friends, family and surrounding community. If you’ve showed up twice, they know your face. Three times, they know your name and greet you this a warm handshake.

I guess what I mean by posting this is that these are the kinds of musicians I want to be when I grow up.
Not that being almost 30 isn’t grown. But I still have lots of large shoes to fill.

I spent my Saturday evening at the Half Moon Bay Wine Bar (a really great spot if you are looking for wine and fine music) listening to these guys and I SITLL can’t figure out why more people don’t know about them.

I still can’t figure out why more people don’t come to Half Moon Bay on a Saturday night!!! the place has magic. Sea magic, people magic, music magic.

Maybe it’s my own private slice.

Who knows.
If you’re ever in need of music and oceanside therapy, hit me up and we’ll take a drive to Half Moon Bay.

I’m sure we’ll find these guys playing somewhere.