Fort Kaskaskia, IL, and Popeye

We played at the Fort Kaskaskia Music Festival this past weekend, and we had a blast! It took place just outside of Chester, IL, which happens to be... the birthplace of Popeye!

Also performing was the Memphis based band, Dead Soldiers. They are great musicians and incredibly funny as well- great combination. It was so nice to bask in the sunshine and hear some of the other acts before and after playing. You could see some of the leaves starting to turn color and fall off of the trees, but it was sunny and hot out.

Our next show is at The Basement, in Nashville. We'll be selling our NEW ALBUM, and also wearing our steampunk outfits that we wore to our last photoshoot. So yes, it will be lots of fun! If you're in Nashville or have friends in the area let them know about our show!

P.S., Here's a pic from our outing at Music City Roots! We love going to see live music as much as we can when we're home, and our last trip to MCR was no exception. We found a great new band, called, The Deslondes. They're a great band worth checking out!

The Deslondes during their set at Music City Roots. What a great band, and a great night! 

Fox Valley Folk Festival

Geneva, IL! Site of the wonderful Fox Valley Folk Festival. August, 2013. 

We had a wonderful time at the Fox Valley Folk Festival! It was held in Geneval, IL, which is one hour outside of Chicago. We had an incredible time performing, basking in the beautiful weather, and hearing great music.

Harpeth Rising and Ben Bedford! August 2013. 

We had the honor of sharing the stage, and jamming with Michael Smith and Mustard's Retreat, which was one of the many highlights of the weekend. We also met Ben Bedford, a fantastic singer songwriter from Springfield, IL, you can check out his music at www.benbedford.com.

Warming up along the river! August 2013.

The festival took place along the banks of a calm and bucolic river, with plenty of weeping willows and the occasional fisherman (perhaps a folkie taking a break?). It was the great setting for a festival, with music from various tents filtering through the air, the beckoning, nostril grabbing smell of festival foods, and lots of adorable dogs and babies being paraded around.

This look was directed at Maria, on account of her beautiful display of supernatural vocal technique. It is a common interaction between the two. August 2013.

We love the Chicago area, and will be back there on October 22nd! Come check us out in Lisle if you're around, and check out the rest of our tour dates at www.harpethrising.com/tour-dates/.

Rebecca and the band Locust Honey at a banjo workshop! Harpeth Rising, August, 2013. 

Getting to the sole of the matter

Jordana keeping it classy in Vincennes, Indiana. August 2013.

 "How can you stand all night in those uncomfortable looking heels?" is a question we sometimes get after shows. Maria sits down when she performs (cellists can be so lazy sometimes...), but for the standing ladies, Jordana and Rebecca, heels are more of a commitment. Not only do we play in heels, but we often end up packing our gear in them too!

Packing gear into the van whilst wearing heels? Not a problem for this lady. Vincennes, Indiana. August 2013.

Shouldn't all cars be like this?

Harpeth Rising candid from Bloomington, IN. August 2013.

Enough said- all cars should look like this! 

Polly the Puppy

Polly the puppy at Hazel Lake Farms in Paoli, Indiana. July 2013.

Poppy the puppy is the best little thing to come home to after a full day of recording in the studio! She's wriggly, cute, and super adorable! She lives at the Greenberg Farm (aka Hazel Lake Farm), and we get to see her and the other myriad of animals in Paoli, Indiana. 

We'll be heading back to Bloomington tomorrow for our second day of recording, and then off to Michigan for a week of performances there! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our favorite banjo player!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our dearest REBECCA!!!

Rebecca at a trampoline park in Nashville on the eve of her birthday-
July 2013. 

For those of you who don't know Rebecca personally, she is one of the kindest, sweetest souls in the world. She is a clever and sharp musician, and a wonderful mother to two charming cats, Mowgli and Alba. In addition to her musical prowess, she is a wonderful soccer player to boot! She scored three goals at her game last week, and she means business ; ). Festivities included a visit to a trampoline park, and surprises which we can't reveal yet, but it should be a very fun day on the road : )! 

Rehearsing

We've been putting the final touches on some brand new songs, and have been bunkered up at Jordana's house in the country. Basically we spend all day rehearsing, and hanging out with her adorable dogs, as pictured below, and cooking up vegetarian fare! We made a primavera pasta with fresh tomatoes, asparagus (asparagi?), fresh grated parmesan cheese, and more.

Preparing dinner at Jordana's house. June 2013.

One new song is called "The Wheelhouse", and the other is named after the Greek Goddess of Chaos! We can't wait to share them with y'all :D. Check out our tour dates to see when we'll be near you! We're looking forward to spending a good amount of the month in Michigan- it is simply gorgeous, especially at this time of year!

Rehearsing with the sweet snoring of Boom Boom in the background. June 2013.

Recording at Farm Fresh Studios!

We are enjoying this beautiful summer day in Bloomington, IN, as we record our new instrumental! Jake is the recording engineer at Farm Fresh Studios, and he is a lot of fun to work with. One of the best things is stepping outside the studio for some fresh air, and finding yourself in the middle of a field with a soft summer's breeze- we're not complaining! Also- Bloomingfoods is a mere minutes away, and for the uninitiated, they have the best prepared lunch foods, perfect for hungry folkies.

Nancy and Jordana

Jordana and Nancy jamming together in Louisville, KY. June 7, 2013. 

Here is Nancy Lee Burgess at seven months jamming with Jordana in Louisville! We played on June 7th in Louisville and were so excited to see Nancy and Ruthie, along with Chris' wonderful family and friends. It was a great weekend, and now we're gearing up to get back into the studios for work on our next album!

North Carolina Tour!

Janet's giant rooster creations in NC. Very impressive! May 2013.  

We played at the Rooster's Wife in Aberdeen, North Carolina this past weekend, and we had a blast! We love the bucolic beauty of North Carolina, and driving through Eastern Tennessee to get there was also a visual treat.

Lunch at Sunspot: vegetarian salad with grilled portobellos and artichokes, crispy chickpeas, and a smoky chipotle balsamic vinaigrette. May 2013.

The crowd was one of the most fun we've come across- they know how to have a good time! We drove through Knoxville, TN on the way home, and stopped at a delicious restaurant called Sunspot. Truly magnificent food! Definitely blog post worthy : ).

  

The Wild West

One of the best things about our jobs is that we get to traverse the USA, and the world! ::cue evil laughter:: We're in Nebraska this week, and we're having a blast. We're staying at an old Victorian mansion, the Muir House, by ourselves. It feels like we've traveled back in time! 

We're working on a new instrumental, and have lots of new projects in the works. As a band whose members live in three different places (Bowling Green, KY, Nashville, TN, and Memphis, TN), lots of our work gets done on the road. Sometimes it just happens to be in large historic mansions. We're not complaining ; ).

Old stove, new stove. 

Deliciousness meets nutrition- score!

 Since we've been cooking for ourselves while staying here, Jordana made us all one of her quick and delicious recipes that she and her husband made up. It's called "Gloppy McGloppersteiner, hold the burger", and is a hot delicious mess of sauteed tofu, tomatoes, black beans, and spinach. Topped with grated cheddar cheese, it is the most perfect lunch on a cold winter's spring's afternoon :).

Last but not least, we could not leave you without this cute munchkin pie- Nancy at five months! She is the most precious thing, and we can count on Chris for a steady stream of adorableness from Nancy. For those who don't know, her birthday is November 14th, 2012!!

Musician's Oath

Doctors take an oath. The importance of their job is obvious, and they pledge to themselves and to their patients that they will always uphold the value of human life. I try to remember when I'm having a hard time, that what I do is not brain surgery. Ultimately, on my worst day, I'm still making music. My mistakes do not result in loss of life. However, I absolutely believe in the power of music to uphold, and to heal, and to sustain the good in this world. And it is on days like today, when an incredible representation of human strength and ability is disrupted by evil, that my role as a musician becomes most clear.
I believe that we as musicians should also take an oath.

I pledge to create, whether through the composition of new material or the interpretation of existing works.
To be honest in my communication, and to strive to represent myself in all of my musical endeavors.
To credit those who have influenced me and those who have taught me.
To pass on my knowledge of music to those who desire to learn.
To provide music for those who need it in times of trouble. To represent beauty in ugliness, and hope in hopelessness. To play through the hardest times I can bear, so that the difficulties and horrors of the universe cannot threaten the power of music. To step forward in tragedy and use my abilities to ease the suffering of others.
To remember that music also serves to elevate joy. To play in celebration of a life that allows me to be a musician. To contribute to existing happiness and to strive to create more.
To play music that honors my past and represents those who came before.
To live my life through music in such a way as to contribute to a more peaceful future.

Happy Eastover!!!

Wishing all who celebrate a wonderful and happy Easter and Passover!!! Chris and Ruthie's daughter, Nancy, is celebrating her first Easter today : )

Here's hoping the Eastover bunny brought you some matzos!

Happy Birthday Jordana!!!

Our favorite vioinist is turning 26 today! She's an incredible musician, savvy business woman, one of the best friends you could have, one of the most fun people you'll ever meet... I could go on but I think you get the point :D... Here's to another great year of music making (and cute and cuddly animals)!

We surprised her with dinner earlier this week, since we knew that her husband, David, would have plans for the two of them on her birthday. 

Nothing celebrates a Spring birthday (even if the weather still thinks that it's winter) like a blackberry lime cake with coconut whipped cream! 

Indiana shenanigans

 After our performance at the Mallow Run Winery on St. Patrick's Day we went to the Irish Lion in Bloomington! For the uninitiated, the Irish Lion is a bastion of Irish culture in Bloomington. They have a beautiful bar, an incredible selection of spirits, and wonderfully prepared Irish foods. It doesn't get better than a serving of Blarney Puff Balls (cheesy deep fried mashed potato balls...WOAH), and a glass of Boddington's.

 One of the joys of staying in Indiana is that there's a chance we'll get to visit Jordana's parents. They live in a small town called Paoli, and have their own organic vegetable farm. Staying with them is especially a treat due to the incredibly culinary prowess of Mrs. Greenberg. Every dinner there features seasonal produce, handmade pasta, and fresh cow's milk! Your morning coffee has never tasted this good, let me tell you.

And here is one of our cute furry friends- Yoda. When Jordana found him he was a wee runt, suffering from FIV (the feline version of HIV), and leukemia. With love and nurturing he blossomed into a healthy and fluffy mouse hunting king. Let's put it this way- he's good looking and he knows it.

Indiana

We just came back from a whirwind time in Indiana! Our timing was good, because we left on the tail end of a spring snow storm that will dump around 9 inches of snow in the south and central part of the state.

We played at the Mallow Run Winery near Indianapolis on St. Patrick's Day, and enjoyed a delicious selection of wines, and cheeses! We also performed in Bloomington and Nashville (IN), and had a blast seeing old friends, and making new ones. This past week was also special because we collaborated with Tim Grimm on a few of his songs on his own upcoming album. Tim is a wonderful musician and friend, and we had a blast coming up with parts and harmony vocals for a few of his songs. That release date will be in September, and we'll keep you posted.
      We just made plans to go into the studio for our own album! The wheels are turning for our new album and we relish the creative process.
     Thanks for your support, and be sure to check out our Tour Dates to see when we'll be near you!

~ Jordana, Rebecca, Maria and Chris

Nancy's special day

Nancy turned four months old on March 14th, wooo! We're so excited to see her changing and growing! She's been giggling and laughing more, and has been holding her own bottle lately- congratulations Nancy!!

Food adventures 2013

We've traveled a lot in 2013- states so far include Arkansas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Florida! If you know one thing about us, its that we love good food, and good company. Some of our best meals on the road go hand in hand with wonderful people, and great conversations.

We performed in Greenwich (pronounced phonetically, unlike NYC's Greenwich Village) at 70 Main last week, and had an amazing time! John and Zaidee, the owners, were absolutely the best! Their hospatility, combined with the wonderful acoustics and ambiance of the space make for an unforgettable evening. They pointed us to Eli's Diner, a great breakfast place near Saratoga Springs, which has your standard breakfast fare but with truly exceptional buttermilk pancakes, and inredible homemade bread. Carb lovers everywhere, rejoice :)! (Disclaimer, their eggs are also quite delish). 

Delicious Mediterranean lunch in Garden City, Long Island, with a great friend of the band, Stanislav Bogdanov! He graciously housed us during our NYC performance, true friendship doesn't get better than that. From left to right: hummus, roasted red pepper hummus, baba ganouj, and spicy feta.

 

We all went to a noodle bar before our show at the Living Room on the Lower East Side. 

The hot broth was definitely a comfort after a stressful time with parking Vanna White that ended in a parking ticket, and very tense shoulders all around. Cars in NYC, park at your own risk! 

 

No trip to Florida would be complete without some authentic Latin food! The

highlight was definitely the tostones, which are slices of plaintains that are fried twice. Yum!

This was at our first show in Wisconsin. We had been in Florida the week before, and arrived to huge piles of fresh snow in Amherst. Our hosts knew how to beat the cold and made us a delicious hearty vegetable soup, with local homemade bread. It made us realize that Wisconsin people know how to make cold weather enjoyable!

NEW BASEMENT!!!

We are proud to announce that Jordana's husband, David, has finished their basement. It is an incredible space with a built-in stage for rehearsals/performing, a built in bar for relaxing ; ), and darts and a pool table too! We're so excited to be able to use this space, and so excited to see David's excellent craftsmanship! Check out the rest of the pictures on our facebook page!

Let sleeping dogs lie

Trivia- how many dogs does Jordana have? Ultimate trivia- can you name all of them?! Post your answers in the comments box below!!!
 From left to right: 

 Rosie is the most athletic Basset Hound on this side of the Mississippi, (though not evidenced in this picture.) She likes to wake up early to be the first one out playing, and is also the leader of the pack howls.

Boom Boom, queen of all dogs, has many interests, including long car rides (driving the car whenever possible) and pulling blankets off of couches.

Goose has great self-esteem. He is the sweetest boy in the world, but he also knows he should be treated with respect at all times. He loves his big sister Rosie more than anything, and they spend most of their time together.