Spring has finally sprung here in Edmonton, AB. Last week’s blizzard is this week’s tan line.
Jacquie B here, talking at you through your technological device’s screen. It’s been a few months since our last communication and I hope you’ve been great in the mean time.
It’s been kind of surreal at points to have been here, back home, for a long period of time. Not moving. Routine. Catching up with friends and getting farther in the conversation than “Wow, how have you been? I’m headed to ____ next. Yeah, it should be fun.” Let’s just say, the last 5 months have been thoroughly enjoyable as well as therapeutic.
I’ve been practising yoga, working on alligning my body, mind, and spirit. The last year or so of constant touring was like a game of pin the tail on the donkey! Having been all over the world but without the time in between adventures to really digest and debrief, well, that has a definite effect and I sure did feel the weight of it all by the time Christmas came along. (Not to mention the effects on the body – nutritionally and physically speaking.) I just slept for days and days. For a long while, I didn’t sit down at the piano. I didn’t sing a song. I stretched, I cooked, I read, and I squeezed my family and friends so tight and thanked them profusely for loving me and supporting me. For still being there when I stopped.
Then, slowly but surely, the songs began to emerge.
Sometimes one just needs to STOP in order to move forward. We all burn out at some point and it’s important to recognize when a break is in order.
Picture the Ocean will be heading out on tour this May/June and July with just about an entire album’s worth of new songs. There’s a definite departure, yet an unmistakeable recognizability. This will mark the first time where all 3 members of the band are fully coming together to write. A joint creative endeavor. We’re in the middle of 2 weeks of rehearsals to get as many of them as possible up and running for the road. Of course, we aren’t forgetting the pretty much still new songs off the album that is just shy of a year old. No worries there. But I can’t tell you how cathartic it is for us to have a few new songs to share! We’re artists! What are we if we’re not creating!?
Personally, I’m looking forward to hitting the wide summer roads. Working my butt off every day these last couple months (working 2-3 jobs) has given me a definite appreciation for the folks with “regular” jobs and has humbled me more than you can know. It’d been 4 years since I was a part of that world. I’m so lucky to have the opportunity to slink in and out of it.
See you out on the road really really soon! I can’t wait. Check out the tour dates here.
Also out on the road this May/June is our beloved friend Scott Cook with his delectable trio and his FABULOUS new album One More Time Around. The best one to date in my opinion. A real work of genius and beauty. You can find his tour dates here.
***If you’re ever in Edmonton, I reccommend you check out these establishments:
Elm Cafe and 3 Boars Eatery. Sweet vibes, local, organic, DELICIOUS food, and INCREDIBLE staff and owners. You can’t go wrong. I’m honored to be included among these fine folks.
