Grace Woods composes and performs wistful piano pop rock. If you like Sarah Bareilles, Ben Folds Five, Fiona Apple and Regina Spektor, you will love this music! Grace can be heard at shows throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. To subscribe to her extended blog below, click the orange icon above and the updates will be kept in your Favorites, Feeds section of your computer.

Friday evening. Teo’s regular poker night. High ceilings and good company, but I wasn’t there. My friends were and told me later. I was sitting at a piano all night composing. It felt so good to play over and over again; to reharmonize the prechorus; to take all the feedback I go tfrom the songwriter’s circle and just sit with it. I loved writing essays at UCLA so much (nerd alert). Every one was a discovery- the realization of some epiphany. If it wasn’t, then you weren’t writing a good essay. In a good drama when asked which character garners the most sympathy, the answer should be when!? These concepts applu beautifully to songs, and for this reason, I enjoyed my Friday night as emotions pulled back and forth and discovery was made (ah passive voice).

Saturday- Stomping Girl Winery Pinot Noir release party in Berkeley. Deborah Crooks, a fellow musician played among the barrels as Jacob and I examined maps of grape-growing country and tried their efforts. I can reccommend the Split Rock Pinot- mild and oakey; not acidic (my pet peeve). I regaled Jacob with my obsession with Deborah’s fabulous style- musically and fashionwise. She played with her usual fantastic guitarist, but also with a young, vibrant violist who seemed to be effortlessly improvising over the Linda Williamsesque tunes. I must find out her name! Jacob and I then walked to Teance on 4th street and shared a flight of teas. This is my favorite thing to do for those of you who haven’t heard. The large round table at the tea house is so amazing- you have to go there to understand why. People walked in just because they’d heard about it. Anyway, the owner was kind enough to educate us as she poured and we settled on our favorite- Bai Lin Gong Fu red tea. Chocolatey stuff.

Next Whit and I went to the Warrior’s game for Irish Heritage Night. We saw cousin Ava dance at half-time. It brought tears to my eyes. The formations were beautiful and impressive from so high up. The fiddle raised my heartbeat. I’m very proud of my cousin.

Later that night I met up with Julie, Maren, Nikki and my sister at the house of those who shall not be named (I try not to blog directly about new friends lest they fear being googled etc). They were kind enough to ask me to play a song for them. It felt so great to be with my favorite people and their favorite people. I played “Not About Friday.” It’s a bit altered since the last performance and it felt good to move so fast inbetween the chords. The rest of the night is all generosity, dancing, the best part. The part I can’t blog about but inspired me to blog. Things I haven’t done and felt in a long time. The best parts of life that Julie enhances with her energy. The joy of wanting the night to stretch into a big blue taffy (literary mechanisms please subdue yourselves). The comradery of singing lyrics together in a giant club. A lot more than sticks in the memory, slowing amplifying in my aging interpretation.

Sunday Day: Early morning on my sister’s couch. The question of how wildly my arms flailed as I danced last night. I sometimes forget how tall I am and have to hope that no one was injured. On to the coolest event ever. Beerunch. My brother and his fellow microbrew masters threw the hippest event with the help of volunbeers like myself. Like tea, this event was about nuance, process and taste. Oh, and 200 people on a sunny deck eating deliciousness while listening to great music. Check out the Beerunch website for the amazing menu. My favorites were the Mateveza with the best huevos rancheros I’ve ever had and the 21st Ammendment Belgian Ale with honey ham. Nicole and Frank were there with their beer expertise, along with a gaggle of other familiar faces. Tony of Alma Desnuda fame enjoyed the party. Wehelped ready the room together and talked about albums and such.

The party morphed into a day-long extravaganza. I eventually left for a superbowl party in Pac Heights and then a author lecture at the Union Room downtown. I read this book about touring that I really liked, so I got to hear the author speak for a little while. Then it was back to North Beach to meet up with friends. By weekend’s end, I had walked all over the city, sometimes beating my heel-wearing, cab-taking friends and I loved it. Hope this passion stays with me. It can only lead to more blogs and songs. I’m very lucky that you are readying it.

Now the bad news since I just heard it. Apparently a company found out how many web hits “Grace Woods” was getting so they bought the domain gracewoods.com from the owner who owned it since forever ago (an Indonesian lumber company that didn’t even use it) and now they are selling it for 2,588 bucks because they are currently receiving revenues from people going there by accident and seeing the ads they post there. The Indonesian lumber company didn’t want to sell it etc etc until this money hungry company pulled it off somehow. Well, it’s a shame since it’s obviously someone’s name. I understand actions like buying howtomakeeggs.com and things that promote something you are doing- I don’t know. The only purpose of this move, however, is to make money. There are no woods or grace about it. ‘Nough said. Moving on. Unless someone thinks I should start a donation button here to buy the domain from them so that it actually has something to do with itself, art, love, music, life and the free exchange of ideas. I’d even be happy to mention the mission, the senior living center and the children’s blog on my site that have similar names and would benefit from people not being led astray by this silly company. Let me know what you think.

After a month of no shows, hiding like a hermit at the grand piano in our house, I’ve scheduled a little cafe gig in April. Around New Year’s I made the goal of writing 30 new songs before our wedding in June and the April show will give me a goal to shoot for. Rather than spend my time online booking a whirlwind tour, I have been hard at study of the most important aspect of the art- song construction. I began another class with Bonnie Hayes and some fellow musicians- Valerie Orth and Alex Karweit to name a few. I hear Dana Carmel may drop in among others- perhaps Stacy Kray. Maybe I’m not supposed to reveal that classes exist for this type of thing. Our songwriting groups end up being a convening of like minds. It’s also way easier for me to hear criticism from a fellow songwriter than someone who doesn’t play an instrument. So I am wearing my wrist braces to bed every night and figuring out how to tell the most important stories of my life in song. Playing some Ben Folds Five, Deathcab for Cutie and even Kylie Minogue on my Yamaha have helped me think outside the box.

My cousin Ava dances at half-time of the Warriors Irish Heritage Night game tommorow night- can’t wait to see her. She’s very good at it. Saturday night I’m hanging out with good girlfriends and sister only to wake up to Beerunch in the city folowed by the Super Bowl. Oh, and I almost forgot! I’m attending the Stomping Girl Winery Pinot Noir release where some local musicians will be playing tommorow afternoon in Berkeley. I hope to see you there!

The newest project, “A Good Day in Red Paper” will be released Thursday, December 3rd in San Francisco’s oldest and grandest niteclub, the Great American Music Hall on Polk and O’Farrell. Sharing the night with us are Earl J Rivard, the Highway Robbers and Alma Desnuda. Alex Karweit and Robin Applewood will play in our set. All local acts for an all local night. I must say my classmates have been central in supporting me through this release and I look forward to introducing them to the band’s friends and family who have stuck with us through the years. Earl J starts out the night after doors open at 7:30pm and we take the stage shortly after, followed by the Robbers and Alma Desnuda. Check out almadmusic.com to discover this good lookin, great soundin groove machine. A $13 pre-order ticket provides a free Grace Woods Trio CD to go with a fabulous night of entertainment. All the ducks are in a row: BART and Muni accessibility, the possibility of dinner at the venue, parking, a professional sound system, a lovely balconied ambiance and a bunch of new songs to boot. Thanks for supporting this fabulous bill of 4 San Francisco bands!

Thanks Hollywood

Last night was fabulous. My friend Hugh McBride and I filled a cafe called Cafe Audrey, a hip little spot dedicated to Audrey Hepburn, complete with wall-sized portrait and other homages. Jessica Burks was kind enough to have us on the bill and we enjoyed her fluttery musical renderings. Thanks to Anna for coming out and bringing company! Thanks to folks who came out from the Music Institute! Thanks to all our new friends and thanks to the Jacobson family for coming and for putting us up. We had a good time and look forward to coming back!

Thanks also to everyone who came to the San Luis Obispo show. What a friendly audience. Deborah was awesome live and the cafe was full and happy. Thanks to Joe and Sue for putting us up.

Life, Music and MJ Update

This past weekend I was in Colorado for my college best friend’s wedding. Being there made me miss the confidence that comes with being surrounded by one’s best girlfriends. While there, I had the chance to see one of my Aunts and 3 of my cousins. True to the regional stereotype, these ladies are experts at outdoor activity. I, however, spend most of my time at a piano or a laptop. I used the waiting time at the airport to write papers for my many classes-I’m trying to complete my MBA before New Year’s, so procrastination isn’t an option. I’m taking singing lessons and songwriting lessons. Whitney is majoring in music and completing his BA. He wants to teach. My sister graduated college, so I get to see her and my brother more often, which is paramount. New songs flow out like water; all of them shorter than the last and hopefully with sweeter wisdom than their predecessors. The new CD is all set, save a release date to be scheduled in December. For now I’ve scheduled a solo tour leading up to it. Thanks for listening and sharing your life with me. Hope to see you soon!

Now the story of my bro’s bday party: I wondered why the cop at Dolores Park did not stop us. We had no noise permit for the PA and generator and there were bottles of Mateveza precariously protruding from large red tubs. There was also a large silver, sparkly pinata of Michael Jackson’s hand hanging from a centrally located tree. There was also a power strip up inside this tree- apparently a casualty of the battle to hang said pinata.
Perhaps the cop knew it was Michael Jackson’s birthday. Perhaps he liked MJ’s music filling the park. Perhaps he also enjoys naturally caffeinated beer with yerba mate. My brother, the brewer of said beverage, certainly does. My sister baked the chocolate cake and I slaved over the giant pinata, which a little girl almost smashed to pieces later in the day. Jimmy delivered the fatal blow. Pics are up on my facebook page. I found out about a new band called Sweedish in SF that my friend Mark recommended. I tried to save my voice for the singing lesson on Monday.
Jimmy seemed happy. That was most important. It was afternoon before a song repeated. Who knew the King of Pop was so prolific? Only hits home when you run them all back to back.

I was all smiles on the walk home from my singing lesson yesterday. We were breaking new ground and finding new strength. I took my never-performed songs to Blake’s open mic on Telegraph. I saw my old friend Keith Shepperd there, along with T of Spacebag, and of course, Jacob Wolkenhauer. As I sound checked the piano for the 5th slot of the night, I had forgotten how echoey and strange the sound is there. It’s a dark underground basement with concrete walls. Many minor mistakes and smiles later, the first run of these songs had taken its course. Two good things about Blakes: 1. good friends and 2. a hard stage and sound system that means if you can play it well there, you can play it well most anywhere else. I plan to keep coming back.

Today I’m looking to solidify Sacramento and LA bookings. I’ll keep you posted. I design the cover of the EP as it gets mastered. I’m researching for my Professor and starting new MBA classes. Hope you’re doing well.

Last night Joe, Whitney, Jacob and I convened over wine and Thai Noodle to decide the final versions and order of the EP. Well, it’s all decided. I’m sitting in my final night of Marketing Research class, and I can’t wait to get home, eat some wonton soup and listen to what we decided. Then its off to mastering and planning for the release show!

Thanks to everyone who has stuck with me since I began this musical journey in 2005. It has been long since I updated you all and there is good reason for it. In May of 2009, Vanessa and Ian told the group suddenly that they would be changing their original commitment to music and wished to focus entirely on family. In the same month, Joe decided to leave professional music behind to focus on teaching. Whitney, likewise, will be focused on teaching.

The Grace Woods Trio has an EP that will be released shortly- it only needs mastering and printing. Likewise, the Lit By Lightning material may be released in the future. For now, I am writing new songs feverishly and completing my MBA as we speak. I have learned that agreements and process checks and emotional and financial commitments do not change people’s character. I have learned who my real friends are and what real support is. I am very grateful to those who have stuck with me. I look forward to sharing with you soon the fruits of all this labor.

Thanks to Ann and Greg of the Stockton Asparagus Festival for welcoming us back and taking such great care of us. It ended up a sunny event. We shared two orders of fried asparagus and tri-tip asparagus sandwiches. After a heated debate on the car ride home on the intricate facets of music, the band retired for a couple days to prepare for the Glen Park Festival.

Vanessa pointed out that her neice is a 4th generation Glen Park Resident and it was fun to watch Vanessa point out people she knew in the crowd. Special thanks to those who came out and to Dan Gustavson for taking such great care of us. At both of these shows, we were lucky enough to play a few tunes by Alex Karweit, our dear friend and talented local musician. You can check him out at alexkarweit.com. We look forward to seeing everyone at the Orinda 4th of July Parade!

On another note, close family friend Ron Stallings had a benefit concert at La Pena (tilda soon to be learned on this computer) last night. Musical friends played tunes in his honor and Whitney and his family were treated to a swelling wave of support. If you wish to make a donation to help pay for the medical expenses that Ron incurred in his last months, please call La Pena for information.

-Grace and LBL

We had the pleasure of opening up the SF Women’s Film Festival at the Women’s building in the mission and it was one of the most stress-free gigs we have had. With a very enthusiastic crew of volunteers, some amazing filmmakers and a very supportive crowd, this event is a must-attend for anyone interested. We look forward to contributing in future years and we hope to see you there! For more info on this continuing event, check out sfwff.org!

Special thanks to Otis, Chris V., Les, Jacob, Magdalene, USF Cohorts 1 and 2, Laura, Anil, Cordelia, Linda, Gwen, Dan, Jake, Will and many others who made last night so memorable! The place was small, high-ceilinged and intimate. We got sweaty and loud. We fussed with monitors and jumped around. Wine flowed and people filled the balconies with talk of weekends, the economy, music etc. We played a number of completely new songs. I’m putting a couple pics up, but there are more coming from our good friend Gary. Enjoy the free downloads on the music page!