Part 2 – Musicians and Online Concerts, the New Normal in the Wake of Coronavirus

As we head into the third month of lockdown from covid19, I am still wondering when concert venues will ever open again. Many musicians have risen to the challenge of providing online concerts through Facebook, Instagram, and other streaming platforms. Many music lovers count on these concerts every week, feeling connected to the artists . . . and feeling connected to each other. While the artists perform, fans take pleasure in commenting about their enjoyment of the music. For so many people, these concerts serve as a life preserver for sustaining our soul’s desire to hear great music.

Our next three musicians in our series of articles canvas a wide range of musical experiences from winning a Grammy and being nominated for an Oscar to producing music for a documentary film to performing a one-woman show.

“It’s remarkable to be able to reach so many people as I sit at the piano in my living room and they sit in theirs listening to me sing to them. The intimacy is very real as the music serves the purpose of creating a community from all over the world instantly.” Melissa Manchester (Grammy-winning/Oscar-nominated (Best Song) Artist)

“I’m writing and recording new music as my small part in contributing through the healing energy of music … as my small part to stir up joy.” Terry Wollman (Producer/Composer/Podcast Host/Musician)

“I have challenged myself to perform two weeks of consecutive online shows in a raw, unplugged state. I have committed to being honest in my emotional delivery, and hopefully, inspire people to embrace imperfection and enjoy the journey of life. There are shared feelings of isolation, even if there wasn’t a pandemic going on. And the music provides much solace.” Kiki Ebsen (Composer/Songwriter/Musician)

Melissa Manchester’s musical roots originated in childhood owing to the influence of her father being a bassoonist for The New York Metropolitan Opera. At seventeen years of age, Manchester was already writing songs and jingles working in the infamous Brill Building in Manhattan where her fellow colleagues were musicians/songwriters Barry Manilow, Ashford and Simpson, and Patty Austin. Soon afterward, Manchester became a backup vocalist for Bette Midler. She then pursued a solo career and received her first Grammy nomination in 1979 for singing the Peter/Allen/Carole Bayer Sager hit song “Don’t Cry Out Loud.” In 1980, she was the first artist ever in the history of the Academy Awards to be nominated for two songs, “Through the Eyes of Love” (from Ice Castles) and “I’ll Never Say Goodbye” (from The Promise) in the same year. In 1982, Manchester won a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the song, “You Should Hear How She Talks About You.” This artist has also written songs for major movies, released 21 albums, scored for musical theater, and has appeared in films and television. In 2017, she released her 21st album, The Fellas with the Blue Note Orchestra, which paid tribute to her favorite jazz crooners.

Sheryl Aronson: How has the Corona Virus crisis affected you as a musician?

Melissa Manchester: The virus has impacted me greatly as concerts have been canceled and record production has been postponed.

Sheryl Aronson: As an artist what has been your creative approach to reach out to the public during this time of social distancing?

Melissa Manchester: I was delighted to be a guest of Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley on their Stars In The House, an ongoing series to raise money for the Actors Fund. I held my own FBLive concert, which I loved doing. I plan on doing another one.

Sheryl Aronson: How have you challenged yourself as an artist during this time?

Melissa Manchester: Thankfully I’m working on a potential project. It keeps me focused as do all the home concerts.

Sheryl Aronson: What has it meant to you sharing your music so personally to the audience on Facebook/Insta Live?

Melissa Manchester: It’s remarkable to be able to reach so many people as I sit at the piano in my living room and they sit in theirs listening to me sing to them. The intimacy is very real as the music serves the purpose of creating a community from all over the world instantly.

Sheryl Aronson: List any upcoming online concerts, CD Releases, etc. that you want to share.

Melissa Manchester: I’m in the midst of creating a new cd called Re: View. A slight rethinking of several of my hits recorded once again at the Citrus College recording studio using some of their fine musicians and singers.

Terry Wollman is a producer, guitarist, music director, and composer. Terry has worked and toured with many high caliber artists including Melissa Manchester, Billy Preston, The Crusaders, Little Richard, Wilson Phillips, Joan Baez, and Joe Walsh. He also leads his own band performing in the Southern California area. Terry released his first album, Bimini in 1988 and his discography includes seven albums.

Some of the artist’s Terry has produced include Tony Bennett, Dick Van Dyke, Dave Grusin with Alan Bergman, and Melissa Manchester’s 20th album, You Gotta Love The Life.” In 2017, Terry was the music director and produced the songs for the 2017 HBO documentary If You’re Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast which starred Carl Reiner.

Terry also hosts a Podcast called Making It with Terry Wollman where he interviews artists in the music and entertainment industry. He is currently in the studio working on his latest album.

Sheryl Aronson: How has the Corona Virus crisis affected you as a musician?

Terry Wollman: The pandemic has affected me as I imagine it has most people around the world. I am staying mindful, socially distancing, doing my best to keep physically and mentally active, and remain hopeful. As our creative community’s performing work and recording sessions have come to a halt, I have been looking for ways to create new sources of income. I am also writing and recording new music as my small part in contributing to the healing energy of music.

I am also writing and recording new music as my small part to stir up joy.

Sheryl Aronson: As an artist what has been your creative approach to reach out to the public during this time of social distancing?

Terry Wollman: I have been reaching out when I come across information that might be of value to the public, or in brief moments of clarity when I have something to say that hopefully brings comfort to someone.

Sheryl Aronson: How have you challenged yourself as an artist during this time?

Terry Wollman: By staying disciplined and also allowing downtime to reflect, read, take walks, cook, and relearn the game of Monopoly.

Sheryl Aronson: What has it meant to you sharing your music so personally to the audience on Facebook/Insta Live?

Terry Wollman: I appreciate the intimacy of all of us being able to connect from each of our homes. The immediacy and honesty of sharing music in that way are actually quite refreshing.

Sheryl Aronson:   List any upcoming online concerts, CD Releases, etc. that you want to share.

Terrie Wollman: Melanie Taylor (backup singer for Barry Manilow), my wife and I have just begun performing with our duo via video for our friends at the Center For Spiritual Living in Palm Desert, CA. We will be posting those songs on our social media pages as well. I have been continuing to broadcast my Podcast “Making It with Terry Wollman” with recent guests including Gino Vannelli, Toni Basil, and Peter Erskine. You can hear all of our episodes at www.terrywollman.com/podcast.

I am also simultaneously working on 2 new albums, an Acoustic Collection called Cassini’s Last Dance, which will be released digitally in the next few weeks, and a full band album that I began recording prior to this very unique time of isolation. The band album (so far) features some wonderful artists including Greg Manning, Najee, Mindi Abair, Will Lee, Hussain Jiffry, John Robinson, and Luis Conte. I look forward to sharing both of these projects with you. Stay safe and healthy everyone!

Kiki Ebsen is a singer/songwriter/keyboard player and the daughter of film/television star Buddy Ebsen. Her musical career began touring with Chicago, Boz Scaggs, Al Jarreau, and Christopher Cross. She has released six solo albums.

In the last five years, Kiki Ebsen ‘s career has taken off as a solo artist and regularly performs the “Joni Mitchell Project” with veteran musicians Grant Geissman, Terry Wollman, Bernie Dresel, and Steve Lawrence. She also transformed her album Scarecrow Sessions into a multimedia jazz/cabaret show To Dad With Love, which pays homage to her father Buddy Ebsen.

Sheryl Aronson: How has the Corona Virus crisis affected you as a musician?

Kiki Ebsen: As a musician, it has actually given me more time to focus on practicing and writing but the downside is I can’t personally interact with other musicians and fans and I really do miss that. With live performances completely canceled, it could affect my show schedule in the coming months but I am hopeful that it will get under control soon.

Sheryl Aronson: As an artist what has been your creative approach to reach out to the public during this time of social distancing?

Kiki Ebsen: Live streaming! By performing live over the internet with just me and a piano (or guitar), it’s been so exciting to hear from new fans and longtime fans very happy. The instant feedback in their comments online is that “My music has a healing quality.” It’s rewarding to hear that; it’s highly effective when people are in a quiet listening place. With this lockdown, I think people have had to be alone with themselves (and loved ones) in a way they didn’t before. It is bringing up a lot of feelings. I see it as a huge opportunity to grow as human beings and as a society. I hope that it will bring about a better world in many ways.

Sheryl Aronson: How have you challenged yourself as an artist during this time?

Kiki Ebsen: I have challenged myself to perform two weeks of consecutive online shows in a raw, unplugged state. I have committed to being honest in my emotional delivery and hopefully inspire people to embrace imperfection and enjoy the journey of life. It is giving me a huge opportunity to explore my catalog and play songs that I never perform. The response has been wonderful. We are in this all together and I think the entire world has had to unite in some fashion, perhaps for the very first time.

Sheryl Aronson: What has it meant to you sharing your music so personally to the audience on Facebook/Insta Live?

Kiki Ebsen: I often feel isolated in general as a songwriter; I spend hours alone or in my head exploring my muse, creating music, and playing. I am very comfortable there but I feel sometimes separated from my friends and loved ones as well as the rest of the world. By opening up my living room to my world, it makes me vulnerable yet also connects me to others who feel the same way. There are shared feelings of isolation even if there wasn’t a pandemic going on. And the music provides such solace. The comments I have been getting are so amazing! The music has healed me as much as it’s healed others.

Sheryl Aronson: List any upcoming online concerts, CD Releases, etc. that you want to share.

Kiki Ebsen: I am performing on Facebook every night through April 6th. I will post events for different themes each night. Like Joni Mitchell night, Kiki Originals night, Female singer-songwriters of the 70s, Cool Songs from the ’60s, etc. I upload each concert to my YouTube channel where you can subscribe to it and watch it at your convenience. It’s there that you can see hundreds of videos of my original songs, jazz standards, pop covers, symphony pops, and some sideman video as well. Then hopefully I will be performing with the Joni Mitchell Project May 31st at Bogies in Westlake Village, CA. My new album Her Turn Now is scheduled for release in August with a date at the Laguna Festival of Arts on August 24th.

You can see my entire calendar here: https://kikiebsen.com

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