Aural Elixir News

 

Happy Spring Elixir friends & delightful listeners! The “Leap Into Mardi Gras 2012 Tour” was thrilling, challenging and highly stimulating. I am grateful to my many helpers for making the tour go swimmingly but no actual swimming, maybe for summer tour, check back later for details. This girrrl needs to go west, oh yes.

 

There is still a lot of work to be done on the upcoming CD but we are getting closer and closer to actualizing the latest and possibly greatest tunes from Aural Elixir. Working so closely with such a diverse array of talented people has really made this project extra exciting. In the next update I will be unveiling the name and themes of the new CD, guess it before then by following my tweets at www.twitter.com/auralelixir. For now here is a link so you can read more about Johnny Vidacovich, the amazing New Orleans drummer featured on the new Aural Elixir CD:http://johnnyvidacovich.com/.

 

Dates are changing around for the spring schedule at Smokin' Dave's so you will have to check the calendar instead of counting on a regular Friday. Everything is a little more random as we melt into the newness of springtime, check the calendar here or get connected on facebook (www.facebook.com/auralelixir) to stay abreast of the dates Aural Elixir will be playing in your area. Two extra special dates to reserve on your schedule are April 11 at Cervantes Ballroom in Denver (for the Colorado Solo Artist Awards) and June 15 at the Pioneer Inn in Nederland (with the band)! More details on the calendar page and as always on the other sites too (facebook, twitter and www.reverbnation.com/auralelixir).

 

I appreciate your literacy and interest in reading my little updates. I hope life is treating you well and that soon I will see you again. Feel free to email me or connect online with any of your thoughts, comments, political leanings and dirty limericks. Be nice to your ears and they will always listen to you. Peace, love, music and a multitude of joyful blessings to you & yours!

 

xoxo, jesse

Aural Elixir

 

Show Schedule

  • 05/26/2012
    Erie Farmer's Market - ,
     
  • 06/15/2012
    The Pioneer Inn - Nederland, CO
     

Specials & Updates

We promise to email infrequently and succinctly. We will never sell or distribute your personal information. We hate spam!

 

Aural Elixir

The Quickie:

   Aural Elixir lends new flavor to indie rock with innovative piano-vocal centric mixtures of originals & songs by such icons as Tori Amos, Joni Mitchell & Frank Zappa. Created in 1997 to celebrate diversity in music, Aural Elixir is an eclectic, lyrical, jazz-rock fusion from Jesse Maclaine and the rich sonic textures of New Orleans.
    Aural Elixir is currently working on their 4th studio CD, performing in Colorado as well as producing an irreverent video series on You Tube entitled Aural Elixir Piano Ninja. Together with a brilliant array of musicians, artists and engineers, Aural Elixir has produced 4 independent albums and 6 national tours as well as maintaining a strong presence online.

Please visit us on facebook or myspace and check out our other links for more information, songs, pictures, videos and merchandise.

Thanks for listening!

 

 

The long version:

   Aural Elixir has been evolving ever since Jesse Maclaine created the concept in 1996. Jesse moved to New Orleans in 1995 to study Jazz and spent a year singing and playing jazz standards at various French Quarter venues. At the same time, she was absorbing the sounds of New Orleans, she was also studying the music of Frank Zappa and Joni Mitchell and feeling her own inner songwriter coming to life. Inherent in Aural Elixir are the roots of today's popular music: classical, jazz, rock, blues, world and musical theatre music. Critics applaud the innovative, poetic vent of Aural Elixir but most music lovers are simply mesmerized by the lyrical voice, rhythmic piano and elemental feel of this unique music.

    Aural Elixir played their first gig as a trio with Jim Ankar and James Clark at a New Year's Eve Party (96-97) in a Chinese Restaurant which randomly had a baby grand piano & dance area.  Later, we were blessed with the guitar talents of Tim Robertson and drum skills of Pete Braddish, THE FOOT! In 1997, Jesse, Jim, Pete and Tim played together on the first ever Aural Elixir recording session at The Mermaid Lounge. When Pete was too busy with his other bands (Irene Sage, The Creatures Of Habit & many others) we were lucky enough to get a tip from the great Johnny Vidacovich to call his new student Dylan "Sticks" Hicks. Soon thereafter, the infamous Lynn Drury came into the picture (early 1998) and Aural Elixir was complete. From 1998-2002, Aural Elixir performed in many fine venues in New Orleans such as Tipitina's, The Howlin' Wolf, Carrollton Station, The Old Point Bar, The Dream Palace, The Funky Butt, Blue Nile, The Tricou House, Dragon's Den, The Mermaid Lounge, Checkpoint Charlie's, Buddha Belly, Banks Street Bar, Wit's Inn, El Matador and even at a private party for the Mayor of New Orleans and the Turkish Ambassador!

    In 1999, engineer Chris Munson invited us up for a recording session at the historic RCA Studio B and that was where we recorded Love & Grappling. 2000 brought the official release of Love & Grappling at the iconic New Orleans venue Tiptina's and another cd release party in the upstairs room at the Funky Butt! Later that year, Jesse & Lynn went to AZ, CO, WA, OR & CA for the Aural Elixir Girls Only Tour. Aural Elixir's Love and Grappling was celebrated in New Orleans with frequent airplay on local radio station WWOZ and WTUL as well as a number of excellent reviews in the local papers and even a feature story in Offbeat Magazine by Bunny Matthews entitled "Aural Sect."

    In 2001, in support of Love and Grappling, we toured again but this time with Jim & Dylan alongside for that full band sensation! We sang our way from NOLA to CO to AZ to LA to OR (recorded most of Anomaly in one day) to CO to OK & home to N'awlins.

    During the spring of 2002, Jesse & Lynn recorded the acoustic section of Anomaly at Word Of Mouth Studios in New Orleans. Then in 2003 Jesse, Lynn & Jim did another US tour and recorded the Bedspread Jumpsuit album, which was released in 2005. 2002 also brought Jesse to Colorado where she has been singing and tinkling the keys all across Boulder, Denver and the front range area. She has steadily been expanding Aural Elixir's audience and preparing new material for recording and a barrage of regional tours.

    2007 enjoyed many live recordings & a solo US tour "Jesse & the plastic piano" and 2008 saw the beginning of the video series, Aural Elixir Piano Ninja on you tube. 2009 continued with more new songs, videos, blogs and other online outlets. 2010 featured two tours across the central and southern United States, including the highly successful "Color Changing Tour." 2011 featured the recording of a new cd, more regional touring and plenty of new songs, videos, photos and blogs for your entertainment. We are working diligently on releasing the new cd and have a few regional tours planned for 2012 starting with February's "Leap Into Lundi Gras" solo tour. Meanwhile, a myriad of singles & bootlegs are available online now, including free downloads and fan exclusives! Blessings and thanks for your support!

 xoxo

Jesse & Aural Elixir