Uranus is sudden change...
innovation/invention. Forward thinking.

Sun In AQUARIUS -ruled by Uranus - Planet of Progress Element: Air Colour: Electric blue
Aquarius' horoscope
Thanks to Anne Mogul

News Headlines:

Darlene | Dancing Bears | Sweet Water Women | Road Dog Divas

Darlene NEWS

'BRING ON THE DANCING BEARS'

ONTARIO FILMMAKERS SCOOP NATIONAL AWARD

Well, if it wasn't enough to be accepted for Winnipeg's NSI Film Festival, this takes the cake!

Ontario filmmakers Carrie Regenstreif, David Wiewel and Darlene scooped the award for Best Film From Eastern Canada at the NSI National Exposure Amateur Movie Contest Final 2005 last Saturday. The contest is part of NSI FilmExchange Canadian Film Festival - Canada's largest established film festival showcasing 100% Canadian shorts and feature films.

The Sudbury trio faced off against stiff competition from Canadian filmmakers when their animated short 'Bring on the Dancing Bears' was selected for the National Exposure Final. Over 100 amateur filmmakers from across Canada entered the contest. Entries were narrowed down to 12 by an industry panel and screened to a sell out crowd at the Globe Cinema in Winnipeg during a nail-biting final showdown.

Sweet Water Women NEWS

'Sweet Water Women makes a splash at summer festivals! ... 1st Album forthcoming'

Only half way through the summer, Sweet Water Women has make quite a splash across Ontario. Performing at Thunder Bay's premiering 'Thundering Women's Festival', Sudbury's 'Northern Lights Festival Boreal' and Cambridge's 'Mill Race Festival', Sweet Water Women has found new fans moved to tears.

At the Mill Race traditional Music Festival, folk repeated over and over that they could have pictured this group singing along the Grand River hundreds of years ago, before the city was ever built around it. The group sings without the aid of tonal instruments. They use our oldest instrument, the voice, adding an array of various percussion instruments. Layers of rhythyms and harmonies, infused with the flavours of many cultures...the strongest being (at this point) the Ojibwe influence of the land and people where they call their home.

"We have many teachers in this Life...some of them human. But Mother Nature can be our greatest teacher.
She is perfect!"
Darlene

These are some of the words folks used to describe the group:
Refreshing. Healing. Awesome. Highlight of the Festival.
Unexhaustable Energy Underground Hit of the Festival.

IN THE STUDIO

A year into the group, Sweet Water Women finally are ready to record their original material. The group have just completed the 1st 7 songs of their forthcoming album, dedicated to the Ancestors...the teachers from our past. Special guests on the album will be Ontario's ........... 'TANGLEFOOT'. Meeting on a workshop stage at the Mill Race Festival, the 2 groups got along famously, and closed the set with Sweet Water Women's 'Cat's Lullaby'. Later that evening, with Sweet Water Women and Tanglefoot back to back, closing out the Festival, Tanglefoot joined the gals on stage during their main stage set to perform the song once again. The fellas so loved the song, that they are making a special appearance on the album, performing it once again, in addition to a Welcoming Honour Song. Both groups are thrilled. Talk about a balance of Yin and Yang!

For more information about availability of the upcoming Sweet Water Women album, check back often, or join their mailing list by clicking here.

Road Dog Divas News


Well the Just Plain Folks Awards came in...and them gals from the Road Dog Divas faired pretty well. Here are the results of the previous nominations!

Americana Song: 4th Place ... A Little Tune, Darlene

Americana Album: 2nd Place ... Everythings in Boxes, The Road Dog Divas

Childrens' Album: 4th Place ... A Baker's Dozen, Laura Freeman (of the Road Dog Divas)

All in all, not too bad eh?


So, how was that last tour?

In the summer of '03, the RDDivas took to the road in Ontario Canada for a short 2.5 wks. Being a band that is based in Northern Ontario, Texas and Oregon, we usually have to get together for at least a few days before hitting our festivals and gigs. We did this on the beautiful Tay River, at the cabin of our friends Wendy and Don, before heading to Blue Skies Music Festival (perhaps one of the most amazing festivals i have ever been to...totally participatory). That festival in itself was quite the adventure, with a grand Thunder and Lightning Storm hitting just before we were about to do our main stage. We did, by the way, begin the concert acoustically, until it was safe enuf to hook up the sound system again. Anyway, here's where we get to the fun part.

After a day of recovery and swimming, we had a few days before our next engagement. We decided the Tay was still calling our names, so we lounged and ate and napped and strolled the beautiful town of Perth. It was Wed nite, that we were out for supper, when Keith Glass (Prairie Oyster) and Jon van Wingerden from Audio Valley Recording Studio. They were out for a drink, celebrating a month lock-out (which for you non-technical folk means they got a booking in their studio for a whole month straight). By 11pm, we were all rubbing our bellies, and wondering what next on a Wed nite in Perth? Dancing? I said. and Jon says "why don't we head back to the studio and have some fun making music?" to which we all gazed across the table wondering if we were even able to stand up at the moment, and then we remembered... "oh yea! we're musicians...troubadours...adventurerers...OF COURSE! Love to!"

We headed back to the cabin, gathered up our instruments, some beverages, some snacks, chocolate, and by 12:30 we were in the studio, standing around an old fashioned kind mike (like they used to use in the olden days - step up, step back, step up, step back). Just about 3hrs later, we had us a NEW ALBUM!!! Holy cow! We were pinching ourselves, wondering if we had actually fallen asleep at the restaurant with our faces in left over cheesecake. But NO! We really had done it. 11 Smashing Songs never before recorded. These were songs we had writing together over the past year, in contrast to our 1st album 'Everythings in Boxes', where we mostly backed eachother up.

The next day, while Jon mastered the songs, we gals put them in order, then got on Myshkins' computer and whooped up a CD cover. By 6pm that day, we had us a new Cd, 'PONY' ready for sale at our next gig. DANG we're good!!! You know, it kinda reminded me of the old days, where bands knew their material well enuf, and the recording process was used to record what they did. Nowadays, the process gets soooo involved that bands take months, even years to complete an album. Needless to say, we were thrilled.

Where can we get it?

So, now i have told you about this great new album, which we all love, and you can't even buy it. Why? Well, we burned about 250 of them, and sold out by the end of our 2wk tour. Yes, of course we have plans to manufacture more, and get this album out to you, though we have decided to wait until our next tour. Sorry to tease you like this, but you know how fast time goes by, and before you know it, we'll be in yer town, knocking on your front door, looking for a yard to camp in, wearing a trench coat filled with Cd pockets. At that point, it should also be available at www.cdbaby.com and from Festival Distribution.

Just where are the Divas doing right now?

Well, that's a might fine question. We are situated over North America in somewhat of an obtuse angle at our respective bases. We all decided that after 3 years of touring a couple of times a year, we would give '04 to ourselves, and work on our solo careers, as that is, after all, who we are ... solo artists, that come together to share the road, our love of music, our unique ingredients, and the majic that happens when we 3 get together.

Can you tell me when i can get my grubby little hands on that Pony?

If you are interested in finding out the moment the new album 'PONY' is available, click here, and join my mailing list. I'll be sending out the news as soon as it happens, as well as any tour info. *

WHEN will the RDDivas be touring again? Time will tell, but i tell you this...Our days are not yet over!

On the Web:
at www.motelDarlene.com
or www.littleredhenmusic.com

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