Jianda.net

Speaking Love to Power: Keep It Shining

Now Playing: Faith Trimel Podcasts and Updates December 29, 2008

 

True Beauty October 4, 2005

Filed under: General Ji, Prosaically..., Spiritually — jiandanet @ 5:00 am

“You are beautiful when you accept yourself fully, when confidence and risk taking are your calling cards. It is when you see through the eyes of love rather than fear. When you willingly bare your soul, your beauty shines through. “

Rhonda Britten
- Fearless Living

 

come back as a flower December 30, 2002

Filed under: Art by Ji, General Ji, Photos by Ji, Zone: Musically — jiandanet @ 12:46 pm

LovingKindness

 

your heart, reflected. December 3, 2008

Filed under: General Ji, PhotoPoems and Sets, Prose by Ji — jiandanet @ 1:17 am

your beautiful heart, reflected.

stars light up for you,

as you.

and that’s the way your glow shines:

omnidirectional

tickles my pink heart chakra alight and keeps it warm.

that never changes.

we arrived as healers and so shall we return

splendid beings

playing about in the landscape of our collective

chi

you are that daytime star

that nightsun

that first true heart

reminding me your superhuman wattage, warmth is always there.

our space in time

that ever-sparkling flicker in your eye

still beckons

as beacon

keeping my footing strong and sure:

keeping my path illuminated

- for the sweetest 12/08

jmj

 

Acrylically Yours, Summer 1991 - “Wig” July 6, 1991

Filed under: Art by Ji, General Ji, PhotoPoems and Sets, Photos by Ji — jiandanet @ 11:32 pm

Acrylically Yours, Summer 1991 - "Wig"

 

Acrylically Yours, Summer 1991 - “3graces” July 7, 1991

Filed under: Art by Ji, General Ji, PhotoPoems and Sets, Photos by Ji — jiandanet @ 11:40 pm

Acrylically Yours, Summer 1991 - "3graces"

 

(Now Playing: “I’m Sorry”) The Painkillers: Video Diary August 16, 2000

Filed under: Articles by Ji, Film/TV/Video, General Ji, Zone: Musically, Zone: Now Playing — jiandanet @ 11:17 pm
Women of MP3.com
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Video Diary by Jianda Johnson Go to this Artist's Page
The Painkillers
The Painkillers were profiled in a past issue of WOMP3. This time around, Cherish and director Joshua Liberman took time out to chat with us about “I’m Sorry.”
WM: How did you get started?
Joshua: We combined three editing formats (8/16mm and digital) and attempted to “sweeten” it to give it a more film-like appearance.

WM: How did you get your videos streamed for the net?
Cherish: Friends helped us convert from VHS to a CD. From there, we used RealProducer to transform to RealVideo, then downloaded to our server.

WM: What about the shots/wardrobe?
Joshua: They (the band) painted the walls purple and covered them with glitter. The entire room’s lit only by Christmas lights and various candles. My ideas for shots were designed around showing off the room’s inherent style, and showcasing the space–to shoot a simple performance video showcasing the band. However, when we finished, we didn’t have enough footage to adequately represent the band. So we (brought out) “I’m Sorry’s” darker, religious, penitent overtones. We dressed Cherish in a tattered ballerina/angel outfit, and she (went out) walking among the more beautiful churches–and seedier streets–Hollywood has to offer.

Click here to check out The Painkiller’s Video: “I’m Sorry”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJpvNl2gAYA

I shot Cherish performing beautifully against an incredible L.A. sunset, with rush-hour traffic speeding around her. Cherish is such a natural performer, she just went into “entertainer mode” with angelic eloquence, completely ignoring the cars flying by. It’s by far one of my favorite shots.

WM: Last question for you, Joshua. Did the video have a budget?
Joshua: Yes–a little money, and a lot of generosity. Thank you to everyone who donated time and equipment, and to the crew and the band for their talent and creativity.

The band is now recording a follow-up CD, and is creating ideas for a new video they hope to shoot by the end of the year. –Jianda Johnson

Back to the Women of MP3.com

- by Jianda Johnson

Originally published in Women of MP3.com

 

yes please October 4, 2005

YesPleaseOct2005

 

Be A Brazen Girl: Gretchen Lieberum Interview March 4, 2003

Be A Brazen Girl: Gretchen Lieberum Interview

Written by Jianda Johnson

“Be a brazen girl/as you wander this world,” Gretchen Lieberum sings confidently. Newly-signed and working her way up the “music biz food chain,” Gretchen catches us up with her music, her artistry, and per philosophy of delicate, beautiful polite persistence, and how it enriches her music career.

If you aren’t yet hipped to Gretchen Lieberum’s sound, think: Portishead, Norah Jones, Coldplay, Jon Mayer, and you’ll almost be there. Whether you’re a female artist, love female artists, or you’re somewhere inbetween, you’ll find the smooth curve swirl of this girl’s music’s quite delightful.

What have you been up to since the last time we chatted?

Gretchen: Well, my album, Brand New Morning, was picked up by Lakeshore Records, an indie label under Warner Brothers. It was released in April of 2000, and sales have been growing slowly but surely! The promotion my label did for the album was pretty minimal, but a few strategic positive reviews, listening stations, and strong word of mouth have helped sales tremendously. On Listen.com, my album was bouncing around the top five for several months, along with Norah Jones, Coldplay and, inexplicably, Eminem! Apparently, Norah Jones got her start on listen.com as well, before she was in the Billboard charts, which certainly is a positive sign for me.

What kinds of press have you received in response to your recent shows?

Gretchen: The response has been really positive, which is great, because I am such a perfectionist, and can be very insecure about performing!

Any plans to do video work?

Gretchen: My label is flirting with the idea of making a video, but I’m a little bit cynical about the whole thing, to be honest. I know quite a few bands who have made videos that end up being played once on MTV2 at 4:30 in the morning! And then, the cost of the video is recoupable to album sales (in other words, the artist ends up paying for it!) However, videos can be really beautiful and creative and interesting and can certainly draw attention to a song.

What’s your favorite song on “Brand New Morning?”

Gretchen: I think I’m happiest with how “Brazen Girl” came out. Sometimes, I’ll go into the studio liking a certain song, but in the end, it ends up being a completely different song that really blossoms in the recording.

I originally wrote ‘Brazen Girl’ for a friend who was going through some rough times. But as I continued to write the song, it really became a song about myself as well. It’s a song about letting go of anger and regret, being brave and honest. It’s a reminder of how I want to live. Also, I think that stylistically, ‘Brazen Girl’ is a good example of the overall sound that I am striving for, a balanced mixture of acoustic and electronic elements. If someone had to listen to just one of my songs to get a sense of what my style is, I would want them to listen to ‘Brazen Girl.’

Do you do any writing or production work for others? Do you plan to?

Gretchen: I’ve done some vocals and lyrics for a Toronto based electronica band called Somasonic, who just came out with an album called “Modernism”. As far as producing goes, I don’t really feel confident enough as a producer to take on someone else’s project. I’m still learning about the process, about how to create the sound you want in the studio. To be a great producer, you need an uncanny sense of the over-all picture. You have to be able to think of 20 things at once as well as 20 steps ahead. I really admire people who are able to do that!

What materials are you working on right now?

Gretchen: I am really excited about the music I am writing now, and can’t wait to record it! I think that as I write and record more, I develop a better understanding of the sound I want to create, of what suits me.

How often do you gig/tour?

Gretchen: I am I haven’t played out much in the last couple of years, but I’m starting to now. I’m getting that fire in my belly again! Ideally, I’d like to play a few times a month locally, and am in the process of finding a manager and booker to help me organize a national tour, or possibly a European tour.


Jazz and electronica are very complex, intricate genres at times. How do you write your most ideal lyrics and vocal arrangements and yet still make them accessible?

Gretchen: Honestly, I don’t know! The whole process is a mystery. I’m even a bit lazy about it! Things either come to me in a certain way, or they don’t. If I force it, I can hardly write a note!

Who are some of your favorite artists?

Gretchen: I love a really wide range of stuff, from Nina Simone and Sarah Vaughn to Beck to Neil Young and Bob Dylan to the Pharcyde. Sade has been my hero for many years, and I listen to Joni Mitchell and Stevie Wonder almost daily. I’ve been a huge Prince fan since the 5th grade (his older stuff, mostly). Lately, I’ve been listening nonstop to Zero7, Cesaria Evora, Rufus Wainright, and a local LA band called Brazzaville that’s fronted by Beck’s sax player.

Tell us about some of your upcoming gigs, and what’s on the horizon for the next few months. :)

I’m playing at Galoka in San Diego on Thursday, 3/27. I’m also playing in Los Angeles at Genghis Cohen on Friday, 3/28, and I’m playing in San Francisco on Wednesday, 4/2 at Bruno’s. You can get more info at www.gretchenmusic.com, or at www.mp3.com/gretchenl.

I plan to keep working on new material in the next few months, with a goal to record this summer, and hopefully I’ll solidify some kind of national or European tour.

Also, I was recently featured in USA Today in an article about Listen.com/Rhapsody. It’s an interesting article about the legal downloading of music from the internet. Please check it out at: UsaToday.com- JJ

All of Gretchen’s songs are completely delicious, but we know you’ll take a shine immediately to: “Three A.M.” and “Bed’s Too Big Without You” (from “Three A.M.”) and “Brand New Morning,” “Blue September (featuring DJ Cut Chemist from Jurassic Five),” and “Lost Our Way.” (from “Brand New Morning”)
———-
Other features & archives can be accessed @ sugarmamapr.com.

Originally published at Blogcritics

 

Richard Pryor Gets All Alphabetical On You January 5, 2009

 

Jianda featured @ Alison Turner’s American Life Today Blog January 5, 2009

Alison: thanks so much for the profile and your inspirational project.

Bon 2009!

Jianda “Creating Magic Online”

Click Here for Profile

 

Now Playing: Nouveau Western - MC Solaar January 3, 2009

 

Ecstasy January 2, 2009

Filed under: Beautiful & Yummy, General Ji, Inspiration, Prosaically... — jiandanet @ 5:03 pm

You need not leave your room. Remain sitting at your
table and listen. You need not even listen, simply
wait, just learn to become quiet, and still, and
solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to
be unmasked. It has no choice; it will roll in ecstasy
at your feet.
-Franz Kafka

 

Now Playing: Hip Hop Senior Choir January 2, 2009

Filed under: Film/TV/Video, General Ji, Smiley Face — jiandanet @ 10:42 am

 

2009: Be Your Own Muse. Make It A Phenomenal Year! December 31, 2008

Filed under: General Ji, Inspiration, Photos by Ji, ji: Self Portraits — jiandanet @ 7:04 pm

1

 

for the soft boys December 30, 2008

soft boy (in entryway of meditation room)

for the soft boys


since i don’t know when

folks be tellin’ all my

soft boys

to grow up.

to be hard men.

before they’re even

born

before they even know

their rites

of passage

to all my little deer who

mix it up and buck

the system

shapeshifting it as yin

and blend

and yang then

back again

i send you

soft touch fingertips on

napes of necks

palms searing deep into

shoulders

to take you back to love

relaxed

this life is hard enough

and it will shape you

into your own

unique stone

you’ll be softened by

wind and water and

motion

i know your heart is

your magic lantern

i know your mind and body

soul and hands

will light your way.

soft morning sunlight

hard light and afternoon

i tuck you in under

blankets of moon

jmj 12/30

 

Now Playing: November 4 - Ani December 30, 2008

Thanks Hue!

 

yoganically two: handbending feats December 29, 2008

Filed under: General Ji, PhotoPoems and Sets, ji: Self Portraits — jiandanet @ 10:21 pm

two - handbending feats