Since about 2005 I’ve been on a long journey, to prove to people that YES SECOND LIFE does have Great Music…and it seems these days, with all the different viewers and new users it just keeps getting harder and harder to find.  I received a notice from a popular group about a meeting in Second Life, with some of the Lindens possibly showing up….I received the notice several times, because they stressed HOW IMPORTANT THIS WAS…I arrived (after several hard core crashes) about 20 min after the time it started. There were several people standing around…and after several minutes they finally said “Meetings over, we’re in skype”…which means ??? The meeting is in skype and why wasn’t that announced, OR the person is in skype and just Too Busy to let me know…as a participant and interested musician….eventualy the person (not a linden) said “With someone else”……which makes me think WHY Was this message SO important to get out, if the meeting didn’t last more than….20 min? TOPS!   and the person that sent the Numerous messages, was no where in site. The One Linden that was there, didn’t seem to notice anyone else coming in, and the group messages showed a couple Messages of IT HAS STARTED BUT NO ONE IS HERE…….

That’s only ONE of the things we like to discuss in Second Life. THe meeting was to be about EVENTS Listings etc….music, diff tracks on music….must not have been that important.  And Music…ONCE in awhile I get a nice advantage to be able to listen to different music from different countries around the world.  Although I must say it is Most difficult … considering the current MESS that Live Music Events is, there are so many categories in one file….hardly efficient… yet it is how I check out music…since I have no intention of following EVERY Musician I like, there aren’t enough groups for that NOR do I want the spam…SO I use live MUSIC events, that’s what it’s for!  There are also several MASSIVE groups out there, Independent Musicians and Live Music Enthusiasts, both have been around almost as long as Live Music has been around. I was there when Live Music Just started..back in 2005.  THere were about a half dozen or so of us at the time……  Now, to find a Live MUSICIAN..is almost impossible.   Sooooo I’ve heard the 14 yr old on Karoke, I’ve heard the bathroom singers, the happy singers, those that NEVER play in Real life, those that do both, those that think they can sound just like Celine Dion, those that do country, folk, blues, humor .. i’ve heard it ALL, I truly have…..and my ears favor that one instrument and that one voice, but I LOVE some of what i’ve heard w ith backing tracks…and DJ’S!!! I know a fantastic dj who plays guitar as well as tells us the story behind various songs and styles, he is  brilliant!!! ( Christopher Lung aka Chriscloud loon in SL )…..

…So about 6 years ago (i took one year off) I started Naked AcoustiC Sessions, which is a showcase for Original Musicians…a very relaxed atmosphere where a songwriter/musician can experiment with their new material, tell the audience the story behind it, share some insight….even some Question and Answer moments are embedded in the conversation and music.  Some musicians do a cover or two because of the importance to the song….as it represents the story at hand…..And lately I’ve been looking into other aspects of Naked Acoustic…Naked COmedy, Naked Poetry, Naked Art….etc….giving US the audience and insight into the Mind of these talented souls….

I do this for a few reasons….Because I LOVE THE ARTISTS that perform at Living Room #13 for the Naked AcoustiC Sessions, and I love the vibe, the good ‘juju’ they bring, the melting pot of fans flowing from one musicians to another, the community that happens…. I don’t have dance balls, I don’t have games or exploders, because Naked Acoustics isn’t about anything BUT the Musician…and that is it. It’s not about the venue (although the venue completely focuses on music and art) it’s not about what kind of clothes people wear, or how many prims they wanna lag around with them, it’s NOT about managers or hosts..it IS about the musician. In fact, managers and hosts are encouraged to ONLY shout the artist out ONCE in the beginnng and ONCE in the end….for an hour set…..it’s just respect for the chat and the ambience that the Living Room #13 has always prided itself in.   Forcing Midnight is your best viewing experience…. Living ROom #13 Many of the Musicians that perform at Living Room have approached me to perform there, and almost every musician has asked to come back! Each week, someone new is added to the rotation, and there are 30 min sets and one hour sets….Some weeks we have a Large number of Fantastic Performers and some weeks we have a minimum of 4….My favorite part is, exposing different artists, to other artists, and to attract new fans to each various artist that steps up on that stage. It goes well, the feedback is wonderful and I continue to look forward to sharing my passion in music with other music lovers!!!  You can peek at the updates and musicians on FacebOok  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_189287457767333 The Naked AcoustiC Sessions updates on this page often!!!

If you would like to donate to my project, which requires a generous amount of donations for the production of my upcoming CD as well as the maintenance involved in keeping this site running, my stream, broadcasts, guitar maintenance and fees that come along with the stream rental and music update….You can do that on the EVENTS 2 Page…..This site is undergoing changes and soon the Donation button which is used for CD sales as well as art…and of course simply because of your support will be better located.

Again, word of mouth is free, and the more you tell people what you hear and like about my passions of music and art, the bigger the web we live in, gets….So thank you!!!!!!!

ART is here…and I will continue to add to it!

http://suzenjuel.com/organic-style-art-for-sale-100-usd-shipping-included-original-art/

How do I even begin…First I’m just very grateful for so many things happening with the direction of my  music. I’ve learned, over time, that the BAR SCENE is a lot of fun, but it never was my style. One of my favorite places I’ve performed, was Eddies Attic in Georgia and I’ll tell you why, because it was focused on the Musician and their Original Works. This is so very very important to what I do…tell stories, lyrically charge up, create images, cause something to stir around.  So meanwhile, back here in Minneapolis, there are places I’ve played like The Loring Bohemian Cafe, and The Fine Line Music Cafe etc…All focused on the music, the musician, the art of it all.

As I have always loved this type of performance, I’ve still been getting bookings in local bars and also through my travels to other parts of the country. As the evolution of my career turns and twists, I’ve met some amazing musicians…. Steve Kimmel being one and Steve Crooks, being another, that I have had the pleasure of performing with, in my own home not all that long ago. Both such seasoned and accomplished musicians and both such an honor to perform with.  Since this, Steve Kimmel who also works with Heart of the Beast Theater has been generous in giving me two tickets to a show near the end of March, where I will have the honor of doing a very short performance.

The University Avenue Project

has been kind enough … due to the request of Wing Young to perform a 30 min set

at the Dancers Studio in St. Paul! 

REALLY looking forward to this, since I was asked to do this, a couple weeks ago.  One of the photos, featured my song “Don’t Let it Die”…in a series that Wing Young had featured in St. Paul, on a 40×40 foot billboard, along with other local musicians from the Twin Cities, and considering how many brilliant minds reside in this great city, it’s an honor to have been chosen.  If you are from the area, I hope you find a chance to make an appearance. I will be performing at 5:30pm….

I’ve been collaborating with musicians still, and still have several works in progress with Boris Van Luger that I’m looking forward to completing.  I am currently working on my latest CD as well….although funds are necessary, this is also a work in progress.  I do accept donations to help fund the release, the hard copies as well as getting the digital copies heading in the right direction, iTunes, Amazon etc…these things are not free. I would love to get into a studio at some point, and also I’m dealing with two very slow computers, and hard drives that are filling up very quick with the higher quality recordings I am doing in my home studio. I’m also paying for my website as well as my stream, so that I can broadcast. My guitars both need the frets redone and a few minor adjustments to keep them in good working order.  For those of you that have donated, you are such a wonderful help in contributing to what I Love Doing and what I have an insatiable desire to continue doing. Keep it coming, every thing has a place with my passion in life, and everything is in dire need of upgrades and repair from time to time.  You can donate anytime, just by going to my website Suzen JueL . We are also working on membership benefits, to those who care to do a monthly donation…I’ll keep you posted on that!

Secretly, someone informed me that I was a ‘preferred musician’ on the Second Life Grid. Now truth be told, I forget myself, often, and often feel frustrated with where my  music goes sometimes and where I perform. I was pleasantly surprised to find I was listed as ‘one of many favorites’….as well as 9 other FANTASTIC Musicians….it’s not a contest and it’s not about who is BEST, it’s just about being a favorite, for whatever the reasons may be. For example, I LOVE Grace McDunnough, one of the other favorites, according to the poll Hamlet Au who has been covering the SL Music Scene since I can remember.  Took me back to some of our first interviews, over 5 years ago!  SO if you get a chance to check the article out (linked on Hamlets name) and you’re feeling the love, feel free to give me your THUMBS UP!!! I appreciate all the support I get from my fans, and feel free to pass it on to your friends, I’ll never have enough fans, but I will always be grateful for everyone of you, your support has always been well taken and so much appreciated!

In all my years as a Musician, from pulling in a great income, to falling apart at the seams of my guitar strings…I’m beginning to see, at the point I am in my life…that the Virtual Gigs are a BONUS as far as earning at least half of what you’re worth, if that. However, at the point I’m at in my physical world, the one that surrounds my back yard, alleys and local flavors, I am again…..working on my new Emerging from the ashes of taking over a decade off…..to raise a family…so to say.

So in the past few weeks, I’ve done several local, live shows…in St. Paul and Minneapolis, for virtually nothing.  I’ve cancelled Virtual Online shows, in order to take the exposure to the local scene. I’ve been paid a total of $17.00. Yeah…for over 3 hours of performing!!! Maybe because I’m ‘again…new’….perhaps because I am solo, and no longer use a band (too much of a pain in the ass, to worry about anyone, other than myself)….So in my Studio, I sit in my Pajamas, guitar in hand, a cold drink on my desk…perhaps a burning cigarette (if it’s autumn)…and a Muse that tends to never sleep for days, or sleep for too many days, leaving me feeling useless, when I can’t produce new images, be it Paint or Lyrical Grooves…… Read more

I was a nervous wreck, the few days before hitting the stage at Wild Tymes . This Bar is MADE for live music…the tables and chairs are facing the stage, in nice little scattered corners, big comfy booths and a Wild Outside Cafe, right in downtown St. Paul!  . . . I started my drive to St. Paul early, because after 3 years of chatting with Tom, from the Whiskey Sournotes it was high time I met the man! So I finally got there…for those that know me, I have a CRAPPY Sense of direction, and Tom ended up meeting me at a gas station a few blocks away, since for some reason…my google maps was off…or I was… We sat in his apartment, in wooden chairs, across from each other with the perfect table, sharing some beers…our guitars in our hands…Tom is a Crooner…the kind of music, that no matter how the world might look to you or how down our lives can get….it’s instant happiness .. like christmas in a can, like Frank Sinatra sitting at the table…..it was incredible.  After a few hours….we got in our cars and I followed him to WILD TYMES and we had enough time for a quick bite…..Wild Tymes has a sandwhich with chicken and cucumber with this absolutely to DIE for dressing on it..with sage in it and feta cheese…WOW my mouth was dancing!!!   He introduced me to some other musicians…one who had a sweet cane that he used to walk with…..of course, my BATON twirling years (don’t laugh) came rushing back and I quickly found out after a half a dozen twirls…that it just wasn’t like it was, when I was 8….the cane went flying and as I picked it up, I hear a quiet applause from another table. I’m thinking ‘Ooo cocky eh?’ .. and as I turned to look….16 years came at me like a freight train as two room mates of mine from the past…sat there, looking Fantastic!!! I think I hugged them for half a moon….Eli and JoeL. Eli left for New York to pursue his acting many years ago, we said our goodbyes and his former room mate and I shared his old place, for a bit…they have not changed much over the years, Eli now an Instructor for Theatre …WOW!!! Both of them happily married with beautiful families….My head was spinning!!! Read more