FINALLY!

I am sitting here at 1:13 in the morning and reflecting on my day. What an emotional day it was!! I have gotten to the point of getting the band I could only dream of, background singers to die for, the venue I could only hope to have and a musical set that's coming together in a way that has taken this show in a direction I didn't think it would go at first! I honestly had to sit and cry today...all by myself...for about 10 minutes.

This is my life story and it's important for me to own it. My Naldo has reminded me over and over how important it is that I stay true to what I believed in my head, my heart, my soul. To bring my dream to life. I was reminded ever so dearly by one of my longest life friends on my facebook page today that she was proud to call me her friend because I never gave up on reaching my dream. Wow.......that hit me like a ton of bricks! I think this is the very FIRST thing that I have ever come full circle on something SO important. I couldn't have done it without my husband, family and friends but mostly my sponsors! You can't imagine how easy you made this for me to even 'accept.' See....I have WANTED to do this show for a VERY long time but not just ANY old show in ANY old place at ANY old time. I just CAN'T do things that way. I have patience, I CAN wait...for the better option.

Today was a very emotional day for me because a 'baby' is FINALLY being born...coming to life, out of my mind and body. YOU have helped me achieve this and I can't thank you enough. This trip down memory lane for me is going to bring up some sadness. This past year, as you all know I lost my number one fan- my Dad. I can't tell you how difficult it is going to be for me. But, I thank you all for your support!! I FEEL IT!!! I Luv U all! XO

Out With the Old, In With The New!!

A little over a month ago, we launched a fundraiser on Kick Starter and failed to raise our minimum goal of $3,000.00 therefore we were not funded at all because with Kick Starter, it's all or nothing funding. I say out with the old.

You all came together for us yet again when we launched our very own official fund raising page and we are once again on our way to making our dream show come true. Thank you from our hearts to yours.

With that being said, I've had some time to sit and think and reflect on the experience and how you all truly believe in this show as much as me to want to support it that, I want nothing but the best. As you know, a show like what I have in mind takes a lot of time, energy, and funding! My first word was 'time' and we are running out of "Fall" time so my vision of a Fall show is now passing us by. But it's all good because I want 'quality' as well, so I am going to push the show debut to early spring (as I could never do it in the coming winter through impending weather conditions). This way, we will have more fund raising time, realistic goals of rehearsal and show planning, and booking the 'perfect' place (which I still have not found yet). In the mean time, our company LionKhat Productions will also work on mini fund-raising events like wine tasting parties and dinners to help us reach our goals. One with the new!! :)

You can now at anytime and with any amount, make secure donations at:

http://masterjam.us

Of course you know I will keep you posted on all the new plans!

Luv,

Sugar

Let's GO!

Today I launched the Masterjam fund raising project on kickstarter.com and withing minutes of the launch I got my first pledge! I can't tell you how excited I am about kickstarter and you friends, family and fans. We have the opportunity to raise funds from around the globe and from folks we have never met that just feel that your project is worth while. What a wonderful concept.

As most of you know, Fall is my very favorite time of year and the show theme will be: "Fall Back in Time" a 70's event, how exciting right? I also have to mention, when my husband and I married 10 years ago, we started a small production company named LionKhat Productions which bought me out of singing retirement with "Lysa Davis & Company" and we had a long talk last night about getting our company involved in this project by becoming the producers of the show. We are going to put our all into this venture and bring you a great time to remember. I started this blog with "I'm Ready" because I am. Then "We're Set" because we are. Now LET'S GO...onward and up!! Yes, YOU and me...lets go, head on over to http://kck.st/9piMzF and make your pledge to make something beautiful happen this Fall! :)

We're Set!

Well...I believe we have reached the point of forming the band! This is a very exciting time for me. I have been wanting to do this project for so long and with so many different people and it just never worked out and I started to believe that it never would. The time has finally come.

I am truly blessed to have this array of musicians in my life. Some have come to me through others and have never met me in person. To hear that these people 'know of and respect' me musically, was a sobering fact and testament to me myself, as a vocalist and person. It actually bought tears to my eyes to hear how much these musicians really 'want' to be apart of my journey. I appreciate all of them and luv them from my heart.

And they are; Rick Santos, John Vaughan, Scott Tarulli, Rusty Hughes, Joe Esposito, Eric Bloom, Debbe Lewis, Gilda Betancourt, Lisa Couto, Lorna Jean, Darryl Walker, Royal Laurant and Shawnn Monteiro & Janis Gaye for Bella Rose productions. They have inspired me to see greatness with this unit.

Speaking of Shawnn Monteiro, I met Shawnn when I was just about 17 years old. I kept being asked if I WAS her or if I was her sister. Finally I went to see her sing and when I walked in, I could SEE why people kept asking me about her. She looked more like me than my own sisters. When I met her sister Jan, I was floored because Shawnn kept telling me that her sister looked just like my late sister Bula and my goodness, it's like I have my sister back here with me when Jan is in the room. Shawnn and I have spent 30 years together and have been through everything you can imagine. She has been there for me more than I can remember to the point of her telling everyone I am her baby sister. Shawnn's sister Jan is the wife of the late great Marvin Gaye (the Mother of Nona Gaye) and she just moved here to RI to form a company with Shawnn called Bella Rose Productions and Masterjam is one of our first projects. I am so proud to have them both in my life and in my world and I thank them for helping me in this quest.

Now that I have the best people in my world, in my corner...I can finally say We're All Set!

I'm Ready!

I have been an avid Rufus & Chaka Khan fan from as far back as I can remember. I still get goose-bumps when I hear Chaka's voice. There's just no one like her to me. I guess you could say, how can I do this tribute to her? Sometimes I wonder myself. Yet, I have studied her for so long and even slept, ate and drank her. It feels like she is a 'part' of me in some odd way. In all my cover bands, it's all I wanted to sing was CHAKA! I know that people in New England where I am from, equate me with her so much because of it.

So here I am...in my 40's and FINALLY taking on my dream to put together a tribute band to her and her band mates, Rufus. I am calling the band "Masterjam" after one of her songs and album name, because it's a great song and name. I lost my Dad almost a month ago now and he was my number one fan and I miss him so much it is hard to breathe some days but I know he would want me to do what I do best and that is to sing. He was also a good singer and knew the 'bug' I had been bitten by very well. My uncles all played instruments and had their own Cape Verdean band. I am so proud to be a part of the "Santos/ Gomes" family. Not to slight my Mom's Tavares family at ALL because they too are filled with great singers. I didn't have a chance I guess.

So now that I am on this quest...I am feeling so many different emotions at once! I have a lot of great people on my side and in my corner! I can't thank them all enough and you will be hearing about them here in this blog. Speaking of which, I decided to write this blog as a memory milestone of this wonderful project I am about to take on, because I never want to forget it. I can honestly say, I am scared, elated, joyful, ready to burst into tears, sad, happy, grateful but most of all PROUD to embark on this new journey. Come with me....