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We recently had Coco Love Alcorn in the studio. Now a double nominee of the 2010 East Coast Music Awards, it doesn’t seem to be going to her head. The award is a reflection of where her roots are and she comes across acknowledging that reality.
Her songwriting is witty, soulful, positive; she exudes a true relationship with her other artists and fans. How she seems to manage it is something that hopefully she can sustain as her popularity will no doubt grow. Coco Love connects and attracts other performers, they seem to love collaborating with her. Her name seems to pop up in the most unexpected places. She is multi-talented, plays trumpet, guitar, intertwines jazz, hip hop, folk and likely much more. It makes her different and in demand. Her unique mix gives fans and artists a surprise every time.
Coco’s music naturally matches her personality, wit and scat go hand in hand, old school Prince of Bel Air like hip hop showcases her spunk. She is great live with just her voice and a guitar, but when accompanied with a supporting cast she thrives in the randomness and spontaneity.
Her songwriting is a mix of moods, reflection, childlike play and passion in relationships. For example her song ‘Joyful’ gives us the permission to be happy, she lives it and it shows in her art form. In contrast ‘Intellectual Boys’ exposes her geek appeal. The anticipation of whats around the corner is something you’ll LOVE.
Coco performed at the RIO Theatre in Vancouver BC, Saturday December 12th
J Peachy
Visual Artist and Creative Catalyst
jay.peachy@yahoo.com
jpeachy.carbonmade.com
Producer Sound Therapy Radio
CJSF 90.1 FM
soundtherapyradio.com
On our show last nite we interviewed Lisa Walker an artist from Gallery Gachet. She talked about her exhibition: Migration Patterns. It so happens that we had a deep discussion about the experience of home. It made me realize how important the word ‘home’ is.
When we speak about homelessness, its really more sophisticated than housing and a roof over ones head. Its about a feeling of safety, emotion, love, creativity, free play and all the beautiful things in the world. Many take for granted the meaning of ‘HOME’. For those that don’t have it, its a void they likely don’t know how to fill. They find other ways to achieve it, however it is not sustainable or something they believe is under their control.
I recall a time in my life where there was much consternation, I somehow found myself back home. It became a place where free childhood memories came to mind, there were other ones (maybe not so nice) too. However, the feeling of peace associated with it still seemed to overcome. It became about simplicity in a complicated time in my life, it was grounding when I was lost in the clouds and it was a trusted life raft in what I perceived were oceans of despair.
It really saddens me that many do not get to have this feeling of safety, this respite from a scattered world. People deserve the feeling of home, no matter what their circumstances or the poor choices they may have made in the past. Home is a part of human nature and ‘HOME’ lessness is a word that is bigger than we really have come to believe it is. It is difficult yet important work to give everyone the chance at having the feeling of HOME.
Lisa Walker’s exhibit: Migration Patterns runs until January 3, 2010 at Gallery Gachet
J Peachy
Visual Artist and Creative Catalyst
jpeachy.carbonmade.com
Producer Sound Therapy Radio
CJSF 90.1 FM
soundtherapyradio.com
J Peachy flies solo on this episode of Jambalaya, which features tracks from the CJSF playlist. May take a moment to load. Enjoy, lather, rinse, repeat.
Part 1 (30 mins)
Part 2 (30 mins)
In this episode, Sound Therapy explores issues on Spirituality. As we are exposed to different methods of aligning our chakras, chi, spirit and mojo, the information on these practices can get terribly overwhelming. In the first part of the episode we will be speaking with Alexandra Amor, a woman whose spiritual longings led her into the oppressive world of a BC cult. Part 2 we speak with Marja Bergen, founder of the Christian based mental/spiritual health group Living Room Support.
In studio playing live is singer/songwriter John Pippus. John is based in Vancouver and creator of the critically acclaimed play Oh Winnipeg. The production was a pick of the Fringe at the 2009 Vancouver Fringe Festival.
In case you missed the live broadcast have a listen to our archive below.
Part 1: Alexandra Amor. Cult, A Love Story
Alexandra Amor is the author and subject of Cult, A Love Story, a powerful and intimate memoir chronicling one woman’s experience under the spell of a manipulative leader in a BC cult and the hard-won break and triumphant recovery from thought reform.
Part 2: Marja Bergen, Living Room Support
Often times mental health issues are dangerously mistaken as a spiritual crisis. Many spiritual leaders are misinformed about the biological and social issues around mental health and this ignorance prevents individuals suffering certain conditions from getting the vital help they need. We speak with Marja Bergen, founder and facilitator of Living Room Support whose faith based support group gives Christians dealing with mental health issues a safe environment to self-manage their condition in balance with their faith.
Also performing Live is Musical guest John Pippus
Broadcast Date: Monday December 21st, 7pm CJSF 90.1 FM, Burnaby, BC, Canada. On-line cjsf.ca
Archived episode below. May take a moment to load.
Part 1 (30 mins)
Part 2 (30 mins)
Join J Peachy and Gleyse for a special episode of Jambalaya. J Peachy has now moved into the 7pm Tuesday evening time-slot and Gleyse is moving to Monday at 5pm. So we had to have a party! Have a listen while J and Gleyse play musical ping pong and pick tracks from each of their playlists. Also, Gleyse pipes in with her political opinion, which is something to behold. May take a moment to load.
Part 1 (30 mins)
Part 2 (30 mins)
So why should the public care about Mental Health anyways?
December 12, 2009 in Commentary | Tags: canadian mental health system, mental health | by J Peachy | 1 comment
So for members of the general public who may not have experienced the mental health system, why should this issue matter to them? In the MH community it is common knowledge that 1 in 5 people will be seriously affected by a mental health issue, whether in an official diagnosis or not. So what does that mean? In today’s society we seem to attribute value with productivity, taxes and other quantitative factors. Social factors are not easily valued by many.
So for those people who are defined by the numbers, here is an economic argument to consider.
Imagine you have a business, and one of your best employees suffers from a mental illness; you don’t know when they will come back, and even if they do, a relapse can happen at anytime. How does that affect the viability of your business, how does it affect your clients and your staff? What is the cost if you are aware of this and improperly manage the situation because of your ignorance?
If you are an insurance company, what are the costs for short and long term disability payouts. What are you doing to help employers (your clients) avoid health and payout issues. Are you proactive on this or you just prefer to create such high standards of proof for disability, you don’t pay out anyways. Imagine the legal and court costs of this strategy, is it really more cost effective? Ethics aside of course.
If you are an administrator of the medical system, how many bed stays are for mental health related conditions? How many secondary health issues are there with people who have not been able to manage their mental health issues? How is this affecting your funding? Are you fully engaged in the world of mental health to know what the medical system is entitled to? Are we looking at alternative therapies that may be more efficient, which require less expensive visits to doctors.
If you are a family member who has a relation suffering from a disorder, how does this affect your life? Do you choose to downplay and ignore it? If your spouse, sibling or relative has to miss countless days of work, how does that affect their ability to support themselves economically.
I am not quite sure how to add up these costs, but these are not pie in the sky scenarios; these are real conditions, with real consequences, it demands a true understanding. People can no longer hide from the issue, it affects everyone! We need to cut through the ignorance, stigma and misinformation around Mental Health issues. Discussions need to be open, compassionate, constructive and need to have subsequent actions.
Truly, it is costing us alot, it is costing people’s lives.
J Peachy
Visual Artist and Creative Catalyst
jpeachy.carbonmade.com
Producer Sound Therapy Radio
CJSF 90.1 FM
soundtherapyradio.com
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