From the 2000 Songwriter's Beat handout about 'our future plans':

- Plan to start a songwriting clinic series, encouraging performers to participate in sharing their creative process, exploring what factors nurture a creative environment (and identifying inhibiting factors) to begin facilitating a more productive and creatively satisfying musical life.

When I started the Songwriter's Beat in December 2000, I made a list of things I would like to see happen over the next few years:
1. to create a comfortable and supportive atmosphere; 2. to encourage songwriters to try new songs; 3. to create a Songwriter's Beat website; 4. to record and release a CD of Songwriter's Beat writers; and 5. to start a clinic series.

Slowly but surely these things are coming to fruition: over 140 singer/songwriters have graced the stage, we have a website (thanks Racine!), we have the We'll Carry On CD released on West Street Records. With the start of the Tuesday night songwriter workshop/clinic, another one of my dreams is coming true.

We are still working on an email newsletter, a resource webpage for songwriters, an international network of songwriter workshops, making live videotaping an option, creating live CD's, starting classes and specific workshops, but those are remaining future plans!

The Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street (between Bleecker and West 4th Sts) in Greenwich Village, NYC NY :: 212.989.9319

For more information and a local street map, please visit their website at corneliastreetcafe.com. The nearest subway stations are West Fourth Street (A, C, D, E, F, V) and Christopher Street (1).


From January to April 2003 we held our first ongoing songwriter's workshop. A creative success, the workshop met every first Tuesday of the month from 6pm to 8pm. Sign up for performers started at 5:30pm

The Songwriter's Beat workshop is taking a break for the summer! Look for us in the fall! Keep writing!

Things to keep in mind for the next workshop: Songs presented can be something written within the last month - finished or not - the idea is to try something new and encourage others to do the same.

We will also have a guest songwriter who will perform a few songs and be available for question and answer.

In addition, we will be hosting music industry guests to discuss various aspects of songwriting, record production, releasing an independent CD, and more. Bookmark this site for future reference!

WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT SINGERS?

"Why do we care about singers? Wherein lies the power of songs? Maybe it derives from the sheer strangeness of there being singing in the world. The note, the scale, the chord; melodies, harmonies, arrangements; symphonies, ragas, Chinese operas, jazz, the blues: that such things should exist, that we should have discovered the magical intervals and distances that yield the poor cluster of notes, all within the span of a human hand, from which we can build our cathedrals of sounds, is as alchemical a mystery as mathematics, or wine, or love. Maybe the birds taught us. Maybe not. Maybe we are just creatures in search of exaltation. We don't have much of it. Our lives are not what we deserve; they are, let us agree, in many painful ways deficient. Song turns them into something else. Songs shows us a world that is worthy of our yearning, it shows our selves as they might be, if we were worthy of the world."

from "The Ground Beneath Her Feet"
by Salman Rushdie


doors open 5:30pm
workshop starts at 6pm
featured writer/speaker at 7pm
No cover, $6 minimum on food/drink

If you'd like to be considered for The Songwriter's Beat (every third Wed of the month) come to the workshop and let us hear you in person! Bring your Cd's, try out new material. Make this your opportunity!



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