Cami Thompson Music

Well, the TV world finally got to see a glimpse of this wonderful hummingbird of joyful noise Whitney Meyer, who has been my voice student for over a year in Reno. Her audition performance for the judges of the TV show "The Voice" aired last night (Feb. 27, 2012) on national television. And she KICKED ASS!! All 4 judges chose her and turned around - some very early on. If you don't know this show, 4 celebrity judges listen blindly (their backs to the stage) to dozens of singers, deciding who they like by hitting a button that turns their seat around so they can see them, in order to build a team of 12 great singers each who will compete with each other and each of 4 teams over the course of the season. Many singers, though they make it through the audition process with many various show producers and executives, do not even get one judge to turn around. So for Whitney to get all 4 to hit their buttons - Adam doing it after listening for only about 20 seconds of her 90 second audition - is a rare and wonderful thing.

Where she goes from here on The Voice is left to the fickle finger of Fate of the Media Kingdom. But where her career takes her... and where she chooses to take it - well, that is something I am looking forward to witnessing.

I love you Whitney, and I am so very very proud of you.

Ok - last week of rehearsals! ...always gives me the little anxious heart flutters when I try to fall asleep!

But I think our production of "Thoroughly Modern Millie" will be wonderful. We open Friday October 7 and run through Oct. 23 in Pleasanton CA at the Firehouse Arts Center.

Presented by Pacific Coast Repertory Theatre, directed by the delightfully awesome Dyan McBride, with music direction by Pat Parr and choreography by Renee Deweese, this show is sure to please folks of all ages, backgrounds and styles. Set in New York in 1922, TMM takes you on a mad-cap journey through the new life of a new "Modern", a young girl from Kansas who wants to accept the changes in the way modern city women's lives are lived... and loved. Flappers, jazz music, big business, white slavery, first loves, night clubs, deep secrets, fancy parties, soy sauce - what more can they throw at you??? Rhythm and romance and laughter abound! Hope to see you there! 

Hey, if CDs are getting to be a drag, be sure to look for me on your favorite digital music website... I can be found on iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody, Amazon, Mp3, etc. Here are the iTunes links for 4 of my CDs, including the newest one, "Swing! Swang! Swung! Live with the Reno Jazz Orchestra".  You can choose to buy the whole CD download for less than the physical copy, or buy individual songs for 99cents each! The albums on Itunes can be found here:

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"SWING! SWANG! SWUNG!" (Just released 10-10-10) at iTunes Store

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"NO MORE BLUES" (my first CD) at iTunes Store 

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"BY REQUEST" (SOLD OUT - currently only available digitally) at iTunes Store

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"COLORS OF CHRISTMAS" at iTunes Store

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Please have a look and a listen, and feel free to write a review! If you don't have iTunes, here is a link to their FREE download site: iTunes  

Thanks for listening!

My prayers were answered and all kinds of wonderful performances are just ahead for me! I am very excited to be bringing my Bay Area band Cami & The Cosmopolitans to my hometown Reno for the first time on Wednesday, July 8, as we head over to Mammoth Lakes the next day for their awesome 4-day jazz festival. Our concert in Reno will be at the beautiful and generous Grand Sierra Resort Casino, in the Reno ballroom - perfect for dancing and relaxing and listening to some great jazz - and a great fundraiser for Nevada Opera Company. Then on to Mammoth Lakes Jazz Jubilee, where we perform 8 shows over 3 days - check out my calendar page for details. Then I'm back in Reno for 2 performances with Sierra Nevada Ballet, as their musical director and guest artist: 1) July 16 at 8:00 PM in Wingfield Park - free show as part of Artown; and 2) July 18 at Brewery Arts Center in Carson City, a 7:30 concert of "Best Of Broadway". Sunday July 19 I'll be at Sands by the Pool for the Artown and FTLOJ concert series, playing with my jazz trio from 6 to 8 -- free concert! And July comes to an exciting climax for me on Monday July 27 with the Reno Jazz Orchestra at Bartley Ranch Amphitheater.

Cami is performing in the 1930 Gershwin musical "GIRL CRAZY", in the comic sidekick role of Kate Fothergill, the character that introduced Ethel Merman to the Broadway stage, and made famous the snappy "I Got Rhythm". The show is produced by 42nd Street Moon Theater Company in San Francisco, and runs 4 weeks thru Nov. 16. Cami is VERY excited as this is her first theatrical role outside of Northern Nevada, and hopes many of you can venture to Eureka Theater in San Francisco for this unique glimpse into a forgotten Broadway classic. Tickets are on sale by phone or website - more info at her CALENDAR page.

Cami can help you discover your strongest, healthiest and most expressive voice! And yes, you CAN afford it! * Develop correct, powerful BREATHING * Increase vocal RANGE and CONTROL * Improve QUALITY and tone of voice * Discover your OWN UNIQUE SOUND * Find your "personal power" in a song * Get advice on the variety of opportunities in the music business * Learn techniques for reducing stress onstage, at auditions, in school * Become more CONFIDENT in all that you do - singing, speaking, living - by gaining self-awareness, self- expression and self-esteem In her lessons and clinics, Cami first guides the student through relaxation and stretching techniques to calm, connect and energize the body. Then she teaches proper breathing for the most powerful and healthy sound. Finally she shares her vocal techniques and singing exercises that have helped hundreds of students create a strong, clear, expressive voice they love, and love to share! Cami can help you prepare for auditions, shows, goals, and can coach in improvisation, interpretation and presentation. Cami is currently teaching private lessons in Reno and the Bay Area, and is available for clinics and group classes as well. "Cami is dynamic, knowledgeable: her vocal jazz expertise is second to none. Her ideas and direction are clear and easy to grasp, and she is one of the few who really understands scat syllables and vocal improvisation." .... Peggy Vax, President, No. Calif. Unit, International Association of Jazz Educators (I.A J.E.) "Cami has given 2 clinics for my musical theater students - the improvement was great! The kids LOVE her, they still practice her exercises before rehearsals, and they can't wait for her to come back!" ....Sabrina Cellucci, Drama teacher, Reno High School "I've asked Cami to return again this year to give another clinic to my Jazz Choir. She works with their interpretation of songs as well as their solos, and helps give the choir sound a better blend. Well worth the money! They love to talk about her business experience, too!" ....David Robinson, Vocal Jazz Director, El Camino High, Sacramento

Cami is featued on the cover of the new January issue of teh Northern Nevada regional magazine :RLife:, and its lead story is all about her life on and off stage! Their magazine motto: Real people. Real Places. Real Passion. Click here to find out how to subsribe and get a copy! http://www.rlifemagazine.com/jan08/magazine/ RLife will also be launching their new website with Cami as their feature web interview by editor Jackie Shelton.... lots of insights into her life and life style, family, music, ethics... and new and unusual photos! so click on and enjoy an inside look at the real Cami Thompson... http://www.rlifemagazine.com/jan08/features/cami.php

Well, the nights are getting chilly and the leaves across the Sierra are ablaze with bright oranges, yellows and reds! The holidays are quickly approaching, so I have moved my delightful Christmas CD, "Colors of Christmas" to the top of the list on my LISTEN and PURCHASE web pages, so you can find it quickly. It's the favorite CD of my family (maybe because they all got to sing on it!) - but mostly because of the feel-good emotions and the warm romance of it all.... Makes a great gift to bring to a Holiday party when your fruit cake has lost its uumph, and you can't decide on the right wine! If you already have this CD, please write a few words about it in my GUESTBOOK and share your thoughts. And don't forget - this album is available digitally - iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, wherever you go to buy digital download music -- you can buy one song or the whole album. Two other CDs available, too. Happy Holidays!

"RENO GIRL MAKES GOOD!" I keep hearing from people across the country who happened to watch "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE!" on July 19 and hear that my 2000 recording of "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" (from my CD "By Request") had been selected for the opening group dance song featured on that night. It aired nationally (at 9:00 pm PST) on Fox TV stations and I hope you caught it - it was the first song! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for sending me your congratulations and best wishes! This program has now been licensed to several countries, so the blessings continue with royalty checks coming soon! Here is the link to the website for "So You Think You Can Dance"... http://www.fox.com/dance/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So how did they happen to choose me?... One of the choreographers, Jean Marc, was hoping to use Bette Midler's version of "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" that week for a big swing dance production, but because she was on vacation and unable to respond to the quick request, Jean Marc searched iTunes for another version and discovered mine. I'm so thrilled that he chose it over so many others to be used for their hot new TV show. It was edited in length for the broadcast, but you can listen to it in its entirety right now on my website... http://camithompson.com/music.html, or on Itunes or dozens of other Internet music sites. My recording of "Boogie Woogie" features wonderful musicians I have been playing with for many years, some for decades: Tony Savage on drums, Richard Ray on bass, Peter Supersano on piano, Frank Falcioni on guitar. My friend Remmel Wilson let me use his horn arrangement, which showcases the trumpet stylings of Matt Nygren, with Paul Lenz (trumpet), Rich Lewis (trombone) and Remmel Wilson and Brian Landruss on saxes. Thanks for the great notes, guys!!! That's my voice overdubbed with up to 4 tracks of harmony which I arranged. We recorded it in my hometown Reno at IMIRAGE SOUND LAB, the awesome studio of recording genius "Too Tall" Tom Gordon! http://www.myspace.com/imiragesoundlab Remmel Wilson's CD can be found here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/baronvonremmel ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I feel truly grateful to be a music-maker, and I thank the Universe for my abundant Blessings!!!! Thanks to you all for listening!

Wel, I'm either too short or my head's too small for the wigs -- !!! -- at Beach Blanket Babylon in San Francisco, so they passed me by after my callback. I appreciate the opportunity and the experience.... (now if I could just get CAST!!!) ... NEXT?