4 Nominations - Just Plain Folks Awards 2009
JPF Awards is the world's biggest music contest, with 42,000 CDs & 560,000 songs submitted. Only 1/3 of 1% of the submissions became nominees. Rebecca Zapen's album Japanese Bathhouse faired quite well. Rebecca is the only Florida artist to receive 3 song nominations.
Cabaret Album: Japanese Bathhouse
Cabaret Song: Japanese Bathhouse
Cabaret Song: Smile
Vocal Jazz Song: Dolores
To learn more about the contest, awards show, and this wonderful organization that is strengthening musical communities all over the world, visit jpfolks.com
Jacksonville's Musician of the Year: Rebecca Zapen The pride of Riverside, Rebecca has toured the U.S. as well as Europe but takes time to occasionally play for some of the local hospitals and other benefits and causes around the area. I saw her earlier this year at Shands Jacksonville as part of the Arts in Medicine Program, giving back to the community. We also saw her at the Florida Folk Festival this year and of course, she is a regular at the Casbah Cafe or the Casa Monica Hotel in St. Augustine. [ full article on Jacksonville.com ]
Gamble Rogers Festival
If you missed us at the Gamble Rogers Festival, here's a glimpse of a short plucked instrumental called Pizzicato #1, with Chelsea Chason on double bass. Thanks to Dorinda Pena for the footage.
Pizzicato #1 at GambleFest
All Albums available on iTunes & CD Baby! Hummingbird, Japanese Bathhouse, and ZapStar are available for purchase on CDBaby, or downloadable on iTunes [ iTunes ] [ CD Baby ]
"Nothing adequately prepares for the way in which her deeply personal album instantaneously envelops and never loses its grip.... The title song and others bring to mind no less than early solo McCartney and Brian Wilson's SMiLE.... One of those near-perfect hidden gems..."
-- Relix
"This one falls firmly into the "wow, this is really well (self) produced and (self) recorded at home category.' ... I suspect that the old adage that good sounding music is easy to record is also part of why this sounds so good. Zapen not only writes great songs and sings them well, but she also has real arrangement talents and plays a variety of instruments. "
-- Tape Op
Versatile violinist, vocalist, and songwriter Rebecca Zapen was named Jacksonville's Musician of the Year 2008, and recently received 4 nominations in the categories of Best Cabaret Album, Best Cabaret Song, and Best Vocal Jazz Song in the Just Plain Folks Awards 2009. Career highlights include Rebecca's recent performance as the musical guest on Public Radio International show "Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know?"; original songs in national promotion for Crocs shoes; winning 2nd in the Bushman World Ukulele Video Contest and her resulting endorsement with Bushman Music Works; Finalist in the 2007 DiscMakers' Independent Music World Series. Other highlights include appearances as jazz vocal soloist with the Hollywood Philharmonic Orchestra, and as the mandolin soloist in Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra's production of Mozart's opera Don Giovanni. She is an award-winning composer, earning the Silver Medal of Excellence in the category of "Best Use of Music in a Short Film" at the Park City Film Music Festival for her scoring of A Riverside Evening. As a session musician, Zapen has composed for and performed on recordings for soundtracks, public radio, theme parks, various musical groups, and television, including recent commercials for Truvia sweetener. Her music has been featured on NPR's All Songs Considered: Open Mic.
"Rebecca Zapen could easily be the long-lost love child of Astrud Gilberto and that side of Pink Floyd we glimpsed in “San Tropez.” On her latest release, Zapen will lure you with sleepy, laid-back vocals and creative instrumentation. ...Overall, Japanese Bathhouse sails delightfully along between the waters of pop and jazz, with gentle breezes and soft ocean sighs to soothe you on the way.. "
-- Performing Songwriter
(DIY Top 12 Picks)
"This is a debut that is already assured without swaggering, full of thoughtful and subtly emotive music which is the product of a discriminating set of players led by a singer who is clearly one to watch for." -- eJazzNews
Zapen's first musical memory was that of sitting under the baby grand piano as a toddler, her ears filled by the sounds of her mother playing Chopin, Beethoven, and Mozart. Her college years were filled with opera, orchestra, chamber music, and late night jazz jams. The journey continued to twist and unfold, rich in varied musical experiences: a four-year foray into Old World music in Klezmania, spoken word with eclectic folk, Gypsy jazz on a French campground. She walks her present path as a performer of range and depth: a classically-trained violinist, a vocalist and violinist in jazz quartet ZapStar, and an award-winning songwriter/composer. In her newest folk-pop configuration "every idiosyncrasy and personal quirk flourishes within the most sublime melodies and infectiously charming lyrics. Dreamy, ethereal ... Zapen's vocals swoon and sweep, instantly hypnotic and effortlessly charming..." (Subba-Cultcha UK). "The title song (Japanese Bathhouse) and others bring to mind no less than early solo McCartney and Brian Wilson's SMiLE.... One of those near-perfect hidden gems..." (Relix). Accompanying herself on ukulele, guitar, and violin, Zapen's music is mellow, creative, happy, and smart.
NEWS
TRUVIA COMMERCIALS Enjoying a sweet new taste on the market called Truvia? Catching any of the commercials on the telly? Rebecca's vocals are featured on several of the new commercials for the stevia sweetener Truvia. [ see Truvia ads ]
YOU BY CROCS POSTCARD COLLECTION Spring/Summer 2008 - Crocs Inc. has introduced its new spring and summer 2008 lines of footwear. The You by Crocs Postcard Collection includes 14 new styles inspired by by some of the most luxurious getaway destinations from around the world. YOU by Crocs produced a CD compilation "The Postcard Collection", which includes Rebecca's songs "Japanese Bathhouse" and "Dolores". [ YOU by crocs website ]
MUSICAL GUEST ON MICHAEL FELDMAN'S WHAD'YA KNOW? February 2, 2008 - A live broadcast from the Florida Theatre in Jacksonville, Florida. Guests include Mark Woods, columnist for the Florida Times-Union, Joan Peoples from Clarks Fish Camp and musical guest Rebecca Zapen. [ Whad'Ya Know website ]
2nd PLACE - BUSHMAN WORLD UKULELE VIDEO CONTEST! Many thanks to Bushman Music Works and owner John Hall for the prizes: ukulele & case, endorsement with Bushman Ukuleles, and an invitation to perform at the springtime Ukulele Luau festival held in late May, in Nashville, Indiana. Thanks to friends and family for your enthusiastic response to the video! Kudos to all the contestants! [ Watch Rebecca Zapen's video "Smile" ], from her album Japanese Bathhouse.
Jacksonville Magazine met with Rebecca Zapen for an interview and photoshoot for their November issue, in a piece titled "The Next Big Thing". Interview by Alison Trinidad, photography by Bradley A. Stookey.
HER LIFELONG LOVE HAS LED TO NASHVILLE
Interview by Mark Woods, from the August 29, 2007, issue of the Florida Times-Union. "The contest began with more than 1,300 bands. After the field was narrowed to 100, editors at Billboard magazine gathered in New York and chose six finalists to play in Nashville on Sept. 20." [ read article ].
Enjoying a sweet new taste on the market called Truvia? Catching any of the 
