a Mighty night for music!

I had the great pleasure of working with some incredibly talented people last week and I invite you to read all about it  in this wonderful article by the North Shore News.

My most heartfelt thanks to Jeff Neill, Saffron Henderson and Sara Ramsay for joining forces with me to make this  music magic for  this great event!!  It was an honour and a privilge! 

Kudo's to Chris Trygg and all the incredibly talented musicians who gathered to share their support! It was truly an epic night but don't just take my word for it, please see links to more band videos below!!

                      Many thanks to Mick Dalla Vee for capturing, editing and playing in these videos!

BANG!, One Way Or Another

                                                                          Free Ride
                                                                   This Flight Tonight

Shakey Ground

Shook me/ All Right Now

photography @justjash

  HUGE  Thank you's  also go out to the ROXY Vancouver for providing a wonderful venue, as well as to Tom Lee Music for your wonderful backline!

Hitzone's Swing Thing hits the Hard Rock Casino Show Theatre

Last weekend the 5pc Hitzone core was joined by a horn section and the lovely Saffron Henderson for a Swing Revue that rocked the house. Alongside all of our current and favorite Hitz that keep guests dancing we sprinkled in some Roaring 20's Swing Tunes and got everyone doing the Charleston! What a night, we kept them dancing till the wee hours~! 

Hard Rock Casino Vancouver, Show Theatre! 

Hitzone is your one stop party stop, we make the music that makes your guests dance!  

Rachael Chatoor, vancouver singer, solo acoustic covers at Sheila`s Bistro!

I`m always adding tunes to the solo list! Here are a few from Sheila`s Bistro!


 




rach xo

killers don't come from good villages....

lots going on in this world
I sit with fingers poised over keyboards, daily
 ready to voice my thoughts
then I erase them
who am I?
what do I know?
nothing
someone is bound to challenge me
and then I will have to go deeper than I ever intended
in effort to find common ground and understanding
I don't always have the energy for that
since it has no use in the end anyhow...
besides blowing off steam

some people never find common ground in the first place
some people are broken
at home
or by us,
usually both
for instance the people who walk into schools and parliament buildings
and shoot to kill
something failed them
and we are a part of that,
like it or not
because killers
don't come from good villages

on the one hand the result of a rampage is more hatred
people are angry and they want heads
so they do and spew the very hatred
which pushed the lonely and misguided killer
down the darkest path they could find  in the first place

and so grows the divide
on every level

be careful
screams of injustice also give the lawmakers
plenty of freedom to put us all in chains
so that you can feel momentarily safe standing behind them
calling out your hatred
fueling their fire

unwitting accomplices....

because the problem we face on this continent
still is not inherent extremeism
the problem is with individuals
they are bullied
they feel isolated
they have metal issues
they fell through the net


see, I don't believe we have an extremeist problem in this country
most of us who live here are good people
most of us  hope the world is good
most of us don't care who's god you have faith in or if you don't
we know we all want the same basic things
for us, for our children
and no matter what or for whom
people who feel free to love others run towards a problem to eradicate it
and we all resonate more deeply when we see it
we call them heros
we feel the power of it because we do want the good
we want the peace
we want the freedom
we want to feel safe
but we will have no peace, freedom or safety anywhere
if people are hating others and someone is suffering somewhere

so fix your village
look around you
see what you can do
within
make sure no one is suffering
make sure you are not hating
others nor yourself
this is a wound that would fester and poison us all
if we let it
we don't want to let the government
chain us all up for our own safety
we must fix it within
and be the ones who run towards the problem
every single one of us
has the power
to not hate
and do something good
take your power and run with it

rachael  xo

three special songs

Last Sunday was an incredibly busy, well attended farmers market in Ladner Village. It was such a warm and appreciative crowd and I really enjoyed myself (and it was remarkably profitable to boot). As always there were many powerful and interesting interactions with the crowds of families but the most profound moment came while I was singing Fly at Night by Chilliwack. Suddenly out of nowhere appeared a man in a Canucks tshirt, he wasn't tall, was perhaps in his 20's and was seemingly  a person with Down Syndrome. He was standing right in front of me and I watched him for a while....his lip movements were a little compromised but for a second it looked like.....wait...yes......is he?........yes I think he is... he is singing along with the song. I smiled and turned my focus exclusively to him to confirm my observation and soon enough I became sure that he was mouthing the words along with me. At the end of the song I told him I was impressed with his singing and I asked if he was a Chilliwack fan? He said yes. So I told him I would sing another song for him and then I quickly explained to the crowd that I had recorded this song and used it to talk about bullying, then I began to play Baby Blue. Sure enough, every word I sang, he was singing along as well

, this time he was singing out loud. He stood right in front of me and I sang the entire song to him my eyes locked on his, his locked on mine (except to look back and beam once in a while towards his caregiver). I kept thinking how great it was that he had such great taste in music and I was vaguely aware that the crowd had started to notice this 'moment' too and were watching us. I was glad. I wanted them to see him, to see how beautiful he was, how freespirited, how powerfully he felt the music. I could see it, I wanted them to as well. After I finished the song we were beaming at each other and I told him I was impressed with his love of music. Then I dedicated "I Believe" to him and we sang that together too. My eyes never left him and again, word for word he matched my vocals. The crowd saw it and I could feel the love, it seemed as if we all recognized each others souls for a moment, human souls talking in a language that transcends everything. At the end of the song I put my hand out and high fived the young man. We smiled at each other, the smile on his face unmistakable, it was clear he is a music lover. He may very well forget me soon enough, I'm just a girl singing and strumming at the market but I myself am pretty sure I will never forget singing those three songs with him.

solo acoustic, live music sample, Rachael Chatoor at the Vancouver WebFestival

Rachael Chatoor LIVE at the Vancouver Web Fest by VanWebFest Hello friends, here are some snippets from my solo show. I can be hired for any event large or small, I can also add musicians as needed. Rachael

it's been a blast!

To all friends and fans of Barracuda, I wanted to tell you all personally how proufoundly my life has changed because you all love Heart music so much and show your love and appreciation to us. I have had experiences which I will carry with me forever and I thank you all so much for loving what we do. I assure you that every moment of music we play up there is truly delivered with heart, and I appreciate that you as an audience recognize that. I assure you, we feel it.



Which is why it saddens me (but only a little bit) to have to tell you that I have decided to step down in my position as Nancy Wilson in Barracuda.

I am a Mother of two children and when I set out on this wonderful journey I did not anticipate that the travel would take me away from my kids as much as it does. Since my kids are entering their teen years, I feel like I might miss everything if I am on the road.

And with the bookings coming in strong and steady next year already I know that Barracuda is poised to go to distant and wonderful places ....and so they should. My singing sister for the last two years, Donna Caruk, is truly the closest voice to Ann Wilson that I have ever heard and playing with her is like playing along to the record. I know that you all know it too because you all love to sing along with her just like I do and that is one of the most precious things that I will get to remember and carry with me always.

When Donna asked me to play this part a couple of years ago, my first words to her (after I realized that she was asking me to play Nancy and not Ann) were: "Don`t you know Taylor James?" I asked her this because:

Taylor has been my soul friend for the last 20 or so years. We were roomates back when she got her first electric guitar. I was learning rhythm at the time and we would sit on the living room floor and practice together till we fell asleep strumming.

Taylor carried on playing music in her life and I eventually put down my guitar, got married and had children. It is only recently that I returned to music. The reason I am telling you this is because I have seen Taylors dream as it's been built and I know how authentic it is.....and if I have to leave Barracuda and give my seat up, I couldn't think of a more perfect fit for the job than my soul sister, Taylor James.

Just as Donna is like "little Ann" Taylor is truly like "little Nancy" in all sorts of senses of the word.....I have known her for over 20 years now and I know in MY heart that she was meant to do this part. She will also bring a missing piece of the puzzle together for the line-up by bringing greater proficiency, which is the silver lining for Barracuda (so don't be sad, my sister D xoxoxox) ..and for YOU the audience, you will be blown away!

Which makes me so happy, because it will only get better. And that is why I am only a little bit sad about leaving because I am thrilled to be leaving you in very capable hands....

I am also taking with me many magnificent onstage experiences, new friendships, new skills, unexpected treasures and a newfound independence built on the knowledge that I can do anything I set my heart to. I have no doubt these gifts will arm, inspire and protect me throughout the next chapters that await. I have no fears about the challenges that I will face. So thank you all for that gift...... I have learned that I am comfortable writing my own book. I encourage you all to do the same.

And Taylor, she knows how much I've loved this gig, she told me that she wouldn't do this gig without my absolute blessing and so this is how I am telling her as well as ALL of you, that she not only has my blessing, but it is my hope and WISH that she takes the part! For I know she deserves the gifts that I have had the pleasure of opening. I can't help but look back on those nights we spent sitting on the living room floor playing guitar together and think that this is some sort of weird and wonderful, cosmic connection that has just come full circle...

So, my friends, when the time comes and you get to meet Taylor with Barracuda, please welcome my dear lifelong friend to the family with open arms, I absolutely know you are going to love her!!! xoxoxo