Gina Higginbotham Mother of Music Under NY

On September 29th we lost Gina Glaser Higginbotham. She was a champion of the arts, of music in public spaces and certainly of keeping music alive and thriving in the subway stations of NYC.  Gina along with her husband Tim (who still is tirelessly working as the MUNY consultant) started the Music Under New York program. What many people did not know is her own personal background as an incredibly talented folk artist in her own right.  As I post this my heart is heavy for Tim and his family at the loss of their dear Gina.  

Gina in one of her favorite places in the world, Venice.  I was always so excited to she her wearing one of my nycsubwaygirl t-shirts.

Gina in one of her favorite places in the world, Venice.  I was always so excited to she her wearing one of my nycsubwaygirl t-shirts.

Gina will be missed. As a member of MUNY since 1999 I was always in awe of Gina's ear and knowledge of music.  She championed music in public spaces and her tireless support for the program was clear every time we would connect during the annual audition process. Happy journey Gina.

Music Under NY Violinist Luellen Abdoo Sparks Grand Central Tango

I was recently approached by fellow Music Under New York artist Luellen Abdoo who asked me to film a short music video of her. Still dizzy with excitement from my recent Chain Film Festival Best Documentary Web Series win, I was happy to put my energy into a fun video like this.

Thanks Luellen!  

Chain Film Fest screening now online

The first screening of my films was last night. It was a fun night of meeting other film makers and seeing great films with an NYC theme. The next screening will be Thursday August 14, at 9 PM of my Documentary Short film, The Inspiration Project, and Web Series selection, Music Under NY Auditions 2013.

The Official Selection versions are below and you can rate them on the Chain Film Festival website, see the links below each clip. Even if you can't attend the screenings in person, I invite you to share with your friends and family.

link to rate Music Under NY Auditions 2013 web series on the Chain Film Fest website

link to rate The Inspiration Project short documentary on the Chain Film Fest website

I want to thank everyone over the years who has answered the question, "What Your Inspiration?" and in doing so, motivating me to continue asking and finding beauty in spontaneous interactions with passersby. This project would not be possible without you all. 

Thanks so much!

The Chain Film Festival continues until August 17.  There are some wonderful films in this charming Film Festival in Long Island City, NY. Get Directions I plan on going to many of the screenings.  See the schedule here

Q+A with festival director KIrk GostKowski photo by Ini Udosen

Q+A with festival director KIrk GostKowski photo by Ini Udosen

Picked from hundreds of submissions from all over the world, The Chain NYC Film Festival is presenting 108 films. From short documentaries to full length narratives and web series; encompassing work from filmmakers in Australia, Belgium, France, UK as well as our own Long Island City; an innovative and diverse set of topics is curated in thematic groups, featuring both indie actors on the brink of stardom as well as actors such as Academy Award Nominee Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight), Louis Lombardi (The Sopranos), Nicholas Brendon (Xander from Buffy), and the debut lead performance of 2014 Miss Golden Globes, Sosie Bacon (Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick’s daughter).
 
Films will be presented on a rotating schedule from August 4 through August 17.Tickets are $10 for all performances. For more information please visit www.chainfilmfestival.com.

The Inspiration Project: Official Selection at Chain Film Festival

I am really excited to share that my The Inspiration Project series episode Music Under New York auditions 2013, and my short film The Inspiration Project are both official selections in the Chain NYC Film Festival. Check out my screenings:

Aug 4th, 8pm and August 14th, 9pm

Chain NYC Film Fest - 21-28 45 Rd Long Island City, NY 11101 Get Directions

Special thanks to all those who have stepped in front of my camera to answer, "What's your Inspiration?" I look forward to sharing your moving and uplifting answers with these two film selections. 

image by Nousha Salimi

image by Nousha Salimi

For those who can't make the screenings, I will post the edited Film Festival Selections after the first screening date and you can rate the films on the festival website even if you can't make it to the theater. 

Thanks for all your love and support and see you in the subways. 

Picked from hundreds of submissions from all over the world, The Chain NYC Film Festival is presenting 108 films. From short documentaries to full length narratives and web series; encompassing work from filmmakers in Australia, Belgium, France, UK as well as our own Long Island City; an innovative and diverse set of topics is curated in thematic groups, featuring both indie actors on the brink of stardom as well as actors such as Academy Award Nominee Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight), Louis Lombardi (The Sopranos), Nicholas Brendon (Xander from Buffy), and the debut lead performance of 2014 Miss Golden Globes, Sosie Bacon (Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick’s daughter).
 
Films will be presented on a rotating schedule from August 4 through August 17.Tickets are $10 for all performances. For more information please visitwww.chainfilmfestival.com.

The Back Of The Busk webseries

Back Story to the clip: Last October, Mithun Bhat and Nick Capezzera saw me performing in Grand Central and filmed my performance for their up and coming web series, "The Back Of The Busk." In turn I filmed them for my Inspiration Project. The next day, Mithun and crew traveled to Union Square to interview me for their episode.

It's fun to see how my episode turned out. In it I sing my songs: What Fools Do, Good Thing, Through My Eyes, and Comin' Back To Me.

Check out inspirations from Mithun, Michael, Nick, and Hardy the rest of the film crew, and to help in better context, one from Music Under NY musician Delpin Tardio whom I mentioned in the Back Of The Busk interview.

NYCSubwayGirl on the Big Screen

I created a video about my experience performing in public spaces for a concert I gave at the Hudson Opera House this past June. I included it in my August 8th show at Joe's Pub in NYC. Peter Biskind executive director of FilmColumbia was in the audience and asked to put it in this years festival. FilmColumbia is a wonderful film festival in Chatham, NY. It might be a small town, but thanks to a wonderful community filled with film buffs and many professionals in the cinema world, we are thrilled each October to see firsthand some of the best films to be released throughout the coming year.

I enjoyed watching my film "Inspirations From The Underground" to a packed Crandell Theatre on opening night before the new Dustin Hoffman directed film "Quartet."  Funny how after decades of being on stage and only a few years of making video for my website I would be in a movie theatre watching myself up on the big screen.  It was quite a thrill.

The film is a short about the story of my life as a performer in the underground of NYC and the people I meet.

filmed in locations:

34th st - 41st + Park Times Square - 47th @ 6th ave - 57th @ 6th ave Columbus Circle - Grand Central Shuttle  Graybar Grand Central - LIRR - Rockefeller Center - Staten Island Ferry  and Union Square 

© words and music by Cathy Grier Singerfish Publishing SESAC

Jungle, Birds Bop, Question Of Desire, Cool Trick, Good thing, Down On My Knees, Protecting My Heart, Keep U Out

also with kind permission: Amazing Grace - traditional, You've got A Friend - Carole King, Closer To Fine - Indigo Girls, Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen