I Quit12/11/2024 I quit piano after junior high. Tried guitar in high school, but it hurt. So I quit that, too. I thought for a long time I would never be able to accompany myself. Then 8 years ago, on a trip to visit my little sister in Hawaii, I picked up my first ukulele. It has been the best musical instrument partner I could ask for. And we’ve gotten to do so many cool things together ever since. It’s never too late to learn something new! With gratitude, Ashley  Like what you read and want more?Subscribe to my newsletter to enjoy these musical updates, stories, and tips straight from your email inbox!
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We've been running on all cylinders lately at the Orlando household. Ethan seems to be nearing the end of the infamous 4-Month Sleep Regression, a dreaded "new parent period" that can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks and hits you like a frying pan. What's worse is that it hits just as your baby is starting to giggle, show his personality, nap easily and sleep through the night. Coupled with a busy sprint of gigs last week, I had barely enough energy to stay awake till a whopping 9pm each evening! But I am even more grateful that he seems to be napping better again so I can catch up on sleep and let you know a few exciting events on the calendar! First, I'll be playing my solo French set for the first time at Louisiana's Old State Capitol on January 30, 2024, during a special reception honoring the Bicentennial of General Lafayette's Farewell Visit to Louisiana. And for those of you who have been asking me to do another show locally, I'm excited to announce an intimate DUO HOUCE CONCERT with Brian Breen on guitar Saturday, Feb. 1, at Calmes House Concerts in Central, LA! RSVP to [email protected]. Wishing you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving! Ashley  Calmes House Concerts
Ashley Orlando @ My French Book Fest10/31/2024  The Consulate General of France in Louisiana, Villa Albertine, and Alliance Française of New Orleans invite you to discover the world of children’s literature in French, at the 3rd annual My French Book Fest, held at the West Baton Rouge Museum on November 14-16, 2024!
My French Book Fest is a celebration of youth literature in French. For the first time ever, a portion of the festival will be held at the West Baton Rouge Museum in Port Allen (and will include a musical performance by yours truly)! On November 14-16, the museum will open its doors to the public for events including:
This festival is geared toward children in French immersion school, children in French class, children who hear French spoken by family members, and for parents who want their children to learn French. It's a great way to experience French as a living language in Louisiana outside of the school, classroom, or home. I hope to see you there. A bientôt! Ashley Join Me This Weekend!10/15/2024 Fall weather is on its way to south Louisiana, and the timing couldn't be more perfect because I'll be playing outside ALL WEEKEND :) Come on out, say hi, and enjoy a bit of sweet jazz while you shop for fresh veggies, beautiful art, and unique Christmas presents:
With gratitude, Ashley  Too Good To Be True10/7/2024 Have you ever received an offer that seemed plausible but also a little too good to be true?
Last week I opened Instagram to a message from a women's coach in central Florida. She found me online and wanted to book me to play live music during her women's luxury retreat this fall. "Is this something you'd be interested in?" she asked. After doing a bit of my own research on her and her business, I responded: "Sure! I'd need to move a few things around though since I'm based in Baton Rouge. Could you give me a bit more detail about what you're looking for?" Her response: "Omg! I thought you were in Orlando! lol" This isn't the first time someone has thought I was FROM or IN Orlando, BUT, on the flip side, I must be doing something right if I'm popping up in Google searches! AND my music really would have been perfect for her type of event, so now I can keep my eyes open for future opportunities like it closer to home! In the meantime, please keep all those in central Florida in your thoughts and prayers as they prepare for Hurricane Milton this week. And if a "too good to be true" opportunity shows up at your door in the near future, I hope you look for a way to turn it into a gift, too. With gratitude, Ashley Got Plans This Sunday?9/13/2024 I'm excited to announce a last-minute gig has popped up for THIS Sunday, Sept. 15, from 11am to 3pm at The Village At Willow Grove Arts Market (off Perkins Road) in Baton Rouge! If you have some free time, come on out and say hi/enjoy the music while you shop. This is my first solo jazz gig since maternity leave, and I'd love to see you--it's been so long! Speaking of performances, check out my rendition of Norah Jones' jazz/pop hit, "Don't Know Why," which I recorded recently for RockClass101.com. I look forward to seeing you out in the world again! With gratitude, Ashley One Enchanted Evening8/22/2024 A few people have asked me when I'm planning to do another show :) Honestly, it's gonna be a little while since I'm still "officially" on maternity leave and learning how to keep our tiny human fed and happy. Babies are adorable AND, of course, come with a steep learning curve. BUT, I am looking forward to coming out of hibernation Sunday, October 13th to see a fabulous show called "Some Enchanted Evening," at the Manship Theater at Shaw Center for the Arts in Baton Rouge! If you like the Great American Songbook, you’ll love this show. I’ve been following band leader Benny Benack III for a while now and am always pleasantly surprised by both his jazz trumpet-playing and his silky smooth crooner vocals. How exciting that he and his crew are making a rare appearance right here in the Red Stick. Tickets are available now here. I hope to see you there! With gratitude, Ashley  Upside Down8/9/2024 Baby O must have heard me complaining about how uncomfortable I was toward the end of pregnancy because he decided to show up a couple weeks early on July 17th! My birth experience was a bit of a dream (surprisingly quick and drama-free--I drove myself to the hospital and had him just 7 hours later without needing to be induced). So far all he does is eat, sleep, poop, and make a whole lot of strange newborn noises (maybe he'll have a musical ear after all), but he has certainly turned our world upside down (day is currently night and night is day... :/). Even so, he already has our hearts. While I'm still on maternity leave, I've started cantoring again once a week or so for an hour at a time--like "trial runs" as I figure out how to be both a musician AND a mom. When your babe expects to be fed every 2-3 hours, this can be a surprising challenge, but we're learning. Thank you so much for all your support and well wishes! With gratitude, Ashley  One More Time...7/16/2024  Thursday evening I drove to New Orleans for my last jazz gig before maternity leave. This one was special because it was celebrating Bastille Day 2024 (the French national holiday, which occurs each year on July 14th) with the Consulate General of France in Louisiana. What a privilege to be a part of the Louisiana French community and to get to sing/play our history and unique connection to the Francophone world through music. Thank you to Adam Bock--a very talented, New Orleans-based guitarist and instructor at Loyola University--for joining me for this performance. With gratitude, Ashley P.S. While I'm in the last few weeks of preparation to bring a human baby into the world, I have also been nurturing a "musical baby." Be the first to PRE-SAVE my newest single, "Be My Baby," which will be released on your favorite streaming platforms Thursday, July 25th! PRE-SAVE IT NOW!  Start What You Want to Finish7/2/2024 In order to finish something later, you have to start it now! This time last year I made a conscious effort to practice my leadership skills as President of GSU Toastmasters Baton Rouge. I'm proud to say that my term was a successful one and just wrapped up on June 30th! In that time, as a club we achieved the President’s Distinguished Award for the 20th year in a row (so needless to say this group is a well-oiled machine). My main duties were keeping the course steady and the positive energy flowing along with a stellar team of fellow officers who truly pulled most of the weight as we celebrated and overcame challenges by working together. Here are a few words of wisdom I kept in mind throughout the year that may help you on your own leadership/confidence/life journey:
A big thank you to ALL our GSU club members for working with me to set an example of how learning things that scare you can still be fun, and best wishes to the new officer team for 2024-2025! What is one project or goal you'd like to finish by next summer that you could start working on now? In the meantime, wishing you and your family a relaxing and fun July 4th holiday! Ashley  AuthorAshley Orlando is a jazz vocalist/ukulele artist and joyologist on a mission to help 1 million women find their voice through music, inspiring stories, and communication skills. Archives
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