Good day to you, my friend!  It’s a beautiful day, here in Bloomington, Indiana.  Thank you for your visit,  kinship and continued support of each project I undertake.  Not being so busy, I find I may just have time to update and chat a bit more about my future plans; write a book, record an original CD estalish another west coast tour, so I’ll be singing hitting the Bay Area with a bang.  This website thing, it’s still like a new toy to me because I enjoy what I do so much and I hope you will continue to view this site for updates.  I never forget it is you that makes it happen.

  
Miss Loretta’s GoodenPlenty Projects. 
Never a disappointing moment when listening to this band and vocal stylist.  A smorgasbord of genres from her roots of soul, gospel, jazz, R&B with a lot of blues thrown in, all this just before or after the country and pop selections.  No matter what they play, you hear it all in every song.  Miss Loretta’s delivery is guaranteed to send chills up your spine; her signature indeed.  She says she’s simply sharing “…what music makes me feel.  It is so special when people stop me and take the time to express how much they enjoyed a particular song; I feel embraced. Time is a valued commodity. To share it with me, now that is a good thing.” 

The BLOOMINGTON DIVAS

BLOOMINGTON DIVAS – SUNDAY, December 4, 2011

  • Let me begin the wrap-up and review of Friday night’s line-up performances. It was unfortunate not to have DIVA Carolyn Dutton or the DIVA a capella group Kaia, but the night went off without a hitch.

DIVASarah Flint came, saw and conquered, bringing her beautiful mother who was not leaving until Sarah and I sang a song together, now!  So cool.  We obliged her with several Christmas songs and some of our personal favorite jazz standard tunes, including Summertime (George Gershwin).  Sarah introduced several of her favorites and a couple of originals, as well as played the guitar, the whole first hour.  Crossover took it home, joined by Darron Mosley, lead singer for the Dynamics.  Though Darron delcare that I am his tutor, he came to the fame with his own equipmetn and ball.  I just confirmed what he already knew, I’m sure.  I am proud, nonetheless, and always knew that the match between he and the Dynamics was made in Heaven.  Amen. 

BLOOMINGTON DIVAS – FRIDAY, December 2, 2011

  • Let me begin the wrap-up and review of Friday night’s line-up performances. It was unfortunate not to have DIVA Carolyn Dutton or the DIVA a capella group Kaia, but the night went off without a hitch.

    CROSSOVER opened and a repeat performance of the songs chosen to perform, representing Bloomington, Indiana as thei 2011 Indiana Blues Challenge representatives in the International Blues Challenge on Beale Street in Memphis, TN. If you don’t know, attaining semi-finalist status formally determines my status as a Queen of Beale Street. Again, thank you Bloomington. This chapter of my life will be credited, solely, to you. The dancing began.

    DIVA Kari Johnson followed with a constant-groove set that began with Joplin’s Bobby McGee and kept it moving the entire set. The dancefloor was highly acknowledged. Thank you, Impasse Band.

    In the absence of KAIA and Carolyn Dutton, we even had what the Bible refers to as “a ram in the bush”. Mr. Tom Ladendorf, a junior in the Jacob School of Music at Bloomington’s own IU accompanied me in a very personal rendition of Armstrong’s What A Wonderful World. Tom also, in turn, attained very accessible networks of musicians and new friends. Thank you Tom. You are as handsome and as you are gifted with an ear and heart for passion in the music. Thank you for your valuable time. Though short in time, infinitely powerful performance; effective and shall remain in the hearts of those who remember this evening. You were our DIVAman of the evening, hands down. Grow in this spirit, my friend. Oh, Tom just turned 21 this past summer. So cool.

    DIVAJaniece Jaffe and DIVA Monika Herzig, together. Okay, how do I begin? Whew! Does that do it for you?

    DIVAMonika opened funky-classy, setting the mood, joined by Janiece, who enhances the set with her beauitul voicings and riffs; even scatted a few for us. They say first impressions are only made once. I, now, tend to disagree. I was in awe and focusing on her mouth to grasp and, somehow, capture every syllable and phonetic sound. What a singer. You know a performer, but a singer … you feel. A stylist and a treasure, in our time.

    Musicians can be like that, too, and DIVAMonika is certainly a magnificent example of just that. The uplifting and inspirational renditions of the original material tingled your spine and made it hard to believe someone was actually playing that beautiful music and just sitting at the same time. But that was just me. Or was it? Wow. And the Divas, together, just satisfied my soul as, by this hour, I was on full. But wait …… the campaign song was so much more than that and in a quiet room at the Pub, it left it’s mark. Thank you ladies. Wonderful.

    And in the final lap, DIVA Jenn Christy and her band spark the embers of the hot coals and turn it into a damn bon-fire that blazed, continuously, throughout the night and then some. The energy pumped and coarsed through your whole body and the dancefloor was full, from beginning to end.

    Hey, I’m just waking up and type fast. I couldn’t wait to get this all down and share it with those very individuals who made it all happen for me, during my tenure here in Bloomington, Indiana. Would you believe I landed in Bloomington, Ohio and finally arrived here by busing the rest of the way. This I owe to Mr. Geoff Pitluck who had trusted my gift enough to want to introduce me to the music you all share, here, in my second home, Bloomington, Indiana. Thank you for your embrace and family-love.

    Always my best, as it should be. Thank you, Indiana.

    Loretta Yvonne Gooden
    DIVA and a Queen of Beale Street 2011

Again, a greatful thank to you for your loving participation, embrace, tender considerations and lasting impression upon my ofe.  I hope we’ll always be able to follow-up with each other, from time to time.  This is all I want.

NOTE:  Asking all the performing DIVAs to visit both nights, in support of each other’s shows.  Please?

To experience the Bloomington Divas, please revisit for updates.  Thank you, for your continued support and patronage.  This, you won’t want to miss!  Again, December 4th

 
“Peacemaker” is the name of my first gospel CD and I have already decided to begin the second before the first is complete, because I feel so good and the songs just keep-a-comin’!  The idea is to revisit the songs my sisters and I sang with my mother (“Loretta, you’re a peacemaker”) from 1970 until she passed (2004).  It is my personal dedication to her memory and to acknowledge the fabulous Angellets of San Francisco (BAMM Magazine).  Songs like Walk and Talk with Jesus, Creation and God Specializes. CDs will be focusing on the old songs sung by musicianless congregations, voice only.  I assure you that I am very happy with the results and I, too, am anticipating its completion (Spring, 2011).Hoping to release a CD for Christmas, as well.  Unfortunately working too much and have filled my spare time with tasks.  continue to pray for me and I, hopefully, will see you soon.