SANGSTER

about past details 1 2 3 4 5 Ask me anything
Synesthetic Singer-Songwriter in LA with a penchant for classical, jazz, Americana, and classic pop.

So, Nick, my guy, has been working tirelessly on his new album, “storyteller” for the last few months and it is ready to be released!

This has been such a cool project to watch grow.

From hearing some of these songs being written in our living room or seeing charts of them lying around, to hearing them in their infancy being played live like having life-air being blown into them….
From watching rehearsals and hearing phone conversations with contributing musicians and engineers, to watching the whole record take shape in the studio….
From talking about the concept of “Storyteller” and it’s significance to who Nick is as a person and artist, to hearing friends and listeners make eerily fitting reviews correlating to the original concept….
From watching the album art and design be created, to making this poster for his CD release show….

….it’s been truly inspiring and it really, really feels magical. Sure, I may be biased….
but, trust me. I haven’t been this excited about an album in a while.

The whole album is made up of original compositions by Nick, barring one song, “Day 366” by Hermeto Pascoal. Each song telling a story, a mood, a time, a feel.
They are soundscapes, really. Cinematic songs, yes SONGS, while honoring jazz sonorities.

On May 31st, at the Blue Whale in Little Tokyo in DTLA, the album will be released at a show performed by Nick and his band which includes, Dan Schnelle on drums, John Daversa on trumpet Vardan Ovsepian on piano, &Hamilton Price on bass.

9p, $15.

It’s oh so exciting.

Hope you can make it!

https://www.facebook.com/events/232830156841732/

http://nickmancini.net.com/

1 day ago Notes (0)

Home and in the come of shame! Doing well and happy to be back. We missed him. #zig #catsofinstagram #giveforward 🐯

2 days ago Notes (0)

He’s all sutured up and discombobulated. Coming home tomorrow morning. #thankyou #giveforward #catsofinstagram #zig 🐯

3 days ago Notes (0)

Meeting Burt Bacharach (at Moss Theatre)

5 days ago Notes (0)

OPERATION: zig’s operation // SUCCESS!!!!!!

Everyone, I am so elated and flabbergasted to let you know that two nights ago, I started a fundraiser via a website called GiveForward.com. Within less than 12 hours the goal was reached!!!!!! Can you believe that?! Over $3500 that will pay for Zig’s procedure and post-op costs.
The astonishing outpour from friends and family has been dumbfounding. I’m pretty speechless and amazed. We’re also just so happy, so, so happy that he will have this surgery soon and will most likely be right as rain in about 2 months.
I made the appointment today. Zig goes into surgery on Monday afternoon.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE! Even if you didn’t get a chance to donate or weren’t able to, your thoughts, prayers, and good wishes help more than you know.
We’re all so very touched.
We will keep everyone posted with Zig’s recovery.

Thank you, all, again.

xo

Afton, Zig, Nick, and Frida

6 days ago Notes (1)

zig (we) needs your help

My beloved cat, “Zig” has a fractured femur & needs surgery immediately. It is incredibly costly & the only solution. We need your help.

Donate HERE

Sigmund, or “Zig” is my first cat. I got him when I moved into my own place 2 years ago as a sort of fuzzy therapist. I found him at a shelter on the outskirts of LA County. He was almost 3 months old and had already been neutered and healed from that surgery. He was a scruffy guy with expressive eyes and I instantly knew that we needed each other. We became incredibly attached to each other and he’s been a huge help to me in a time in my life when I needed to heal my heart. This last week, Zig has been limping and occasionally hollering when I would pick him up or when my other cat Frida would come near him. He had been hiding under our bed for a whole day which is very unlike him. I got a hold of him and laid him on his back (this cat will pretty much let you do anything to him) and gently stretched his back legs out, one at a time. He hollered again and hissed at me. I thought that maybe he just pulled a muscle or may have a kidney stone. His fur looked a little oily, also. Nick and I kept watch over him that night and the next day he seemed better. No limp, eating and drinking fine, and jumping on and off things with no problem. The next day I came home from teaching and he was sitting on my piano bench at the door and he looked up at me and let out a few heart-wrenching meows with is eyes locked on mine. Frida, my sweet, 1 year-old snowshoe, jumped up to see what was wrong. He hissed at her and smacked her with his paw. He never does that. Nick and I looked at each other and decided he needed to go to the vet immediately. I pulled down his carrier from the closet and upon opening it he immediately walked in, turned around and sat in it. He was ready to go. The vet and I tried to observe his limp and felt around his abdomen for anything irregular. When he stretched his leg as I had done, there was that holler again. The vet took him back to xray and do some blood tests. He called me into the viewing room and showed me a fracture on the head of his right femur. He asked me where I found Zig and how old he was when he was neutered. I told him and he explained that early neutering can cause this condition because the hormones that are needed during puberty are not present to help growth. It is something that is, unfortunately, done very often in over-populated shelters. So, the procedure for healing this fracture is called a “Femural Head Ostectomy” or FHO. It is a salvage procedure, reserved for condition where pain can not be alleviated in any other way. The procedure exposes the head section of the femur bone (the ball of the ball and socket joint), and then the head is removed using a small saw or a bone hammer and chisel. Unlike most other hip surgeries, the head of the femur is not replaced, but is allowed to heal and develop its own fibrous scar tissue so that the joint is no longer bone−to-bone, a pseudoarthrosis (also called a “false joint”). The neck of the femur is usually removed at the same time as the head. This prevents the post operative complication of bone rubbing on bone and continued pain. This has led to the procedure often also called “Femoral head and neck ostectomy”. The procedure costs close to $3000. I’ve shopped around for better prices but, I feel most comfortable with a doctor I’ve found in Glendale. The extra money I’d like to raise is for any post-op costs that may occur. In this case, any amount would help. He is in incredible pain and is not moving much. He is only 2 years old and is nearly immobile because of the pain. If it goes untreated it can lead to arthritis and other complications, not to mention unceasing pain. The procedure is quite successful and common and he can most likely recover fully with little to no problems, with normal function, because he is so young. This cat means the world to me. He is the first cat I’ve ever raised and is symbolic of a very important chapter of my life. He is my little shadow and is an absolute sweetheart. Please, anything you can do to help would be so greatly appreciated.

photo by Mike Hulett when Zig was just 4 1/2 months old.

the first photo I saw of him on the shelter’s website. I fell in love at first sight.

A big softie

with his little sister and best friend, Frida.

1 week ago Notes (0)

Say a little prayer for this guy, please. Something’s not right. Currently doing X-rays and blood tests. (at Los Feliz Small Animal Hospital)

1 week ago Notes (0)

Nick and I recorded this for a music bed for a video in about an hour. All guitars and flute by me aka Sangster. Vibes and glockenspiel by Nick Mancini.

Song written by Afton Hefley/Sangster in 2011.

1 week ago Notes (0)

Happy Momma’s Day

1 week ago Notes (0)

Anonymous asked: Hi Afton, my daugter, Alyssa, took private voice/guitar lessons from you about 5 years ago and you loaned her a Simon and Garfunkel guitar book that was your grandmas. I don't know if it has sentimental value to you, but if it does, we'd like to get it beck to you. You can call me 626-485-0121. Thanks, Karla Zamarripa

YOU ARE AMAZING! I’ve thought about that book a lot, actually. Can you email me at info@thesangster.com so I can send you my info? I don’t live nearby anymore. Thank you so much for thinking of this and contacting me.

gratefully,

afton

2 weeks ago Notes (0)

DAY 9 // Operation: PLEDGE…. 51%!!!

51%!!!!!!!!

Y’all, like, what? THANK YOU, all! Keep spreading the word!

Also - Bridget, my album artist, has finished all 5 pieces and they are all on display on my auxiliary pages, “1, 2, 3, 4, & 5”. If you click on each image, it will take you to the song it was inspired by on YouTube. You may notice that there is no video for ‘Triangle” yet, but, soon. Very soon, we will be creating that.

In the meantime, please, have a look at Bridget’s incredible art and consider buying an album flat or handmade pillow case made by my super talented sister, of the art, via my PledgeMusic campaign.

2 weeks ago Notes (0)

89cats:

See you in the next life. by La realidad es una ilusión on Flickr.

not Frida, but almost identical!

(via catp0rn)

2 weeks ago Notes (402)

DAY 6 // Operation: PLEDGE

2 weeks ago Notes (0)

SANGSTER // DAY FOUR // Operation: Pledge - YouTube

http://youtu.be/IQJI26QWPUA

3 weeks ago Notes (0)

DAY THREE // OPERATION: PLEDGE

I can hardly function tonight because I’ve been so overwhelmed and emotional from the gravity of generosity from friends. I can hardly deal. Enormous amounts of gratitude go out today to Maria Beck, Vardan Ovsepian, Suzanne Reisig Olden, Nichole Nikki Halgren, Sarah Pigion, Eric Schaefer, Stuart Paterson, Sébastien Proulx, Curt Smith, & Anitra Novy.

Like I said, I’m overwhelmed. 35% in 3 days. So much love. WOW.

3 weeks ago Notes (0)

Sangster

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