 While kayaking in the upper peninsula of Michigan back in 2000, we found an amazing Lake Superior stone farm house which was dubbed, "The Stonehouse" and became home until 2009.  During those years, thanks to a wonderfully supportive & producer husband, Aj founded " The Stonehouse Music Cooperative", a collective of Michigan songwriters and musicians, and produced it's first edition in 2006. The Stone House along with another lake house project in Melrose, Florida - fueled more projects which led to a 1922 general store in Traunik, Michigan which became Lily's Organic Foods and Espreso bar, which we operated until it's sale in 2010. Onto Calumet, Michigan ! Fischer's immediate return to music sparked thanks to the prodding of Jesse Fitzpatrick and Scott Perkins from the Houghton area. 2012 projects in the works: Stonehouse Music Cooperative's Vol 2 Catch Jeff Fischer honing his printing talents with our latest incarnation: Bohemia Printing A totally Green Tee Shirt Printing Company 307 6th Street, Calumet Michigan |
Reviews of Deo Volente Vol.1 Acoustic guitarist and singer debut release "Deo Volente, Vol. 1" is a tapesty of spicy jazz licks, (A Poet's Affair, When He Gets Bored), tender yet unsentimental ballads, (Rigby, The Mayflower Bookstore), and foot tapping odes to the open road, (Desert Skies, Trains). 
Her songs are seamlessly crafted originals, poetry set to melodies which are by turns lilting, playful, moody, spare, and haunting. I had fun imagining her songs as soundtracks, such as the song "Tundra" with the film "Smilla's Sense of Snow." At times I was reminded of Emmylou, Gillian Welch, and Joni Mitchell, but it would be more fair and true to say Aj can stand in her own right with the likes of these nationally known performers. She's that good, her songs are that powerful, and her musicianship, well that ain't too bad either". A seasonal resident of Michigan, Fischer decided to "Blow into town and record.." hence, the release of Deo Volente Vol. 1. In addition to vocals and guitar, Fischer composes accordion, piano, along with the harmony back up. Additional musicians include the wonderfully charged music of Jazz Mandolinist, Don Julin and Bassist, Glenn WolffTwo mega talents from Traverse City... - FA  "--There have been years of woodsheding while building her own "off the grid" home out of cordwood masonry, and didn't play for audiences for years at stretch. "Music and swinging a hammer just don't mesh well, my hands hurt and swell, and there's just too much work ahead of you everyday.." But a performance in Biloxi, Mississippi prompted Fischer to return to music in 1995 after her cabin was finished". "A poet with a guitar as a prop."is how Aj describes her art and what she does. She offer as evidence an accomplished and haunting debut recording, Deo Volente, Vol I These songs are crafted with a sure melodic sense and performed with a smoky elegance. As she treks across musical terrain from folk-bop to finely etched character pieces, the geographic landscapes of her nomadic lifestyle is evident throughout the album. Although a classically trained piano & guitar player, Fischer shed formal teaching methods, reaching into the ever mysterious spontanious life of song weaving, logging 10 books of travel and music."... the rest, remains in the future - NS Record Eagle NEWS: Fischer's "Poets Affair" featured on Redfella's Record's 2008 release in Marquette, Michigan. 2012 Keweenaw Performances Featuring Aj's Songs: Michigan Songsmith Performance Calumet Michigan Houghton's Bridgefest Art Walk Copper Harbor Steve Brimm's Porch Music, Copper Harbor Michigan The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge Music & Poetry at The Vertin Art Gallery Art and Music Exibits ~ Ed Gray Gallery Root Notes Music Stage Community Arts Festival in Houghton, Michigan |
Fischer Began playing at Shield's Keller & The Sawmill in Traverse City, Michigan  She started traveling in the late seventies, and later spent 17 winters in Dallas and Austin, Texas. She worked for 8 of those years for Tom Garrison at the Stoneleigh P, and "Strictly Tabu", a venue for jazz musicians coming out of Denton's North Texas University -which she states; "Working at a furious pace and listening to Jazz music 6 nights affected my ears & soul forever, in a good way *wink* which also prompted her to study Joe Pass guitar method which can be heard weaving through her compositions. "For those lucky enough to have ever heard her, you know what I mean when I say the word - magical." B.Sullivan, WKTL Music Past Sitings: Wheatland Music Festival The Sutton's Bay Theater Aura Jamboree The Biloxi Theater Hiawatha Music Festival Song Writer's in the round Frog Island Festival Air Currents: CdBaby WNMC FM WIAAFM Manodzine Radio Artists Kitchenradio.ca Talkingdogradio.com Reverb Nation  Back Contact aj AT stonemice DOT com |