La Dee Da returns to Alaska with the Super Saturated Sugar Strings

The Super Saturated Sugar Strings need no introduction to music fans of our fine regional scene. They’ve been writing, recording, and performing some fantastic music for years now. Co-led by the inimitable Kat Moore and robust Carlyle Watt, the Strings have made a name for themselves in and around the area. They’re kicking off a tour of the Pacific Northwest, starting at Koot’s September 14th, and bringing up a fun band to join them onstage.

To celebrate, Moore invited Oakland’s La Dee Da up to play with the Sugar Strings at the Spenard bar on the 14th. Moore met the singer and keyboardist Rosie Steffy a couple of years back and they became fast friends. La Dee Da has been to Alaska once before, and Rosie has traveled up a second time for her duo, Tall Grass. Described as equal parts jazz, prog, and pop with lyrics compared to Joni Mitchell and Leonard Bernstein, La Dee Da hopes to charm Anchorage audiences this Friday. The band is also bringing up its yet-unreleased new album for us to check out!

Instead of tracking down Moore and Steffy on their wildly divergent travels leading up to the Koot’s show, we thought it would be better to let the accomplished women tell their own tale, in the old-timey style of a letter exchange. Here they are, in their own words, getting ready to meet and play music together again.

Dear Kat,

Hello from Holland! The landscape is as flat as a paper map, streaked with pretty canals and port cities full of gorgeous old brick architecture. Here the wealth and power of old Dutch royalty is immortalized in giant brick churches and castles. It's nothing like Alaska where the true wealth, beauty and imposing monuments all belong to nature. I love my life as a touring musician, I may not be rich but I get to travel the world. This summer I've been playing drums and singing sea shanties in a lady-duo called Penny Opry. I love playing with female musicians....No offense to my male colleagues but girls have more fun! We've been packing in extra adventures like sailing, horseback riding and visiting thriftstores (which are called"Kringloop Winkels" in Holland!)

I've been in touch with my La Dee Da bandmates in California and we are all SUPER EXCITED witness the epic beauty of Alaska again. So much grandeur and wild expanses, and hearty friendly people like yourself.

How are you doing? I can't wait to see you and hear Super Saturated Sugar Strings in person for the first time!!

Hugs from the land of Windmills,

Your pal Rosie

Dear Rosie,

Salutations from Alaska’s autumn (all ten days of it!) I hear you about lady time: last week was Miriah’s (our fiddler’s) and Theresa’s (our cellist’s) birthday and the three of us hung late after practice improvising tunes and just cracking up; so nice.

Holland sounds incredible! The Sugar Strings and I played the state fair last Friday and then I spent a few days out in the valley climbing our cathedral-esque mountains. The weather has been sunny for days, lighting up the red of the fireweed leaves and the remaining few flowers. It was so nice out I even went boating on Big Lake with our friend, Rebecca(from HARM;) we would’ve loved to hear your beautiful voice singing sea-shanties. Maybe we can get some lake time in with you, Aaron, and Daniel over the next two weeks and do a floating jam!

Speaking of jamming, I’m SO excited to share a night of music with La Dee Da; Koots is going to be AMAZING. There’s an Ice Bar, a hidden hallway, a bar with sawdust floors, and plenty of dance floor in the main bar where we’ll be playing Friday the 14.

The Sugar Strings and I are giddy about the night - we actually decided to make it a black tie affair, and are hoping others will, too; let me know if you or the guys need any fancy duds and we’ll get you hooked up! The band is stoked to meet you all and I can’t wait to welcome you back this gorgeous Alaskan fall and share your music with the whole state! When do you fly stateside, and where are you playing after you leave Anchorage?

Much love,

Kat

Hi Kat,

Autumn in Alaska...I can't wait to see it again! All those yellow birch trees...

My bandmates and I arrive in Anchorage on Wednesday, so we'll have just enough time to get our gear ready (and fancy outfits - what a fun idea!) for the show at Koot's on Friday. After Anchorage we hightail it up to Fairbanks to play the UAF Pub, then skip down to Talkeetna for shows at The Hangar and the Fairview Inn, and then on to Sutton where our friends the Overby's have hooked us up with a show at the public library. We've got some lovely house shows lined up too: you can check out our entire tour itinerary on our website(ladeeda.xyz).

I'm so excited to see you Kat! I remember when we first met two years ago down at the Seward Music and Arts Festival. You and your friend were dancing with wild abandon while we were playing our La Dee Da set, making me so happy! I knew right then that we were kindred spirits and I hadn't even heard your music yet. Then you played and I fell in love with your dreamy expressive songs... so earnest and open to the world, and you're a very talented piano player too! I'm so glad that I have you as a friend and colleague in the music world. I wouldn't call it the music business because for folks like us it's not business at all... Just a creative, nomadic way of life that we can't seem to turn away from despite the difficulties. Getting to travel is one of the best parts, right alongside the amazing and inspiring connections that I've formed with people like you.

Hugs from afar (to you and the rest of the Super Saturated Sugar Strings)!!! See you at the show on Friday!

Love, Rosie

Dear Rosie,

You are not kidding; the sun is not the only golden aspect of this fall - the birches are glowing this time of year. The Sugar Strings and I played The Creekbend in Hope this past weekend (where I found the biggest birch tree EVER!!!) and I stuck around Saturday to enjoy the fall foliage to the sounds of The Hope Social Club.

That’s sweet that you’re playing The Pub at UAF; that’s a fun spot. Super exciting you’re performing at The Hangar AND the Fairview, too, so that Talkeetna will get a chance to hear you listening-style and partied-up. You’re playing with THE OVERBYS, too! That needs no comment, and only a clearing of the calendar.

Whoa; thinking back to SMAF two years ago is wild...I remember twirling with Greenbean to your set! We kept having to take breaks from dancing to just stare and listen because we were so smitten by La Dee Da and so charmed by your writing (and playing- there really is something that just thrills me about brilliant female keys players. It’s just a weird sense of them understanding the idiosyncrasies of our world.)

I’m so excited to hear you play, but also equally thrilled to see you again and hang. I had so much fun touring with Tall Grass last fall: spending time with you and Andrew and traveling the state was so nice. I think the friendships and travel perks music are definitely my favorite aspects of being a musician, save for the music, itself. Anyhow, I’d better get to bed...it’s going to be a busy week! See you in a few days, and safe travels to the gorgeous north!

Love,

Kat