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The Bay Runner Magazine
Clear Lake Musician holds Benefit Concert for Crime Stoppers
Clear Lake Teens Remembered in Song
By Peggy "Domino" Taylor
"This is not just about publicizing some sketches or putting on a great rock concert… It's about keeping the hope alive and spreading the word…"
A young lady looses her girlfriend to a horrible crime, a year later she pushes through her pain and uses her musical talent, not only to remember her in song, but with ambition and drive, coordinates a benefit concert to raise money to help solve this unsolved quadruple murder. Meet Jennifer Grassman, a loving friend, talented singer and songwriter, ambitious businesswoman and she's all of 19.
Jennifer and her band EdenNox are putting on a concert to benefit Crime Stoppers at Six Flags Astroworld. On July 18, 2003 four Clear Lake teenagers were murdered in a Brook Forest Subdivision home, Rachel Ann Koloroutis, Tiffany Nicole Rowell, Marcus Ray Precella and Adelbert Nicholas Sanchez. Everyone has seen and read the news accounts, grieved and shocked that something that horrific could happen to these fine young people in our community, but more shocking is, that the killers haven't been caught. On September 19, 2004, they will be remembered. The concert is to be held on the Center Stage at Six Flags Astroworld to help publicize the composite sketches that the police released two months ago and to promote Crime Stoppers. Crime Stoppers, a charitable organization, runs a 24-hour 7 day a week crime tip hotline (713-222-TIPS) and a cash reward program. The largest reward in national history, $100,000 is offered for information that leads to the arrest in this case. The billboard on I-45 and FM 1959 displays the composite sketches of two people who investigators say are possible witnesses in this mysterious case.
Jennifer Grassman and Rachel Koloroutis became friends several years ago while working as cashiers at Randall's supermarket at Space Center Boulevard. They did what most teen girls do, laugh, talk about make-up, boys, chit-chat with customers, and go to Starbucks for lattes. One afternoon, Jennifer talked about her music that she had written, and said she had enough original songs to dedicate to her friends, with that Rachael asked if she would write a song for her. They laughed as bubbly teens do and Jennifer told her she would. Shortly after that fun time, her friend was gone. It took a week to sink in, for the news her mother had to tell her.
" Then I was really sad and depressed, just trying to make sense of it all. To help ease the pain and clear my head, I fulfilled my promise and wrote a song for Rachael," said Jennifer. The song in memory of her missed girlfriend, is White Roses.
It took a while for her to approach Rachael's family, but she had the song in her heart and wanted to share this musical memorial. George Koloroutis, Rachael's dad, was actively raising donations for the Crime Stoppers reward, when Jennifer said she wanted to do more. Hence, a concert. She had played several venues in normal bookings in Houston and the Clear Lake area, she appeared at festivals, coffee houses and the University of Houston's theater, but she need a bigger venue to hold an expected large crowd. Jennifer went to meeting after meeting not getting the answers she needed. This determined teen didn't give up. After months of working on this benefit concert, it occurred to her that Astroworld, a family oriented fun place that everyone knows where it is, has to be the place. She knew it was a long shot, but her faith kept her going. Six Flags Astroworld wanted to help when they heard Jennifer tell her story of her friend, Rachael and her friends. Despite the busy line-up, Astroworld arranged the benefit concert for September 19 at 2:00pm. This girl on a mission was ecstatic!
Six Flags Astroworld gave her one thousand $23.00 off coupons to hand out at her current concerts and to give everyone a chance to go. She then proceeded to contact Kim Ogg, from Crime Stoppers. From there it went to arranged press conferences to publicize this benefit. Astroworld will also donate $1.00 to Crime Stoppers for every admission ticket sold. The coupons are available at her concerts or downloading them on her website; www.jennifergrassman or the band website; www.edennox.com.
Hosting the event will be Kim Ogg of Crime Stoppers with Jennifer Grassman and George Koloroutis will be there to speak to the audience. Musical performances will be by Jennifer and her band EdenNox. She really hopes that a lot of people come out to enjoy the show. " This is not just about publicizing some sketches or putting on a great rock concert, it's about keeping the hope alive…it's about spreading the word… and that is why we need everyone to help us accomplish this," Jennifer concluded on a positive note. With this singer/songwriter's determination and faith, and making it all possible from the starting point of a single note, it' - The Bay Runner Magazine
MIX Magazine
Jennifer Grassman at SugarHill
Editors
Pianist and vocalist Jennifer Grassman was at SugarHill Recording Studios (Houston) working on a new patriotic song called "Where the Wind Blows" with engineer Steve Christensen. The piano and vocals were recorded live in Studio A into Pro Tools through the Neotek Elite console. The entire song, which Grassman produced, was done in only one take.
She wrote the song in support of U.S. troops and it is airing daily on Soldier's Radio and Television Network, as well as online at www.soldiersradio.com. For more information on Grassman, visit her Website at www.jennifergrassman.com. Visit SugarHill at www.sugarhillstudios.com. - MIX Magazine
University of Houston Daily News
UH student devotes concert to slain friend
By Mike Emery - Staff Writer, University of Houston student Jennifer Grassman remembers the moment she heard the news that her friend Rachael Koloroutis was murdered.
"I was at work," she said. "I had just started a new job as a secretary. My mother called and told me the news. I was stunned. She was such a nice, friendly person and I couldn't imagine that anyone would do that to her. It took a couple of days for it to actually sink in."
An opera major, Grassman will honor her late friend at 7 p.m. on Nov. 12 at a benefit concert in UH's A.D. Bruce Religion Center.
Koloroutis, 18 and three friends (Tiffany Nichole Rowell, 18; Marcus Ray Precella, 19; and Adelbert Nicholas Sanchez, 21) were murdered on July 18 in a Clear Lake neighborhood. All four were shot to death. Two of the victims also suffered blunt trauma to the head in addition to gunshot wounds. Thus far, police have made no arrests and no suspects have been named.
Grassman had met Koloroutis while the two worked at a Randalls supermarket. Although the two eventually began working different jobs and did not see each other as often, Grassman had fond memories of her friend's bright smile and friendly demeanor.
Using her skills as a singer-songwriter, Grassman transformed her grief into songs of remembrance. Several clips of these pieces were made available on her Web site, www.jennifergrassman.com.
"Her father heard about these songs from my Web site," said Grassman. "He wrote me and asked if I could help publicize the case, as well as to inform people about a memorial fund set up in Rachael's name."
Grassman had performed at various festivals and music venues around the Houston area, so a benefit concert seemed like the best way to devote her talents to the memory of her late friend.
Titled "Concert Threnody," the show will spotlight the music composed in Koloroutis' memory and feature Grassman and other musicians. Admission is free, however, organizers encourage donations.
Funds collected from the show will be contributed to Crime Stoppers of Houston and applied to a reward that will be awarded to information leading to the capture of the person(s) involved with the July 18 murders. Grassman added that some of the proceeds would be donated in Koloroutis' name to a charity of her parents' choosing.
"I want to help any way I can," she said. "At first, I felt so helpless, but I'm glad that I can at least do this for Rachael and her family." - University of Houston Daily News
Discography
Jennifer is currently in the studio at Sugarhill Recording Studios working on her second full length CD and first Christmas album with producer Dan Workman. The CD will focus on ancient Christmas carols and canticles and is set to be released Winter 2006.
Jennifer is Currently in the studio at Ivory Tower Realizations recording her first full length CD, At The Back of the North Wind. The CD will feature 16 of Jennifer's original compositions and focus on her live acoustic style. The CD is set to be released in Winter 2006.
Reverie EP: Track listing: Pass Away, Reverie, Show It All, Scarborough Fair (rendition).
Radio Airplay: Pass Away, Reverie, Show It All, Scarborough Fair (rendition)
Pretty Girls: Featuring 18 songs, this CD is slated to be released in Spring 2006. It is being produced by Jennifer Grassman and Mike Thompson of Ivory Tower Realizations.
Jennifer also has a Christmas CD slated for release in November 2006. It is being produced by Jennifer Grassman and Dan Workman.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
"Jennifer strikes me as a very uniquely gifted artist. She crafts her own blend of classical and even folk music into the pop medium resulting in a dramatic and moving performance. In all, a very mature artist especially for someone her age."
- MD Thompson, Ivory Tower Realizations
Creativity is the expression of feeling, thought, and belief. It is the language which every artist employs to communicate their message to the world around them. It is a language that is becoming more and more dead through the over production and formatting of music. Many feel that popular music is gradually growing devoid of genuine feeling, intelligence, and artistc creativity. Jennifer Grassman is an exception.
In the summer of 1992, Jennifer began taking piano lessons. Though only eight years of age and reluctant to regularly practice, a deep love for music had been kindled and she began the difficult evolution from playful adolescent to mature artist. Nine years later, when Jennifer's family moved to Houston, she had the privilege of studying with an elite instructor. This was one landmark in a series of events that inspired over 250 songs and 75 performances. Jennifer began taking lessons from Mr. Timothy Hester, a professor of the University of Houston, Moores School of Music. Mr. Hester introduced Jennifer to a world of classical composers, expressive artists, and brought to life an elegant language largely unappreciated in modern pop-culture. It was composers like Mendelssohn, Schubert, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, and Debussy that influenced Jennifer's earliest songs, but they were not the force that first inspired her to write.
While attending a concert at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, TX., Jennifer watched a girl about her age get up on stage in front of over five hundred people. She sang simple songs with only vocals and rhythmic guitar strumming to accompany her. It was then that Jennifer knew that she was fully capable of writing her own songs and performing them live. In September, 2002, during the War on Terror, Jennifer wrote and recorded a song for the American troops overseas which she entitled, Where the Wind Blows. The song aired worldwide on the Soldier's Radio Network in October & November of that year. She began performing it and many other songs at local coffee shops, bars, and acoustic venues. In many of her songs, the need for justice and peace was expressed, but nothing prepared her for what was about to happen.
On July 18, 2003, a friend of Jennifer's, an eighteen-year-old girl named Rachael Koloroutis and three of her friends, were murdered at their suburban home in Clear Lake, Texas. Jennifer, along with everyone else who knew the victims, was stunned. That November, Jennifer gathered together a small group of musicians to perform a memorial concert for Rachael's family and friends. They called it Concert Threnody. At the event, Jennifer and her band performed many songs written in Rachael's memory. The event raised $750 for a Crime Stoppers reward fund and was covered by FOX26 News. On September 12, 2004, Jennifer again organized and performed a benefit for Crime Stoppers which took place at Six Flags AstroWorld. Her band, EdenNox, also performed. The event was aired on eight television stations including ABC13, FOX26, The WB39, and Channel 11 Eyewitness News. It was covered by many local newspapers including The Houston Chronicle, El Dia, and The Bay Runner in addition to being aired on several local radio stations.
Jennifer's determination and spirit are reflected boldly in her music. They are the finished product drawn from a seemingly exhaustless well of creativity. Her lyrics and her music intertwine to communicate feeling, intelligence, and strength to her listeners in a dialect that is honed and unique, as Jennifer expresses in a song called Legacy, "This is my legacy of thought, that men will hear and know I was, all I could be in the time given me, and my time is now."
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