In the Zone: Rick Kilburn

05/11/2026

If you love QR codes, you can join my In the Zen Substack easily here! It's free! If you subscribe receive 30% off all store services, 35% off for founder-subscribers. The store is in the comments.

05/11/2026

An invitation: Join me on In the Zen on Substack. (There is a free option with extra perks for paid subscribers.) If you subscribe receive 30% off all store services, 35% off for founder-subscribers. The store and link to join is in the comments.

I have been recently coaching all the winners of the MiMc Music Awards from Music in Motion Canada in various aspects of writing and regarding areas of the music industry that you should not ignore; mainly how to approach the press and important key factors with handling writing and publicity. The talent is phenomenal and it is a joy to work with such artists.

I am happy to stand by for the night owls and over the weekend/next weeks and answer any of your questions about my areas of expertise such as the guitar, composing, the music industry/ album releasing for emerging young recording artists, and TV film/film festing for newcomers. Or even radio, etc.

I am currently at the beginning of writing a book with film composer Mike Hall. We are both composers, and it has been fantastic working with him on this eventually to be announced project. For a writer like me who also likes to compose, it is a fun new project.

I look forward to answering any of your questions on Substack! Join me the link is in the comments!

05/09/2026

The In the Zen newsletter is now on Substack!

Hello!

Please sign up to join me for my latest music, music industry, film, writing, guitar, press/publicity, composing. lifestyle, and health newsletter with articles on Substack!

My first Substack article explains how to write for documentary film and the how-to for overcoming occasional writer's block! It was originally a 2021 article that I have just revised.

Paid subscribers receive 30% off of my regular-priced store services with a discount code that never expires! Lesson Packages| Workshops & Coaching| Business | Film

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Remember to sign up below! I can not wait to write for you!

Warmest,

Kerilie McDowall

Writer's Rescue

04/27/2026

Kerilie McDowall: Executive producer, director and musician in Nanaimo, BC, Canada. Posts and updates by Kerilie McDowall * film production company jobs * social filmmaking

04/21/2026

I had a blast guesting on Positive Talk Radio with the fabulous and talented Kevin McDonald and Brichelle! You can check out the entire show here!

https://www.youtube.com/live/4ibgFsfV2EU?si=6awjqQC4_Pb_BxYe

Image by Dirk Heydemann of HA Photography.

Kerilie McDowall | April 20 - 3 PM Pacific Time

02/21/2026

Re: Jazzification and Jazzpreneuring

Hello, beautiful creative creatives. I’m Kerilie McDowall: filmmaker, jazz guitarist-bandleader, producer, educator, past jazz radio host, TV director, jazz writer, abstract art hobbyist and general creative troublemaker. I’m almost like a one‑woman arts department with a jazz guitar slung over my shoulder and a film crew trailing behind me asking, “Are we rolling?”

I don’t drink caffeine anymore. This is newly all-natural. I know. I’m sorry. Terrifying, for me at least. Send help.

What if jazz and filmmaking had a baby?

I’m in post-production on my short jazz documentary In the Zone: Rick Kilburn and am hoping to finalize distribution activities with my mentor a fest expert and top-3 fest co-founder as I raise funds.

For seven years, I directed and switched while being mentored at Shaw Spotlight — a live, no‑stops, multi‑camera show that required the reflexes of a ninja and the patience with the switching up of the shots like a kindergarten teacher. (“Breathe, Kerilie, breathe.”)

I’ve assisted with lacrosse, wrestling, and directed variety TV shows, and TV interviews with everyone from Robert Bateman to Canadian blues legend David Gogo. I’ve co‑hosted, produced and directed. I served as Assistant Director on a wonderful sci‑fi comedy directed by a past mentor Brian Morelan.

Before film swept me off my feet, I was (and still am) a Canadian female jazz guitarist‑bandleader pioneer (Am I really that old?) mentored by the likes of the late John Abercrombie and Richie Beirach.

I am inspired by mystics and possessed by the spirit of the post-bebop dragon.

My new company Avebury Moon Music & Film handles my music royalties, sync licensing, film income, and future jazz albums. Goals: I’ll be releasing a few jazz albums after or late 2026, as I get finishing funds for distributing my current film into the world.

I’m also working on my new spiritual‑jazz album, inspired by grief, joy, God, clouds, medicine people (shamans), my mother, my mentors, my dad’s CB radio, and the entire emotional spectrum from “Oh wow” to “Oh no” to “Oh… the universe is speaking again!" :)

My dad is 92 and still hilarious. He picked titles like Country Sunshine and Breaker One Nine because we used to sleep in his motorboat called Country Sunshine camping and talking to strangers on the CB radio like undercover Canadian truckers.

It’s a jazz sextet album about opposites. From grief and joy, shadow and light, heartbreak and healing; the whole cosmic dance.

I love jazz because it’s storytelling with soul.

I loved directing TV because it’s storytelling delivered with pure adrenaline.

I love books, art, theatre — anything that lets humans express the weird, brilliant, messy truth of being alive.

I love music because it’s the only language where God, grief, joy, and jazz chords can all sit at the same table and nobody argues.

I love music because it’s the closest thing to truth I’ve ever heard.

I’m here...

To connect.

To collaborate.

To meet fellow creatives who understand the beautiful madness of the creative industry.

Image by Dirk Heydemann of HA Photography.

02/15/2026

Looking back on 2024, my heart is still full. It was a landmark year of being recognized by my community, and I am so grateful for the journey.

I was incredibly honored to be named:

🥇 Top Alignable Business Leader in Nanaimo (2024)! Out of 8 million Alignable North American members, being #1 in my city was a highlight of my career.

🎨 2024 Creative Innovator Winner at the Women of Influence Nanaimo (WIN) Awards. Supporting the Footprints initiative alongside so many powerful local voices was truly electric.

These wins aren't just personal milestones; they are proof of what we can build right here on Vancouver Island. Today, I’m leveraging that local support into global impact from my film In the Zone: Rick Kilburn. (13 international awards from Hollywood to Tokyo!) And we were so honoured when our film cast hits peaked at an incredible 1.47 billion on IMDb Pro!

We were proud when Film Daily said our short jazz documentary, In the Zone: Rick Kilburn is a 'must-watch' for music lovers.

We’ve built massive global momentum; now, I’m looking for a visionary partner to help us cross the finish line and bring this intimate look at a Canadian jazz legend to its full cinematic potential. Let's discuss how you can be part of this award-winning journey. I plan to be working with a top-three US film festival co-founder on educational distribution.

I’m looking for local partners, angel investors, and sponsors for 2026 to finish up finalizing post-production! If you’re a Nanaimo business looking to align with award-winning creative storytelling, let’s connect. Whether it's a featured blog narrative in my blog, In the Zen, or supporting our next film phase, I want to champion local influence on a global scale.

Warmly,

Kerilie McDowall

02/08/2026

A gift for you! Grandma Taylor's chicken soup, a family recipe for you to keep you cozy!

Here it is for a 16 litre pot:

1 whole organic chicken or halal to be safe

about 12 normal size organic carrots - grated or chopped small

2-3 large farm fresh parsnips - grated or chopped small

1 very large organic onion maybe add another 1/2 if you like onion, all chopped small

1/4 -1/2 cup chopped fine organic parsley

6-9 stocks of organic celery, chopped small

3-4 organic green onions to add as garnish with chopped parsley (fresh) to the soup later.

Cook boil and simmer chicken only in the pot full of water, for 5 to 6 hours for flavour, it's ok to add some salt and pepper.

Leave space in pot to add the veggies later with, fill water to about 3-4 inches of water from the top of the pot.

If you like chicken a lot, add 2 to 3 more boneless chicken breasts chopped up. Or add it whole and chop later.

After 5-6 hours, take chicken and all bones out with a spoon strainer.

Remove the chicken from the bones and chop it a little, chop the chicken breasts.

Put all of the chicken pieces back into the broth in the pot and throw the bones into compost.

Add all the chopped veggies to the pot with the parsley.

Add a bag of (organic if possible) pearl barley to the soup if you like barley to cook with the veggies, OR like my grandma did, boil up 1.5 cups of dry egg noodles in salt with a little oil to add to the soup once it is ready. Strain.

Cook the veggies with the broth for at least an hour and if barley is in there, test and taste to make sure it is ready, cook longer if needed. Spoon the soup into a bowl, add fresh chopped green onion, and parsley. Add the noodles if using them instead of barley. Place leftovers into shallow containers to cool for storage in the fridge and freezer. You will be all stocked up!

01/02/2026

https://kerilie-mcdowall.kit.com/posts/gratefulness-in-2026-and-a-special-wish-for-you

Gratefulness in 2026 and a Special Wish for You!

12/15/2025

"And so l called up her mom Adella, and said, 'Adella this is Bryan from school. We have got to talk about your daughter [Diana Krall]..."

I had a fun interview with the Nanaimo Musicians' Association Big Band's band leader extraordinaire, Bryan Stovell for the USA's All About Jazz! A big thank you for this to my favorite jazz entrepreneur, Michael Ricci! You can read it here below:

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/bryan-stovell-the-secrets-of-viral-jazz-interview

Bryan Stovell: The Secrets Of Viral Jazz article by Kerilie McDowall, published on December 15, 2025 at All About Jazz. Find more Interview articles