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Artist News & Happenings - 2004
Up Close & Personal
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Cyro Baptista
Dear Friends:
The new Beat The Donkey CD has just been born!
It was like having a baby: it has taken us nine months to make this album.
Myself and Beat the Donkey gave this recording everything we have in our hearts. We brought the same energy to the songs that we bring to the live show.
To give you something to look at, the CD also includes video clips of Beat the Donkey that you can play on your computer. That way it is easy for you to show your friends and family what Beat the Donkey is all about without describing it with your hands!
The CD was totally self-produced, and it will be only available through our website and at our performances.
All it costs is $15, which includes shipping. It will be a great lasting holiday gift to make your friends and family rejoice and dance throughout all of 2005.
As a special Holiday bonus, I will personally sign each CD for all orders placed before January 6, and we will ship all items via priority mail inside the US, so you can receive your order in just a few days.
Sincerely and with rhythm,
Cyro Baptista
www.cyrobaptista.com
12/04
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Mike Smith
Hello Everyone:
Well, another year has come and is just about to end... & I must say this year has been quite a year for me. As most of u already know, this year began with a bang... literally! Between that, my career & personal life, it's been quite a roller coaster ride, filled with all the twists, turns, highs & lows. But through it all... y'all know who was w/me. The big GOD.
Before I go any further, I must begin by again acknowledging everyone's kindness, generosity & concern for my well being earlier this year.
I will never forget it.... So... THANK U ALL!!
Now... here we go...
I feel great. I'm back to all normal activity, however, the left side of my chest, side & back always feels "tight". My Dr. & Physical Therapists all told me that it may take up to 2 yrs. b4 this subsides... if it does at all. I may just have to live with it. It's not painful, but is just always tight... more like a constant reminder of what happened.
Musically... I have been soooooooooo busy since last March up til now, it's been crazy!
It began with me goin' back to where I teach private lessons 3 days a week... just a few hrs. a day. Well, this is the thing... I did not think that I would b able to return there. I thought I'd b replaced because of the time that had passed while I was recovering, after all, these people have a business to run & it must go on.
Low & behold... not only did they accept me back w/open arms & gifts.... BUT.... all my students waited for me to return... none of them signed up with the other drum teacher there or quit. Now, I have 20-28 students... I tell u.... I was so very humbled by this.
As we all know with some good there may b some bad. I lost both my grandmother & aunt recently. But it was not really sad for me because my grandmother lived to the age of 93... she had a long, fruitful life. My Aunt was suffering for years... going to kidney dialysis 3 times a week, so her season finally came to an end & I trust both r w/ God now!
All in all - my remaining family members who live in New York, Atlanta & Florida... r doin' fine.
There were other disappointments & some things did not turn out as I hoped they would, but such is life. Life is a series of tests. How one takes them most times will determine the outcome. Bottom line is
" 'How u gonna b when the smoke clears?". Well, the smoke has cleared & I'm doing wonderfully.
Back 2 the music... Now, April 10 was the first Concert I played since my incident. But it was not just a regular concert. It was a Ron Brown.... "Jazz in The Spirit Concert", celebrating Easter & the Resurrection of Jesus from the grave. I felt this concert was a resurrection for me in a sense as well... being that my accident happened on January 10! Isn't it something that my first concert back on the scene would b one like this!!
Since then, til now... work has been non-stop.... with some nice sessions, live work, went to Japan in November for a bit, upon my return... began playing the Opera "La Boheme" @ the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, which just ended this past Sunday. Strange... I did not get a call for New Years Eve. Oh well... u can't have em all! So... I'm lookin' forward to the holidays & relaxing some.
May U All Have A Blessed & Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year!
Mike
12/04
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Erik Hargrove
I would like to wish all of you a beautiful holiday season. I hope that the coming year gives you all that you desire. I had the most beautiful then a really rough 2004 ... but I have a great feeling about 2005. I'm going to start kick boxing again and that should whip me back into shape.
I hope to see you all some time this year...
Believe...Then make it happen. - Erik Hargrove
Peace - Love - Happiness & Sel
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Wally Gator Watson
Hi, this is Wally Gator Watson. I want to announce that after 37 years of touring, I have now been to every state in the United States. My gig on Dec. 5th in Fairbanks, Alaska was where this landmark in my career was made.
I want to wish you and all of your readers a very happy holiday and a great new year.
Wally Gator Watson
www.wallygator.net
12/04
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Artt Frank
To all of my good friends.
I wanted you all to know that the new drum book written around me and the style of drumming I play has just been published and will be on the world-wide market in March of 2005.
The title of the book is Essentials For The Be Bop Drummer by Artt Frank with Pete Swan and the introduction by old friend and legendary bop drummer, Stan Levey.
The book is available and can be ordered by email from Schaffner Press.
Simply write to Mr Tim Schaffner of Schaffner Press at (tim@schaffnerpress.com) Or, for ordering information call Biblio Distribution: 1-800-462-6420 and make sure to mention the ISBN#" 0971-0598-3-7
I truly believe that you will find this particular drumming book to be far different than any other drumming book yet to be put on the market. It's not only instructional, but also, anecdotal and historic and is filled with many quotes and comments from major jazz musicians.
GOD bless you all.
Yours swingingly in Bop/jazz,
Artt Frank
12/04
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Rick Latham
Hi Folks,
Just a short note to pass along all the latest goings on and upcoming exciting projects.
1) - You might have seen the recent reviews in the November issues of Downbeat, Modern Drummer and Jazz Times magazines giving a resounding thumbs up on our new "Live And Loaded" CD recorded live at The famed Baked Potato here in L.A. Please check out http://www.groovedoctorsjazz.com for more info, online purchasing or to listen to sound clips.
Also look for the upcoming feature article in Recording Magazine (January 05) on the recording of the CD and interview with "Sound Guru" Bob Bradshaw.
2) - I recently shot the new footage for my 25th Anniversary DVD of Advanced Funk Studies. WOW! Can you believe this? The DVD will also feature my on camera interviews with Louie Bellson and Ed Shaughnessy, the full original footage of the Advanced Funk Studies video and the Contemporary Drumset Techniques video, some new playing segments and introduction by me as well as a 25th Anniversary photo gallery and an in depth look at my equipment. The DVD looks and sounds incredible and the interviews with Louie and Ed are too fantastic for words. You Gotta Check It Out!!!!
It will be released in January at NAMM and distributed worldwide by Carl Fischer Music. please contact http://www.carlfischer.com for more information.
3) - Rick Latham and The Groove Doctors just returned from a great gig with power house vocalist Bobby Kimball (Toto) in Portland Oregon. The performance was video taped and recorded so perhaps there might be a new live concert DVD coming soon as well. Bobby and I worked together on Edgar Winter's Winter Blues CD and became friends. He's been coming out to the last few Groove Doctors gigs and sitting in so we've decided to do some special performances together. There are also possibilities of some European and Japanese dates in the near future as well. Keep your eyes and ears open for more news coming soon on this.
Lots of great things happening in 2005 surrounding the 25th Anniversary celebration. Clinic Tours, Concert Performances, Give-A-Ways and much more. Stay tuned!!!!!!!!!!!
Have a great Thanksgiving and all the best for the Holidays ahead!
Rick
http://www.ricklatham.com
11/04
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Jim Greiner
Jim Greiner Teaches Drum Circle Facilitation Workshops at Percussive Arts Society International Convention
Jim Greiner taught several Drum Circle Facilitation Workshops at the recent PASIC in Nashville, Tennessee. Among the workshops were a 50 minute Clinic and a five-hour workshop that covered beginning, intermediate and advanced level DCF training. Over 400 people from nine countries and four continents participated in Greiner's workshops during PASIC.
Greiner was invited by PAS to lead the five hour workshop in which he covered how to lead interactive drumming programs for corporate, community, school, therapeutic and private groups of all types and sizes. Participants in his workshops included musicians, drum circle facilitators, teachers, activities directors, therapists and a wide range of group leaders.
Greiner was sponsored by Latin Percussion Instruments of Garfield, New Jersey which supplied hundreds of instruments to the capacity crowds.
11/04
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Chico Hamilton
Further Adventures of El-Chico
Joyous Shout! is pleased to bring to your attention that Legendary Jazz Drummer and Bandleader Foreststorn "Chico" Hamilton will be featured two more times in November by BET on Jazz on their one hour "Documentary" series November 23rd & 30th airing at 11am, 7pm & 11pm EST each day. This program also aired November 9th & 16th.
Chico's been BUSY BUSY BUSY: in the early Summer Chico performed a solo set at The White House as part of the NEA's celebration of June as Black Music Month highlighting the renewed energy being put behind the Jazz Master Fellowship program; and in June performed as Artist in Residence at the Tri-C Jazz Fest Summer Jazz Camp in Cleveland, OH as part of the Jazz Masters Touring Initiative; in July Chico performed a one man set at the Center for Jewish History in NYC that was a mix of solo drum performances, reminiscences from Chico, excerpts from the films Sweet Smell of Success, Jazz on A Summer's Day & Repulsion, and a Q & A session with the audience; also in July Chico was Artist in Residence at the Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp in New Orleans, LA; in August Chico appeared on the 50th Anniversary Edition of the Newport Jazz Festival; in September Chico appeared on the Detroit Ford International Jazz Festival and on a SPECIAL show marking his 83rd Birthday on the "Jazz Presents" performance series at The New School in NYC; in October Chico performed on another Jazz Masters Touring Initiative event which was presented by WBGO-FM Radio in Newark, NJ; and just last weekend Chico performed two sterling sets on the Wooster Jazz Series at the Wooster School in Danbury, CT.
Chico was awarded a NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship for 2004 at the IAJE Convention in NYC this past January. The Jazz Masters Fellowship is awarded by the NEA to recognize distinguished Jazz artists who have made a significant contribution to the art form. In 2002 Chico was awarded the WLIU-FM Radio Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 1997 Chico received the Beacons in Jazz Award from the New School University Jazz & Contemporary Music Program in recognition for his "significant contribution to the evolution of Jazz."
Spring of 2003 saw Chico recovered from open heart surgery and hitting the road with BLAZING sets at the Richard Stockton College, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (receiving a standing ovation when he walked on stage at the Jazz Tent), the Berkshire Jazz Festival, two days on the Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle, and a show on Jazz at Drew in LA with Special Guests Arthur Blythe, George Bohanon and Bill Henderson!!
Chico has also recently put the finishing touches on his new album Juniflip featuring his current "Euphoria" group and augmenting the quintet on five cuts are former Hamilton band-members George Bohanon on trombone and Jimmy Cheatham on bass trombone. Juniflip also features the wonderful vocalist Bill Henderson on two cuts, and a VERY special guest spot from Arthur Lee of the band Love!! Juniflip will be released early-2005 with the details of Chico's signing to a new label soon to be announced!!
Also soon to be announced is news on the worldwide release of Soulfeast Presents the Chico Hamilton Remix Project feat. remixes from Soulfeast (Joe Claussell & Brian Bacchus), MKL vs. Soy Sos, DJ Smash and Still Phil, plus news on the first public hearing of the track Kerry's Caravan from Mudd Feat. Chico Hamilton, a moody yet stunning slice of modern music and a molten melting pot ready made for filling the dance floor with remixes from long-term Idjut Boys collaborator and Fiasco imprint boss Ray Mang!! Mudd, a.k.a. the UK's own Paul N. Murphy, is best known as a member of the London based Afro-Dance ensemble Akwaaba, whose single Just Pilau was turned into an anthem at NYC's Body & Soul by Francois Kevorkian.
Stay tuned for more details on an extensive Chico Hamilton touring schedule for 2005, and more info on the new Juniflip album with sounds which will show why Foreststorn "Chico" Hamilton is "Still THE Man" for EACH & EVERY GENERATION!!
11/04
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Sam Rodriguez
Here's the latest News
Gratitude is such a good place to begin. I need to take a moment every morning to do so I know there is much sacrifice involved as in any labor of love. I plan on attending the NAMM show in LA and EXPOLIT conference in Miami. This is a cool gathering where lots of people from all over the country get together to focus on many facets of the music business including booking, the internet, getting airplay, and looking for alternate ways to get our music to the world, via schools and films. Artists, managers, agents, venue operators come to listen, come together to find a common bond, make new friends, discover new music, have fun and learn.
Recording Projects:
Keith Pintar - Sam can be heard drums and percussion recorded at Calvary Chapel Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Les Demerle – Sam can be heard playing Latin Percussion on Hittin' The Blue Notes, Vol. 1 and 2
Long at the forefront of modern jazz drumming, DeMerle features arrangements of some of the great hits of the Blue Note record label and tunes that evoke the spirit of those recordings. All About Jazz said this about his last CD for Summit Records - "DeMerle plays with such power and grace as to make his quintet sound like a band three times that size... this disc is an embarrassment of riches..." "Hittin' the Blue Notes" is all of that and more!
"The Dynamic Les DeMerle Band is aptly named... His band is dynamic, in large part because of the irresistible beat that DeMerle sets up for each tune, but also because the other members of his band share DeMerle's unabashed love of the Blue Note classics." on Williamson
- JazzReview.com
Oprah - Sam can be heard doing all the percussion on the 0prah show music produced by Butch Stewart JOYART Music.
Live / Tours dates:
w/ Aretha Franklin (Queen of Soul)
KTG a slamming corporate band
Les Demerle (Harry James, Manhattan Transfer)
Mike Reno (Loverboy)
Mike Caffery (Beaver Brown Band)
Denny Leroux (songwriter)
The Future:
I can't help but get excited about the future! I am building a digital recording studio so I can record some percussion and drums on other people's projects. I'm VERY excited about having lots of friends and hopefully a couple of friends playing on my new CD. I am looking forward to many sessions with great friends and great players.
Sam Rodriguez is a Paiste, Vic Firth and Mike Balter Mallets performing artist.
11/04
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Keith Purvis
Drummers,
I'm very sorry to have to say that Keith Purvis passed away yesterday.
The Keith Purvis Drum Shop in Burien was at the heart of the Northwest drum scene for over 40 years. Keith, an inspired player, teacher and businessman, introduced countless people to the drums. Scores of Seattle area professional drummers have Keith to thank for getting them started. His shop was a gathering place for local drummers. Virtually any drummer that grew up in the Seattle area has fond memories of Keith and his shop. He will be missed. I'm sure his family would appreciate seeing some of the people that he'd inspired at his memorial service. I will certainly be there.
Sincerely,
Donn Bennett
I received the message below from Dave Heath. Dave worked with Keith for many years.
Hello Fellow Musicians,
I regret that I am the bearer of bad news. Our beloved Keith Purvis passed away on Tuesday, October 19th at 3:45 pm from complications resulting from pneumonia.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday October 23rd at 10:00am, at Yarington's Funeral Home, 10708 16th Ave. SW, in Seattle. The phone number there is 206-242-2771.
Tahoma National Cemetery 425-413-9614
18600 S.e. 240th St., Kent, WA 98042
Hopefully, we will see you at the service.
Dave Heath
10/04
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Sheila E
"Class E" - the new Sheila E. Custom Pro Congas, Bongos and Timbales were recently launched and introduced by Toca Percussion. To celebrate their debut, check out the splash page at www.sheilae.com and listen to an exclusive sample and debut of Sheila's new song "Waiting For You".
Sheila E. visits Lincoln Child Center
On August 28th, 2004, the Lil' Angel Bunny Foundation's (LABF) Co-Chairs Sheila E. and Lynn Mabry had the awesome opportunity to visit and tour the facility of one of its beneficiaries, Lincoln Child Center (LCC) in Oakland, CA. The children at LCC have been abused physically or sexually, or both; some have mental illness, others have been the unwilling victims of crimes. Read more about how Sheila jammed with these kids, who had nearly given up hope, on instruments donated by LABF.
We are reaching out to the entertainment industry and our community of family and friends to join us, as we are committed to bring healing and hope to these children. Please donate online today by clicking on the Donate Now Button or by purchasing a limited edition Crystal Angel Holiday Ornament personally signed by Sheila E. through the LABF Online Store.
www.sheilae.com
10/04
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Wally Gator Watson
Thanks for the updates. As for me, I just finished the Vail Jazz Festival in Colorado. It was a great week of great music with cats like Jimmy Cobb and Lewis Nash to name a few. It was a bit hard to breath at that altitude, over 8,000 feet, but I managed to survive.
Take care,
Wally
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Ed Shaughnessy
Hi Pam....
Enjoyed the newsletter, as always. Am proud to tell you I'm the 2004 Inductee of the PAS "Hall of Fame". Ceremony is in Nov. at their annual convention.
All the best,
Ed Shaughnessy
8/04
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Eddie Tuduri
TRAP has been very busy these past few months and it isn't slowing down any time soon.
Firstly, I'm happy to report, our summer benefit was magic! Many facilities were represented including The Y-SPIRIT and Club Aspire programs from Pasadena; The Ojai Enrichment Center was out in full force as well as our own Carpinteria Trap class. Debbie Hosseini and friends displayed the many positive aspects of The Autism Society (Santa Barbara) and we were proud to welcome Sojourn, a wonderful group - serving children with developmental disabilities. Cristo Pellani and Carlos Richardson wowed the audience once again as did Kalani whose drum circle was the talk of the town. Airto's blessing set the tone for the rest of the day that included a beautiful set by Perla Batalla followed by Gifted Artists Meghan Finn, Trieana Moon and Brian Vinson. The Cuban connection was next with Walfredo and Danny Reyes, Luis Conte, Raul Pineda and a sensational new comer to our group, honorary Cuban, Michel Yoshida ... My old friend Burleigh Drummond and Tin Drum played an amazing set and finished the day in style. A good time was had by all. The following week Trieana, Dion and Miguel along with their parents, Seiko Niimi and myself attended The Central Coast Wine Classic. My dear friend Archie McLaren is the chairman of the board and suggested that we participate. A charity auction was held and TRAP was the recipient of $16,000.00. The money was donated to purchase a new van for the company, everyone was worried about my old Toyota ... spurting and coughing across the desert and up and down the California coast. After some investigating and smart shopping, board member Mike Lazaro and I bought a 2002 Town and Country Chrysler, it's the bomb! Thank you Archie and company for your kindness and generosity. My trips have resumed beginning in Palm Springs at Canyon Springs, a live in facility for our developmentally disabled friends in the desert. Robert Quijada, a Rehabilitation Therapist at the facility was an excellent host. I believe he and his co-worker may be joining us in Pasadena or at the Ojai class in the near future. I will travel to Bakersfield before the month is out to the ARC facility there. I have two trainings pending in San Diego and one in Fresno sometime in the next month as well as a trip to Opportunity Village in Las Vegas the second week of September. Another trip is planned to Solano that will encompass presenting the program to at least three new facilities in the San Francisco, Oakland and Marin County area.
Trieana Moon and No Boundaries are gearing up for our show in San Francisco at the People who Care Awards Dinner on October 1st. we're all looking forward to this. We will play Friday night in San Francisco and then rush home to play the Carpinteria Avocado Festival on Sunday, whew! Like the old days ... kind of! October will also host our courtyard fundraiser for Gifted Artists Records in the causeway between Maggie's and The Coffee Grinder in front of Jack Hurley's just one block from Carpinteria Ave. on Linden Avenue in Carpinteria. It will be held on Oct.24th. From 3pm until around 7pm. This year will feature Trieana Moon, Brian Vinson, No Boundaries and our newest artist Kodi Lee. Kodi is eight years old, clinically blind and happens to have Autism. His piano playing and singing is nothing short of miraculous. We will open with a community drum circle and continue with music all day long. Food will be available. Tickets will be available at the door. The suggested donation is a minimum of $5.00. Meghan Finn's CD is finally mixed and mastered ... it's at the printers now, mid August 2004. Expect to see it available at Planet CD sometime in early September. You can get there from our web site: www.giftedartistsrecords.com
I've been communicating with a school for the developmentally disabled in Sri Lanka for some time now. The Chitra Lane School cares for 265 children between the ages of 5 and 15 who live at the school. They also help over 1000 kids who come from all over the island as out patients. They read about TRAP on line and would like to learn and implement the program at the school. My plan is to train the staff at Chitra Lane as well as some of the local musicians who have expressed interest in facilitating. We have risen near enough money to get there and will clearly make this happen mid next year. Any donations would be much appreciated, simply make the check out to TRAP and ear mark it Sri Lanka.
Mail to:
TRAP PMB #144
1072 Casitas Pass Rd.
Carpinteria, CA 93014
We will be asking all the drum companies to donate instruments for the school as well.
I'm very excited to announce our workshop at the ARC National Convention, November 18 through the 21st in Boston. I'm proud to be presenting there and will share a booth for the entire time with my friends from the ARC Ventura County. This is a chance to make new friends and introduce our work to facilities located all over the United States.
Stay tuned ... www.traponline.com
8/04
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TaikOz
MONOPRISM
TaikOz recently enjoyed 5 sell-out concerts performing Maki Ishii's ground-breaking Monoprism - Concerto for Wadaiko and Orchestra with the West Australian and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras. Our conductor was the great Hiroyuki Iwaki. Mr. Iwaki first performed the work in Japan in 1976 with Riley, who was then a member of Ondekoza, so it was inspiring having him at the helm of such huge combined forces. Mr. Iwaki's knowledge and understanding of the piece was profound - each performance was a joy. Musicians of both orchestras were totally committed to the performance and the results were truly exciting.
K & K’s TOUR REPORT
Kevin and Kerryn recently returned from a memorable month in Japan - here are some reminiscences ...
TOKYO ... Kevin and I arrived at Narita Airport at sunrise; it was an unreal sight – just a sea of buildings - we've never experienced anything like it! And the incredible early morning train station pedestrian traffic – amazing! We had to speed up our pace for fear of getting lost in the flow of workers racing to their shinkansen.
The first place we visited was Senso-ji in the old district of Asakusa. This temple is well known for the massive lantern adorning the entrance at Kaminori-mon. Either side of the lantern are the gate's protectors, Fujin - the God of Wind - and Raijin - the God of Thunder.
Asakusa is also the home of Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten – a family business that runs the wonderful Wadaiko store and fascinating Drum Museum. Definitely a compulsory stop ... one of many! We met with Ochi-san, the museum's curator, enjoying her wonderful hospitality.
That evening we went to our first taiko concert - Za Ondekoza "live". It was every bit as exciting as we'd hoped. We had been used to hearing the group on CD and DVD, but there's nothing quite like seeing the live thing. What was a complete surprise however, was seeing up on stage legendary shinobue player and old friend Takumi Takano. Who could forget Takano-san's powerful sound from 2 years ago when he performed with TaikOz at the 2001 Adelaide festival and The Studio? It was great to catch up with him after the concert.
Next stop ... KYOTO. We spent a lot of time in this fascinating city as it was a chance for us to get away from the chaos of Tokyo and indulge in some great sightseeing.
We organized our visit to Kyoto to coincide with Aoi Matsuri. This is a spectacular procession that features people dressed in an array of traditional costume. It was so much fun to be part of a mass of people – 10,000 or so - parading through the streets of Kyoto and gathering in the tree lined grounds of Shimagamo Shrine. The parade lasted for over 5 hrs so we made a few stops along the way to enjoy some Japanese delicacies. The best stop was resting on the banks of the Kamo River alongside thousands of locals enjoying a picnic.
A definite highlight of Kyoto was visiting Ryoanji - famous for its rock garden which features an arrangement of 15 rocks surrounded by a wall that has, over the years, wept an oily substance creating a beautiful artwork in itself. The tranquility of the place attracted us for hours.
KANAZAWA ... We ventured over to the west side of Honshu and made our way to the world re-known taiko factory run by the Asano Taiko Company. TaikOz performs on Asano taiko so it was great to see their original home.
Asano's place is in a small town called Matto not far from Kanazawa. This impressive factory sits in the middle of rice paddies and industrial estates. However, what is really amazing are the massive tree trunks lying in the car park ready to be made into O-daiko. Connected to the factory is the Asano Drum Museum, which is really fascinating. On display are taiko (of course) as well as old machinery and tools, costumes and information on the many matsuri of Japan. We enjoyed a documentary on Mr. Asano making taiko. There were also some enormous taiko on display - a bit big to fit into our suitcases!
KYUSHU ... We made arrangements in Australia to meet a famous marimba player in Kyushu - Mika Yoshida. It was exciting to meet this lady who has such vitality and passion for music. Her home town is south of Kumamoto in a place called Honda. What a great place - Honda has a very supportive community that love the arts!
Mika arranged for Kevin and I to perform with her on Kyushu's main TV station, KKT; this was a terrific experience. Our thanks to the staff of KTT – they made us feel really welcome.
One very special memory was meeting Mika's friend who is a monk. He played for us on a range of Buddhist temple instruments called mokugyo - a large wooden temple block - rin - temple bells - and taiko. We were interested to learn that each instrument represents different facets of life; mokugyo – ancestry – rin - the present - and taiko – hope. As a gift we were given the opportunity to play the large bell outside of the temple which is normally only to be played twice a day. What an honor – we played the bell like the taiko; it requires good energy and form.
Next we visited HIMEJI, Takano-san's home town. We visited the famous and stunningly beautiful Himeji Castle. During our stay, Takano-san was performing with a local taiko group "Wadatsumidaiko". We really enjoyed their schools concert in a little town between Himeji and Kobe. It was exciting to watch the school children enjoying the music and listening to the traditional stories.
KOBE ... We traveled on to nearby Kobe where we visited Wadatsumidaiko's incredible taiko centre. It was only recently built and is a beautiful complex ideal for practice and teaching. This taiko group has a vision to play and perform taiko with good spirit and heart. Again we were treated to great hospitality, being entertained at 11pm after their training, socializing well into the night.
The next day we visited a famous taiko group in Kobe called Matsumura-gumi. Matsumura-gumi members met TaikOz in 2001 at Kaikyousai, the major event in Kobe which brought taiko groups from all over Japan – and Australia! - to commemorate the rebuilding of Kobe. Our students may remember that this was the event that featured 1000 drummers playing Umi.
We were invited to attend their training and afterwards, their generous hospitality. We really enjoyed our time with Matsumura-gumi talking lots about taiko playing and approach AND enjoying some great food and drink. We're really looking forward to playing with Matsumura–gumi in October in Brisbane!
TOKYO ... Our final week in Japan was spent with our good friend and terrific taiko player Kenichi Koizumi aka "Kenny K". We arrived in Tokyo in a good week as 2 members of Fuun-no-Kai were presenting taiko concerts. First we saw Shuichiro Ueda playing at "Wa-On", a small club dedicated to traditional Japanese music that is located on the 5th floor of a typically tiny building in Tokyo. Despite the very intimate setting, it was an amazing concert. Kenichi made a guest appearance in Shuichi-san's concert - we always enjoy watching Kenichi perform.
A few days later Kenichi drove us to Shizuoka to watch Hasegawa-san. This was a big drive outside of Tokyo and we passed the great Mt Fuji. It was the perfect day to see this wonder; we were spellbound by its beauty. The concert was a fine display of solo and ensemble playing and again, we met with many taiko enthusiasts, including Ochi-san and Abe-san, Eitetsu Hayashi's costume designer.
Our final concert experience was Kodo "One Earth Tour". We couldn’t wait to experience this sensational group and our patience paid off.
Our trip to Japan was invaluable and certainly as unique an experience as we could possibly have hoped for. We're looking forward to going back and performing with TaikOz in 2005. (Kevin & Kerryn, June 2004)
NEWS IN BRIEF
Ian has just returned from Japan where he joined Eitetsu Hayashi and Fuun-no-Kai in a performance of Maki Ishii's Monochrome – the ensemble version of Monoprism. The occasion was the 20th Tokyo Summer Festival and the concert was part of a retrospective of Ishii's music. Eitetsu has not performed the piece for over 25 years and he took great pleasure in the process of rehearsing. The performance was very exciting and elicited a strong reaction from the audience.
This October will see TaikOz joining forces with Wadaiko Matsumura-gumi in Brisbane. This dynamic young group hails from Kobe City and it's our pleasure to present them for our Brisbane audiences. Matsumura-gumi's music is very different from TaikOz' and people will, I'm sure, enjoy their very modern Wadaiko style. Two members of Matsumura-gumi will also be presenting some workshops for members of the public...
8/04
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Ricky Sebastian
What's up Pam?
I hope you're doing great. It's wonderful to be back in NY.
Please check out this month's issue (Sept) of Modern Drummer. There is a review of my new drum set instruction book/cd, "The Independent Drummer" ... It recieved a 5 star review which is a great honor for me.
... You can check out a little of the book at: www.strdigital.com. Click on "Artists", then click on my name and it will take you to my website where you can download free of charge a few pages of the book describing the basic concept.
I hope all is well with you and look forward to hearing from you.
Rick
Check out my website at: www.strdigital.com
8/04
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Cougar Estrada
Hi Everyone, if you are by a TV tomorrow/ Tuesday August 3. I'm playing drums with Los Lobos on The Conan O'Brien Show, playing the song "Chains of Love" on the new CD called "The Ride".
We also have an CD/EP coming out tomorrow August 3 as well. It's a seven song CD called "Ride This". This seven song CD is Los Lobos doing covers of a Bobby Womack, Elvis Costello, Ruben Blades, Richard Thompson, Dave Alvin, Wille G, and a Tom Waits song.
We are paying homage to these artists who were featured on "The Ride" CD that came out in May 4, 2004. Ok now remember the CD "The Ride" and the EP is "Ride This".
Hope you can stay up to watch tomorrow, thanks for listening, Cougar
ps. we just taped a DVD at The Fillmore in San Francisco on July 28 & 29. We are looking at a Winter Release...
8/04
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Richard Puente
Son of Latin Jazz Great Tito Puente Dies
New York, NY - July 20 - Richard Puente, second son of the Late Latin jazz legend Tito Puente and percussionist with famed disco group Foxy, died in his sleep Sunday morning.
In the prime of a richly rewarding career that has included two Grammy nominations and two gold records, the accomplished 51-year-old multi- instrumentalist was hospitalized after suffering from viral encephoplopathy due to a prior brain injury that was the result of a mugging over 10 years ago. Since his release from the hospital, Richie had been nonverbal, confined to a bed and wheelchair and relegated to tube feeding. He resided at home with his 95-year-old grandmother and his mother, Ida Carlini, who became Richie's primary caretaker along with daytime nurses who helped with his day-to-day needs. Puente's immobilized state was a sad turn of events for someone so young and vital and who thrived on the stage playing music over the past 25 years.
In 1974, Richie and fellow musician Ish Ledesma formed the band Foxy, playing rock and underground disco covers and originals. By 1975, they had a recording contract with Henry Stone's T.K. label out of Florida and recorded five albums, one of which went gold. In 1979, Richie toured with the Jacksons (featuring Michael Jackson) on the Destiny Tour, where Foxy was the opening act for Sister Sledge. Since his departure from Foxy, Richie became a session musician for Criteria Studios, recording with such renowned artists as Peter Frampton, Eddie Money, George and Gwen McRae, Mink Deville, Blowfly (Clarence Reed) and Abba. In 2000, Richie returned to the stage with renewed vigor, playing percussion for Edward Villela's Miami City Ballet production Mambo No. 2 a.m. and appearing as a guest artist at Roseland Ballroom in New York City for the Linda McCartney Breast Awareness Garland Foundation in the Latin Segment tribute to his father, Tito Puente. In February of 2001, in the midst of rehearsals for the 2001 Miami City Ballet season of Mambo No. 2 a.m., Richie suffered a viral infection, which caused uncontrollable seizures. Doctors ultimately had to induce a coma in order to save him. Unfortunately, two months later he came out of his coma with little hope of recovery. In fact, the prognosis was grim --eventual death due to the trauma he had already suffered.
Richard Puente is survived by his grandmother Maria Pereira; mother Ida Carlini, sister Christina Carlini; and brothers Charles and Ari Carlini.
7/04
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Terry Silverlight
Hello Pam,
How are you? I hope you're doing great...
By the way, there will be a feature article on me in the October issue of Modern Drummer Magazine (available in August). Paul Wertico interviews me. Also, my new drum instruction book will be out in September, published by Music Sales. An audio CD accompanies the book with me playing the exercises along with my brother Barry Miles on keyboards and John Patitucci on 6-string bass.
Thanks for everything and many warm wishes.
Terry
http://terrysilverlight.com
7/04
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John Ferraro
Hi Pam
... I just got back from Japan with Boz Scaggs Blue Note Tour and now I'm on tour with Linda Rondstadt and the Baltimore Symphony
I also have a website
Thanx
7/04
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Larry Aberman
Hi All,
I hope this email finds you well.
The current issue of Modern Drummer magazine (Sept 04, with Lenny Kravitz and Zoro on the cover) is running a feature I wrote about my experiences with Cirque du Soleil and drumming for Cirque in general. I put the article up on my website here:
http://www.larryaberman.com/words.html
As a warning, the page is not 56K modem friendly.
As always, thanks for all your support-
OXLA
7/04
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Larry Aberman
Hi All,
I hope this email finds you well.
The current issue of Modern Drummer magazine (Sept 04, with Lenny Kravitz and Zoro on the cover) is running a feature I wrote about my experiences with Cirque du Soleil and drumming for Cirque in general. I put the article up on my website here:
http://www.larryaberman.com/words.html
As a warning, the page is not 56K modem friendly.
As always, thanks for all your support-
OXLA
7/04
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Louie Bellson
Dear friends,
... next month Louie Bellson will be celebrating his 80th birthday and I would kindly ask that you take a moment to send him a birthday greeting. To make it easier, I’ve included the link -http://friendsoflouie.entertainme.info.
Thanks in advance for helping honor a true treasure in our industry.
John DeChristopher (Zildjian)
-----
As you might realize, this summer marks the 80th birthday of Louie Bellson, the world-renowned drummer. Entertainme.info, a San Francisco Bay Area event delivery site, has created an online Birthday Card for Louie. We'd love for you and all members of the music community (and all members of Zildjian staff) to have the opportunity to send their personal greetings to Louie. This includes all visitors / subscribers to your marvelous site, which we hope can be made aware of this event and sign the card as well. I hope you can cooperate and spread this information to any and all musicians and music lovers who have enjoyed Louie's contributions to all of us by sending an email notice to all your mailing list. Send them to:
http://friendsoflouie.entertainme.info
Individuals may sign the card (everything's FREE) and forward an invitation to friends to sign. You may also create any emails you desire just using the above link You may add the link to your site, if you so desire. The card will be up until the end of July, even though the last "formal" event for Louie is on July 9.
We're trying to make this the "World's Largest Birthday Card!"
Russ Hartley
President
Entertainme.info
To view the card go to:http://louie.entertainme.info
6/04
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Tris Imboden
Hey Pam,
It's Tris here. It was great seeing you however briefly at the Zildjian thing the other day! We leave this morning for our tour together with Earth, Wind, And Fire. This one may go into 2005 the way ticket sales are going. I sure hope you get a chance to see us. We will be at the Greek the 10th and 11th of August although those look like sellouts. Apparently they are going to add more shows in LA. I wanted to give you the address of my website finally. It is drumistic.com... Please give El Negro my best and tell him I'm grateful for his recovery.
All the best,
Tris
6/04
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Taku Hirano
Just wanted to give you an update and let you know that I have officially signed on to do Bette Midler's "Kiss My Brass" tour this fall. Rehearsals begin on September 13th in NYC and the tour begins on October 2nd at the Mohegan Sun in Uncassville, CT. The tour will go until December 9th as of now, with possible overseas dates beginning in February 2005.
Fleetwood Mac will finally finish their "Say You Will" tour on July 18th, after being out since May 7, 2003. I leave out several days later with Lionel Richie for a week of dates, including an appearance on Good Morning America on July 23rd. Fleetwood Mac will also be performing a private show in Washington D.C. on September 9th, and makeup shows in Atlantic City on September 12th, and Camden, NJ on September 14th (I will come into Bette Midler rehearsals a couple of days late). I also will be performing a clinic and concert with the Naples Philharmonic in Naples, FL on September 10th and 11th.
That's about it for now. Hope all is well! The Fleetwood Mac tour is going great as we enter the home stretch. Take care and talk to you soon.
Taku
6/04
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Ricky Sebastian
Pam,
I've just released a very unique drum set instruction book / cd which you can check out @ www.strdigital.com. Click on Artists then clink on my name.
Los Hombres Calientes just released a DVD entitled "Los Hombre Calientes Live" recorded @ the House of Blues in New Orleans. We are also finishing our new CD as I write to you. I don't know when it will be released but I'm happy that I got one of my compositions on this one.
Also going to Russia on the 16th - 22nd to play in the St. Petersburg Jazz Festival and to give a masterclass while I'm there.
Take care,
Rick
6/04
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Tony Coleman
Hey There, This is Tony Coleman writing from my tour in France right now. Leaving the King of the Blues was not an easy thing to do and put my own Funky Blues Band together. But after four years on my own it is begining to work for me more and more. When people in the industry who promote what they call Blues they only want to see a guitarist fronting the band. well I am breaking all of there rules and getting extremely popular over here in Europe no thanks to those people. I put the drums front and center stage and I sing from the kit, no different than being a singing pianist or any other instrument if you groove the people they will have a good time.
So just a friendly hello and a few photo's from my concert this weekend at the Duvel Blues Festival in Belgium.
Tony Coleman.
6/04
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Jorge Bermudez
Hey Conga People,
I hope everyone is doing well! Here is an update on my summer. Jorge Bermudez - actor not ?????? Director and screenwriter Virginia Barretto from Nicaragua is dragging me in kicking and screaming. This summer I will be writing the music for her Independent short film" The Thief and The Pinata" for HBO Latino. It will air on HBO Latino in 2005. I will be appearing in the film performing a Bermudez Triangle song. Chalo Eduardo will also appear in the film as one of my band members. I will be hiding behind flaming red Remo congas!
I will portray Uncle Tony in my first acting role ever. This is director Virginia's idea. Dear God please help me with my lines!
Doesn't the camera make chubby guys look chubbier? Oh well it's too late to go on a diet now. Ingrid Oliu who was in "Real Women have Curves" will portray my wife. If you haven't seen it this is a very fun film. You can check it out at the link below.
www.apple.com/trailers/independent/realwomenhavecurves.html
The film will be shooting in July just prior to to my first visit to Taiwan... As many of you know I have been honored by an invitation to teach percussion at The University of Taipei beginning July 20th. I have been hired as a conga missionary to bring the joy of the Musica Latina and percussion to the far east. It is a great honor as I've never traveled to that part of the world. Chalo has been there and he says it promises to be an adventure I won't soon forget. I will return to the U.S. on Aug.2nd.
Well, God Bless you all and I hope you and your families have a great summer.
Sinceramente,
Warmest Regards,
Jorge Bermudez
6/04
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Artt Frank
... Speaking of drums. There is a bop drumming book being written about me and my style of drumming, pure authentic bop. This book will be about the fact that I never took a single lesson, never studied, can't read a note of music, yet I went on to play with everybody from Charlie Parker to Benny Waters and so many in between during the last 56 years of my life. The book will be instructional, anecdotal and historic. The publisher is Tim Schaffner of Schaffner Press of NYC and Tucson. The book should be on the market in late fall...
Later. Artt Frank
www.arttfrank.com
5/04
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John JR Robinson
Again, it’s been awhile since my last update... I've been very busy with several motion pictures. I've just finished Raising Helen, Starsky & Hutch, Mr. 3000, Garfield, Ladder 49, 13 Going On 30, Dodgeball and Collateral. Some of the most recent CD’s are Queen Latifah, Ray Charles, Lillian Garcia [of WWE fame], Yazawa and Michael Kleitman. The most recent live gigs include Magic Johnson's NBA Allstar Concert, Mohammed Ali's Benefit for Parkinson's, McDonald's Benefit for Ronald McDonald House and John Travolta's 50th Birthday party. I have an upcoming concert with Barbra Streisand and Willie Nelson. I am putting the finishing touches on my first solo CD. It will be available around August 1st...
Until next time...
www.JohnJRRobinson.com
5/04
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Gregg Gerson
Pam,
I'm back... I left Izmir yesterday morning at 8AM and connected to Istanbul, then flew to JFK. Landed at 3:10 PM NYC time, 10: PM Izmir time and headed back to my place. The gig was a total success and everyone played great!!! I signed so many autographs that my hand started to cramp... Looks like there's more gigs with Alex Markov, (he is incredible) ... One in Cyprus, one in Israel, three in Turkey and who knows? They shot a video and recorded the show as well...
Love you and miss you...
Gregg G
www.GreggGerson.com
5/04
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Elvin Jones
Legendary jazz drummer Elvin Jones died on Tuesday, May 18 at age 76.
Recognized as one of the most influential drummers in the history of jazz, Jones developed an original approach in which every part of the drumset contributed to the forward momentum of the music. Through his use of multiple layers of rhythm, Jones helped free the music from the boxlike structure imposed by barlines, paving the way for a more modern style of jazz that flowed more freely.
Jones admits that being a rhythmic pioneer wasn't always easy. Early in his career, many musicians considered him difficult to play with. But Jones says he knew he was doing the right thing. "I knew my style sounded complicated, but it wasn't really," Jones said in a 1982 Modern Drummer interview. "It wasn't status quo, but it wasn't all THAT different."
"This way of playing adds more responsibility to the drummer," Jones said. "One of the responsibilities involves being flexible enough to support the soloist within the full range of support. You aren't just following the soloist; you become a partner. When approached properly, this way of playing offers greater opportunities and broadens the musical scope of the player. And it has to be musical; it can't be an ego trip."
Jones' style came to full fruition during his tenure with the John Coltrane Quartet from 1960-65. After leaving Coltrane, Jones led his own band, the Elvin Jones Jazz Machine. In 1991 he was elected to the PAS Hall of Fame.
5/04
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Ralph Humphrey
Dear Pam,
Just to update you on what I'm doing. Starting May 26 - Aug. 22, I will be touring with Natalie Cole in Florida, Japan at the various Blue Note clubs, Aspen, Chicago, Wisconsin, St. Louis, Seattle, and finishing up at Cerritos.
The Los Angeles Music Academy has recently been fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. I continue to teach and head the Drum dept. there with partner Joe Porcaro.
I can be heard on recent CD's by the band Babaghanoush and with Prasanna Ramaswamy on a CD called 'Be The Change'. Babaghanoush can be obtained by going to the website: babaghanoushmusic.com. Prasanna's website is guitarprasanna.com
Hope all is well at 'Drums on the Web'.
Maybe I'll see you at the next Trap benefit.
Ralph
5/04
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Jorge Bermudez
Hey Everyone,
I just wanted to send you all a quick note of love and greetings. I have just returned from my travels with Ann Margret.
Sunday night I did realize a childhood dream. As a young Nicaraguan boy in the 60's I always fantasized about kissing Ann Margret on the lips after seeing Elvis kiss her in "Viva Las Vegas". Ann Margret may be 62 but she is still gorgeous and could easily pass for being in her 40's with those rich Viking genes. She still dances and sings her ass off on stage and it keeps her very fit.
After our final show the cast and band were given a closing night party. Our gracious boss and her husband of 37 years Roger Smith put out an amazing spread of food and liquor. It was our reward after a very successful national tour. We all worked our butts off for this beautiful motion picture icon. The party was a kick as we all laughed and replayed the best and worst moments of the tour. We went from the tropical beauty of Florida to the chill of the mid west finishing up in Las Vegas in 6 weeks.
Finally the party was ending and I went to say good bye and thank Ann Margret for everything. I hugged her and to my disbelief she placed her lips on mine and gave me a farewell gift. Time stopped for me. I was stunned. I remembered that kid in that dark movie theater in San Francisco and I thought, Dios Mio, What a great life this is! I stood there tongue tied and I think I muttered "thanks". Everyone including her husband was giggling at my reaction. Wow, I was kissed by the Swedish Goddess. Remember, I will always be a fan first.
Okay guys, so I will be in town and available. it isn't very likely we will tour again till later this year. Ann Margret has TV and Film commitments and Andy Williams is bringing her to Branson, Missouri with his orchestra in April for 6 weeks...
Warmest Regards to all,
Jorge Bermudez
P.S. The Bermudez Triangle song " Cu-Cu-cumbia" composed by myself and Craig Sharmat will be heard on the March 16th episode of "The Shield" on F/X.
5/04
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Frank Colon
hi, pam! hi, negro!
thanks for keeping me in the loop about all of your activities!
i'm out on the road right now with Thalia's "High Voltage" world tour and it's been a lot of fun! we've toured thru mexico, hitting in guadalajara, ciudad mexico, toluca, and monterey and having played nyc, we're now in chicago. after a couple fo more weeks in the usa, we'll take this show to south america and then to europe.
btw, i just recorded with the Manhattan Transfer on their new cd album, to be released later this month! later this year, i'll be participating in another "Jazz Ambassadors" tour of asia with the Adam Klipple quartet, also featuring Willard Dyson on drums!
all my best to you guys!
big hugs,
frank colon
www.frankcolon.com
05/04
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Taku Hirano
Hello there! Just wanted to drop a line. I know that I told you that I would write you when I saw you at the NAMM show, and I apologize for taking so long. Believe it or not, I just got home since I last saw you! I was actually in the midst of a month of rehearsals and gigs in Tokyo when I saw you at NAMM. I was just back in L.A. for two days to do a gig with Fleetwood Mac. After my month in Japan with Hikaru Utada, I headed straight to Australia for a month with Fleetwood, and then went to Qatar, Amsterdam, and L.A. for gigs with Lionel Richie. Then I went straight into rehearsals for a few weeks with Fleetwood Mac. I finally got home to Atlanta a few days ago. I am off the road for the next couple of weeks before we start up again on May 4th with Fleetwood. This next run will go to the end of July and we start in NYC with a private show for VH-1 at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. They will all be amphitheater shows... I believe we are back in the NY area on the tour at the top of June for a gig at Jones Beach. I'll keep you posted!
Well, that's the update from my end. Hope everything is going well on your end. Let's definitely keep in touch. Take care and give my best to Negro.
Taku
05/04
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Richie Hayward
As many of you may know, Little Feat drummer, Richie Hayward's son Severin was seriously injured in an automobile accident in mid-December and is still in the hospital. A trust fund has been set up that will help pay for medical and rehabilitation expenses not covered by insurance.
The good folks from the Little Feat Fans World are assisting Richie and his family by putting together items for an online auction in support of the Guacomole fund and Simpatico Foundation which is the tax exempt trust set up for Severin Hayward.
They are reaching out to the drumming community to solicit donations of any items that can be used that will help in their efforts. 100% of the proceeds will go to the trust. You can check their efforts at www.faerae.com/feat , or visit the Little Feat site at www.littlefeat.net
The contact number for the Simpatico Foundation is 800-728-6223. They accept checks, Visa, MasterCard, and Discovery. Visit the Guacamole Fund online at www.guacfund.org!
5/04
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Rick Latham
Hi Everyone,
I've been working on some really exciting projects lately as well as changes and updates to my web site. I just wanted to share a few of the coolest ones with you. I'm keeping busy with sessions, gigs, writing, clinics and teaching as usual and I've also been working on my "CyberStuff" ideas as well. Here are a couple of things you just have to check out.
1) The new Boom-Boom Cam http://www.ricklatham.com/boom.html this is a hi tech "Live" webcam in my home studio that I can update to the web whenever I want. Currently, it is set to update and refresh every 10 seconds. This means that when I have the cam on and uploading you will be able to check out what is happening in my studio at that moment in time with still photos being uploaded every 10 seconds. It's a cool thing to keep checking back on because I could be practicing, recording, teaching, having a meeting or just talking on the phone. It's totally live and un-edited! You might want to check it out right now!!!!!!!!!!!
2) My live phone system is also having a great response and there have been several improvements made during the last few months. Please visit my site http://www.ricklatham.com and click on the "Talk To Me Now" button at the top of the page. You'll be directed how to use the system. You'll also see a link for the Boom-Boom Cam there too.
3) My real-time video LessonsOnDemand thing is really taking off as well!!!!! You can download the FREE software for Mac or PC and in a matter of minutes we can be talking in real-time "Live" with full video and audio any where at any time! You don't even need a web cam or mic. You don't even need a high speed commection! A dial up connection will work. Once you have the software, you can view me and hear me through your computer and even type questions and or responses to me in a regular type style chat window. This is immediate with no delay at all. Of course, if you do have any inexpensive webcam you can use this for a real-time video chat. You have to see this. Please go to http://www.ivisit.com and download the appropriate system software then drop me a line or give me a call and I'll walk you though the easy step by step set-up instructions.
This is really the Jetsons age and I'm grabbing it by the horns. It's the way of the future and we should all embrace this exciting technology. This is a tremendous tool for distance learning and making education fun again!
Please check this stuff out and let me know what you think. It only takes a minute and well worth it!
You can hear some samples from the new (Groove Doctors) CD at:
http://www.groovedoctorsjazz.com/backitlive.mp3 and
http://www.groovedoctorsjazz.com/chickenlive.mp3
All the best for now,
Rick
http://www.ricklatham.com
5/04
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Gregg Gerson
Hey all,
So here's what's been going on. I left New York for LA / San Diego in the beginning of February and got right to work. I did a bunch of gigs through out the Los Angeles area with my friend, singer songwriter Bobby Syvarth, playing flute. I even put a peddle board together for the killer sounds!!!
Then I played drum tracks on the new Luke Neeley record down in San Diego. I then met up with singer songwriter Lee Nestor, back up in LA and had the opportunity to play with her at the renown Whiskey-A-Go-Go in Hollywood with Jason Page, (One of the best singers on the planet) playing Bass and Tommy Andrews on guitar. Tommy and I did the Belinda Carlisle, (The Go Gos) and Steve Jones, (Sex Pistols) tours together in the past. It was good fun and Lee's brilliant!!!
While in LA, Steve Stevens, (Guitar virtuoso w/ Billy Idol) and I got to spend a lot of time catching up with each other. He's one of my closest friends in LA today without a doubt. He's in Studio now with Idol working on a new record. I'm sure it will be great!!! I even met up with one of my oldest friends, Russ Irwin, (Keyboards w/ Aerosmith) just before he went out on tour. It seems as though all my friends have moved to LA?
So here's what May looks like, but first, a little history. Last month, (April) while I was in LA working, I get a call from Will Lee (Bass Player) of the fame David Letterman Orchestra. He asked me if I could do a gig in Turkey with rock / classical violinist Alexander Markov, and of course I said yes. Will told me he'd love to do this gig but couldn't leave New York for a week to play the gig. Will also contacted bassist Ivan Bodley, who's without question one of the best bass players here in the city of New York. Also a dear friend...
So, I'm flying to Izmir, Turkey on May 18 to perform for a crowd of 6,000 people with Alexander Markov. It's an original piece he's written called "The Rock Concerto" in four movements for 6-String Electric Violin (played through a Marshall amp), Symphony Orchestra, Chorus and a Rock Group, somewhat similar to what I did with The British Rock Symphony, with Roger Daltrey (The Who). There's even a drum solo at the end of the third movement. It will be my first gig in Turkey.
Have a great Spring!!!
Gregg
www.GreggGerson.com
5/04
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Cougar Estrada
Hi Everyone, Here's some info on something you may want to keep an open ear to this year...
...Los Lobos have a new CD coming out this Tuesday, that features guests Dave Alvin, Ruben Blades, Cafe Tacuba, Elvis Costello, Mitchell Froom, Martha Gonzalez, Robert Hunter, Little Willie G., Mavis Staples, Richard Thompson, Tom Waits, and Bobby Womack. I'm excited to say that yours truly is playing drums on the whole CD, so i'm very excited about this...
Thanks for listening. Cougar
www.CougarRecords.com
5/04
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Cassio Duarte
Hi Pam,
It's been a long time. I hope all is well with you.
In February, my DVD "Introduction to Brazilian Percussion" was finally released...
Congratulations, and thank you so much for such great work!!
With best wishes,
-Cassio
www.cassioduarte.com
5/04
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Rick Latham
Greetings from the Boom-Boom Room,
Just a short note to say Hi and hope all is well.
Things are going well here. Staying busy with sessions, gigs, writing and traveling a little. I'll be releasing the new Live CD this summer and I'm really excited about it... It's going to be a really great package with a very special surprise inside!!! [:^) You'll get more in depth info as the release date nears. I'll be sure to get you some advance copies ASAP when we complete the manufacturing.
All the best for now,
Groove On,
Rick
http://www.ricklatham.com
**PS: Check these links out for your personal very special sneak preview
These tunes should start playing before the actual download is finished
http://www.groovedoctorsjazz.com/backitlive.mp3
http://www.groovedoctorsjazz.com/chickenlive.mp
4/04
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Chief Bey
Percussionist James Hawthorne Bey, known as Chief Bey, dies at 91
James Hawthorne Bey, a jazz percussionist and African folklorist who recorded with such artists as Art Blakey and Herbie Mann before turning to teaching, died Thursday at his home in Brooklyn. He was 91.
The cause was stomach cancer, said Garland Roberts, a cousin.
Bey, known to his students and on recordings as Chief Bey, was born James Hawthorne in Yamassee, S.C. in 1913. As a boy, he moved with his family to the Brownsville section of Brooklyn and then to Harlem, where he began playing drums and singing in church choirs.
He served in the Navy during the invasion of Pearl Harbor and later attended cosmetology school. He took the name Bey after joining the Moorish Science Temple, a Muslim sect.
In the 1950s, he performed in an international tour of "Porgy and Bess" starring Leontyne Price and Cab Calloway. He also began a busy recording career, appearing on Mann's "At the Village Gate" (1961) and Blakey's "The African Beat" (1962) as well as on albums by Harry Belafonte, Pharoah Saunders and others.
He made several theatrical and film appearances, performing as an African drummer in the Broadway musical "Raisin," which ran from 1973 to 1975, and as a Brooklyn resident in the 1995 films "Smoke" and "Blue in the Face."
In his 80s, he taught the shekere, a West African percussion instrument, at the Griot Institute at Intermediate School 246 in Brooklyn. "These are my babies," he said of the instrument in an interview with The Associated Press in 1998. "I love them."
Bey continued drumming in public as recently as October, when he performed at a drum symposium at New York University.
Funeral services will be held April 13 at Friendship Baptist Church in Brooklyn, Roberts said.
4/04
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Mike Botts
Hello there! I'm very pleased that you've all been enjoying the Road Journal so much. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I just wanted to share some of the other recent 'News from Botts', in addition to the next entry of the road log. First, my solo CD, Adults Only, is in its second pressing and now includes a bonus disc that contains a CD rom version of the video I co-produced for my song, "The Wait". The CD is still the same original price, I just wanted to throw this extra disc in as a gesture of thanks for the fan support. So, if you don't have your copy or you'd like to get a copy for a friend, now's the perfect time to order. You can find out more at my website, www.mikebotts.com.
I've also completed the second CD of Hawaiian music in the traditional 'Slack Key' guitar style with 'Na Kama Hele' (The Travelers). The new CD is titled, The One They Call Hawaii. It's now available along with our first world music CD, Ki Ho `Alu Journey. So for all of you who, like me, can't afford to jet over to Hawaii for the weekend, this is the next best thing. Mix yourself a Mai-Tai, put on your favorite Hawaiian shirt, kick back in a comfy chair and let us take you to the Islands. To find out more and hear some tracks, visit us at our website www.nakamahele.com
After you've read this latest entry into the Road Journal, I hope you'll take a few minutes to come visit the websites. Again, I'd like to thank you all for the overwhelming response to the Road Journal and I'll keep 'em coming. Take care until the next episode, bye for now.
:-) -- The best from Botts
3/04
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Jim Greiner
Hi everyone,
I am happy to announce that my video, Community Drumming For Health & Happiness, is now available in DVD! You can get it through any music store that carries either Latin Percussion Instruments or Warner Bros. Publications. It is also available through many wellness oriented stores.
The DVD is an updated version of my video and has a lot of extra photos, drum circle video clips and an interview with me. The original content is still there and contains two sections:
- a 60 minute section in which I cover fundamentals of drumming for physical, mental and emotional well being, how to listen and communicate while playing, how to establish and maintain a solid groove, how to relax while playing, and beginning to intermediate fundamentals of congas, shekere, cowbell, claves, maracas and other shakers.
-an additional 23 minute section of a 50 person drum circle that allows the viewer to play along for an extended length of time, using the instruments and patterns I demonstrated in the first section.
I have more information on the video/DVD on my web site, as well as some photos, testimonials and reviews.
The video version (available in both NTSC & PAL for North American and European video players) is being phased out, but there are still some available. Contact me off-list about this or if you have any other questions.
http://www.handsondrum.com
3/04
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J D Blair
:0)
Thanx 4 da support!
I'm out N da UK w/ Twain...
The new CD shood B bout ready then 2!!!
Thanx again!
Innaminnit
2/04
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Michael Fox
Hey Pam hope all is well. Just got back from the Mid west with Floyd (Lee), We head lined in 3 major rooms. Wilberts in Cleveland which host acts such as John Scofield, Robin Ford etc. Roses and an afternoon show at Buddy Guys room in Chicago...
Regards Michael.
2/04
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Walter Perkins
Jazz drummer Walter Perkins, who played with such greats as Charles Mingus, Sonny Rollins and Ahmad Jamal, died Feb. 14. He was 72.
The cause was lung cancer, said his wife, Barbara Perkins.
Born in Chicago, he was a leader of the jazz group MJT + 3, which recorded a self-titled album in 1959. After the group disbanded in 1962, Perkins moved to New York and began playing with musicians such as Mingus, Jamal, Gene Ammons and Carmen McRae.
He appeared on dozens of albums; one of his most recent appearances was with William Parker, with whom he recorded "Bob's Pink Cadillac" (2002).
In the 1970s and 1980s he taught drum classes at Girls and Boys High School in Brooklyn. He lived in Queens and continued to teach and play in local clubs until shortly before his death.
2/04
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Mike Smith
Hello All:
Well, I'm now home from the hospital recovering from my auto accident, slowly but surely. I want to thank all of u for your concern, prayers, acts of kindness, calling & visiting me in the hospital. GOD IS A GOOD GOD.. HE BROUGHT ME THRU! & u all helped!
Ya know... I was looking to buy a new auto this year.... just not this way!!
As u can see, I still have my sense of humor intact & it aided me tremendously during my hospital stay. I kept folks laughing & many of my friends returned the favor.... although much to my demise. U see... while I like to hear a good joke & laugh, the pain was (is) almost unbearable when I do... as it affects my ribs which are fractured (4 to b exact).
So... for those that made me laugh & continue to do so even when I beg u to stop.... u all know what payback is! My time will come!!
Thank u all so much for everything... keep praying & doing the right things.
Mike
1/04
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Mike Smith - update
So many of u have asked how u can b of help to me... well, the first thing I need r your prayers & moral support. I finally have felt good enough to go through my current financial obligations .... & taking into account that I will not b able to work for at least a month & possibly up to 3 months, as it takes about this amount of time to heal from what I was told at the hospital.
I'm sure every person heals differently... some slower or faster than others. I was in pretty good shape / health b4 this, & I'm doing all my Dr. told me to... so I'm praying that I heal quickly... but really just don't know how long it will take b4 I'm "back again" so to speak.
I will apply 4 disability & don't know what that pays as I've never had it b4. Being that it is supplemental income it probably won't b what I need to make - just to cover my general expenses. (roof over my head, lights, gas, trash, water, food)
So the second thing I'll need is money.... believe me, this is not an easy thing for me to ask for, but I realize I must not let pride get in the way because I have a genuine, honest need here. We all know what it takes to maintain just the "basics", which is all I need taken care of at this time.
If u can help financially in any way... it will be appreciated immensly. Keep the prayers coming!
Mike Smith
<If you would like to help Mike, please email pam@drumsontheweb.com for info>
1/04
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Mike Smith - update
About 2 weeks ago my Dr. & Physical Therapist gave me the OK to begin my weight training & practicing again. (although I must begin at the beginning) ...sigh... so I've been doing that.
I play my first concert since the accident this Saturday & it’s celebrating Jesus’ Resurrection. Now hold on!... my accident occurred on Jan 10th... this concert is on April 10th. Coincidence?, I don't think so, Somehow I feel it’s my resurrection as well. I'm on the way back to a full recovery & God's plan for my life is in full force.
Mike
4/04
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Mike Smith - update
Hello All:
Well, the "Jazz In The Spirit" Concert on April 10th was well attended & off the hoozoookie! (off the hook... 4 all u that ain't hip... LOL!). I felt good, no problems with my ribs & everyone worked together 4 the Glory of God. It was a great success... folks r still e-mailing Ron & myself too about it. 4 those that missed it... ya gotta come 2 the next 1!
"The Fellowship" Band: Land Richards... drums, Duane "Smitty" (Go- Go) Smith... Bass, Darryl Crookes... Guitar, Todd Hunter... Keys, Yours Truly... Percussion.
The front men: Ron Brown.. sax, Donald Hayes... sax...U guys showed out... inspired me even more!
Tim, Tiffany, MIG & The 60 voice international choir... U all sang!!!
Sharif J... Thank u... great job doing my the cartage... ya know we b workin' some more soon!
So.... with all that being said... this is my official announcement... "I'M BACK & READY 2 GO 2 WORK". I'm available for CD sessions, live gigs, concerts, movie / tv recording, tours, commercial "jingles", etc. Spread the word!
(Ma brothas Munyungo & David... U can't do all the work, let me have some 2... LOL!)
I thank u all again 4 your support while I was recuperating. I was very touched & humbled by all!... Now call me 4 some work!!!...
In Humbleness
Mike
4/04
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Steve Smith
Greetings from the road,
I've been on tour with Buddy's Buddies for a week and the band is swinging hard. We're all having a lot of fun playing music from the Buddy Rich book. We have adapted some of Buddy's more well know charts so they work with a quintet. The line up is strong featuring two alumni of Buddy's band, Steve Marcus on tenor and soprano saxes along with Andy Fusco on alto sax. The rhythm section, besides myself on drums, is Baron Browne on bass (from Vital Information) and Mark Soskin on piano. Mark toured for years with Sonny Rollins and he wrote the music and is featured in the "History of the U.S. Beat" section of my Hudson Music DVD, "Drumset Technique and History of the U.S. Beat."
The music we are playing on tour is from our two new Tone Center CDs, "Steve Smith and Buddy's Buddies Very Live at Ronnie Scott's Set One" and "Steve Smith and Buddy's Buddies Very Live at Ronnie Scott's Set Two." We still have two weeks of touring to go – please come out and hear the band when we play in your area.
Magna Carta records has just released "Modern Drummer Presents Drum Nation" a compilation CD with tracks from many different drummers including Terry Bozzio, Bill Bruford, Simon Phillips and others. I contributed a track that is a duet with Zakir Hussain, the great tabla master. Our tune is called Mad Tea Time and it's 11 minutes of drumming madness!
I have a full schedule of clinics and various gigs coming up, check out the tour dates and come out and catch a clinic or a gig in your area.
It's time for sound check so I have to run....
Take Care, Steve Smith
http://www.vitalinformation.com
2/04
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Charlie Waymire
HAPPY NEW YEAR YA'LL!!
Yea I know, I'm a little late but hey, better late than never. Right?!
It's been a very busy new year so far. It started off with a lot of drum programming. No, I haven't stopped "playing drums", I've just added a new dimension to it. Samplers and computers CAN be a drummers friend. I mean who better to program drum tracks than a drummer, right! With that came the concept for my first solo record. A combination between drum programming and live drums plus a slew of electronics on my acoustic kit. It has been a lot of fun getting started on this project. At the moment I'm looking at being in the studio to record live drums in April or May. More details will be on the way as the project progresses.
I returned to the Baked Potato with the Jeff Kollman band as well. It was an interesting night. Everything that could go wrong, went wrong. In the first set anyway. Don't get me wrong we played great, energy o'plenty, but technical difficulties were abundant. We didn't let it bother us though, sometimes those things happen.
After that I hit the studio with Italian guitarist Steve Saluto to do a track on his next record. It was a lot of fun! The song was a latin, jazz, funk tune. Steve is a great guitar player and I had a blast playing on his record!
The circus know as the NAMM show followed the next day. It was the best NAMM show I've been too. First off, my new signature stick from Trueline was relesed. It's the best stick I've ever used! Thanks a bunch to Eric for spending a lot of time with me on that one. Pictures and details are up on my site. I also had the pleasure of hanging out with Derek from Pearl drums. It was fun even though the crowd at the Hilton bar was insane. On Sunday Derek put me in the hot seat at the Pearl Performance Booth. It was the coolest thing I've seen at NAMM. A sound proof room with a beautiful Masterworks drum kit all miced up and a great little PA for everyone outside to hear what's happening. That was definitely a highlight of my NAMM.
Finally, there are a lot of new additions to the website. The biggest one being... VIDEO! Yes there are a couple of quicktime video's available for download.
Ok, I've said enough. I hope everyone is having a great new year so far. Drop me a line if you get a chance.
All the best,
CW
http://www.charliewaymire.com
1/04
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Evelyn Glennie
Hi,
On 5th January 2004 I took part in an event called the 'Grade-one-athon'. I gave a lesson in percussion to 8 students and then I was given a lesson in an instrument I have never played before, the double-bass!
I now have 8 weeks in which to re-discover my learning skills before I have to take my grade one exam on the double bass. I am trying to practice as much as I can in between my travelling and performing.
If you would like to sponsor my attempt, please visit my web page at www.justgiving.com/evelynglennie
It's easy and 100% secure. If you are a UK taxpayer, Justgiving will add an automatic 28% tax bonus to your donation at no cost to you.
It's all for the East Anglian Children's Hospices.
My Charity - East Anglia's Children’s Hospices (EACH) cares for children and young people with life-limiting conditions, meaning they are likely to die before they reach adulthood. Its services also offer support to siblings and other family members helping them to come to terms with the loss, both before and after the death of the child.
I am sure you will agree it is a very worthwhile cause.
No matter how small the donation, it's all worth it so please give your support.
Many thanks,
Evelyn Glennie
1/04
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Joel Rosenblatt
Greetings! I hope 2004 is going to be a great year for everyone!!!
Now the news.... I have made a change in my career --- After 12 years with Spyro Gyra, I have decided to move on. When it's time to go, it's time to go!!!! It's something that I felt I needed to do, and there are no hard feelings. I need be able to create the opportunity for some more and different playing situations. I am looking forward to being around a bit more, and making some great music!!!
all the best
Joel
http://www.joel-rosenblatt.com
1/04
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Sue Hadjopoulos
Hi Pam and El Negro,
Wishing you and yours a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I spent the major part of the year touring in Europe with a theatrical project, an adaptation of The Temptation of St. Anthony, directed and lighting concept by Robert Wilson with music and libretto by Bernice Johnson Reagon (founder of Sweet Honey in the Rock). I'm now back in New York and plan on enjoying the holidays.
I also want you to know I have an interview in the current issue of Vintage Drummer Magazine (Jan. 2004) so if you get a chance check it out!
For 2004: AMOR, SALUD Y DINERO!
Best,
Sue Hadjopoulos
Check out the web page of Sue Hadjopoulos at http://sue_hadjopoulos.tripod.com
1/04
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Sue Hadjopoulos
I was invited to submit artwork for the second installment of The Rawk Festival in Austin, Texax from March 7-21, 2004. (Check out www.tinderbox13.com) I will be showing a work I painted in acrylics and I also have my Mom (who is the real artist in the family!) showing one of her oil paintings in the show!
Lately, I've also been reviewing some drum books and videos on the Drummergirl.com website. Check out my review of "Brazilian Rhythms for Drum Set and Percussion" by Alberto Netto as well as my review of Maria Martinez' "AfroCuban Coordination for Drumset" and "Brazilian Coordination for Drumset".
I recently worked on a recording project to recreate the music of "The International Sweethearts of Rhythm", an all women swing band from the 1940's. More information is included in my current interview in Vintage Drummer Magazine (Jan/Feb/Mar2004).
Best regards,
Sue Hadjopoulos
Check out the web page of Sue Hadjopoulos at http://sue_hadjopoulos.tripod.com
1/04
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Cougar Estrada
Hi Everyone, Happy New Year!
Well I'm still touring with Los Lobos. May 2004 will be two years and I'm really happy to be part of this learning experience.
I recorded two tracks on Rickie Lee Jones's new CD 2003 "The Evening of My Best Day." I also played on the new NRBQ tribute CD with Los Lobos that will be coming out soon. I finished my Conga Punks CD "Music's Genre Defiance". I mean... now it's "Official" it's not a MP3.com product anymore. So... You can listen and purchase it at CD Baby: CONGA PUNKS: Enjoy the music.
I have to say this. I just finished recording the tracks for the new Los Lobos CD that will be released in May 2004. It features some special guests like Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Ruben Blades, Billy Gibbins, Mava Staples, Willie G, Bobby Womack and some other musicians / artists that I'm sure I forgot. Anyway, it's going to be really good.
So far I have nine tracks in the can that I'm producing for my Dad (The Estrada Brothers) so I hope to have that finished in Spring of 2004. It's been awhile since we have recorded. With some change in personel. My Dad and I got together and decided to keep moving and make another record. Last time we recorded a CD was back in 1997 for Milestone / Fantasy Record Label. We have some new musicians that we've been using around the LA area that have added some new energy, so please check out Estrada Brothers.com for further updates on this CD.
One more thing. I'm coming out with a solo record. Believe it or not. Yes... and it will feature me singing. I'm currently in preproduction. I have written all the songs and lyrics. It's going to be weird but it's something I have to do in this lifetime. If I can describe it. Check out the Conga Punks at CongaPunks.com That might give you some kind of idea on what to look forward to.
Thanks for listening. If Los Lobos are in your neck of the woods during our 2004 Tour. Please come on up and say hello. I hope 2004 brings you GOOD TIMES,
PEACE, Cougar Estrada
PS. How about the Led Zepplin DVD that came out in 2003? You got to get it...
1/04
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Chet Doboe
Hi hope all is well,
I had an "incredible" music experience Friday that I'd like to share with you. As you probably know our group the Hip Pickles Drum Band is very active performing Arts in Education Programs in Schools. This morning we performed two shows at a special needs school (Autistic and Mentally Challenged Population) here on Long Island. The experience was awesome, these kids love music and the connectivity and the exchange of Love is simply overwhelming.
So we do the first show, and the kids and teachers & aids (there's alot of them) are just a great audience. We are able to get 50 kids throughout the show performing with the Hip Pickles on Stage and the joint is rocking and they are loving it. Phenomenal experience!
Just before our second show, the Music Therapist at the school suggests that I bring up a young man Nicolas (15) who is a autistic savant and have him sit in with the group.
Now to better discribe Nicholas, he is an "autistic savant" who basically has extraordinary skills in music not exhibited by most persons. His instrument is Piano, he has perfect pitch and also has a "great" (mind-boggling) memory for music. Nicholas can hear a classical piece once and play it back in its entirety.
So the Music Therapist assures me that this boy would be extraordinary if we had him come up on stage and play the drums - - he's not a drummer, but she assures us that he will play back anything that we play . Ok, so we start the second show, the joint is jumping.... again, Great audience and midway we get Nicholas up on stage with the Hip Pickles.
Now Nicholas is a "sizable" kid, so we have him strap on our Multi-tenors (5 drums), and we do know from his Music Therapist that he has NEVER played tenors before and he is NOT a drummer, per se. WELLLLLL!!!! This kid starts playing, NOT doodling feeling out the drums or anything. But he starts playing phrases that have a melodic thread, a surprisingly excellent groove and the place goes N U T S !!!! This kid was OUTRAGOUS!
So we stop him and the crowd gives him a standing O. The we proceed to do our version of Jingo (Babatunde Olatunji). We play the Head, open the piece up for solos and Nicholas just blows the roof off. Now I don't mean to be misleading. Technically he wasn't super chops, but his phrasing and his ability to make music and have enough chops to do some impressive things was astounding.
After our shows, Nicholas played piano for us, on "his" main axe he was just un-believeable. He played a Scott Joplin piece and Moonlite Sonata. Then one of the guys in Hip Pickles played a little bit of Take 5 on the piano, which Nicolas didn't know, and he listened and then sat down and PLAYED HIS BUTT off on a tune that he never heard before. WOW! We were blown away.
I close a longggggggg day as I type this, we did this gig and another at a different school this evening, and I can't get Nicolas out of my head. I am so grateful to have experienced him today.
Best wishes and God Bless you and yours,
Chet
1/04
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Sam Rodriguez
Happy December to you ! I can't believe the end of the year is almost here! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebrations. I personally like the fact there is a holiday dedicated to being grateful.
The Past
Looking at the past year, there been hilights, some of my favorite has been playing with Edwin Bonilla (percussionist with Gloria Estefan), Federico Britos Ruiz (concertmaster w/ Miami Symphony Orchestra) Bobby Ramirez, gig with Mary Wilson of the Supremes, The Spinners and seeing my friend drummer Antonio Sanchez w/ Pat Methneny, percussionist Edmien Rivera, Bill Summers and jamming with Marc Quniones and the Allman Brothers.
The Future
I'm already starting to work on clinic, workshop and tour dates for the spring. I'm also starting to record my 2nd CD. I'm seaching for some song.
The End
I hope you have wonderful holiday season. I know this time of year it can get overwhelming pretty fast. Let us take a moment to take a deep breath and share a little bit of ourselves with our families and loved ones.
Thank you for your support!
Your fan,
Sam Rodriguez
1/04
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John Guerin
We have suffered a significant loss with the passing of John Guerin.
Although it could not possibly encompass the many achievements of his life, for your information I have attached John's obituary which has been sent to the many publications worldwide that have expressed interest. And for us, I am inviting you to join his family, friends, and colleagues next Sunday evening January 18, 2004 from 6:00 to 9:00PM at Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City. There will be some music, some tributes and eulogies from speakers and some light refreshments, and most importantly we'll be together to celebrate the life of our dear friend...
If you have a picture of John you would like to share with us, please bring it and we'll post it at the event. If it is a photo that you must keep, please make a copy for the event so that we can give them to Michelle...
John is now first call in the rhythm section of history. In the many recordings he made, and the joy and love he brought, he leaves his indelible mark on us all.
Be there if you can. If you can't be there and you would like to convey your regards, please log on to: < www.johnguerin.com > and post a message...
Thank you,
Mike Melvoin
John Guerin Memorial
6 to 9PM
Sunday January 18th
Sportsmen's Lodge
12833 Ventura Blvd.
(just east of Coldwater Canyon)
Studio City 91604
818-755-5000
Parking on site
John Guerin / Obituary
Producer, composer, jazz artist John Guerin, one of the most prominent and prolific drummers in the music community, died Monday, Jan. 5th of heart failure at West Hills Hospital in West Hills, CA. He was 64.
Guerin was born in Hawaii and raised in San Diego. He was a self taught drummer and began performing with Buddy DeFranco in 1960. Following this he moved to Los Angeles and since the late 1960s, Guerin recorded with many musical legends such as Frank Sinatra, Frank Zappa, The Byrds, Thelonious Monk, Lou Rawls, George Shearing, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Linda Ronstadt, Nelson Riddle and countless others. In jazz and pop, he is one of the most recorded drummers of all time. Among the many contributions to motion picture and television scores his most celebrated work was on the soundtrack for Clint Eastwood's film biography of Charlie Parker "Bird" and recently on the score of the Jack Nicholson / Diane Keaton movie "Something's Gotta Give." He also played on the original title theme from the television series "Hawaii Five-O" and the original "Jeopardy" where he was a long time associate of Merv Griffin. Others he worked with were Dave Grusin, Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams and a long list of other fine composers.
Guerin performed just last week with artist Steve Tyrell at the Catalina Bar & Grill in Hollywood. Tyrell said "He was an amazing spirit, a true and valued friend and an awesome force in music. He was recognized by all who truly knew music as one of the greatest drummers who ever lived." This is a feeling that has been shared by his many friends, colleagues and admirers in and out of the music industry.
Guerin traveled all over the world founding and co-leading the L.A. Express band and with artist Joni Mitchell. His songs included "The Hissing of Summer Lawns" with Mitchell, "Don't Be Blue" with Michael Franks and compositions and productions with many other artists. He achieved ProEmeritus status by winning the NARAS M.V.P. award for four years and authored a drum book entitled "Jazz + Rock = John Guerin."
In the past few years projects included work with Tyrell, Oscar Peterson, John Faddis, Jimmy Heath, Ray Charles, Sonny Rollins, Justin Morell, Andreas Pettersson, David Basse, David Garfield, Gary Lemel, Mike Melvoin and producing a series of jazz CD's for Japan. He was a current Clinician for the DW Drum Company and appeared regularly with the trios of Roger Kellaway and Mike Melvoin, two long time friends and fellow jazz performers.
Aside from music, Guerin was also known for his love of horses which he continued to own and ride until his death and was an avid fan of sports and history.
As one of the musicians who was responsible for what many consider the Golden Age of recording in Los Angeles, Guerin had achieved the status of world-wide legend with his unique sound on literally hundreds of the most important records ever made, making friends with his musicianship, high professionalism, good humor and generous spirit. He will be deeply missed by those who were close to him and those who felt his musical presence.
Guerin is survived by his wife Michelle Palombi Guerin of Chatsworth, his adopted son Scott Guerin (LA), sister Victoria Shoemaker (Oakland, CA), brother Michael Guerin (Santa Rosa, CA), and grandsons Jonathan Michael Guerin (Grand Prairie, TX) and Graeham Ian Guerin (Cleveland, OH). He was recently preceded in death by his son Shaun.
The family requests that donations be sent "In Memory of John Guerin" to his favorite charity, the Nevada S.P.C.A, 4800 West Dewey Drive, Suite D, Las Vegas, NV, 89118. Memorial services are planned for Sunday, January 18th at 6 PM the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City.
1/04
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Don Lamond
Don Lamond, Legendary Swing Band Drummer, Dies In Orlando
Don Lamond, a swing band drummer who was best known for his work with Woody Herman and performed with Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker and Sarah Vaughan in the 1940's, has died. He was 82.
Lamond died of malignant brain tumor Tuesday, said his wife, big-band singer Terry Lamond.
"My husband was a very humble man, but his background is extensive," she said.
Lamond made his professional debut with Sonny Dunham in 1943 and developed his own style playing with the Boyd Raeburn Orchestra, an avant garde group and boot camp for young jazz talent, in 1944. He joined the band Herman's Herd in 1945, replacing drummer Dave Tough. After it broke up, he freelanced with Parker, performed with Benny Goodman and Quincy Jones and appeared on television shows with Steve Allen and Perry Como. Lamond became a popular session drummer in New York City, playing traditional jazz with Bob Crosby and Ruby Braff; swing with Benny Goodman and be-bop with Stan Getz and Zoot Sims.
He moved to Orlando in the 1970's to play at the Top of the World nightclub at Walt Disney World where he accompanied such stars as Rosemary Clooney, Mel Torme and Peggy Lee.
He led his own swing band from 1973 to 1981. In recent years, he played at various overseas festivals.
"A good drummer who swings makes everybody else play better," said pianist and composer Dick Hyman, who met Lamond in the New York studio scene of the 1950's. "That's why he was so valued, for the way he affects the whole orchestra."
Lamond was born in Oklahoma City, grew up in the Washington area and studied at the Peabody Conservatory in Philadelphia. He is survived by his wife of 36 years, two daughters and a son.
1/04
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Archived Artist News & Happenings '98 - '99
Archived Artist News & Happenings Jan - Jun '00
Archived Artist News & Happenings Jul - Dec '00
Archived Artist News & Happenings Jan - Jun '01
Archived Artist News & Happenings Jul - Dec '01
Archived Artist News & Happenings Jan - Jun '02
Archived Artist News & Happenings Jul - Dec '02
Archived Artist News & Happenings Jan - Dec '03
Archived Artist News & Happenings Jan - Dec '04
Archived Artist News & Happenings Jan - Dec '05
Archived Artist News & Happenings Jan - Dec '06
Archived Artist News & Happenings Jan - Dec '07
Current Artist News & Happenings
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