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Bella Luna Social Club Now EVERY WED. Thru the winter...join Stevie Keys and other local red hot musicians.
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Islandsmusic.com
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NEW CLASSES 2008
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Uncle Otto CD's at Funk & Junk Antiques
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June 15th Congrats to the FHHS Senior Class of 2008....Bright bunch , those guys/girls...hard to believe that its been 18 years since Avery was born, but there ya go....It was a bittersweet moment for me but also made me very proud.....Thanks to all the teachers thruout the years that helped shaped these kids to what they are today....we are truely lucky to live in such a place. May 28th Celebrity Golf Classic Well, Im not golfin much these days but I go out to support the cause and see my buddy Alan White of Yes fame. Alan is the drummer in Yes for 30 years now, and has been coming to the Classic for 10 years running now making him the longest stalwart of the celebs that have graced this fine event...Good news from Alan is that Yes will be starting a world tour in July in Quebec, and will have a date in Seattle at WaMu sometime early Aug....Rick Wakemans son will be manning the keys for this tour. Alan says he sounds just like his dad...cool...they might be older but they are at the peak of their playing....go see em...well worth the trip!.. SASQUATCH...Avery and I went (along w/24,000 othere) to the Gorge this past weekend to catch over 40 bands at one of the best outdoor music venues in North America....man, what a cool place the gorge is...took the westy and camped old guy style and was glad for that...sorry, the ground is made of walkin on, not sleepin on imho...so the bands....REM, The Cure, Flaming Lips, Ozomatli, Death Cab for Cutie, The Mars Volta, The New Pornographers, Beirut, Cold War Kids, The National, M.I.A., Blue Scolars, Teagan and Sarah, The Hives, Modest Mouse and so many more....its was amazing, inspiring and exhausting... The Cure...this was for me a big deal...although I paid littla attention to them in their heyday, theres no doubt Robert Smith is a seminal figure in contempory music... since 1979 when they released thier first album, they have continued to push the limits of Smiths songwriting. Their set was simply huge...7 encore songs! Check out more on The Cures history here REM played on Sat. nite at 10:pm just when the rain began...no doubt here...big time music, big time stage show, big time rock & roll!...They played old and new tunes and weathered the rains to do a stellar set...total pros... Flaming Lips!...well if you have never seen Wayne Coynes traveling spaceship show your missing something...I had heard of them but wasnt sure what to expect...it was over the top. Dancing nakid ladies, aliens, the man in the bubble, Led Zeppelin, confetti canons, and great moments in music!...amazing show.... Death Cab for Cutie...Ben Gibbard started this band in Bellingham Wa. and they have gone on to huge critical acclaim...Big songs with emotional lyrics, great compositions and a string of hits have placed them as one of the top touring bands this year...no wonder...the tunes are awsome...it was a Sasquatch moment... There was so much to see and hear I cant do it justice here...go to the Gorge...take your wife, kids and dog...sunscreen too, pack food cause the festival food is spendy. Beer is $11.00 each!...but GO SEE A SHOW....the sound crew at this venue is the best...25 minute set changes, minimal sound issues, and overall it was amazing how smooth it all was... some pix of the show.. .
Wow, a month is gone by since my last post....lots of stuff has been going on too!... Front Street Ale House has a full summer of music scheduled at the "Topside" lounge....see thier schedule here... Last weekend, the AM Sring Band was there. Nice folks indeed, and I got to play some tunes with them as well...Michael, Johanna and Adam...really good ole down home roots music, big fun...thanks for that....you can check out thier site here The Bella Luna Blues Band w/ Steve Keys and coherts, continues on Wed. nites at the Bella 6:00 pm... The Playright Boys had thier CD Release Party at the Gubleman Room at SJCT the 26th and had a full house.An evening of original music from Teddy Deane and Johnathan Piff along with Cecil Demerleer, and Debbie Nash was full of well written tunes, good humor and a dog gone good time!... Thier disc, "So Far So Good" is now available here Congratulations...on that April 20 Great Moments in Local Music History! Uncle Otto, Debbie Nash Strasser and Anthemology at SJCT Apr. 18th....
Anthemology in action...Chris Carter, Shay Byington and Avery Adams Wow, I've played some shows in my time, but that ranks right up there with the BEST!...A very nice crowd showed up and the vibe was most excellent!....Anthemology set the tone with a great 4 song set of originals and 1 cover I think...Avery Adams, Chris Carter and Shay Byington really threw it down...Averys vocals were great, and all of em just rocked the house. Debbie Nash Strasser who is one of my most favorite singer/songwriters, was fabulous. Her delivery is very captivating...and her unique fingerstyle playing and beautiful voice is simply one of the good things in life...it was a treat for many in the audience who had never heard her perform before...Thanks Debbie for being a part of it...Next up...Uncle Otto...James Barkshire, Steve Keys and Mike Adams have performend for over 8 years around Friday Harbor and the San Juans...this was Michaels B-Day (yes 30 agian!) and it was a celebration of that with a lot of AARP jokes (thanks Steve) and an expectedly good set of classics and originals...I can never say enuf about how much I enjoy playing with these guys....sometimes its another gig and sometimes its very special, but always good. Fri. nite was one of the "Special" nites. The boys were in fine singing voice and the crowd was very entusiastic thruout the entire set. It was just great. I want to thanks all involved in the success of this show, including Merritt Olson, Mark Hetrick, Ed Ashcraft, Loren, Don, Pete D. and all the theatre folks as well as all the performers....Avery, Chris, Shay, Debbie and James and Stevie. Also the folks who came out to see us who truely make it a happening. It was indeed a nite we'll remember for a long time...thanks again....ma .Apr. 4th... Thanks Coco for a great show....and thanks to Steve Evans for doing a bass workshop with us...it was great! March 28th Working on a BASS workshop with Steve Evans who is now touring w/Coco Montoya....Scheduled for Fri Apr. 4th @ 10:00 am...this is a bit up in the air but as of today its how it stands...Steve is a monster player and educator suprimo...very lucky to have this oppertunity....cost is $30.00 please call 378-2638 or 5720 for info...or use the email links on this site...m So....I missed a great performance ( had a gig) by the band Grand Derangement at the theatre recently. Everyone said it was a great musical event and they promised to come back to see us....cool... Also wanted to mention and give kudos to Dan Paulson for his continued efforts in bringing great Irish music to the islands. Its been 6 years since Dan seeded this great event and it only gets better. I was gone duing the workshops/shows but reports were all around that it was again spectaclar...thanks dano... March 17th... Happy St. Patricks Day... David Lovine paid Friday Harbor a visit recently and did a show at "Ill Be Jammin" and the "Front Street Ale House"...... A great shantyman, story teller and racountour...David has performed thruout the NW for years playing sea chantys, folk songs and acappela traditional music....very nice to see him as always... Oh, yeah, Az was sweet...and it was in fact warm and sunny and a nice respite from the NW dampness... March 1st, in like a Lamb! Spring is springing... I'm leaving (again) to go back to AZ and help my buddy wire his house...cheech and chong inc. Yessir, Nels says its 80degrees...gotta love that...So, Im leaving you in charge, back on the 13th to keep on keepin on...peace...ma Uncle Otto is having a show at the SJCT on April 18th. Our first gig on the big stage promises to be lots of fun. We're excited to have Debbie Nash Strasser open for us along with some "Special Guests"...Tickets on sale soon... Bella Luna this month has the Dirt Monkeys, Solar Siblings, and Henry James Band on tap...Stevie will be back middle of March and we'll all be anxious to see if he's browned up some! ... Ok...well Wintergrass was a hoot. Literally!...saw some great bands like The Wilders, Crooked Still, Punch Bros., The Duhks, Seldom Scene, Grascals, Mike Marshal, Darrol Anger w/Vasen...on and on and on....I don't get to go see much bluegrass but this was great. Lots of people I knew there,(my old friend Dale Chestnut) and lots of jamming everywhere you looked....Psychograss. New Grass, Old Grass and yes Bluegrass too!...A great inspiration to anyone who attended. What I really likes was the friendlyness of everyone involved. No one turned away from jams regardless of age, beauty or ability...a good thing indeed. So....check out some of the above links. Feb. 21st Premier Bluegrass event held annually in Tacoma Wa. This years event promises to be one of the best ever...Check out thier website for more informaition...more to follow...m Jan. 6th.... Mr.Dave laying it down at SJCT!...
Whats to say?...an almost sold out crowd of over 260 came to the San Juan Community Theatre to give witness to the "Big Twang" theory of Mr.Dave and his tales of lemurs, furry poker chips and best of all, a virtuosity on stringed instruments that left the crowd on its feet, truely awed by his most awesome talents. Singing/Playing cuts from his newest release "Big Twang, recorded at Tom Fitzgeralds studio in S.Ca., Mr. Dave, was in fine form indeed. Opening up with the POG, (baritone weissenborn style guitar made by Larry Pogreba) which was a deep voiced huge sounding instrument, a version of "Revenge Will Come" (Greg Copeland) was a great lead in to a great set. Followed by, "Junk Bond King" (W.Zevon), "Where the Palm Meets the Pine" (D O'Keefe), "Copperhead Road" (S.Earle), "Brothers Under the Bridge" (B.Springsteen), "Soul of a Man" (Trad. Blind Willie Johnson, arr.by D.L.), "Sacajawea" (D.L), "Catfood Sandwiches" (D.L.), "Methlab Boyfriend" (D.L.) and "Lazyman" (D.L.). This last tune brought the house to its feet requesting more and more we got it. 2 Encores..., one a great tune written by W.Zevon, "Beneath the Vast Indifference of Heaven" ,and ending the show with a classic Lindley interpretation of Bon Temp Rouler...a great set, covering lots of material from both the new, Big Twang disc, and some past gems thrown in along the way. nice..... David is known for his eclectic collection of instruments(yes polyester too) and he brought a pile of em to the show...no dissappointments there!...2 Paddy Burgin (playing in photo) Weissenborn copies, 2 bouzoukis, the POGreba weiss, a very cool Najarian built electric oud and a Saga "Django style" 6 string. All the good stuff...check out the rest of his collection... here... I was lucky enuf to sponsor this show and have some time with Dave and his traveling partner, roadie, producer and good friend, Tom Fitzgerald. I can't say enuf as to their genuine love of performing, of people, and of music and for just being good humans!...folks will talk about this show for some time realizing they saw something special... New fans, old fans, it was a treat for all who attended...so thanks Mr. David Lindley and Tom Fitzgerald for making the trip to our island. Special thanks to the SJCT for having the gumption to get muscians in our venue that matter!...peace.... out. ma Jan.26th North American Musical Merchandisers Trade show... Wow....back from NAMM 08' and once again it was pretty wild!...This year I went with my buddy Nelson of Swansong Guitars and his friend (now mine too!) Jimmy Dufrense...I really like driving thru the low desert on hwy 10. We passed Quartzite where theres at least 10,000 RV's and a giant flea market...it was late afternoon so we kept truckin. west...Im sure there was a 59' Les Paul out in that pile somewhere!...anyway, Namm is the largest tradeshow in the US and is miles of ilses with packed full of great instruments. Amps, guitars, basses, all string families, woodwinds, stompboxes, DAW's, sound reinforcement, gadgets, pretty girls, great music and so much more. Its boggling actually. I love going to this show. We attended the morning sessions w/industry heads who have a very optimistic feeling about the economy (good luck with that), and think the music supply industry might be in for a slow growth cycle...yeah, thanks (gw/dc/gop) for that!....But being musicians as well as ceo's, they also believe in thier customers desire to wanna play music, and instigate the playing of music, which will in turn sell merch and keep the ship floating. Considering the economy, I think thats pretty rational thought...Im doing my part and will get hold of a Boomerang phrase sampler to inspire myself and support the cause...Ok, Im getting off the path here. Back to the subject of NAMM... This year was again full of opertunities to see live music. My favorite was at the Hilton Ballroom at Doug Wimbishs' "Wimbash" where we caught Living Color. If you dont know these guys, and like rock music played w/conviction and musical excellence, check em out. Vernon Reid, Doug Wimbish, Cory Glover, and Will Calhoun, simply are the sh**. Check out their web site. Wimbash is a now an annual event put on by Doug Wimbish who is a founding member of Living Color. He hosts a cast of characters and puts on a great show. This year also featured George Lynch who is of Dokken fame. I am not a big metal fan but I'm telling you that it simpley was astonishing seeing him shred...Also Fishbone hammered down some very heavy twang...must mention the Coffin Case girls and Bad Apple Dancers as perfect ornamentation for the eveing....A surprise of the night was the all star jam band featuring frontman Tim “Ripper” Owens (Ex-Judas Priest/Iced Earth/current Beyond Fear vocalist), former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson, Marc Rizzo (Soulfly) and Rob Arnold (Chimaira) on guitar and drummer Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall). The guys played selections that included covers from Priest (“Breakin The Law”) Megadeth (“Holy Wars/Peace Sells”) and Sabbath (“Paranoid”). It was awesome to hear ripper cover these classics; the man is definitely one of the most underrated vocalists in existence today. Too much fun....there was more but after Living Color it was time to bail... We went to Bass Bash at JT's Brewery and saw English Bassist, Steve Lawson. He is a phenominal composer/player. Likes those loops!...Doug Johns was there, plays Pedulla bases and as a solo player was over the top. A bit much for me to comprehend but interesting. His new album is a major funk adventure a la Mark King. and Level 42...The most melodic player was Grady Muckleroy playing Bee basses...Nice player. His good humor showed thru in his compositions...I really liked his song about his dog!... The Hilton Lobby always has great music going on. Mostly locals ( I think) but all great players/bands. I only remember that it was "all good"!... The partys are all over Anaheim and surrounding areas, and being on foot, we stayed close to the hub. We tried to catch Phill Keaggy, John Mayer and a host of other acoustic players, but fagetaboutit..... we had tickets but way too many other folks had em too!...too many people to squeeze in the hall....Plan B...Wimbash!...see above.....On the floor of Namm is also great for seeing some of your favorite players/muscians, demo thier wares. The list is endless...really.... Johnny Hiland for PRS, Joe Bonammassa for some hi fi gadget I can't now remember, Steve Morse (Deep Purple, Dregs) for Engl amps, Lots of Black Label Rebel Society Guys, The Coffin Case girls, Leslie West, Corky Lang, George Lynch, Rick Derringer, Dick Dale, Victor Wooton, Steve Bailey, Alain Caron, Steve Gadd, Stevie Wonder checkin out keys, and many more.. I think theres over 225,000 people that attend.We're talkin jampacked!....Mostly trade buyers and retailers. But theres also lots of guys like us, who go cause we can. As a fledgling guitar builder, its great to talk to the true artisans of guitar building, and theres a lot of em out there. They are always open to talk about thier inventiveness, ideas, theories, materials, and products. Everyone has something to do with music on some level and you can't help but come away from there wanting to be a better musician. swell.... ...go here of a few pics of the show...NAMM PICS 08 thanks nel,laurie,rusty,monte,james d Dec. 31st.... FABULOUS RHYTHMATICS AT THE BELLA LUNA on New Years Eve (East Coast Style 6-9pm) Always a good groove with those guys, can't wait...Drive careful, be safe, and tip your waitresses and bar folks...See ya next year Over and Out! ma Dec. 29th ....Well that went well considering. (Christmas) I won't expound much other than to say, my family is the best, and thanks for fixing my favorite old watch. Ive been late for most everything since its been broken(only 8 months!) so no more of that! Dec. 17th. Christmas is 9 days away!...man the time is going faster each year at least for me...Im as usual not ready, don't have enuf dough to buy anything cool but will give with my heart this year. Yep, Im giving everyone cd's...agiain!...just kidding, but not really...I used to smoke a bunch of salmon and give that away but no more sockeyes for me...so thats most likely out. Hats are good, gloves too for that matter. I might go with a gas coupon gift certificates...thats pretty useful these days, much needed but costly ($3.55) here on SJ...mabey not...hmmm, I havent baked cookies for ever and everyone likes them? ... I get the ones in a plastic tube from Kings and whack off slices for the toaster oven. Just like homemade...its always a bit of a struggle for me buying stuff. Im pretty cheap as a rule. I like to make stuff to give people. On year I went on a last minute jag and made bird houses that looked like a New England church, a Federal style house, and a model of our old family cabin Gemini..(.which is still in Uncle Johns basement by the way).... I like to ask Santa to give me stuff I actually need. (We all should) You know, like a script for Bass Player mag., or renew my Guild of American Luthier membership, or fix my long dead favorite watch....or yes, I too like cd's and cookies too...Its all good, it all goes around. This year, remember those who are part of your life. Give them some of you. Your time, your energy. It matters and is a real gift that keeps on giving. PEACE m Dec. 15th Recently I was asked to help out and be a "mentor" to some local kids who have a band and for a school project wanted to have a concert to raise $$ for some decided cause (FHHS Jazz Band). Cameron Byington is the head honcho/guitarplayer and a junior at FHHS. Him, his brother Shay on drums and Reitan on bass make up District 49. Well, initally they wanted to do it out in the community at a public venue but because it was a school project, certain liability issues came up as well as the issue of admin staffing of the event, ie, security etc. We met with Mr. Soltman the super and Mr. Woods the principal. Both real nice guys who like music and wanted to make something happen. What did finally happen was that they got permission to hold it at the commons like a regular dance but have LIVE music. Usually its a DJ affair and thats cool but c'mon, give it to us live!...so...along with Anthemolgy another local band made up of Chris Carter, Avery Adams, Shay (again)Byington and Miles Cobos, District 49 had thier show!...Everyone was happy, the kids had a blast, the bands were great and they raised $650 or so...Way to go guys. Thanks to Mrs. Paul, Mr. Woods, Mr. Soltman and the rest of the chaperones who made it fun and possible...Special thanks to Clinton Gauthier for his DJ expertise and use of his speaks!....Rock On!... Nov. 28th... Winter is setting in and Im already jonesing for sun and warmth...Congrats to Tomdog (Doenges) and Dick Hieronymous, for thier nomination at the LA Music Awards in the Country artist catagory. Its very prestigeous and a great step towards some recognition of these fellas songwriting skills of which we had no doubt!..ma Bella Luna Every Wed. 6pm Blues Nite... Banry Benefit...Dec. 7th...a great success. The community raised over 75,000$ to help Gordy and Diana remodel thier house to accomodate Sam and Claytons special needs. Its testiment to the generousness of San Juan Islanders. You can contribute to their cause by going here... Nov. 6th...Vote! Ok, we're home after having my "pendix" out...yahoo...pay attention to your body if its telling you you need to go to the docs...glad I did...in by 9 out by 11 am...one stop shop...thanks for the kind words. Oct. 15th WheelhouseGuitars.com Recent Instruments..."True Hawiian" #2 Oregon Mountain Laruel (Myrtle), Mahogany, Ebony Custom orders accepted or call...360-378-5720
Oct. 7... Anthemology will be playing a Halloween show at the Front Street Ale House time TBA.... Blues nite is now happining EVERY WED. at the Bella Luna!....C,mon down!... ******** NAMM is coming!....Annual trade show in Anaheim will be held Jan. 18th thur 21st...its an awesome event and if you can finagle a way in**, you won't be dissappointed. Lots to see, hear and experience. ** Requires membership to NAMM ******* Sept. 25th... I'd like to say THANKS to all the musicians/performers who played both public and private gigs in and around the San Juan Islands this year...we're very lucky to have so many oppertunities to play LIVE MUSIC. Truely there is a great comraderie here amongst musicians and diversity abounds!...Performance is one of the great aspects of playing a musical instrument. Something about getting up on stage and haveing a good/great set that gets folks into the groove, dancing, singing or just bopping thier head to the music...its all good....Music on the Lawn, the Jack Fairweather Park concerts, the Bella Luna Blues Night, Tanglewood, The County Fair, Roche Harbor, Isle be Jammin, San Juan Brewing Co., Herbs et all...Also thanks to The San Juan Update, and the San Juan Islander for keeping music in the News...Thanks for hearing us! ******* Aug. 15th...San Juan Co. Fair Opening Wow....sure looks great at the fair....hard to believe its here already...summer gone? Hardly...the folks who make the fair happen really do a great job...thanks for all the efforts. The rides are up and going, the pies, veggies,pigs, bunnies, horses, chickens, musicians, food vendors, ice man, everthing is humming along nicely. Dont forget the Zuchinni 500 races daily at 5....just go! Music today was good. I got there at 2 so missed some of the early acts which were all nice shows. I saw the 3 pm show with Anthemology which included Avery Adams, Miles Cobos, Chris Carter and Shay Byington...them kids got it going on....Good songwriting and energy. Being Averys dad, I was very proud. Nice Set!...Caught Kate Schumann and Steve Dyers set. They sure sing well together...it was a treat as always... Tonites headliner the Fabulous Rhythmatics, flat laid it down!...Big Shoes Ryhthm & Blues... Great set, lots of great fans (thanks), and a good time had by all....We Love the Fair!...Thurs. PM Local Harvest Band!
Aug 8th Egg Lake Music Faire!...Wow...Thanks you Bill and Sue Maas for hosting this stellar event!... Every year (almost) these folks put together one of the best musical events happening locally. Nothing short of amazing. This year the bands included Kinski, form Seattle (Sub Pop) Jennifer Gentle from Italy (Sub Pop), Randy Hanson Seattle, along with.....3 Leafs, Birch Book, Nick Castro just awesome.... Great lights and visuals by Gary Westcott, who has worked the biggest shows here and abroad, along with real time artists capturing the event to canvas, this concert always leaves me with a fresh insight into new music and an aspiration to create!...Thanks to all the folks who helped put this together and the local neighbors who allow it to happen...Its great that we can still kick it on the rock!
August 1st! Can you believe its already August....Its been 3 months since my last update and I can honestly say Im not sure where that time went!....So.....without futher ado... This summer as always brings a lot of musical happenings to the island. Weddings, Parties, Concerts and all other related events happen mostly during our tourist season. For the musicians, it creats a bit of a hectic schedule as most of them have families and real world working jobs that take up most of thier time. The thing I admire about our local musicians is their talents of course, but also their adaptability. Most of them (the ones I know best) are able to jump from one type of show to another without missing a beat, no pun intended. Versatility on the move!...gotta love it...The Music on the Lawn program has had a bit of a tussle with the weather this summer. Pretty goofy mid July that...but they continue the series on Wed. eves...please check out Island Recs Web site for more info on this. (Uncle Otto is there Aug. 8th)... The summer concert series is at Jack Fairweather Park is also in full swing with music on Fri. eves and on Sun afternoons. Thanks to Chinmayo for all her efforts in this ongoing and growing program....Go here for schedule. Coming shortly is the San Juan Co. Fair, August 15th -18th. Lots of great entertainment this year with a local twist. We always like the fair...Gives the local musicans from all islands a time to shine and show their stuff. Im happy to say my sons band will perform on Wed @ 3pm....you can see the entire schedule HERE. We also would like to hook you up with the San Juan Brewing Co. as Oren and Peggy have been very supportive of local music and players. Thanks for that...Heres the list for the brew pub. Of course, don't forget the other local places to hear music...Roche Harbor offers weekend dancing both fri and sat nites....Herb's Tavern, most weekends, China Pearl, most weekends, Front Street Ale house as well has a summer full of music see above link...Ok nuff said... Support your local musician and give peace a chance!!... Update May 16th On Sat. May 12th, the Steve Maas Benefit was a huge success...Eddie Ashcraft and his family and friends put on a spectacular fundraiser for Steve who recently underwent a bone marrow transplant which by the way is working out well. Estimated crowd was around 600 folks who ate, donated, danced and bid up a storm! Its rumored that the event raised over 60K$!!!...Wow...thats our community coming together to make it happen. I wanted to thank the musicians who donated their time and music to this event. They are always willing to step up and do their part for stuff like this. Its about community, spirit and giving. I can tell you that all of them are about that. We are very fortunate indeed to have such support here on our small island and it speaks volumns about the generosity and compassion folks have that live here...thanks to...Ed Ashcraft who strapped on the old Kramer to Rock & Roll after a 12 year hiatis and truely worked up a worthy sweat, Tom and Tami Doenges, Kate Schuman, Dan Gillespie, Keith Busha, Roger McGilvery, James Barkshire, Steve Keys, Teddy Deane, Cecil Demeerleer and Mike Adams for tunage, gear etc. Wow! Special thanks to my Auctioneer friend Tom Pasma whos selling skills made some big$$!!...thanks Tom... You can see/buy images of the event here...www.dicristinaphoto.com Lots of things have gone on since my last update...Wheelhouse Guitars has continued their growth cycle and has enlarged its resaw capity and shop space. That being done, were now back at it and hope to have several new instruments on hand in the next 6 weeks.... Went to Bellingham to pickup some things at Grizzley and went to Targo Hardwoods...They are near the old RE Store on Holly. Very nice guys. Monty has some ties to Friday Harbor as he is good friends w/Kelly Wade(Windjammer Janitorial)...so heres their link... www.targowoods.com...they are in the process of moving over to Sqallicum Harbor but will continue to have great hardwoods of all kinds. Guitar makers, Wood Turners Take Note!...they know what you want1 May 8th Went to Lopez and paid a visti to Bruce Creps of Notablewood. Hes a guitar wood sawyer and one worthy of mention. I have never seen such a nice stash of Koa in my life!...Im telling you, it was jaw dropping...so...of course I bought some for an upcoming Weissenborn project Im working on...He also has other great woods like Maple, Walnut and Myrtle...simple a great selection...Bruce is also a very nice guy to boot. Hes easy to find and likes to visit. Its the kind of place where you can get lost in the amour of great tonewoods and Bruce encourages you to visit purposly for that reason. Thanks Bruce...heres a link to his site...www.notablewoods.com Update April 2 Dont forget Carl Verheyen at the SJCT on April 14th...go here for flyer...Thanks to Mark Hetrick for bringing his old frined Carl back to the San Juans and theatre...one of the best players on the planet...thats right...one of the best...Here for a solo show with Bonnie Bailiff who now resides on Orcas...ought to be a great show...thanks for your support.. ****************************************** Well, in my quest for more tools to build guitars I have sold my much loved 1916 F2 Gibson mandolin...you know the kind. Just a very sweet instrument which I loved but onward...so to make the parting a bit easier on myself, I bought another bass...another guitar? yep...do you need another guitar? yes....ok then...got it!....I found a beautiful Mike Lull 5 string Bass in Aztec Gold w/green pickguard...these active/passive basses are based on the fender designs but like Roger Sadowsky, Mike Lull has taken this timeless design and improved on it with better electronics, a faster profile neck, high end fit and finish and a vintage contemporary vibe...Im thrilled to have it and will bring it down to the Bella Luna on my next bass slot....cheers ****************************************** update mar.21 swansongguitars.com is launched!...My friend and Bass Guitar builder Nelson Joyce has launched his website for his guitar buisness. Nelson is based in Rimrock Az. and can handle most any type of repair, rebuild, custom order and more that you might need pertaining to lutherie...He's a graduate of Roberto-Venn School of Lutherie in Phoenix and has been a craftsman, musician for most of his life. Nelson, knows tone! what more is there to say!...Check his site for info and more. He's also a sponsor of Gerald Veasleys Bass Boot Camp held annually in Philladelphia with some of the best players today...Cool... ****************************************** Update Mar. 14, 07 Songwriters Tour Concert Man, another great show. Ive had my share recently and this one was quite special as well. Held at the renovated Mt.Baker Theatre, this show had Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, Joe Ely and Guy Clark on the bill. How cool is that? Very simple and very awesome. These guys are all consumate musicians and great songwriters. My longtime fave being Hiatt, did Memphis in the Meantime, Tennesee Plates, Have a Little Faith in Me, and mabey 3 more I can't remember. Lyle Lovett, wow what a great delivery this guy has. His writing is wry, poignant and humerous. You could tell by his stage banter that he was a very funny guy and truely a stellar songster...Joe Ely is a long time Texas rocker. His brand of songwriting is both energetic and blue collar. Joe was in good company at this show and very appreciated by the group and audience alike. Guy Clark...well I think it was clear the this was a show about paying homage to his long career of simple, clear and concise bluecollar songwriting. Painting pictures w/words is what he is about. It was also obvious that the rest of the guys on stage felt a connection to thier own songwriting thru Guys songs. It was a sold out show and a gala event for the Theatre. Check it out sometime, its a great venue and has great artists coming there all the time. PS. If you want food before the show...make a reservation, otherwise you'll be s.o.l....later m Irish Music Camp Great show at the theatre by the Friday Harbor Irish Camp Faculty. As always Dan Paulson outdid himself not only by putting together such a stellar event but by his tireless efforts to make the Irish Music Camp one of the best held anywhere. The jams held apres the classes/shows are always a fun social/musical event and are appreciated by many..thanks Dan and all that help you make the music camp happen!... ********************************* Updated Feb. 28th Wow...Mr. Dave sure knows how to have big fun!...great show! SRO! Im not sure Ive seen so many folks in the theatre at once!...It always gets me just how entertaining David Lindley is. The show is just as good in between the tunes as the tunes themselves!.. As an instrumentalist, he's just off the hook. Nonstop fusion of world music and eclectic humor keeps the audience laughing out loud and marveling at what theyre hearing at the same time...I was lucky enuf to be a co sponsor with Tom Doenges of San Juan Computers and Steve Keys of San Juan Garage Door. I got Mr. Dave over at Nichols Street Suites for some one on one about guitars, music and stories. He really does know a lot about guitars and ethnic instruments and loves to talk about them... His collection is varied and as eclectic as he is. The Paddy Burgen made "Weissenborn" guitars he was playing were huge at the theatre and are great instruments coming from a luthier in 'Australia. Sapele wood also called African Mahogany was what they were made of, very deep and lots of power..He had 2 of them, tuned to Bb and I think D... I also got to check out several of his other mainstays. One I really liked was the John McGrath (Australia) small bodied square neck he had with him but didnt play at the show. This guitar was just a lot of music waiting to happen...When I strummed it I was floored by the huge great tone coming out of it. Big Voice...Wow, I want to make a guitar that sounds like that!...someday I just might!...The other highlighted instrument David played was a custom Oud by Vikan Najarian. Very cool fretless electric. It had a very distinctive tone and for me was enlightening!... As a beginning luthier it was totally fun talking to Dave about these and other instruments not to mention great insight from years of GAS ! (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome) . ..and yes I did get David to check out my "True Hawiian" guitar I recently built(see below). I was a happy camper to get some invaluable feedback from a great player on my efforts in guitarmaking,so thanks for that!.... In checking out his stage setup, pretty simple and easy to move in and out. No more Roland AC120 Chorus Amps, nothing too heavy, nope, no more of that...Nowadays, its an acoustic box by D-TAR (Seymor Duncan and Bob Turner) and an A/B box. Also one small amp for a live moniter, one Shure 58, and a couple bouzoukis, Burgen weisenborns, oud, 12 string and voila, Live Mr. David Lindley!. Thanks to the San Juan Community Theater, Sponsors and all involved for hosting one of our faves, thanks to Tom Fitzgerald and David Lindley for making the trek over(they had a great time by the way)...I suspect in the futrure we'll see more interesting shows at our great little theatre!... Get them tickets!! David Lindley ...thats right is coming to Friday Harbor!...how cool is that...we're really lucky that Merritt felt compeled to try and get Mr. Dave to visit the San Juan Communty Theatre and make his magic. And it is just that, his magic of music...a multinstrumentalist of the higest caliber, he's played great music since his early days as the Topanga Canyon fiddle and banjo champion which he did for a number of years...After playing with a series of traditional folk and bluegrass bands, including the Smog City Trestle Hangers, the Mad Mountain Ramblers, and the Dry City Scat Band, Lindley joined a rock band, the Rodents. When the group disbanded, he formed his own group, Kaleidoscope, that blended traditional music with rock influences.Accepting an invitation to join Jackson Browne's band in 1971, Lindley remained with the singer/songwriter's group for a decade. When not touring or recording with Browne, he continued to explore a variety of projects. In 1979, he began working with Ry Cooder, contributing heavily to his albums Bop Till You Drop and the soundtrack to the film The Long Riders. The collaboration continues and in the early '90s, Lindley and Cooder toured as a duo. Lindley found time to work on his music, as well. Shortly after releasing a solo album, El Rayo-X, he formed a band of the same name with Bernie Larsen (guitar), Jorge Calderon (bass), Ian Wallace (drums), and Ras "Baboo" Pierre (percussion). In 1990, Lindley began performing in a duo that he shared with Jordan-born percussionist Hani Naser. The two musicians continued to tour and record together until 1995. Lindley has collaborated with avant-garde guitarist and ethnomusicologist Henry Kaiser on several albums based on their field recordings. A two-week field recording expedition to Madagascar in 1991 yielded six albums of Malagasy music, including the award-winning, two-volume set A World Out of Time. A trip to Norway in 1994 inspired two CDs, Sweet Sunny North, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2. ~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide **************************************** updated Feb.4th Well back from trip to Phoenix and the Namm show...too much Fun! My good friend Nelson, (Swansong Guitars) and I drove over from Rim Rock Az. to Anaheim to attend the recent winter convention. An interesting drive thru the heart of Az/Ca low desert country, which if you never have done it, was great. Many miles of straight highway, and vast desert!..oh yeah, wind generators...I had a distinct feeling of being in a sci fi landscape driving past these...kind of weird but in a good way...I need to get out more!..on to Anaheim and NAMM...All I can say is that if you like gear, people, music, performance and a lot of walkin, however you can, go to the Namm convention at least once in your musical life. Typically it is a show focused on presenting the years new products for dealers and industry retailers. From small vendors like Villex pickups (great stuff) to the big guys ie, Fender, Korg, Gibson and too many to name here, theres every type of musical thing imaginable...I mean everything!...We like to go see the small market guitar/bass builders and their wares, to find suppliers of tonewood, parts, tuners, tools etc for luthiers of which we aspire to be...Some of our faves are Listed here... We also go to hear great music and this year was no exception! First up when the doors to the show open were the Wicked Tinkers...very cool, very primal Scottish and very much having a really good time at 10 in the morning!... Both Nels and I are bass players and hes a notable builder of basses as well so we were happy to catch the Namm Bass Bash which introduced to me musicians I had never heard of...well, not quite true...I knew who Mike Keneally is from his Zappa, days, and Gerald Veasley from Bass Boot Camp held in Philly annually. But the music was amazing...Brian Beller Band, Just smokin fusion/funk/rock w/ Keneally on keys...flat out tearing it up... Adam Nitti Group w/Adam on Bass w/ Alex Machacek, Guitars and Marco Minneman on drums. Monster Players!!! We left around 10:30 and heard they went till 2:30!..Sorry to have missed Gerald Veasley though...hey do yourself a favor and check out all these guys...very inspiring and interesting stuff... Caught the 5:00 main entrance show by a group made up of guys from Yes, Alabama, Mungo Jerry, the Ventures, Steppenwolf and more...Spencer Davis on Vocals!...a treat for sure... We saw Johnny Hiland do a scorching set at the Hilton Lobby. If you dont know who this is, check him out...Nashville style picking at its best, simply jawdropping licks...We missed out on the Tony Levin Band (bummer)...at namm you can go to any shows, just need to get a pass at the sponsor booths...we spaced this one out...old guys, duh...ok that was the first nite of great music... As you'd expect, theres numerous floor shows going on all the time at namm...endorsees of products doing their thing to help promote said product. Some great treats all around in this vein...Caught Mike Dowling, Bob Brozman and co. slippin and a slidin at the National Guitar Booth...I think those guys jam the entire show!... Sat. nite tunes...Doug Wimbish (Living Color) and his annual Wimbash....In the back of the Hilton we saw Freekbass with the Bad Apple dancers...simply over the top!...endorsed by Bootsy himself...Bernie Worrell from Parliment Funkadelic, Leo Nocentelli guitarist for the Meters, Gary Hoey (lunatic fringe) just a tone monster strataholic!...Vernon Ried (Living Color), Doug Wimbish, Will Calhoun and a host of other great players...by 11 pm we were out of steam and went to our room...I think the Bad Apple Dancers kept em rockin till the wee hours.. Sun...400 miles back to Rim Rock and the fine cooking of one of the Powers Girls, a few days hanging in AZ talking about the show, guitars and culling out our swag, then home to the island! *******************************************
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