I saw this among the wall of photos in the lobby of Fishman’s Fabrics on South DesPlaines in Chicago. I had to take a photo of the 40’s era publicity shot of Gloria Parker, Princess of the Marimba. Turns out she has quite the musical legacy and had her own radio show on ABC from 1950-57.
You can check out her official website : http://www.missgloriaparker.com
Record Store Day brought an old teacher back to me, one who is no longer with us. It reminded me of all the opportunities I wasted for lack of self-confidence. So many things I could have learned if I had been open and willing. Let me push myself today and everyday after, as I try to honor the knowledge and traditions all my teachers have done their best to impart.
It also put Roy Haynes’ Just Us in my hands in cd form. Chicago’s own Eddie DeHaas is on bass. I used to get to hear Eddie at the Bop Shop jam sessions on Tuesday nights, with Rusty Jones on drums, way back in the day. It was a pleasure to hear Eddie’s playing again and Roy is absolutely killing on this recording.
I’ve added new music to the A/V page, to give a broader sense of the projects I’ve done over the years.
Lineage Duets, Socratic Dialogue and the Original Bruce Mak Trio are now on the page. Also available no where else is the Lineage Duets composition Lei, as interpreted by my Open Spirits ensemble from a performance at Fred Anderson’s Velvet Lounge .
These are old school, so you provide your own visuals. They are under the Audio heading on the page.
I’ll be adding more rare items to the page so check back often!
or , to get straight to the audio only section
Songs from the Valentines day gig at The Raw Bar with Bruce Mak on guitar, Wes Morgan on bass and myself on drum set are now available for your listening pleasure on the A/V page of the site:
The Band, Ben Joseph (p) and Jesse Woelfel (B)
and a really bright light
Hey That’s me! (Courtesy of Marcella)
Those are some pretty drums
A few photos from the Filament Theatre’s now traditional holiday Special presentation of A Charlie Brown Christmas and How The Grinch Stole Christmas.
The most elegant drum key design I have encountered. I first got this key at the end of grammar school. It came with the Tama Hi-Beat bass drum pedal that replaced the CB 700 pedal which had fallen apart. That was one of my first purchases of real professional drum equipment. I had the key all through high school and college. I lost it shortly after I graduated when it fell out of my pocket at Malcom X Park in DC.
So after several years of a standing search on EBay, another one has finally found it’s way to me. And I only had to buy 4 other keys along with this one to get it!
It fits in the hand so nicely. The curve of the bend makes it so comfortable. It’s so easy to get to the bass drum tension rods by the pedal. It gets good leverage. I don’t know why these keys weren’t more popular and why Tama made so few. I never saw anyone else with one.
If anyone else out there knows where I can get another one, in case I lose this one, please let me know.
And anybody need any regular keys? I have a bunch I can donate.
Once again I will be doing the the Filament Theatre Company’s Christmas Special Presentation
A Charlie Brown Christmas &
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Saturday 6 December, 2014 6-9pm
This is a family-friendly and very fun live-action presentation of the video of the two holiday classics with the Filament Theatre actors and musical ensemble handling the voices, sound effects and music.
This is the third year I’ll be doing this and I love getting to play both these shows.
Here’s what’s up for the next two weeks.
It’s Kenosha Madness This Friday !
FRIDAY 3 OCTOBER 2014 8:30pm
SAZZY Bs
5623 6th Avenue
Kenosha, (262) 925-8499
Back in our home to the north.
BORDERBEND’s CHICAGO CALLING:
SUNSET WITH MIRO
SATURDAY 4 OCTOBER 6-7:30p.m.
77 W Washington Street
Chicago
Improvised and composed music and dance underneath the Miro Chicago sculpture, across form the Picasso at Daley Center. If the weather cooperates we will be outside in the alcove. If not, we’ll be inside the church.
Featureing: Dan Godston (trupmet), Dan McNaughton (Bass), Josh Beatty (Tenor Sax), Bryan Pardo (Alto Sax!), Bonbonfera (Drums) and likely Bruce Mak (Guitar) and special guests!
Musicians and dancers welcome to participate.
THURSDAY 9 October
MARGARET’s
5134 W Irving Park Rd
Chicago
Rumor is this will turn into a jam session but I don’t have details on this gig yet.
Opening for :
ReBirth Brass Band
SATURDAY 11 OCTOBER, 2014, 8pm
Governors State University
Center for Performing Arts
University Park, IL 60484-0975
According to the Australian Post Office web site, my highly anticipated package is close at hand!
Will it be in my hands tomorrow,or will I have to wait longer?
Oh, the suspense!
I’ll be part of the Chicago World Music Festival next Wednesday, when Rocambu Jazz plays the opening set at Martyr’s.
Banda Magda
(Greece| NYC, USA)
Rocambu Jazz
(Chicago, USA)
Wednesday 17 September 2014, 9:30pm
Martyrs’
3855 N. Lincoln Ave.
FREE!
Dig, that’s right it says free. So forget that it’s a Wednesday night and get yourselves out of the house.
This version of Rocambu features Bruce Mak (guitar), Ben Lansing (guitar), Dan McNaughton (acoustic bass), Micheal Tooles (percussion) and myself (dundun drum set) along with the horns.
Then we’re off to open for
ReBirth Brass Band
Saturday 11 October, 2014, 8pm
Governors State University
Center for Performing Arts
University Park, IL 60484-0975
