2015 is being planned...more plays?

It may seem that most every blog post for this blog (I have 3 currently) is about gigs, but I try to use this particular space as a record of things I have done, since they do not add up to much on a resume. Would anyone care that I played Little Shop of Horrors 4 times? No, but if they read these blogs they may find out about it and see what I took from the experience. Why do people watch sports? Possibly to live vicariously through the athletes and empathize with them. The same can happen here!

I have 2 plays scheduled so far for 2015: "The Boyfriend" @ Oak Hill H.S. at the end of January, and "9 to 5" @ Community Little Theatre later in the Spring. I have a few other possibilities that I will not confirm until I have them in writing (or email). I am wondering if I can match the number of shows I played last year? I am also wondering if Maine State Music Theatre was a one-time thing or will I get an offer this year?

2015 may also be a year for more weddings! Every Other Sunday is preparing for a wedding reception promotional video taping to hopefully put our name out there. I am craving to play the lute or piano for a few engagements. I will be donating some time to a few nursing homes/hospice when my work schedule and school quiets down (most likely Summer). If I want to practice, why not have an audience that might appreciate it?

I plan on writing more blogs-- more diverse blogs-- in this coming year. I have to post an update about gear that I am using (a pedal board collection), my foray with the 7-string guitar (and how much hardware matters), and a glimpse into other blogs I write about; 1) Psychology and music, 2) science and skepticism, and 3) futurism.

We will see where this year takes me. A new job? Possibly a reunion with an old band? A great wedding gig with fabulous cake?

I welcome them all!

I think the plays are over..bring on concerts!

Plays

It has been two weeks since the Edward Little production of Legally Blonde ended, and I can safely say that plays are done for the year. I haven't tallied them up yet, but this year is a milestone. I am still not rich, so don't let being busy as a musician fool you... do it for love and paying for gas and gear!

Recording

Last week I had the opportunity to record a few violin tracks with a great multi-instrumentalist and sound engineer named Efra Becerra-Avilez. He has run sound for East Auburn Baptist Church, and many high-profile bands around the state for years. I was able to contribute to a charity Christmas recording, and dust off my violin chops (which progressed throughout the night). I hope to collaborate with this person in the future, not only for his great tech skills, but for his musical ideas.

Musical Ideas

Musical ideas? Yes, I have been searching for musical ideas, or sounds that are fresh to me. Since I have been buried in graduate work (papers and discussion posts), I have kept searching on Spotify for playlists and artists that are conducive to concentration and creativity. One such playlist I found interesting was called Deep Focus. No vocals, or few vocals on these tracks-- ambient and atmospheric. This led me to find the band Hammock, and the album Hammock – Chasing After Shadows...Living with the Ghosts (Deluxe Edition). This may be a sound I would like to play with (not that it is all that different from things I recorded a decade ago). Forget about an audience, this music is calming and creative.

Concerts

The Music Center is having a student recital next Saturday (Dec. 7th) from 10-12p. This may be the first one they have had. I am glad that some of my students have decided to join in, but I will be on hand to help anyone else out if they need it. The following week (I believe) I will be part of the annual Mitch and Friends Christmas Concert. There will be two concerts this year since Mitch now holds the reigns to the Franco Heritage Center-- one will be at the usual AUMC, and one at the Center.

Every Other Sunday (http://www.eosunday.com/)

A large scale production will be taking place in January at the Franco Center.
https://www.facebook.com/events/273032759558913/?context=create&ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming&source=49 It is a promotional video shoot that is open to the public. We need people who can generally have a good time (or fake it well)-- that equates to most everyone! There will of course be live music, and there may be food and drink for a small cost. You may also be recorded, which may mean nothing in this internet age, but it will be associated with EOS for eternity (which means wear your good pants).

New Gear

I am ready to try out a new pedalboard that I have assembled from selling old gear on Ebay (I also will blog about it soon with a video demonstration). I want to hear how it sounds in a larger space, so the EOS concert will be a good place for that to happen. Yes, even adults can be excited about simple things like this.

So long for now.

Break from plays... then more plays!

How have you been?
With a new job in a public school system, new graduate classes, Edx.org, and other projects, I have been trying to manage my life week by week. Work is being done and the path I am on seems right for the time being-- I do not feel like I have enough options at the moment. When I begin my dissertation next year I should see my next major step on the horizon. Life changes are important and I always welcome them. ....even in music.

This leads me of course to mention that I have had an ongoing battle with sound for my electric guitars for years. There has always been a disconnect between what I want and what I have (not only what I can afford, but what I could best put together). Guitar pickups, effects and amplifier have never worked out well for me. I would get "quality" pickups but then they went through effects that were lacking and an amplifier that couldn't handle either. I spent a long time playing through practice amps, but even the tube versions had no headroom-- effects did not sound good through these! Many months ago I finally bought used versions of two amplifiers that can handle anything: A Peavey ValveKing 100 tube amp and a Vox AC15VR. I even traded my way to a Music Man JP70 with upgraded Seymour Duncan pickups and a Line 6 Hd300 effects pedal (I did some Ebay selling and buying--always looking for deals-- I may have spent $1200 for everything). Now I am not enjoying any patch on the HD300, and I am going back to trying individual pedals. Ebay is being used once again, and if I have any luck, I should be posting the result of my research into a better sound. I am learning about what I want, but even better, how to get it.
This video helped: Steve Vai knows what he is talking about!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djA3ZG3dHj0

After the onslaught of musicals this year, I thought that after Hairspray they might be over. Fortunately, they are not.

In early November I reprising a role I had almost 10 years ago playing 1st guitar for Man of La Mancha at Orion Arts Center. http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/879440

That same month (the following week), I am playing guitar for Legally Blonde at Edward Little HS. Most of the Hairspray crew will be in this, so I will be glad to see familiar faces again.

What can I say, I belong doing theatre! Where else can you play music, get paid, and work on a huge project that takes many people to run?

Now to find something for December (aside from playing the Messiah with ASO).

Take care!

Big finish to the summer-- more plays!

I am currently one week into rehearsing "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" at MSMT. I am at the rehearsal space 6 days a week running music, staging and singing. If I didn't like Brunswick before, I now have a reason to explore enough of it to fix that feeling. Luckily, I am glad that MSMT is near where I normally work, and that the community is quiet and accepting of the arts.

Nothing has been put on hold as I lead a roughly 10-6p daily schedule for this play. I still have found a way to work around this schedule, and my one off day at the theatre is spent teaching lessons at the center. Some days I leave at 9am and return by 9pm. I can handle that for a month. I was also able to land a second play through MSMT that happens between performances of Seven Brides (which will be 8 times a week). I will be playing for Godspell (again) to make a little extra while I am in the area.

The month of July belongs mostly to the banjo for me. I am playing my grandfather's 1930's Bacon Co. Gordon "Rajah" Irish tenor banjo. I had to fix it slightly, and it still is not quite up to specs, but it looks interesting and carries along some history with it. I may want something louder, but this is working well for its size and mix with the other instruments. The point is, I owe it to my grandfather (who passed in the mid 1990's) to play this banjo on stage again.

At the end of July, the theatre season doesn't end for me. I will be playing bass for CLT's production of "Hairspray".

  I have an EOS gig during the production that I don't intend missing, so I have a bass sub for me on opening night. Unfortunately, opportunities don't arise as much as they should, and conflicting schedules makes knowledge of local musicians useful. I am glad to know so many!

I will return to this blog at the end of the month to weigh in on how things have gone-- hopefully with pictures.

Thanks!

From "Crazy for You" to "13" to...

"Crazy for You", presented by the LHS Drama Club was a success. It is rare for a high school play to have such a large pit, but there were around 16 musicians packed behind the CLT cyc! I was able to play with a partial EOS ensemble (Rebecca and Mark), and at times we seemed to be the solo rhythm section, along with my high school music teacher on bass. For those unfamiliar with the show, think of fast swing music (2/4 throughout), ragtime, and jazz standards. There were plenty of stops, but that made the music interesting. Once again, I had to double on banjo, but only had room for one instrument (which became a banjo by magic of fingers).
 I love the old musicals and how they write crazy chord progressions for guitar that obviously will not sound over the horn section-- still, I played enough diminished chords to feel as though they didn't sound dissonant (I like them anyways). This play might have christened the new EOS trio side-band; jazz swing for your classy social gathering!

Next up in June is "13" at CLT (maybe I can find that guitar pick I lost in the last show). This show will add EOS leader Mike to the mix, and may also serve as an informal band practice. The music in this musical is very rock-based, and even lists some parts as "metal". If Jason Robert Brown wants metal, then challenge accepted-- I have the perfect 7-string to unleash upon this play. I played this with Mike already a few years ago, so it will be an old hat. There is a rumor that I have to play the opening number on stage with a wireless device, so that throws something new into the equation. The last time I attempted this was in 2000 or 2001 with FAME at CLT, and it didn't work that well (lost connection because of missing line of sight). Should I scrounge up $350 in 2 weeks to buy a new Line 6 wireless rig or try to borrow something less than ideal? I guess we will see.

I guess it is fair to say that I have been asked to be part of the cast of MSMT's production of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", as well as play music in the pit for the show. I have waited to be a part of this theater for many years (since my USM theatre days), and now I get my chance. The banjo is being dusted off (the look of the real deal counts in this one).

I will blog as things unfold from the front.

2014-- The year of Musicals (for me)

It has been a while since a blog post. I blame classes and work...and sleep (I am working on time managing that better). I do have a few exciting music-related updates though.

--I finally have the software I need to record again.
--I have upgraded my guitar gear and sold off what I no longer need (some of it).
--I may actually "like" the sound I am able to produce now!

Gigs have not been steady, but I just began a slew of musicals that will run (hopefully) until August. I just finished up Godspell at Cumston Hall in Monmouth with the Monmouth Community Players. Mike French, EOS founder and leader got me that gig on bass.

This weekend I will be playing an Easter concert on violin for East Auburn Baptist Church with my old concertmaster from the AVCO orchestra. http://www.eabcministries.com/

The following week begins rehearsals for Crazy for You being put on by the LHS drama club. I will be joined by some of the EOS band mates for this.

Starting in June, I will be joining Mike (EOS fame), and the Crazy for You pit again to play 13 the Musical for Community Little Theatre. So many EOS members together means that it will become a rehearsal between Acts!

At the end of June until the end of July I may have a rare opportunity. I was contacted by the music director extraordinaire for MSMT to possibly play for (and maybe even act in) a show. The contact came completely out of the blue, and if it works out, I may finally get on a coveted pit list. I will know more later, and possibly after an audition.

With Pippin happening a few months ago, this year seems like a musical extravaganza! Keep them coming!

BTW-- with so many EOS practices happening directly and indirectly (in pits), we will have a few weddings beginning in August to show off our sound. We have a horn section now, so hopefully they can get hired as well. Look for future demos and videos.
http://www.eosunday.com/

A Valentine's Day Concert

      Last weekend I had the privilege of playing a Valentine's Day benefit concert at the Brunswick United Methodist Church. This was to raise money for the church ( and see how many items could be made out of chocolate). Mitch Thomas (vocals, piano) led the group along with Kristen Thomas (vocals) and Jeff Munson (bass). We played love song repertoire that ranged from show tunes to jazz standards. It came off well, and we all experienced a chocolate sensation afterwards.

                                                   A chocolate fountain on one table...

                                                    Balloons tied to hymnals.

                                                    Here is where we played.

                                                    This is my setup now. I use the Ibanez acoustic amp as a monitor. 
                                                    My telecaster has a stereo split.

                                                    Chocolate and coffee mix-- I didn't try it.

This same show was repeated (minus Kristen) at the Chapman House assisted living community in Auburn the following week. I may return to that location to play for the residents-- there is an audience that appreciates everything.

More gigs to come!

Pippin @ Oak Hill H.S.

The last weekend of January I had the opportunity to play in the pit for Pippin at Oak Hill H.S. This was under the direction of John Neal, who is a great Music Director and teacher. I had played with him 6 years prior for My Fair Lady on violin (this time on guitar).

I like Pippin as a show-- I played this show 4 years prior at Kent's Hill H.S. There are a few catchy songs that I could easily sing at a normal gig and still not feel like that "showtunes" guy. "Love Song" and "No Time at All" could be played anywhere and work as pop songs. A certain melody played on the piano during the finale really caught my ear because of modulation and odd meter. I can say that this musical uses many odd meters-- 3/4 to 5/4 timing and 7/4 is common-- I love it!

BTW-- this music for this is available on Spotify or Youtube-- just search for Pippin- Broadway cast.
http://www.pippinthemusical.com/

Every Other Sunday at Cumston Hall in Monmouth

Every Other Sunday has been planning out a winter gig for a few months. That gig happened last month on the weekend of January 11th in the midst of a mild ice storm (which mostly melted by the end of the gig). We spent the morning packing, unloading, and setting up a wonder set full of wires, microphones, instruments and computers-- we did not want to cancel. We also had a professional video tech and a person running lights for us-- if anything, we could make a series of good videos!

They are still editing video and audio-- aside from a few problems with songs and capturing media, it may be up on the band website soon: http://michaelfrenchdesigns.com/EOS/.

Editing is tough stuff when you have so many sources, right Mike?