Where are we going? Where are you? Where have we been? Which way to go?
The great metropolis of L.A. continues to grow, change, morph. To many, L.A. is the entertainment/music capitol of the world so>>>>
I’ve composed a 1 minute song “Red Car Directions (how not to get lost in downtown)” that can help us get around downtown L.A. also known as DTLA.
The words are a poem taught to Red Car Trolly drivers way back when so they did good at getting people around.
Time to thank and acknowledge 3 people who made this recording with me on acoustic bass: Alison Lewis, vocal, Woody Woods, keyboard and Paul Chevalier recording/mixing.
So downtown is it’s own kind of special. Then there are the surrounding areas like Leimert Park where I got to perform recently with pianist/vocalist Matilda Haywood and Company in a review revisiting great performers of history to a full house at The Regency West. The feeling was great.
Leimert park with MatildaRemembering Sarah VaughnWith Vanzella Janisse and Stan MartinMatilda Haywood and CompanyFannie Brice revisited
I enjoy making music in many flavors. Let me know when I can make some for you.
All by myself, I’m beginning to see the light….Cello Sonata on Bass 6-5-18
Something’s ComingLeslie bandleader for event honoring the fantastic Carol KayeCaltech Orchestra BassesA party jam with Kim Richmond and Milton NelsonThanks Gordon for giving me a bass spot on Sunset StripLAJS Jazz in Schools Dr. Bobby Rodriguez BandNew Orleans in the HouseBlues Hurricane blowin’ with me and Dena
Bass is bass, acoustic or electric, I love it and it keeps me busy. How thankful I am for all of that!!
All photos by Joe Weinroth except where otherwise noted.
Letting you know this Friday and Saturday nights at 8 PM I will be in the bass section of the Caltech Orchestra.
Our performance is at Ramo Auditorium on the Caltech Campus
1200 E. California Blvd. M/C: 2-70, Pasadena, CA 91125
The Orchestra along with Caltech Glee Club and Chamber Singers will present:
Mozart Vesperae solennes de confessore (K. 339)
Bernstein Chichester Psalms
Admission is free and no tickets required.
For more info call 626-395-3295
I’m in the bass section of the Caltech Orchestra this Sunday April 22, 2018 @ 3:30 pm
The concert takes place in Ramo Auditorium on the Cal Tech Campus in Pasadena.
1200 E. California Blvd., M/C, Pasadena, CA 91125 626-395-3295/music-theater-art@caltech.edu. If you’ve not been there before allow extra time to find it.
Admission is free and no tickets are required. Youngjoon Choi, Piano (competition winner). Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2. Beethoven: Symphony No. 5
I invite my friends to come, bring your friends and family for an exhilirating afternoon with the Caltech Orchestra.
Another Black History Month Program with Dr. Bobby Rodriguez in a 5 piece band that introduces grammar school kids to Jazz, America’s Art form. It is a pleasure to be part of this with Dr. Bobby Rodriguez, Maria Martinez, Andre Delano and Brian O’Rourke.
Our sponsors are Los Angeles Jazz Society, Musicians Trust Fund, Beyond the Bell, Los Angeles Cultural Affairs and the Herb Alpert Foundation.
The Bass is a really big instrument!
Creativity is a human trait. We can foster it in each other. More pictures will be added to this post soon. We have five more performances coming up this month.
James leads the charge BassedAt the World Stage with James Leary’s Bass Choir
I have a better than before website thanks to help from Paul and Neva Chevalier.
Plus I have been doing a lot of music work which I love. To contribute to the sound from the bottom of it all is a special pleasure for me especially with musicians I relate to and who appreciate what I bring.
Now for me to make my website even better I need to blog a little more often. That’s how this WordPress deal rolls. On the pages of the site are lots of cool more “permanent things” for you who want to go into it. I think the blog comes up first in a lot of formats so I’ll do what I can to inform you more often of my current musical activities. So here goes!
This coming Saturday evening October 14, 2017 I will perform special arrangements of Thelonius Monk music arranged by James Leary for his Bass Choir—5 acoustic basses and Clayton Cameron on drums. We’ll be at the World Stage at 8:00 pm as part of the tenth annual Angel City Jazz Festival celebrating Monk’s centennial. This performance is part of World Music Days, an organization founded by Daniel Pearl’s parents to promote peace through music. Harmony for Humanity is their slogan. October is the month of Daniel Pearl’s birthday so World Music Days celebrate his memory during the month of October. Daniel Pearl grew up in Encino. He was a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and he also played violin jamming with people he met all over the world on his journalist assignments. He was executed by terrorists in 2002. There was a movie made about him (Angelina Jolie). In his memory any performers who wish to acknowledge him are invited to do so during October.
I look forward to performing this season with the Cal Tech Symphony at the Ramo Auditorium on the Cal Tech campus in Pasadena CA under the direction of conductor Dr. Allen R. Gross. Our upcoming concert is scheduled for matinees on November 18 (2:30 pm) and November 19 (3:30 pm). These are open to the public at no charge.
I have currently released an album of songs entitled “Good Vibes” recorded and produced by my team. The music is available to hear online (at this website). Specially packaged physical copies are available in limited supply. The music is all done by three people, myself, Tyler Combs and Ken Park pretty much first takes–a “live in the studio” concept recorded and mixed by Paul Chevalier.
Thank you to all the band leaders who give me a great variety of things to do, please continue! My calendar at the website will let you know how the dates are happening. In addition thanks to all the fans and friends who support my endeavors. The beat goes on……..
