March 29, 2009 - Boom-ba

My Influences:

Boom-ba

Percussion Instrument of Pennsylvania Dutch Tradition

There are two questions typically associated with this beautiful invention.

What?

Dear friends, this is a musical instrument that is most often credited to the Pennsylvania Dutch. Really, it's any body's guess its true origin. If one does a brief search on the subject, a number of different histories can be found depending on the name used.

It appears that the boom-ba goes by a few names with respect to cultural background: pogo cello, polka cello, stump(f) fiddle, devil's (teufel) stick, lagerphone, Turkish Jingle, Chinese pavilion, etc.

No matter what you call it (boom-ba is my personal choice), it is a fantastic and joyful noise-maker! Essentially, it's a pole of some kind with any number of different percussion instruments attached. It is typically held in one hand and bounced on the floor while being struck by the other hand in some manner (drum stick, hand, magic).

Why?

This isn't really a question with an answer! My best guess: one day, some poor soul didn't have an instrument handy so he fashioned himself this device using whatever random bits happened to be in his presence. Genius!

I grew up in an area and family with ties to the Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. One of my first memories of excitement over a musical instrument was my step-grandfather's boom-ba. I don't remember him playing the thing a whole lot but when he did, it was truly wonderful!

I was permitted to try it under strict supervision; such an instrument could truly corrupt a young, impressionable mind (or, even, an aged, incautious mind).
From time to time, at family reunions, five or six of the senior members would bust out their boom-bas and have themselves quite a time (no musical accompaniment, just boom-bas).

-Definitely, a time when the question WHY? is most appropriate!

In recent years, Lauryn and I decided that we should construct our very own family boom-ba.
We did.

Lauryn premiered this great new addition at the last Big Jug Band performance! What a time we had!

I would like to recommend that everyone build his own boom-ba. It's a rather cathartic endeavor and will surely go a long way toward achieving world peace and personal harmony.

Hooray Boom-ba!

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Some links:

http://skew.blkbx.com/four/stage/home.html

http://everything2.com/title/Boom-Ba

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogo_cello

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Pogo-Cello

"All night long, I dreamed of pretty girls and candy. Life is great!"
~ Alexander High

Daren - March 16, 2009

My Influences:


Daren Appelt
Music lover, Community Activist and Benefactor

Austin, Texas is a great many things to me and to many folks living here. I was enticed to move here by its residents with descriptions of many different musical genres and talented musicianers. None of these residents, however, had ever explained to me the many other treasures that an interested party could discover as part of this community.
I have stumbled on so many jewels in the last decade and each of these has anchored my heart to this town just a bit more.

One of these jewels is a gracious and kind man named Daren Appelt. Daren is most certainly a fan of music! Very regularly, I noticed his face in the crowd at a few different shows each week. When he and I finally introduced ourselves, he very graciously thanked me for my music and complimented my musicianship. As we talked, he revealed to me a list he kept in his pocket that detailed at least three different shows he planned to attend that evening. On this same list, he had a secondary list just in case one of the other shows had been cancelled or, in some other way, became impossible to attend! Obviously, this man was out to hear some music that evening!
Daren and I spoke at many other shows following the first. I came to realize that he planned each night in this manner! Wow!

Not only is Daren excited about taking advantage of how much live music this city offers, he gives it right back!
Daren regularly and graciously opens his warm home to professional musicianers in town who are interested in playing music together. He presents this opporunity as a time when these musicianers can "play" without having to "perform" for an audience. He also gives musicianers a chance to see each other ... we're usually too busy performing to catch other bands around town!
His kindness and good spirit pervades the entire house and each separate jam that pops up. There is an openness and warmth to each; to me, it seems that in each circle that forms, there is a happy willingness to meet new people, experience and learn new music, and share some good times and community spirit.
This, friends, is one of the unique gems that makes this town so appealing to me. And, friends, this gem is a heartfelt gift from our very good man! In presenting this gift, Daren is actively organizing a community and encouraging it to grow in a healthy manner!

Thank you so very much, Daren! Your gifts to me (and to so many musicianers) are cherished and priceless.
I look forward to sharing music with you at your home and at any old venue around town.


"All night long, I dreamed of pretty girls and candy. Life is great!"
~ Alexander High

March 1, 2009 - Pam

My Influences:


Pamela Brewer
yoga instruction, guidance

During a discussion about staying in shape while touring, my old pal, Beau, argued that one can't always use a gym or swim laps, and running, while a sure thing just about anywhere, is sometimes not the safest bet. However, there is always enough space in a hotel room for a yoga practice.
I had no experience with yoga but Beau promised that I could get a good start at the "free" class Ruta Maya offered. So, one morning not too long after this discussion, Beau dropped a line and I headed over to meet him at the coffee house.
I'm quite glad for that call and even happier to have found such a great guide through the world of yoga! (Thanks Beau!)

Pamela Brewer is this great guide. Of course, she leads the morning classes at Ruta Maya and has done so for the last five years. Her classes are warm and inviting. If present and involved, one could walk away having learned quite a bit from her instruction and direction.
I have; that's for sure!

Pam has certainly shared with me so much about the physical, mental and, spiritual practice of yoga. She has also presented herself as a great example of the well-rounded benefits of the application of a yoga practice to everything in life.
We've shared a number of great conversations on the more important stuff in life ... health, happiness, social responsibility, gratitude, light-heartedness, etc. (... you know, the same stuff I talk about every week). At the end of these conversations, I walk away feeling like my head's a little more together.
What's more? She offers all this freely, happily, and without judgement of any kind.

Pam, you have been and, I'm sure, will continue to be a great guide on my yoga path and in life in general. I am truly grateful!
Thank you and see you at Ruta Maya!

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"All night long, I dreamed of pretty girls and candy. Life is great!"
~ Alexander High

February 2, 2009 - The Big Jug Band

My Influences:


The Big Jug Band
the biggest jug band ... ever, family, superheroic collection of awesome

I moved to Austin in late 1999 with the hopes of meeting and making some music with other musicianers. I thought there was a chance I might be able to learn much more about playing music, as well as the history of music in America and abroad; perhaps, even learn about the music business and how to earn a living from this art.
So, I thought it wise to rifle through each week's classified listings in The Chronicle looking for others following any similar paths. It didn't take long before something popped up.
... Something odd.

"Bass: (Wash-tub) - [looking for others interested in old-timey and jug band music]"

I read the above heading (the bracketed bits are paraphrased) and had to stop once I passed the colon; how funny was it that this ad featured "wash-tub" in parentheses! The obvious thought was (is), "whoever this weirdo is must be fairly interesting at the least, I must endeavor to make the acquaintance!"

I'm so wonderfully glad I made the call.

It turns out the gentleman responsible for this post was an old friend of mine, Wags Macklin, who I had first met in the late 1800s. He was then a prize bare-knuckle boxer, known the world over for his great prowess in the ring. I had lost touch with Macklin during the Boxer Uprising. He had travelled to China after hearing of an organization called, "Righteousness and Harmonious Fists,” hoping to improve his already great pugilistic skills. I had only heard years and years later that he had gone on to achieve some note as a cliff diver and as a sponge tester.

Wags and I had a spectacular reunion filled with music and spirited discussion about our adventures and thoughts on banding together a few fellow superheroes (who also happened to be musicianers) to serve the public good. It turns out two others had contacted him about his ad, Brady Coleman and Craig High, two gentlemen whose names are widely known, of course, for their intellectual and physical contributions to so many different cultures around the world.
The four of us met soon after my reunion with Mr. Macklin and we set forth to find others like us.
We succeeded.

The band is now well over thirty members. Other bands have sprung forth from this aggregation. Families have grown because of this cultured crew. This planet (and a few others) has been saved a number of times by this troupe. Many souls wear broad smiles and many hearts are lighter due to the action of this dedicated assembly of do-gooders.

I am definitely very proud of this ensemble! I'm proud of the group and proud to be a member of such a group. So many of the happy folks that make up this orchestra have made an amazing difference in my life and continue to do so ... you just don't get any luckier!

I love you The Big Jug Band!
Thank you!

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"All night long, I dreamed of pretty girls and candy. Life is great!"
~ Alexander High

January 25, 2009 - Jon Doyle

My Influences:

Mr. Jon Doyle
clarinet, saxophone, ukulele, jug, best friend

And, here we have the very one and onliest, Mr. Jon Doyle.
Of course, you recognize our good man as an amazing musicianer. You may be lucky to know him as an intelligent fellow; well-read, well-studied, and well-spoken.
I consider myself quite fortunate to, not only, hold this fine gentleman as these things but also as a dear friend.

I had heard about Mr. Doyle through my old pal, Paul Schlichting, http://ryan-gould.blogspot.com/2008/12/dec-9-2008-paul-schlichting.html who informed me that a truly great clarinet player (who played with "the same fire as Sidney Bechet") was moving to town. Very exciting, indeed!
Here's where the fog rolls in ... I don't seem to recall the first time Jon's beautiful music danced into my ears, through my head, and into my heart. To be certain, Jon and I have had so many genuine musical conversations since.

It's easy to hear in Jon's grace, a deep connection and love of music. He speaks effortlessly through his instruments and can seemingly do so in whatever dialect any particular musical situation demands.
And, he does it with fire. (Paul was mostly right; Jon does play with fire but not Bechet's. Jon plays with his very own fire.)

I am so grateful that music has brought Mr. Doyle into my life and strives to keep him here.
But, music is only part of our friendship. Jon has been nothing short of a true friend to me. He readily lends his ear to any of my rambling thoughts. He seems always interested in my viewpoints on whatever the issue at hand and is always willing to share his ideas with me.
Jon is a great man and a great friend, as well as a great musicianer!

Thanks, pal! See you at the gig.

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"All night long, I dreamed of pretty girls and candy. Life is great!"
~ Alexander High

Dec. 29, 2008 - Books

My Influences:

Books

This one seems pretty obvious.
Really, all of them do - to me.

So, how can you go wrong with a book? A whole bunch of text printed on some paper bound together to address an idea, to pass on important information, to communicate feelings or fantasies, or to entertain the imagination -- what a great idea!

I can't imagine a life without books. The world has so much information to share, it just can't be done without the assistance of this wonderful technological advancement.

Let's all be thankful for books this week and in every week to come!
Hooray BOOKS!

Here's a list of just a few of my favorite books:

The Autobiography of Pops Foster, New Orleans Jazz Man as told to Tom Stoddard
Pops Foster
Treat It Gentle, An Autobiography
Sidney Bechet
Music Is My Mistress
Duke Ellington
We Called It Music
Eddie Condon
Music On My Mind; The Memoirs of an American Pianist
Willie "The Lion" Smith
(Okay, this one was NOT a very well-written book but it did contain some valuable information regarding the beginnings of jazz. This guy is a genius on a piano keyboard, but someone should prevented him from using a typewriter keyboard!)

Common Sense
Thomas Paine
The U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence
(not really books I guess but still!)
Madison and Jefferson and other important type Founding Fathers

Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
Douglas Adams
Bluebeard
Kurt Vonnegut
Dracula
Bram Stoker
Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

Hagakure, The Book of The Samurai
Tsunetomo
The Unfettered Mind: Writings of The Zen Master to The Sword Master
Takuan Soho
Warrior of Zen: The Diamond Hard Wisdom of Suzuki Shosan
Arthur Braverman
Light On Yoga
B. K. S. Iyengar

The Sugar Blues
William Dufty

Dec. 22, 2008 - Gratitude

My Influences:

Gratitude

Very often (at least once every week, publicly), I find myself taking inventory of the great stock of good fortune life has presented me. There is an exhausting abundance of treasures to count!
Actually, it seems a bit intimidating, at times, but it's quite worthwhile to take a moment, by will or by circumstance, to note, record, and/or announce the beauty of these gifts, as well as to take a moment to return the deep, moving feelings awarded by these gifts with all the genuine heart that can be mustered.

Personally, gratitude may be one of the very best treasures ever imparted to me. It has allowed me to breathe fuller, deeper breaths. It has allowed me to see colors more vividly and shapes better defined. It has allowed me to love deeper and enjoy more passionately.
Unchecked, gratitude can distract me for great lengths; my chest seems to well up with warm joy and beaming gladness - an overwhelming, sometimes all-consuming bliss - that lightens my burden and gives me some bit of clarity ... I can't help but smile - inside and out.

With regard to the time these moments consume as well as the great opportunity they afford, gratitude has scared off so much of the more questionable emotions that could otherwise be allowed to run my life (i.e. anger, hate, intolerance, fear). Privately or publicly taking a moment to be thankful for so much takes a lot of time! It fills me with a strong will to share good things in life and attempt to benefit the world rather than slight it in any way.

On this note, I'd like to very humbly thank all of you on this list! I especially thank you for allowing me to practice this beautiful art once a week with you.
Please know that this weekly routine is more than just the rambling bungling of our language it seems to appear. It's my hope to share with all of you something beautiful and to grow in small way with each of you through the experience.
I am extremely honored to be allowed to write to you and so very gracious to you for taking a moment to read my words, feelings, and thoughts.

With my love and gratitude, please enjoy a safe and happy holiday season!

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Some Quotes (instead of links):

"Saying thank you is more than good manners. It is good spirituality."
Alfred Painter

"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others."
Cicero

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude."
Denis Waitley

"To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven."
Johannes A. Gaertner

"Kindness trumps greed: it asks for sharing. Kindness trumps fear: it calls forth gratefulness and love. Kindness trumps even stupidity, for with sharing and love, one learns."
Marc Estrin

"Appreciation can make a day, even change a life."
Margaret Cousins

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow."
Melanie Beattie

"Grace isn't a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal. It's a way to live."
Jackie Windspear

"Gratitude is the heart's memory."
French and Italian Proverb

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"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
~Winston Churchill

Dec. 15, 2008 - Roy Rogers

My Influences:

Roy Rogers
piper, carpenter, mentor ...

I spent the years after my enlistment with the USMC and before I moved to Austin, Texas studying a terribly strange instrument: the uilleann pipes. I can't say what exactly moved me to commit so much of those years to such an odd calling. It did happen, though.
I was fairly amped up about Irish music in general when I arrived home in south eastern Pennsylvania. I had been playing tin whistles, biting off small chunks of the vast repertoire. The pipes kept demanding some sort of presence in my life, though. By the will of some freakish, practical joke of nature, I managed to turn up a practice set from a local dealer of bagpipes (mostly Scottish Highland pipes -- the pipes you are probably envisioning presently) and spent a week trying to figure out how make noise with it. (Sorry, Dad and Teresa!)
I also turned up two names of folks who played and taught the instrument. The one who returned my call was a man named Roy Rogers.

Roy and I met a few days later in his living room for a lesson. Roy's greeting was warm and very hearty. He invited me into his living room that prominently featured a wall converted to a bookshelf storing hundreds of books and a large number of vinyl and CD recordings.
I felt welcome immediately though, I was nervous about my first formal experience ever on such a perplexing device. The lesson began with a hearty joke at the instrument's expense (as well as the expense of the damned fools who study and play it), continued with a few hearty laughs, and ended with best wishes for good luck and, at least, a dubious grip on sanity for the days to follow.
Lessons with Roy continued as routinely as either of schedules and my progress permitted. With each lesson, I learned a little more about the instrument, the reeds, the culture (the pipering culture), the music, and, from time to time, the music's history. This information wasn't just spoon-fed to me for the purpose of future regurgitation; it was presented from a wise piper, educated human, and competent teacher in a clean and honorable way (of course, in a light-hearted manner) to be digested by an open and able student for sustaining, interpretation, and advancement of the art. (This is what we should refer to as "traditional" --- in ANY AND EVERY genre!)
Roy exemplifies traditional art forms. He was my very first "teacher" that stood in my consciousness as such an example: he was a mentor.

Lessons passed and with each, Roy and I became more friends than anything else. (Though, to this day, I still consider him one of the strongest mentors in my life.) He continued to pass along the art of pipering but he shared with me his great friendship so genuinely warm and caring, as well as the wisdom he developed through his lifetime of observant and fully realized experience.
What's more? He did it without ever coming across as a superior or treating me as a junior. Roy has always treated me as an equal - not just on the musicianer level but on the human experience level.
It's truly great to feel like you aren't the only student in the lesson; we're all always students and should always be learning!

Years have gone by in a heartbeat. Roy and I still keep in touch fairly regularly despite the 1700+ miles that separate our homes. It seems that our friendship remains warm as well as educational and uplifting.
Life is good!

Thank you, Roy! Thanks for the guidance and the camaraderie!
I look forward to many, many more years of great friendship.

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"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
Winston Churchill

Dec. 9, 2008 - Paul Schlichting

My Influences:


Paul Schlichting
drums

Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to present to you, Paul Schlichting.
You may have seen him wearing a hat or you may recognize him better without, either way, he's Paul, drummer, music educator, stand-up citizen, progressive human, caring friend, loving husband, creative artist, and all-around good guy.

Paul and I met a number of years ago while he was drumming for the Asylum Street Spankers. When that band wasn't out of town, he would swing by the old Black Cat to enjoy the Ridgetop Syncopators, Shorty Long, and Les Niglos show.
He always had a smile and a couple of positive words.
A few years after that, Mr. Schlichting asked me if I would be interested in playing some music together. He and his buddy, a very odd piano man, collected a few tunes and we got together. As it turns out, that trio blossomed into half of Giant City!

Paul has since taken a job as an elementary music school teacher. What luck for the kiddos in his classes!
Paul is kind-hearted, patient fellow, willing to share his experience and knowledge with anyone and anywhere those things might benefit the community. On that note, Paul is a great example of good citizenship; he is always doing his best to make himself aware of local politics and participating when and where he can with the hopes of making things better for all of us ... not just himself and his family.

I have enjoyed Paul's company on the bandstand in many different combinations and I always look forward to sharing his good spirit whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Thanks Paul!

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
~ Winston Churchill

Dec. 1, 2008 - Emiko Takeuchi

My Influences:

Emiko Takeuchi

Lauryn went back to school a couple years ago; the idea was to acquire a more formal and deeper education (and, it was a nice idea for her to bring home all this knowledge to share: two for the price of one). She is still doing all this (with gusto) but she has also made a wonderful connection with an amazing person who has since become family to us.

Emiko Takeuchi also decided to go back to school a couple years ago, and she began another course of graduate studies in the music department at Texas State University. She and Lauryn shared two classes that year (and many since). The two befriended each other and Lauryn brought home to share with me stories of an interesting, kind, and inspirational new friend.
I was very glad to hear it and very much looking forward to meeting Emiko.
Of course, that happened soon after and I was immediately moved by Emiko's spirit.

In the few short years that have passed, Emiko has grown to be much more than just a school friend. She has inspired Lauryn and I both to continue striving to better ourselves not just by reminding us to do just that but also and, most importantly, by her beautiful example. Emiko is always doing; she is always doing her best and doesn't allow much of anything to stand in her way!

Emiko has also taken us in as adopted family. If Lauryn hints at fatigue or a common cold, our dear friend prepares a care package or insists on providing motherly love and care. She is always ready with kind praise for our indiviual efforts as well as a nurturing word for our relationship as husband and wife; she seems so happy for us in that we do!
Emiko genuinely treats us both with the love a mother shares with her children.

Personally, I'm deeply moved just to be in such an amazing woman's presence. Her experienced wisdom, proud carriage, warm kindness, loving heart, and sweet smile give me so much than what is needed to feel alive and feel a reason to be alive. It's incredible to witness how she shares her great spirit so freely; she has what seems to be more than enough for herself, as well as her own family, and Lauryn and I both ... and, I feel like she gives even more than I need!
Stunning!

Emiko, it is a great honor to consider you part of my family. I hold your warmth, kindness, and friendship very close to my heart. I am ever grateful for you generosity; you share so much with Lauryn and I, we are both so very lucky to have you in our lives! We love you so very much!

Domo arigato gozaimasu.

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"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
~ Winston Churchill