Thoughts
Fans aren’t just “fans”. We’re a family.
Way before the earliest days of my musical career, I've always been interested in "the hang". In high school, my parents quickly learned that they shouldn't plan on waiting for me after a concert. I would meet up with them later, at home, because I was too busy...
It takes a village…or a lot of choirs from all around the world
It all started with a walk in the forest during the lockdown of 2021. I was thinking about all the poor students that wouldn't be able to finish the school year with their big spring concerts. (Those were some of my favorites as a student.) Then, I thought that I...
Happy Birthday Nancy King!
The first time I met Nancy King, I was on the faculty of the Frank DeMiero Jazz Camp at Edmonds Community College in Lynnwood, Washington. She sang an intimate duo concert with her long-time musical partner Steve Christofferson for the campers and staff. The night...
An open letter to School District 2, Billings, Montana
I’m puzzled. I hear you are planning on cutting 5th grade music in Billings. I don’t understand why music must always be on the chopping block. Music is a business as much as any other field. In 2018, the recording industry alone reported revenues of $19.1 billion....
Stretches for my friends
There's nothing like being on the road for a month to remind you of your humanity. Long flights, hours in a car, setting up gear, playing concerts, breaking down gear, eating what you can find along the way, and not getting enough sleep can wear on your body. When...
Song Insight: We Three Kings
Here's your extra bonus insight. Thanks for following along on this journey. I moved to San Diego in 1992 to attend the University of California, San Diego for graduate school. My bass teacher, Bertram Turetzky, hooked me up early on with the talented Keeling...
Song Insight: Angels We Have Heard on High
Pamela York is probably my closest friend from those San Diego days. We met shortly after she moved to town and we hit it off immediately. We would meet once a week to work out new material, challenge each other to expand our repertoire, and eat lunch and...
Song Insight: Silent Night
In my Los Angeles days, Todd Johnson and I played a bunch of duo concerts and even made a tour together in the Pacific Northwest. This wasn’t your typical duo because Todd plays 6-string electric bass. He could do all the melodies, chords, and bass lines without...
Song Insight: Count Your Blessings
This song comes from Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas”. It gets counted as a holiday song because of the show, but I think the theme is good all year round. I also want to give some kudos to Magnus Hjorth. He plays ever so elegantly on this track. He has two little...
Song Insight: Christmas Will Really Be Christmas
I'm back to Lou Rawls again. He was such a badazz. This song is really a theme from the 1960's where issues of social justice were at the forefront of people's minds. I think the message is just as relevant today as it was back then. We need to take good care of...
