Summer gigs including Dubuque Riverfest with REO Speedwagon and Mickey Thomas
The Yardarm in Dubuque
Iowa City Jazz fest
Marion Downtown Getdown
Cedar Rapids Farmer’s Market

New gig with Stranded in Iowa!!! Officially gigging with one of the best cover bands in eastern Iowa. The band features outstanding vocals by Adam Beck, Billie Tessendorf and Patrick Harrison as well as the steady drumming of Brien Burke. First gig was Feb. 18 2012 at the Red Baron in Cedar Rapids’s Czech Village. More photos in the Image gallery!

As the final days of summer pass, anticipation of the fresh start beginning a new season is on the horizion. Changes are in store for later this year. As I write this, I have mixed emotions about some of the decisions I will have to make. I am excited at new prospects that are entering my life, and also a bit sad this probably means a farewell to some dear associations that have been very meaningful to me over the past few years. Opportunity is a curious thing and luck is an occurence that sometimes demands taking chances to fulfill. We have but a limited time on the planet to do what we can and to live without taking chances can only take you so far. It is time for something new-more to come.

Orchestra Iowa kicks off the 2011-12 season with an outdoor concert Sept. 10 at the Brucemore Mansion is Cedar Rapids. Summit has been asked to play an hour set preceeding the concert in the VIP fundraising section- Summit appears again on Oct 4 at the Cedar Rapids Marriott for a benefit for the House of Hope organization, raising money for a shelter for battered women.

Funk Stop is set to appear at the Campbell-Steele Art Gallery in Marion on Sept. 23 for a special performance 7:00-11:00. The last time we played there it was a blast, Campbell-Steele is a classy venue where you can have wine, cheese, Art, and pizza with great Jazz and Funk.

Farmer’s Market June 18
Cocktail’s June 24
Marion by Moonlight June 30
Iowa City Jazz Fest July 1

Summit (John Reasoner, Peter Hart, Scooter Vineburg, John Hall) has been in action over the last few weeks, including gigs at Gatherings, a fundraiser for Orchestra Iowa, and a performance Kirkwood College.  I’ve been enjoying playing my new NS design NXT electric upright, switching between that and my Steinberger 4 string in the group.  It seems like I have found the right working combination of instruments for this group, and have been having a blast working with everyone.  Plans for a Summit road trip in July to Northern Wisconson are on the table, as well as new recording to begin in the summer.

It’s been an eventful summer, lots of fun.  Recorded the album with Billy Janey and played some gigs with him, FunkStop gigged a lot and  managed to have great weather at several big outdoor events, and Summit continued to pop up in various venues to deliver our unique brand of instrumental jazz-jams.  Summit is scheduled to play at the New Bohemia Festival in the Czech district of Cedar Rapids on Sat., Sept. 4 on the main stage.  Our sax player will be out of town, so we’ll be doing the gig as a trio.  Orchestra Iowa cranks up for the new season in Sept., so I’ll be gigging and teaching a lot more in the classical genre in the coming months.

The Stranded in Iowa band has asked me to fill in for their bass player Dave on the 4th of July.  It will be a concert set on the riverwalk in Cedar Rapids, prior to the fireworks show over the river.   Should be a lot fo fun playing some classic rock tunes with Stranded!

Local legend guitarist Billy Lee Janey has recruited me to play on his upcoming album.  The album will have 13 tracks and be a mix of rock, blues, funk and fusion.   Recording will start in July.   I also have a new toy, a Conklin 7-string bass that I plan to use on the album.

Funkstop is set to play multiple gigs this summer.  The next gig is June 27 at the Barbeque Round Up in Cedar Rapids.  Summit is also getting back in action, with some  Saturday morning Jazz brunch gigs lined up at the Campbell-Steele Art Gallery in Marion.       

Don’t forget also Orchestra Iowa at the Freedom Fest Patriotic Pops Concert this year at Kirkwood College.   Fireworks will be on display starting with the 1812 Overture and continuing after the concert.  Great Family fun!

May 8, 2010- For the second year in a row now Kennedy Orchestra has recieved division I ratings for both Symphonic and String Orchestras at State Large Group Contest.  The students were focused and attentive, the front line played passionately and it was a real rush to perform both programs.  I also really enjoyed hanging out and watching some of the other great orchestras perform.   We are definitely lucky to live and work in a community that supports our orchestra programs in the public schools.

In other news, Symphonic Rock IV on May 3 was another huge success for the orchestra.  Adam Beck did a great job on sound, and my friends Rob Wallace, Billie Tessendorf, Patrick Harrison and Eric Douglas expertly delivered a first -class set of rock tunes with the orchestra.  It was a great blast to work with them on the concert this year, hopefully we can do it all again next year!

FunkStop will be playing at Tailgator’s in Cedar Rapids on Sat. May 1.   Symphonic Rock  follows on Monday, May 3 at 7:00p.m. at Kennedy High School.

This year’s Symphonic Rock show features Rob Wallace  Billie Tessendorf, and Patrick Harrison from Stranded in Iowa along with Eric Douglass from 4 Box of Rocks and yours truly.  We are performing some classic rock tunes by Styx, Kansas, The Beatles, Stones and others with the Kennedy Symphony Orchestra.  Admission is only $5.   Support music in our schools!