Band Camp

Last week I worked(!) as an instructor during Asheville High School's band camp. This makes the 7th time out of eight years that I have taught the drumline.


Not only was this a means to some income during my 'in between jobs time,' but it is also one of my favorite things to do each year. Going back to my old high school, seeing my old band director and walking the familiar (though somehow different) hallways always gets me all nostalgic.


The week was not an easy one. Monday and Tuesday we worked from 9am - 8:30pm. In the morning and after dinner we were outside on the field practicing how to march correctly and learning the formations for the half-time show. During the hott afternoon we broke the band into sectionals and worked worked worked those kids till they could play perfectly (or at least better). The other three days went from 9am - 5pm, again outside for half the day and inside during the afternoon.


Each night, after coming home all I had the energy for was food and bed. The sun, and being on my feet all day along with maintaining control of a dozen high school kids depleated me of all energy. Still, it's fun!


I hope to come back next year, but each year it becomes more difficult as I move into a different jobs and career like responsibilities. Either way, I will always love marching band, playing music and drumming.


Here's a video of the drumline (my kids) playing this year's cadence. Enjoy.

X-mas Music

If you want some variety from the seasons usual Christmas tunes you can check out these two delightful songs, which I revisit every year for a good laugh.


My absolute favorite! Visit this site for the best (or at least most moving) version of "Oh Holy Night" you'll ever hear. I alsmost cried laughing so hard the first time I heard it. And I'm fairly sure it's real.


You may have heard it before, but Adam Sandler's "Hanukkah Song" is quite entertaining. Here's a link to a YouTube showing of it, but I think Sandler was partially drunk during this preformance so the words are hard to understand at times. Take a moment to listen to Sandler's list of Jewish (or partly Jewish) celebrities and have a laugh.


Enjoy!


Merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, have a great Solstice, happy Kwanza, have a good Dwali and also Bodhi Day, and of course, enjoy Festivus!

Fresh Christmas Music Alert!

In an older post I introduced you to an old college buddy of mine, Gary Mitchell. Gary, a musician, writes inspiriational lyrics inlayed into an always funky groovin' rhythm.

This post is to alert you to his latest project entitled "Give Love Away," a compilation of familar Christmas songs set to a new Gary-style groove. The album also has an original song, "Christmas Stories" which I think is superb.

The grinch in me: I typically first grimmace my face when corporate merchand

isers begin playing Christmas music way to early (before Thanksgiving). I am slow to get into the spirit of over-played Christmas tunes blarring out the sound of cash registers ringing.

However, Gary's new set of songs brings life back into five of the season's classics. Gary, I want more! You can go to this website and download one song or the entire set. I recommend all of them as they each have their own bit of original flare.

You can also download his last full album of original music called "Everything and Nothing." I have this album, it's one of my favorites! Gary has a knack for writing lyrics which speak to the human condition with music that keeps your head bobbing.

Thank you, Gary, for bringing some fresh Christmas mucis to my season and my soul.

Check out his website and all of his music, I promise you won't be disappointed.

Rhythm

Last Friday night my wife, some friends of ours and I ventured into a land of the strange and the wierd, a land unique from any other in its diversity of patrons and residents, a land of lights, tastes, characters and creativity - a land called Downtown Asheville. The reason for this group-sized galavanting was as unigue and intruiging as the land it was in: drum circle.

Every Friday night there is a drum circle in Pritchard Park, downtown Asheville where drummers from virtually every walk of life come out of the woodwork, drums in hand, to feel the rhythm, play together and have a good time. People of all ages, races, shapes and sizes showed up to play the wide variety of African hand drums which were singing into the air with each "thud," "chum chum," "spok," "tat," and "boom."

Among the instruments I saw were djembes, dumbeks, congas, bongo drums, a dun-dun, an ashiko, cowbells, woodblocks, singer mini-cowbells, taborines and various shakers. Some players were life-long drummers, some were playing for the first time, but all were locked into a perpetual rhythm which some research has suggested has a theraputic quality.

Of my drums, I brought a djembe, conga, cowbell, egg shaker and a woodblock. There's an elevated pavillion-like seating area which was full of hand drummers and an open area filled with more drummers but predominantly dancers. As people walked by they always stopped to watch the rowdy ruckus, feel the rumbling rhythm and refelct on the robust aroma of cigars, inscense, and body odor.

My mates and I all had a such a great time drumming, listening and watching that we're planning on returning this Friday and perhaps many Fridays to come.

Despite Greg's express wishes that his wife Hannah not engage in "hippie dancing," this picture is evidence that she didn't listen.

Heather's dad and his wife also came along and brought the beat with'em. Afterwards Sherry adamantly said, "If I'da knowd it was gonne be that fun, I'da brought my tamborine!"

My guess is, next week she'll get her chance.