"A SOCIAL STATE" IS HOT NEW BAND
Finally, a hot new band is making the scene in N.E. Pennsylvania! After months of working with different "garage bands", the quartet of Ed Cuozza, John Fletcher, Bill Trently & Nick Ogonosky have gotten together and are producing a "new" sound! Formerly associated wirh various "buddy bands", the group, "A Social State" has been working on a new CD, and paid us the courtesy of supplying us with the first 6 tracks of the demo.
Quite frankly, having been familiar with the individuals, and their previous associations, we were more than happy to see this fine young group unite in a common cause, to make music and to take it seriously!
Cuozza, an extremely talented guitarist and vocalist had been with his previous band for far too long, and now has afforded himself the opportunity to make a move upward. His vocals, and guitar, are the key to the future success of the new band and he has displayed the needed ingredients to make the band "go". John Fletcher, who has worked laboriously to hone his skills on bass, shows us he can be a factor in the local music scene. Bill Trentley, a guitarist and back-up vocalist, lends a new spin to the need for a local band which can play, and sound good, in the area's ever-changing music world. We can't say enough about the drum work of Nick Ogonosky who gives "credibility" to the fact that a young band can get it together and make a move in the right direction. Together, this group has all the potential of becoming a tour band in the near future.
We managed to catch the group at Heil's recently and was impressed with the "paying crowd" and their reaction. Not an easy venue to play, the band never-the-less emerged from the gig with a solid "acceptance" from their audience and, despite a few rough edges, should go on to bigger and better things. Scheduled to play this Saturday night, at Scranton's Vintage Theater, we look forward to catching the group again and offering you a few "on scene" photos in our next edition.
Anyone looking to book a solid group, though still a touch away from being "rock solid", would do well to consider "A SOCIAL STATE" for its next booking. These kids can. and will, make it if dedication, sincerity and a good work ethic are combined with the discipline necessary to step up into the bigger venues. We wish them all the luck in the world and wish them nothing but the best! Contact John Fletcher at 570-687-8201.
"PLUTO" STILL RISING...DAN DALRYMPLE MOVING UP
"SO LONG PLUTO", Scranton's hottest band, recently finished a "tour" with stops in Western Pa., Ohio and Michigan, playing primarily for fraternities and on college campuses. According to our reports, the band was a big hit and has been invited back, most recently playing a gig at Ohio State Univ. last weekend. There is no question they are the hottest group around, but we foresee better things happening in their immediate future.
DAN DALRYMPLE, who's growing popularity as the area's top keyboard man seems to know no boundaries, is working on a musical for the University of Scranton, and is serving as musical director for the show. Dan also has been busy playing with a new "wedding" band and also performing at various venues as a soloist. He seems to be making adjustments in his style and is well on his way to becoming another "ex-Scranton" musician as we see him moving on to bigger and better pastures in the near future. Couldn't happen to a more deserving guy. He has been getting prodded by fellow Scrantonian JON VENTRE to join up with a cruise ship line. According to "Jonny Vriz", Dan is headed for the big time and would enhance his standing by signing on for a cruise ship gig.
The former local musician made his move to Atlanta, and is well on his way to being a top bass player. Currently working Carnival Cruise Lines as a member of the Jafar Curry Band, he is slated to be a part of the February STEVIE WONDER SHOW in Las Vegas. Just proves our point, you can make the big time if you are willing to work at it!.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
JON VENTRE WELL ON HIS WAY
We had a call from our dear friend Jon Ventre, who is performing aboard a Carnival Cruise Line ship sailing out of Baltimore. Jon, at last contact, was sailing in Chesapeake Bay, on his way to Nassau, the Bahamas, as part of his weekly gig. Tough job, sailing from Baltimore to Nassau, every week, and having the chance to sun himself on deck, or on the beach at Ft. Lauderdale, or on the sandy beaches of Nassau. Poor guy is really having a "tough" life.
To make it short, Jon is a bass man, (hometown Scranton, Pa.) who has been playing with the Jafar Curry Band (Atlanta based), and is living the good life. He has been with Jafar for some time now and, since leaving Scranton, he has been playing, recording, writing, and enjoying his hobby (photography) while doing "his thing".
Jon's first love, jazz, is still his forte, but with Jafar he has been instrumental in promoting the careers of many upcoming young stars, including Chimere, a super talented young vocalist from Atlanta. She has been a back-up singer with such notables as Ludicrus, and is well on her way to future stardom as a solo artist.
In the meantime, Jon's career is taking a major upturn, and he is beginning to realize the dreams which go along with his ambitions and talents. He is tentatively set to perform (with Jafar's group), in Las Vegas as part of the Stevie Wonder show, slated for a February opening. This opportunity will be a giant step into the really "big time" for the talented young bass player. From being a "garage band" musician in Scranton, he has made rapid progress, playing the best jazz clubs in Atlanta, moving on into the cruise ship circuit, and soon slated to become a performer in the big time music scene of Las Vegas. Another potential, which may soon come to fruition, is a tour of Australia and New Zealand, but this gig is on hold pending the outcome of the Stevie Wonder gig.
We have to offer our congratulations to Jon and our best wishes for his career and his future. We still have hopes that he will get together with our dear friend, Jack Gregg, contrebassist of international fame. Jack, whose credits are too many to mention, is based in his adopted home in Paris and recently completed a three week long jazz school for international musicians and plays regularly with his jazz trio, "Jazz in the Moment" in Paris and around Europe and the Middle East. Not bad for a kid from Memphis. Tenn. who found his niche while in the Army and has been a member of numerous internationally famous musical groups.
I guess our point is, and it is a valuable one, if you've got the talent, and the burning desire to "make it" in the big time, the opportunity is there, but it takes a lot of hard work and luck. NEPA has a lot of talented musicians, but only a few who have the guts to give themselves a real chance. Sitting on your laurels just doesn't cut the mustard. If you're sitting around waiting to be "discovered", those days went out with the 50's and don't look for them to come back. The future of music is not in the recording industry, not when people can download anything free from the internet. It is in live performances, and it means you need to get off your duff and make it happen. Good luck to all, and especially to the Jon Ventres of the world!
We had a call from our dear friend Jon Ventre, who is performing aboard a Carnival Cruise Line ship sailing out of Baltimore. Jon, at last contact, was sailing in Chesapeake Bay, on his way to Nassau, the Bahamas, as part of his weekly gig. Tough job, sailing from Baltimore to Nassau, every week, and having the chance to sun himself on deck, or on the beach at Ft. Lauderdale, or on the sandy beaches of Nassau. Poor guy is really having a "tough" life.
To make it short, Jon is a bass man, (hometown Scranton, Pa.) who has been playing with the Jafar Curry Band (Atlanta based), and is living the good life. He has been with Jafar for some time now and, since leaving Scranton, he has been playing, recording, writing, and enjoying his hobby (photography) while doing "his thing".
Jon's first love, jazz, is still his forte, but with Jafar he has been instrumental in promoting the careers of many upcoming young stars, including Chimere, a super talented young vocalist from Atlanta. She has been a back-up singer with such notables as Ludicrus, and is well on her way to future stardom as a solo artist.
In the meantime, Jon's career is taking a major upturn, and he is beginning to realize the dreams which go along with his ambitions and talents. He is tentatively set to perform (with Jafar's group), in Las Vegas as part of the Stevie Wonder show, slated for a February opening. This opportunity will be a giant step into the really "big time" for the talented young bass player. From being a "garage band" musician in Scranton, he has made rapid progress, playing the best jazz clubs in Atlanta, moving on into the cruise ship circuit, and soon slated to become a performer in the big time music scene of Las Vegas. Another potential, which may soon come to fruition, is a tour of Australia and New Zealand, but this gig is on hold pending the outcome of the Stevie Wonder gig.
We have to offer our congratulations to Jon and our best wishes for his career and his future. We still have hopes that he will get together with our dear friend, Jack Gregg, contrebassist of international fame. Jack, whose credits are too many to mention, is based in his adopted home in Paris and recently completed a three week long jazz school for international musicians and plays regularly with his jazz trio, "Jazz in the Moment" in Paris and around Europe and the Middle East. Not bad for a kid from Memphis. Tenn. who found his niche while in the Army and has been a member of numerous internationally famous musical groups.
I guess our point is, and it is a valuable one, if you've got the talent, and the burning desire to "make it" in the big time, the opportunity is there, but it takes a lot of hard work and luck. NEPA has a lot of talented musicians, but only a few who have the guts to give themselves a real chance. Sitting on your laurels just doesn't cut the mustard. If you're sitting around waiting to be "discovered", those days went out with the 50's and don't look for them to come back. The future of music is not in the recording industry, not when people can download anything free from the internet. It is in live performances, and it means you need to get off your duff and make it happen. Good luck to all, and especially to the Jon Ventres of the world!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Following our decision to put NEPA After Dark on hold, we received several emails and a few phone calls expressing disappointment. Our decision was based solely on what appeared to be a lack of interest on the part of musicians, bands and performers, as well as venues. It just didn't seem to be there, so we decided to take a break!
A lot of time and effort went into producing this newsletter, and none of it was paid for. Without the cash, we were forced to curtail our “print” issues and to rely on electronic production! Now let us explain our position in clear terms so all will understand!
We have been around the entertainment business for a very long time. We have background in public relations, publicity, management and production. Having been in the acting business for some time, we felt we could help those who truly and seriously wanted to pursue a career in the entertainment field.
Our experience has been in all levels of entertainment; including stage and screen actors (many notable); singers, dancers and musicians (many who made it in the “big” time) and yes, even some notable sports figures. We have taken many performers by the hand and virtually babysat and led them into a career. This is not a reflection on any individual or group. It merely means that in order for a performer to perform, he or she, needs to concentrate on their talents, not the business end of things. Look at it this way: most of us own cars, or computers, but that doesn't make us automotive engineers or sophisticated technical people. It just means that somebody had an idea, put it together, and got the necessary people to make it work and then to market it. It took untold thousands or hours before it wound up in our laps. That's a lot of time and effort, and tons of money. But most of all, it took somebody with vision to make the dream and the hope a reality.
The same applies with show business. There is a whole lot of talent out there, and many of you probably have more talent than some high-paid performers. The difference is, the high-paid performer worked at his trade and left the details of making it happen to some pretty experienced and dedicated people. It took a lot of work to create an image, mold the talent, and present it in a marketable package!
And a lot of time and tears were shed to make the talent what it is...a highly polished and well-oiled entertainer. The combination of desire and know-how is what makes it work, coupled with a whole lot of luck. I hope you understand this because it is so important!
In order to market your talent, you need more than just raw talent! You need someone who can read between the lines and figure out the best way to put that talent in front of an audience. The days of record companies, a & r men, and big investments in raw talent are gone. The financial rewards have been so drastically reduced that only a real entrepeneur is willing to invest in talent, and that's where the hard part comes into play. You can spend hours upon hours of working at your trade, but how do you go about selling it and making a success? You can listen to your friends and buddies tell you how great you are; take encouragement from your family; play local gigs for nickels and dimes, but the bottom line is YOU have got to put in the effort and find the right people to help you SELL YOUR TALENT to those who don't know you or have never heard of you. That, friend, is the bottom line!
Henry Ford didn't go to his friends, or to a shoe store, to market Fords. He went to people who knew what he didn't know, enlisted their help, and made his dream come true! That's how it works!
Now, down to the nitty gritty. You have talent, be it as an individual or with a group. You work to make that talent marketable, then you try to sell yourself. The local club is looking for talent to bring customers in. They also have a bottom line! In order to pay you, they must make enough money to warrant that expense. That means YOU have to bring in more customers than they are used to having; entertain those customers; and make them want to come back....because YOU have something to offer!
No businessman in his right mind can afford to hire someone who can't fill his needs. In order to make yourself that needed addition, YOU must have polish and be professional. That is up to you...the businessman is not going to invest in YOUR future unless YOU can show him YOU have what it takes.
When you go into a grocery story, or any business to buy something, the first thing you look at is the packaging! Would you buy a CD that had a torn or dirty cover, without a label? Would you buy a package of hamburger that looked bland and dry? Would you buy a car that looked like it had been through the wars and had bald tires and a bad engine? Of course not....the packaging must be attractive, interesting, and saleable. It could be the best thing you ever bought, but unless it looks good, you and nobody else is going to touch it with a 10 foot pole. Get the picture?
Our purpose was to help you achieve that goal! We want to help you market yourself; offer a presentable package; and be a saleable item. At the same time, we want to help screen the talent and package so the venue knows they are going to get something that people want!
That, Dear Friend, was our goal and still is! We want to help you, and help your market source, both succeed. That's why we reviewed entertainers and venues. BUT, without your help, and your input; and without the venues showing an interest in what we have to say; we were barking up the wrong tree! If we are going to resurrect NEPA After Dark, we need YOUR help and that of the potential venues!
We're waiting to hear from you! Tell us what you want, and show us you're willing to spend the time and effort to get there! As for the venues, we want to be a clearing house for you. You don't have the time, or desire, to do it like it was done in the old days. No auditions, no word-of-mouth from friends of the talent! You want a marketable package that's going to bring in the $$$$ and we want to help these talents get a share of the $$$$. If we can work together, we'll all be happy! Let us know...we're waiting to hear from all of you. If you're looking for friends and neighbors to pay your way, and for just somebody to allow you to say “You're Good!”, forget it. You can get plenty of that before you finally fold your tent and call it quits. If you really and truly are sincere about your talent, and want to market it, we're here. And, the same applies to any venues. If you really want something to sell, and you want it to bring in and bring back customers, we hope to offer you real talent...talent that is ready, willing and able. You help us and we'll help you! THAT'S OUR BOTTOM LINE! It's up to you friends. JT
A lot of time and effort went into producing this newsletter, and none of it was paid for. Without the cash, we were forced to curtail our “print” issues and to rely on electronic production! Now let us explain our position in clear terms so all will understand!
We have been around the entertainment business for a very long time. We have background in public relations, publicity, management and production. Having been in the acting business for some time, we felt we could help those who truly and seriously wanted to pursue a career in the entertainment field.
Our experience has been in all levels of entertainment; including stage and screen actors (many notable); singers, dancers and musicians (many who made it in the “big” time) and yes, even some notable sports figures. We have taken many performers by the hand and virtually babysat and led them into a career. This is not a reflection on any individual or group. It merely means that in order for a performer to perform, he or she, needs to concentrate on their talents, not the business end of things. Look at it this way: most of us own cars, or computers, but that doesn't make us automotive engineers or sophisticated technical people. It just means that somebody had an idea, put it together, and got the necessary people to make it work and then to market it. It took untold thousands or hours before it wound up in our laps. That's a lot of time and effort, and tons of money. But most of all, it took somebody with vision to make the dream and the hope a reality.
The same applies with show business. There is a whole lot of talent out there, and many of you probably have more talent than some high-paid performers. The difference is, the high-paid performer worked at his trade and left the details of making it happen to some pretty experienced and dedicated people. It took a lot of work to create an image, mold the talent, and present it in a marketable package!
And a lot of time and tears were shed to make the talent what it is...a highly polished and well-oiled entertainer. The combination of desire and know-how is what makes it work, coupled with a whole lot of luck. I hope you understand this because it is so important!
In order to market your talent, you need more than just raw talent! You need someone who can read between the lines and figure out the best way to put that talent in front of an audience. The days of record companies, a & r men, and big investments in raw talent are gone. The financial rewards have been so drastically reduced that only a real entrepeneur is willing to invest in talent, and that's where the hard part comes into play. You can spend hours upon hours of working at your trade, but how do you go about selling it and making a success? You can listen to your friends and buddies tell you how great you are; take encouragement from your family; play local gigs for nickels and dimes, but the bottom line is YOU have got to put in the effort and find the right people to help you SELL YOUR TALENT to those who don't know you or have never heard of you. That, friend, is the bottom line!
Henry Ford didn't go to his friends, or to a shoe store, to market Fords. He went to people who knew what he didn't know, enlisted their help, and made his dream come true! That's how it works!
Now, down to the nitty gritty. You have talent, be it as an individual or with a group. You work to make that talent marketable, then you try to sell yourself. The local club is looking for talent to bring customers in. They also have a bottom line! In order to pay you, they must make enough money to warrant that expense. That means YOU have to bring in more customers than they are used to having; entertain those customers; and make them want to come back....because YOU have something to offer!
No businessman in his right mind can afford to hire someone who can't fill his needs. In order to make yourself that needed addition, YOU must have polish and be professional. That is up to you...the businessman is not going to invest in YOUR future unless YOU can show him YOU have what it takes.
When you go into a grocery story, or any business to buy something, the first thing you look at is the packaging! Would you buy a CD that had a torn or dirty cover, without a label? Would you buy a package of hamburger that looked bland and dry? Would you buy a car that looked like it had been through the wars and had bald tires and a bad engine? Of course not....the packaging must be attractive, interesting, and saleable. It could be the best thing you ever bought, but unless it looks good, you and nobody else is going to touch it with a 10 foot pole. Get the picture?
Our purpose was to help you achieve that goal! We want to help you market yourself; offer a presentable package; and be a saleable item. At the same time, we want to help screen the talent and package so the venue knows they are going to get something that people want!
That, Dear Friend, was our goal and still is! We want to help you, and help your market source, both succeed. That's why we reviewed entertainers and venues. BUT, without your help, and your input; and without the venues showing an interest in what we have to say; we were barking up the wrong tree! If we are going to resurrect NEPA After Dark, we need YOUR help and that of the potential venues!
We're waiting to hear from you! Tell us what you want, and show us you're willing to spend the time and effort to get there! As for the venues, we want to be a clearing house for you. You don't have the time, or desire, to do it like it was done in the old days. No auditions, no word-of-mouth from friends of the talent! You want a marketable package that's going to bring in the $$$$ and we want to help these talents get a share of the $$$$. If we can work together, we'll all be happy! Let us know...we're waiting to hear from all of you. If you're looking for friends and neighbors to pay your way, and for just somebody to allow you to say “You're Good!”, forget it. You can get plenty of that before you finally fold your tent and call it quits. If you really and truly are sincere about your talent, and want to market it, we're here. And, the same applies to any venues. If you really want something to sell, and you want it to bring in and bring back customers, we hope to offer you real talent...talent that is ready, willing and able. You help us and we'll help you! THAT'S OUR BOTTOM LINE! It's up to you friends. JT
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
SUPPORT HR 1147
WRITE OR CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN
ATTENTION MUSICIANS: We urge all of you to write or contact your Congressman to support HR1147, a bill presently circulating in the House of Representatives. The bill would open airways to low power FM radio stations which broadcast to neighborhoods and small towns.
Known as the Local Community Radio Act, the bill, if passed, would offer local musicians a chance to be "heard" on their radio stations. At present, it is extremely difficult for small local bands to get any airplay! If this bill becomes law, and we hope it will, every musician would have a chance to get radio airtime and to present their music to a live musical audience.
We need your help! Contact your Congressman now, and urge your friends and family to do the same. This may be your last chance to have your music offered on the airwaves. Remember, HR1147 can only benefit you and your immediate action is needed.
The bill is presently circulating in the House and has 28 co-sponsors. YOUR IMMEDIATE ACTION IS NEEDED!
WRITE OR CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN
ATTENTION MUSICIANS: We urge all of you to write or contact your Congressman to support HR1147, a bill presently circulating in the House of Representatives. The bill would open airways to low power FM radio stations which broadcast to neighborhoods and small towns.
Known as the Local Community Radio Act, the bill, if passed, would offer local musicians a chance to be "heard" on their radio stations. At present, it is extremely difficult for small local bands to get any airplay! If this bill becomes law, and we hope it will, every musician would have a chance to get radio airtime and to present their music to a live musical audience.
We need your help! Contact your Congressman now, and urge your friends and family to do the same. This may be your last chance to have your music offered on the airwaves. Remember, HR1147 can only benefit you and your immediate action is needed.
The bill is presently circulating in the House and has 28 co-sponsors. YOUR IMMEDIATE ACTION IS NEEDED!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
NEPA After Dark has been placed on temporary hold!
We have been reluctant to publish due to the lack of cooperation from entertainers and bands in the area. Without your input and cooperation, we cannot provide sufficient information to make the newsletter worthwhile.
This newsletter is yours, and without your input, we can't get your message out to those who can help you, your fans and possible bookings.
We sincerely regret that this situation has come up, but the fault lies directly with you, the people we are trying to help!
From time to time, we will publish when the situation presents itself! JT
We have been reluctant to publish due to the lack of cooperation from entertainers and bands in the area. Without your input and cooperation, we cannot provide sufficient information to make the newsletter worthwhile.
This newsletter is yours, and without your input, we can't get your message out to those who can help you, your fans and possible bookings.
We sincerely regret that this situation has come up, but the fault lies directly with you, the people we are trying to help!
From time to time, we will publish when the situation presents itself! JT
Monday, March 2, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
NEPA After Dark
Joe Talamini, editor/publisher, has announced that NEPA After Dark will begin a weekly podcast on March 2, 2009. The one hour podcast will be hosted by Joe and will feature news as well as clips from local bands and others who submit CDs for our listening. We will also be conducting interviews and offering profiles of bands and entertainers during the podcast.
We have already been in contact with a few of our friends on the professional level who have offered to render their advice and input. It is anticipated that we will feature a "new talent" each week and we plan to archive the podcasts for future listening.
On the home front, bassist JON VENTRE is back in Florida and is playing aboard a Carnival Cruise Line ship based out of Orlando. This gig is expected to last at least two months and Jon may or may not sign on for another cruise. He is planning on operating from a home-base in Atlanta, Ga. and has definite plans for his career.
JOHN GINTY, the ultimate studio musician, has been jamming with his "new" band, the JOHN GINTY BAND, which was featured recently on WVIA-TV, and received accolades from its studio audience as well as viewers.Ginty plays keyboard but is also proficient on electric guitars, though he has "tired" of them, he says. The group consists of a guitarist, drummer, a diversified percussionist (wild array of acoustics), and a fine percussionist-bass who runs the gamut from bongos, congas and stand-up bass. From the little we were able to gather, Ginty plans to tour the group (originally dating back to the '90's) with their variety of jazz and modern versions of standards, including many stand-bys. This is about the most together group we have encountered in many a day and we wish them well.The versatile "leader" has a unique style and we hope to bring him into "our fold" before too long.
In the meantime, we encourage local musicians to maintain contact with us, whether or not you have any intention of becoming serious musicians or just playing for your own satisfaction. We have heard from several out-of-town venues who would like us to buiild a base for future bookings, including club gigs and possible opening acts for concerts. One has expressed a desire to put on two or three concerts a year in the local NEPA area.Could be interesting.
We had a call from a friend who is planning on trying to put together a "serious" band who would be interested in pursuing a concert tour and traveling. He tells us he wants to build his band around a vocalist and will be seeking keyboard, guitar, bass and others who would be willing to enter the "struggle", including a really solid drummer."I have a good female vocalist in mind, " he tells us, "and I'd love to build a solid band around her." The gentleman has a firm foundaion in music and plans on forming the group in the very near future. "But, I'm only interested in people who have the desire and discipline to work at their trade," he adds.
"Nothing is rock solid at the moment," he said, "but, if I can find the right blend of talent, I plan to start moving forward in the spring of this year." His plans call for a college tour and several mid-sized communities where the band could refine its talents and be ready for recording by the fall.
That's it for this week, but keep up with us as things are beginning to look up as we continue to weed out the "wannabees" from the serious-minded. Garage-band lifers need not apply! JT
Joe Talamini, editor/publisher, has announced that NEPA After Dark will begin a weekly podcast on March 2, 2009. The one hour podcast will be hosted by Joe and will feature news as well as clips from local bands and others who submit CDs for our listening. We will also be conducting interviews and offering profiles of bands and entertainers during the podcast.
We have already been in contact with a few of our friends on the professional level who have offered to render their advice and input. It is anticipated that we will feature a "new talent" each week and we plan to archive the podcasts for future listening.
On the home front, bassist JON VENTRE is back in Florida and is playing aboard a Carnival Cruise Line ship based out of Orlando. This gig is expected to last at least two months and Jon may or may not sign on for another cruise. He is planning on operating from a home-base in Atlanta, Ga. and has definite plans for his career.
JOHN GINTY, the ultimate studio musician, has been jamming with his "new" band, the JOHN GINTY BAND, which was featured recently on WVIA-TV, and received accolades from its studio audience as well as viewers.Ginty plays keyboard but is also proficient on electric guitars, though he has "tired" of them, he says. The group consists of a guitarist, drummer, a diversified percussionist (wild array of acoustics), and a fine percussionist-bass who runs the gamut from bongos, congas and stand-up bass. From the little we were able to gather, Ginty plans to tour the group (originally dating back to the '90's) with their variety of jazz and modern versions of standards, including many stand-bys. This is about the most together group we have encountered in many a day and we wish them well.The versatile "leader" has a unique style and we hope to bring him into "our fold" before too long.
In the meantime, we encourage local musicians to maintain contact with us, whether or not you have any intention of becoming serious musicians or just playing for your own satisfaction. We have heard from several out-of-town venues who would like us to buiild a base for future bookings, including club gigs and possible opening acts for concerts. One has expressed a desire to put on two or three concerts a year in the local NEPA area.Could be interesting.
We had a call from a friend who is planning on trying to put together a "serious" band who would be interested in pursuing a concert tour and traveling. He tells us he wants to build his band around a vocalist and will be seeking keyboard, guitar, bass and others who would be willing to enter the "struggle", including a really solid drummer."I have a good female vocalist in mind, " he tells us, "and I'd love to build a solid band around her." The gentleman has a firm foundaion in music and plans on forming the group in the very near future. "But, I'm only interested in people who have the desire and discipline to work at their trade," he adds.
"Nothing is rock solid at the moment," he said, "but, if I can find the right blend of talent, I plan to start moving forward in the spring of this year." His plans call for a college tour and several mid-sized communities where the band could refine its talents and be ready for recording by the fall.
That's it for this week, but keep up with us as things are beginning to look up as we continue to weed out the "wannabees" from the serious-minded. Garage-band lifers need not apply! JT
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