Class Overview for March

This is session 2 of the 2006 season. The focus of the class is Sly and the Family Stone. We have a really good group of people. We just played at Nixon school where I teach and the kids just loved us.
We are attracting a crowd around the Sly stuff. Even Jimmy T. is coming to join us. So if you get a chance stop by and help us celebrate the music of Sly Stone.

Gig Information for Friday February 24th, 2006

www.shadowofmotown.blogspot.com

The School address is 2121 N. Keeler just SouthWest of
Fullerton and Pulaski.

Arrival time 8:15. The first performance is at 9:00am
the second is at 10:00am. I will be here to watch for
people coming in. Please use the doors on the side of
the school near the parking lot.

Email me with any questions.

Bill

Black History Month - February 24th Nixon School

Hi All,
The Black History Month Performance at Nixon School will be on February 24th. Times are as follows:

Arrival: 7:45-8:00am
Preformances: 9:00am & 10:00am

We will be proceeded by a Colour Guard and I am still working out the the logistics in regards to how much time the Guard will take up.

First Class First Session 2006

The class sounded great -- we have a fantastic new drummer and new singers and bass player. Everyone seems really motivated once again and it looks like doind public school gigs is going to catch on...

I am working on some Marvin Stuff for next week Alton has the CD.

Gail gave me the pictures to complete the Bill's Blues page on my website...

And Now I have to crash so see you next week...

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays to everyone! Please take care of yourselves and have a happy holiday season!!!!

Soul Ensemble @ Bill's Blues

I am sitting here in my basement listening to a Janavis rehearsal while recovering from a Soul Ensemble performance. The Soul Ensemble always puts me in a spiritual place. Tonight they put me in mind of connections to music. I always have a hard time identifying my musical root. In other words -- why play?
Eventually, every musician, I think, addresses this issue. A musician at some point has to find the feed the thing that keeps them going. I will admit though that I think that musicians are most blessed when they have no clue where they are coming from. But the Soul Ensemble puts me in mind of a place and a specific thing that keeps me going. An obsession that won't let me give up the thing. A love that took me away from all the things I thought that I was supposed to be doing.
It put me in mind of that thing that is primal in music. The thing that causes people to move without words. A groove-- and a groove in unity. It is not just about being funky -- although that should never be ignored it is about a bunch of people finding their individual paths to the one.
Music is about the path, it is about a way of thinking for me. That is why I am so shocked when I find someone, who is totally offensive to me, gifted musically. One wonders how another can be so inspired artistically and have other traits that are unbearable to most of humanity. I think the answer is that that is humanity. That is the thing that makes us human... We all have the faults and the beauty. It is a meditation, a mantra, a puzzle, an effort to bring oneself right and to accept others in their path to what is right for them.

The cool thing is that there is no time frame. You keep working at it -- always.

The Soul Ensemble got to me tonight. Not this specific performance but the community that has sprung up around it. Alton has amassed, through sheer dedication and love of the form, a following -- it is geometric and exponential... A = B = C therefore A= C... The love of the form brings people to a common understanding and that creates a community... Old hat I guess, but I dig it.

I guess I could have just said, " The Soul Ensemble rocked tonight and I am still buzzing from it!" But, where's the fun in that?

We played at Bill's Blues-- great Karma!

Pictures and stuff

Just a note: I am still working on having some other picture appear. Having my picture show up there is a default setting.