Tuesday, July 9, 2013

What Did You Miss This Week? (Week 319 #363)

Cristian Inostroza!!!
  
It was a hot night in B1 last night! Our Chilean friend Cristian Inostroza chucked the engineering job this spring and moved short-term to Chicago to hang with us, learn from Joe and hit all the Chicago stages. He's been gigging, busking, and sitting in with everyone on the Chicago music scene, and last night he brought his fabulous show and CD release party to B1!
  
Cristian is an amazingly accomplished player, comfortable with a wide range of music styles and forms and even passionate about singing. He wowed us with tons of great playing and showmanship last night - It was one swinging tune with great phrasing, tone and dynamics after another. How does he get that great sound?!
  
Cristian's first instrument was guitar but he soon moved to drums and gigged eight years as a drummer. He carried a harp and worked at it, but his band didn't want him to play it - stick to the drums for us, they said. One day the drums were stolen from his car and that was the turning point - no new drums for him and he started in on the harp in earnest! After just four months of lessons, he joined a band as a harp player.
  
One thing he clearly demonstrated last night, both in his playing and his discussion, was that he has a strong sense of music theory, is comfortable with a variety of scales and arpeggios and he knows when and why to use them. Good lesson learned by all if we want to grow and improve as players!
  
Keep an eye on Cristian - he's going places! He's captured the attention of Seydel already who made him an official endorser. He left a real job behind to spend six months in the states, leaves at the end of August for gigs in Prague and Italy and who knows what next! His takeaway from his leap of faith:
  
"I had a job and gigged on weekends. It's easy to say you're a musician when you play an instrument. It's different to be doing it for a living. Music buys my groceries - now I'm a musician!"
  
Yes you are, Cristian, and also a dear friend of ours in B1! Thanks!
 
Born In Chicago!!!
  
Hey, our own Barb Selvaggio reviewed this film for us recently and we now have word that Buttercup Park in Uptown is showing it outdoors, and free, this Thursday:
  
Thursday, July 11
Join the Buttercup Park Advisory Council and Chicago Filmmakers
for a free night at the movies
Starting at dusk (approx. at 8pm)
come over after the Thursday market on Argyle!
"Born in Chicago"
Bring your chairs / blankets!
4901 N. Sheridan
  
This is very close to Grant's home, so he and Carolyn will be there - come join them!
  
 - again, here's Barb's review:
  
"I saw the documentary “Born in Chicago” at the Gene Siskel Film Center last Monday night. I was blown away. The story of how Mike Bloomfield and Paul Butterfield, young white teenage boys from the north suburbs of Chicago in the mid 1960’s found their way to Muddy Waters changed the blues culture forever. The respect and reverence Bloomfield and Butterfield showed for the great Chicago blues artists impressed the musicians as well as the clientele in the almost completely black blues clubs on the Chicago’s South Side. The blues greats were the teachers of these young artists who were already great musicians in their own right. The black and white footage of those days gone by were brought to life on the big screen with the likes of Junior Wells, Howlin’ Wolf, Mick Jagger with Muddy, Corky Siegel, Willie Dixon, Sam Lay, Harvey Mandel, Barry Goldberg, Steve Miller, Elvin Bishop, Nick Gravenites, Charlie Musselwhite, Eric Burden … like a checkerboard of down and dirty blues.
  
The movie came and went just like its era and some of the greats that are playing the blues in the sky. I don’t know where it is now or when it will be shown again, but I treasure the experience. If you find out when and where you can see it, go! I’ll probably be there again too! There is a Facebook page for it so maybe there will be more info on that."
  
(a production of Out The Box Records)
 
Class Notes
  • Joe will be out of town July 15 and 29. Private lessons those days are cancelled, but group classes proceed as usual. Shoji will lead Level IV and Zoe will take care of Level III classes. Those in Level III should be sure to bring both their transcriptions as well as a play along track to class.
  • Shoji plans to run the Level IV class next week as a song workshop - bring in a song or songs that you need to work on and the band will help you with beginnings, endings and arrangement questions. This is your chance for quality rehearsal and feedback, so come prepared!
- Grant Kessler, B1 Blues Crew