Shake a Hand, Make a Friend...

I've said often enough on these pages that my dream is to play music everywhere that I can. That statement is just a bit misleading, why? because I play music often enough, and with the Carpenter Ants we do travel quite a bit ( at least seemingly more than many of our friends/ fellow musicians here in West Virginia) so the statement of the desire of this dream is a little confusing.
I guess what I really want is for a complete career in this business, to be able to travel across this country and around the world and continue to meet people and hope that through our music we can be catalysts to help the world see ourselves as Allah (God) see us.
Sometimes I get disturbed with the events that make up the fabric of our lives, the murder, the distrust, the anguish, the despair and I want to just reach out and help everyone...but in fact that may be unrealistic. It would take next to forever to get a point where I could see everyone let alone try to do something positive for them; but there is a solution: music, all kinds of music.
Mostly everyone knows that music soothes the savage breast, but what we don't know is that music can walk where we cannot, it can reach into the tiniest of spaces, fill the greatest of voids...oh, we know it on some levels, but I mean like a real honest to goodness handshake, you know the kind that lets a person know that you respect them, and that you're open to meeting them...that kind of handshake.
During the time I've spent in my new found hobby of blogging, I've shaken hands with some incredible people who have touched my life and gave me even more insights into me and I AM GRATEFUL. They've gone to the Carpenter Ants website listened to some of our music, have traveled to see our shows, and have been open to meeting us and getting to know us. They have been encouraging in ways unseen.
Over the years, and as recently as the other day I've been asked by friends and family alike, how do you do this (play music til all hours, then get up and go to work daily) ? I'll answer with a line from the song "The Musician" written by Gayle Moran ( the keyboardist, and wife of keyboard legend Chick Corea) it's from the album entitled "Musicmagic" ca.1977.
"He plays his song for one reason, it's simply what he loves."
That's the condensed version of my answer, the LP version is that for my life to have meaning to me I have to follow my heart and my dream.That doesn't mean that I'm not happy, it just means that while I have the chance, I will go everywhere I can, shake a hand and make a friend.
Lastly, I will say... I'm game, are you ? Then...
Support Live music today, tomorrow and always.

On The Same Page.

Before I delve into this post I'm going to make an apology publicly:
In my last post I wrote about problems that I felt weren't being dealt with by our band. I should have been better about speaking up,even if I were wrong.
I must acknowledge that a great many things are done and have been done on my behalf and that of the band.
I will say that playing music is on the part of any band often a thankless job, and that sometimes people in a band are more often than not, or more often than they realize on the same page.
Michael Lipton and I occasionally disagree about things, some important, some not so important but I feel and have always felt that he does to the best of his ability put forth a great effort to move the Carpenter Ants forward in one body.
A job that he rarely gets paid for and a job that he even more rarely gets thanked for.
First my apology: Mike I'm sorry if the things that I said have in any way caused you any embarrassment or anguish, you know me better, it's never my intention to hurt, though my methods don't always bear that out.
To my other band mates the same apology applies to you as well, but understand that the efforts by one person must done by us all.
We must duplicate the efforts in any way possible within our means.
My true intention is for us to get to the top together; the thought of me going on in life without you is more frightening to me and I want us to all be together, for as long as Allah permits.
It was pointed out that probably airing these things out in this type of forum isn't a good idea. I have mixed emotions about that: if it's done maliciously then it really isn't good, if it stirs up healthy debate, that may be better, but only if all means to communicate were expended and clearly mine were not.
Lastly for Michael, I want you to share this load with us, teach us what to do and how to do it, and I'll teach and show you all how to do what you think that I do best.

Support Live music today, tomorrow and always.

Musical Backgammon

If you know the game of backgammon you know that it's a game of mathematical movement in which two players roll dice and based upon the number on those dice one player moves accordingly toward a home board. It's actually a little more involved than the explanation here, but you get the idea.
Anyway, music is an awful lot like the game of backgammon, in that there are players of varying levels vying to get their pieces to the home board first and win. Well just as in backgammon it's impossible to create a tie, because there will always be a winner, music in effect is like that. You roll the dice and hope that your music will be accepted by the powers that be. Those powers can be fellow musicians, they can be business people directly involved in the music industry, or they can be fans who help skyrocket you and your dream to the top.
None the less in order to make any part of that dream a reality you must understand the math involved thoroughly before you can create the kind of ruckus that gets you noticed by anyone or by everyone.
Let me give you an example ( you'll need this, to get the point of my post), think of your favorite artist, and your favorite song; it could be the current song or past song, instrumental or vocal. Think about the feeling you had when you first heard it...
Whatever the emotion was that you felt was the ruckus. However it affected you was the ruckus. It's the thing about someone or something that makes you remember them ( I know that ruckus actually has a different meaning, it's a disturbance, but I'm arriving at my definition through the use of this word...the disturbance), the disturbance that makes you look.
In other words, when you create a positive disturbance in the music industry you get noticed.Comprende' ?
OK, why am I writing about backgammon and how does this relate to my music ? Well the absolute truth is that I'm sitting here right now and my heart has been heavy all evening long because I need to make a decision about something and it may very well be one of the hardest things that I've had to do in awhile.
I'm thinking about quitting the Carpenter Ants, the band that has been my home for 12 years. Why? How could I ?
To answer the first question, I feel that the direction that the band is going is no longer a good one for me. I feel that for as long as they've been a band they should have been much farther along than they are moneywise, we've priced ourselves out of a market by not charging enough for people to take us seriously. We'll travel for days to make change, we'll play for hours on end and come home with nothing to show for our time.
We are grown men and yes we do enjoy each other's company, and we do get along well for a band, but playing music is more than that. To get to the level that I aspire takes a real commitment from everyone, yet we can't agree to learn songs as we should. All of us have talent but we're only using part of that talent.
All of us have egos but only one ego is king. When one problem arises and is dealt with, there lurking in the shadows is a newer greater one...it's too tiring.
I told them over a year ago that they can no longer use my van for transportation and here we are insisting that I add more mileage to an already older van. These things cost a lot of money, but we aren't making any to cover the costs of when it breaks down.
We had a record company sign us, completely jerk us around, and yet here we are waiting anxiously for the same company to release (as they say) our 3rd CD. Why didn't we get the hell off of our asses and find a company that believed in us enough to take a chance on us.
How could I leave? That answer too is complex, I really believe in myself and my talents and I'm willing to take the chance to go out on my own and find a musical situation that suits my needs monetarily, musically, mentally and mutually. After all, I did leave New York and move here, and my musical backgammon led me to them, and I've won.
I have a wife that has been my rock, and through all that I've put her through, she has stuck by me through all of my tears and all of my faults. She's not in the best of health and it's time for ME to stand by her.
I have a job that I dearly love and a boss that I absolutely would go to the end of the Earth for if she asked, it may not have been the thing that I've wanted most out of life but I could have happiness there.
I have had my day in the Sun, and I have enjoyed it, basked in it, now it might be time for me to get out of the weather.
If I decide to leave, I'll write about it, then close up shop, and look for the next thing for me, but know that I'll never be too far away, I'll just be standing in the shadows...of music.

Support Live music today, tomorrow and always.

Fun and Games

It was Wednesday and as usual lately hardly anyone at the club, and tonight we didn't even have Michael ( he was away for the evening). We did though, have our favorite Michael substitute, Bill Holstein.
Bill Holstein is just alot of fun. If you've been watching Rockstar INXS, and seeing those folks get into the whole rock mode, then you'll have an idea about my buddy Bill (except, he's cuter, and can play a whole lot better). Bill gives body English a whole new meaning, you know how we musicians make those faces when we play (what's up with that anyway ?), the whole body movement thing...you've seen it.
Anyway, we decided to make the evening complete fun and turn it into our Mike Jones night. Now Mike, is our buddy who sits in with us on Wednesdays on percussion. Mike is about 6' 7" with feet the size of a small yacht ( ha ha ha, gigglesnort***).
Every week I try and try to get Jones to sing all in good fun of course but he never takes the bait, so last night I decided to become Mike and sing for him ( his voice would remind you of the ghetto version of Barry White). It was funny, at least in my warped mind.
The only truly negative on the evening was that prior to starting the night out someone stole Bill's guitar and his amp rig, sending him into (as you can imagine) a complete dither
Now all of this truly makes me angry because this kind of stuff is not supposed to happen at the Empty Glass, so I'm quite upset by the whole thing.
I said in a recent post when a similar thing like that happened in Parkersburg, that people need to realize that first of all we musicians don't have alot; many don't have transportation, their own home, nor loads of money to buy these things consistently; so it's a real pain when you rip us off. No one deserves it but least of all musicians
Be that as it may, we wound our way through the evening and managed to smile and laugh, and have a good time.
So as far as the lesson here, it's to have fun and games regardless.
If you feel like you need to exist with the forty thieves you need to go where they are and leave hard working decent people who can least afford it ALONE !!!

None the less...
Support Live music today, tomorrow and always.

This One Hurts ( Luther Vandross)

Death is a part of life, and though try as we may to be cavalier about it sometimes a person dies and their death leaves you with a great void.
On July 1st singer Luther Vandross died, and I must tell you that this one really hurt.
As a lifelong musician and singer, it was people like Luther who helped to fuel my dreams, because he was someone that in New York City you could see walking down the street, and he'd stop and take time to talk to you and check out your progress if you were striving in this business, give you strong encouragement, and a friendly pat on the back, and thumbs up, and would tell you to keep on pushin'.
In an age where everyone is basically leery of everyone else, Luther was a breath of fresh air.
Being overweight, and trying to make it music is one of the most difficult and terrifying experiences. The powers that be are so geared toward the folks with chisled everything, that they have forgotten and overlooked those with true talent. They have forgotten that in music size really doesn't matter, it's supposed to be the size of the talent.
Luther Vandross to me was a giant of a man, with giant sized talent, and an even bigger heart, and when he opened his mouth his music made you forget that life can be a bitch sometimes.
I felt compelled to write this post and say that my heart is heavy at this loss, Luther Vandross was another fine Bronx product, in a great line of people formerly of the Bronx. He will be forever missed...may God give mercy to his soul, as he brought joy to us all.
Good night my brother.

Luther Vandross 1951- 2005 .

In honor of Luther, I want to direct you to the American Diabetes Association. and point out the good work that they are doing to bring attention to, and fight this disease.

Suppot Live Music today, tomorrow and always.

Harlem and The Bronx (the making of Charlie Tee) (#3)

In this post I'll tell you about a very valuable lesson that I learned thanks to my Mother, and how that lesson was reinforced thanks to my Father.

Growing up in the Bronx meant a great deal to me, and since both of my parents were fairly prominent people in New York City Government, that life had even more meaning. I was always proud of the work that they did, and I took their work very seriously... in short my parents worked the butts off.
Because of them a band that I played with got invited to do a gig at a very prominent night spot in the Bronx, the Advocate. By day it was swanky very upscale restaurant serving mainly judges and attoneys and an occasional New York Yankee ( Yankee Stadium was just 3 blocks away). Lunch there started at $19 dollars, dinner would cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of $36 dollars and up. After dinner starting around 9:30 pm the place would transform into a serious nightclub. I'm talking Buddy Rich would hang out there, Lionel Hampton, and there was one Duke Ellington present on a couple of occasions, to name a few. The room had a wonderful stage, very big and roomy. In its nightclub formation the Advocate would hold about 200 people and still be comfortable.
So imagine my surprise when my Mom came home from work one evening and announced that her son was going to be playing a gig there, and for money. I had been to the Advocate a few times with my parents for dinner when we really were celebrating something special. It was suit and tie and starched shirt, not a hair out of place, and brother you'd better mind your manners in that joint.
Anyway, after picking myself up off the floor and calling my bandmates, who were equally excited, we spent lots of time getting ready for this.
The day to play came, we showed up to the club, but there was a big problem, my friend Eddie Rodriguez who was our guitarist didn't own a suit, and the clothes that he did have weren't very adequate to play at a place like this.
Now understand that unless you're some big named star, you just don't come as you are, you get together with family or friends and borrow things, especially since we were getting paid $2000.00 dollars ( yes, that's two thousand !!). Eddie instead chose to throw a temper tantrum, with the manager, and me like an idiot trying to defend my buddy almost lost us the gig.
Needless to say my Mother went ballistic, it wasn't just the fact that Eddie did what he did, but that I had the nerve to be just as foolish.
For a Black woman in those days [even in New York] it was pretty difficult to get big named stars a job there let alone some knucklehead teenagers ( and I wasn't even a teenager officially).
After that fiasco my Mother went out and bought Eddie a decent suit and some casual clothes for lighter gigs. I couldn't believe it but they still paid us the money, and my Mom never took a penny of it...that was loyalty and trust beyond belief.
The lesson that I learned from that was knowing how to be prepared to do this music as a life work, in all aspects. My Dad reinforced that by making certain that before we walked out the door we looked the part of where we were going to play. My Mother never did ask for any money back, even from Eddie's parents.
Eddie went on to be the original lead guitarist in Earth Wind and Fire, Eddie del Barrio. When my Mother died in 1997, Eddie sent me a wonderful letter, thanking God for my Mother's belief in him and her kindness because it set his life in motion on the right path and he parlayed that into a career.
I just cannot say enough about the most gratifying experience of being the son of Carmen and James. My Mom and Dad were absolutely the greatest people on the Earth to me.

Rock Star, 2MuchXS For Making The Band or an Idol

I'm embroiled in watching "Rock Star INXS," the new rock reality monster. A few months ago I was tuned to "Making the Band,"
P Diddy's reality music show.
I have a slight problem with "American Idol," ( no, make that, I have a huge problem with it !) For many years, I've watched in absolute horror some of these shows with people all trying to live up to a crazy dream. Now I freely admit that I have that same exact dream, to be on somebody's stage performing somewhere, anywhere in the world. My problem with some of these shows are that in the process of some idiot like Simon criticizing you about a performance that you have little control over, they don't teach you anything of value to help you carry on or for that matter, move on. I realize that in Simon's case he's basically just the hard edged comic relief, sort of like Rex Reed is to the movies, and in reality there are just people who clearly have no business in music. It's OK to have the dream if you're doing your homework about being in this business, because at least you may come to a realization that you need work, or if nothing else you may need to leave your town and comfort zone in pursuit of some positive reinforcement.
Let's be real here...for some of these people vying for shots at the big time, wouldn't it make some sense to know just a little bit about some of the artists whose music you're trying to tackle ?
When I was in college I entered a talent show that I knew in 2 seconds wasn't gonna go my way, but I surprised everyone when I covered a Stevie Wonder song completely accapella including humming portions of the music and painting a vivid enough picture that even those who weren't totally familiar with song had a feel for it. Even to my amazement, I still won a prize, and turned quite a few people's heads.
The point here is that for all of you trying so desperately to make the band, learn to control YOU, first, then learn the room that you're playing in. When you conquer your fear of the room itself, the audience is yours for the taking .
Despite what anyone tells you, the lead vocalist is the focal point and the key to the door, next command the band, remember you are the captain of this ship, and it's your ocean too !!
Some of the things that I do like about the shows Making the Band and Rockstar INXS is that for the most part the people involved get to learn the things that they need to help them wake up and realize that this is first, business, then it's a show.
If you've ever heard stories about the machine which was Motown, you know that Berry Gordy hired people to polish most of the acts such as the Temptations, and the Supremes and teach them things about the business of music, there is footage out there that you can see and review.
Like it or not shows like Idol just aren't that good, too many cookie cutter standpoints of singers...( in other words, they all sound the same.), little if any originality.
If you're watching Rockstar, check out the lady named Jordis ( she's the woman with the dread locks hairdo), she, in my opinion is a real gem. She is a powerhouse of a singer who has amazing control over every aspect of her music.
Clearly, she completely knows how to work an audience, and the room, and, the band. I can tell you first hand that when the musicians are into you, they taylor their playing toward you, then you have it licked, and she does.
In the meantime, to be a rockstar just remember that too much excess will not help you make the band or be an idol...RELAX.

Support Live music today, tomorrow and always.

"Damn the Torpedoes, Full Speed Ahead."

I recently had quite a few responses via e-mail on a post that I wrote awhile back entitled, Where Did Our Love Go ?
I decided to answer you with this...( don't worry it ain't bad!!!)

For quite sometime now my band the Carpenter Ants have had a regular gig on Wednesday nights at the Empty Glass In Charleston. Well, for a good period of time now there has hardly been anyone out on Wednesdays, and it gets increasingly harder to justify taking any money from the club to pay us, so what I do from week to week is play it by ear. If there are alot people in the club and they seem to be spending money, we will play and I will ask for a reasonable amount of money; if there aren't many people there then I try to be reasonable in the clubs favor. The Empty Glass has been home base for us since I've been in the band, which is now 12 years.
I have to be realistic about some things though...right now in this country the economy is not so great, people everywhere are suffering in more ways than one.
I'm just a musician, and not to sneeze on that fact, but the arts in general suffer when the economy is this bad. Who the heck wants to make the choice of buying entertainment when gas costs an arm and a leg, when food prices are through the roof. I don't want think about a band when I gotta put my child through college, and I'm robbing Peter to pay Paul...it's absolute HELL being in the position that I'm in, why? Because this is my dream that's why, the only thing that I've ever truly wanted to do was to be on a stage playing music for the masses, to paraphrase the words of Billy Joel's "Piano Man," "I hoped it would be me they'd be comin' to see, to forget about life for awhile."
But the fact is that with all the talent that I think that I have, I'm here and I'm struggling to get heard, so it's left up to me if I care as much as I say that I do to keep plugging away at this rock in my path to not give up hope, and to "keep on tryin' 'til I reach my highest ground,"(Stevie Wonder, "Higher Ground" from Innervisions 1974.)
Yes, I know that's not the answer you may have been hoping for but the most important thing is to believe in yourself and tell yourself always and often... "damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead."

This post is dedicated to all musicians who are really busting their rear ends trying to get their music out to the public...please please don't give up hope, your time is coming, grit your teeth and hang in there.
This post is also dedicated to everybody who is trying to live through the dregs of this economy. We will see tomorrow.

Support Live music today, tomorrow and always.

The Fire This Time

In the spiritual realm there has always been talk of the fire next time. It refers to the fact that Allah (God) will destroy the world by fire. One of the chief reasons that this could come to pass is that we truly need to learn to have respect for each other. That means all of us.
The reason that I chose this as my opening statement is that I need you to understand that I'm trying to use my musical abilities, and my talents to help people come to grips with this fact. We are all in this together, and the sooner that we learn to have reverence for each other, the better it is for all of us... but it takes an open mind and an open heart to get that kind of enlightenment.

When the Carpenter Ants first played in the downtown Charleston, we were met with so much criticism that I felt that these people would never get the fact that our mere goal was to entertain them, so we pretty much shied away from the area. That has all changed for me with the advent of playing at the Vandalia Lounge.
I said in a posting about them recently, that these people get the point, and not only do they get it but they make playing in a bar worthwhile. Every single time we have played there the positive vibe has gotten greater.
I'm struck by the fact that most of the clientele are very successful people, who are working their fannies off at whatever they do, but at the end of the day they have learned to shed off that skin, let their hair down and have fun.
I'm certain that you're going why is that important ? It's important because Allah never intended for us to have hardship, nor do he intend for us to work ourselves into our graves.
Keep in mind that many people drink in excess because they are frustrated with their lives, and can't seem to find themselves in the mire, and truly, many clubs exploit this.
To me though, the clubs of real worth see to it that you you have fun as much as you can. They act responsibly in getting the best caliber of everything that they offer.
The Vandalia Lounge has taken that to an entirely new level. The staff makes you feel completely welcome when you walk through the door.
For musicians that kind of vibe is just what the doctor ordered, it makes playing there a special thing for everyone...not just for the ultra hip but literally for everyone.
For the Carpenter Ants ( me especially), this is almost a dream come true, I really want to share my music with people who get the point and go with the flow; so when the staff is glad to see you, and the manager is glad to see you, and the patrons are calling on their cell phones to "get your ass over here, this f**king band is amazing,"as I heard one woman tell her friend, what else can happen but a great time !!!
This time out we had the great Steve Ferguson with us and he mesmerized the crowd with his guitar playing, and even he had loads of fun playing for the Vandalia crowd. Michael Lipton noted as did I, that it seemed like people were not only having serious fun but also really paying attention to us.
I said before and I'll say it again the Vandalia Lounge is the fire this time, not because they are ending the world but because they are using their positive energies to change the world, light a fire in all of us that opens our eyes to real humanity, real friendship...and fun.

This post is dedicted to Pierre, the manager of the Vandalia Lounge and his great staff. You all will help to make live music come roaring back to the Valley, just as the Empty Glass on the east end, and the River's Edge Cafe in St. Albans are doing, you have raised the bar. Keep the vision strong, and keep up the good work.

Support Live Music today, tomorrow and always.

Let's Do It Again (FestivAll)

I going to say upfront and from my heart: this past weekend was one of the nicest that I've ever had, in part, because one of my lifelong dreams was fulfilled...to see music everywhere as well as cultural events.

This past weekend in Charleston the city held its first ever (and hopefully annual) FestivAll.
FestivAll is an event designed to bring out the best in West Virginia, in terms of the arts, and it did so in the grandest of fashion.Everywhere you looked there were musical events, cultural happenings, and people smiling broadly.
More than anything what I liked most of all, was that although the weather was sweltering, the Sun was beating down like Ahmed Solomon and Jupie Little together on the drums people at every event smiled and treated each other like old friends.
The only negative thing that I heard the entire weekend was that the weekend was coming to an end.
I want to take this forum and personally thank Mayor Danny Jones, Event Director Larry Groce, all of the many volunteers, and all of the musicians, artisans and participants for being at your best and bringing out your best.
I also want to issue a challenge to the people of the great state of West Virginia; if you were here over the weekend you saw first hand, the power and beauty of working together. We have put up a jewel in the rough with FestivAll, let's polish it and make it better next year...in short, let's do it again.
For all of the musicians artisans and partipants, give yourselves a hand because you were the best !!!

This post is dedicated to Mayor Danny Jones for having the courage to be a true leader and helping make the dream a reality...FestivAll lives !!
The post is also dedicated to Larry Groce who pulled off one helluva citywide party, and still managed to host Sunday's Mountain Stage...you get the Superman award.

Please, when the call goes up for next year's event, get involved, get involved, get involved, no matter how small, your help will be needed.
Come visit Wild Wonderful Charleston West Virginia, a Capitol city.

Lastly, watch for the coming of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame

Something About St.Albans

Now I'm the first to admit that being from a large city is not all that it's cracked up to be.There's serious crime, unreal congestion, and the list grows everyday. Living in small town America can equally be as frustrating but the bottom line is that it is smaller.
I went to high school, not in my home city of New York, but rather in as small a town as you can get. I went to the only all Black military school in the world, St.Emma Military Academy in Powhatan VA. The day before my parents and my Sister and I left to go on my new adventure, my Father sat me down in my bedroom and gave me some advice that I'm still very happy to have and use today. He said "before you go thinking that because you're from New York, that you are one iota better than anyone from down there, think again. The only difference between you and anybody from Powhatan Virginia is that where you came from is larger, but you are no better than anybody, treat everybody that you meet with respect, and you'll be surprised at how many friends you'll have at the end of the day."
Wisdom indeed that I've used daily in my life.
The overall theme here was learn to love, like and or respect people, no matter where they're from.
Living here in St Albans has taught me about fortuitousness and real love. The community here just at times overwhelms me by how much they care...about everything.
Last night at the River's Edge Cafe, Jim Snyder and company held court, and the crowd in attendance was jubilant to say the least. Everybody there was simply in a great mood.
Over the last month or so I've been showing up and sitting in with the fellas, and they are as accommodating as possible.
I came to a realization last night that I want to share with you: there is something about St Albans... something uniquely wonderful. During these few weeks of hanging out I've gotten a dose of hospitality from these folks that if it were a drug, I'd be stoned forever !!!
It's taken me awhile to catch on ( I'm slow that way), but on my job at the library, here at River's Edge and just generally everywhere in this town you can find a warmth of spirit here that makes for a great life.
There was a young man who came up to play, and when he sat in it just ended up being very monotonous, he wasn't a bad guitarist he just put too much of his life into one note. Anyway, the fellas didn't shoo him away, or make him feel bad or anything, they were just respectful. I thought that was very nice indeed.
It's a very tough job to be a musician, and younger folks reading this post need to remember this one thing...don't wear out your welcome !!! All of us know what this dream is like for you, but don't act like big stars, before you are. Open your ears and develop a sense of togetherness, that you can only get when your part of the ensemble as opposed to the ensemble itself. Notice when the crowd is getting restless and as they say leave 'em wanting more.

I've really enjoyed hanging out with the River's Edge crew, you put the fun in Funky.
Catch Jim Snyder and friends locally and regionally.
Catch drummer/vocalist Jupiter Little with our band, the Carpenter Ants everywhere else.
To Dean Braley, thank you for your nice words of encouragement. Enjoy.

Support Live Music today, tomorrow and always.

Where Did Our Love Go...

Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday don't leave me. Ooooo please don't leave me, all by myself:
Just a little parody of the great song by Diana Ross and the Supremes...

Well, it seems that our regular show on the aforementioned night is all but shot through the heart. Last night almost scared me it was so empty (pun intened), we had one lady at the bar with a birthday, one man trying hard to ask her out, a couple of our regular cool crew , Ronnie, Sam and Ed ( our man at the door).
My Vickie came as did my neighbor Robin, and my pal Amy; it's always great when they're in the house.
Now let's talk about this shall we...
It's giving me a bit of a scare mainly because I don't want my guys to lose interest, nor to lose focus. Playing at the Empty Glass has always been fun, although it can at times be a challenge. Partly because, you know the saying, familiarity breeds contempt. People just plainly know us ( as a band) maybe a little too well, and I think that as a result, to some degree they feel that they don't need to see us every week,' the Carpenter Ants will always be there.'
Maybe there is some truth to that, but the truth is, for me, that I wouldn't want to take a chance on that reality because in a heartbeat that could change and through no fault of our own.
As huge a fan of NYPD Blue as I was/am, it's now gone, and despite the fact that there are many more stories to relate in New York then they could have written episodes for, my favorite show is now gone and the future landscape of television isn't looking too good to me.
So the same thing can happen with this music. Again, you need to understand that we aren't giving up but it makes it that much harder for us when no one is there.
The other side of this is we are resilient and we're also good at persevering . That says an awful lot about how much we believe in us and believe in what we can do. I have confidence in my bandmates, and in the people that follow us regularly, and really, I believe in my hometown.
So the cry is up, Charleston Charleston, where did our love go? And all of your promises, all the love forever more. I've got this burnin' yearnin', swirlin,' feelin' inside, deep inside me, that stings like a bee.
I've used this phrase before made popular by Larry Groce, and it bears repeating: "go out and catch some live music," but I'm going to insert this question before that statement..."where did our love go?"

A Vein of Gold...

This just totally cracked me up...
After Friday's unbelievable show in Winston- Salem NC, where we played to an audience of 6000, we returned home to do a show of maybe 12 tonight; the class reunion of George Washington High School class of 1980...they were few but they were mighty. Considering the fiasco that almost caused it not to happen, it turned out to be probably the easiest gig we've ever done.

As I sit during one of our breaks at this class reunion we're doing, a well dressed woman walks up and begins to pick my brain about the type of band the Carpenter Ants are... "well I've heard you all are an R and B band, I've heard you're counrty ( to picture her voice think, Thurston Howell III, from the TV show, Gilligan's Island !!), so I'm trying to establish here what's your deal." As I try to explain to her the types of music that we cover, she now wants to know individual history, so off in that direction I go, twists and turns abound.
Then she says that she wants to hire us to do a celebration of her husbands death ( you can't make this stuff up folks !!), she explains that the location of the event is to be held on a mountain top retreat, and that once we were there we wouldn't want to leave. She also explained that they (she and her late husband ) hired Bob Thompson (the great jazz pianist; look for a story on him soon, in the Spotlight On link) to play their wedding and she wanted something more festive in honor of the husbands death.
Now I'm completely certain that her intention for this is not in that way that it's being portrayed here, but it still just struck me as funny, especially after we went back to the stage to play and Jupie (our drummer, Jupiter Little) exclaims..." well now, we seem to have hit a vein of gold," and later in the drive home he says, "I started getting that Black Widow feeling."

I know, it's sick humor, but you gotta admit, this is the true essence of being in a band, and playing for a throng of 6000 one day and 12 the next, you have to make light of it...all.

This post is dedicated to James "Jupiter" Little, without a shadow of doubt one of the funniest men I've ever known.
It also goes out to Heather H ( the woman who inspired this story), please call or e-mail me soon, we'll be more than happy to play for your celebration.

Groovin' High on the River's Edge

Once again, I'm astounded by the fun I had at the River's Edge Cafe in St.Albans...this could very well be considered the Empty Glass of the western part of the Kanawha Valley. Great food, great folks and fun in abundunce.

Before I tell you about the night let me tell you that it almost didn't start out that way, as I went into a bit of a Diabetic shock during the first set. My blood sugar started to bottom out, which could have been disastrous for me, and quite nearly was.

...OK, the scare was over, now back to the music.
Jim Snyder in the house with his friends and they went for the jugular, with me in tow on the saxophone. It was really nice to see that many people having that much fun, consistently all evening long.
My wife Vickie came and hung out, met some really cool folks and spent the evening laughing and generally enjoying the music (that means alot to me).
Jim has got a nice thing going here, no muss, no fuss just pared down uncomplicated music with great vocals and big huge fun, featuring Jupiter Little and Rob Hamer ( a great bassist, and yet another funny man) Phil Ruby and Marcel Lazare. I don't know when I last had this many laughs all evening long, the spirit there is really high.
One of the nice things about St. Albans folks is that they really support live music, and going to River's Edge is proof positive of that, the place was packed all evening, and they let their hair down for real...dancing all over the place.
Its been a long time since I've seen people waiting in serious anticipation for their music, and the joint was abuzz before it all got started, but when it did everybody even came in from out on the deck area there to hear and enjoy.
During and after the show people kept yelling with favor toward my saxophone playing, and I hope that it was better than the last time I played, because it sure felt that way.
In a recent post that I wrote about playing at the River's Edge, I said that 'compliments go a long way in my book,' speaking about how folks just thoroughly enjoyed hearing the music, and have no problem telling you so; well this time they did one better, after the show many of the patrons came over to us to shake hands, thank us profusely, and implore us to return soon...To me that is a compliment of the highest order.
They're groovin' high on the River's Edge, and if you're reading this you need to set your course for St.Albans and sail on down here on most Thursdays, you won' t be sorry.

Again, as in last time, thanks go out to Jim, Jupiter, Rob, Phil and Marcel for an action packed fun filled evening.
To the River's Edge patrons and staff you make me proud to that I've chosen to be a musician.
Last but not least to the Notorious F.A.T. (aka Jerry ) thanks for trying to look out for me when I got sick...the bus is waiting and the tour starts soon.

The River's Edge Cafe
212 Main St
St. Albans WV 25177
(304) 722-6320

Giving A Name to the Sound...

During the course of writing these blog posts, I've had a unique opportunity to hear from many people that I might not have met or come into contact with otherwise.
Having a forum to do this is nice way to meet new friends and/ or possible fans directly involved in music either as participants or listeners.
Recently, I got a comment on one of my posts from a young man from the UK, whom I now consider a friend. His name is Joel Ison; and he is a fellow blogger, and an emerging musician who is also standing in the shadows of music. Joel is 17, but don't let his age fool you. As I'm finding out Joel is quite astute when it comes to his music and his life...he's very focused.
Joel and his bandmates have found themselves in a bit of a dilemma, and they've asked for my help and that of my readers. They have been functioning as a group without a name, and they are trying to come up with something that will help to define them and their music.
I'm going to post a link at the end of this post to Joel's blog and also, where I have my links on the right I'm posting a link to a poll for you to vote on a name for his band.
One thing that I'm certain about is that giving a name to the sound can be a defining moment for any band or musician, it can be a life changing thing for someone who is trying to edify and/ or entertain people, so while you're thinking of names please be cognizant of the fact that these are younger people who are trying to do the right thing...let's stand by them.

Joel, keep up the good work and keep trying, I hope to one day be able to meet you and enjoy your music face to face. Good Luck brother !!

Click here to access Joel's blog posts, from there relax, read...enjoy.

In The Shadow of the Shadow of Music

I know that you're reading the title of this and saying to yourself "what in the world..."
Last night was very strange to me, everything seemed very surreal and exaggerated. We had our post Mountain Stage Show, and although there were quite a few people in the audience, I felt like I was having an out of body experience. There were alot of mistakes being made from all of us, even Steve Ferguson who was sitting in with us struggled with his amp the better part of the night. At some point I yelled up to the stage for the guys to 'inject some energy up there.'
It was a very weird, nothing else to say... and even that's weird.

What Does It Take?

Saxophonist Junior Walker asked the musical question, "what does it take, to win your love from me? How can I make this dream come true for me."
I pose the same question to you ( my readers)...
I feel as though here in my adopted hometown of Charleston WV, it has become increasingly and considerably harder to render the music of my band the Carpenter Ants. Charlestonians seem be starting to give up on us. Wednesdays at the Empty Glass, people are non exsistent, Sundays at the post Mountain Stage show are a little better, but not much, so I want to know have the Ants lost our luster, is it all too familiar for you?
I know that at some point every band gets old, but that's the reason that some of them re-invent themselves. Herein lies the problem...to reinvent yourself you have to re-invent your crowd as well, which generally means that a band has to go someplace else and start over and redifine themselves as well. Is this really necessary?
I think that if we were given a real chance to accomplish our goals musically, playing a situation like Good Morning America's Concert Series, the Today Show, or the Early Show's, Second Cup Cafe' that we would represent West Virginia extremely well, but it's harder if there's no you, the audience. Without your support, you reduce us to just another struggling band.
Alot of the process that you don't realize has happened, we were signed to a record label, Gaff Music, and we gave them the rights to distribute our 3rd CD, but something happened and it has not been released, and now it's just sitting there collecting dust, and we're here trying to figure out our next move. It's a very difficult and trying process, but what would make it not so hard and at least more palatable is looking out and seeing Charleston pulling for us.
I also understand that it is a bit hard to come out for live music in the middle of the work week, but in the words of Ferris Buehler..."life moves pretty fast, sometimes you gotta stop and look around or else, you'll miss it ( from the movie: Ferris Buehler's Day Off)."
We're not giving up, but I'm making an empassioned plea with my hometown, don't give up on us, because we're not giving up on you, help us figure out what we can do to break into the industry. Let your friends and colleagues know about us and utilize us. You know that we'll work with you. E-mail us or inform us about musical events that we can tap into.
My e-mail address is: tuitt-charles@usa.net, and Michael Lipton's is: mlipton@gmail.com
Charleston, it's your turn to help push a band through the door of the industry, but what does it take? The answer is left to you.

Fergie's In The House

If you're a fan of Michael Lipton's guitar playing style, then this post is for you...
Steve Ferguson formerly of NRBQ, and also The Midwest Creole Ensemble fame is back here with us in Charleston, and it seems this time he may make a go of staying with us in this area.
Anyway, Steve came to the Empty Glass last night to play with us, and although there were a scant amount of people there, he still managed to dazzle me.
It's an interesting process watching teacher and student ( as in Steve and Michael Lipton) as one tears the very heart out of a solo, and the other goes about deciphering how that heart was torn out.
Michael I must say, is good student in that he picks up where Steve leaves off. It really makes for some exciting music, because it's almost like when 2 people finish each others' sentences. Now that may sound a bit strange, but in music I think that it's a good thing.
Music is so visceral and cerebral at once, that it's pretty easy to catch the nuances and subtleties in a mediocre player, but in a person of Steve's caliber it's much harder to detect mainly because, alot of their style and technique come from years and years of laboring over their instrument, so one has to really put some time in with person like that.
In my opinion Michael is one of the best "on the spot" arrangers that I've ever played with, couple that with that Ferguson technique and you can get some beautiful music, so imagine what it's like having Fergie in the house !!!
Of late at the Empty Glass it seems that no one has been coming out to hear much live music; so the place has been fairly empty (no pun intended). On Wednesdays anymore it feels like a ghost town, but we still try to plug away.
It's easy to get discouraged when you feel as though you're trying your hardest and there is no one there to hear you, but we just look at it as another chance to rehearse.
To find our voice is the most important thing, and it's great for us to be around people like Steve Ferguson, because his playing raises the bar for us as musicians.
I truly hope that anyone; no, everyone who reads my blog will make an effort to come and hear one of the greats. In a musical world filled with so many who are no more than flash in the pans it is very refreshing to see and hear a person like this because it can be an inspiration for those of us standing in the shadows of music.

A New Feature...Spotlight on

I'm attempting something slightly different with Standing In The Shadows Of Music. Along with what I normally write in this blog, I'm going do a periodic spotlight piece on some of the local musicians in the Charleston area.
My purpose still is to create dialogue among musicians, and hopefully by showcasing some of the people that I know and/or come into contact with we can continue this journey into and through the music business.
So sit back at your computer and take a musical trip with me and learn about some of the brilliant and phenomenal people who have chosen to make music their life's work.
On this my maiden voyage spotlight is on...Ms Janice Banks

I first met Jan here in the Charleston area at a private party that someone gave during the Christmas season in 1998. At the time she was the lead vocalist of a band called Production Company, and I don't have a clue what the band was playing at the time, I just remember going damn, that girl can SANG ( yes, I spelled it the way she did it...she sang, like the brothers would say !!!)
Although I didn't actually talk to her, I still remembered it well. Anyway, just about 2 years ago I ran into a college friend of mine Sonja Fullen, and she told me that she was becoming involved in music as a songwriter. Sonja had written quite a few wonderful songs, and asked if I would help her to get them produced and recorded, and I said sure. We exchanged numbers and she asked if I would also help to organize some people into a group to do her music.
When I arrived at the rehearsal among the ladies there was Jan ( I was a happy man).
Well as luck would have it I ran into some personal troubles and had to back out of the project for several months, but when I returned finally most of the songs had been worked out.
The song that was chosen for Jan to sing the lead vocal on was entitled "God Is Good To Me." It's a smooth, grooving jazzy piece that modulates ever so easy from the one chord to a series of moving 5 chords, and with each modulation the songs builds with slight intensity until it makes you want to explode out of your seat with jubilation for the Lord.
As I said before, Jan sang the HELL out of that song, and let me tell you Satan would not have a chance after hearing that.
Again, as I said also, I had been having some personal troubles and after hearing songs like that sung by people like Jan my troubles started to rise from me...she through song began inspiring me. I began to look at the trouble that I was having as non-exsistent, and after a time it became non-exsistent.
If you're feeling down and blue, find yourself some live musical performance somewhere and pray really hard that it features Ms. Janice Banks, 'cause baby, it'll do your body good.

If you'd like to know when and where you can catch Jan performing drop me an e-mail along with your comments on this blog post and I will pass them along to her.

Sista Jan, thank you for helping to reshape my life during my down period. May God continue to bless you with amazing talent and beauty.

With Dreams in Their Eyes...

This is a follow up to the last post, "Adventures In Country." It's also 2 separate stories in one, with the same conclusion.
First, I want to say that my band the Carpenter Ants did a superb job yesterday on all fronts. The performance for the St.Albans Library was a huge help to my boss Toni and our staff. Our Summer Reading kickoff did so in grand fashion. When I finally reached home last night I had gotten 12 e-mails from patrons saying how great and professional that they thought that we were, and how much they had a wonderful time.
At the second gig, I looked out a number of times and saw Ron Sowell's face and I could tell that he was extremely pleased with how well we do what we do, and before and after the performance, Jeff told me that he really dug us and wants to make a few trips to Charleston to play with us.

In the previous post I wrote that Jeff Stevens who is a Nashville songwriter, didn't know us from a hole in the wall, but wanted to have good musicians back him up to do his show. Well as it turns out, my bassist Ted Harrison not only knows him but also auditioned to be the bassist in Jeff's original band when he lived in West Virginia. Ted told me that things didn't quite work out but that Jeff and the other members of the band were completely nice and professional about their parting of ways...to which I say, lucky me, because Ted is mine now !!
At both performances yesterday, I spent alot of time just observing people. So much of how we feel is written on our faces, that it's probably more telling than sitting and talking to someone. There were alot of children and older people checking us out, both with same same intensity.
Many of the older folks were blown away with Michael's guitar playing and his ever present Steve Ferguson inspired nuances. A number of times I saw people pulling out their cell phones and calling their friends to tell them that they'd better get there because they were missing something special.
When I watched the youngsters, they seemed to be facsinated by the fact that wow, right in my own backyard we have people that are this good, this is something that I can aspire to.
To say the least I was just overly proud of my boys, and I was equally proud of Ron, Jeff and my boss Toni.
In the grand scheme of things we are all trying our best to bring something worthwhile to people...joy. Jeff drove here all the way from Nashville to play in front of a handful of people, and although it was a very worthwhile cause, there were still only a scant few people at best. Everybody involved though, gave their best. There were also a group of teenaged ladies who sang 4 songs from a CD that Ron produced that is helping to bring attention to the plight of young Appalachian women and girls who suffer abuses of all kinds... I was especially proud of that effort.
The one thing that I observed in abundance yesterday were people with alot of dreams in their eyes. Those who were in attendance were lilted by all of the great music and stories that they heard, and it catapulted them to better places. To me that is the catalyst for the life that we want. To be in a world where we can lay on the grass like I used to in my backyard in the Bronx growing up, like I saw so many do yesterday, watch the big cottony clouds roll by and just dream.

This post is dedicated to Jeff Stevens, keep on keeping on, your music and your wonderful outlook will put West Virginia on the world stage for the right reasons.
To Ron Sowell, your persistence and close attention to detail will be more help then you can dream of...God bless you.
To The St.Albans library staff, you all have no idea how proud I am of what you do everyday for our community; with little or nothing but hard work and diligence.
To the Carpenter Ants, when I die I want to be buried with our CD's in my casket because even in Heaven I want people to know the good work that you've done on this Earth.
To Randy Gilkey (my keyboardist) welcome home, you have been sorely missed.

Adventures in Country

All of you who know me know that I am a definite city kid. I mean room service, the subway, the Yankees, and everything non Green Acres.
Although, over the years that I've lived in West Virginia, I have developed a taste for some things country. This is not to say that life in the country is bad, it's really beautiful here, and I have even played with a couple of bands that are considered country.
For a good period of time I was the saxophone player in a band called County Line headed by a great frontman Darrell Ramsey, and including some phenomenal musicians John Ross, Tony Roacha, and Paul Billante' (the country Italian). Playing in the band with these guys will make you drop any misconceptions about country music.
All that has now lead me to this...this coming Saturday, the Carpenter Ants will be opening for and backing up an artist named Jeff Stevens who is originally from this area, though now living in Nashville. When I tell you this man's music is country, let me tell you that he put the "wang in twang."
As I listened to the material that he sent, I couldn't help but think that this kid from the Bronx has come a lonnnngggg way for his art. I'm certain that those who knew me in the Bronx would have real trouble with all this. Strangely enough though, I'm pretty philosophical about it all. I really do appreciate Mr. Stevens including us in his show. For all the bellyaching that I've done about being accepted in the music industry and getting recognized, here is someone who doesn't know us from a hole in the wall, but asked for good musicians to be his backup band and now here we are.
Like it or not, understand it or not, to me any victory is a victory...and I am still playing music; and who knows, while I'm on my adventures in country in a county where there aren't too many people who look like me; it does something for everyone involved ( I won't elaborate anymore on this point, but think hard and you'll see where I'm going with this).
I still feel lucky and grateful about being able to play music, and although I know that lesser men would crack, I not only have persevered, but also these experiences are leading me to my dreams.
Lastly, for all of those striving in music, remember: "learn to do one useful thing better than anybody and you'll not be out of a job."

One valuable lesson that I've learned from this is that people are people and good music speaks for itself. It would have taken me years to come to that conclusion had it not been for the help of a real friend...Darrell Ramsey, this post is for you.

Memorial Day and Music

Today is a day that regardless of politics, regardless of religious beliefs, regardless of race or gender or in fact regardless of anything we should stop for at least a moment and with our whole heart thank everyone who has served or is serving currently in the armed forces.
A great many people have lost their lives in service of this country. There are families everywhere who will never again see the faces of their loved ones, and there are families everywhere whose sons and daughters have fought for and won us the right to post weblogs, have a say in how things in this country are run, or to sit in peace at a lunch counter.
I'm the first to say that I realize that there are many things that could be better, but with hard work and real love and real patience we will get there...we will have all the things that we are desirous of.
First and foremost though we must remember that brave men and women give their all for these rights, and at the end of the day too many of them have been forgotten.
We must look to our military personnel with respect and love. We must also strive to make their jobs obsolete... that is to say that we must always seek peace first.
With my own hand, I stand and salute all veterans, and all military persons...Thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart thank you.

I've added a link to a webpage to help all of us understand the history behind the song Taps, which is used at military funerals; may it help us all to remember.

This post is dedicated to Lauren P. McGuinness (my younger Sister) USN, and to Lt. Gregory Hacker, USN. Both are currently serving in the United States Navy.

To all of our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Air Force personnel, please be safe and come home soon.
I'm standing in the shadows of music, but I do so on ground that was fought for me domestically and internationally and I am grateful.

The Courage Of Your Conviction

Here's a phrase that I use alot, but have you ever given thought to the meaning behind it?
To me each of the those words express a great deal of emotion...courage and conviction. Let's decipher them to get to the bottom of why this phrase means so much to me.
First, courage: the dictionary defines it as the quality of being brave. It defines conviction as a firm belief or opinion.
Roughly translated this phrase means the bravery to act on one's belief.
One reason you'll hear me say this so much is that I really have admiration for people who are constantly trying something whether it's new or old. They chip away at it until it becomes a diamond or a some great entity.
I can think of dozens of people that I know of or know personally that have this quality.
To be involved in music takes some real courage if you're going to make it a career; why? Mainly because it calls for some true sacrifice, like spending time away from family and friends, subjecting yourself to the ridicule of the occasional drunken heckler, and the ever present request for Freebird, and or Mustang Sally ( don'tcha just wish those songs would go away, or at least wish that someone would open a nightclub especially for people who love those songs... it could be called Mustang Sally's Freebird Utopia.).
I'm not gonna get all philosophical about karaoke, it has it's place, and in reality it's pretty fun, but to play music in circumstances that I've laid out takes real courage.
I can't tell you the amount of times that I've argued about the music that the Carpenter Ants does..."you all are supposed to be a blues band, you all are an R and B band, I hate all this country twang, the gospel stuff is fine up to a point," and on and on.
For those that speak against what we do have you considered breaking out your pad and pencils and writing songs for us? Now don't get me wrong, alot of your imput is warranted and really, even welcomed to some degree but let's look at this another way...
When your favorite band, or singer (fill in the blanks for yourself here) started out they like most of us chose music that appealed to them right? Well what should have happened after they began to grow, should they have continued doing everyone else's music or should they start to find their voice and do their own music?
Another consideration...think about someone like Ray Charles. Brother Ray infused gospel music with some soul and look what came out. Look at Aretha Franklin, you just can't deny what she's done for music, and it was on her own terms. You see, they had the courage of their conviction.
I know that for some people that is a bitter pill to swallow, but like it or not, everyone ( and I do mean everyone) wants their own voice, and they want the chance to grow. The best way to help that come about is not by bemoaning those who are simply trying to make a career, or moreover just simply trying to entertain you. If it really bugs you what we do, what we on this side of the game have to accept is that you won't support it. So shouldn't it be a compromise for everyone involved? Tell us what you like, but pardon our insistance if we chose our own direction.
Truthfully though, if music is like the Internet, out there somewhere is an audience waiting to hear genuine original musicianship; give it time and each will find the other.
Lastly, I think Frank Sinatra said it best..."for what is man, what has he got, if not himself, then he has naught, to say the things he really feels, and not the words of one who kneels, the record shows, I took the blows, and did it my way."

This post is dedicated to Andy Ridenour, his bravery and belief gave birth to Mountain Stage.
It's also dedicated to Terry James, you should have never given up.
On November 18th 2005, I've added Michael from the blog "A Girl Named Michael..." Michael epitomizes the essence of true love, and standing by your man spirit. Her bravery gave a snub to the devil...he couldn't end her marriage.

Harlem and The Bronx (the making of Charlie Tee) ( # 2)

In this post I will attempt to give you a better understanding of how my parents influenced my music. The choices that I made that they helped with, and how their love of the music fueled a lifelong quest that has taken me to many places.

Throughout most of my life when my Mother was alive, she hammered a point to me that I now feel so strongly about that I've come to repeat it to many people (especially young people). That point is: "learn something every semester of your life." The reason that it is so important is that with an education you have a ticket to the world and pretty much everything in it.
Over the course of a life filled with trying, crying and prying I know for a fact that had I not gotten my education, that world would be a closed book to me. This is not to say that getting that education proved to be the end all be all, but it definitely was better than not having it. It's also not to say that during the crossing of that path that there weren't many many obstacles.
I've had many arguments with people about getting a formal eduaction as opposed to getting a bandstand education which like it or not has definite merit, because sometimes studying with the masters can be as great an education as going to school, although, you have to see this and admit it: only once in a blue moon do you have a Charlie Parker, Steve Ferguson, or a Ray Charles, it just doesn't always happen like that. While there is no denying the absolute talent of people like those that I just mentioned, even they I'm certain would admit their lives could have progressed even farther had they gotten the chance to go to school and structuralize that talent.
One reason for that is that formal education will at least give you some form of disipline, if for nothing other than to get you in a mode to practice regularly to become ultra familiar with your voice or musical instrument among other things.
A case in point: some time ago The Carpenter Ants got together with our producer Don Dixon to record a song that Michael had written. It was decided that it would be fun to add a Tuba part to it, to give it a sort of Polka feel. Our bassist, Ted Harrison also doubles on Tuba; well he went home broke out his Tuba and started practicing really hard to get into shape to play it for the record. When it came time to record not only did Ted completely nail the part, he also played it flawlessly. You can believe this or not but it was so inspiring to me, I was as proud as if I had just witnessed the birth of my child... a testament to his self disipline.
In the TV movie "Roots," Kunte Kinte held up his newborn son to the heavens and proclaimed "behold, the only thing greater than yourself." I feel that way about education.
One of the greatest lessons that I learned from my Father was to be open to multi tasking; in that I should learn about more than the instrument that I chose to play, thereby gaining some perspective on the entire realm of music...it was from that standpoint that I became a singer as well as an instrumentalist. My Dad came from the same place that my Mom did as far as dealing with education. His thing though, was about eloquence. One of his biggest pet peeves was hearing someone who couldn't speak English well. No, not our foreign brothers and sisters, that's dialect, he meant people who refused to try and gain a feel for the language of the country.
He felt that slang was fine when you're with you buddies hanging out at the Yankee game, but when it really counted ( and for African Americans, that's all the time) you need to be able to communicate succinctly at all times.
As I garnered my musical experiences, my parents really helped by showing me how to know the difference between people who were just getting by and people who were truly all about their art. I've been fairly fortunate to be in the presence of musical giants and geniuses, and I have learned a great deal from both, I owe what I have to the fact that I could articulate, demonstrate and aggregate all that I have learned.
In this semester of my life I'm still open to being taught and I'm a willing participant.

Finding My Legs at the River's Edge.

Last night, I made a rare appearance to play music with some other folks ( I sound like some recluse, don't I ?) at the River's Edge Cafe, here in St Albans.
Jupiter Little ( the Carpenter Ants drummer) has an ongoing regular show there with guitarist Jim Snyder, and I must say that I had too much fun.
In the Carpenter Ants, since I am the lead vocalist, I don't get to play my saxophone a whole lot mainly because Michael is our principal soloist, which is fine, although I'd like to play the horn just a little bit more than I get to.
Anyway, I'm certain that when I started playing last night people in the audience were going "where the heck did they find this fool?" I hadn't played like that in so long that it was sounding terrible to me, so I know what the audience was going through.
For quite a while I just couldn't get it together...I was actually extremely nervous. At some point I started to pack my things and go home, but something told me to hang in there.
After I finally woke up, I really started feeling great and boy it was a different story after that.
When I finally found my legs, and got my act together, I cooked... I came alive and I started blowing hard like I do when I'm in my comfort zone. After that I had so much fun, I almost hated for the night to end, but when it did I got a real ego boost; a bunch of people came over and thanked me for coming and wanted to know when I was coming again...one man said, "soon I hope."
It's so nice when people appreciate what you do, not just from the standpoint of your ego, but just as a way of encouragement. Compliments go a long way in my book, and I'm always grateful that people feel comfortable enough to tell me that they like what I do.Thank you so much.

To Jupiter, Jim, Phil and Marcel thanks for a truly wonderful evening.
To the nice folks at the River's Edge Cafe thanks for supporting live music, and thank you for a great dinner.

Lynn, just keep both hands on the wheel...

This is a fairly short but funny story:
I went to pay a visit to my second library job ( at the University of Charleston) today basically to say hi and see how some of my co-workers were doing, I haven't worked there this year because the band's schedule has been so hectic.
Anyway, when I walked through the door my friend and supervisor Lynn Sheehan looked as though she'd seen a ghost. Well it turned out that just this morning while she was driving in her car she glanced up and thought that she'd seen an ant crawling on her visor...after momentary panic she realized that she was looking at a picture of the Carpenter Ants CD cover from the CD entitled "Long Live The Queen."
All of that, then I show up later in the day... does this constitute deja vu ?
You know you've arrived when your fans scream for you and you're not even there!!

Harlem and The Bronx (the making of Charlie Tee)

I decided today that this would be a good time to give a bit of a background, indirectly about me, via my parents. I think it will help you somewhat in understanding me and my music just a little better.
I also realize that it may be fairly lengthy, so I may tell this story in a few parts. It's not a complicated story, but some depth is required to convey it and the relationship to my music.
I truly hope that it is as enjoyable for everyone, as it is cathartic for me...
At another point I plan to write about my Sisters, and their role in my musical life...
OK, so here goes...

My father was James Maxwell Tuitt (aka Big Jim, and/or Nicky). He was born on November 17th, 1921, in Harlem. Dad was by all accounts a very positive person ALWAYS. He was just one of those rare people that come along who truly had the courage of their conviction, and I've been told that he was gorgeous in his younger days (he was to me all my life).
Dad was a Navy vet serving in World War II. When he returned home after his service he became a Firefighter with the greatest Fire Dept in the world, New York City. where he remained for 32 years retiring as a Deputy Commissioner.
During that time he also had second profession: he worked as a councelor at the Boy's and Girls' Club of Mount Vernon, NY until he became the director.
Mr.Tuitt loved music, and everything about it. He loved all kinds of music, but he especially loved the cultural aspects of it and how it affected everyone.
I watched my Dad have get togethers and set a mood with music that would make James Bond envious, and he just seemed to know the right thing to say to keep the vibe mellow. In short he could read people really well and get them energized through his choice of music. He was also an accomplished photographer.
My mother was Carmen Loretta Charles. Her birthday was September 12th,1921. She was also born in Harlem (she in fact grew up directly next door to the world famous Cotton Club, at that time located on 142nd Street and Lenox Ave.).
By every account, my mother I'm told was a brilliant woman, she graduated from Julia Richmann High School at 16, unheard of for a Black woman in those days.
Ma too was into music, in her case though more as a listener than participant but she knew style. Carmen had legs to die for and she could dance her butt off. She was heavy but that didn't stop the fellas from trying to latch on to her (a childhood boyfriend of hers once told me that "she just oozed sexiness.")
At some point in their young lives, they felt the need to return to school to take some courses (it was actually night school) and the enevitable happened, they met fell in love and in short order they married.
Now here's the slightly tricky part; my mother's father, a strict West Indian from Antigua did not initially think that it was good idea for Ma to see Daddy much less entertain the notion of being his wife: "men from Monserrat (my Dad's ancestry) don't work, their women do,"was the lament of my grandfather, but the redeeming quality here was music. Not only did my father work, but he shared his earnings with my Grandfather and his family. On Fridays when Daddy got paid he treated my Mom and her family to ice cream and an occasional Friday night dance held someplace in Harlem. This began to breakdown the barriers that my grandfather put up, and years later was a valid point in my life about how to deal with people.
When my parents divorced in my seventh year, for all intents and purposes I could have become a disengaged child, but that never happened for me because although my parents split apart, somehow the bond of their friendship remained and grew stronger. I mean yes they were on the outs as husband and wife but as two friends if you never knew that they had been married you'd think 'at any time these two are gonna get hitched.' You see the reserve tank of friendship kept their machine running for life. It's the one thing that from all of the harsh realities of them divorcing that made it palatable...they stayed friends, and even forgave.
My Mother was employed at The Bronx District Attorney's Office, and for 16 of 32 years she was the adminstrative assistant to the Bronx DA. and the first African American woman to hold the job, a first for New York City
My parents were at once loving, caring, strong and visionary. They were the kind of people that you didn't ever want to make mad because they were eloquent enough to cut you down like a tree, but plant you and watch you grow all with words.
When I decided in my life that I wanted to be a musician, without any hesitation at all they got behind me and encouraged me. Lessons, recitals, gigs, saxophonist sideman, vocalist, they went through it all with me always pointing out things that needed work or things that were great about what I was doing.
Disappointments were many in my young musician days, tears flowed freely and often, and through it all the Tuitt family used style and grace to help shore me up.
One of the things that I am most grateful for was the exposure to all kinds of people and music.
My Mom never understood opera but she took me to see it because I thought that it would be good for me. My Dad took me to jazz concerts around the city, at one point I even got to spend my entire Summer playing with the Count Basie band and was a featured young saxophone soloist, and I got paid to boot (not bad for a kid from The Bronx, huh!?).

There is so much that I owe to my parents that this post could never hold it all so I'm gonna end this part here.
If you want to keep up with these particular posts they will be numbered after this along with the same title. I hope that you enjoy them.

I'm Happy to be Here

During the course of writing these blog posts I'm sure that I may come across as a person who sees the world through rose colored glasses, or that I want something so desperately that I've sacrificed alot of things to make it come about, or even worse as a pompous annoying a**hole ( at least that's my take on it !).
I want to say right here and now that this is not my intention, nor is it my desire to annoy anyone. It is my desire to create dialogue among people, but dialogue that is meaningful to all involved.
When my band signed with a record company a few years ago, we were to say the least very hopeful of the outcome...to release our third CD. Like it or not, believe it or not everybody who is trying to make their life's work in music has this same struggle. If you were to look into the career paths of anyone that you like in the music business you'll find that it was filled with struggles; and some far greater than not having their music released to the public.
The concern that I have is more along the lines of frustration that for all the people that we've worked with or for that matter all the people that we know, why is it that no one has picked us up yet. There is really a twofold answer to that question: 1, is that we're in a market that makes it fairly difficult in which to get noticed , and 2, there are still things that we need to do to make ourselves more marketable; but believe me it's not like we aren't trying.
In the meantime, I need for you to know that for me personally, I am very happy to be here. I really am in situations that are meaningful and worthwhile to me. Working for the greatest library system in the state of West Virginia, having a second family in my co-workers, having a caring boss ( and former bosses) who constantly challenge and inspire you to be your best, and to awaken everyday and know that the work that I do matters to people is more gratifying and more satisfying than you can imagine...as much as playing music. In fact it's my alternative music.
There are alot of people in the world with all kinds of dreams...I'm just one of them, but I also am as realistic as possible, I know that for some people it may not be in the cards, although I'm optomistic and hopeful.
I found out today that more people are reading this than I thought, and that too is gratifying for me. As I said, my aim is to get people talking about the music industry and to share success stories as well as not so successful stories. By creating this dialogue maybe, just maybe those of us who are striving in it will have some clear cut ideas or thoughts on how not be standing in the shadows of music.

A Wild and Crazy Farewell

If you are a fan of Rockabilly music, then at some point you may have heard the name of Hasil Adkins. The Haze, or the Wildman of Boone County as he was called was a dynamo in every sense of the word. He could get drunk with the best of 'em, and completely tear down a joint with some of the most outrageous music this side of Punk Rock.
There are any number of crazy stories floating around the universe about Hasil.
Unfortunately a few weeks ago the world lost a true ecclectic genius, as Hasil died of an apparent heart attack.
I'm not certain of the details of his personal finances, but for one reason or another tonight there was a benefit concert show dedicated to him. It was held at the Empty Glass, and when I tell you that it was as unorganized as anything could possibly get that's offering a true glimpse into the world that was Hasil.
The event started off with me not knowing any details in terms of the time that the Carpenter Ants were scheduled to play, then finding out that we were to play at 10:50 pm (we were there at 8 pm). First problem for us is that Michael wasn't in town ( He's in Phoenix Arizona, playing with our good friend Joe Rathbone), then our backup guitarist was a no show even for his own part of the show.
Prior to the event a woman walked up to me and asked if I were in the Carpenter Ants? When I informed her that I was indeed, she told me that we were playing her wedding. Well right now we are in the midst of a serious schedule problem. We have a fairly important gig on the day that I thought was her wedding, so I tell her that I was trying to locate her to see if something else can't be done. All of this only to find I was talking to the wrong woman...whew!!! Scared the daylights out of both of us. Poor Joanna almost went into convulsions.
Back to the show...there was one crazy thing after another then we went on with a guitar player named Jamie Adkins who had never played with us before but did a great job on short notice.
Jennifer Lilly, the young lady who was thrust into putting this event together normally is very organized, but this was a bit much even for her, but as I thought about it I thought, wait a minute, Hasil was the most unorthodox, unorganized person I'd ever met... this was perfect !!! The mix of people there was as ecclectic as he was, and I was really taken by just how much people were affected by his passing.
People show their respects in some crazy ways but this tribute to me spoke volumes of how much Hasil was really liked and how much in his own way he gave us all something.
Haze, wherever you are I truly hope that you are resting in peace. This was a wild and crazy farewell and we will miss you...goodnight brother.

Lucky 13

The scene: Friday night, the Vandalia Lounge, Charleston WV, the newest happening in the city. This is Charleston's answer to Cafe Society; all the hip , stylish, suave ( or would be suave) perfectly coiffed, slick back, high heeled and pseudo riche' were in attendance.
Another pretentious night in the city? Oh no, not by a long shot...
Much to the credit of the establishers of the Vandalia Lounge they've raised the bar on entertainment, class and fun. Not only have the Carpenter Ants done well there, but also, we've met some pretty fascinating folks and as they used to say back in the day some "beautiful people."
Over the years that I've been in this band we've made several forays to clubs in the downtown area of Charleston ( now mind you Charleston is not some sprawling metropolis... in other words, it ain't New York), all with the hopes of getting accepted in our hometown dashed by people who just didn't get the point of what we do.
Here's an example: once, we played in the now defunct (thank goodness) club called Mulligans, and a woman there and I got into a heated argument because she was angry that we would have the "audacity to play gospel music in a bar, that we would disgrace the Lord by even eluding to references of HIM in a place where people were having drinks and letting their hair down." Follow me closely here... 3 months later, I was asked to come to Mulligans to be a guest speaker about my religion, Islam; at a series that the club was starting on Tuesdays at the time aimed at bringing the church to all people, everywhere, even in the pub. Well much to my amazement, in attendance that night was the very woman who argued me down when we played there. She completely forgot that just a few weeks before she wanted to kill me for doing what we did, in the same place ( is that not ironic).
It seemed that almost anytime we played anywhere outside of the Empty Glass this is the resistence we'd meet.
If you have a copy of our CD "Picnic With the Lord, " Michael wrote in the liner notes something that has truly stuck with me lo these many years and it's something that anyone who listens openly to music should know, and accept: "Often there is far less distance between the saints and sinners then the sanctimonious would have you believe. Our aim is touch hearts and souls whether they be in the tavern or the church." A very well said line indeed.
Which brings me back to the Vandalia Lounge; these people get it, and I mean they get it on all levels. They have the correct balance we need to be playing music in a situation like this...THEY ARE OPEN MINDED. Yes there are unbeliveably beautiful women there, yes there are ultra successful business people there, yes the bar staff and waitstaff wear uniforms, yes the clientele mostly are dressed to the nines, and yes to some degree it's a meet market, but that's why you have bands like us there; to help it all along. Nothing I know will win a woman's heart more than if you make her feel special and worthwhile. If you're asking your lady to be your wife, don't you want the world to know how much you love her? You tell me, what says it better than music?
Although all of what I said is true, you still have to be in the frame of mind to have some fun and really let your hair down, and that is what you'll find in spades at the Vandalia.
On a day like Friday the 13th, a seemingly unlucky day, by the accounts of the naysayers, it is truly a good feeling for me and for my bandmates to know that we smoked the place, burned down and blurred the barriers holding people's minds, and helped to loosen the shackles of their week.
For this Black cat, lucky 13 is the number, and I won it at the Vandalia Lounge.

This blog post is dedicated to the staff, management and patrons of the Vandalia Lounge, congratulations, you got it right...continued success.

Sometimes The Bear Gets You...

Wednesday turned out to be one of those blah, blase' days. For some reason we were just petered out...no energy anywhere, although it wasn't as bad as this post might make it seem.
Days like this make me realize how well we have it, because there are times when we play sooo much that I feel like the man who meets himself in the door of his home on the way in; he becomes a split personality.
Knowing my bandmates like I do I know that in the back of their minds they worry a bit because it seems as though things at the Empty Glass are just fizzling out, hardly anyone comes out for the Wednesday show anymore.
Michael was saying that he thinks it's just the time of year...it's not quite Summer, yet it's not quite Spring either. I think it's just a sign of the economy, people have to hold on to their money a little tighter right now, and in West Virginia the economy is far behind the rest of the country. Everybody's belt has to be tightened right now so entertainment/ recreation is far down the list of must haves unless of course your name is Trump/ Hilton/ Schwartzenidiot or one of those names other than mine.
There's an old saying that comes to mind here, and I think this may sum up the evening pretty well...sometimes you get the bear, and sometimes the bear gets you. The reason I think this might fit is that when things are going great and everything is working in your favor it's easy to forget that people everywhere are doing the best that they can with little, so even if you can take their minds off their troubles for a short while you're ahead of the game, and I do know that we as a group do that.
The music industry might not necessarily be forthright in checking us out but a whole lot of people have and it's just a matter of time before things in the country will turn around and the world will get to hear us. Until then, we can can hold on... we're patient like that.

Ruth, Esther, Carmen and Virginia

I'm in my fifties now, and my Mother has been gone from my life for a few years, but everything about her is in my memory.
My Mom was a very strong woman who loved to laugh and loved life and all of its endless possiblity, first and foremost though she believed strongly in education."Learn something every semester of your life" was her constant battle cry throughout my life.
With the exception of Ted Harrison's Mother, Virginia, I wasn't fortunate enough to get to know Ruth Lipton (Michael's Mother) or Esther Little (Jupiter's Mother) but I can see the type of ladies they were in their sons. I can tell that they were also strong beautiful ladies, who were the biggest fans of their sons.
In Michael's playing I can hear the sensitive nature of his Mom and the dignity that she must have excuded. In Jupie's playing and his constant wit, I know that his Mom must have been hilariously uproarious but on her game all the time, especially when it counted most.
I did get to know and love Virginia Harrison, and I know that she raised one of the finest human beings that God ever created, for everything about Ted reflects that, his strong personality, his very sensitive nature and his absolute decency.
As you listen to our band one of the things that comes across about us is that we genuinely love to be together making music, we're fiercely independent, but we move forward in one body as we weave our way through our tunes. I like to think that pretty much all that we are as artists we owe to our first and biggest fans/ critics...our Moms, and I wanted to take this day, their day, and let the four of them know that we do remember and honor them, and even though that they are not physically with us they will always have front row seats to wherever we are, because without them there would be no music.
The thing that I've learned the most from being my Mother's son was about caring for others.
Thank you for all of our lessons,and thank you for your unconditional love.

To all Mothers everywhere thank you for all that you are to your children...

This blog is dedicated to Mrs. Ruth Lipton, to Mrs. Esther Little, to Mrs.Carmen L. Tuitt, and to Mrs.Virginia Harrison...
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Do the Right Thing (Parkersburg)

Here's a first...
Friday night in Parkersburg turned out to be one of the most negative evenings we've had in years.
I have to say though, it all started innocently, the night was like any other road trip for us; loads of laughs, a nice relaxing ride with great friends, dinner at a fine restaurant with superb food. That (seemingly) may have been the end of it all, because after we got to the club (The Front Row) things took a little turn south. First, during our sound check I noticed that the main speaker system shorted out and cut off a few times...no problem, a few adjustments and we're back in business, right !! We start playing, and it's going along pretty well, I come off the stage and down front to sing to the audience which is usually my custom to get them into the vibe of the night and to help them to relax and have fun...it's really going well. I tease a gentleman in the audience who seemed out of place but even he now is having fun telling me " how can I feel bad, I'm surrounded by all these beautiful women," and that he was.
Then the second disaster, the main speakers go out again during a crucial point in one of our songs , and the people can only see mouths moving, no sound at all; so we stop, take a break while the crew is trying to work out all the kinks. We go back, and it happens again, then again so now the evening is slowly sliding away from us, people are leaving (thankfully though, not in anger or disgust), the bartenders and waitstaff seemed a bit on edge, because their evening is shot as well, but we're all trying to make the best of it.
We make one last attempt, go back on stage and in short order the sound is gone, so that was that...the end of an uphill battle.
Although the night was shot we still hung around for awhile and chit chatted with some of the patrons who hung in there and refused to be thwarted by it all ( that's a nice feeling).
So it's really late now and we started to load our equipment in the van not even suspecting that there was real trouble right in front of us. We start to load the last pieces into the van when Michael noticed that his personal CD's were missing...that's right, someone broke into his vehicle and stole all his CD's. What's worse is that he had just gotten them and didn't know all that he had.
In an age of having a place "where eveybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came," it's a definite blow to have something like this happen.
Bill Poole who owns and manages the Front Row, is a really really nice and hard working man trying to give some nice to the city of Parkersburg that they might not have otherwise.
It's a slap in the face to him and his staff to have something like that tarnish the good reputation that they have created.
This is the kind of thing that can create a completely bad vibe for a place. I know that I would be very leary of someplace if I feel that while I'm busy inside entertaining them, these same people are outside ripping me off.
Parkersburg, do the right thing; you're a really nice town, don't let the actions of a few idiots ruin it for everyone. Return Michael's things to him.
For all those who read my blog, if you get nothing else out of this, know that it's hard enough to do what we do, we work our butts off for a mere pittance, don't steal from us, we're the very ones on your side, when you rob us you only rob yourself.

Health and Music

I can say this with definite surety...
If you don't take some measure of control of your health, not only will you not be around to play music, but also it's a safe bet that you won't even get to listen to it either. It's important to know this and to hear it from someone who knows first hand.
I'm sad to say that I once lived a drug filled life, in that I became a user (although I'm not going to futher damage myself by telling you what drugs I did) . Suffice it to say that living that exsistence did not increase my sensitivity to being a musician as I was told, but it did make for some weird forays into some strange lands ( trust me, it wasn't good...).
Today, I'm proud to say that I've been drug free for going on 30 years and during that time I've learned alot about me, and what I will and won't do for love or music or anything.
I've come to realize that nothing is more important than me living as abundant a life that I can.
Now, my biggest battle is with Diabetes which I found out I had a few years ago; but the fight is still the same... to be healthy and strong. This can be tough because I love food so I'm having to learn control and to use insulin correctly and wisely.
So many of us with dreams do crazy things in the hope that something will get us where we want to go; but as Stevie Wonder pointed out "if you believe in things that you don't understand then you suffer... superstition ain't the way."
Another thing that gives me concern is all of the abuse that people endure at the hands of other people. I'm talking about bullying, harassment, and verbal abuse. It seems to me that more so than physical health issues we are suffering grave mental health issues.
It's almost impossible any more to turn on the TV and not hear of someone, celebrity or just a regular joe who hasn't been abused, molested or just plainly treated bad.
It scares me to think that abuse is the new drug of choice for Americans, and we're scoffing it up at alarming rates, it's a bigger epidemic than crack cocaine could ever hope to be, and what's worse is that as a result it's wiping out people in untold numbers ( think about the Columbine shootings and you'll get the direction I'm going).
If ever I'm fortunate enough to become a celebrity, the things that I would like to address the most are issues of learning to be more tolerant and respectful of each other.
Yes, I'm a Black man, but don't kill me for it, I'm Muslim, but don't think me a terrorist, I'm married to a White woman, but don't think I dislike Black women, I'm fat but don't think I can't do what a thin person does.
If we learn to accept and respect, what we'll gain is the same perspective that allows us to appreciate music...people listen to music for what it suggests to their mind. The elements that make for great music are rhythm and harmony and as with anything worthwhile the way to fully comprehend is to be healthy enough to digest it...one note at a time.