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.