2013…
January… February… March…
April 2013… Over the last couple of months I’ve taken some fill-in gigs and started to get ‘the itch’ to play again so I’ve done some auditions… turns out I CAN still play – one group telling me I was ‘a freakin’ metronome’!! The various comments about my drumming though have served to boost my confidence and you know what?? Maybe I WILL play again… now I need to find what I’m looking for… While each group seems very pleased with my playing, I’m not young and handsome or terribly charismatic so this will be a challenge as usual in this locale… Fortunately I’m in a position financially where I don’t need to rely on band money to survive so I can be a bit more selective… now I just have to keep reminding myself to be PATIENT no matter how much I want to ‘scratch that itch’…
May 2013… Dusting off the kit for a big money fill-in gig with ‘Aged In the Hills’ at the Equinox in Manchester, VT June 1st..
And then it happened…
While proctoring a CTE certification exam at school the end of the month I get a couple interesting voicemails – one from Dave from Skeeter Creek hoping I didn’t mind that he gave the leader of Funk Evolution my name and the other from Rocco – the leader of said band… It seems Funk Evolution needs a sub for a bunch of dates… they’re looking for someone to learn the book and be ‘on call’ and, after asking around, their sources (one of them was Dave and Renee from ‘Skeeter Creek’ – thank you!!) are all telling them I’M the person they should call. SOMEBODY PINCH ME!! I return Rocco’s call, schedule a couple rehearsals and on June 28th, after 35 years, I will finally fulfill my dream of playing with a real honest-to-goodness horn band!! Scratch THAT off the bucket list… And there’s no pressure that first night – they’re only auditioning for a spot in the rotation at the ultra-hip Vapor Night Club at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway… I only hope I don’t drop dead the end of the night because I have to play with them again the next night…
June 2013… The big money AITH gig went great!! Corporate bankruptcy attorneys from all over the country… by the time they finished happy hour, awards, dinner and speeches we played one killer set just over an hour long and the night was over.
I have Funk Evolution board and rehearsal recordings and am reviewing like crazy… time to set the kit up and woodshed for this puppy!!
June 29… The ‘Funk Evolution’ Vapor show went better than I ever could have hoped – thanks in no small part to the band’s willingness to lead me by the nose through some of their interesting and creative arrangements!! The whole band seemed energized (when are they not?) and the Vapor crowd was off the wall – what a great night!! I stopped shaking towards the end of the last set… AND the AG Alumni Drumline was well represented – thanks guys and girls!! It’s always that much more special playing for people I know… 🙂
Here are some pictures from the amazing Vapor lounge…
July 2013… July 4th – I put the wife and daughter on a plane for 9 days at Disney for their birthdays (my daughter’s big 13th!!)… then headed to Argyle to march a 4th of July Parade with the Alumni Drumline…
July 5th – major ORAL SURGERY!! My good friend Bill (Greenwich Network Analyst – THAT Bill) insisted on taking me and delivering me to my Mom’s with the girls out of town as I wasn’t supposed to be unsupervised that first night. The surgery itself went great!! They ‘cleaned house’ – took everything out of my mouth at once, AND ground down the jaw bones all around (maxioplasty??) AND inserted two steel posts / implants for a better fit on the bottom and to reduce the natural shrinkage of the lower jaw bone. On top of all that they had to do a bone graft on my lower left jaw and protect it with a piece of Titanium!! As I was coming around I heard one of the assistants say that my procedure was the most surgery she’d every been involved with at one time… I must have been noticeably groggy while they were trying to give me instructions because one of them said, “I’ll just tell your partner.” Holy crap – they think Bill and I are A COUPLE!!! We still laugh our butts off over that one…
The surgery itself was over 4 hours!! Even with all that was done, I was off Hydracodone in only a couple days (slept through the overnight dosage both nights), off the Ibuprofen the next day and going back to work in 10 days on July 15th (I could have gone back in less than a week)!! I’m still a little weak which I attribute more to the sudden change in diet – trying to balance the mostly liquid diet and keep the Type II Diabetes in check… so far so good!!
Dr. Ferron and the staff at Saratoga County Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates and Dr. Johnstone at Greenwich Family Dentistry are AMAZING!!!!! If I’d had dental experiences like this 30-40 years ago I probably wouldn’t have been in as bad a shape as I was in…
July 12th… The girls flew in today… had a blast at Disney and SeaWorld and a side trip to Sanibel Island to see the sunrise and do some shelling… I’ll get some pictures up eventually…
July 19th… The follow up with the surgeon went great – Dr. Ferron is very pleased with the healing!! I go back September 19th for another follow up and if eveything looks good they’ll schedule my next surgery to remove the Titanium… pretty minor compared to the first round… and to this day, I haven’t felt the slightest twinge of pain!! Nothing!! Either Dr. Ferron is a genius or I’m brain dead (I heard that!!)…
Band wise, I’m gearing up for my next ‘Funk Evolution’ gig at Dango’s in Saratoga on August 31st.
August 2013… Discovering more and more foods I can get through while I wait for the next round of surgery… unfortunately, ice cream was one of the first!! Now I have to get back to monitoring my carb intake… 🙂
No band gigs until Funk Evolution blew the roof off Dango’s on Caroline Streeet in Saratoga on the 31st… This picture is from sound check…
It was hot and sticky, very humid – paper set lists were disintegrating in the air!! Then the tent filled up with what FE said was the rowdiest party crowd they’d seen all summer… made for a great time which was made even better once again by the presence of a large contingent from the Avant Garde Alumni Drumline!!
September 2013… A beautiful day for the Uncle Sam Parade in Troy, NY with AGAD… 5 basses is a trip and we debuted a fifth snare!! Follow that up with a late night Funk Evolution gig… I’m having a blast with these guys!!
October 2013… A DOUBLE Funk Evolution gig!! Outdoors from 4:00-8:00, tear down, load up then haul butt to GF for a 10:45 start…
Here are some pictures and some (sorry – cell phone) video clips from the late night…
Play That Funky Music Hard To Handle Long Train Runnin’ Brickhouse
This was better (or worse) than any stress test a doctor could come up with… was home and in the shower by 3:30am and still felt great!! I guess they’re right – if it doesn’t kill you… 🙂
November 2013… A couple Holiday parades with the alumni drumline and my last Funk Evolution gig for the year…
The parades were freezing cold but the looks on spectator’s faces always warms us up… and once we’re moving and playing it’s really not bad at all.
And what can I say about playing with FE… it really is a dream come true for me!! My only regret is not having the chance to play with a group like this 10 or 15 years ago when I could really play… 🙂 They’re great players and fantastic people and I look forward to every gig!!
December 2013… I wrapped up 2013 as I have 4 of the past 5 years by filling in with ‘Aged In the Hills’ at Saratoga First Night. It was special this year because my wife and daughter came along!! It’s the first time my ‘Peanut’ has been out on New Year’s Eve and the first time my wife has been out since our daughter was born and they had a blast!! They’re already making plans for next year (whether I’m playing there or not)… 🙂
2014 – HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
January 2014… And a fine year it’s shaping up to be…
I just had my second and hopefully final oral surgery which went very well… Kudos once again to Dr. Ferron and the staff at Saratoga County Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates!! I wish I had access to even a mediocre dental insurance (the coverage offered where I work is one step short of do-it-yourself) or that my health insurance would have covered any of part of it… but I’m sure it will be $16,000+ out-of-pocket very well spent!!
Musically… the alumni drumline continues to grow and improve and I’ve already been handed a bunch of ‘Funk Evolution’ gigs which I’m already looking forward to!!
February 2014… I’m in the final phase of my oral procedure… Dr. Ferron did a great job and has handed me back to Dr. Johnstone and she seems pleased so I was set to go on an every other week schedule but I have 5 days of Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager training (that is getting crammed into 4 days) the first week so we pushed it back a week… I should be finished the second week of April if all goes as planned!!
Musically I always have my eyes and ears peeled for a good full time position… I got wind that The Electric City Horns are looking for a drummer AND a guitarist and I immediately thought of Mark Caruso from the Upstarts since Groove Therapy is no more… I emailed him, we contacted T.E.C.H. and they setup an audition for both of us together 5 days later. I thought it went pretty well but I felt like some grooves were a little forced and there wasn’t really a good pocket… maybe it was nerves or playing with my back literally against a wall on a foreign kit (the latter of which doesn’t usually phase me)… whatever the reasons, it just didn’t feel right to me and I knew then that Funk Evolution was where I wanted to be – even if that meant being their current drummer’s ‘understudy’ from now until I could no longer physically lift a stick… for whatever reason, it always feels right with them.
As it turned out, T.E.C.H. loved Mark but didn’t care for me… they were hoping for someone that hit harder and said I didn’t say much at the audition – maybe because I’m still a little self-conscious about my current oral state… I am disappointed that I won’t be able to play with Mark again and hoped that he’d stay with them as I thought he was a good fit and even though he didn’t want to do it without me he DID stay on with them for a while… he also plays with (and really enjoys) the Marcabes part time and has also joined forces with the other former Upstarts member Matt Donnelly to form The South Street Saints!!
March 2014… I just picked up a wild gig with FE at Hunter Mountain… a Bartender’s Bash weekend put on by two of the band’s major sponsors – Grand Marnier and Belvedere Vodka… the place was jammed all day and into the night which featured fire dancers, a torchlight parade down the mountain, a laser lightshow projected ON the mountain, fireworks and 3 killer sets by FE – what a blast!!
Followed that up a couple weeks later with a Friday night at JP Brunos with FE… Happy
AGAD performed at some indoor guard competitions and is practicing some new charts for our 2014 season…
Selena had her Spring Chorus Concert…
And my school is selecting a new Superintendent to take us into the future…
April 2014… I thought I would spend April wrapping up my oral procedure (it’s only been two surgeries and 9 months) and generally cleaning the kit, putting new heads everywhere and tuning everything up, incorporating my new Kat KTMP1 multi-pad into the kit and woodshedding Funk Evolution tunes for my full time stint with them mid-May through the end of June then back to Vapor on the 4th of July while their drummer is out on paternity leave (congratulations, Dave!!)… But fate can me funny…
I’m coming home early one evening with my daughter after an ice-cream run… it’s just starting to get dark… we’re in a residential neighborhood – almost home – when I see something out of the corner of my left eye… two deer!! I’d no sooner said to Selena ‘look at the deer’ when one chased the other into the road and ran right into the side of my van!! My guess would be it hit shoulder first just under my (driver’s side) window (big dent) which caused its body to spin around and take out the sliding door behind me then it twisted my mirror around as it bounced off and ran back the direction it came from without even cracking the plastic on the mirror (swung right back in place) and the deer was fine. Called my brother and sister-in-law (both with the Sherriff’s Department) who recommended calling it in… you don’t need a report when there’s no damage besides your own but the insurance company will most likely ask. State police came, did a report, I took the van to Della Collision who came highly recommended on a Thursday, they said they could take it in Monday and it would be about a week and a half. The next day (Friday) I unloaded all my gear at school for safe storage while the van was in for repairs.
What does this have to do with anything?? Well I rarely travel without my drums… I like the added weight in the snow (welcome to the north country) and always like to be ready should I get a call which has happened multiple times over the years… I think the first time was back in the ’80’s… I was sitting at Ground Round with a few friends when the waitress came over, asked my name and said I had a phone call… it was a band I’d never heard of whose drummer had called off at the last minute… they were setting up for a gig that started in an hour – about 20 minutes away – and wanted to know if I’d come play… I grabbed my dinner and hauled butt to the gig. The place was packed and I remember it being a good time though I couldn’t tell you who any of the players were or where they got my name and number… What got me thinking about this??
I’m sitting at home that Friday night after unloading all my equipment at school, bored and playing golf on my computer while awaiting a call form my wife and daughter who were making the 3 hour drive to visit friends out west… it’s a little before 9:00pm and the phone rings and I figure it’s them but didn’t recognize the number… I answer it and a voice asks if this is Daryl Jeffords, I said it was and he asked what I was doing so I told him I was golfing on the computer (still gotta love Links)… he asked if I was wearing a Snuggy!! Alright – who the hell is this?!? It’s Rocco from Funk Evolution!! Dave (their regular drummer) had setup and done sound check but couldn’t fight off a stomach bug and they started in 2 minutes – how long would it take me to get on pants and a nice shirt and get to Vapor?? I’m in a panic because of course I get a call and I don’t even have sticks – everything’s at school!! He said Dave’s all setup and I could use that so I took off… made it 40 minutes into the first set (without a speeding ticket)!! Josh (bass player) spotted me and I asked if Dave was OK then Dave flagged me right up… I found the set list started the next song – I think before many in the crowd even noticed – and played the rest of the night. Dave on the other hand barely made it backstage before ‘blowing chunks’ but stayed back there the rest of the night sipping Ginger Ale, eating Saltines and sleeping. By the end of the night he was feeling much better and was good to go for the next night. A couple songs into my taking over I feel something brush behind me on the drum riser… then, mid-song, lead singer Mike Thomas plants a big kiss in the middle of my bald spot… what a nut!!
As for my van… I dropped it off Monday, stopped the following Friday to sign over the insurance company check and pay my deductible and they told me it would be ready at 2:00 that afternoon… I had it back in 5 days and Della did a great job!! And I’ve learned to always keep at least my sticks with me… 🙂
May 2014… I’m prepping for my expanded duties with Funk Evolution while Dave’s out on paternity leave (congratulations to Dave and his wife!!)… It’s shaping up to be an exciting few weeks and I can’t wait of course!!!
Well it proved to be more exciting than any of us had planned… May 9th I’m at my daughter’s track meet when I get a call that they’ve taken Dave’s wife to the ER!! FE wants to know if I can cover in case Dave can’t make it (of course I can)… Later I get word that they sent her home and put her on bed rest and Dave’s going to stay with her (wise decision)… Selena finishes her last event and we bolt out of the meet so I can get home, change, pack and head to the gig at Centre Street in Schenectady.
The next night (the 10th) FE’s scheduled to play at Dango’s in Saratoga… Dave really wants to play it and has to be talked out of it by the rest of the band (his wife was technically in labor)… He eventually agrees and I head for Saratoga.
About midway through the show one of the wives came up to the stage with her cell phone and pictures OF THE NEW BABY!!!! Congratulations Dave!!! With that Dave’s paternity leave started a little early… I pounded out a couple rehearsals with the band to get up to speed on the new summer material and played some venues I hadn’t played before and a night at Vapor – fast becoming one of my favorite places to play…
The Avant Garde Alumni Drumline hit the street for the first time at the Lansingburgh Memorial Day parade looking spiffy in our new caps and lacrosse style unis – thanks again to ARCA Ink in Glens Falls!! Tough gig since we were missing our #4 bass who was enjoying his retirement and attending a wedding in THAILAND!!
Then the month was capped off by a triple header which included the Freihofer’s Run for Women…
The Empire Plaza and the Egg make for a great stage backdrop…
Then it was off to the Saratoga Golf and Polo Club that night for the Wesley Foundation Gala / Black and White Fundraiser… first time playing this hard and in a suit for a loooooong time… Unfortunately, my attempts to get a ‘selfie’ with Mary Lou Whitney never materialized…
The good news on a personal / playing note is that during the 2nd gig things were starting to feel much more relaxed… grooves were solid and comfortable and I felt like I my chops were finally getting back into some sort shape… the band was all smiles so I must have been doing something right…
June 2014…
Then the next day (Sunday the 1st) it was outside in the blazing sun for 6+ hours (counting setup and breakdown) – 3 hours of playing at the Mill on Round Lake. The crowd was huge and wall-to-wall and we had a blast!! So much so we never felt the nasty sunburns we came away with… 🙂 My sunblock crapped out after only a couple hours… I could hear it saying, “screw this – I’m finding some SHADE!!”
A few more Funk Evolution gigs as Dave’s paternity leave winds down… and another parade with AGAD though I’m sadly going to miss my first parade as it conflicts with an FE performance…
June 6th an evening outside at Centre Street Pub in Schenectady… looks more like center field at Wrigley!!
June 7th – the craziest party yet at Dango’s in Saratoga featuring a number of bridal showers… 🙂
June 8th – finally a day with the full line!! 5 snares, 2 quints, 5 basses and 2 cymbals!! Troy Flag Day Parade… we were melting in the 90 degree heat after the 2+ mile march but totally kicked ass for the thousands lining the street which included a large number of drum corps alums who really got us pumped… 🙂
Immediately after the parade I flew back home for my Mom’s 82nd birthday cookout capped off with some ice cream and cake (you’re never too old for ice cream and cake – just ask my Mom)… 🙂
June 11th was Selena’s final Jr. High Chorus concert which is also the official beginning of my Mom’s summer tour… maybe I should explain…
A few years back I was struggling with what to get my Mom for her birthday… well she enjoys coming with me when I’m playing one of the various outdoor summer concerts in the area so I took her to a few that I wasn’t playing and she had a blast – enjoying the food offerings as much as the music!! So that particular year I spent days sifting through all the concert schedules and band calendars, selected about 10 that I thought she would enjoy (including a couple I was playing on of course – she’s still my biggest fan) and I printed her a ‘summer tour’ poster!! She loved it so much that she now looks forward to it every year!! Here’s this year’s poster…
June 14th – an easy weekend made even easier… Funk Evolution opened for the Grass Roots as part of the Troy River Street Festival!! I arrived a few hours ahead of time to get my kit pre-staged and ready for the 30 minute band changeover but learned shortly after I arrived that the city was providing the backline (amps and drums) so all I had to do was wander around until show time. FE blew the roof of Monument Square, the crowd was totally off the hook and we were asked to play an extra 20 minutes!! You don’t have to ask this group twice… 🙂 And the Grass Roots sounded absolutely amazing after all this time!! They’re still one of my favorite groups from back then…
Dave, his wife and the baby are all doing well and he planned a return for June 19th but I begged him to let me play it since it was close to home and the only chance my daughter would have to see me with this group at the West Glens Falls Fireman’s Carnival.
Shining Star Under Pressure Play That Funky Music
Can’t Hold Us Happy Signed, Sealed, Delivered
She still likes visiting me on stage… 🙂
And as long as I was begging I got him to let me play King Neptune’s in Lake George where I grew up on June 21st so a few of my friends who rarely venture outside their cozy north country cocoons could come and see us / me… 🙂
June 24th was our annual trip to one of our favorite concert venues, Cook Park in Colonie, to see my former band ‘Skeeter Creek’… then Selena had her Moving Up Ceremony the next night – she’s officially a high school FRESHMAN – holy crap!! We surprised her just before the festivities with a visit from our good friends Scott and Wendy and their son Ryan!! They had all moved to California when Scott got stationed their a few years ago, DROVE all the way from the west coast and spent the night with us before heading to MASS to reunite with their family…
At left, Selena’s posing with her first Alex and Ani bracelet – a gift from her Mom and I for Moving Up and making the Principal’s List!!
June 26th Mom’s tour made it’s way to Vapor to see Mark Pierre and ‘Big Sky Country’… and play the slots for an hour or so… 🙂
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As for me, it was an amazing few weeks while Dave Teta took a paternity leave from Funk Evolution and I had the time of my life!! I’m back into ‘playing shape’ – well, at least at a level I can accept (for now)… Dave’s back full time but threw me a couple dates the first week of July to ease my withdrawal…
July 2014…
Kicked off the month by putting the girls on a plane to Georgia to reunite my wife with a long lost sister and her family. Aside from abysmal treatment from US Air – both going down and coming back – they had a great time… getting reacquainted, zoo, aquarium, Thai food, Mongolian food… they did everything but swim in the Governor’s mote!!
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Then AGAD made it’s first appearance in the Clifton Park 4th of July Parade…
After the parade I beat feet home for a quick shower then it was back to Vapor to setup and play two rockin’ sets with Funk Evolution!!
July 8th – a sad night for me… my last scheduled Funk Evolution fill-in at the Brunswick Summer Night Out Concert Series. It’s the only date I’m playing on Mom’s summer tour and of course the weather was supposed to be extremely nasty – I totally expected it to be cancelled… No word by early afternoon even though I can see the line of storms headed our way so I leave work, pick-up Mom and we head down thinking it will be a nice drive and we’ll stop to eat somewhere if nothing else. I arrive at the concert site (in the middle of a field) 3 hours early (as usual – I always like to be well ahead of the others to try to unpack, tune, setup and be out of everyone’s way when they arrive) and the sound company is already there and setup!! The show is a go!! I start setting up while all the time checking the radar and formulating an evacuation plan for Mom and the drums (yes – in that order)… The concert organizer asks us to plan one long set from 6:30 – 8:00 with a short pause about 7:45 for their raffle and other announcements – the goal to get the show in and get everyone off the grounds before the storms. Well fate must have been smiling on us this night… I don’t know how they missed us but the storms all went north and south of us and we had an absolutely beautiful summer night with lots of sun and a few clouds… and Funk Evolution made my last night one to remember before a most appreciative Brunswick audience… thank you everyone!!
As I said my goodbyes to each member and thanked them for letting me fulfill my dream of playing with a hot horn band they each returned my affection and told me they were sure they’d be seeing me again… I hope so.
Two more nights on Mom’s tour this week… July 9th In Fort Edward for the Steel Pier Jazz Band and July 10th in Granville for Harold Ford & the Cash Band – an incredible Johnny Cash tribute band… and the annual Strawberry Social – YUM!!
July 19th – it’s been busy at work as Greenwich welcomes Mark Fish as the new District Superintendent but quiet musically until a last minute email from Dave and FE asking me to jump in at Neptune’s again tonight in Lake George… I”M ON IT!!
Neptune’s, Funk Evolution, Steve Gadd and drum corps…
As is becoming typical for a Funk Evolution show the crowd last night was off the walls but every once in a while something really unexpected happens at a gig – something that reminds me why I do this in the first place… it’s not the playing or the money or the camaraderie – it’s the interesting people met along the way.
Last night (OK – 2:00 this morning) two guys came up to me with a cell phone and wanted to show me ‘a picture they’d taken last night’… I recognized them in the picture but the guy in the middle looked like Steve Gadd… IT WAS!!! These were two guys from Rochester who went to school with him and he got them tickets and backstage to SPAC where Gadd was playing with James Taylor. Pretty cool!!
A little while later they happened to be leaving as I was loading out and saw the AGAD sticker on my van… I told them the story of the original drum & bugle corps from 75-85, etc. and one of them smiles and tells me he marched with the 76er’s back in the day!! Of course then we stood there talking drum corps and Steve Gadd for half an hour… what a great night!!
July 29th – Mom’s summer tour crosses the border… Since we missed New York Players twice earlier in the summer we decided to catch them at a new venue for us on the campus of Castleton College in Vermont!! What a beautiful and amazing facility… ‘catered’ concert food – how cool is that?!? And the home made potato chips?? I’d make the drive right now if I knew they had some…
And of course we had to pose for a picture on the way in at the building on campus that has our name on it…
After the show Mom always likes to have a ‘Kodak moment’… Here she is with Georgia Jones and Wesley James – two of New York Player’s three amazing lead vocalists…
July 30th – I’m emotionally torn at the news I just received… Funk Evolution’s drummer Dave Teta just learned he has a ruptured disc and they’re scheduling him for surgery ASAP. He’s been advised not to drum at all and he and FE has asked me to step in full time until he’s recovered… I’m excited at the prospect but troubled by the circumstances. He’s thinking he’ll return mid-September but I’ve cleared my schedule through the end of October just in case and wish him a full and speedy recovery. I told him, I’ve got his back (so to speak) and to do what the doctors tell him and he’ll be schlepping gear and drumming until he’s a grumpy old SOB like me!!
Also on this day, the alumni drumline makes it’s annual trek to Rome, NY to do an exhibition at the last remaining DCI competition within 3 hours of where we live. It’s a show the original corps used to compete in back in the 70’s and 80’s and we get to reunite with a lot of special people that marched back then or were huge fans. But unlike the Brunswick FE concert, fate and Mother Nature wasn’t smiling on us this night…
It was beautiful when we arrived but we knew there was the chance of ‘a passing shower’… As we played in front of the stadium (6:30pm) it started to sprinkle… when the show started (7:00pm) the exhibition corps from Port Chester, NY was playing in a light but steady rain… then Pacific Crest – the evenings first competing corps – took the field (7:15pm) and at 7:20 THE SKY OPENED UP!! To their credit they finished their performance as the stands began to empty under the deluge that showed no signs of letting up. We gathered under the bleachers where the concession stand and facilities were along with all our gear when DCI announced a 30 minute delay… we all monitored the radar on our phones and this storm – the only blob of rain in all of New York State – parked it’s big, sorry ass right over us and never let up!!! They cancelled the show around 8:30 – the first time in 36 years that this show had been cancelled… we played an exhibition for stadium staff inside then headed for home. We’re hoping for better luck in a few days when we march the Turning Point Parade and perform a an exhibition at the DCA competition after the parade.
August 2014…
August 3rd – After drying our gear and clothes out for a few days, AGAD heads to Schuylerville for the annual Turning Point Parade and DCA competition. It was a perfect day – not too hot, in and out sunshine… but the best part, at least to me, was warming up along side and seeing ALL of the corps competing in the show later in the day marching in the parade!! This was the type of parade I remember watching when I was a kid… I couldn’t wait to march back then… or now!!
August 8 – Let my long-term Funk Evolution sub stint begin… 6 shows in 9 days starting with the annual Festa at Our Lady Queen of Peace in Rotterdam, NY. I can’t say enough about the fantastic people and food and can’t wait for next year – I’ll make the trip whether I’m playing or not!! Here’s a panoramic shot which still doesn’t show everything that’s going on…
Here are a couple crowd shots (that’s the stage back right – illuminated in green light)…
August 9 – a trip to the band’s summer home – Dango’s on Caroline Street in Saratoga… the crowd was so thick we couldn’t get off the stage during breaks!!
More good news / bad news… Mike Thomas (lead singer / front man) has informed FE that he’s leaving the end of the year to take a salaried position with a musical organization out of New York City!! I couldn’t be happier for him but at the same time hate to see him leave FE because his vocals and dynamic personality will be tough to replace…
August 12 – Music on Mainstreet in Canajoharie, NY… the weather was questionable so they moved us into the HS auditorium and what a facility THAT is…
August 13 – it seems like every year I get to play with someone at the Altamont Fair… this year it was with FE but the weather was terrible all day but the fair goes rain or shine… I got soaked moving my gear in – shoes and van covered in mud – but shortly before we started the sun made an albeit brief appearance (below)… we did stay dry the rest of the night and the handful of brave fair-goers really enjoyed our show which made it fun (it could have been a lot worse)…
August 15 – an even more off-the-hook night at Dango’s – people EVERYWHERE!! The staff said as soon as FE started playing there was a steady flow of people packing the decks…
August 16 – our ‘maiden voyage’ as it were on the Captain JP out of Troy, NY for a special all-age cruise…
August 22 and 23 – back to back nights at FE’s summer home Dango’s for Travers weekend… different group of people but they knew how to party and it got crazy in a hurry!!
August 24 – a special early Sunday evening show at Nanola in Malta (the old Buckboards among other names)… remodeled and offering great Louisiana cuisine… the night was special for me because it was the first time my very good friends Tom and MaryAnn were able to see the band…
August 28 – FE’s first trip for the final Thursday night at Uncle Marty’s Adirondack Grill in Averill Park… great bar-b-q, big selection of beers, fire pits and a beautiful late summer night packed with ne FE fans… who could ask for anything better…
August 31 – my return to Copake KOA – the first time for FE and we blew the roof off (sometimes sounded like we really were) their new pavilion…
September – It doesn’t seem possible but my little girl’s a freshman in high school already!!
On the music front… I just received word that FE drummer Dave Teta is not quite ready to return… no pain after back surgery but plenty of stiffness and difficulty sitting and FE isn’t the Stray Cats (their drummer stood to play)… so I’m going to remain full time through September!! I’m excited but something’s not right with FE… there’s a lot of tension… Mike (who’s leaving) isn’t talking to anyone… time will tell I’m sure…
September 5 – begins with (what else?) a trip to Dango’s…
September 6 – FE’s first date at Stout since the Spring… tonight will feature a special guest – Sharon McPherson – a candidate for the lead vocal position with FE… Here’s a link to one of her Capital Region’s Got Talent audition videos from a few years ago…
September 7 – FE’s final appearance of the year on the amazing split level patio at the Mill On Round Lake… the place and people are amazing and this one was special because my Mom came along… at 82 she sat on the next level up right behind me for the entire afternoon… chowing down batter dipped deep fried goodies and ice teas and finishing off with a Reuben while I was packing my gear!! My friends Tom and MaryAnn came out again to grab a bite and take in the band – always a treat to see them…
You can see my Mom in the lower right of this panoramic shot under the new awning…
September 13 – my first wedding with FE… rainy, cold, windy at a beautiful location on the Mohawk River in Rotterdam Junction and everyone partied like there was no tomorrow!! But I would pay the price…
September 14 – I hit the street with the Alumni Drumline at the annual Uncle Sam Parade in Troy…
September 19 – one last trip to Dango’s… remember I said I’d pay the price?? Well it took a few days to catch up with me after the wedding but today I got hit with the worst head cold and sore throat I’ve had in a very long time… it probably didn’t help that it was 43 degrees when we packed up after this gig…
September 20 – FE heads to the Hall of Springs for the Center for Vascular Awareness Gala…
The picture at right is just prior to sound check… I felt like crap but must say I’m looking pretty good in my burgundy tie to match the drums… I also carry a burgundy hand towel as well… don’t say it…
It was an odd night and we played two sets that were night and day in comparison… the first set the person representing the center took Rocco aside… she didn’t like the musical selection and it was too loud… she continued to complain and insist we play nothing but new top 40 – insisting that’s what her people wanted to hear… we looked around at the age of the audience and knew she was wrong but played dinner-volume versions of the most current tunes in our repertoire… right before the 2nd set the decision was made to take the gloves off and go for it and guess what… the dance floor got packed and it turned into a party!!! We never saw that girl again… As for my head cold, I was on a steady diet of Chloriseptic and Halls and my nose wouldn’t stop running all night which is not good with this group because there are very few stops which meant lots of sniffing and I finished the night with a major headache, light headed and exhausted…
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September 26 – FE returns to one of my favorite rooms – the Vapor lounge in the Saratoga Racino… But this would be a special night for a number of reasons… two of my great friends from work are stopping in – my IT partner Bill and the Superintendent’s Secretary Denise and her husband Dave who have never seen the band or me play…
PLUS… FE drummer Dave Teta is going to stop in for a visit… if all goes as planned and he’s feeling up to it, I’ll play the first show and he’s going to play the 2nd show to test out his new back…
Thankfully, everything felt great so Dave would make his return full time the first week of October!! Welcome back, Dave!!
September 27 – a bittersweet evening for me… with Dave making his return next week this would be my last scheduled appearance with Funk Evolution. Naturally I’m glad his surgery went well and I welcome him back (and will resist the urge to push him down the stairs just so I can play a little longer)…
Of course I was in 3 hours early to clean, tune and setup…
I’ve had a blast and really felt like I was getting pretty tight with the group and I think they were comfortable with me so I think my mission was accomplished… hopefully my being as prepared as possible removed some of the stress of having to play with a sub…
I do feel bad about the situation with the lead singer Dave’s returning to (even though it was through no fault of my own)… I guess every band has to have some drama – it just took a little longer for it to surface…
September 28 – I jumped in with Aged In the Hills for a very special benefit at the Linda auditorium in Albany… ‘Boogie For Bob’ was a day of music for AITH former drummer Bob Girard who is battling Parkinson’s Disease… the day featured appearances by several of the bands he had played with over the years and it was like walking through a who’s who of local musical talent and I was honored to be part of it.
October – I’m having withdrawal after two months of steady playing… 20 shows plus rehearsals… But Dave from FE just threw me a bone – a couple dates the end of the month… I can’t wait!! Two off-the-wall Halloween parties – Centre Street Pub and Stout… and I learned that the calluses on my fingers heal by themselves in only a few weeks of inactivity… 🙂
FE’s search for a replacement lead vocalist is going well and they hope to be locked into someone and make an announcement very soon. Meanwhile their current lead singer – Mike Thomas – has already started his transition into the Silver Arrow Band and some of the FE drama seems to have subsided thankfully. Silver Arrow is definitely a unique situation that would drive me absolutely nuts as a player… having to learn upwards of 50 songs in a week, not knowing who the other players are until you arrive and hope it all comes together is not my cup of tea to say the least – not after drum corps where we spent thousands of hours getting 10 minutes of music as tight and perfect as possible…
November – I scored a few more dates with FE into next year and AGAD landed the huge Schenectady Holiday Parade and will return to South Glens Falls and Salem for their parades as well!!
On a personal note, I’ve purchased my first Honda – an Odyssey van… my hope is that it will last me 6-8 years and be the last van I will need to buy since I can’t see myself schlepping drum gear around too far into my 60s (I’ll be 55 next year). The other reason this made sense now is that my daughter is a high school freshman and if she doesn’t take over / share my wife’s car I’ll probably be forking out dough for a third vehicle in the family… 🙂
November 22 – AGAD made its debut in the annual Schenectady Gazette Holiday Parade!! Despite being down two basses (Matt – #2 – working hard for college in the Midwest; and ‘Cat’ – #4 – who was vacationing in Hawaii) and Jason’s quint, and having to tolerate some knucklehead in a fire truck behind us blowing a siren and every other thing that made a noise from the beginning to the end of the parade, we were able to focus on entertaining the huge crowd that braved the sleet and rain and even make an impression on local news anchor Dori Marlin who was announcing at the reviewing stand. We later received a call from the Schenectady Chamber of Commerce that AGAD had won some sort of award in the parade!! We were at least third in “Stepping to the Music.” On December 10, we find out if we, in fact, won. The rep was surprised herself that we “placed” that high our first year out in this event
November 23 – Then the next day, we returned to the Post Star Holiday Parade in South Glens Falls and were thrilled by the 20+ degree jump in temperature from the night before but even more thrilled with the massive and enthusiastic turnout!! Still down two basses but Dan, Kevin and I hit our stride so to speak and filled the holes nicely (if I do say so myself… I just did).
November 26 – The annual Thanksgiving Eve bash at JP Bruno’s with Funk Evolution AND the first major snow storm of the year!! There was 6-8 inches on the ground and the roads were pretty bad when I headed over to setup around 6:30 (for a 10:30 start) and, for once, I was on the good end of the drive – only 10 minutes from home (when the roads are good) but the other 8 guys were coming from at least an hour away… usually it’s the other way around.
Now I wondered what the turnout would be… there was no one parked on the street when I arrived at the club and I was able to park 20 feet from the door but no place in Glens Falls had canceled their bands at that point. As I was setting up there were people in and out and the whole band made it though it was a lousy drive… would there be anyone there to play for??
By the end of the first set we couldn’t get off the stage!! And that would be the story for the rest of the night… most of us just hung out on stage – checking our phones and chatting until it was time to play again… great crowd, great party!!
By the time I loaded out about 3:30am the roads were thankfully just wet.
November 29 – A last minute call from Dave T (FE) and I’m jumping in for the Nanola 1 Year Anniversary celebration!! A packed house full of great people and some outrageous Cajun food… And FE’s good friend Shaun Bazylewycz filling in on trombone!!
December 6 – opened the month with AGAD at the annual Salem Holiday parade… cold and rainy but the crowd is always appreciative…
December 12 – got a call to sub with FE at the Desmond for the Colonie Police Holiday Benefit… great party but the Desmond staff really hosed the setup on several levels – pretty surprising considering…
December 17 and 18 – another call to sub for Dave as FE is the backup band for the Platinum Voice Finalists at Vapor… first night was rehearsals with all 9 contestants… Second night began with an abbreviated FE set then the competition kicked off… a round of karaoke to determine 3 of the finalists then audience applause to ‘save’ one more after which FE would back those 4 finalists with $5000 on the line!! I know I was feeling the pressure…
And then it happened (AGAIN)…
Once the competition ended and the winner was announced FE returned for another show. When it was all done and the guys were leaving the stage and I heard someone say ‘we have to…’ something I couldn’t hear… I thought maybe pictures or something with the sponsors so I went to catch up and met them as they were headed back on stage and someone tricked me into thinking we were going to play another set so I started back behind the kit but before I could get there the whole band surrounded me… Dave Teta (their regular drummer) had emailed them earlier in the day to say that he was going to have to step down as FE’s drummer and they wanted to know if I would I be interested in taking the gig full time the first of the year?!? I had a flashback to that night in 1978 when the bass player from the Dixie Daddies called me for my first ever sub gig and for a band I grew up dreaming of playing with… It was pretty emotional for me on several levels as I accepted the position as Funk Evolution’s new full time drummer!! What an early Christmas present to receive!! The band joked that the year and a half that I had been filling in was longest audition on record… 🙂
My mind was spinning – a million things were running through my mind at that moment… how I would work the scheduling out with my full time day job… I was glad I just purchased my first Honda Odyssey with the mindset that this would be my last van as I made one more ‘run’ as a musician – knowing that it might well be my last band and not knowing if, at almost 55 at the time, I could still cut this type of schedule. I can see the day coming when I’m paying someone to move, setup and breakdown the drums for me and I’ll be playing for free…
And FE itself was morphing… out was the fantastic and popular lead singer Mike Thomas and in was the amazing Tameka Amar as well as a change in the trumpet section as we said goodbye to ‘Izzy’ and welcomed back Mike Deitline… and a ‘new’ drummer of course in yours truely… would it be better or worse?? I have a history of landing a position in popular bands only to find out that they are well into their decline… I have a feeling this one is different and FE is getting ready to take off – well as much as any cover band can really ‘take off’… I think the group is headed for even wider popularity and greater demand – they already have over 100 shows booked for 2015 alone… Time will tell but at this point I can’t stop smiling… 🙂
December 19 – another night at JP Bruno’s… everyone in the band commented at one point or another during the night that they thought I was playing differently – adding all sorts of great new licks, etc. I’m sure I wasn’t playing anything any differently than I had been (I place a lot of importance on ‘consistency’ and maybe that’s a drum corps thing too) but I’m convinced that they were just hearing them for the first time (different mix)…
December 21 – a non-music note… every year my wife and I spend the Sunday before Christmas making cookies and delivering them that evening… this year we baked almost 1200 cookies!! My Diabetes, my doctor and the pharmaceutical companies thank you… 🙂
December 26 – subbing once more for Dave at Centre Street Pub in Schenectady which would also be my last night behind lead singer Mike Thomas… Mike was battling severe lung and bronchial issues but totally rocked it!! Potato chips!! That’s his secret – potato chips!!
New Year’s Eve – Dave and Mike’s last nights with FE and Tameka’s debut at the Sagamore on Bolton Landing so I took a fill-in with Aged In the Hills. I’d played 3 out of the last 4 NYE with them at Saratoga First Night but they didn’t get selected this year and took a last minute call from the Schenectady Eagles Club for their member’s only NYE party from 8:00-midnight which I thought was odd but OK…
The night started out pretty interesting… I arrived to find three cars in the lot… hmmm… When they buzzed me in I was greeted by 5 or 6 very nice people at the bar who guided me to where to load in and setup… when I finished there was still no sign of the rest of the band but soon after George Schacher (guitar, pedal steel, fiddle, mandolin, lead vocals) arrived and told me he wasn’t sure his wife Cherry (bass) or their daughter Darcy (lead vocals) would make as they were still at Urgent Care for Darcy!! He had made arrangements with Joe Gero from the CW Classic band (formerly John Deere Green and in 2017 would become the New Whiskey River Band) to join us just in case. The girls did make it and Darcy was feeling well enough to sing all evening for an audience of about 15 total who must have had a good time because they booked the band for a number of dates… 🙂