Dumpster Gig

Retired Mountain Man and I look forward to our Pandemic Day outings every week.  One of those is our weekly trip to the dumpster site near Clark Fork.  A mask isn't even necessary since there's no risk of getting within six feet of anyone.

Today's trip reminded me of the Cougar Creek Band's first gig - at the the Clark Fork Dumpsters.  I wasn't certain how many years ago it was, but it didn't take long to figure that out.

Kristine and Glen Rolofson - fiddle and banjo.

Ellie Lizotte and her mandolin

Mark and Joe Heisel

 Linda - with what would be her first accordion.  Being a member of the band would require the purchasing of many instruments in the years that followed.  I am no exception.  It's surprising how many one can own, even though I can only play one of them at a time. Retired Mountain Man has given up saying, "What! Why do you need another (fill in the blank)?" 

Bruce Bishop - bass guitar.   Back then I had decided that I wanted learn to play the guitar, but after eleven years of practice, I should really stay with playing keyboards.

 Mike Chartock on the drums, although he would transition to baritone sax later.

Mark plays, trombone, trumpet, guitar and harmonica.

Our one and only band photo.  We've played together for eleven years and never managed to get it together to take another group photo.

Absent in the group photos are Neil and Ann Wimberley, Neil plays recorder and bass guitar, Ann plays the mandolin.

Joining us in later years were vocalist, Petra Stahl and percussionists, Julie Bishop, Larry Guldberg and Tim Gunn.

Countless gigs followed this one, but due to the size of our group, we required venues with a lot of space for the band.  We held hundreds of weekly band rehearsals, most of them in our basement which would eventually be turned into a music room.  The practice sessions were followed by potluck band dinners. 

Jens and Mathis would sit-in with us sometimes playing trombone

Let's just say we had a lot of fun.   We were planning to start rehearsal sessions again this summer, but now, who knows?  It's possible that we could rehearse at the dumpster site.  There's enough room there for social distancing.  One band member by each dumpster?

 What do you think?

Meet ToWanda - the beast!

How did I end up with a Hammond A102 organ and Leslie 147C speaker in my basement?  It's a long story. 

Remember a few weeks ago when it was raining and raining and raining?  There was nothing to do except go on Craigslist to look at what musical instruments might be for sale.  Lo and behold I came across a listing for a Hammond A102.  It was located in Missoula, Montana on Idaho Street.   It was a sign.

The Hammond Organ, specifically, the Hammond B3, is the mother of all organs made famous by the rock bands of the 60's and talented musicians such as Jimmy Smith.   Invented in 1935 by Laurens Hammonad and John Hanert it earned the name of "the beast" in the sixties due to the fact that depending upon the cabinet, they weigh between 350-400 lbs. which made it difficult to load on stage at gigs and concerts.  It is used with a Leslie speaker which helps create it's unique sound.  The Leslie speakers are also on the heavy side, somewhere between 100-200 lbs.  There are A, B and C models, which have all the same components, just different cabinets. 

Leslie Speaker

Well, purchasing one is the easy part.  Moving it is a serious undertaking, especially if you are moving it from Missoula to Idaho.   Retired Mountain Man and I drove to Missoula to try it out and grandson, Dylan went with us.  It sounded wonderful and we agreed on a price with the seller.  Not only did all of the stars have to align for this to happen, but a lot of people helped make it happen.  Retired Mountain Man was a rock!  He knew I was very nervous about it and hung in there the entire time to support me.  

Son David had agreed to haul it over in the back of his pickup and I arranged for a piano mover to load it on his truck.  The Leslie speaker is so big that it barely fit in the back of my Forester, but Dylan and Paul, the seller, and a friend of his, managed to get it loaded.   Thank you!

 Once David and family arrived, our neighbor Adam and his friend, Derrick, came over to help us unload it.  I had rented a piano dolly, but they were so strong they just picked it up and carried it in the basement.  Amazing. 

 It has been christened "ToWanda", as in the movie Fried Green Tomatoes.  ToWanda, the beast, a symbol of independence and women's strength!

(Yes, I can even laugh like that)

 We have "tucked" the Leslie in the corner by the closet.  RMM and David patiently worked this morning to attach the pedal board and make sure it was level. 

All I can say is that it has the most amazing sound and I am having a blast playing it!  I can make the walls in the basement shake with the volume pedal at 1/3.   Whoo!  (Hey Cougar Creek Band members, let's play some music.)

Retired Mountain Man says that I am not allowed to get bored ever again.....

To my weather forecaster: please sing another tune.

The forecast was for 100% chance of snow until 11:a.m. this morning.   Fortunately, we did not wake up to snowflakes falling and more snow on the ground.  It's cloudy, rainy and cold.  Day 231.....

The only way to combat this constant dreariness is to go to my basement to water my blossoming petunias and calibrachoa.  All those little blossoms give me hope for spring to really arrive.   After I water my plants I usually play a song or two on my keyboard while I'm waiting for the fire in the wood furnace to take off.   

My plants love music.   They need a song or two first thing in the morning to make them happy and I'm more than glad to oblige.

Summertime

Running with Scissors last night at Trinity, Sandpoint, Idaho

Our final summer gig for 2017.  Thanks to daughter-in-law Julie, I finally have some photos of Running With Scissors with Larry Guldberg, percussion and Drew Browne on bass.   Bruce Bishop, guitarist and leader of the group and Tim Gunn, our fabulous drummer.  

It was one of those perfect summer evenings.

Yes, I was having fun.

Retired Mountain Man and David were there.

Ellie and Kristine, Bob and Glen.

It was "Hope night" at Trinity.

Susan and Marcy.

Linda and Vera

Mark, caught in a very serious moment.

 Julie and Ben.

It's almost time for this gig to be over.

That's all folks.  I hope to play again next year.  See you then.

Focused on the piano at the moment.

I have decided to deactivate my Facebook account.  If you would like to know what Retired Mountain Man and I are doing here on the mountain, I will be posting here on my blog every once in awhile.

I am continuing to work on my jazz piano studies and my guitar.  Finally got around to having my piano tuned and in the process learned so much from Kurt Kondratko, pianist and piano technician, who was so very kind to show me some of the mysteries of my Yamaha keyboard.  The manual was written in Greek or maybe it was just me and I just couldn't understand it.  He opened up a whole new world of piano possibilities for me.   If you don't know Kurt, you should know that he is also a very talented musician and it was wonderful to hear him play.

On another note......🎜🎝

Did you realize that behind every favorite song is an untold story? Maybe I will now have some time to tell some of my stories.  Many years ago one of my favorite songs was:  By the Light of the Silvery Moon.

The piano that I first took lessons on when I was in the fourth grade, was of course, an old upright.  I don't know how they did it, but somehow it was carried into our basement by (at least) four strong men and set up for all of the Reineke children to take lessons.   (I can't remember how many of us actually took the lessons.)  

My piano teacher was the organist at our church and she lived directly across the alley from us.  Lessons cost was 25 cents.  I was a rotten student.  I didn't practice.  When I finally did start to practice and could actually play something, I was determined to learn to play Silvery Moon.   Whenever my family got together my Grandparents liked to sing that song.  Either my mom or one of my aunts would join in with some harmony.  I finally did master it and that meant I got to accompany them when they sang.  Now I wish that I could hear them sing it again.   Sadly, they have all passed on, but what great memories.

We will be getting ready to make some more family music memories this week.   Our Thanksgiving turkey is in the fridge and I've bought some of the fixings.  We are looking forward to spending some time with friends and family for a few days.   Enjoy some good food, some music, visit and play a game or two.  

Maybe I should teach them that song.....

Things we said today....

nope,  it should be "things we did today".

Raked leaves, but mine didn't look this nice.  They are really wet and not pretty and not fun to rake.  "Ew"

Washed my deck and stairsteps with a bleach solution to clean off the moldy slime....  "Ew"  again, and my deck still doesn't look this good, but it's done.

I am finished with my projects for today so it's time for some fun which for me is to either play my guitar or the keyboards.  It's hard to decide which one to practice on.  How lucky can one get to have so many choices.

 The Epi, is a loaner....and it's really fun to play.

The J45, Paul's guitar....
(as in Paul McCartney)
Well, he played one.
At least once.

or the Parker 38...it sounds pretty good too.

Then there's the keyboards....

but I'm working on a Beatles song, "Things We Said Today".  They wrote a lot of really great songs.

Just in case you don't remember it.

From the Beginning.....for your listening pleasure.....

On the music front I have been learning three new songs on the guitar, Dust in the Wind, Blackbird and From the Beginning.  There are many hours of practice ahead of me, but I love rehearsing these songs.

I received my next cycle of Jazz Keyboard and music theory lessons and I am ready to dive into it again.

Greg Lake, 2005 Tour

I started growing a new SCOBY(symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast) so that I can make my own Kombucha.

It's a beautiful one!

Yes, those other bottles that you see are Bill's Plum Liqueur, the 2015 bottling.  Bill was here with us for a few days to hunt elk, but ended up spending the last day just hunting for his cell phone which he lost somewhere in the woods.

On the garden front:  My begonias are still blooming and even though the temp was 32.2 this morning, they are still with us.

Even the fuchsia made it.

Retired Mountain Man discovered another new dahlia blooming yesterday.  It's very pale yellow with touches of pink.  I am sorry that my photo does not do it justice.  I hope it has a healthy tuber.

This is the last bowl of tomatoes.  They are not vine ripened but they still taste good.

I dried the orange roses that Dylan and Sarah sent me and they ended up pink.  They will be fun to use in a centerpiece.

I Wanna Mooch A Kombucha From You! 

(Rich is a fabulous pianist)

Rich Dworsky and The Exchange Street Band 

Take a listen as it will be a great start to your day.  

To bake or not to bake? That is the question.

My Christmas presents from Retired Mountain Man arrived early.   A new Gibson acoustic guitar and a new apron.  They are both beautiful gifts.

Maybe you can help me answer the question.  Should I bake Christmas cookies or play the guitar?

 I am going to have a glass of my 2014 white wine while I ponder the question.  I used the wine thief to siphon some out of the carboy to test it for the first time yesterday.  It is starting to taste good and is already clearing.  The two red wines are still quite cloudy and more acidic.  It always takes more time for the red wine.

Hmm.

As for Christmas morning, I plan to serenade Retired Mountain Man with my rendition of "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer".  It's Karma you know.  The gift that keeps on coming back to you.