__v___ ROMP: The Evolution of Man Photo ___V__
Rhan, is a creator, a compassionate person, and a lover of making music. I have had the opportunity to meet him and work under his tutilege as a student in his Ukulele University. I should say that UU is not just for ukuleles. We had a drummer, guitarist, and bassist that made the experience similar to a garage band. The advantage we had though, was Rhan Wilson, the 8-eared-man, his sensibilities, and his creative weirdness. (It didn't hurt to have 2 students with over 30 years of playing experience: Judy P. on ukulele, resonator ukulele, and bass guitar AND Jay H. on Ukulele and Guitar.)
--
Our gathering of eight quickly bonded and encouraged each other to perform better. Rhan, constantly sharing insights, directed us on how to signal and communicate to each other. He challenged us to sing out. He challenged us to play our ukulele parts in different ways (vary our strums) We completed the 10 week course and have added a five week session to come after Rhan's two-week haitus in Oregon. We've even had three Tuesday Night Band (garage) meetings on our own with songs ranging from Hanalei Moon to Lynyrd Skynyrd's Freebird.
--
The following is cut and pasted from the Santa Cruz Sentinel (W. Baine 7/9/2009)
Direct link here...
--
Rhan Wilson does nothing ordinary. The creator of "An Altared Christmas," the live show and album that reframes common Christmas tunes in a minor key, has put together a new band, and there's nothing ho-hum about it.
--
ROMP, which plays next Wednesday at the Crepe Place in Santa Cruz, is an anagram of the first names of the four members of the band "" Wilson, Olaf Schiappacasse, Matt Bohn and Patti Maxine. All in the new band have played in Wilson's "Christmas" extravaganza; three of the four ROM have been part of the house band at the "Planet Cruz Comedy Hour."
ROMP, which plays next Wednesday at the Crepe Place in Santa Cruz, is an anagram of the first names of the four members of the band "" Wilson, Olaf Schiappacasse, Matt Bohn and Patti Maxine. All in the new band have played in Wilson's "Christmas" extravaganza; three of the four ROM have been part of the house band at the "Planet Cruz Comedy Hour."
--
The band is unusual not only for its instrumentation "" it will use everything from the baritone ukulele to the lap-steel guitar "" but for its off-beat treatment of beloved old songs. Chuck Berry's already bizarre "My Ding-a-Ling" performed in a minor key and sang in a Russian accent. The 1960s chestnut "Ode to Billie Joe," about the day "Billie Joe McAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge," is combined with the beat of the late Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" to create the "Ode to Billie Jean."
--
The band is unusual not only for its instrumentation "" it will use everything from the baritone ukulele to the lap-steel guitar "" but for its off-beat treatment of beloved old songs. Chuck Berry's already bizarre "My Ding-a-Ling" performed in a minor key and sang in a Russian accent. The 1960s chestnut "Ode to Billie Joe," about the day "Billie Joe McAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge," is combined with the beat of the late Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" to create the "Ode to Billie Jean."
--
"Proud Mary," "Harper Valley PTA," songs from Grace Jones and Gogol Bordello, all get thrown in the whirl and come out a bit different, said Wilson.
--
--
"We're not trying to make every song we do be odd or weird," he said. "We're just looking to have fun. I've been in a lot of bands, and all I want now is to play music and have some fun."
No comments:
Post a Comment