Greetings One and All,
Some new things to report on so here goes. First of all, the Gene Krupa Band will be appearing at Iridium Jazz Club in NYC on October 14th for 2 shows. Joining us will be Hilary Kole,
http://www.hilarykole.com/ She's an amazing singer and I'm thrilled she'll be with us at Iridium.
The Band is:
Tony Kadleck, Brian Pareschi, Bud Burridge and Craig Johnson on Trumpets.
Clint Sharman, Bruce Eidem, Pete McGuiness and George Flynn on Trombones.
Steve Kenyon, Chuck Wilson, Dan Willis, Ben Kono and Ed Xiques on Saxes.
Chip Jackson on Bass and Ken Ascher on Piano, with me on drums and perhaps a special guest.
Liza and the Minnoolians were in Louisville, Ky for one performance and then big two shows in St. Charles, Mo. (outside of St. Louis).
We were in downtown Louisville in a older hotel...small rooms and odd food. The big event was the moving of the secret recipe of Colonel Sanders' KFC to a new location. It was the lead story on all the local news shows, showing a gentleman emerging from a black car, with a briefcase, containing the 11 secret herbs and spices formula, (salt, pepper, MSG, paprika, onion salt? What else?) shackled to his wrist. Ah, the Midwest. Why did I ever leave?
We took a bus to St. Louis on Wednesday. 7 plus hours, including two rest stops and lunch in Evansville, Indiana at Liza's fave, Olive Garden. She had the Apricot Chicken, I had the Chicken Parmigiana. Lovely folks and the food was surprisingly OK for chain Italian.
We arrived at the Ameristar Hotel in St. Charles, Mo. It's a large Casino, technically on the River, so they can have Gambling. The rooms were wonderful. The food was pretty swell too.
Although we stayed at the Casino, we played at the Lindenwood College Performing Arts Center's Opening. Two nights of sold out audiences. Had a few friends in the area so was nice to reconnect. (Forgot to say that we saw John LaBarbera in Louisville, arranger for Buddy Rich and now part of the Jazz Program at U of Louisville...Great hang and lot's of funny stories.)
Off for a week or two, so doing Library work at home and enjoying the time away from the Airport.
Will probably be going to Rome with Liza for some Press prior to our Italian tour that begins Oct. 29. Check out the schedule on http://www.officiallizaminnelli.com/ so you know where we're playing.
Oct. 25 & 26 will find me at the Santa Rosa Symphony for the Opening Concerts of the new Pops Season, 2008/09. Mancini Magic is the concert and once again, it's all Henry Mancini's greatest hits.
I'm tempted to start a Keith Olbermann type portion of this blog to the Worst People in the World...I'm too nice to actually do that, but you know who you are.
No pictures this time...nothing exciting to show but I promise some great shots from Italy and after.
Hopefully Liza will be on Broadway in December with our present show, featuring the Kay Thompson section as well as Liza's hits and some surprises. Will let you know as soon as the theatre is announced.
That's it for now.
Facebook anyone?
Best,
Mike Berkowitz
Friday, September 19, 2008
Sunday, September 7, 2008
And we're back...
September 7, 2008
Hi Gang,
New blog, new look and new things to talk about. The old page was getting to be too big and very slow so we've moved over to this neighborhood. Looks to be very nice so far.
First and foremost, the Gene Krupa Band will be at Iridium in NY City on October 14th for two shows, 8:30 and 10:30 pm. 51st and Broadway in Manhattan. Come and hear the band!!!
Lexington Symphony gig was great. Did two concerts with the Orchestra out at this gigantic Horse Farm facility. Audiences for both nights were sold out, around 4 thousand each evening.
The Saturday night crowd was quite festive...There was dancing in front of the stage, Pink Panther cutouts roaming through the crowd (this was Mancini Magic if I didn't mention it) and I got a plate of delicious brownies from one of the front tables, which were quicky eaten by members of the Orchestra, the brownies, not the tables.
We're doing Mancini again with the Santa Rosa Symphony October 25 & 26, so I expect to see you there at the Concert. You know who you are.
Liza and the Minnoolians were in Chicago last weekend (Aug 30) for a concert at the Venue in Hammond, Indiana. Lot's of nice folks and I bought an amazing snare drum at Steve Maxwell's Drum Shop in the Fine Arts Building. This drum sounds so good that members of the band as well as a couple of sound techs asked me what was different about my snare drum on the concert.
The Minnollians leave tomorrow (the 8th) for Louisville Kentucky for a concert there on Tuesday night and then 2 concerts in St. Charles, Mo. on the 11th & 12th.
Then I fly back on Saturday the 13th at 6 am so I can attend my step daughter Mieke's Wedding.
Looking forward to a night of fun and family.
That's it for now. Go to my Facebook page for a few laughs and sign up to be my friend. Jim Caruso just joined and I think he has over 10 million friends...or close to it. Caruso knows everyone in the World. When I tell people I work with Liza Minnelli, they always tell me to say HI to Jim.
See you soon...
Mike Berkowitz
www.berkmusic.com
Hi Gang,
New blog, new look and new things to talk about. The old page was getting to be too big and very slow so we've moved over to this neighborhood. Looks to be very nice so far.
First and foremost, the Gene Krupa Band will be at Iridium in NY City on October 14th for two shows, 8:30 and 10:30 pm. 51st and Broadway in Manhattan. Come and hear the band!!!
Lexington Symphony gig was great. Did two concerts with the Orchestra out at this gigantic Horse Farm facility. Audiences for both nights were sold out, around 4 thousand each evening.
The Saturday night crowd was quite festive...There was dancing in front of the stage, Pink Panther cutouts roaming through the crowd (this was Mancini Magic if I didn't mention it) and I got a plate of delicious brownies from one of the front tables, which were quicky eaten by members of the Orchestra, the brownies, not the tables.
We're doing Mancini again with the Santa Rosa Symphony October 25 & 26, so I expect to see you there at the Concert. You know who you are.
Liza and the Minnoolians were in Chicago last weekend (Aug 30) for a concert at the Venue in Hammond, Indiana. Lot's of nice folks and I bought an amazing snare drum at Steve Maxwell's Drum Shop in the Fine Arts Building. This drum sounds so good that members of the band as well as a couple of sound techs asked me what was different about my snare drum on the concert.
The Minnollians leave tomorrow (the 8th) for Louisville Kentucky for a concert there on Tuesday night and then 2 concerts in St. Charles, Mo. on the 11th & 12th.
Then I fly back on Saturday the 13th at 6 am so I can attend my step daughter Mieke's Wedding.
Looking forward to a night of fun and family.
That's it for now. Go to my Facebook page for a few laughs and sign up to be my friend. Jim Caruso just joined and I think he has over 10 million friends...or close to it. Caruso knows everyone in the World. When I tell people I work with Liza Minnelli, they always tell me to say HI to Jim.
See you soon...
Mike Berkowitz
www.berkmusic.com
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