April is Jazz Appreciation Month! And our very own Godmother of Jazz and Blues, Jeannie Cheatham, has suggestions for you and me about that…. The Smithsonian Museum dedicates special programs and activities annually in the month of April to recognize and celebrate the heritage and history of jazz. Their Jazz Appreciation Month (“JAM”) is dedicated […]
Dear Troubadour readers, After hibernating during much of the winter season, I’m ready for spring on March 20 and will get back in the swing with various short-term and long-term music projects. A promising start this month: March 5 is my COVID vaccine appointment at UCSD’s RIMAC center—making me optimistic about pursuing future plans. Dear […]
I’m so lucky to have a monthly column here at the San Diego Troubadour! It’s the month of February and on Valentine’s Day, I’ll officially profess my love for Liz Abbott, editor of this very wonderful music tabloid. Hang in there, Liz! You’ve been doing a great job keeping musical dreams alive during the Pandemic. […]
Thank you, January 1, 2021! Lots of reasons to ring in the New Year with gusto. The chimes atop Geisel Library at UC San Diego is where I play live requests and mark meaningful dates. I won’t be able to climb up to the Library roof to play live this quarter due to COVID restrictions, […]
The celesta gets its name directly from the French word for “heavenly” (celeste). And the first time you hear it, it is heavenly! Maybe you first heard it on the flip side of Buddy Holly’s premiere single. Holly’s producer happened to have a celesta in the studio and Mrs. Vi Petty (the producer’s wife) offered […]
Dear San Diego Troubadour Readers: I won’t be hosting a live and lively Annual Turkey Calling Show this year in the Seuss Room of Geisel Library, as UC San Diego is being appropriately cautious in this, our pandemic time of COVID 2020. I will, however, feature a brief Turkey Calling tribute regarding the fest on Wednesday, November […]
My performances for the very macabre month of October tend to celebrate horror, fantasy, and sci-fi. And whether the venue is live radio drama, a silent film screening, or a steampunk convention, I always bring my Theremin along! It relays the otherworldly, easily. But keep in mind that it can take years to play standard […]
Scott Paulson, one of our monthly columnists, invites San Diego Troubadour readers to the 20th Annual Toy Piano Festival, which is being held as a Facebook Live virtual event this year. Scott is the founder and director of this popular local festival, hosted on his home turf at the UC San Diego Library, where he […]
The autoharp is a very American instrument with obvious eastern European roots. There was a remarkable period of development in 1880s Germany when the volkszither design from instrument maker Karl August Gutter appeared on the scene, looking much like our current version. Charles F. Zimmerman produced autoharps in the United States around the same time, […]
