Saturday, March 25, 2006

My Bro' Kurt

When I started this blog, I made reference to a dear old friend and former early '70's Seattle bandmate (oh! that hair! Ouch!), incredible drummer/keyboardist/singer/composer Kurt the-Koala-Bear Kolstad. This cat could play with our Santa Fe, no sweat. Google his name, check out his history. Dude kicks major butt, and is a great, great person.

Well, here's the text of an email announcement I got today from Joe Turner, another of our friends up in the PacNW:
___________________________________________
A Tribute to Kurt Kolstad
It takes a small army of drummers to cover Kurt's gigs...

April 9th, 2 PM – Jazzbones
2803 6th Avenue, Tacoma
253-396-9169
www.jazzbones.com
Featuring performances by:
And a silent auction:
  • art
  • food
  • vacations
  • spa treatment
  • services & more
Suggested admission: $20 donation at the door

In December 2005 Kurt Kolstad was diagnosed with lymphoma. Kurt's friends and fellow musicians have come together to produce the Kurt Kolstad Tribute to raise funds to help pay the costs of his chemotherapy treatment. With the love and support of his wife and young son, Kurt will win this fight. Soon He'll back at the drums playing in all his bands.

Kurt Kolstad - While playing trumpet in his jr. high band, Kurt Kolstad asked one of the drummers if he could try his drum sticks. When he picked them up, something came over him - "I felt like I had held those sticks all of my life," said Kolstad. Those sticks lead Kurt on a journey that would take him all over the world.

Since that time he has played with literally hundreds of bands and artists including Tower of Power, Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker, Buddy Miles, Junior Wells, Rich Dangel and the Reputation, Alive-N-Well, Seattle All Stars, Living Proof, Space, Jazz Terrorists, Dick Powel Band, Little Bill and the Blue Notes, ButterBean, Michael Powers, Darren Motamady, Craig Lawrence Band, New Blues Brothers, to name a few.

Kurt, whose music has been played in literally every country in the world via radio, TV, film series and cinema film, is also a published song writer and an active member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). Kurt has spent countless hours in the recording studio as a session player for many artists including recent noteworthy releases by Dave Lanz - Skyline/Fire Dance and Sacred Road, which have now sold into the millions, and the computer animated video, "The Minds Eye". Kurt's impressive musical accomplishments, as well as his many outstanding personal characteristics, have touched thousands of people.

Overview: The tribute will take place at Jazzbones on Sunday, April 9th - 2pm. The event will also feature a silent auction (art; food; vacations; spa treatment; services & more). Suggested admission: $20 donation at the door.

For more info: www.southsoundpromotions.com/kolstad.htm
Or contact: Michael Kinder
mkinder@wa.net
253-219-4140
____________________________________

I don't know whether I'll be able to go, but I'll be sending stuff for the auction and making a personal donation. If any of y'all are up that way that weekend, be sure to go if you can. I'm sure the music will be awesome, and the cause is way worthy.

Some other news of note and interest


My friend and fellow Santa Fe craz-o
Steve Tuminello has hipped me to an L.A. band known as "Pretzel Logic." He gave me a nicely done promo DVD of them. They do an uncanny Steely Dan thang -- no easy task. Check out a Quicktime movie excerpt here. They are dead-on, note for note. That is too cool.

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