It’s the end of March, 2023. Spring doesn’t quite feel in the air yet (except for today…it’s almost 70 degrees out) but I have a feeling it’s going to be a good year musically for me. I have a lot of projects I am working on which will keep me out and about but that is kind of what I want. Get my name out there. It seems to be working. My connections are starting to increase and people are starting to recognize my name. That is the plan!
More on the groups later, first I want to talk about my personal projects.
The first is working on a new album of my music tentatively titled “Rain Falling Down” sometime in 2024. I have enough original material that really doesn’t totally fit with any of my projects so they will be added to a solo project. I will most likely record the majority of it myself, but will also be enlisting other musicians (local and not local) to fill it out. Tentatively It will be released in 2024, probably spring, so about a year from now. Sooner depending on how all the other projects I have going on pan out.
Another side project is working with brother from another mother, Bob “Zuzu” Welsh on an album comprising of his and my original songs. Bob and I played together back in St. Louis in the 1990’s in a few groups, the main one being “Reality In Exile” (RIE). This collaboration could potentially tie into my solo project OR become a re-worked Reality In Exile project with former RIE bassist, Paul Gibson (who is involved in my two main project bands currently). Time will tell.
Another future project is also re-working an album of electronic songs I produced and recorded in 2014 called “Infinite Journey”. This might not see light until late 2024. But…. We’ll see.
OK, projects… where to even start…
My main group is The Hoodoo Brothers. We have really taken off and are starting to make a name for ourselves. We are getting more and more gigs in Kansas City, have started working out and finishing up the original songs that will be on a studio recorded EP album. We are frequenting the KC Juke House Blues & Jazz in the Historic 18th & Vine district in KC, have cracked the egg that is the Topeka blues scene, have the ear of KC royalty “Mama” Diane Ray. Our calendar is starting to fill up and 2023 looks to be our breakout year!
My second group is called “The Kaw Tunes” and it is a classic rock trio made up of myself and Hoodoo Brother members, bassist Paul Gibson and drummer Mickey Munoz. To say our debut gig was a success is kind of a understatement. One practice and we owned the songs and the crowd loved us! Bookings are starting to flow for this group as well. It was originally started as a side money making project, but the potential is there for us to get on a regular rotation in the northeastern Kansas area.
I am still working with my friend, saxophonist Harry Muldrow on “The Counterpoint Project doing jazz stuff, but we both have had recent surgeries that have slowed it down a little. Hoping to move it along here soon.
Then there is “The Vibe Combo” which is just starting out and is in the experimental stages. This is a jazz/blues quartet with some really good musicians. More on this group as things start to pan out.
Finally, The HooDuo of myself and Hoodoo Brothers guitarist Jim West is still a viable project, just becoming more of a “as needed” project. It started out as a money making endeavor and we found a few fun shows, but the venues don’t seem to be all that interested in us (at least the ones that want to pay us).
I could go on an on about each of these projects, but bottom line is I am stretching, learning and growing as a musician with all these projects. I hope you’ll join me on my ride. I am trying to keep my front page of where and with whom I am playing, so stay tuned!!