The diverse range of people that I have collaborated with has always been a joy to me, as well as educational. After all, most people work daily in the same environment steadily, generally with a small range of individuals they are in proximity with that have some professional commonalities. My path has taken me to diverse environments and locations generally dealing with a wide range of people performing different functions and jobs in society. It has been enlightening.
Ironically, for roughly the same period of time I have been playing the trumpet for fun born out of my deep love of music. Initially as a child with family, and then in school with friends some serious some not, and off and on as an adult with various groups, most recently with professionals in a wide array of venues and across a stylistic range including jazz, blues, salsa and gospel. Some of the venues and groups I have played in and with are listed below.
A few of the groups I have played with include:
Unity Fellowship Church of Los Angeles
James Brown Revival Band. Los Angeles
Joe Vento Big Band, Northridge, CA
Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church, Portland, OR
Julianne Johnson and Friends (Janice Scroggins, Patrick, Lamb, Michael Allen Harrison), Portland, OR
Michael Curtis Project Big Band, Portland, OR
Thelonious Dub, Los Angeles
Some of the venues I have performed at include:
BB Kings, Los Angeles, CA
The Brassiere, Portland, OR
The Greek Theater, Los Angeles
The Baked Potato, Los Angeles
The Egyptian Theater, Hollywood, CA
The Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR
The Keller Auditorium, Portland
Atwaters, Portland
The Hip Kitty, San Bernadino, CA
Clydes Super Club, Portland
Tony Starlight's Super Club, Portland
It dawns on me at this point that I can probably submit, that in addition to being a commercial photographer and image maker, I am a musician. I would think based on the last five years or so of playing more regularly, and given the above lists of credits, that perhaps a semi-pro classification might be in order. I guess part of taking stock over time (and in the case blogging) may include this kind of energetic accounting. Again, it has been enlightening.
There is one other endeavor I have undertaken over the last thirty-five years and that is letterpress printing. Another beautiful love.
