Hello KCRB music community!
I hope this newsletter finds you well. Now that we’ve switched all of our lessons online, I’ve only seen our students and other teachers via video chat for the last six weeks. I’m thankful we have the technology to continue lessons in this way, but I do miss seeing each of you in person! When this is all over, we’re planning to throw a huge party/jam session! We’re trying many new things during the stay-at-home mandate— online lessons, homeschooling our kids, maybe even a new hobby or skill… If you’d like to try something new, like learning a musical instrument or picking one back up, our teachers have lesson openings and we’d love to get you started! Call or email and I’ll get you all the details.
February Student of the Month – Zeke Beach
Zeke Beach has been a long time guitar student of Matt Crandall’s –starting back when Matt taught at Zeke’s Middle School! Zeke is now about to graduate high school and has grown into an incredible musician! We are so proud of him, not only for his musical accomplishments but for the incredible character and maturity he has as a man.
Here’s a little more about Zeke, in his own words:
- I started learning guitar because Mr. Crandall started a guitar class at my middle school, I though the electric guitars looked really cool, and I’d always wanted to be a musician.
- I’ve loved the fingerstyle work that I’ve done with Mr. Crandall, from learning new arrangements to creating my own, and improvising work.
- I love to wrestle! It challenges me physically and mentally, and forces me to be creative.
- The best thing about quarantine is having ample amounts of time to get school work done and play the guitar, and the worst things about quarantine are not being able to see friends, and missing out on school and sports activities. I’ve never liked school, but I actually miss it now!
Zeke, we are proud of you and excited for your next big transition to college in the fall!
Music Notes from Laura Lee
I LOVE on-stage camera’s from live concerts that focus on one player for the entire song. And because I’m a drummer myself, you can be sure drum cams are a high favorite of mine. Get on youtube and type in your favorite artist’s name, plus “drum cam”, then enjoy a whole different experience compared to seeing the show from the floor! Here’s a few drummers’ stage cams that I love:
Miles Stone CJB – Drummer for Cody Johnson Band. Has lots of drum cam videos from their lives shows.
VicFirth – Vic Firth’s youtube channel has some excellent drum cam footage. BE sure to check out Carter Beauford with the Dave Matthews Band playing “What Would you Say.” If playing complicated drum beats and singing backgrounds at the same time wasn’t hard enough, you can see Beauford blowing bubblegum in the video 😀
Stewart Copeland – The Police – Wrapped Around Your Finger (Copeland starts out with really cool percussion before heading to the drum set)
Happy Playing, everyone!
Laura Lee Crandall