From the: "Where is he?" category... TubaJoe Update

[tubajoe]

After a reasonable "hiatus" from these newsletter type of things, here is a long-overdue update... New Years' style (um, after Valentine's Day!)

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Happy 2009!

It has been quite while since I’ve updated, and so much has happened in the last year or so!! During 2008, due to the infanthood of the wonderful young Fiona, some of my personal projects got put on hiatus...(one of those being my mailing list and newsletter updates.) Amongst learning how to change diapers, this attempted simplification was to help make the grand adjustment to parenthood most reasonable. And so, as things go, whilst trying to simplify....the opposite happened. 2008 actually became my busiest working year to date. I played somewhere around 150 gigs in NYC with many great bands and made a pile of recordings, not to mention taught some great groups and great folks! This is all a constant reminder to me of how lucky I am to have the opportunity work with such wonderful people!

Now that Fiona is her own person and I feel like I’ve return to the world of the living, I’m resurrecting my email list to update you and share a bunch of exciting projects that I’ve been lucky enough to have been a part of in 2008, as well as some very cool things coming up in the first quarter of 2009....!!! I realize some of this might be old news for some, but new news for others! I've also included a few links to sound clips from some of these projects. I'll share more later as they come available!


Gato Loco!
Stefan Zeniuk’s latin-y punk jazz group has grown into three major separate projects, all with completely different uses of the tuba. ...and all 3 groups sport the name “Gato Loco”! One group has the tuba as a lead instrument, the other with tuba as a bass, and another as a section horn. Stefan’s music really keeps me on my toes! All 3 GL projects have been recorded at my favorite studio in the world by the incredible Darren Morze.
*Gato Loco DE BAJO This is the LOW END. This really wonderful and unique quintet has a voice all it’s own. It’s sultry, it’s sexy, and it’s LOW. This group is ALL low instruments: tuba, bass saxophone, baritone guitar, acoustic bass (viol) and latin percussion. It is not thunderous or rawkus... it’s quite the opposite. De Bajo is low low and silky-smooth, playing a song-filled repertoire based on 1930’s Cuban “Son” music, with the lead voices being a sonorous duet of bass sax and tuba. This group has a wonderful record completed, to be released this year. (you may be able to wrangle a pre-release copy from Stefan at one of our shows) This CD is good, I’m very proud of it, and response has been fantastic. This band seems at be appearing regularly at some of my favorite haunts including Barbes in Brooklyn as well as other fine establishments all around.
hear excerpts from Gato Loco de Bajo - http://www.tubajoe.com/sounds/updateclips/bajo.mp3
*Gato Loco COCONINO This is the BIG band. This 12 piece powerhouse which sports just as many rhythm players as horns makes a rawkus, groovy, Latin-ish assault. In this band, the tuba suffices as the low section horn and stretches the range and role of the tuba from counterpoint to grooves to exciting my orchestral roots with heavy power chords. Stefan’s compositions are an absolute experience! Fortunately, the group has just finished a really great recording to also be released this year that full of raw energy.
hear excerpts from Gato Loco Coconino - http://www.tubajoe.com/sounds/updateclips/coconino.mp3
*Gato Loco CUATRO This is the most recent incarnation of the original Gato Loco in all it’s punk-jazz-rock glory, and still has electro-tuba as the bass. A second CD of this group is in progress, and thrice will be out this year. Cuatro has a residency in Baltimore, MD in March with a theatre company, details to follow!

Mösl Franzi and the JA JA JA’s
I play the tuba and dammit YES I play in a polka band. And YES it rocks your socks. If you don’t believe me that our traditional “Blasmusik” band can rock, I dare you to come to a gig, grab a beer and dance your lederhosen off... that is if you can get in the door! This is probably the best polka band you’ve ever heard, and is definitely the most fun! ...not to mention there is a real Bavarian guy that yodels while he plays the drums. This band recorded a CD entitled “Blowmusic” in 2008 with a “pre-release release” for our full-time Octoberfest residency, with the official release coming in 2009.
This is Fiona’s favorite CD.
hear excerpts from Blowmusic - http://www.tubajoe.com/sounds/updateclips/jajajas.mp3

This Ambitious Orchestra
It’s an orchestra, a full rock orchestra....with strings and bassoons and everything. What a presentation this group makes! A full-length CD was recorded in 2008 for a 2009 release (tracking an entire symphony...!). This massive undertaking, led by maestro Benjamin Ickies, showcases great arrangements and guest stars which make this group a complete rocking spectacle.

Tin Pan
Through the first half of 2008 I spent a lot of time with this great old-tyme jazzy, rootsy quartet (shall I say “Dixie?”) During my tenure with this band I was fortunate to be a part of a great recording which I’m quite proud of. The band’s sophomore CD “Alice McNulty” is a dirty, greasy, rawkus, powerful vamp through an old-timey feel powered by bucket-loads of tuba. It’s available through iTunes, CDBaby etc.
hear excerpts from Alice McNulty - http://www.tubajoe.com/sounds/updatecli ... cerpts.mp3

Wharton Tract
I was proud to be included on a record for Philly’s harp-rocking crooner Wharton Tract. I even get to play country bass (on the tuba) and R&B horn (also on the tuba of course!) on this powerful project. This is a really fun, rocking-your-butt-off record chock full of my close friends as well as a section of strings from the Philadelphia Orchestra!! It is to be released in 2009.

Stuporwoman
I had a great experience to be recorded as part of the soundtrack to the dance creation Stuporwoman, developed and choreographed by Tania Isaac. The score is by Ohio State University’s dance music professor Michael Wall, and along with partner-in-crime Clifton Hyde, we made some really fun spontaneous music for this intriguing dance work.

Herb and Dorothy
After seeing me jump on stage with the Brazilian Girls and the Himalayas in 2007, film composer David Majzlin asked me play on his orchestral score for Megumi Sasaki’s film Herb and Dorothy. This is a film definitely worth mention; a documentary with a truly unique story -- it’s about a modest middle-class New York couple who were art collectors as hobbyists, and over the course of their lifetimes amassed a huge art collection that would eventually be one of the most important modern art collections in history and change the art world forever.

New Orleans Klezmer Allstars
I have the great fortune of joining the New Orleans Klezmer Allstars for their New York Mardi-Gras tour, which includes sharing a bill with the legendary Dr. John and the Neville Brothers! For a tuba player to be part of such an amazing cast of folks - on a show of all NoLa bands for Mardi-Gras show is an absolute dream. Please join me at Terminal 5 on Friday, February 20th (with the Neville Bros and Dr John) or on for two shows Saturday the 21st at Sullivan Hall and an after hours show at ala Dick Cheney (at an undisclosed location!)

Michael Wagner / “Chappy”
You can also catch me around town with ukelele virtuoso / groovy NoLa refugee crooner Michael “Chappy” Wagner. His songs are great and his “slap” percussive uke playing is completely intricate and innovative. He’s got a fun band that packs rooms -- even in the middle of the night in the middle of a snowstorm. No kidding! Great fun!

Theatre Runs
March has become “Theatre Month!” Coming this February and thru March I have two theatre runs / residencies, one in NYC and one in Baltimore MD. The first is at home in NYC with my compadres Clifton Hyde and Stefan Zeniuk, performing Clifton’s music composed specially for the renowned Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre. The second run is in Baltimore, MD with the new-and-improved Gato Loco Cuatro performing Stefan Zeniuk’s music for the circus-y show “Mumbo”.
See the schedule below for exact dates.

Teaching
I have changed my summer teaching schedule from what it has been in recent years. After 5 seasons with New Jersey’s intense Bushwackers, I’ve decided to take a rest and focus on other projects. During the school year, I continue work with and consult to the great Trumbull High School band from Connecticut which was part of the recent Obama Inaugural Parade in D.C.!
I offer private lessons in Manhattan to dedicated students, but am also willing to come to a specific school or other location if a large enough docket of students to justify the trip does exist. I have a new group of school consulting packages available, specifically geared towards several areas: Individual and Creative Performance, General Ensemble Skills and Cohesive Power, as well as Innovative Competitive Strategies. Clinics and guest performances are also available and results are guaranteed, as always.

Press
I was recently profiled in the Winter ’09 edition of Drum Corps International Magazine. It contains a feature article focusing on corps alumni who have gone on to professional music performance careers. It was an absolute honor to be recognized in that manner and to be highlighted alongside such a fantastic group of performers. Many many thanks.

Also, Jeanne Schroeder, the tuba and bass player of the Grammy-nominated band DeVotchka cited me in an interview for YourHub.com as her first tuba teacher. Schroeder went on record stating that having me teach her the tuba was the “Best move I ever made”. Very very sweet indeed. Go Jeanne!!

Website
TubaJoe.com has undergone a major facelift and has all sorts new stuff... but it’s not uploaded quite yet! Keep checking for schedule updates, new sound clips, new photos and news. Also, join me on MySpace... which just keeps growing and growing... getting close to reaching 10,000 fans and friends from across the world. You may also hit me up on Facebook or Twitter if you like (hit “tubajoe” on Twitter)
http://www.tubajoe.com
http://www.myspace.com/tubajoedotcom

BrassClass Blog
I maintain a teaching blog geared towards scholastic music teachers and performers alike. As much as I can I add pedagogical articles (and opinions!) on all sorts of related topics. Feedback on this blog has been really great.
http://brassclass.blogspot.com

Current Performance Schedule thru March (always subject to change, and it does!)
Feb 16, w/Gato Loco Low End @ Barbes, Brooklyn
Feb 17, w/Gato Loco Quatro @ Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
Feb 20, w/New Orleans Klezmer Allstars (opening for Dr. John and the Neville Brothers!) @ Terminal 5, NYC
Feb 21, w/New Orleans Klezmer Allstars @ Sullivan Hall, NYC
Feb 21, w/New Orleans Klezmer Allstars (after hours!) @ (tba), NYC
Feb 22, w/Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre @ Deane Theater, NYC
Feb 22, w/CARTEL Composers Collective @ Bowery Poetry Club, NYC
Feb 24, w/(tba) @ Trax, NYC
Feb 26, w/Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre @ Deane Theater, NYC
Feb 27, w/Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre @ Deane Theater, NYC
Feb 28 (matinee) w/Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre @ Deane Theater, NYC
Feb 28 (eve) w/Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre @ Deane Theater, NYC
Mar 1, w/Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre @ Deane Theater, NYC
Mar 3, w/Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre @ Deane Theater, NYC
Mar 4, w/Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre @ Deane Theater, NYC
Mar 5, w/Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre @ Deane Theater, NYC
Mar 6, w/Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre @ Deane Theater, NYC
Mar 7 (matinee) w/Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre @ Deane Theater, NYC
Mar 7 (eve) w/Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre @ Deane Theater, NYC
Mar 18, w/Gato Loco Quatro/Mumbo @ Baltimore Theater Project, Baltimore, MD
Mar 19, w/Gato Loco Quatro/Mumbo @ Baltimore Theater Project, Baltimore, MD
Mar 20 (early) w/Gato Loco Quatro/Mumbo @ Baltimore Theater Project, Baltimore, MD
Mar 20 (late) w/Gato Loco Quatro/Mumbo @ Baltimore Theater Project, Baltimore, MD
Mar 20 (after hours) w/Gato Loco Cuatro @ TBA, Baltimore, MD
Mar 21 (early) w/Gato Loco Quatro/Mumbo @ Baltimore Theater Project, Baltimore, MD
Mar 21 (late) w/Gato Loco Quatro/Mumbo @ Baltimore Theater Project, Baltimore, MD
Mar 28, Gato Loco De Bajo @ Barbes, Brooklyn

Mailing list
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Thanks!!!!


tJoe
NYC

[tubatooter1940]

Thanks for the update, Tuba Joe.
I have been following your music, videos and any of your stuff that I can hear or see for sometime, now. I am an avid fan.
Great to read about your busy, interesting work situation up there in New York.
The lovely Miss Fiona sounds like a winner. Congratulations!
Dennis

[Brucom]

If TubaJoe married Joe Dirt, he would be TubaDirt.