White House Concert

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Satuko Fujii Ma-do, an experimental jazz quartet from Japan performed at the White House at an unusually early 3pm show. The White House concerts are free, being hosted by Benoit Glaser and his beautiful family. The concert space was designed by Benoit and it is acoustically exceptional. Benoit is the music director for Cirque du Soleil.

When I entered, I immediately wandered up the spiral staircase to the top floor where I filled my watercolor brushes with water in the bathroom. I found a seat right up against the railing overlooking the stage. I love this “god’s eye” view. Robin Maria-Pedrero was the visual artist who worked next to the stage. Robin’s canvas developed quickly as she brushed in large bold blocks of color. Under these colors was some masking agents which she rubbed off revealing hidden shapes and forms. Her bright multi layered work was a good match to the abstract experimental sounds of Satuko Fujii Ma-do.

The music was often dissonant and disjointed. The trumpet was used to create squealing wet sounds that caused some audience members to laugh uncomfortably. It was fun to sketch to and the rising swell and thrust of each piece inspired the lines I was dashing off on the page. Terry showed up late and her friend Wendy Wallenberg was there to joke around with us as we stood around the snack table after the concert. Wendy took over the hostess duties by straightening up and rearranging everything on the table.

I spoke with Robin the visual artist after the performance. She explained how she likes to find recognizable forms in the abstract brushwork she first puts down. She pointed to a canvas on the wall and said the rabbits were such a revelation to her. I didn’t see the rabbits at first and I was surprised when their tiny forms jumped out at me.

Shut Up & Play Sketch Marathon

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Music was being performed constantly for 12 hours at 11/12 Lounge. Artist, Dawn Schreiner had to move her easel and art supplies off stage two as all the musical equipment was changed out. The next band brought in another drum set so there was plenty of activity on the stage. I was still adding watercolor washes to a sketch as all the sound equipment was being carted away. Lynn Halter Birdsall told me to inform Dawn that she could set up on the stage across the room since the other artist was done with his painting. When I sketched the Forefathers, she was at her new post. With all the activity, I abandoned inking in my drawings and just scribbled away with my pencil. I started to love the freedom the blunt pencil offered.

The Forefathers performed in the red glow of stage one. Their music had a mystic lyricism. Jupiter Groove on stage two was the last act that I sketched. Their driving riffs had elements of Progressive Fusion and Jazz. The seemingly improvisational performance influenced every line I drew. I kept beat with the flow of every line. I had arranged to get Terry into the concert. She finally texted me saying she was on her way. After my sketch was done I contemplated getting a beer and relaxing a bit. But Jeremy Birdsall was on stage playing keyboard and guitar at the same time. He was jamming with two other musicians he had just met. They improvised with absolute joy and abandon. I stood at a table and swayed to the beat. People at the bar were clapping and shouting encouragement. The place was buzzing and vibrant. I just soaked it in.

When Terry arrived she wanted to immediately go out to get a bite to eat. I left on my wrist band figuring I could return to the festival which continued until 2am. After dinner at Dexter’s we went to Karen Russell’s opening at Mother Falcon. Quite a few of her pieces were sold. Terry talked to Karen about possibly getting a tattoo. We went home. It was a good day.

Shut Up & Play Instrumental Music Festival

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Shut Up & Play was an all day music festival held at 11/12 Lounge (843 Lee Road Orlando). There were three stages with music being performed non-stop. As one group broke down their equipment on one stage musicians would be set up and ready to go at the stage on the opposite end of the room. People seated in the center of the room only had to rotate their chairs. The first performer I saw was Dominic Gaudious who had an amazing branching Didgeridoo which had a deep mesmerizing tone that complimented his guitar playing. I had seen him perform once before at Downtown Disney. Bruce Bentner was the artist on stage. He used a projector to transfer the Shut Up & play poster onto canvas. He used black light paints to give the painting some added punch.

Lindy Romez, a fabulous trumpet player was seated right in front of me as I sketched. She and her Sol Y Mar band jumped on the stage once Dominic was finished with his performance. I had sketched Lindy Romez & Sol Y Mar once before at the White House.

Across the room Decoy Beat performed. Jeremy Birdsall who organized the whole event was on guitar. Jeremy was a consummate performer, arching his body to the flow of the music. He was fun to sketch. When he introduced the group he thanked his wife Lynn Halter Birdsall who had worked so hard to make the event possible. There was plenty of applause. I glanced over at Lynn who was busy getting a band checked in. Lynn had given me a slick Shut Up and Play lanyard that proudly announced that I was an artist. It was such an awesome design that I wouldn’t mind wearing it all the time. If anyone were to ask if I were an artist, I could just point to the lanyard. Come to think of it, mo one ever asked if I was an artist at this event.

Dawn Schreiner was the artist hard at work as Decoy Beat played. She finished a quick portrait she had started of Martin Luthar King by adding radiating lines around his head. Then she started a whimsical piece with a turn of the century couple and birds. I loved the way she boldly drew in the faces with a brush. Her lines danced.

Shut Up and Play

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Last year the organizers of “Shut Up and Play”, Jeremy Birdsall and Thuan Nguyen, invited me to sketch at the all day all acoustic concert. The next week must have been a busy one since those sketches never made it to the blog until now. This year’s “Shut Up and Play” concert presented by Presented by Kavode Entertainment & 11/12 Lounge looks like it will pack a punch. More than 20 bands will perform on three indoor stages. Headlining the event will be the jaw-dropping Regi Wooten Band from Nashville, and there will be an all-star jam at the end of the night! The variety of acoustic music on the menu is astounding. There is fusion, funk, jazz, new age, rock, groove, hip hop, blues, Latin, new age, 70’s progressive, ambient, world, flamenco and classical! Obviously there is something for any musical taste and palate.

I had so much fun sketching at the event last year. First I got to meet and work with Louise Bova and Dawn Schreiner, several visual artists whose work I respect and admire. Louise and Dawn worked live on stage as the bands performed. Dawn worked on a whimsically decorated room divider while Louise painted a portrait. I sketched from the wings of the stage and then from the open area in front of the stage. The music from “Bucket of Shrimp Ears” was energetic and a blast to sketch to. This amazing music festival will leave you dancing in the aisles. I intend to sketch till I drop while enjoying the music.

Some of the bands I have seen before, like the Absinthe Trio, Shak Nasti, and the Forefathers. I look forward to hearing them again. There is body painting, live art, massages and prizes. Come on out to “Shut Up and Play” Saturday June 26th from 2pm to 2am at 11/12 Lounge (843 Lee Road Winter Park).

Casa Feliz

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Every Sunday from noon to three there are performances by talented Orlando musicians at Casa Feliz (656 Park Avenue, Winter Park.) Angela Roark who organizes these Sunday concerts said hello and welcomed me to the Casa. I stopped in as harpist Catherine Way was tuning up her golden harp which she named Elizabeth Marie. The music ranged from “Phantom of the Opera” to “Here Comes the Sun”. Catherine is a huge fan of the Beatles and she pointed out that “Here Comes the Sun” was chosen by astronauts multiple times when they televised space missions. Elizabeth Marie had a golden peaceful tone that filled the room. There were perhaps six rows of chairs set up and quite a few people showed up to enjoy the music. If you ever find yourself exploring Park Avenue on a Sunday, I would certainly make sure to stop in at Casa Feliz for a taste of old Florida history and music.

As I finished my sketch I remembered that Terry was at home being a weekend warrior and pulling weeds in the hot Florida sunshine. Feeling a bit guilty I quickly packed up my supplies. Catherine wanted to see the sketch and then she shared it with the audience. Several people asked me for the name of the blog so then could type it into their cell phones or make a note on a scrap of paper. I never seem to have business cards when I need them. I pass them out faster than I can print them.

Signing CDs

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Terry got tickets to hear world class violinist, Joshua Bell, play with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra at the Bob Carr Theater. We were seated far back away from the stage so I didn’t attempt a sketch. Terry pointed out that my name was in the program twice, probably because I had donated a sketch for a fundraiser. The house lights dimmed and I snuggled back into my seat. The music was soothing so I closed my eyes and drifted away. Periodically my head would bob forward and I would shake myself awake before drifting off again. The violinist performed after the intermission. He played admirably with bravado and flair. He stood the whole time shifting his weight often, swaying with the flow of the music.

For an encore he performed “Yankee Doodle” which he spiced up with so much intricate showmanship that it was always a surprise when the simple tune became recognizable. Christopher Wilkins the conductor let everyone know that the violinist would be signing CDs in the lobby after the performance. He joked that if you had your own sharpie, you might be allowed to sign the violin. Apparently the Stradivarius violin has a long colorful history.

I have been searching for lines to draw and there was a huge line of people waiting to get their CDs signed. As soon as I started sketching the line started to move. A handler hurried people along making sure they didn’t speak to the musician for long. “Please keep it moving” he kept saying. As I sketched one of the ushers approached me and said I would have to leave the floor. There were hundreds of people in the lobby and I didn’t understand why I was being asked to move, but I complied. I continued to work on the sketch from a vantage point on the stairwell to the lobby. When I saw the usher was gone, I returned to my original spot and continued to work. By this time I was in a foul mood. I wondered if the violinist’s handler had considered me some sort of threat. Was my sketching causing a disruption? Honestly few people noticed what I was doing. This incident made me feel like sketching events at the Bob Carr is more of a hassle than it is worth.

Andy Matchett & The Minks

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I had seen Andy Matchett & The Minks perform once before at a RIFF fundraiser at the Cameo Theater. They performed late that evening and I had put away my sketchbook. I had so much fun at that concert just dancing and jumping. It was a playful rave experience. Ever since then I have been looking for a chance to sketch this band in action. Andy told me about a concert at the Social and I leaped at the opportunity to see them again.

I had just finished an afternoon of sketching people for the Mennello Museum mural. Angela Abrusci had posed in a beautiful vintage dress as she applied lipstick and James and Jasmine Barone had me in stitches, joking and teasing as I worked. She held a parasol and he was in a kilt. When the sketches were done, I walked across the street to the Fringe festival’s green lawn of fabulousness to get some dinner. I bumped into Jeremy Seghers who was also going to see Andy Matchett & The Minks that night. He told me the group would be performing around 11pm so I had time for a Fringe show. He told me all about the show he had created called “Squatters” and it was about to begin so I rushed over to the theater. Jeremy told me the Social was on Orange Avenue just south of Colonial Drive.

I parked downtown in my usual “supersuprimo” spot and started walking towards Orange. I passed a cheesy mural which offered no inspiration. When I got to Orange I made the mistake of turning right to walk north towards a club I had been to before. After five blocks I realized I was lost. I looked up the Social address on my cell phone and went the other way. I was a sweaty mess when I got to the Social, where I was issued a green wrist band and ushered inside past the bouncer. I immediately saw Betsy Dye and Emma Kruch and my spirit lifted. Another band was performing and they were LOUD! I shouted a greeting to Betsy and she shouted out that this was a rare night out for her. Jeremy waved me over and I gave up trying to shout over the music. I found a spot where I decided to plant myself to sketch. I used the band on stage to block in where the Minks would likely be once they performed. Then I sketched the dancing crowd.

As Andy Matchett & The Minks set up, I continued to sketch. Before they played, a band member handed me some confetti. Jeremy found some seats and I joined him. The performance was pure unbridled fun. The second they started playing, confetti cannons sprayed vast clouds of heart shaped confetti over the crowd. Hair driers kept the confetti and streamers airborne through the whole show. Blowers sent streams of toilet paper into the crowd. Betsy collected the paper and wrapped herself into a fashionable cocoon. The lights flashed various colors on my sketchbook page. I imagined the Japanese animation that caused seizures in children. A parachute was unfurled over the cheering audience. Britt Daley had performed earlier that night and she introduced me to her mom, Gazelle. Jeremy kept getting bonked in the head and we laughed. Robbie Senior, a giant red robot from “Dog Powered Robot” invaded the stage. An epic laser and confetti battle followed. The crowd went wild. A wine glass crashed to the floor. A woman who had been sitting demurely all evening, was now dancing up a storm. The next day when I opened my sketchbook to see what I caught, a pink confetti heart fluttered to the floor.

Fringe Festival ribbon cutting.

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The Orlando International Fringe Festival began May 18th. I got to Loch Haven Park around 5:30pm and the Green Lawn of Fabulousness was already crowded. Classic rock musician, John Lowbridge, was playing guitar on the outdoor stage. The large tented area was packed with people sampling food and drink. I rushed past the beer tent, but stopping to shake Mike Maples hand. He was offering red and white wine to help promote the show he is in called “Big Swinging Dick’s Topless Bar and Drag Queen Farting.” The title says it all.

Inside the Shakespeare Theater I bumped into Jeff Ferree who has the smallest venue at the festival, a walk-in closet where he is staging a puppet show. He says 13 people can squeeze in but it looks tight. I arranged to try and sketch his theater between performances. I doubt I could sketch with a standing room only crowd, I get claustrophobic. Then I ran into Pepe who was leaving a trail of white feathers from his flamboyant boa as he paraded back to the outdoor stage. There he took to the stage to announce to all the “mommys and poppys” that the ribbon cutting ceremony was about to begin. The Fringe cheerleaders held the ends of the purple ribbon. Beth Marshall, Matt McGrath and an assortment of board members were on hand. Patty Shehan made a proclamation announcing the beginning of the 20th annual Fringe Festival and with a quick snip the two halves of the ribbon fluttered to the ground.

After the ceremony most people went inside the Shakespeare Theater for the Fringe Gala Show in the Margeson Theater. John the guitarist started packing up his amplifier and the endless miles of electrical cords as he got ready to leave. We talked for a bit about music and art and then I packed my things to see if I could get another sketch inside the Shakes of the Gala show.

Orlando Home Grown Show

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As part of the week long Snap Photography celebration, there was to be an exhibit of photography from Orlando locals at the Orlando Museum of Art as part of First Thursdays. Johannah O’Donnel was there and I was told she helped organize the exhibit. On exhibit in the front gallery were paintings which all revolved around an urban theme. I made my way back towards the sound of music. I bumped into Joe Rosier who was promoting his one man storytelling show in the up coming Fringe festival. I am trying to arrange to sketch Joe since he has so much character.

In the central room of the museum with the giant blue blown glass sculpture by Dale Chilhuly a simple two man band was warming up. Adriaan Mol was playing guitar in his laid back fashion. The bands name was, Please Respect our Decadence. There was a nice tall cocktail table right in front of the stage so I started to sketch. I always get nervous sketching in museums now and I kept tracking the museum guards movements as I worked.

Jared Silvia said hello and he let me know where the photography exhibit was. When I finished sketching I went to the back gallery where the photo exhibit was hung. Jared let me know where his wife Silvia’s piece was hung. She was near her photo talking with friends. I jokingly asked her to stop crowding the art so I could get a look. It was a stark almost black and white photo of a woman in a flowing white dress lying in a stream. I couldn’t see the woman’s face. It looked to me like a murder scene. I talked to Jared about it and he said I was wrong. It was a more romantic and symbolic image with personal significance. I mentioned Dustin Hoffman floating in the pool in a scene from “The Graduate.” I hit much closer to the mark with that visual analogy.

Snap was like a week long shot of adrenalin. This dynamic, inspiring event shook me to the core making me realize the importance creative media can have to affect positive change. The city of Orlando really needs events like this to challenge, provoke and inspire creative change.

Here Come the Mummies!

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Carl Gauze had an extra ticket to see “Here Come the Mummies” at the Plaza Theater. I met him there and we waited with the crowd to get in. We grabbed some beers and sat in the lobby. Carl wrote and is producing a Fringe show titled “Big Swinging Dicks topless bar Presents the Naked Drag Queen Farting.” Without a doubt this had to be the longest and most controversial title of the year. He presented me with a matchbook with all the show dates and a sexy pinup girl on the cover. I had seen a read through of the play and we talked about it for a while. Then the house lights flashed and it was time to go inside.

I was surprised to see that most of the theater seats had been removed leaving standing room for everyone. Barricades separated the standing crowd from the stage. I squeezed my way through the crowd to get close to the stage. When Here Come the Mummies ran out the crowd went wild. They stomped and danced in place. The lead mummy came out in a red carnival barkers jacket with tails. He thrust his hips towards the audience as he sang, “Carnal Carnival.” The rowdy rock & roll music has a flavor of New Orleans jazz, and is pure sinful fun. Libido Knieval had the whole audience dancing in place and singing the refrain.

The high energy performance never let up. Here Come the Mummies were constantly on the move as they belted out tune after tune. I loved it! I wondered how it was that they didn’t sweat to death given their non-stop aerobics. They must have been wrapped in the lightest of gauze. At one point the lead singer came out with a cowbell attached to a leather codpiece. The mallet was suggestively attached by a hinge below it. He played the instrument by thrusting his hips at every woman in the audience. Now that must be a fun instrument to play.