Whew! CD News....

I shipped the finished CD off to the duplicators today! It'll still be a couple of weeks before I get the finished product, but it feels good to know it's done on this end. The CD is called Residue and features 14 original compositions performed by yours truly on solo Chapman Stick. Expect more info when I have the actual copies. Keep your eyes on www.tiptonstick.com for info on upcoming gigs and CD news as well.
Part of the reason I was able to finish and get it sent off today is that it is raining out, so no window washing for me today. It's been raining the last several days here, which is actually unusual according to most people I've spoken to. It almost reminds me of Cleveland ; )

Feeling Froggy!

I've been asked to play at the Salida Riverside Fine Arts Festival in August. I'm looking forward to this, lots of good music and art at Riverside park here in Salida. One of my favorite places to hang out.
Yesterday, I finished the final tweaks on the new CD, I'm hoping to have the graphics and packaging all set to go by Monday. Then it's off to the duplicators, I'll be making an announcement to all my friends and family when it's available.

Friday evening I had the privilege to play at an Art Reception for local artist Jon MacManus. Despite being a rainy evening the turnout was great. Besides being a talented artist Jon keeps me busy during the week washing windows and doing odd jobs. Had a great time playing, but realized I need to print out a card explaining the Chapman Stick. Everytime I'd start a song someone would walk up an ask me to explain the instrument to them! Got lots of nice comments about the music too!

Had a wonderful surprise this past week. The wonderful French artist Jean-Louis Verdier sent Sherrie and I a copy of his latest project, a Nature Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians. Jean-Louis is an amazing illustrator, imagine my surprise when I opened the cover and found he had drawn a frog jamming on the Chapman Stick! Many,many thanks Jean-Louis!

What a weekend!

Just got back from Trinadad, Colorado.
I was there with Sherrie for the Colorado Art Ranch artposium entitled ... Sex & Sensibility. From the Art Ranch website...
"The Artposium is an event exploring the intersection of writing, art and sexuality. This Artposium is about how sexuality is portrayed in the arts, and how it affects our behaviors, relationships, societies and evolution."
We had a blast. The speakers were all great and I felt like I got some new perspectives on this challenging topic. I particularly enjoyed listening to author Joe Quirk's take on the biological aspects of sex.

Part of the reason we were there was that I was invited to play my Chapman Stick. I played on Saturday evening with Art Ranch treasurer Gavin Mauer, t'was a fun time.
I love these events and everyone I've met through the Colorado Art Ranch, looking forward to seeing what's next with these guys.
Sherrie and I took the long route home and I had a chance to see some more spectacular views of Colorado. I'm really digging this place.
On other fronts, I've been keeping busy working a lot lately. I still have a few finishing touches to put on the CD before it's finally released. So close.... I'm eager to get it out.

I'll be playing solo Chapman Stick this upcoming Friday (May 22nd, 6-8pm). I'll be at the Paquette Gallery at the Steamplant for a reception for artist Jon MacManus.
He has some really great stuff. Stop by if you can : )

And finally.... my fortune cookie from tonight's dinner...
"You have a deep interest in all that is artisitic"
well... duh!

Feeling better!

I've been feeling under the weather for the last couple of weeks, but after seeing a doctor a couple of days ago and getting some meds, I'm feeling much, much better. Now I just have to keep away from the "Swine Flu" we've all been hearing about. Not sure how much to worry about that one.

I'm excited... today I wrapped up recording the final tracks for the new CD of Chapman Stick Solos.
I still have mixing and mastering to do, along with the graphic design, etc, so it'll still be a few weeks. But the hard part is done! I still need to name a few of the tracks, something which I find incredibly difficult to do. If I didn't think it was lame, I'd just name them "track #1" , "track #2", etc. I'm pleased with the way things have turned out, now I'm already scheming in my mind for the next CD.

I have work lined up for the next several days, so I'll be making some very much needed $$. As usual the weather has been gorgeous here, and after being cooped up in the house sick I'll be glad to be out and about.

Finally,
A year ago today I was driving from Cleveland to Colorado to start a new life. The past year has been wonderful, I'm healthier, I'm happier and I'm excited about what the future holds. I couldn't of done it without the help and support of my friends, especially Matt & Kim, Kristen & Andy, Kat and Deena. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I miss my friends back in Cleveland, especially my niece Lily and my old band mates.
Sherrie, thanks for setting out on this journey with me, as this first year passes, I know this is the path I want to be on. Here's to keeping it going!

Finally, a new post!

Here I am playing my Chapman Stick ...immortalized in wax covered string!

Once again it has been way too long between posts. I've been keeping myself very busy, although I am being forced to slow down these past few days by some nasty little virus that has decided to take up residence in me. In the past several years I've hardly been sick at all, so I guess I'm due. I do find now that when I am not feeling well, if I slow way, way down and I usually recover pretty quickly. Whatever I have now seems pretty persistent, enough so that I've been camping out on the couch reading novels and watching Planet of the Apes movies. I feel like such a slug, even more so since today is Sherrie's Birthday! We celebrated with a little getaway over the weekend, but I wish I had more energy today, I'll have to take her out for dinner when I'm feeling better.

The Big News!
I've been working very hard on getting the new CD done. It is a collection of all original solo instrumental compositions performed on the Chapman Stick. I hoping to have it completed in the next couple of weeks, in time to celebrate my one year anniversary of arriving in Colorado.

Miscellany

This is my fortune cookie prediction from lunch today. With a decent Chinese restaurant just a block away, we end up there on a fairly regular basis. We've started to save our cookie fortunes and now have a bowl dedicated just to them.

I haven't been keeping up with the blog much lately, but here are a couple of new discoveries..

Sweet, delicious Ginger Syrup! It's a heck of a lot cheaper than real Maple syrup, and oh so good!
Ginger pancakes with ginger syrup, need I say more? Tomorrow morning, french toast with ginger syrup. The obsession continues...

Sherrie and I spent a couple of evenings putting together this impossible jigsaw puzzle by
Alex Beard. Guess what? IT WAS REALLY HARD!

Happy Groundhog Day!

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow Monday morning, predicting this winter will last for six more weeks. I'm not worried though. I'm finding the weather here in Salida way better than my old digs in Cleveland. It's been pretty mild compared to my expectations, and there is way more sunshine than I'm used to. I try and get outside some everyday.
This past weekend Sherrie and I drove over to Crestone, Colorado. It's a groovy little town. From Wikipedia:
The Crestone area, which includes the Baca Grande and Moffat, Colorado, is a spiritual and new age center with several world religions represented; including a Hindu temple, a Zen center, a coed Carmelite monastery, several Tibetan centers, and miscellaneous new age happenings.
We had a great lunch and wandered around town for the afternoon, it was nice to get away for the day.
I've been keeping busy with music. I've been laying down a few tracks with local musician Bones. I've also been getting some good work done on my CD of solo Chapman Stick originals. The weekly gig with "Your Surrogate Cousin"at Mothers Bistro in Buena Vista has been going well.

Dustin Heron Urban wrote this great article about us.

We play Wednesday evenings from 7-9pm and have a guest Musician join us each week.
Coming up we have:

Feb 4th: Bruce Hayes

Feb. 11: Matthew Coen (guitar, vocals) and Richard Longberg (bass)
upbeat acoustic singer/songwriter

Feb 18: Scott Adams (acoustic fingerstyle guitar)

Mar. 11: Andrea Earley-Coen and friends (old-time fiddle music from the best fiddler in the Ark Valley)

Mar 18: Chris Nasca (rock and blues guitar)


Join us if you can!