It was truly a pleasure to be a part of such a worthwhile event at a truly fabulous venue. I had never been to Mint Leaf, but upon arrival, I realized why it garnering such rave reviews. The venue features a few “self-serve” wine stations; you use a pre-paid card to select which wine you would like to sample, the machine then dispenses about an ounce or so of that selection. The wines, as if they were purchased by the glass or bottle, have different prices, usually running in the $1 to $3 range from what I saw. Greg, the “Wine Guy” was fantastic guide as to what wine to try. The atmosphere and decor at Mint leaf is great, and while I didn’t have anything to eat, the food smelled wonderful!

While performing I met a talented friend of Mechel’s named Rigel Stuhmiller. Rigel is a fantastic illustrator and printmaker…and since I had her take a couple photos for me, talented photographer as well! Thanks also to personal friends Veronica and Kim for stopping by to support the wonderful cause and listen to some jazz guitar! Thanks!

Thanks again to Pam and Mechel! I wish you all the best on your walk and I, like many others hope there can be a cure to cancers of all kind - sooner rather than later.

Stay “Tuned” and thanks for reading
-Terrence

The Trio’s (Terrence Brewer - Guitar, Brandon Essex - Acoustic Bass and Micah McClain - Drums) last performance at Claude, on Saturday June 21, 2008 turned out to be a more of a treat than usual. As we were loading-in and setting up a gentleman sitting at the bar said he was a photographer and asked if he could snap a few shots. Ken Holden turned out to be, not only a great guy, but a fantastic photographer. Ken specializes in fine art photography, but did us the honor of dabbling in some “commercial” photography that night! I told Ken he could snap as many photos a he wanted as long as he would share a few with me for my blog…after a little persuading he agreed I’m happy to share those photos with you all..

Thanks Ken!

Stay “Tuned” and thanks for reading

I first spoke with program director Kevin Chen in 2006 after the release of my first two records, The Calling: Volume One and Two. At that time I inquired about Intersections Jazz composers residency. Kevin mentioned the position was filled for the next two years, but Intersection was producing a show in conjunction with San Francisco’s famed De Young Museum and asked if I would interested in performing. The DeYoung show proved to be that start of a great friendship/partnership between Kevin and I. From day one Kevin proved to be a fan of me and the music I wrote and for that I am truly greatful!!

After the De Young concert I inquired about performing at Intersections performance space. Since Intersection only produces “Jazz at Intersection” once a month slots are limited, but Kevin committed to get the group in as soon as possible…and he lived up to the commitment. The quintet (Kasey Knudsen - Sax, Jarrett Cherner - Piano, Brandon Essex - Acoustic Bass, Micah McClain - Drums) had one of those shows that reminds us all why we do this!! From the moment we arrived Intersections staff/personnel (Josh - Sound/Lights, Phil - “The Jazz Intern”, Chida - /Director of Communication/Front of House, Art - Intersection live music archivist, Scott Chernis - Photographer) made sure we had everything we needed to have a great show. It is truly a pleasure to work a venue and have a mutual respect between the artists and the venue!! The capacity crowd was energetic and hip - just the way we like ‘em!

I look forward to working with Kevin and the folks at Intersection again in the future. Check back to this post in the future as I hope to add some professional photos from Scott Chernis and audio of the concert.

Stay “Tuned” and thanks for reading
Terrence

The strange (and wonderful) thing about the call was that I didn’t really know Eric…we have lots of mutual music friends and we had heard each others names tossed about in the Bay area media/jazz community, but we had never met…never so much as spoken. I knew Eric and I were going to hit off the moment he called me; see he was interested in the same thing I’m interested in - THE MUSIC! It’s not about ego, it’s not about playing with the same guys you always play with and playing the same tunes you always play…nah, it’s about the beauty of creating something new. Eric called a guy (that’d be me) he didn’t know, but had heard good things about and said, “Let’s make some music!”

I was sold…:-)

[Side note...and funny story] Eric first heard about me through Cat (my manager/publicist/wife). She saw him performing with his trio at an event, walked up to him and requested the Stanley Turrentine song “Sugar” and then she said if you don’t know “Sugar” play “Cheesecake” by Dexter Gordon…Eric said he was a little stunned; musicians don’t usually get “obscure” and interesting requests like that from the general public. She then handed him a copy of my first record, The Calling: Volume One, and said, “this is my husband, he plays jazz guitar and manage him”. Eric said he just about tossed Volume One in the pile of CD’s us musicians always get from random folks at random events…but, he took it home, gave it a listen, and liked what he heard. A few years went by and he was listening to KCSM. I was giving an interview that day promoting my latest record, QuintEssential, and my upcoming CD release at Yoshi’s Jazz house in Oakland. Eric put two and two together and made the call…

We set the band lineup (amazing players), Ruth Davies - Bass and Deszon X Claiborne - Drums. Eric and exchanged a few emails, phone calls, and had one short rehearsal at his house. Eric’s a great guy, laid-back, humble, funny; it was a real treat hanging with someone who was such a class player and a nice guy. We had a wonderful show - fantastic turn-out and, more importantly, the music was happenin’! There was definite synergy on stage between Eric and I. Our styles are similar (both finger-style) players, but different enough we compliment each other.

Eric and I have spoken a few more time and we are planing to make some music again soon, with another performance in the not-too-distant future.

Photos by Cat, the “Annie Leibovitz” of the iPhone

Minor Crisis - Eric Swinderman from In Pursuit of the Sound

The Way - Terrence Brewer from The Calling: Volume One

Stay “Tuned” and thanks for reading

I first met Stephen while he was working as the Chief Engineer for the legendary and world famous Fantasy Studios in Berkeley; a job he held down for over a decade. Stephen and I became fast friends as we worked on recording, mixing, and mastering QuintEssential, the third album on my Strong Brew Music record label. Stephen has an amazing list of folks he has recorded…a whose-who of the rock, pop, and jazz worlds…Santana (Shaman), Tony Bennett & Bill Evans, White Stripes, David Bowie, En Vogue, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Albert King, Issac Hayes, Steve Cropper/Booker T./Duck Dunn, John Lee Hooker, J.Garcia & Merle Saunders, Henry Kaiser, Brandi Shearer, Patti Austin, McCoy Tyner…to name just a few!! I was honored to have his wisdom in making this record; his, almost, three decades of recording knowledge made the process easy…and the record sounds amazing!

Stephen’s mixing/mastering space is called The MixRoom. The MixRoom also serves as the control room when making studio recordings or live sessions in one of the two largest studio spaces at BASS.

Along with my trio (Tim Campbell - B-3 Organ and Micah McClain - Drums), Adam Theis’ band ‘Super Taster’ performed. Along with the happening music was great food and lots of good friends. All-in-all it was a great night..:-)

And I have to give a “shout-out” to Brad Dollar, Stephen’s assistant; Brad keeps everything on-track and moving in the right direction…plus, he portrays the “voice-of-God” rather convincingly! Brad, tell your sister Karen to get me the pictures from that night so I can include them in the blog…shame on her!!

Blues For Katie from the album QuintEssential
5 O’Clock from the album QuintEssential

Thanks for reading!

The Florida connection started when a good SF Bay area friend (and all around jazz guitar aficionado) of mine, Jeff Kross invited Wendy Durand (the Studio @ 620, St. Petersburg, FL) to come check out the band. After hearing us Wendy thought we would be a good fit and a nice addition to the type of programs the Studio @ 620 was currently running. The Studio @ 620 is a famed St. Petersburg/Tampa Bay area performing arts studio; they showcase everything from art to dance, theater to spoken word, with a little jazz sprinkled in for good measure!

Wendy (along with artistic directors Bob Jones and Dave Ellis) covered our airfare and a few nights stay at, what is arguably, one of the greatest resort hotels in the country, Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club. The logistics of getting a jazz trio (plus Cat - manager/publicist/my wife) complete with acoustic bass, guitars, amps, and some drums across the country is quite a challenge. But, though perseverance, hard work (mostly Wendy - thanks Wendy!!), some scientific engineering by bassist Brandon Essex, and a great airline crew (SouthWest) we did it!

The jazz fans in Florida are amazing. Florida doesn’t have nearly the depth of the jazz scene we have here in the SF Bay area, but the artists who reside there are phenomenally talented and the folks who support the scene come out in full force! We had two standing room only concerts: radio station WMNF on Thursday May 29th and the Studio @ 620 on Saturday May 31st. WMNF (in Tampa Florida) had been playing my latest record, QuintEssential, in heavy rotation since it’s release in March. Cat worked day and night with WMNF all-around-superstar Carrie Core to line up a concert date for the trio. WMNF also did a fantastic job of promoting the show…they are quite a force in the St. Pete/Tampa Bay area (for us SF Bay area folks think KCSM meets KPFA!!). We performed in WMNF’s live music studio with a standing room only crowd; they were hip, enthusiastic, energetic and they love jazz!!

On Thursday morning we had breakfast with Bob Jones who, by the way, is a great cook in addition to being a talented director, artist, and all-around renaissance man! At breakfast wet met a good friend of Bob’s, Herb Snitzer. Herb is the embodiment of jazz history and in specific jazz photo history. You know those shirts you ssee folks wearing with Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Nina Simone, etc on them? Herb took most of those photos!! Ya, that’s right…he was there documenting it all with his camera…pretty cool…Herb signed a copy a copy of his book ‘Jazz - A Visual Journey’ for me…he was such a sweetheart.

AT WMNF we met Tracy May. Tracy turned out to be a great guy, wonderful photographer, and the 5th member of the Terrence Brewer team in Florida. Tracy took some kick-ass photos (displayed below) at both the WMNF concert and then later in the week at the Studio @ 620 concert. Thanks Tracy and we’ll see you next spring!!

The Studio @ 620 concert on Saturday night was huge success. Another standing room only event with some amazing St. Pete jazz fans in attendance. A lot of jazz artists who reside in the area also turned out in force to come check what the west coast jazz scene had to offer in the way of the Terrence Brewer Trio.

All in all it was a great trip and, what I believe to be, the start of a great yearly journey!

Thanks for Reading!

Terrence Brewer Trio: Micah McClain - Drums, Brandon Essex - Acoustic Bass, Terrence Brewer - Guitar

For two years we have had the fortune to take residence at the Harvest Moon Cafe in downtown Sonoma and kick some tunes for the good folks who have come from all over the country to sip our California wine and listen to some great jazz. Chef Nick and his wife make some out of this world food and are some of the most down-to-earth, genuine people I have met! If you’re ever in downtown Sonoma stop by Harvest Moon and tell ‘em Terrence Brewer sent you…:-)

Here’s a photo of me playing guitar and another of me and Lisa Bautista; Lisa runs “JFM Presents” (Just For Musicians), a management, booking, and PR agency out of Emeryville here in the San Francisco Bay area. Later I hope to post some photos of the trio (Wil Blades - Organ, Micah McClain - Drums, myself, and the Janus reps)

Thanks for Reading
Terrence

I am honored, not only to be the first concert in the series but, to be associated with an organization which is making strides to enhance the lives of Oakland’s youth.

The event was a success; the crowd was really into the music, full of energy, and more than happy to support their neighborhood schools. The presidents of the both Edna Brewer and Glenview schools were in attendance as well and students from both locations.

Here’s a post concert picture of the Quartet (L to R): Robert Rhodes - Drums, Devon Hood - Bass, Tim Campbell - Piano, and me. Park Blvd is a fantastic setting for acoustic music; a rich, warm sounding room that allows us to be creative and explore every subtlety of the music…plus, the band sounded great that afternoon!

Thanks for reading!
Terrence

The concert was held at Alameda’s historic Kofman Auditorium in downtown and was MC’d by KCBS-740AM’s own Stan Bunger. The concert featured performances by the Eye Witness News Blues Band (featuring Stan Bunger and Mike Sugarman of KCBS and Steve Rubenstein of the SF Chronicle), Al Hart, Natasha Miller, Dann Zinn, Chris Planas, the Alameda students, and myself. In addition to a really great turn out, the crowds fantastic energy kept us going well into the late hours of the night! Click here to view the fabulous photos taken by Alameda’s own Ed Jay.

While I don’t have kids in the Alameda schools, I was happy to be a part of such a grass-roots, historic event. I was fortunate enough to go to school in a time and in an area where we had music in the schools at no cost to kids. My exposure to music at a young age not only led me to a career in music, but helped me travel and meet people and see places I otherwise wouldn’t have. Music also introduced me to people who are life long friends and gave me mentors in my teachers who are like a second family to me.

You can troll out all the facts you want about how music makes kids smarter, more social, etc, etc. The fact I know to be true is, for me and all my friends who participated, music provided some of the most inspirational, rewarding, and life changing experiences we will have ever known.

Thanks for reading
Terrence

The day started with a performance/interview for SRJC’s jazz imporv class. Myself, Bennett, and two students (Josh Fossgreen - bass and Miles Tune - Drums) performed several jazz standards as well as an original composition of mine to demonstrate improvising and accompanying in different styles. In between songs Bennett engaged me in interview style questions that covered the entire range of the musical experience - how did I get started, my influences, how do I market and promote myself, etc.

That night I performed with SRJC’s three jazz combos. The concert was in Newall Hall, one of the most amazing recital halls I’ve seen on any campus! We had a great turn out and most importantly a lot of fun

The SRJC students gave me inspiration beyond belief! It wasn’t that long ago I was in the same seats they’re in now while I was a student at Los Medanos College (a JC in San Francisco’s east bay). They helped renew my passion for the music…they reminded me why I started on this path…it was, and is, the love of the music. They played their hearts out and had a great time and I was honored to be a part of it with them!

No matter what the music biz throws my way, I am truly blessed to have my passion be my vocation!

Thanks for reading

Terrence

Terrence Brewer at Santa Rosa JC Video