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July 1, 2008
One day, out of the blue, I received a call from famed San Francisco Bay area jazz/blues guitarist Eric Swinderman. Eric wanted to know if I was interested in playing a show with him at Anna’s Jazz Island, one of the SF Bay areas fantastic jazz listening venues located in downtown Berkeley. Anna’s is a venue I have played for many years and enjoy working – Eric is a great guitarist with an outstanding reputation and following, so I, of course, said “YES!”.
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 
Filed under: Uncategorized |
June 30, 2008
On Friday, May 16, 2008, my good friend (and recording engineer extraordinaire) Stephen Hart hosted an amazing birthday bash which also served as a grand opening for his new sound stage/rehearsal space/recording facility known as Bay Area Sound Studios or B.A.S.S..
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!
Filed under: Gigs, Music |
June 24, 2008
In May 2008 my trio and I were given a great opportunity – travel to Florida, meet some great jazz fans, and play some music! It doesn’t get much better than that…:-)
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
Filed under: Gigs, Uncategorized |
June 3, 2008
For the third year now I have had the opportunity to perform at the Sonoma Wine and Song Festival; a day time event which runs in conjunction with its parent production, the Annual Sonoma Jazz Festival. For the past two years my my group has had the honor to perform at the private, invite-only, function hosted by one of the festival main sponsors, Janus. Kasey, Christina and the nice folks at Janus were great to the trio as we helped keep the crowd entertained…even though we were weathering an unusual last May rain!
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
Filed under: Gigs |
May 8, 2008
On Sunday, May 18th at 2pm, my Jazz quartet with the assistance of special guests will perform a concert at Park Blvd Presbyterian Church in Oakland (located at 4101 Park Boulevard). This is the first in a series of ‘Concerts for the Community,’ at Park Boulevard Presbyterian with all donated funds from my concert going to benefit Glenview and Edna Brewer public schools in Oakland. Tickets are free at the door, but there is a suggested donation of $10.00; seating is limited so please arrive early. There will be a light reception and artist “meet and greet” after the concert. For more info please contact Park Blvd at 510.530.5311 or visit www.PBPC.org.
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
Filed under: Gigs |
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