We had the pleasure of sharing Joseph Bizar’s Bar Mitzvah with Joe and the family this Saturday. We have a great time playing at bar mitzvahs, and this one was no different. The thing that always strikes me is how into the band and the music the kids always are. Especially the younger ones who sit, with the mouth’s agape, watching Josh Rawlings tear it up on a solo, or Adam Kessler work the brushes, or Nate Omdal hold down the bottom end. There was one particular boy who basically plopped himself down in Josh’s lap and played the piano just about anytime he felt like it! That’s when the need for music education is never more apparent, and the absence of it never more acutely felt. If you want to do your part to bring music and arts education as a whole to kids who have been deprived of it through their schools, please visit The Right Brain Center for the Arts to see how you can help.
Joseph’s mother’s family arrived early to set up the room at McCormick& Schmick’s Harborside. The traditional colors blue and white were featured prominently, as was the stunning view of Lake Union. When the bulk of the guests arrived we were already in full swing. This particular rhythm section is also Josh’s regular trio, and they have been playing together for years. I love playing with them and getting to experience their connection and chemistry from the inside. When I let Josh take over for a trio feature, he picked his composition, “Today or Tomorrow”, which is featured on both of our latest CDs in differnt versions. Click here to hear the JPQ’s version, and here for the JR3’s.
We had a couple of family members sit in when we played “Heiveinu Shalom Aleichem”, one on flute and one on drums. That brought the house down, as usual. We also got to break out “Hava Nagila” and “If I Were a Rich Man”, which was a request by the father of the bar mitzvah. Nate and I had just recorded our own hybrid versions of two of those tunes for my newest project Clave Nagila, which pairs traditional Jewish melodies with latin rhythms.
Bar Mitzvahs are a joyous occasion, and I have fond memories of mine. My goal at that time was to play in the Stanford Marching Band. At the reception, my father, who worked at Stanford at the time, pulled out my trumpet, and in came the band, and I got to play with them! My dad had set the whole thing up long ago, even bringing home sheet music from one of his advisee’s who was in the band a year earlier! It was one of the coolest moments of this band geek’s childhood! And the only time I ever got to play with the band mind you…by the time I applied for college, Stanford wouldn’t have anything to do with me…
I received this nice note from Dave Bizar:
“Everyone had a great time. The entire day went well and was a very happy day for the family. The music was excellent and I heard many compliments from my guests regarding you and the group.
All the best,
Dave”
The event, including this photo, was shot by photographer Peter Kearns. He takes beautiful photos, and I hope to have a few more to post here soon.
Last September we had the pleasure of kicking of the Fall Jazz Dinner Series at Castle Key Restaurant at Manresa Castle in lovely Pt. Townsend, WA. The castle is amazing, old, and reportedly haunted, and we had a blast playing for the folks in the restaurant and then staying the night, which we spent playing cards and drinking some fine wine! We didn’t see any ghosts, but it was a great getaway, and we’re happy they’ve asked us back for their new Spring Jazz Series.
