The Burt St. Boys played the 'Music As Medicine' concert at noon on Thursday February 19, 2009, at the University Medical Center. It went pretty great.
From now on it is house building, house building, house building. There was a party for Restore Omaha, where we performed the 27th of February, a snowy evening for jazz and a party at a warehouse in south Omaha.
The Burt St. Boys also played at the Lied Lodge and Conference Center in Nebraska City on Friday, Jan. 2 and it was, as it almost always is, a magical experience. Since we were there last, my daughter, Helen, has learned quite a bit of sax and clarinet. She has been with us for the last several 'gigs'.
Alek had a show of his own, featuring himself, Alex Hotchkiss, Adam, and even me( on harmonica) with mostly original songs of Alek's own hard driving style. For years Alek and Adam have made up songs wailing away in the attic here on Burt Street. Their little group, the Razors, is sharp and edgy. I have added a more subdued selection called the beast below.
Feel free to roam around here in my 'Creative warehouse' If you decide to make a purchase of a CD, just visit the Music Store and ask for Lars. I have been cleaning it up a bit, and straightening out the displays. It really is the best way to buy music, directly from the artist.
You can email me here if you like. I love to hear from people who read my page.
The Burt St. Boys played the 'Music As Medicine' concert at noon on Thursday February 21, 2008. It went GREAT. Lots of people there. We are also scheduled to play at Trovatos on Thursday.April 3 2008.
From now on it is house building house building house building. There is a party for Restore Omaha, where we will be performing Friday Night ( Feb.29th) at around 24th and "R" St.
I still have no word on what happened to the stone I was carving of my wife. I would, of course, love to have it back. Keep your eyes open for an unfinished stone head. I assume some kid stole it.
I am adding what I will call the Daily Jam to this page ( see below) and it will probably not be daily... but it will just be an informal video of a jam on the piano -- whatever comes to mind.
The Burt St. Boys will play at Trovato's on thursday September 20th. September will be a busy one with several other private performances. Our August 23 gig was cancelled due to a prediction of alcohol seeking college dorks, otherwise known as Creighton students. We will however, be performing on the Dundee Days stage from 1:00pm to 2:00pm, August 25th.
Building a shed has consumed my summer, and now the kids are heading back to school. We are playing at the Fremont Golf Club on the 14th and 30th of September, and for a fundraising event on September 24 at the Champions Golf Course.
About two years ago, the last stone face I was working on was stolen. If you see my stone, please let me know who has it or report it to the police. If you know the person who is in possession of my work, please let them know I want it back. If it is unharmed, I will not press charges. Otherwise, I will reward information leading the arrest and prosecution of the thief.
Feel free to roam around here in my 'Creative warehouse' If you decide to make a purchase of a CD, just visit the Music Store and ask for Lars. I have been cleaning it up a bit, and straightening out the displays. It really is the best way to buy music, directly from the artist.
You can email me here if you like. I love to hear from people who read my page.
The Burt St. Boys will play at Trovato's on thursday July 12th, August 23rd, and September 20th. September will be a busy one with several other private performances.
I saw a documentary on Armand La Montagne ( I am not sure if I spelled his name right, here) but it was interesting on so many levels. What an amazing guy. He reminds me of my friend Kent Bellows. Both revered the work of Edward Hopper. Armand built houses, carved wood, made furniture and painted.
I am discovering the joy of Indiana Limestone, and I have solved my question of how to create a large concrete sphere. ( what a bizarre statement!) Anyway, I finished up a fountain that I designed and installed in a new
house. The basin and waterfall parts are made from hefty stainless steel and the surround is, you guessed it,
Indiana stone!
I have seen so many cheezy resin fountains and after starting to design this, I cannot walk
by without noticing a fountain. This one does not splatter, gurgle, hum, or try to be something it is not.
The Burt St. Boys will play at Trovato's March 29th. Trovato's is newer, cleaner, smoke-free and nicer than before. We play 7-11 and gives us a chance to rock the house, ( even though we are still playing jazz)
Life is still good on Burt Street. I am working a little on piano practise. I can see why Einstein, with all his genius, still marvelled at compound interest.
I am discovering the joy of Indiana Limestone, and I have solved my question of how to create a large concrete sphere.
The Burt St. Boys will play at Trovato's November 30th.
Life is good on Burt Street. I am constructing a set of columns for a new house. The gatepost at the land is in a perfect north south line across the property. We just planted ten trees from the National Arbor Day Foundation membership -- on a cicular arc ( radius 200' ).
On the subject of trees, I am proud to announce the Erickson Nature & Wildlife Preserve. A wild and
natural forest in northeast Nebraska. This 230 acre site of steep hills and hardwood forest is going to
be free of pasturing cows and is a real treasure. I will be posting the signs in the next week.
I have given in to the puns about Pi. Oh well.
Hello to all at the Lied Lodge. The Burt St. Boys definitely miss you! We even miss the blond bimbo actress/outlaw! What a hoot! ( ...or was that a great scream!) Definitely frightening. It's a shame when a tiny amount of power turns evil so immediately.
I just helped out a person in South Africa decide on a toothpick bridge design. Isn't the internet amazing?
...as of July 18th, 2006
The Burt St. Boys continue playing parties and small concerts in the area.
Sometimes the universe seems to come to a cosmic STOP sign, doesn't it? If I have learned one thing, it is that whatever we try to build up can be attacked by bad people who have a need to assert their own egos. Usually the smaller the power they wield, the more violently they wave it. The trick is to turn the mean or unthinking actions of others from negatives into positives. You never know what good can come out of misfortune.
On a similar note, when someone steals a stone that has been painstakingly carved,
it is against the law and should be punished. I am posting a picture of the stone. I
challenge anyone who knows who took it to contact me. I would love to get the
thief/thieves sent to jail or else get my stone back. I offer a $250 reward for information
leading to the arrest of the person responsible --or just give back the stone
and no charges will be sought.
This year is the year of the land. I am seeing a few acres of native grass go to seed, and planting more trees. I am happy to finally get a load of stone to play around with. Fifteen tons! Truckloads of mulch. I have renewed my membership with the National Arbor Day Foundation and look forward to planting 10 white pine seedlings this fall. I never would have believed that seedling could surpass a 3 foot tree!!
After speaking with John Rosenow, I am happy to say that the Burt St. Boys will no longer
be performing at the Lied Lodge and Conference Center for a while. He is a great guy with who
has done alot to promote tree planting and reverence for the tree. Join the National Arbor
Day Foundation, but call before you drive to Nebraska City to hear the Burt St. Boys.
The Burt St. Boys have had two years, almost, of consistent jazz performance at the Lied Lodge and Conference Center in Nebraska City, owned and operated by the National Arbor Day Foundation.
Let me paint a picture for you of last night. The lobby is a large room supported by massive natural timbers. A large central staircase leads to the lower level and a massive 35 foot fireplace welcomes you to the Lied Lodge. To the left, on the opposite wall, is the old grand piano. Along the walls in the lobby, the corridors, and the restaurant are quotes from intelligent, famous, and thinking people from history about the importance of self-reliance, planting trees, thinking ahead.
We walk in with our gear, a snare drum, a small cymbal, bongos, stands, an upright bass and the songlist. As I get ready to set up, I notice a large family group playing a board game near us. "I hope you don't hate jazz", I tell them. "No, no", the father says, " We've heard you before, you guys are great!".
Throughout the evening I see new and familiar faces, but what strikes me about them, is the positive reaction from a very diverse set of humans. A baby less than one year smiles and even claps along. A middle aged woman, who I can see all the way across the lobby, is noticably moving to the music. At one point, two older women, one of them was 82, pulled up chairs right in front of us. Those two sat and listened, and clapped after every song of an entire set --but there's more. A father gives his daughters money to put in our tip jar. They request any kind of christmas songs. The father and his daughters dance too. At one point I notice teenage girls walk by several times, then, standing right in front of us, give us the double thumbs up! A man in a wheelchair spent almost the entire three sets listening to us perform a mix of jazz, old new and original.On the third set, 12 year old boys, about three of them, seem to be mezmerized for several songs.
All this happened last night. A saturday before Christmas at the lodge. A warm fire, easy chairs, a soaring ceiling, and great jazz, but it could have been almost any one of 100 or so performances over these last two years.
Which brings me to the present. I have just finished a DVD of our last concert in Lincoln, NE. If you are interested in booking the Burt St. Boys for a performance somewhere in the middlewest, please send an email.
On Monday of this week, the Burt St. Boys played at a funeral. I believe we did a fine job of eliciting emotion from friends, family, loved ones of Kent Bellows. I personally was surprized at how close I had become to Kent over the last four years. I knew him for over 30 years, but only became close in the last four.
While performing at the funeral, the crying was like a faucet under alot of pressure, turned on just a bit. In front of over 100 people, you just don't want to wail out loud. I am very proud of my boys performance. They probably don't know how much Kent Bellows loved them.
I felt so honored to make the music for this artists funeral. He was one of those people you just feel great about having as a friend. He valued his friends and family --and we valued him. It was a shock and an immense disappointment when he died.
I have started carving again. As a sort of mourning, and to feel close to my dear, dead friend,
Kent Bellows is one of the worlds finest realist artists. His work will live on for centuries. Because of my meetings with Kent Bellows, I was encouraged to return to the world of original artistic pursuit -- to ditch my corporate job, and to spend more time than most people dream of spending with their children.
I have no regrets about my friendship with Bellows, except that it could have lasted another 15 years. I really can't believe he is gone.
Still water flows there
This bar to be repeated until the sound is lost in the distance.(found poetry)
I found that in the score for Holsts Planets. What a cool ending.
Feel free to roam around here in my 'Creative warehouse' If you decide to make a purchase of a CD, just visit the Music Store and ask for Lars. I have been cleaning it up a bit, and straightening out the displays. It really is the best way to buy music, directly from the artist.
You can email me here if you like. I love to hear from people who read my page.
Well, lots of concerts this summer, and a couple of vacations. The native grass is coming up weeds, just as expected. I have been helping my nephew design and build a garage. It was worth it to crack open my Mechanics of Materials book and design a beam. Today it was 100 degrees, so we got an early start. There's something rather primal about creating a roof, or spanning a distance with timbers.
We recently visited Chaco Canyon and it's fun to see how people built houses in the desert a thousand years ago. On days like today, those round underground kivas seems like a great way to stay cool.
We played a few concert dates in June of 2005. On the 16th over the lunch hour, we were at UNMCs "Music As Medicine" and the next Wednesday evening, June 22nd, we performed outdoors at the First Central Congregational Church. Later, July 14th, we played an evening at the Lakes Art Center in Okoboji. The Burt St. Boys have been taking it to the streets --and on the road! Adam and Alek are such a great couple of friends, musicians, and I am so proud of them as sons.
The rain and cold have given way to HOT and DRY. Grass planting was great this spring, but I have tried out the Bordeaux mix on the fruit trees and I don't think it had much effect on the Cedar Rust fungus. I will say this, we harvested a whopping 2 cherries, 2 raspberries, and I am presently waiting for two apples that I have witnessed. This is one pathetic orchard.
I dusted off the digital recording system and we have started thinking about possible directions for an album with the Burt St. Boys. We have several original songs to record.
You can email me here if you like. I love to hear from people who read my page. I recently worked out the math for a catenary, again, and when I went to post it, I found the second time I had worked it out for someone before. Now it is posted, in case you want to design a catenary curve of some particular height/width ratio.
Still water flows there
This bar to be repeated until the sound is lost in the distance.(found poetry)
I found that in the score for Holsts Planets. What a cool ending.
Feel free to roam around here in my 'Creative warehouse' If you decide to make a purchase of a CD, just visit the Music Store and ask for Lars. I have been cleaning it up a bit, and straightening out the displays. It really is the best way to buy music, directly from the artist.
The days reel by in quick succession. Lisa and I presented ideas about Pi Symphony for a masters level class and she had the great idea of giving in to all the puns and just serving pie while listening and taking individual questions. It went well and was alot of fun.
We will be playing a few dates in 2006. On the 6th of January, see us at St. Pauls church in downtown Lincoln. I think it is a noonday concert.
We are playing regularly at the Lied Lodge in Nebraska City.
The rain and cold are returning. I designed and helped build a garage over the summer. That was alot of fun.
You can email me here if you like. I love to hear from people who read my page. I have met some nice people around the world with the website, and sold a few CDs. The guys from Tabvlarasa in Rome have helped me solve my problem with the E style air hammer. Thank-you. I found a very slight imperfection on the piston. Between gently grinding that smooth, and the special oil that arrived via UPS, I was able to get it going for its 10 hour break-in period ( which really only went on for about 4 hours )
Don't you hate it when you buy something and it never works quite right? That happens to me all the time. It's like catching a theif when you can actually fix something like that.
Still water flows there
This bar to be repeated until the sound is lost in the distance.(found poetry)
I found that in the score for Holsts Planets. What a cool ending.
Feel free to roam around here in my 'Creative warehouse' If you decide to make a purchase of a CD, just visit the Music Store and ask for Lars. I have been cleaning it up a bit, and straightening out the displays. It really is the best way to buy music, directly from the artist.
Well, we will be playing a couple of concerts in June of 2005. On the 16th over the lunch hour, see us at UNMCs "Music As Medicine" and the next wednesday evening there will be an outdoor performance at the First Central Congregational Church. Later, July 14th, we do an evening at the Lakes Art Center in Okoboji.
The concert for the Central High Honor Students at Joslyns Witherspoon hall was quite an experience. There was alot of energy in that room. I am proud of Alek for agreeing to play it, but also for not over playing or getting nervous because his entire school was out there. He is quite steady, and getting to be a pretty good bassist. I have worked with some of the best. Judging from the comments I would deem the experiment a success. I wanted to see how the Burt St. Boys appeared on a concert stage setting and it was fun. The youthful exuberance of the audience became a bit unnerving at the start. I should not have started with a song in 7/4, it made clapping along somewhat confusing. Later we asked them to recite some lyrics to a jazz standard and clap a bit. They were GREAT!
I would be curious if anyone recalls the high point of the concert when, in a lull between songs, I distincly heard someone yell,"You don't know spit!(euphemism substituted)". It was a classic High School assembly type of moment.
We play most weekends in the fair city of Nebraska. What a pleasant place. The people are nice, the properties are well kempt. Oh, and by the way, they are quite discerning musical listeners. Of course, I have to admit, if they didn't like us before they saw an, now, 8-year-old playing the drums, they usually change their mind when they see Adam.
You can email me here if you like. I love to hear from people who read my page. I have met some nice people around the world with the website, and sold a few CDs. If you happen to know how to repair a Cuturi E air hammer, I would love to hear from you right about now.
We had a treasure hunt this week. Now theres a bygone activity. It takes a bit of preparation, but that is part of the fun. Also, on a mid-week getaway, I saw a cavernous room at a winery in Brownville, NE. Literally, an underground wine cellar converted to a little, grotto-like party room at the Whiskey Run Creek winery. Perhaps the Burt St. Boys could play some jazz in Brownville sometime.
Still water flows there
Spring has come. Time to plant some grass and trees. We planted a few more pear, cherry, and apple trees. I am trying out a bordeaux mix for killing rust. I was given the 'recipe' by my dads old friend from Sweden, who has said he would like to cheat death just to see what sort of house we build out there.
And so Pi Day 2005 has come and gone without any groundbreaking developements, that is, aside from the abovesaid tree planting. I was asked to submit a bit of bio info for a student film maker in Toronto whose project includes pi symphony. How nice it is to get positive feedback on some of my work. Back in the days when I wrote music for TV and documentaries all the time, I distinctly remember a comment about some project, they said,"...hmm, it doesn't suck". You people who have resounding success had better appreciate it!
I think more and more about our dependence on oil and other fossil fuels. I would like to hear from others who are concerned about this overwhelming problem that looms in the future for our children --and perhaps even ourselves. Isn't ANYONE concerned? Do you HEAR ME?? Seriously, I am amazed that noone really seems to care that human beings are depleting the energy that is like the lifeblood of our civilization.
Feel free to roam around here in my 'Creative warehouse' If you decide to make a purchase of a CD, just visit the Music Store and ask for Lars. I have been cleaning it up a bit, and straightening out the displays. It really is the best way to buy music, directly from the artist.
I am experimenting with Flash, so here's a test link. test with sound ( pretty squished up)
This is a busy week for the Burt St. Boys. On Friday a group of dentists have asked us to play in one of those fancy private clubs at the top of a tall building. That should be alot of fun. Later we are scheduled to perform at Joslyn Art Museum for a large group of Central High students. The exact time and date is a secret, so we are on 24 hour call.
We play most weekends in the fair city of Nebraska. What a pleasant place. The people are nice, the properties are well kempt. Oh, and by the way, they are quite discerning musical listeners. Of course, I have to admit, if they didn't like us before they saw an, now, 8-year-old playing the drums, they usually change their mind when they see Adam.
You can email me here if you like. I love to hear from people who read my page. I have met some nice people around the world with the website, and sold a few CDs. If you happen to know how to repair a Cuturi E air hammer, I would love to hear from you right about now.
We had a treasure hunt this week. Now theres a bygone activity. It takes a bit of preparation, but that is part of the fun. Also, on a mid-week getaway, I saw a cavernous room at a winery in Brownville, NE. Literally, an underground wine cellar converted to a little, grotto-like party room at the Whiskey Run Creek winery. Perhaps the Burt St. Boys could play some jazz in Brownville sometime.
Still water flows there
Spring has come. Time to plant some grass and trees. We planted a few more pear, cherry, and apple trees. I am trying out a bordeaux mix for killing rust. I was given the 'recipe' by my dads old friend from Sweden, who has said he would like to cheat death just to see what sort of house we build out there.
And so Pi Day 2005 has come and gone without any groundbreaking developements, that is, aside from the abovesaid tree planting. I was asked to submit a bit of bio info for a student film maker in Toronto whose project includes pi symphony. How nice it is to get positive feedback on some of my work. Back in the days when I wrote music for TV and documentaries all the time, I distinctly remember a comment about some project, they said,"...hmm, it doesn't suck". You people who have resounding success had better appreciate it!
I think more and more about our dependence on oil and other fossil fuels. I would like to hear from others who are concerned about this overwhelming problem that looms in the future for our children --and perhaps even ourselves. Isn't ANYONE concerned? Do you HEAR ME?? Seriously, I am amazed that noone really seems to care that human beings are depleting the energy that is like the lifeblood of our civilization.
Feel free to roam around here in my 'Creative warehouse' If you decide to make a purchase of a CD, just visit the Music Store and ask for Lars. I have been cleaning it up a bit, and straightening out the displays. It really is the best way to buy music, directly from the artist.
Just a quick update. I am experimenting with Flash, so here a link. test
Well, the Burt Street Boys play jazz now quite regularly, and I will recommend it to parents everywhere. Try working with your kids as equals. It's great fun. Two years after our first 'gig', we return to the 1st Central Congregational Church in June of 2005 to play an outdoor concert. Now that's neat.
We will be playing in Okoboji this summer, July 14th, at the Lakes Art Center. Adam is getting SO cool. The boys can now nail a groove at any tempo (slow or fast) and hang it on the wall.
Life has gone into some kind of hyper speed. Months go by like weeks, and weeks go by like hours. Pi Day is right around the corner. Buy a Pi CD and celebrate the moment with math lovers or those who may have an inkling of how important a number pi is to logical and mathematical thought.
Spring is here and I am no closer on deciding what to design for a house. It has been roughly two years this summer. I may have to start posting some ideas on this site and get opinions.
On October 17th we played a concert at the Joslyn Castle. The audience was very receptive and we had a great time. We played some songs from all of my CD's and some classic jazz from Brubeck and Herbie Hancock. Alek and Adam did such a great job and so did my wife, who continues to add a great dimension to the Burt St. Boys.
Thanks to my daughters we have a video of the event and we were able to sell CDs. They are starting to get paid for helping out the Burt St. Boys and Adam had earned his 'Game Boy Advanced SP' and he is one happy drummer boy.
For the first time in a musical setting, I introduced the melodies from the Pi Symphony as part of the concert. It was very fun to play it, even in that simple form, live.
If you want some fine jazz for holiday get togethers, consider the Burt St. Boys. Classic jazz from drug-free musicians, unless you count caffiene.
Here's how you can contact me.
The Jitterbuggers Dance went fine as well. On the 3rd of Sept. Alek showed that he is capable of holding his own for a swing dance. Playing bass for an entire night is a definite challenge on the upright bass and I can't believe he is pulling it off.
I think more and more about our civilizations dependence on oil and other fossil fuels. I would like to have a discussion with others who are concerned about this overwhelming problem that looms in the future for our children --and perhaps even ourselves.
Feel free to roam around here in my 'Creative warehouse' If you decide to make a purchase of a CD, just visit the Music Store and ask for Lars. I have been cleaning it up a bit, and straightening out the displays. It really is the best way to buy music, directly from the artist.
I must be having a GREAT time, because time is flying. Hmm.
I am updating the site with anecdotes in a BLOG Jennifer, if you are reading this, then go look at 'A funny cursor'.
The Burt Street Boys continue to jam. We played some jazz on a riverboat brunch cruise and plan to do that again on the 19th of September.
I added a link to a page that shows some design and creation work of mine, er , you might call it, Handywork and if you like what you see and have an interesting project, send me an email!
The Jitterbuggers Dance is just around the corner and my son, Alek will be providing the bass playing for the event. We are getting more bookings and look forward to opening the Joslyn Castle (Concerts in the Castle) Series on October 17th. We are also scheduled to play some dates in 2005 already, including a concert at the Lakes Art Center in Okoboji, IA, and a fundraiser for the Friends of the Arbor Lodge in Nebraska City next June.
I think more and more about our civilizations dependence on oil and other fossil fuels. I would like to have a discussion with others who are concerned about this overwhelming problem that looms in the future for our children --and perhaps even ourselves.
Feel free to roam around here in my 'Creative warehouse' If you decide to make a purchase of a CD, just visit the Music Store and ask for Lars. I have been cleaning it up a bit, and straightening out the displays. It really is the best way to buy music, directly from the artist.
I must be having a GREAT time, because time is flying. Hmm.
I am updating the site with anecdotes in a BLOG Jennifer, if you are reading this, then go look at 'A funny cursor'.
The Burt Street Boys continue to jam. Hoping to get pictures soon from our last outdoor engagement.
In the bookstore, today, I bought a copy of 'JAVA programming' and the clerk recognized my name from the check. "I know you", he said, "I used to play your CD on KVNO --hey, that was you on the cover!"
Well, this is, of course, the extent of my fame. I did thank him for playing my CD when he was working as the overnight dj. I was also flattered that he recognized me from my stone carving. Kent Bellows, after all, told me that NONE of the stones I have carved bear any resemblance to the subject whatever. I suspected that comment was a cruel exaggeration.
I added a page that shows some design and creation work of mine, er , you might call it, Handywork and if you like what you see and have an interesting project, let me bid on it!
If you have any questions, send me an email! I am trying to control my SPAM volume, so I will just say this, my email is :
I have been getting so much spam and I suspect it is from having my address on this site. Isn't it a shame that that people try to sell idiotic things on the internet. Even if it takes only a minute a day to delete ( or report by forwarding) that is 6 hours per year. Taking this times the millions of people who DO spend that minute, this unwanted, electronic LITTER costs us much in terms of time or money.
Feel free to roam around here in my 'Creative warehouse' If you decide to make a purchase of a CD, just visit the Music Store and ask for Lars.
Well, I added another entry to my BLOG and the question is: When will I ever learn not to complain...Ever. The answer, now!
Here's my BLOG, but I am taking off the complaint entry. BLOG
The Burt Street Boys played for the National Arbor Day Foundation dinner (On Arbor Day) and we were quite well received. It is a joy to hear good jazz, and play good jazz, and watch a 7 year-old play the drums. The combination is fun to present. We are making lots of friends from cities all around the region, and after being asked to have my children pose in promo shots for the Arbor Day Foundation's Tree Adventure, we decided to stay over.
I got a card from my sister-in-law who lives in Minneapolis. Apparently one of my songs from 'Altered Inventions' was playing on the radio there. That's a good sign. We continue to play our jazz, regularly in the tree capital of the world, Nebraska City, NE.
I have added a page that shows some design and creation work of mine, er , you might call it, Handywork and if you like what you see and have an interesting project, let me bid on it!
Got an email from a student film maker in Toronto who will add content about Pi Symphony in her documentary.
Today we went for a very wet walk in the woods. I decided to start a BLOG. I had to look up the meaning of this thing, which I have basically been lazily doing for a year or two. It is short for WebLog. Have a look at the first entry in the BLOG
I got a card from my sister-in-law who lives in Minneapolis. Apparently one of my songs from 'Altered Inventions' was playing on the radio there. That's a good sign. We continue to play our jazz in the tree capital of the world, Nebraska City, NE. Not to be confused with NY,NY. NE,NE.
I love the digital camera. It almost makes capturing images TOO easy.
Got an email from a student film maker in Toronto who will add content about Pi Symphony in her documentary.
If you have any questions, send me an email! Lars Erickson heck, just email me for any old reason.
Feel free to roam around here in my 'Creative warehouse' If you decide to make a purchase of a CD, just visit the Music Store and ask for Lars.
Well Happy Birthday Lars. The progress we are making with my wife, who plays flute, and my sons on bass and drums is unbelievable. With all the things I complain about, I have to realize how much great good there is to be thankful for.
I am already lining up some dates for next winter. In fact, we will be opening a concert series next fall at the Joslyn Castle. My son, Alek, who sat in briefly last year at the Jitterbuggers' annual gala will be playing the bass the entire evening this year. The Omaha Jitterbuggers REALLY take their dance seriously and they do appreciate a fine groove. I just found out we are going to be in a concert series during the summer of 2005! By then, my drummer is going to be a serious contender.
I recently had a visit from Frank Stadtler, a seasoned jazz listener and player. He was skeptical, of course, of a rhythm section whose combined ages are less than 20 years. He told my son, Adam, that his drumming was better than some drummers 'ten times his age'.
Altered Inventions continues to be included on playlists around the world occasionally, like Al Santos Jazz Brunch radio show in Washington, D.C. Thank-you!
If you have any questions, send me an email! Lars Erickson heck, just email me for any old reason.
Feel free to roam around here in my 'Creative warehouse' If you decide to make a purchase of a CD, just visit the Music Store and ask for Lars.
This time of year all the true mathematics believers make a special purchase of the Pi Symphony. To be appreciated on March 14th, or any day. The map pins show that Pi is listened to in some very cool places. Perhaps someday the Burt St. Boys will play some jazz versions of Pi at some of these interesting corners of the earth.
Pi Symphony still defies performance, and the music business in general is a difficult nut to crack. We are having fun doing some things though. Over the next year we will be performing and rehearsing, so keep us in mind for any small concert series.
Come down to the Lied Lodge and have a fine meal with great jazz. I am bringing the hootie for a little percussion.
I am already lining up some dates for next winter. In fact, we will be opening a concert series next fall at the Joslyn Castle.
If you have any questions, send me an email! heck, just email me for any old reason.
Feel free to roam around here in my 'Creative warehouse' If you decide to make a purchase of a CD, just visit the Music Store and ask for Lars.
This time of year all the true mathematics believers make a special purchase of the Pi Symphony. To be appreciated on March 14th, or any day. The map pins show that Pi is listened to in some very cool places. Perhaps someday the Burt St. Boys will play some jazz versions of Pi at some of these interesting corners of the earth.
Pi Symphony still defies performance, and the music business in general is a difficult nut to crack. We are having fun doing some things though. Over the next year we will be performing and rehearsing, so keep us in mind for any small concert series.
Alek and I continue to play our little jazz duo gig and he is becoming a fine bassist. The Burt St. Boys will be performing at Joslyn Art Museum for the Easter festivities on April 11th. Adam is making really cool progress with some sycopation. It isn't every 6 year old who can play in odd time signatures with no confusion.
I am already lining up some dates for next winter. In fact, we will be opening a concert series next fall --I will soon reveal which one.
If you have any questions, send me an email! Lars Erickson heck, just email me for any old reason.
Feel free to roam around here in my 'Creative warehouse' If you decide to make a purchase of a CD, just visit the Music Store and ask for Lars.
Sales of CDs are virtually none via the internet, and yet we sell them when we play live. I don't really expect anyone to know about us, but it is a good sign that we do have a customer base albeit undiscovered.
Pi Symphony still defies performance, and the music business in general is a difficult nut to crack. We are having fun doing some things though. It isn't every family that can play 'Blue Rondo Ala Turk' and follow it up with 'These Boots are Made For Walkin' and 'Africaine'
All the holiday mini-concerts went great! We are well on our way to having a nice 1 to 2 hour concert prepared. Alek has convinced me to work up a Claude Bolling song and we are also working up 'Smile from a Stranger', the title track from my second album.
The best part is, the whole process is fun. The result is getting to perform at a higher level without the drudgery of lining up musicians who need to make their own living, and invariably feel somewhat put upon by someone wanting to rehearse an obscure and difficult jazz rendition of a Bach invention when most people would rather hear 'Take the A train' for the millionth time.
We will be playing at the Omaha Public Library on February 7th in the afternoon. They are having a little 'art show' and I will also be displaying a couple stone heads. The Burt St. Boys, complete with my wife on flute, will be playing in a very informal 'practise concert'.
If you have any questions, send me an email! heck, just email me for any old reason.
The toothpick bridge page has gotten alot of hits. I am presently getting another fathers experience with the toothpick bridge assignment documented.
Feel free to roam around here in my 'Creative warehouse' If you decide to make a purchase of a CD, just visit the Music Store and ask for Lars.
Someone told me they heard a few cuts from 'Altered Inventions' on NPR the other day, and occasionally I get notice that it made a playlist in Washington, D.C. for the jazz brunch radio show.
Pi Symphony still defies performance, and the music business in general is a difficult nut to crack. We are having fun doing some things though. It isn't every family that can play 'Blue Rondo Ala Turk' and follow it up with 'These Boots are Made For Walkin'!
Christmas is here, and so time seems to fly by at an incredible rate. The 'Burt Street Boys' played two mini-concerts this month and checked out the windmills in Storm Lake,IA.
We will be playing a few songs on christmas eve at a local church.Here is a picture of my 'Drummer Boys'. We will be performing some originals, a few xmas carols, and a Brubeck song.
If you have any questions, send me an email! Lars Erickson heck, just email me for any old reason.
Someone told me they heard a few cuts from 'Altered Inventions' on NPR the other day, and occasionally I get notice that it made a playlist in Washington, D.C. for the jazz brunch radio show.
Pi Symphony still defies performance, and the music business in general is a difficult nut to crack. We are having fun doing some things though. It isn't every family that can play 'Blue Rondo Ala Turk' and follow it up with 'These Boots are Made For Walkin'!
Due to continued vandalism to my stones, I have not spent much time carving. I have come to realize that there are people who just want to knock over what others make. It has been happening for all time. Just as those who will write a negative review just to be mean and, I guess, draw attention to themselves, the vandal derives his sense of self-worth from destruction. Knocking someone else's work is much easier than doing something yourself.
I welcome the antagonism. For my stone it simply means I have made something that draws the same attention that many great sculptures have gotten over the centuries. When it comes to a bad review, it is an odd compliment. For someone to love what you do, there must be someone willing to hate it. If you haven't done anything worth paying attention to, there won't be any vandalism or negative reviews...
Alek and I are playing regularly at the Lied Center in Nebraska City. Join us for Brunch this Sunday. Things flow wonderfully down there. The sound of a real piano and bass in a beautiful relaxing space makes it a fun time for us and all the guests and staff. If you haven't seen the Lied Center, ( or even if you have) it is worth the drive to check out what Nebraska City has to offer.
If you have any questions, send me an email! Lars Erickson heck, just email me for any old reason.
Altered Inventions was on the New Age Voice Top 100 chart for September 2002 at #69.
Pi Symphony is in the review process at the American Composers Orchestra
The wedding reception went GREAT. My sons and I provided some great jazz for around 300 people at the Shadowridge Country Club.
Earlier, the Caffiene Dreams appearance worked out well, but it was good practice.
The Burt Street Boys minus one will be playing at the Lied Center in Nebraska City for the next three saturday nights from 6-9 pm. If you haven't seen the Lied Center, ( or even if you have) it is worth the drive to check out what Nebraska City has to offer.
If you have any questions, Lars Erickson heck, just email me for any old reason.
I am learning about grass. Native grass. two seasons ago, I planted two varieties of native grass. A beautiful field came up. When I went to find out which variety was which, I found out that one was native grass, and the other was 'yellow foxtail' which is considered a weed! Hmm. Actually, I still like the looks of it. Upon closer inspection, I found that about half the area has something called 'sideoats grama' and there is also evidence of the 'blue gramma' that I also planted.
The Burt Street Boys will be playing at Caffiene Dreams ( a coffee house) on the 19th of September, and the following week we play a fancy wedding reception. ( Sorry, you can't go to that one.) If you have any need for some live jazz, let me know by email. Heck, just email me for any old reason.
Alek and Adam improve daily. The other day I played for the Jitterbuggers big event here in Omaha, and I used Andy Hall on bass. Alek came up and sat in for one song. It has been a while since I have played a four hour band job, so there were a few extra solos to fill the time. Andy could play a bass solo on every song...
I began to to wonder where we stand on rehearsed songs with the Burt St. Boys and to my surprize, I think we could play a four hour job with only 3 minutes per song. They have worked pretty hard this summer.
My summer plans have consisted of donating cells for a cancer treatment, Trying to keep the deer from eating some absentee fruit trees, and jury duty. Jury duty. Hmmm.
After fencing out the deer on each tree individually, the leaves started to grow back... only to be devoured later by bugs. Grasshoppers, worms, you name it.
My jury duty turned out to be interesting, but somewhat unsettling. A murder trial. The parade of gang and former gang witnesses made me sad that kids end up congregating that way and getting into such trouble.
The cancer treatment did not work and my oldest brother, my favorite brother, a very intelligent and creative, caring family man died of kidney cancer on August 12th. I had been out watching the Perseid meteor shower that night, and Mars was on it's way to the closest approach in 60000 years. He was a courageous, vigorously intelligent fighter, but in the last month, it was time to throw in the towel. I never heard Eric complain once. I am in awe of his courage.
The Burt St. Boys showed remarkable restraint and played very appropriately at the memorial service/funeral. Eric liked to play the 'Maple Leaf Rag' and we have worked it up in 7/4.
In the tradition of one of my favorites, Dave Brubek, I am having a great time working with my sons playing jazz. Our first gig went great! Being outdoors and having a 6 year old on the drums could have easily been disasterous, but instead it was fine!
There is something really fun about having everyone around to rehearse a bit here and there when it is convenient. Alek is showing such innate abilities on the bass, I have a rare confidence in his ability to understand and also perform what is necessary. Like myself, he 'hears' the changes. At 12 and my other son, at 6, they are already able to perform a few songs from my album.
As usual for me, I am off on a tangent. Aside from trying to make some headway on a stone portrait in marble, I had an interesting math problem to solve. Well... one can define a much lower level of interesting when one is sort of rusty... Anyway, when using a compound angle miter saw, you might cut a picture frame using 45 degree angles if the boards lay flat, right? Well, what if the boards are tipped up at a slight angle ( or for that matter, any angle between 0 and pi/2 )? What would be the angle AND the bevel angle?
I am not ashamed to say it took me a long time to get the second part, but the first part came during a hour wait while serving on a jury.
So far my summer plans have consisted of donating cells for a cancer treatment, Trying to keep the deer from eating some absentee fruit trees, and jury duty. Jury duty. Hmmm. DOn't get me started.
Right now my oldest brother is fighting for his life while undergoing a stem cell transplant and rebuilding his immune system. It really makes me wonder how I could ever waste time in life. Just what is wasted time? I think I may have to start an 'in-depth' What's new...
Two things, Pi Day, and the Central High Alumni Newsletter.
Pi Day was quite interesting. By far it was the most traffic I have seen on the website and wonderful orders for my CD of Pi Symphony. After roughly one year on the internet, I am seeing some steady gains in 'hit counts' and it is a very interesting process.
Secondly, I am hearing from Central High alums because of the article. It's fun to hear from you, so drop me an e-mail.
I have been delving into amateur video production to get a feel for the digital formats and it is quite fun. I have always wanted to experiment with time-lapse and now with with digital video, the technology is finally sensible. ( I have used 8 and 16 mm film ). Glad I sold the Kodak stock.
Now that I have finally gotten an interface for digital imaging, it may be time to come up with a little video to go with Pi. In the meantime, I have posted another image of a stone, ( my daughter Helen ) in the 'About Stone' page.
Altered Inventions was reviewed by a customer on Amazon.com! Thank-You. It was given 5 stars.
Orders come in from all over the world, albeit few, it is still encouraging. I am working on some small ensemble arrangements. I will be submitting the score for Pi to an orchestra in Minneapolis this month.
After roughly one year on the internet, I am seeing some steady gains in 'hit counts' and it is a very interesting process.
Altered Inventions was reviewed by a customer on Amazon.com! Thank-You. It was given 5 stars.
Where does the time go? I am working on vocal tracks of all things. I have always liked writing songs with lyrics, but I do not consider myself a singer. Soon I will make a page with some of these efforts available to hear. Perhaps some of you can give me some likes and dislikes about my songs.
I will also be making some commercial music available for ad agency folks. The score has been proof-read and I have printed up some copies of it for reference. The names of those who have contributed are right there on the title page of the reference score! I have sent out about 20 CDs and 2 scores to orchestras all over the world.
TIME CIRCLES is now available on CD! My first 'album', orginally released on cassette is now on compact disc. It still works, too, I am happy to say. I have already sold a few of them at each of our last two appearances.
The CD listening party went well! We basically played 3 sets of impromptu jazz mixed in with a few cuts from the CD and some christmas carols I am working on for a xmas project. We blazed through 4 cheesecakes and ten bottles of champagne. (Irish whiskey mocha cheesecake does not last long.)
I have been putting together the rough tracks for an instrumental xmas CD. I have the concept and several rough tracks. I just need to get the piano tuned and start laying down final tracks.
Lisa, Mark Haar, and Ramone joined me at the First Central Congregational Church for some music during the service. They have a nice 7' piano and were very friendly and appreciative.
Altered Inventions was added to the log of another station in Ohio and the CD itself has been generally accepted.
Several orchestras have responded to a request to consider a performance of Pi Symphony. I was very excited to hear from the MIT orchestra, and others in the east.
The score has been proof-read and I have printed up some copies of it for reference. The names of those who have contributed are right there on the title page of the reference score! I have sent out about 20 CDs and 2 scores to orchestras all over the world.
CDs of Altered Inventions are on their way to 220 radio stations.
A station on the MIT campus chose to play Adagio from Altered Inventions
on a show called "New Edge". I like that name.
"The Joy of Pi". The audio book
published by RandomHouse used both the Pi Symphony AND
all the cuts from Altered Inventions... more than once!
The Music Store now accepts credit card transactons and previous releases are available for sale as well. The re-mastering of "Time Circles" for CD has begun --and since it was originally mixed to DAT, it should sound great!
I have picked up the CD's. They look great!
I also picked up a copy of "The Joy of Pi". The audio book published by RandomHouse which used both the Pi Symphony AND all the cuts from Altered Inventions... more than once!
The Music Store now accepts credit card transactons and I have set up my previous releases available for sale as well. I am planning to re-master "Time Circles" for CD --and since it was originally mixed to DAT, it should sound great!
The trip to Baltimore was a success, after a fashion. I gave a paper on the Pi Symphony to a room of interested math/art people and there were some positive comments.
More importantly, the description of the Pi Symphony was published in the proceedings for the conference.
We have returned from Colorado. I have a piece of marble and I am finishing Helen's limestone head. We toured the quarry and visited a sculptor in Colorado Springs who is working on a 22ton marble block of a woman on a grand piano. Francisco Sotomayor is the sculptor and it was great!
The Altered Inventions CD will be done and back from the pressing plant in July. At that time I will make them available for sale on this website and to roughly 200 radio stations across the US.
I am working on a side trip to get some marble from Marble,CO. I have started my daughter's , Helen , head in limestone, but Emma is waiting for marble ( the classic statuary stone ).
The Altered Inventions album will be available in July finally. I am just working on liner notes now and final mixes. Have a look at the preliminary CD cover below!
My STONE was STOLEN.
After doing a story on the KETV news, the stone mysteriously reappeared in my front yard the next morning. The head was wrapped several times with electrical tape and a note was protected by a paper towel. The note read,
'Sir, we are sorry about taking your head. We appreciated it as an art and were going to display it prominently in Omaha. We did not realize how much care was in it. Accept this as an apology and consider yourself lucky. We live up north and things of much greater value get stolen from us all the time and we NEVER get restitution.Lucky for you, you have nice thieves. Please continue to do your work outside. We assure you that this is an isolated incident and people like you beautify our area...'
The stone that was taken will be used on the album cover for Altered Inventions. I have almost completed it. In fact, I have almost completed the liner notes, the album AND the head. See below for pre-press image of the CD cover.