Buddy Rich

Watch and listen to the video above from 1980!
I found myself digging through memorabilia today. I was looking for a number of autographs and pictures I had of some great jazz, fusion and rock drummers. In the late 70's I was quite focused on drumming. I was planning on moving towards being a professional drummer. Of course, I still have that in the back of my mind, but it took a back seat after I attended college, got a degree (not in music) and then met my wife. My focus changed. I had the offer to go to California and play in Tahoe with a great jazz pianist, but I figured it would not be conducive to my new relationship. I was also headed in another direction (video journalism) which also allowed me to be creative. And it was a steady day job. I still would love to play in the big leagues. Who knows?

I had the chance to see the best drummers, and meet them in person. So I thought I would start sharing some of those experiences. I will start with (some call) the best: Buddy Rich.

Buddy Rich and His Killer Force! I can't remember the year. I will have to look it up. I will guess it was 1978. My mom took me to North Dakota State University to see the show. Somehow, I got a front seat. And fortunately, it was right next to the stage door.

I watched and listened in awe as the legendary Buddy Rich played harder than any drummer I have seen, ever. When you describe a jazz drummer, you might say, "he cooked." Well, Buddy cooked alright. He was boiling hot! Seriously.

Whether it was all "natural" or not, Buddy Rich played so intensely that sweat was dripping off his shirt, and down his face. Wow!

Towards the end of the concert, there was a man standing near the stage door. I don't know how it happened (whether my mom had something to do with it or not) but the man came over to me and said, "Come with me." I was taken backstage and got to meet Buddy seconds after he finished playing. I had this poster for him to sign. It was just me and Buddy. The sweat dripped onto this poster. But I kept it boxed up for more than 25 years. What a blast.

More greats to come!

Colorado Songs and Lyrics

Bob Seger performs tonight at the Pepsi Center. My wife and I saw him at McNichols Arena ten years ago (his last tour.) Tonight on 99.5 The Mountain they played a set of Bob Seger songs. "Get Out of Denver," was one. (I think that is the title.)

That made me think. How many songs about Colorado are there? Of course there is Rocky Mountain High, the John Denver classic (I wish I would have seen him at Red Rocks in 1983.) There is "Rocky Mountain Way," (I did see Joe Walsh perform that last summer at Red Rocks with the James Gang.) I saw the Dead sing, "I Know You Rider," at Red Rocks. That includes a line about Colorado.

What songs can you think of? I will start a thread over on the Message Board, so you can add your song to the list. Let's come up with the definitive list.

My musical background

I have a musical background.
I was a drummer from the word go.
I started playing when I was five.

My brother Mark played drums in the high school band. One day, I believe for his birthday, my parents brought him home a spectacular brown Ludwig drumset. I remember how cool they were up close. I was enamoured at a very early age by live music.

After kindergarten, when I was five, I would go to my Grandparents home (Granny and Fred Blumer.) Granny was, by far, the best grandmother in world history. I digress. On spring and fall afternoons, at 3:30 pm, I waited patiently for the high school marching band to start playing. Then, I would march behind them, just as they marched. The drums were nearby. They played a cadence to march in step to. I listened, and I learned it. Then, I would play on my brother's drums every day, that cadence. Until, (I think) I was just as good. I listened to the drummers play whenever and wherever they played, indoors at basketball games, or outdoors at football games. Then I would play and play and play every chance I got. It didn't hurt that my three older siblings and parents were into music. They had every single Beatle record, plus a great variety of classics. Mark soon got an 8-track player. The first three tapes he got were Chicago, Doobie Brothers (Toulouse Street), and Santana. I learned how to play, to that music.

By the time I was nine years old, I was known as a drummer in my home town. In fact, my best friend, Dale and I lived across the street from the local college. The musicians there also knew I played drums. On the night of the college "Variety Show" myself and Dale wondered into the Armory (Auditorium.) The college "rock" band was getting their gear tuned, levels checked, and practicing. They saw me, and asked me to come and sit in on drums! They taught me "Wipe Out" on the spot. It took 10 minutes to teach me. They asked, "Can you be back in one hour to play it LIVE?" I freaked out (as much as a 9 year old could). Then Dale and I went to my house and asked my mom if I could play. I could, and I did.

I played "Wipe Out" (a drum solo song) live with a college band, at age nine.


After we moved to Gwinner, ND in 1971, I went on to play with our high school band (while I was in 5th grade) and in informal rock bands. I got star ratings at state contests and was invited to be an All State musician. I attended the International Music Camp for two summers, then worked there over the next two summers. From 1976 through 1980 I played in two bands,"Flight" with Mark Arneson and then "Creed" with Brian Cross. Combined, we played perhaps 25 gigs; from Lisbon, Forman, Lidgerwood, Frederick, SD, Fort Ransom, Milnor, Rutland, and a few rural parties in between.

It was on to Moorhead State University, (Minnesota State University Moorhead.) There I played four years as the drummer in the outstanding, MSU Stage Band (under the direction of Al Noice.) Jazz, big band, Charlie Parker, Stan Kenton, Ellington, Count Basie, Rob McConnell...this was my music now. I will write more about jazz at a later time, when I can share my autographs and stories.

At the same time as I played big band and jazz, I was playing polkas, waltzes, country, 50's, and that type of music with the local legend, "Albert Mikesh." I will also write more about that later. There is a lot to write about. We played every single weekend, plus most Wednesday nights, for 4-5 years. That works out to about 500 gigs.

Of course, I played many other places too. But for now, I will stop reliving my past, as a drummer. I have not played professionally for decades. Although it is absolutely my first interest. I wanted to be professional drummer. But I knew better. I will try to play more in the future. If anyone needs a drummer - for a recording session - let me know. I can't play regular gigs (I actually am a professional now, with a mortgage etc...) Any style....from marching band...to rock, jazz, country, funk!

Over Grooming the Slopes

My favorite ski resort has gone wild. Not in a good sense (if that's possible.) But their grooming

operations are out of control. I have to ask Copper Mountain to please stop the madness. You are grooming way too much snow.

First, I will say something good about Copper Mountain. They say they are 100 percent powered by wind power. You can read about it here. That is great. That is the good news. Now for the bad news:

I have been skiing at Copper Mountain pretty much exclusively for 25 years. It is, I think, a great mountain. It used to be "where the locals skied" (if I am not mistaken.) That was because it had GREAT skiing! But over grooming has diminished the quality of many runs. I was amazed looking at how many square inches, feet, miles, have been driven over by groomers. It is out of control. So I thought I would write about it.

I love Copper Mountain. It is my favorite place to ski. I will continue to ski there (as long as my pass runs.) But I will seriously need to consider where I ski from now on.

Of course, I understand that some grooming is fine. I enjoy a few cruisers. But not every single blue run on the front side! Groomers are fine on those easy green runs down the middle by American Flyer and Eagle lifts. That is where a lot of families ski. But take a break. Don't work so hard. Leave some areas un-groomed too.

A few years ago, Copper started over grooming (and making too much artificial snow) on the Bee Line lift. It is consistently icy under the Bee Line. When fresh powder falls, there is still a sheet of ice underneath on runs like Andy's Encore, Collage, and Rosi's Run. So even though the six person chairlift is fast and great...the skiing is like a skating rink much of the time. So, I purposefully only warm up a couple runs there, then quickly traverse across the middle, to the Timberline Express lift, where the skiing once was spectacular.

Now, they have ruined that side of the mountain too! They have groomed those fine runs, Copperfields and Windsong. What used to be great powder skiing (even when they only got a few inches) is now horribly groomed crud. Stop the grooming, please.

In the past, when a ski resort groomed, it was just down the middle. The sides near the trees were left untouched. So if a person wanted to actually "snow" ski, you could still ski the sides. I was astonished at how Copper has groomed every single inch of what appears to be every single blue and green run on the front side. Come on...who is responsible for this decision? It seems that the person deciding to groom every run is someone who does not appreciate what it really means to "ski a mountain." Copper mountain is not a theme park. Man made snow and groomed runs completely take away the natural experience of skiing.

Is there an effort to justify the existence of the grooming tractors and employees? Does the person making the decisions ski? Do they know how to ski natural snow?

So, after finding out that the Timberline Express lift area was completely corporatized by groomers, I quickly made my way to the TOP of Copper, away from the families and groomed runs. I took a right to ski down Timber Ridge. And you guessed it....it was groomed!! That was the straw that broke the camel's back. I went to the back of the mountain, Copper Bowl and it was fine. But I am seriously scared that the management of Copper will approve the destruction of great skiing back there too.

A message to Copper Mountain: Stop the over grooming. Give us back Copperfields and Windsong. Give us back the sides of the runs. You do not have to groom .... just because you have the equipment. Give us back the natural experience of skiing a great hill.

To be fair to Copper Mountain, that is primarily the only place I have been skiing for decades. Perhaps this is going on at other resorts? If so, let me know. If not, we would also like to hear about your favorite ski runs!

A Change in Scenery?

Change is constant. So what does that mean for Colorado? As I look over these vintage Colorado tourism pictures, I think about how Colorado used to be, and what it will become.

There is a new push for renewable energy sources. Colorado will see an increase in wind power generators and solor power as well (San Luis Valley). Ethanol will become more important. What else do you see as the future for energy in Colorado?

What about water? We all know that the snow and rain provide our water supply (along with some underground reserves.) What will the future hold for water supplies?

Air quality is a question mark too. Growth in populations, means growth in air pollution. How is that affecting Colorado? Simple questions with complicated answers. As I look at my vintage Colorado tourism brochures, I see clear blue skies, clean water, and wide open spaces. What will the future hold?

Clapton concerts - Past and Present

On March 7th, Eric Clapton will perform at the Pepsi Center here in Denver. This time around, I bought tickets for myself and a couple friends. The new CD by Clapton and J.J. Cale is quite decent. I've only given it a few spins, so it hasn't had the chance to grow on me yet. But I'm sure it will. Cale wrote the majority of tunes. I regret missing his concert when he came through town a few years ago.

I make it a habit now not to look ahead (on the internet or newspaper) to know what the songlist will be. I did that for a McCartney concert (two tours ago) and that will be the last time. The suspense and the excitement that comes from not knowing what song will be played next is part of the "value." Once you already know, then you lose that extra excitement. With ticket prices sky high, there's no need to diminish the value. So, I have no idea what Clapton will play, but I look forward to a great show.

Which brings me to the pictures I will post. I saw Eric Clapton at - of all places - Red Rocks, in 1983. It was a memorable day. Well, I take that back. I don't remember that much of it at all. What I do remember is getting to the Rocks somewhere between noon and 2:00 pm, bringing a picnic lunch, and also a few beers. (I think we were allowed to bring them in. I definately remember drinking them.)

As for the concert, I do remember Layla, Wonderful Tonight, and Lay Down Sally. Other than that, it's a fog. Check out the pictures, and send us yours! I am not in any of these...which might be a good thing.



-EB

Greetings from Me and Dave!

I am quite sceptical of "blogging." I have no desire to blog. I have nothing of interest to say, or write. Perhaps I can come up with something now and then, just to keep things interesting.

I don't have a political beef to grind on this blog. I am a journalist by nature. So I do not have a proclivity to expound my political beliefs publically. I do have political beliefs, but that's not the purpose of www.colorful-colorado.com. Perhaps others would like to write about their political thoughts. I would be happy to debate, but again, I am not going to build my website on politics.

So what does a person blog about? If he doesn't have a goal, or a debate, or a dog in a fight? As you can see, I will blog about having nothing to blog about. It's sort of like bragging but having nothing to brag about.

The picture I picked for today is one of me and Dave Letterman. This picture was a fun one for me to have taken. So I will introduce myself with this photograph.