Gilbert Sun News; March 2015: Arts

Arts

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33

March 2015

Gilbert’s Ballet Etudes is a nominee for a Governor’s Arts Awards in the Arts in EducationOrganization category. Submitted photo

Two Gilbert organizations up for Governor’s Arts Awards

and cultural issues and is intended to be Two Gilbert businesses are among a space that relays messages through the the 65 organizations nominated for the medium of art.

Governor’s Arts Awards, which recognize Fitzgerald is excited about Art outstanding contributions to culture and Intersection’s first nomination. the arts throughout the state.

“It’s quite an honor to sit there with all Art Intersection, Ballet Etudes and the other wonderful people who have Ballet Etudes’ founding artistic director been nominated,” Fitzgerald says. and Mesa resident, Sharon Seder Meko, The awards, in their 34th year, were are among the nominees. The award founded by a group of folks who were will be announced during a ceremony part of an organization called Arizonans on Tuesday, March 24, at the Sheraton for Cultural Development, which evolved Phoenix Downtown Hotel. into Arizona Citizens for Ballet Etudes is a the Arts, according to nominee in the Arts in Catherine “Rusty” Foley, Education-Organization the latter group’s executive category. Additionally, director. Arizona Citizens Meko is up for the Arts for the Arts presents the in Education-Individual awards in partnership with category. the Arizona Commission Gilbert’s Art Intersection is a “We have been nominee for a Governor’s Arts on the Arts and the Office Awards in the Business category. nominated for the past of the Governor.

Submitted photo several years,” says “A group of arts, Kellan Meko, Ballet Etudes’ marketing community and business leaders got and PR manager as well as resident together and decided to help promote choreographer and instructor. the importance of arts and culture,” Foley Ballet Etudes and Sharon Seder Meko says. have received repeated nominations but “What was really needed was an event have yet to win the award. that recognized excellence on behalf of Art Intersection is nominated in the organizations, individual artists and the Business category. Alan Fitzgerald educators, and also those businesses founded Art Intersection in 2010 for and community organizations that photographers and artists to learn, create were promoting arts and culture in the and exhibit. community. It was conceived as a public “It was an interesting combination of private partnership.” ideas about what we would do and who Governor’s Arts Awards categories we would serve,” Fitzgerald says. include Artist, Arts in Education“The initial thought was it would be a Individual, Arts In Education-Organization, place for emerging artists to have a place Business, Community and Individual. to work and exhibit.”

“The Governor’s Arts Awards is really Art Intersection initially included recognized as the most prestigious and three gallery spaces, a dark room for really, in Arizona, the only statewide photographers working with traditional recognition program for excellence and photography processes and a digital lab to achievement in the arts,” Foley says. support the latest technologies. A fourth For additional information about the gallery was added recently downstairs Arizona Commission on the Arts and its that is designed to be a place of social programs visit www.azarts.gov.

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Arts

March 2015

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Conservatory grad wins three more Grammys

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

Conservatory of the Recording Arts graduate Darrell Thorp is about as modest as they come.

In February, the 1997 graduate of the Gilbert conservatory won three Grammys for his engineering work on the album “Morning Phase” by alternative rock singer Beck. A Tucson native, Thorp doesn’t seek attention for his prizes, but shyly speaks about them when asked.

“You know, I’m extremely proud, extremely honored,” Thorp says via telephone from his Studio 101 facility in Beverly Hills, California.

“What a crazy experience it was—it’s been, I mean. I had a great time. I got to take my wife, which was amazing.”

Thorp was part of the team that won Grammys for “Morning Phase,” including Album of the Year, Best Rock Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.

Thorp, who served as the main recording engineer, did all of the tracking and overdub recording.

Thorp witnessed Beck as he accepted the Album of the Year prize. As he prepared to deliver his speech, Beck was disrupted by rapper Kanye West, who stormed the stage to protest the award not going to Beyoncé.

“It was mind blowing,” Thorpe says about West’s interruption. “I saw him do

it. I was in the back. I sort of saw some commotion going on, but I didn’t know what it was until after.

“In fact, I found this camera angle— there’s no audio to it—that shows Kanye going up and doing his thing and walking down of the stage and sitting down back on his seat on the edge.”

Grammys are nothing new to Thorp. He is a seven-time Grammy winner, having also earned trophies for Switchfoot’s “Hello Hurricane” album in 2010; OutKast’s 2003 collection “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below;” Radiohead’s 2003 missive “Hail to the Thief;” as well as Taj Mahal’s “Shoutin’ in the Key” from 2000.

He is one of 19 graduates the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences who scored Grammy wins. They appear on 21 prize-collecting recordings.

Thorp explains that Grammy day is a long nine-hour event.

“It’s a crazy day,” he says. “It’s a long, busy day. It starts at noon. Depending on what you’re nominated for, you get out of there at 9 at night. The Staples Center and L.A. Live are ginormous. There is a lot of walking. Your feet hurt at the end of the day.”

But Thorp wouldn’t have it any other way. He signed up to attend the school after a “brief, four-year stint in the U.S. Navy.”

“While I was in the Navy, I was deciding if I wanted to make the music business a full-time career,” he says.

“The conservatory seemed perfect to me. I had friends and family in the Phoenix area. After I got out of the Navy, I went back to Phoenix to go to the conservatory. When I graduated, I moved to Los Angeles and got a job at a studio.”

At the school, students get hands-on experience with “hired guns,” as Thorp calls them, who perform while the pupils learn how to set up microphones and Conservatory of the Recording Arts graduate Darrell Thorp all aspects of producing and has engineered five of Beck’s albums. Submitted photo engineering.

“When I was there, it was just One of those acts is Shaheed and DJ doing a basic band in the sense of drums, Supreme, a departure for Thorp. bass, guitar and vocals,” he says. “I went “I do a lot of rock, pop or singerby there and there were horn players songwriter- based stuff. To go into the coming in for a session. “ hip-hop world is just exciting and new. It’s Lately, Thorp has been working with been great. I’ve been having a lot of fun former Remy Zero guitarist/vocalist working on things with Jeffrey’s label.”

Jeffrey Cain and his new label in Shaheed says via email that it’s a joy to Birmingham, Alabama. work with Thorp.

“After they (Remy Zero) broke up in “Working with Darrell Thorp is 2005 or 2006, Jeffrey and I started to amazing,” says Shaheed. “He brings the become really good friends,” he says. “He best out of us and makes us better than ran into a bunch of incredibly talented we thought we could be. He is truly individuals. He started his own label.” amazing and the best at what he does.”

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Highland/ASU Jazz Festival features musical legends

Arts

March 2015

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BY LYNETTE CARRINGTON

Two legends will take the stage at two different concerts at the sixth annual Highland/ASU Jazz Festival at Highland High School.

Phoenix native/drummer Lewis Nash, and composer and saxophonist Benny Golson will perform at the festival. They are making their first appearances there with Nash’s concert on Friday, March 27, and Golson’s show on Saturday, March 28. The two-hour concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. The festival runs Thursday, March 26, through Saturday, Jazz drummer Lewis Nash will perform at the Highland/ March 28.

ASU Jazz Festival from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday, March “Having gone to school at 27. Copyright R.R. Jones Arizona State University, it means a lot to come back and play,” Nash says. and television specials for ABC, CBS, NBC “Any opportunity I get to play in my and the BBC. home state, I look forward to.”

Golson said he “always had a desire” The festival incorporates a variety to write scores. He lived in the same of performance elements of the sultry building as his friend Quincy Jones, who music genre. Jazz bands will play and also wrote scores. “He went out there clinicians will be critiquing and working and said, ‘Benny, you ought to come out,’ with student band members. ” Golson says. After some coaxing from Nash also looks forward to talking to Jones, Golson went to Los Angeles and students. got involved in writing for television.

“Being able to share performance-wise Golson singles out his work on by playing with them and also to have a “M*A*S*H* as one of his favorite jobs. The chance to speak to the students and talk pursuit of Golson’s autograph was a part about my career, demonstrate things and of the storyline in the 2004 Tom Hanks talk about my life in music,” Nash said. “I film, “The Terminal” in which Golson also look forward to the educational aspect.” had a cameo.

The former Juilliard and Manhattan Festival guest artist Lewis Nash School of Music instructor and namesake performs 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday, of The Nash jazz club in downtown March 27. Festival guest artist Benny Phoenix is still busy with his own band Golson performs 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. the Lewis Nash Quintet and his most Saturday, March 28. Tickets are $20 per recent album is “The Highest Mountain.” person for each of the festival special “I’m looking to get into the studio guest artist concerts. again hopefully this year for a new On Saturday evening, the judges’ project,” says Nash. He also has a duo pick for most outstanding high school album with saxophonist Steve Wilson jazz band will open the Benny Golson entitled, “Duologue” released last year. concert.

Golson says jazz festivals are “never the “This was a collaboration between ASU same.” and Highland High School,” says Michael “I’m always ready to see what one has Kocour who co-founded the Highland/ to offer,” Golson says. “I’m there to play ASU Jazz Festival with former Highland and I’ll do whatever they need.” jazz instructor Lewis Nelson and Highland The prolific musician almost wound up director of bands Kevin Bennett. Kocour in the world of 88 keys. “At 9 years old is an associate professor and director of my first instrument was a piano,” Golson jazz studies at ASU and a sophisticated says. “I thought I wanted to be a concert jazz pianist in his own right. pianist and I worked very hard until I was “There are two aspects of the festival.

14. I heard the saxophone and that’s when One is that bands from the state and everything changed.” beyond come in to perform and to work Golson has composed and arranged with experts from around the country,” music for everyone from Count Basie, says Kocour. “There will be a panel of Miles Davis and Ella Fitzgerald to Lou experts that listen to them and one Rawls, Dusty Springfield and Diana Ross. of those experts will spend an hour Golson also made a successful foray rehearsing with them. That will be going into writing scores for television and on all day Thursday, Friday and Saturday.” films. His work includes scores for There will be 50 bands performing “M*A*S*H*,” “Mission Impossible,” “The see JAZZ FESTIVAL page 36 Partridge Family,” “The Academy Awards,”

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JAZZ FESTIVAL page 35

during the festival and this year’s festival clinicians include composer Don Owens, trombonist Andy Baker, saxophonist Glenn Kostur, bassist Tom Wakeling and trumpet player Alex Parker.

From 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday, Jazz saxophonist March 26 elementary, Benny Golson will perform at the junior high, high Highland/ASU Jazz school and college big bands and combo Festival from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. jazz bands will be Saturday, March performing. On 28. Copyright Friday, March 27, Ibbob Music Inc. the festival features Photo credit Oliver performances and Rossberg musician clinics.

From 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and again from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 27 and Sunday, March 28, the festival again features performances and musician clinics.

The public is invited to attend jazz band performances for free although donations are welcome.

The 6th Annual Highland/ASU Jazz Festival will take place at Highland High School at 4301 E. Guadalupe Rd. Visit www.highlandjazz.com to purchase tickets.

Arts

KC Blues Band to perform at Downtown Concert Series

BY MEGHAN MCCOY

Kevin Casenhiser began playing guitar when he was 6 years old.

Influenced by artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Clapton, the Mesa resident will perform tunes from those guitarists and other songs during Gilbert’s Downtown Concert Series.

Casenhiser and his band, KC Blues Band, play at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19 at the Water Tower Plaza in Gilbert’s Heritage District.

There is no charge to attend the concert. Attendees are welcome to bring food and nonalcoholic beverages, as long as they are not in glass containers.

Casenhiser, a 2010 graduate of Primavera Online High School, said his inspiration doesn’t begin and end with guitarists.

“I really like Oscar Peterson,” he says of the piano player. “I will listen to him and then really want to pick it up.”

The idea for his band began when he was just 12 years old. Casenhiser was allowed to leave his choir class to play guitar in the auditorium at a grandparents’ day event.

Casenhiser met who would become his first drummer, Stevie Ray Ellis, that day.

The duo hit it off.

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“He was an older guy,” Casenhiser says of Ellis. “He became my first drummer. KC Blues Band started strong.”

KC Blues Band began as a three-piece band with guitar, bass and drums. The band expanded to include piano, saxophone and on occasion a harp player.

“We kind of got our own sound,” he explains.

Although different players have moved in and out of the KC Blues Band will play at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19, at the Water Tower Plaza in Gilbert’s Heritage District band throughout the 10 year wants to keep the music to what they all history of the band, they have all stayed know and play well. part of the band’s family.

“I’m pretty darn excited,” Casenhiser Casenhiser performs both solo acts and says. “Come out with your family and have acts with the band playing such music a good time.” genres as bluegrass, country, blues, classic The upcoming concert will be the rock and jazz. He is influenced by all of band’s first gig of the year. KC Blues these genres. “I seem to gravitate towards Band typically plays at family events, the blues,” Casenhiser says. fundraisers and festivals in Arizona, Casenhiser says he is comfortable Minnesota, Florida, Colorado and playing solo, but adds that playing is more California. enjoyable in the band.

Casenhiser says he enjoys performing “It’s a lot more fun being up there with because he likes making people happy. all my band mates,” he says.

“That is what music is all about,” he says.

Although he has a few original songs, he says they are not on the set list because he “I love it.”

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WWE alum to appear at improvMANIA

Arts

March 2015

Experience the Difference

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

Longtime Gilbert resident Farris—who has two children, Megan and Roy, with his wife, Tammy—has lived in Gilbert for 21 years.

“I will never leave Arizona,” he says.

“When I leave, I told my kids to take the urn out near Apache Junction and, when the Santa Ana winds blow, to toss me up and say, ‘Dad’s gone again.’”

Farris spent most of his wrestling career on the road, traveling from city to city for different television and house shows. So much so, that his kids lost track of travels.

To his kids and their friends, he was just Mr. Farris. No Honky Tonk Man alter ego here.

“To the kids in the neighborhood, I was just Megan and Roy’s dad,” he says with a laugh. “They were just small children when I was on TV. By the time most of them had reached the age of watching television or wrestling, I was off of television.”

Farris’ last TV appearance was three years ago, although the WWE still shows clips of him occasionally. He also appears in the video game “WWE 2K15.”

Neither of his children is involved in wrestling. Megan is an ASU majoring in microbiology with the hopes of being a veterinarian, he says. Roy played golf on scholarship for MCC and now works at a golf course.

“I never pushed my children into

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Roy Wayne Farris has lived in Gilbert for 21 years. Submitted photo

anything,” he says. “If they played soccer, they had to finish the season—same with tee-ball. If they didn’t like it after the season was over, they didn’t sign up again.

“I’m not a Disneyland dad. I don’t want to relive my youth through my children.”

No regrets He has few regrets about his nearly fourdecade career. If he had any, it was that he didn’t document his career as well as he should have.

“I’ve met so many people throughout my career—and still do,” he says. “I never got any photos of them and things like that. If you’re really in the industry, you don’t say, ‘Oh gosh. Can I get a picture with you?’ I wish I would have.”

As a result, fans probably won’t see an autobiography by Farris.

“When it comes down to everyone doing autobiographies, it would have been much easier to get it all together if I took notes,” he says.

“Bret Hart, he did that. I didn’t know he kept notes. He did a book and it was a testament to himself. It was 600 pages. I don’t know if I’d read 600 pages of anything.”

By the same accord, he doesn’t watch “Monday Night Raw,” “Thursday Night Smackdown” or anything else related to professional wrestling.

“I don’t like to read 600 pages about something nor do I want to watch a threehour television show about something I’ve been involved in,” he says with a laugh.

“It’s easier for me to read the Internet reports every day. I can read websites and find out what happens, who got arrested, who did what, etc.”

For now, he’s focusing on his own career, which can be followed at www.facebook. com/HonkyTonkManOfficial.

“I want to do the comedy stuff when I can,” says Farris. “This event for improvMANIA will be a good way to start to transition.

“I enjoy the meet and greets because it’s less physical activity. You don’t get hurt too bad shaking hands, unless it’s one of those fellas who want to show how manly they are by how hard they can squeeze your hand.”

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After 37 years in professional wrestling, longtime Gilbert resident Roy Wayne Farris has a story or two to tell.

Otherwise known as the Honky Tonk Man, the 62-year-old Farris will share those tales with fans at improvMANIA, 250 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler, on Saturday, March 7. For information about tickets, call (480) 699-4598. He’ll briefly meet with WWE followers, but next time, he’s hoping he’ll hit the stage.

“This particular time it’s just going to be an autograph and meet and greet with fans and people who come over for the evening,” Farris says.

He’s no stranger to comedy. He frequently does stand-up comedy, something he’s using to transition away from the ring.

“I work particularly off of the Q&A-type stuff, then I mix humor in with it,” Farris says. “Every story I have has some kind of humorous twist to it because the way professional wrestling and entertainment is intertwined. Some stories are believable, some not.

“After 37 years in that business, you have a vast amount of stories. That’s why I like for the audience to get involved. They’re the ones who can come up with the things they want to ask me. It then turns into a story. I didn’t take notes or audiotape anything. It’s all off the cuff.”

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