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UW-EAU CLAIRE PROUDLY CELEBRATES

THE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL MUSIC CAREERS OF MANY RENOWNED ALUMNI, from indie artists Sean Carey and Justin Vernon to jazz greats like John Raymond and Aaron Hedenstrom.

Another Blugold leader in the music industry recently left Berkeley, California, his home of 35 years, to return to Eau Claire. Allen Perkins, a 1985 graduate, spent many of those California years as a prolific jazz drum performer, a passion he honed as a Blugold studying jazz music with the late Ron Keezer, associate professor emeritus of music at UW-Eau Claire.

It was not for his drumming, however, that Perkins has earned global acclaim in the music industry.

Perkins has built a career and award-winning international business designing, manufacturing and distributing high-end, stateof-the-art turntables through two California-based companies he founded and co-founded, Spiral Groove turntables and Immedia Distribution.

Perkins does not create the turntables for the average vinyl enthusiast. His designs are aimed at a niche market of “audiophiles” who have the means to spend $15,000 to $35,000 on these premium products.

“I’ve worked with people like Carl Bernstein of Woodward and Bernstein, jazz artist Keith Jarrett, members of the bands Black Keys and the Jackson 5. A wonderful upside of this work has been meeting so many really interesting people,” Perkins says.

“In general, the bulk of my customers have been people who dream of being musicians but often made a whole lot of money doing something else, or they inherited wealth. They have a hobby, and I’m an expert in their hobby – they appreciate my expertise.”

While Perkins is familiar with life in the Chippewa Valley, moving was no small decision for a family with their entire family history spent in California.

“We are blessed to have a person of Allen Perkins’ magnitude choose to live in Eau Claire once again,” says Robert Baca, professor and director of jazz studies.

“Allen is an industry leader whose passion for playing jazz drum set led him to discover new ways listeners can have a deeper musical experience through his technology. Many of the most well-known performers and music makers in the world rely on Allen’s technology to listen and create music on the highest levels. His relocating here is a reminder of all our town has to offer to attract luminaries like Allen.”

Perkins was originally a music major, but eventually earned a psychology degree from UWEC. During his college career, to took part in an exchange program in Japan, where he became intrigued by the world of high-end audio equipment.

After graduating in 1985, he took a job working for a company in Oakland, California. After four and a half years with that business, Perkins left and formed a distribution company to sell phono cartridges manufactured in Japan. The

A MUSICAL SETTING CAN BE BOTH INTIMATE AND INSPIRING: FOR THE LISTENERS, AN ENJOYABLE, SOOTHING FEELING ACROSS STRANGERS; FOR THE MUSICIANS, an electrifying chord of connectivity, no matter how old or young. For Tyler Lustek, an Eau Claire native, that chord struck particularly strong 10 years ago as a freshman at Eau Claire Memorial High School. While watching Jazz I players excel with talent and laughter, Lustek decided to join the jazz community with open arms and fell in love, playing magical tunes on the piano and trumpet. Now, because of those influential times and teachers, he’s back with an MFA in Music and eager ambition to swing into action out on the late-night scene. “Coming back to Eau Claire is a means for me to pay back what I owe in terms of giving back to the people who helped me develop as a musician,” Lustek said. Ranging from ambitious original compositions to improvisational jams with old and new friends, Lustek brings with him to E.C. a unique, jazz experience on the piano. Combining old classics from Herbie Hancock and Rachmaninoff to modern retellings of Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind, and Fire, Lustek celebrates music authentic to himself. “I try to keep one foot in tradition and one foot in progression,” he said. “The fact that I’m an Eau Claire native, I think really resonates with people,” he said. “I have a place in the scene here. I feel very fortunate.” Catch all of Lustek’s latenight jams (featuring The Tyler Lustek Quartet, the Groove Merchants, and more) at 200 Main Art & Wine, The Lakely, Artisan Forge, The Stone’s Throw, and the Clear Water Jazz Fest (August 27) at the Brewing Projekt. –Kelly Carlson distribution company was named Immedia Distribution.

Soon after launching Immedia, Perkins also started manufacturing turntables under the brand name RPM. In 2005, Perkins co-founded Spiral Groove with a partner, and roughly 10 years later began working as a consultant for Mobile Fidelity, “MoFi” Electronics, a subsidiary of Music Direct.

“This role allowed me to apply my expertise to a line of consumer-level products, and I found that work rewarding — my designs were landing in many more people’s homes,” he says.

UWEC connections have remained strong for Perkins, whose two sons Cole and Austin joined the family of Blugold alumni in 2019 and 2021, respectively, and his wife, Julia, is currently employed on campus.

“Eau Claire is a great place for music, and I look forward to making more connections and playing much more often,” he says.

TRAVELING TROUPE TO PERFORM AT LAKE WISSOTA STATE PARK

words by mckenna scherer

SUMMIT PLAYERS THEATRE, A WISCONSINBASED TRAVELING THEATRE TROUPE, IS BRINGING LIVE, OUTDOOR PERFORMANCES to more than 20 state parks this summer, including Lake Wissota State Park outside Chippewa Falls. Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing will be performed at Lake Wissota State Park at 7pm on Friday, Aug. 12, preceded by a workshop at 5:30pm.

The show will be just over an hour long and will be free to attend, as part of the theater’s mission is to ensure accessibility to all. In collaboration with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the state’s gorgeous parks are the locale for each performance.

“We’re thrilled to be entering our seventh year of performing in the parks,” Executive Director A.J. Magoon said. “There’s a reason Much Ado About Nothing is one of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies. It’s hilarious and heartfelt, and this version is perfect for audiences of all kinds.”

The workshops that occur before each performance are educational and this year’s workshop, “Inside Shakespeare’s Story: Much Ado About Nothing,” is being offered for the first time. The workshop is meant to make following the play easier to understand for kids and accompanying adults, such as explaining the Shakespearian language and the flow of the play. Plus, games and exercises are woven in, and culminate to a fun short scene performance.

Summit Players Theatre is the only company in the nation focusing its touring production on state parks. Summit’s content and program changes each year, keeping their tour fresh and fun for all.

Follow the Summit Players Theatre at summitplayerstheater.com and on Facebook (@SummitPlayersTheatre).

words by james johonnott

WE ALL LOVE TREES, DO YOU LOVE TREES?

Arborophilia, the upcoming play performed by Speck of Dust Theatre Company (Aug. 11-13, 19-20 at the Grand Theatre), is about a young woman in love with a poplar tree, and the poplar tree is not at all into it. Directed by Logan Toftness and written by Jacob M. Appel, this award-winning, small, quirky comedy centers on a the two daughters of a middle-aged divorced mother who each love in ways that rebel against their mother. One with a Republican (annoying her deeply Democratic mother) and the other with the wispy, thin poplar tree in their vacant lot.

The Detroit Pride Source called an “insightful poke at many of our cherished beliefs and institutions.”

Tickets can be purchased at the door at the Grand Theatre (102 W. Grand Ave.) for $20 or online at www.brownpapertickets.com/ event/5515812.

Keep up with the Chippea Valley Theatre Guild online on Facebook (@cvtgact) and their website, www.cvtg.org.