islandexcursions

Click on one of the links below to take an excursion to one of our island friend's sites (alphabetical):

Analog Jazz - I have the privilege of serving as music director and keyboard man for this tasty jazz combo that includes four of my favorite local players: Dave Eaton, guitar; Leonard Carillo, bass; David Gonzalez, drums and percussion; and Marcus Rivers, Saxophone.  Although we call this a jazz combo, it would be better described as a smooth mix of jazz and blues ranging from Duke to the Beatles.  We look forward to having special musical guests for most of our gigs -- so there will always be a surprise. We are currently playing around Northern California so check out the site, check out our calendar, and please! come check out a show.

BJ Leiderman is the soundtrack of Public Radio. He is best known as composer of the themes for Morning Edition, Weekend Edition, Marketplace, Car Talk, The People's Pharmacy, Common Ground, A Moment In Time with Dan Roberts and Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!  BJ has also scored commercials and corporate videos for clients including Coca-Cola, Exxon/Mobil, US Air, Corporation For Public Broadcasting, US Environmental Protection Agency, US Chamber of Commerce, General Mills and General Electric. His TV credits include Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, The Annenberg/CPB Project and Christian Broadcasting Network.

Gavin Lurssen is a world class mastering engineer.  He has routinely worked on albums that were either nominated for or won Grammy awards, as well as numerous albums that made their way onto the Billboard Charts (many reaching #1). In 2002, the first year mastering engineers were included in the "Album Of the Year" category at The Grammys, Gavin was honored in the category for his work on the "O Brother Where Art Thou?" soundtrack. Check out where the sonic magic happens!

Greg Douglass is a master guitarist (and I'm not just saying that because he's family)!  Along with a handful of solo projects, Greg has toured and recorded with the Steve Miller Band (he co-wrote the hit "Jungle Love"), Eddie Money, the Greg Kihn Band ("Jeopardy"), Tom Fogerty, Terry & The Pirates, Raven (w/John Cippolina), Link Wray, and Van Morrison, to name a few. Click the link and see what Greg has been up to lately!

John Robinson, 'JR' to most of us, is the most recorded drummer in history (passing Hal Blaine). Here's some highlights: "We Are The World," "All Night Long" by Lionel Richie, "I'm So Excited" and "Slow Hand" by the Pointer Sisters, "I'm Just A Gigolo" and "California Girls" by David Lee Roth, "Higher Love" and "Back In The Highlife" by Steve Winwood, "Express Yourself" by Madonna, "Off The Wall", "Bad" and many others for Michael Jackson, the new Natalie Cole CD, Stardust and "Change The World" by Eric Clapton, Quincy Jones' The Dude, Q's Jook Joint and From Q With Love and Ray Charles, Genius Loves Company, to name a few. It's hard to get JR out of the studio to go on the road but he has toured with an exclusive few including Barbara Striesand and Peter Frampton.  He has, of course, played on many Grammy winning songs but got to take one home in 1983 for work with his early band Rufus and Chaka Khan for "Ain't Nobody".

Mike Pinder is a master keyboard man, philosopher, and co-founder of the Moody Blues.  The contributions he made to a keyboard known as the Mellotron are so significant that during his time with the Moodys it became known among the rock press as the "Pinder-tron." And the lush mood setting tones on the Beatles' "Strewberry Fields Forever" -- you can blame that on Michael as well. For a trip down memory lane and a glimpse into the future, click the link.  Mike is also a songwriting judge for the John Lennon Songwriting contest and on the Advisory Board for West Coast Songwriters.

Pat Coil has been recognized as one of the top studio keyboardist for almost two decades.  And weather or not you know the name, you have undoubtedly enjoyed his musical mastery.  Aside from recording six albums as a leader, Pat has added his keyboard magic to many TV shows, including: "Star Trek Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager," "Murphy Brown," "Murder She Wrote," "Growing Pains," "The Waltons," "Colombo," "Spenser for Hire," "Alien Nation," "Father Dowling Mysteries," "Knot's Landing," "Dallas" and "Falcon Crest." His film credits include: "Funny Farm," "Throw Momma From the Train," "The Abyss ," "Back to The Beach" and "Caddyshack." As a studio musician he has recorded for ... (just click the link)!

Planet Earth Music is all about making sure that gifted individuals are given permission to cultivate and grow their art in a culture where music education is being slashed and in some cases, eliminated altogether. We assist artists in blooming locally and growing globally through scholarships, group classes, master classes, professional clinics, opportunities to perform live, and record commercially distributed projects. Currently Planet Earth Music Academy offers programs in the Sierra Foothills of Northern California  -- our pilot program.  With our success we hope to build Academies across North America. Please check out www.planetearthmusic.org to learn more.

Wayne Johnson is the longtime guitarist with the Manhattan Transfer -- his first gig after attending Berklee College of Music in the late '70's.  During his decades of studio work and touring with the jazz/pop vocal supergroup, Wayne has also stretched out as a leader, having recorded eight projects, two solo acoustic and six with his longtime "Trio" consisting of Bill Berg on drums and Jimmy Johnson on bass.  Wayne has also recorded and toured with Rickie Lee Jones, John Tesh and Bob Wills to name a few.  Wayne won a “Pop Instrumental Album of the Year” Grammy for “Henry Mancini: Pink Guitar”, a tribute to Mancini, consisting of all acoustic solo guitar renditions of each artist’s favorite Mancini song.  Since 2005, Wayne has also been a traveling clinician for Taylor Guitars, an honored position granted only to a handful of greats.

Will Kennedy joined as the drummer with the internationally acclaimed group Yellowjackets when he was 23 years old (and that wasn't his first professional gig).  Over his nine year tenure with the 'Jackets, Will recorded ten albums garnering an amazing fourteen Grammy nominations (and got to take a few or them home). (Did you get that? ... 9/10/14 ...amazing)!  Will has also won Modern Drummer magazine's reader's poll for best drummer (electric jazz category) three years in a row.  Will is actively involved in education. He has conducted clinics and Master series all over the world, and he participates in many educational functions sponsored by his equipment endorsees, including Pearl, Zildjian, Promark, Evans, Shure and Drumframe. Also check out "Will's Practice Room."