With A Little Help From My Friends

 It's almost the end of April, but with finals at school, a crazy work schedule, and trying to make ends meet with a baby on the way NEXT WEEK, I just want to go back to March for a bit with you. Can we do that just for bit?

I had the opportunity to host March's Monthly Blues Jam at the Boothe Brothers Performing Arts Center in Spanish Fork. I had done so about a year and a half ago to celebrate the midwest tour I went on with BYU Synthesis (BYU's premier jazz band), and so I could jam with those synthesis guys all together one more time since I would not end up being able to be with Synthesis in the fall. It was great, tons of blues, some jazz, lots of funk, some original songs, and a bunch of people got to hear it, which was fantabulous. People all getting together to share a musical experience. I have been graced with the opportunity to help other artists do that for their fans and others alike, but I felt the need to begin reaching out with my own music once the new year rolled in, so I called up Curt Gordon and asked for the March slot. I decided to call up Robbie Connolly of Fictionist, a blues aficionado himself, to join me for some tunes. The phone call the DAY OF went like this "Can I bring Stuart along too?" The rip roarin' front man with an iconic voice and a unique rock-style bass playing skill? Yeah he can come too. They joined me on stage for some impromptu rock jams and helped make the night another one to remember. My band for the night consisted of band mates and fellow BYU musicians from various groups, but we've played so many shows collectively that it didn't take long for us to call each other amigos. I don't think I played my super-best, but I got by with a little help from my friends. The best part of the night?

Curt always sends around a "bucket o love" asking for donations to keep the performing arts center running, since he doesn't charge for people to come to these events. I simply announced before one of my songs that I was working on an EP. Curt took the whole thing a hundred steps further than I could imagine, and DONATED the funds from the night's bucket o love to the production of my EP!!!! It was over $100!!!! It was an amazing act of charity and I am so grateful for his donation, I was sure to give him muchos thank yous. He'll get some free copies of it once it's done and printed!

The Ryan Innes Show at Velour was a lot of fun. A huge turnout plus Ryan's buttery voice made his last show before his appearance on NBC's The Voice a great night. He even found a bunch of twinkies, REAL TWINKIES, and threw them into the crowd. I can't wait to see where this show ends up putting Ryan, the exposure is going to give his career the boost that it deserves.

All photos snapped by the talented and beautiful Roxana Baker.

-C