Submissions can be e-mailed! Watch this page for information about former members! Don't be shy – let us know where you are and what you are doing. Pictures would be great, too!
Has your family increased it's poplulation? Do you have a website - personal or business - that you want to promote - free of charge? Are you gigging around and want to connect with Brass Beat members? This would be the very place for those (or other) announcements! Send e-mail!
A
Allens-Update Lauralea (Timm) and Sean Allen are back in Sunny California - Ocean Beach, to be exact. No address or contact info for them just yet - hope to have that soon. Laura is an EMT, and Sean is a Paramedic. Sean is also a firefighter and Lauralea will be attending the fire fighting academy shortly. And if you're in to scuba diving and going to be in the San Diego area, both Lauralea and Sean are U.S. Coast Guard-Certified Boat Captains - send them an e-mail and find out how to hook up with them! (Incidentally, that e-mail address is short for "In Sea We Be"!)(Whoah, Dudes! Welcome home!) --cjg14aug01
Doctor Karla Abshire has some great news: "FYI, I will finally be graduating in May, 2001 with a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree & will be trying to find a decent job so I can start paying off my huge student loan bill!" Also, her mom, Carol lives in Missouri and her dad, Jim, and and his bride of 5 years, live in Sedalia, Colorado. (Karla - we're all extremely proud of you, Sweetie!!! And thanks for the address and e-mail address correction!)
B
BB's BB Video! Brian Blalack (Guitar - mid 1980's) produced a great video tape for the July 1999 Brass Beat Reunion - "Joy Cayler's Brass Beat". Brian operates a his own video studio (BBIndustries) in Denver, has the master for the video, and is willing to reproduce it for a really small fee! (This is TRULY a wonderful tribute to Miss Cayler, the organization, and "all the boys and girls in the band". I know this because we have watched it about 100 times!) If you are interested in obtaining the video, or have production needs or interests, please contact him: BBLALACK@aol.com, or call him at 303.455.4320! (Brian! When's that website going up?)
C
Karen Caton (aka KC) (Drummer, Everything Else, and Teacher Extraordinaire, ALL Bands)is going back to school! KC renewed her teaching credentials and will be really busy directing Vocal and Instrumental Music Programs - 3 band and 2 choirs. KC writes, "I'll be teachng at Kunsmiller Middle School. It's were I went to junior high school!" (Good luck, KC! And have FUN!) --cjg11aug01
D
Matt Demerritt (Alto Sax, Brass Beat) writes: "Played in more bands than I can remember. Currently touring with "Action Figure Party" which can be seen and heard on bluethumb.com. Last gig was Macy Gray for two years, lot's of touring. See My photos on Macy Gray.com.(the band shots, and even some of the title pages). When in LA, I have my own group, "The Funk Bossa Revue," and I also play in Double G's hip-hop orchestra, "Dakah." It's all his fault I'm living in LA and playing so much, that lunatic! Much Love...Matt D" (Love ya right back, Matt!)--cjg11aug01
E
Shane Endsely called for a verbal update on 21AUG01. He is temporarily without an e-mail address - so write to him, or give him a call! Shane has been gigging in the road with Ani DiFranco for about 1 1/2 years - The band tours about 6 months out of the year. Shane is based in LA, and keeps in touch with Matt Demerritt and Dakah's Double-G (Geoff Gallegos). Thanks for the update, Shane! It was good chatting with you!--cjg21aug01
F
Glen Fairfield sent an update on 07 October: Glen and his wife, Kenny Lee, just celebrated their 15th anniversary. They have one daughter, Paige, and live in Nipomo, CA. Glen owns and operates 4 Miracle Ear hearing centers, and has recently joined a big band where he plays tenor, and is learning soprano sax. Glen played with JWJ and B'nB from 1979 through 1982. Thank you for the information, Glen! Nice hearing from you!!--cjg07OCT01
G
Geoffrey Gallegos - DAKAH Phenomenon! - (Saxes - 1986-1988) has a phenomenal new project! "Double G" - is the Composer / Conductor for DAKAH , a 30+ piece Hip-Hop/Jazz orchestra, and they are hotter than a pistol on the West Coast - and other places! UPDATE - there are NOW sound bytes up on the DAKAH website - their horn section is TIGHT! (Hi, Geoff! Good to hear from you! Double-G - I STILL want that CD!-- cjg21aug01
H
Andrew (Andy) Hudson (Bass - 1980's) sent this Holiday Greeting to all of you - and I'm just now getting to it - sorry, Andrew!
"Here's my Contact Information!
Greeting fellow Brass Beat Alum!
Just wanted to let you have my home and work numbers and my e-mail for the site.
It is:
H (303)561-0294
W (720)865-9016
E Denise and Andrew
Also, I am playing quite a bit with the Dean Bushnell Orchestra these days if you want to add that to the site.
Happy Holidays!
ANDREW HUDSON"
Thanks for the information, Andy! Hope you and Denise enjoyed the holidays, too!--cjg05JAN02
L
Rene (Lang) (Trumpet and Vocals, Brass Beat) and husband Craig Tisdell have bought a new home (with more bedrooms)in Wedderburn, Australia. The Tisdells are expecting their second child (if my math is correct) around the 3rd week of January, 2002!! Rene explained that Wedderburn is "located just south east of Campbelltown which is the biggest town on the southwestern outskirts of Sydney". (Congratulations on both new additions, Tisdells!) --cjg11aug01
R
Lynda Robbins (T-Bone, Brass Beat) is back in the United States after several years in Germany. Lynda now lives in Greenville, SC with her husband, Mel - please see Member Info for details! --cjg01JAN02
S
Eileen Street (nee Swartz) - BB, Trombone, '60s and '70s - sent this great infomation on her family's musical activities: "... I thought I'd pass along info about the jazz band my husband and I play in. It's called Just for Kicks-Big Band Jazz. We have 17 members and play everything from the old standards to the screaming modern charts. I am the promotional manger, as well as, play trombone in the band. Pat plays bass trombone. Other info about me, I am at a junior high school in Fort Collins, assisting the band director and I also am in my 23rd year of teaching trombone privately. That's enough or I start sounding like I'm blowing my own horn. (pun intended)" (Thank you for the update, Eileen, an for your e-mail address - great chatting with you!)
"SWING SHIFT - 'All-Girl' Bands of the 1940's' ", by Sherrie Tucker, Duke University Press, is a GREAT new read - so far! (OK! I admit it - I went right for the Index, and I wasn't disappointed.) It's available at Amazon.com and Borders.com (And, "Guess Who" and "Her All-Girl Orchestra" are in there?)
T
Mike Turnbull (T-bone, Brass Beat) - NEW: became engaged to Karen in May, is still livin' large in NY, NY and writes: "I'm currently playing with Tom Jones- it's a great gig. Hope all is well and Happy New Year!" Congratulations, Mike and Karen! (Yo, Mike! It's wonderful to know that you are enjoying life - and working - in the Big Apple! Woo-hooooo! And, thanks for your e-mail address!) --cjg11aug01