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One Tribe Nation update

yP — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:13:28 +0000

Just heard a completed (but pre-mix) version of the OTN tracks titled “Mended Heart” sounded perty durn goood! Can’t wait til it’s all finished so you can hear it!

If you’re in NYC check out Tommy Campbell at Puppet’s Jazz Bar!

yP — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 17:45:26 +0000

June 15th and 19th: “PUPPET’S JAZZ BAR ” Brooklyn,NYC phenomenal drummer, musician Tommy Campbell on drums with guitarist: Akio Sasajima, and bassist: Harvie S.
“PUPPET’S JAZZ BAR ” located at:
481 5th Avenue.
Park Slope,Brooklyn,NYC.
(718)499-2622
http://www.puppetsjazz.com/

Tommy was one of my teachers at Berklee. He also spent a lot of time playing with people like Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Kevin Eubanks and others. Great cat and great player!

On The Spot Geeto (pronounced Jee to)- memories of my father in the words of my cousin Clinton Droster

yP — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:50:23 +0000

When my family moved here, some twenty-plus years ago, and we knew no one and nothing of this town, except that we had a ton more cousins here than we did in Chicago. Who was it that made sure we got settled in and knew the town and knew our family. It was ..”On the spot.. Geeto.”
When my sister Christal, had her first born, and was a single mom, whenever she needed something for her daughter or herself. Who was always there?.. “On the spot..Geeto.” (It was usually in the car already.)
When my brother, Toby, had his two daughters and they needed something. Who was always there?..”On the spot..Geeto.” He loved those girls like they were his own.
Through my young adult plus days, when I wanted to be a rebel and test the strengths of time. Who was always there when things went astray?..”On the spot..Geeto.”
When my mom needed someone there to console her over her defiant child, or when she wanted to share happy and joyful times. Who was always there?..”On the spot..Geeto.”
When she needed a big brother to lean on, or sometimes to watch the dog while we were out of town, Who was there?..”On the spot..Geeto.”
When we had family here from out of town, Who was there to share in the laughter, excitement and Food?..”On the spot..Geeto.”
When we had family events right here in Cleveland, Who was always right in the middle of everything?..”On the spot ..Geeto.”
Then, some years ago, I thought my Father was calling me home, but it wasn’t just yet. When I woke up, Who was at my bedside next to my mother?..”On the spot ..Geeto.”
I’m also sure, as a firefighter, whenever somebody needed help, Who was always there?..”On the spot..Geeto.”
We never had to chat much, but somehow alway’s knew what was on each other’s minds. I could tell Geeto was exceptionally happy for me when a God-fearing woman entered my life.
Over the summer, I was looking for a bike rack for the car, so I asked Geeto to find one for me. So a couple of weekends I decided to go looking myself at garage sales, and who did I see every weekend?..”On the spot..Geeto.”
Geeto never had a negative word to say about anybody. He was always “On the spot” with a positive attitude, except for the ‘Browns’, (but I guess he was right especially after this past weekend, when we still don’t have a quarterback.) Geeto would always say, “The Browns ain’t going to do nothing!”
Two Saturday’s ago, when my mom’s church had a spaghetti dinner, Who was there?..”On the spot..Geeto.” It was never hard to entice Geeto with food, even though he said ” I should have been there cooking!”
Last Tuesday I saw Geeto at Marc’s, and we chatted for a little while. Then he went to do a little shopping, probably going to pick something up to be a blessing for somebody else, so he could be “On the spot” for them.
If I could have been a fly on the Pearly Gates of Heaven, I could just imagine what Our Father would have said! Well done my son, for you have filled All the Spots that you were supposed to. Now come and fill this Spot, which I have saved for You!
We all have stories like this.
For whether Geeto was a Father, Grandfather, Brother, Uncle, Cousin, Firefighter, or just a Friend….Geeto left a Spot on All of Us….A Very Big Spot.
Thank you for letting me share my memories with you. God Bless!
~ Clinton Droster, South Euclid, Ohio

Pop-the living years

yP — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 05:06:17 +0000

I never wanted to think about the reality of life without my father around. But this is inevitable if we go through the normal course of life. I never realized how fortunate I was to even have a father I could identify, much less actually have a relationship with him, until I was much older. So many people don’t have that. I’m grateful that I did. My pop was awesome. If my dad had a baseball career that paralleled his aptitude for fathering he would have been Babe Ruth…or Hank Aaron. The home run king of fatherhood. And though far from perfect my pop taught me a few very valuable life lessons not by telling me what to do. But by what he modeled. As they say, your kids will hear what you say, but ultimately they will do what you do.

There are many things I wish I’d said to my dad while he was alive. But I just never knew how. Fortunately the words “I love you” weren’t among those lost words. My father and I showed our love, both, with word and action. But,still, I wish I could have allowed my mouth to say more of what my heart needed to communicate to him. My dad is my hero.

I have often been slow at figuring out what I needed to say to people. Words would avoid entering my brain until my emotions could be sorted out into something that could be verbally expressed with some clarity.
But then other times I have no problem expressing myself. My pop was everything we learn not to believe in when we grow up. He was Super-man, Santa claus, the Easter Bunny etc..all rolled into one extremely generous, and kind, family oriented man.

I have learned from his successes and his mistakes. Over the years. I watched a man of often few words slowly learn how to communicate to people he loved. Once he just started talking to me about this Mike and The Mechanics song “the Living Years”. It was totally out of the blue..that was years ago….he talked about letting people know how you feel while their still around to hear it. And I watched him in the following years do his best to do that as difficult as it was for him at times.

I’m kind of just rambling now. But I will share this because maybe someone else has felt what I’m feeling right now. Maybe someone else will feel these feelings at a later time. We all need each other. So a hope that my sharing blesses you. Enjoy the video. this song speaks to me..and I can’t get it out of my head anyway. So I may as well share it with you. This is likely just the first of , a few entries about my dad. I invite you to return if there is something here that blesses you. peace

Kobe

yP — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 07:41:06 +0000

Got a gig tonight at a place called Clop Clop near a station called Nishioigikubo. Gonna be a load of fun because my favorite bass player is on the hit tonight. His name is Hiroshi Eguchi. We just connect so well. I can’t wait til I can let you all hear some of what we’ve been doing.

Leaving for Kobe in the morning for three days. Looking forward to that. Haven’t been there since….well…since a REALLY long time ago!! =) I’ll leave it at that. Gonna hang with my buddy Percy and record some music and interview some Japanese Traditional Gagaku musicians. More about it later.

peace!

Thanks for the music!

yP — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:52:37 +0000

When I was in 6th grade, my 5th and 6th grade teacher, Mr. Murray, told me , in the presence of my parents, that I had a lot of IOU’s. Debts to people who gave their time and energy to help me in school and in life in general. That list keeps getting longer and longer and I’ll never be able to pay it back. But I can say thank you and then pay it all forward when opportunity arises. So here’s short list of “Thank You’s” to start with:

aug-12-09(note. at this point, I have had to edit this a few times. A few more people I thought it appropriate to mention in this entry. But keep in mind that this is a very specific music list. My life is more than just music. And some of these mentioned here also belong elsewhere. So there will certainly be many more expressions of gratitude to be read.)

Today I was thinking about all the people in my life who in some way influenced me along the way as I developed as a musician and helped me at some significant point in my career. I figured I’d start with those people:

Mom and dad who had the BOMB record collections. Because of that I can play music that didn’t even get airplay anymore by the time I was born. I’ve been on a number of gigs where I had to play songs I’d NEVER played before and sometimes hadn’t heard since childhood. I can recall thinking “MAN! I wish Pop could hear me playing this song right now” and other band members being surprised at how many songs I knew. Aside from that, they’re mom and pop. They do and have always done EVERYTHING they knew to do to make sure I shot straight.

Grampa Norris- Who introduced me to Chuck Berry’s music and country music.

Aunt Dot- who let me beat up her pots and pans until they were all beaten up from the dents! lol She still talks about that pot that she saved under her sink.

Mike Stovall (my homie from Hts. High who turned me on to a TON of music. Thanks Mike)

Sean Skeete and Victor Demelto (these two guys are my all time favorite shed buddies. I could practice with them without the typical petty competitive thing that a lot of drummers get into. Victor was Jr. High School and I met Sean after I graduated from Berklee. Learned a lot from those sessions whenever they happened)

Martin Van Blockson (super talented saxophonist/singer/songwriter/producer and my friend. I first learned how to create tracks on my own through his coaching and encouragement on his gear because I didn’t have my own. lol)

These are roughly in order of their appearance in my life. A few are famous. Most are not. A few have passed on. But they ALL deserve my gratitude. But they’re alive in me and others who have been been in their circle of influence:
Jimmy Landers
Mrs. Blackmon
Mrs. Brigado
Pam Sharp
Mr. Canfield
Mrs. Tomberg
Neal Gould
Rasoul Jackson
Robert Bergantino
James Bain
Roger Clary
William Tarter
Thomas Owens
Dave Brewer
jim Lightman
Lenny Anderson
Leon Stevenson
Bruce Golden
Bruce Collie
Tommy Campbell
John Ramsey
Dean Anderson
Herman Johnson
Rob Rose
Hal Crook
Jackie Beard
Tony Germain
Greg Badolato
Denton “Rico” Tyler
Greg McPhearson
Ed Kaspik
Motoaki Makino
Walter Beasley (one of my first gigs after college. Walter is also responsible for getting me on the Brian McKnight gig back in the day)
Lalah Hathaway (Lalah gave me my first professional touring opportunity)
Ron Savage
John Hazilla
Skip Hadden
Ralph Peterson
Dan Whitner
Brother Dennis Slaughter
Jonathan Singleton
Andrew Braxton
Frank Wilson
Dom Famularro
Frank McComb
Nate Morton
Darrell Diaz More on Darrell later.
Darrell Alston These last four guys were the FIRST people to put me to work in LA after I moved. Those gigs were crucial to my survival in more ways than one.
Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. – I was a fan of their music as a duo and with the Fifth Dimension and now I play with them.

Welcome!!

yP — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 01:57:13 +0000

Hey! Welcome to the new site! This will be the place to find out what’s happening with me and my various music projects including the Phunk Organik Society and One Tribe Nation and other artists/bands with whom I may be playing.

Feel free to explore the site and enjoy the various features such as the videos,photos, and music, comments sections and the forum. In addition you can contact me about gigs as well as get my updates by rss feed or join the mailing list and street team.

The store is not up yet because there’s nothing to sell at this point. But as soon as I get some stuff for you to purchase I’ll be sure to let you know about that too.

But the most important thing for me is that you talk to me. And talk to each other. Music is a wonderful gift that enriches our lives. So let’s share it and talk about it…and spread it around!

As some of you know, I am in Japan at the moment. So , computer time is over for now.But, stay tuned for updates! =)

Thanks to Kristian, at kreeaytiv.com, for building this site for me. YOU ARE THE MAN!! I highly recommend him if you’re in the market for a new website. Also thanks to Jesse Hayes who created the logo for me. Hit Jesse and his lovely wife Arielle up if you want songs, production or graphics. They rule! Love peace, and chicken grease – David “Young Professor” Cowan