The Neslort Resurrection - December 5, 2008
Yes that's right folks, fasten your seat belts for the zany yet intriguing music of Neslort, soon to be recording the first CD since 1996 thanks to the help of Threadhead records! (See the link)
RICK TROLSEN: News
August in Brasil - July 28, 2008
Well, it's been a great summer! I've been working "Gringo do Choro" pretty consistently throughout the last several months and there's definitely a groove happening. In just a couple of weeks we'll have a completed a demo recording in our hands to conjure up some out of town work. It's a great package designed by my good friend from Rochester, Michael Tomb. I'll upload the cover so you can see it on my photo page.
Just yesterday we did a Tipitina's Workshop for kids at Tipitina's. It was great. 8 or so kids on stage playing trombones, saxes, clarinet, and a bunch of percussionists learning how to play a Samba. It was kicks for sure!
Staying in town has really been quite rewarding. One can get so much more done when one isn't waiting to check into a hotel room, waiting for soundcheck, waiting for the bread etc etc etc...
I haven't been on an airplane in months!!! What a luxury, staying at home, making a fun living. But that will soon come to a delightful end when on August 13th I board a plane bound for Rio de Janeiro. Yes that's right, I have two weeks down there. The only thing I have "scheduled" is a master class at a college and one performance. The rest of my time, I will be listening to music, sitting in with different groups, studying portuguese and brazilian rhythms and taking in the night (right) life. I will try to keep a log and publish it if anyone is interested. "Gringo do Choro's" mandolinist, John Eubanks will be joining me for the 2nd week, as will New Orleans' pianist extraordinaire, Tom McDermott. It's going to be "Otimo!"
Ate' Logo!
Just yesterday we did a Tipitina's Workshop for kids at Tipitina's. It was great. 8 or so kids on stage playing trombones, saxes, clarinet, and a bunch of percussionists learning how to play a Samba. It was kicks for sure!
Staying in town has really been quite rewarding. One can get so much more done when one isn't waiting to check into a hotel room, waiting for soundcheck, waiting for the bread etc etc etc...
I haven't been on an airplane in months!!! What a luxury, staying at home, making a fun living. But that will soon come to a delightful end when on August 13th I board a plane bound for Rio de Janeiro. Yes that's right, I have two weeks down there. The only thing I have "scheduled" is a master class at a college and one performance. The rest of my time, I will be listening to music, sitting in with different groups, studying portuguese and brazilian rhythms and taking in the night (right) life. I will try to keep a log and publish it if anyone is interested. "Gringo do Choro's" mandolinist, John Eubanks will be joining me for the 2nd week, as will New Orleans' pianist extraordinaire, Tom McDermott. It's going to be "Otimo!"
Ate' Logo!
Playing with Doc Vidac! - June 30, 2008
Just wanted to let everyone know about a last minute gig that came up! This Tuesday 7/1/08 at the DBA on Frenchmen St. I'll be playing with John Vidacovich, the baddest jazz drummer in the world as far as I'm concerned!
It'll be just the two of us. We've done this before and it came off great! Come check it out!
It'll be just the two of us. We've done this before and it came off great! Come check it out!
New Gig! - June 26, 2008
Beginning in August, Gringo do Choro will be performing the first Monday of each month at the DBA on Frenchman St!
Let's make it a regular date!!
See ya August 4th!
Summertime in New Orleans - May 24, 2008
Yes, it's humid. A part of me likes it.... and a teensy weensy little part of me likes it. I try to ignore the bigger part of me that despises it.
Gringo do Choro will be plugging away the summer months without guitarist Marcio Pereira, as he will return to Brasil for a couple of months to be with his family. Aptly filling in for him will be local legend, Steve Masakowsi of Astral Project as well as Guitar extraordinaire, Davy Mooney. He has a love for Brazilian music as well, and has a great feel for it!
Also plugging away this summer will be my Primordial Fusion group, “NESLORT.” With things slowing down in town, we’ll have some time and energy to get this group “happening” again. The usual lineup as of lately has been Brent Rose on reeds, Tommy Sciple on bass, Jay Griggs on Guitar, Larry Seiberth on keyboards, and Jason Marsalis on drums. Without any rehearsals, the last two performances have been magical. Perhaps we shouldn’t rehearse…? But if we do, what happens then?! If you’ve never heard Primordial Fusion, then ya gotta come hear this group…and bring plungers!
Gringo do Choro will be plugging away the summer months without guitarist Marcio Pereira, as he will return to Brasil for a couple of months to be with his family. Aptly filling in for him will be local legend, Steve Masakowsi of Astral Project as well as Guitar extraordinaire, Davy Mooney. He has a love for Brazilian music as well, and has a great feel for it!
Also plugging away this summer will be my Primordial Fusion group, “NESLORT.” With things slowing down in town, we’ll have some time and energy to get this group “happening” again. The usual lineup as of lately has been Brent Rose on reeds, Tommy Sciple on bass, Jay Griggs on Guitar, Larry Seiberth on keyboards, and Jason Marsalis on drums. Without any rehearsals, the last two performances have been magical. Perhaps we shouldn’t rehearse…? But if we do, what happens then?! If you’ve never heard Primordial Fusion, then ya gotta come hear this group…and bring plungers!
Gringo records - May 14, 2008
For the last two evenings, Gringo do Choro has been in the studio recording a few tunes for a demo! I want get this band rollin’ and start taking it to foreign lands...ya know, somewhere other than New Orleans. It really helps to have a recording of how the band sounds now, as opposed to what I did in Brazil in 2003. I can’t tell you what a great lineup we have now.
Ole’ vets of Gringo do Choro, John Eubanks (mandolin) and myself, have found ourselves with a new rhythm section that just grooves like nothing else. Bassist Tommy Sciple had just returned from Oregon where he ended up after Katrina, when I found myself looking for a bass player. He’s played the music before and knows the role he plays.
When Guitarist Marcio Pereira sat in with us one night at Dos Jefes, it was evident that we needed in the group guitar rather than piano, so we made the switch. Marcio is from Salvador, Bahia in Brazil. Naturally, his feel for Brazilian music is impeccable, and he offers much insight into the rhythms that we are trying to play.
A couple of months ago, I had a handful of bookings I was trying to fill, and drummer Wayne Maureau, who had been playing with us, couldn’t make most of the dates. Coincidentally, another Katrina evacuee, drummer Julian Garcia, had just returned to town. We had played together many times before the storm, so I knew already that he could handle the job…and trust me, he does much more than “handle” it!
We’ve had a great time in the studio and accomplished a lot in working out the finer details of what we’re trying to do. To me, a group is nothing without the input of everyone in the band. I’m very excited and enthused about what’s going on!
Ole’ vets of Gringo do Choro, John Eubanks (mandolin) and myself, have found ourselves with a new rhythm section that just grooves like nothing else. Bassist Tommy Sciple had just returned from Oregon where he ended up after Katrina, when I found myself looking for a bass player. He’s played the music before and knows the role he plays.
When Guitarist Marcio Pereira sat in with us one night at Dos Jefes, it was evident that we needed in the group guitar rather than piano, so we made the switch. Marcio is from Salvador, Bahia in Brazil. Naturally, his feel for Brazilian music is impeccable, and he offers much insight into the rhythms that we are trying to play.
A couple of months ago, I had a handful of bookings I was trying to fill, and drummer Wayne Maureau, who had been playing with us, couldn’t make most of the dates. Coincidentally, another Katrina evacuee, drummer Julian Garcia, had just returned to town. We had played together many times before the storm, so I knew already that he could handle the job…and trust me, he does much more than “handle” it!
We’ve had a great time in the studio and accomplished a lot in working out the finer details of what we’re trying to do. To me, a group is nothing without the input of everyone in the band. I’m very excited and enthused about what’s going on!