A few shots from my first gig with The Benson Highway Band and some musings.

 

February of 2025 was a strange month in my musical life. It started off the disbandment of a group that I'd been playing with since October of 2022. We never played out, but jammed a lot and wrote a clutch of tunes that I really liked. One of the members of the group had decided that he'd had enough, though, and we had a strange text chain that finished that particular project. Dismayed, I went pretty much immediately over to Craigslist and posted an ad: "Avant Garage Drummer Seeks..." That approach seemed dubious at best: I swear that there's an underground sex hookup component to Craigslist musicians ads here in Tucson. A few years back I had some pretty, ah, strange emails after posting a similar ad. Much to my surprise, Sean Whalen, singer of The Benson Highway Band responded to me, and we set up and audition. It transpired that they had a show booked for 2/28, at St. Charles Tavern, and were in great need of a drummer. Rehearsals happened. I learned a relatively short set of originals and one cover song. We played the gig. It was great fun, and it seemed as though I mesh well with the group. Plus, the music is cool and fun to play. Stoked! 

Below: two shots by Melissa. Thanks my love!

Next gig announcement for The Benson Highway Band coming very soon!

Playing live this Friday in Tucson!

 

I will be drumming for The Benson Highway Band this Friday at St. Charles Tavern in Tucson! 

Friday 2/28/2025

St. Charles Tavern1632 S 4th Ave., Tucson 85713

8 PM

Barefoot On Bumblebees

The Benson Highway Band

Priscilla Priddy

Free show!

Looking forward to this gig!

PAC Trio live audio up at Archive.org!

 

https://archive.org/details/vru-20200207-215849

Five years to the day since this show occurred. Why Josh Allen is not given more recognition within the Jazz/Improvised Music scene I don't know but it's a shame. The man was built to play the tenor saxophone. Doing music with Josh was draining but worth it. Over Christmas time I was in the Bay, and actually at the Downtown Berkeley BART station, a place where Josh has been known to busk over the years. I hoped to have seen him but he was not there, sadly. 

 

Allen/Cohen/Pino trio music up at Archive.org!

 

https://archive.org/details/allen-cohen-pino62719sf

With hindsight there may have been some political feathers ruffled by this grouping. It was fun though and challenging and oh how I wish I could play with those two slayers again. 

Update on 1/22 Golden Saguaro show

 Due to illness I will not be performing. I am suffering from a bad and painful flu bug. A tough decision but out of an abundance of caution...

Performing this Wednesday at Golden Saguaro!

 

This Wednesday, 1/22, I will be a participant in an event called Drums Against Fascism. Currently I'm reading Anti-Oedipus by Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, a work which posits itself as being one of anti-fascism. Interesting. 

1/22/2025

Golden Saguaro

7PM

Gym Shower

Cullen Chadwick/Mark Pino Duo

Drums Against Fascism open improvisation

$10 NOTAFLOF

There will also be a set from Tucson Marxist band The Working People after this event. I may have to leave early because I have a job that has me arising at 5:20 AM in order to get there on time. They played a live set on KXCI last Sunday and were sounding great. A two-tiered evening of musical community in Tucson!

Spectrum Study 01022025