Discovering Karaoke

While looking for amusement in Clayton, Georgia, I discovered Karaoke at the Old Clayton Inn's banquet room on Main Street, and WHAT A BLAST! I don't sing, but I love music and enjoy hearing those who do, and even those who wish they could--and try.

Last Saturday they hosted Haunted Karaoke, so I put on my chef coat and joined in the fun. Dewight, the DJ asked me to tell a little about myself and to play a song with my spoons, so naturally I obliged. Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy by Bette Midler turned out to be just what the crowd was needing, so we had some serious fun and, again "It's a Party Now" was the attitude after the song.

I'm meeting the nicest people here, and although the music scene is a little different than I'm used to, it's more fun than I would have imagined. I'm even getting in a fair amount of dancing and meeting some rather interesting and attractive people.

Come join us if you're in the area, otherwise, check out http://www.diamondeight.net for videos of what's going on hereabouts.

I'll be doing an anniversary party on November 22nd in Gainesville, GA, and am hoping to hear about the exciting things in your life, so email mail me. I'll respond personally.

Fun in Rabun County... and beyond!

Well, "It's a party now!" is becoming my frequent exclamation wherever I find music here in Rabun county. As it turned out, I did end up playing at the Tallulah Gorge Music and Folk Festival, and what a time we all had there! The Foxfire boys hosted the event and were in fine form, but there were several talented bands playing that day as well. The Beans were my favorite, though, because they played happy, upbeat music for the most part. We talked after the show and expressed our mutual admirations and the lead singer said she'd like to have me sit in on a song whenever we're playing an event together again. I'm really looking forward to that.

After an introduction to the audience, and the obligatory announcement that I'm a YANKEE, The Foxfire boys asked me to sit in on a swinging number that really cooked and we all had a blast.

Relocated to Georgia and met the Foxfire Boys

Hi, All! I've made the relocation to the mountains of Georgia... Clayton, GA to be exact, and immediately found a music store, Blue Ridge Music, perched on a hill overlooking Route 441 (the main highway through the area).

It wasn't long before I was playing the spoons and bones for the store owners, who I soon found out were members of a renown Bluegrass band--The Foxfire Boys, and are they talented!

They are in the process of expanding their "Jam Room" and recording studio, and will soon increase their retail area where they offer a variety of guitars, mandolins and banjos (some are even custom assembled and setup for peak performance by Dean English, a master of banjo playing.

With all that, Tom Nixon tells me their most active area has been their teaching studios with a variety of teachers and over 80 music students.

Anyhow, I can't wait to see them perform at the Tallulah Gorge Music and Folk Festival on October 11. Maybe I'll even get a chance to play with them on one of their tunes.

I'm also supporting a new web endeavor called DiamondEight.net, a site featuring videos of local interest... some funny, some informational, and some entertaining. Look for me on their over the next week or so. I'm performing at the Old Clayton Inn this Saturday evening, and it should be fun!

Send me an email and let me know if you can make it on Saturday and/or to the festival on October 11, or just to say "Hi".

Grand Openings and Special Events are Cooking and Swinging!

People often ask me where I like to perform, and that got me thinking. So here is a list of the types of performance venues and events where you'll be most likely to find me:
Grand Openings and Special Events for: Restaurants; Dinner Theaters; Music Stores; etc.

But I am open to other suggestions, too.

You may also find me putting on Surprise Performances at almost any type of catered event, which could include private parties and corporate meetings, including conventions, trade shows, banquets and other festive celebrations.

With a background that includes marketing and sales, I know how to appropriately interact in a situation that has marketing potential for the companies for whom I perform, such as when we are at trade shows, etc.

As always, I love putting smiles on faces at Elementary Schools, Senior Centers, Retirement Communities, Hospitals, and Birthday Parties for all ages. The best part is instructing little hands on the basics of Making Music That Cooks with the spoons.

I have most of the music loaded in the MP3 player feature of my cell phone, and I jack it out to a small 120 watt PA cabinet to amplify the music and sound of my percussion instruments (spoons/bones and sometimes, electronic drum-set.) So I can entertain in a small room or large hall, with the same toe-tapping results.

If you would like to forward this post to a friend, just click on the little envelope (in the last line of each blog post) to send me an email from you to your friend, and my blog post will be included with your message. How cool is that?!

If you have a question for me, The Rhythm Chef, you can send me a message or comment on my blog by clicking on the word COMMENTs in the last line of each blog post, and I'll do my level best to get back to you quickly.

And remember to check out my video samples of how I Make Music That Cooks by clicking on the videos at the bottom of this page.

Thanks for visiting... Why not bookmark this page now???

Now Performing Safely...with DineSafe!

After making plans to expand my performance venues to include restaurants and the occasional birthday or anniversary party setting, I decided it would only be good business to get my certification for DineSafe--the food service industry's most authoritative course in safe food handling for servers. After all, I think it's important that I know better than to accidentally contaminate things in the very likely event that I find myself in a situation where I might be asked to present a birthday-cake-laden cart while setting up a surprise performance of Happy Birthday with my spoons, for instance. Or perhaps while helping out with serving at a buffet table before springing a performance on a group of unsuspecting revelers.

And today I accomplished my DineSafe certification goal through the New Castle County Cooperative Extension office at the University of Delaware!

Maria Pippidis, the director, and instructor of the class, was not only very knowledgeable, but presented the information in a fun, palatable (pun intended) manner, as well.

An admitted amateur germophobe, I was happy to expand my knowledge of controlling microorganisms in the kitchen and dining-room. Truth-be-told, I enjoy cooking for loved-ones, and feel better knowing I'll be serving healthy, safe food to them. And when I find an opportunity to sneak-up on a non-suspecting, birthday-celebrating diner, I'll be armed with my spoons and my DineSafe knowledge, and with the confidence that I will provide a pleasant musical surprise, without leaving them with an unpleasant intestinal surprise (LOL... sorry if I went a little too far with the concept.) LOL

Anyway, thanks to Maria, and to the other members of the class (whose questions, answers, and comments contributed so very much to my understanding of safe food handling practices,) I'm DineSafe certified!

Now remember to check out my videos at the bottom of this page... I hope they'll put a big smile on your face!

I'm Soooo excited... The Globetrotter's Theme Song!

I can hardly believe it... while poking around on Amazon.com I found the original theme song of the Globetrotters basketball team featuring Brother Bones playing the Rhythm Bones and whistling Sweet Georgia Brown, just like my grandfather used to do as he taught me to play the Bones when I was a boy in the 1960s! Click on the arrow and have a listen...



If you want to download the whole song just click on BUY MP3 on the album cover.

Or check out my videos at the bottom of this page to see how I play the spoons to Swing music. Thanks for visiting! Why not bookmark this page now?

A Closer Look...

Wherever I perform, people ask for a little closer look at how I play the spoons to Rock-and-Roll, Jazz and Swing music. So, I've created a video to give you a closer look, and linked it from YouTube to my video bar at the bottom of this page. Enjoy it, then email me and let me know what you think. I always enjoy comments from my audiences and blog visitors.

Thanks for visiting MusicThatCooks.blogspot.com!
Why not bookmark this page now?

<----<< Then check out my other posts by clicking on the links to the left.

New Fun Videos on my Video-Bar

Yesterday I posted a new video to YouTube, and today it showed up on my video-bar at the bottom of my blog! What a fun and easy-to-use feature! The new video features the Rhythm Bones (the rhythm instrument some archeologists have deemed to be the oldest of all.)

Today I uploaded a video of me demonstrating the easy-play spoons I mentioned in my previous blog posting. It should show up on my video-bar sometime today or tomorrow.

Thanks again for checking my MusicThatCooks blog. And please remember to bookmark it!

Making Music ..... easily

On my videos, and in performances too, I play regular spoons right out of the kitchen drawer (actually, I often play spoons from the silver drawer), but since holding the spoons properly is tricky for younger children, I'm including a link to some spoons that are fastened at the handle. The MUSICAL SPOONS by Trophy Music will serve with minor adjustment. The pair I bought came out of the box with a little too much space between, but can easily be squeezed together to bring them about 1/8 inch apart (as long as they are close but not touching.) The price is nominal at $5.29 plus shipping. If you purchase from the linked text, Amazon pays me a tiny commission, but either way, I wanted to make the link accessible to my site visitors.

I also sometimes accompany myself with songs that are preloaded on my Yamaha keyboard--as on my DVD: The Rhythm Chef's Secrets to Making Music that Cooks with the SPOONS. The keyboard that Amazon has that is similar to my own, and at the time of this writing is an unusually good bargain, is the Yamaha YPT-220 portable keyboard with 102 songs loaded into it's internal database of music. Besides the discount, it's an even better bargain considering the fact that a keyboard stand is included.) Also, the keyboard has the same amazing Y.E.S. learning system built in that my children used to learn to play. It is both helpful and fun to use. The quality is very good--after years of use, mine still works perfectly, even the speakers. The best part is that the built-in songs make a great accompaniment while performing the spoons!

A Video To Put a Grin On YOUR Face...

I made a home-video for you all, and I posted it to YouTube for laughs. I'm embedding the link here to make it easy to view. I hope it lifts your spirits!

I've also put a video bar at the bottom of the page, so watch this bar as my videos grow in number, then click on the images and a video frame with open and play my video to make you smile. :0)

FIY: The videos that appear at the bottom of the video, after you view mine, are automatically loaded from YouTube, and most are unrelated to my blog.

Thanks for visiting MusicThatCooks!

The Rhythm Chef

Welcome to The Rhythm Chef's new Online home!!!

Hello to all my friends! I'm happy to have you as a visitor to my new online home, and hope you find everything you're looking for to help you enjoy making music that cooks!

I want to begin by giving a heartfelt THANK YOU to Mark Jones of Mark Jones Video Productions for his stellar work in recording and editing my new DVD: The Rhythm Chef's Secrets to Making Music that Cooks on the SPOONS. Mark, your advice was invaluable, and I could not have created this project without your expertise and videography skills. So, thank you again.

Why not bookmark this page now, so you can easily check it again the next time you're online?