Tis the Season to be jolly...

If you're like me,holiday music helps you get into the mood to celebrate the season. In short, it makes me jolly! And there is nothing like music to create a mood, and your kids are just as susceptible to the positive influences of music... even if they don't always show it. My favorites are The Carpenters Christmas Portrait, and just about anything by Michael Buble and Mannheim Steamroller, but lately I've been pleasantly surprised at the new Christmas music that some of the current artists have released. So, keep a song in your heart and home to create a mood of celebration and kindness. Peace. Love one another.

Local Rhythm Chef Surprise Party Contest!

It's easy to enter to win Rhythm Chef's Party Contest! Enhance your party with a touch of class, and delight your guests with a Rhythm Chef Surprise Performance! Are you hosting a party in Marion County, Florida and planning to host it at a hotel, banquet hall, restaurant, country club, or any non-residential location? Is it a wedding reception, birthday party, anniversary celebration, welcome home surprise? You name it and I'll be there to entertain your guests with my world-class musical percussion show. I will re-create the performance that got me on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno; I will play songs of whatever genre you like, Swing, Jazz, Country, Hip-hop, Rock-and-roll, Reggae, you name it. I will also attempt to break my world record; and show the guest of honor my 5 secrets to world-class spooning (spoons playing) in a lesson that all are invited to watch. The value of this show is $145, however, there will be no cost to you or to your guests for my performance. This performance is strictly to promote my services, which include the following performances: A) Rhythm Chef's Happy Birthday / Happy Anniversary Surprise Performances (at homes or restaurants) B) "Wish We Were There Message" (When you can't be there, send The Rhythm Chef to your loved-ones at their homes, school, nursing homes, job-site, etc.) C) Video or live Skype greeting with song performance and spoons lesson. D) Corporate & Wedding Banquets Surprise Performances. All you need to do to enter is: 1. Send me an email with "Party Contest" in the subject line 2. Indicate the Date / Time / Place of your party 3. Click "Follow" on my Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/rhythmchef , and 4. Share this announcement on your Facebook page The winner will be notified by a post on my Facebook page. Chances of winning depend on total number of entries. One entry per person/facebook page owner. Competition runs from 5/27/2013 to 6/10/2013. So, if your party is local to Marion County, Fl, why not enter now for a chance to enhance your party with a touch of class, and delight your guests with a Rhythm Chef Surprise Performance?

Kitchen Band Fun for the Whole Family!

After viewing a couple of fun videos online, one by a family and another by a church group, both making rhythms with pots, pans, spatulas and other tools from the common kitchen, it was a no-brainer to include the activity in most of my shows as an audience-interactive segment. If you are looking for a fun family-night activity, here are some creative ideas, as well as some safety tips, to help make your kitchen band fun: 1. For safety, don't use tools with sharp edges or points, such as knives, forks, cheese graters, etc 2. Avoid the use of anything made of glass, ceramic, hard plastic, etc. that might crack or break. 3. For sound quality, use soft strikers against hard pots, and save the hard strikers for soft rubber canisters and such. 4. A small handful of dehydrated (dry) beans, rice, popcorn kernels, etc. make a tin canister into a good shaker. 5. A plastic measuring spoon swiped over the back of a plastic ice tray enhance Latin rhythms. 6. Honey Dippers and wooden spoons are good strikers for the bottom of large, soft plastic and nylon bowls and tubs. 7. We used a pie-crust crimper wheeled around inside a wooden salad bowl for a really unusual and interesting, non-percussive sound. 8. A rubber/nylon spatula is a good striker for striking the bottom of large pots. 9. And don't forget spoons! Check my videos for tips on a variety of ways to play all kinds of spoons you may have in your kitchen. You can also find a video there of the very first Rhythm Chef's Kitchen Band Show hosted by FunSpotUSA. You can play the rhythms to your favorite music, and also play without music like a drum circle by having one person start a rhythm, then others join the fun. Listen as a the rhythms evolve and change. It's not a bad idea to have some cotton balls available for those who might complain about standing next to someone who is a little overzealous (loud.) ;-) If you come up with an unusual kitchen instrument, and would like to share the idea with me and my readers, I welcome your email. A kitchen band could be a fun event anytime, but remember it is especially appropriate for New Years and Independence Day parties, too. If you'd like me to come by and host a Rhythm Chef Kitchen Band party at your home, school or church, just send me the date of your event, and if I'm available, I'll contact you to discuss my fee. I'll do my very best to make it affordable, as always. I'll also attempt to break my world record for your group, as well. We'll make a video of the whole event and post it to my YouTube Channel, if you like. Let me know if you post a video of your kitchen band and I'll publish a link here in my blog. Have fun!