The Ensemble Connection

Jenny writes:

Looking at the photo on our March 9th posting, you may wonder what the Acoustic Humans have to do with the Old Town School of Folk Music's Beatles Ensemble. Good question - and easily answered. The Acoustic Humans are also active members of the Ensemble, which is where we first met. The Beatles Ensemble, run by the venerable maestro Steve Levitt (http://www.grandpuba.net/), is both a class and a performing band. Tom has been a member of the Ensemble since 2003, Jenny since 2000, and Bryan since 1996, making him one of the Ensemble forefathers. Note his long beard and sage look.

Each of the Acoustic Humans has also performed with other ensemble classes at the Old Town School at various times over the years. Among these ensembles are the Beach Boys, Jackson Browne, Yes, Lucinda Williams, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Led Zeppelin, Simon & Garfunkel, Bruce Springsteen, Lyle Lovett, Frank Zappa, and the Monkees. An eclectic mix to be sure, but that's just how multi-faceted we are.

Yet, our hearts always reside with the Beatles, and the Beatles Ensemble remains our foundation at the school. For fun, see if you can find each of us in the Sgt. Pepper cover below featuring the 40 + members of the Ensemble. Lots of luck!

If you are interested in classes at the Old Town School, check out their web site.

http://www.oldtownschool.org

"Beware Of Darkness"

On Saturday, January 29, 2005, The Acoustic Humans took part in a tsunami benefit concert at The Old Town School Of Folk Music. Recreating George Harrison's "Concert for Bangla Desh", students and friends of the Old Town School raised more than $3000 for UNICEF.

The Acoustic Humans performed "Something", "Here Comes The Sun", and with Fred Sugimoto on drums, Barry Fritz on lead guitar, Alton Smith on piano, and Mike Mann on bass, "Beware Of Darkness".

Special thanks to Marty Konopacki for the photo below.

Martin Konopacki Photography
1407 W. Ohio St.
Chicago IL 60622 (312) 850-1947 

The Beatles Ensemble - The Old Town School of Folk Music 

Lost John Lennon 1975 Radio Interview

30 years ago on February 21, 1975, John Lennon gave a radio interview via conference call to about 20 radio stations. He had just released his "Rock 'n Roll" album. Very interesting, and very rare. He had just reunited with Yoko after his "lost weekend". Towards the end he says "Hi to Paul in New Orleans". McCartney was there at the time recording "Venus and Mars", and I have read the John had planned to go visit him there, but he never made it there. You
can hear a 12 minute excerpt here:

http://www.russrants.com/index.php?page=story&category=15&post=22

I found this site as a link on one of the best Beatles related web sites:

http://abbeyrd.best.vwh.net/fabnews.htm

John Lennon in the Rolling Stone's 1968 film - Rock and Roll Circus, singing "Yer Blues" 

Bryan, Jenny & Tom video clip link

Watch a video clip of Bryan, Jenny & Tom (a.k.a. The Acoustic Humans) from the November 21, 2004 Beatles Celebration for the Brenden Hedges Scholorship Fund at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Scroll down the page and click on the video clip link.

http://www.oldtownschool.org/performances/archive/list.lasso?m=11&y=2004