Photo by Tom Ineck Photo by Tom Academy of Rock gets BMF gift Student at Academy of Rock plays ○○○○○○○○○○○○ By Tom Ineck ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ BMF-donated bass. The conga and tambourine also were donated. “If someone had given Charlie a Center, with citywide outreach. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ guitar instead of a gun, he might Donated instruments include a have been a great musician Fender electric bass, an upright bass, instead of a killer.” a Yamaha electric piano, an Epiphone acoustic guitar, a conga drum, mara- January 2009 — Butch Berman, on the 50th cas and a tambourine. Among the Vol. 14, Number 1 anniversary of Charlie equipment donated are various amps, Starkweather’s murderous speakers, foot pedals, music stands, rampage, which began microphones and guitar cords. It all on Dec. 1, 1957 came from Butch’s basement music In this issue of Jazz.... room, where visiting musicians often LINCOLN, Neb.—Butch would jam after a BMF-sponsored Berman understood the importance of performance elsewhere in town. Experience Hendrix.................................4 music as a stabilizing force The $1,000 BMF Bill Watrous/NJO review........................6 in his own life. As his grant paid for additional words quoted above indi- acoustic guitars and small Bob Dylan review..................................7 cate, he also saw music’s guitar amps for the “Sutton’s Pianorama”..........................8 potential for good in the academy’s practice George Whitesell & All Stars...............10 lives of others, especially rooms. David Lindley/Bruce Katz at Zoo........11 troubled youth. “Now we can serve Butch would be more kids per class, and Cronin Brother (Don Holmquist)..........12 pleased to know that his there are never any kids NJO continues concert season............13 Berman Music Founda- who have to sit around at Norman Hedman memorial.................14 tion has donated $1,000 Jason Schmit practice,” said Jason and many of his own in- Schmit, director of the Jazz on Disc reviews...............................15 struments and musical equipment to academy. “They’re always working From the Photo Archives....................20 Lincoln‘s Academy of Rock program. on something, and that’s directly be- ○○○○○○○○○ About 140 students from kindergar- cause of the donation. We don’t get ten through high school currently are donations like this very often. It’s been enrolled in the program, which is head- quartered at the Northeast Family Rock Academy continued on page 2 Page 2 Berman Music Foundation Jazz ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Rock Academy continued from page 1 Ineck Photos by Tom huge for us.” Gifts of a single guitar or a set of drums are not uncommon, but the size and diversity of the Berman col- lection is unprecedented, Schmit said. The Northeast Family Center oper- ates on a budget of $655,835 for the current fiscal year, of which the Acad- emy of Rock receives $144,600. Schmit began the Academy of Rock several years ago, while work- ing with after-school programs for middle-school students at the YMCA. The kids would gather in a room and “hang out,” he said, but there were no activities to inspire them. “We felt like it wasn’t really tar- Academy of Rock practices at Campus Life North with Yamaha electric piano, acoustic bass, conga and tambourine donated by the Berman Music Foundation. geting the kids who needed it most. We started to set up very specific, special-interest clubs that the kids could be a part of, where the kids would do everything from cooking and creating their own little ‘café’ to film- making and comic book writing and flag football and fashion design.” When some of the students indi- cated an interest in rock music, Schmit approached Doug Fenton at Dietze Music House, who helped launch the Program coordinator Bob Okamoto Students use donated bass guitar, rock academy. The rest was up to uses his own Gibson guitar to conga and tambourine. Schmit, program coordinator Bob demonstrate vintage Ampeg amp and Okamoto, other staff and, of course, guitar pedals donated by BMF. the kids. gigs at Ribfest, the Nebraska State “They’re looking for something citywide, meeting at Mickle, Irving Fair and popular Lincoln music clubs. to do,” Schmit explained. “They want and Dawes middle schools, Brownell Understandably, most of the to start bands. They want to play rock Elementary School, Willard Commu- young rock wannabes want to play ‘n’ roll. Let’s give them a positive nity Center, and Campus Life North punk, metal or classic rock, but they place to do it, with good mentorship (The Edge). After-school sessions run are also introduced to the blues, coun- and get them playing music.” from 3-5 p.m. and evening sessions try, pop and hip-hop styles. Weeklong Beginning with just eight kids, the from 5-7 p.m. The young musicians summer camps are even more diver- Academy of Rock grew to 45 by the also meet for Saturday practice ses- sified. end of the first year. Schmit left Lin- sions. The more advanced musicians coln for Portland, Ore., where he set “Each month there is a different write and perform their own songs. up similar after-school clubs, but he genre of music that we study,” Schmit “We work with them, going liked the idea of a program solely de- said. “The staff selects one song that through the trials and tribulations of voted to music. The Northeast Fam- they have to play. If they can get being in a band, and try to get them to ily Center gave him the opportunity through it, the kids get to pick a song the point where they can have a great to return to Lincoln as director of the that they want to do. Then they get to musical product but they’re also Academy of Rock. perform them live around town.” smart in business and promoting them- The academy now has programs These public performances include selves,” Schmit said. “We get them January 2009 Page 3 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ That’s a concept that Butch Berman would understand perfectly. For more information on the Academy of Rock program, go to www.academyofrock.org. The following is a list of upcom- ing Academy of Rock performances: Friday, Jan. 9–Duggan’s, 440 Jazz is published online at: At a recent performance at S. 11TH St., original bands concert, www.bermanmusicfoundation.org Meadowlark Coffee House, Evan 5:45-9 p.m., admission $5 The office of The Berman Mu- Potter plays an Epiphone guitar Thursday, Jan. 15–Hot Topic, sic Foundation is at 719 P St.,, Suite C-1, Lincoln, NE 68508. identical to the one donated by the 26 Gateway Mall, acoustic show for BMF. Butch’s conga is in background. two original bands TBA, 6-8 p.m., Editor and Designer: admission free Tom Ineck to the point where they’re ready to Saturday, Jan 24–Campus go out and do their own thing.” Among Life North, 6400 Cornhusker High- Contributing writerswriters: Tom the many original bands that have Ineck, Dan DeMuth, Tanner way, Invisible Children Snow Ball Gruba and Don Holmquist emerged from the Academy of Rock Formal, original bands TBA, 8-11 are Silent Havok, The Story Killers, p.m., admission TBA Photographers: Tom Ineck, Learning to Fall and Dodging Bullets. Saturday, Jan. 31–Box Awe- Dan DeMuth, Mike Wilson and Successful “graduates” of the acad- some, 815 O St., opening for others (File Photos) emy include the bands Valley of the Harptallica, JediRadio, Dodging Bul- For inclusion of any jazz or Impaled and Exit 48. lets, Silent Havok, 6–9 p.m., admis- blues related events, letters to A special projects class produces sion TBA the editor or suggested newsletters and T-shirts for the shows Friday, Feb. 13– articles, mail them to the and learns how to run the sound sys- Knickerbockers, 901 O St., origi- office, phone (402) 476-3112, tem and lighting that is essential for fax (402) 475-3136 or e-mail nal bands concert, 5:45-9 p.m., admis- [email protected]. the total rock experience. sion $5 Many of the students are on Friday, Feb. 27–Campus Life To be added to our mailing need-based scholarships, but enroll- North, 6400 Cornhusker Highway, list, call (402) 476-3112, fax ment is open to all. Those who are core program concert, 7-10 p.m., ad- (402) 475-3136 or e-mail [email protected]. eligible for free or reduced-price mission $3 lunches through Lincoln Public Friday, March 13–Box Awe- The Butch Berman Schools automatically qualify for a some, 815 O St., original bands con- Charitable Music reduced rate at the academy. cert, 5:45-9 p.m., admission $5 Foundation is a non-profit, tax “Most of our kids are disadvan- Friday, March 27–Campus exempt, 501(c)(3) private foun- taged in the fact that they feel kind of dation recognized by the Inter- Life North, 6400 Cornhusker High- nal Revenue Service and the like they’re outcasts in their own way, core program concert, 7-10 p.m., Nebraska Department of Rev- schools,” Schmit said. “It’s not based admission $3 enue. It was established in the on money.” Friday, April 17–Sidewinders, spring of 1995 to protect and On hearing Butch’s comment 17th & O streets, original bands con- promote unique forms of jazz music. about Charlie Starkweather, Schmit cert, 5:45-9 p.m., admission $5 agreed. Friday, April 24–Campus Life Trustee: Tony Rager “Exactly,” he said. “I’ve heard North, 6400 Cornhusker Highway, people say, ‘If that kid hadn’t gotten core program concert, 7-10 p.m., ad- Consultants: Grace Sankey- involved, I don’t know what would mission $3 Berman, Russ Dantzler, Kay have happened.’ They’re able to fo- Davis, Dan Demuth, Tom Saturday, May 30–Campus Ineck, Gerald Spaits, Leslie cus.