L.A. Newsbriefs WesFest 7 Raises $25,000 Photos by John Wehmiller From the left: Dawaun Parker ’05, Makeba Riddick ’99, Keith Harris ’99, and Berklee’s The Aristocrats (from left to right) guitarist Guthrie Govan, drummer Marco Minnemann, Chief of Staff Carl Beatty participated in a February panel discussion on hip-hop and r&b and bassist Bryan Beller were the headliners for the March WesFest 7 concert. songwriting in West Los Angeles. This year opened with a slew of alumni and/or country genres. Weidema, who WesFest 7, the seventh annual ’78, Wehmiller’s teacher and close events in Los Angeles, and one of the splits her time between Los Angeles WesFest benefit concert, took place at friend. “John Robinson summed it most inspiring was “Hip-Hop and and Nashville furnished her new the Roxy in Los Angeles on March 4. up,” Morris recalls, “when he said to R&B: Songwriting and Production.” Nashville studio with the award. More than 300 attendees enjoyed a Hayley, ‘You can play, you can write, Held at the historic Village Recorder in In March, Jeremy Borum ’05 copro- four-hour concert that was memora- and you look great!’” West Los Angeles, the event featured duced Dream Gallery with composer ble not only for its energy but also for Among other performers at Grammy Award–winning alumni Mark Abel for the Delos label. The its record-breaking fundraising results. WesFest 7 were musicians who knew Makeba Riddick ’99, Dawaun Parker music, a 70-minute song cycle for full The WesFest concert series is the and worked with Wehmiller during ’05, and Keith Harris ’99 discuss- orchestra and vocal soloists, also fea- centerpiece for a continuing fund- his 12 years in Los Angeles, including ing their creative process and career tures Borum on piano. For more, visit raising drive for the Wes Wehmiller alumni Colin Keenan ’93, Joe Travers paths in a conversation moderated by www.jeremyborum.com. Endowed Scholarship Fund, which ’91, Griff Peters ’93, Matt Rohde ’91, Berklee’s Chief of Staff to the President The EPS Guitar Company has honors the legacy of Wes Wehmiller and Chris Golden ’95. Also joining the Carl Beatty. The at-capacity audience unveiled a new bass for Pancho ’92, a Berklee graduate and highly group was the first Wehmiller scholar- was treated to invaluable behind-the- Tomaselli ’11. The signature series accomplished bassist, athlete, and ship recipient, Will Snyder ’06. Snyder scenes insights, anecdotes, and advice. LTD PT-4 instrument is based on photographer who died of thyroid and all the past recipients exemplify Our Los Angeles alumni have been Tomaselli’s custom specifications. He cancer in 2005. the continuing growth in the schol- busily engaged in a range of profes- plays bass for War and can be heard The March concert was head- arship that honors the memory of sional activities. Recording engineer on the group’s 2008 Greatest Hits Live lined by rock-fusion supergroup Wehmiller. This year, the concert Jorge Velasco ’07 has been wrapping album. Tomaselli also plays with the the Aristocrats, comprising guitar- and related efforts raised more than up a project produced by Phil Ramone alternative rock band Philm. For more ist Guthrie Govan (Asia, GPS, Dizzee $25,000 for Wehmiller’s scholarship. for singer Matthew Morrison (of the on the new bass, visit www. Rascal), bassist Bryan Beller ’92 (Steve Since the concert’s inception in 2006, TV series Glee) and a new album by espguitars.com/news/ Vai ’79, Dethklok, Mike Keneally), the show has generated more than Michael Bolton. He also engineered spotlight-panchtomaselli.html. and drummer Marco Minnemann $120,000. vocals for albums by Usher and Cher. In The album American Road by (Steven Wilson, UKZ, Adrian Belew). addition, he worked on the latest Pet the Tierney Sutton Band (featuring The band’s set also featured special —Peter Gordon ’78 Shop Boys album with producer and Tierney Sutton ’87 and Christian Jacob guest guitarist and keyboardist Mike Director of Berklee Center in LA engineer Andrew Dawson ’01. ’86) received two Grammy nomina- Keneally, on three roof-raising tunes. On the touring front, Angela tions this year. This disc was released Keneally was the headliner at the Johnson-Swan ’05 recently relocated on BFM Jazz, a division of BFM Digital, very first WesFest concert and has to Montreal after being hired as the whose cofounder and CEO is Steven participated in nearly every subse- guitarist for Cirque du Soleil’s new Corn ’84. quent show. production “Amaluna.” The company’s BFM Jazz also recently signed a In a long-standing WesFest con- Canadian tour kicked off in April 2012, deal with former Journey drummer cert tradition, the 2011 Wehmiller and a U.S. tour is slated for 2013. Steve Smith ’76, and his instrumental Scholarship winner performed at Recently, alumni attending the group Vital Information. A live album WesFest 7. London-born Berklee stu- ASCAP “I Create Music” Expo joined of Vital Information’s best songs titled dent Hayley Jane Batt wowed the Peter Gordon and me for a special Live! One Great Night was released crowd with her superior bass chops networking lunch. In attendance was in May through BFM Digital and and vocal prowess. She anchored notable guest alumnus Seth Saltzman Universal/Fontana Distribution. The Danny Mo & the Exciters, featur- ’81, ASCAP’s senior vice president for recording also features Baron Browne ing legendary drummer John “JR” member management. ’79 on bass. For more information, visit Robinson ’75 (Michael Jackson, Chaka Songwriter Femke Weidema ’06 www.bfmdigital.com. Khan, Madonna, Eric Clapton), as well received the ASCAP Foundation’s That’s all for now. as singer/songwriter Kira Small ’93 Harold Adamson Lyric Award in the (Peter Frampton, Martina McBride) pop music category. This award hon- —Justine Taormino ’06 on lead vocals. The band was led The 2012 Wes Wehmiller Scholarship winner ors talented writers who demonstrate Alumni Regional Representative, by Bass Professor Danny Morris Hayley Jane Batt and drummer John “JR” Robinson. an intelligent and sensitive use of lan- Los Angeles guage in the musical theater and pop [email protected] Spring 2012 37.