Moving Music

To say Moving Music was affected by the passing of Tom “Ukulele Man” Harker would be understating reality. You never anticipate editing words from a person no longer around to hear it in the body. We took a week off to breathe and think. What we came up with, we believe, is appropriate and tender enough to feel right. I have long wanted to get Ty in the other chair for an interview and this seemed like a good start. Between the two of us, it is him most affected by this afterlife graduation. In weeks ahead we will resume our format as you have come to know it. For this moment in time, please join us in our Captain Tom Harker’s life celebration. TC

It has been said, each one of us has a gift. These endowments are unique and just as an orchestra collaborates to yield great music, so it should be in our daily encounters. This film, “Five Easy Pieces”, illustrates one man’s struggle to see his gift as a gratuity rather than a cursed burden. Many of us struggle in this way, so instruction is needed. We now offer to you, in a teaching effort, Mr. Tom Harker’s words, as we all attempt to reconcile gift and acceptance. O Captain! My Captain! Tom Harker meant the world to me.  He was a father figure, a mentor, a confidant, a rebel, a partner in crime, my fearless leader, a supporter, an inspiration, and a friend.  Tom gave me the book, “The Velveteen Rabbit” and he told me I was real and that was damned important.  I did not know what he meant by that proclamation or his gift of the book. Who was the Boy and who was the Rabbit? Tom is the most real man I ever met. I am proud to have worked closely with him for years and to have been the other half of his “Dynam

PART 2 Chances are you have been affected by an artist that burned out, rather than faded away; the bright promise of a star that quickly emitted too much light. The pain kept within an artist that influenced the rise can assist in the fall. But what happens when an artist is smothered by expectations and not allowed to evolve? When Eddie Wilson from our next film, “Eddie and the Cruisers”, takes the chance to expose his progression only to be rejected, his solution to the dilemma creates a mystery decades in the making. The day Moving Music launched its first episode with Shaun Booker, Ty and I wanted to share a drink and a good time in celebration. We met at the Turtle Creek Tavern on an unusually warm February Friday night. The band playing that night, The Martini Affair, left me wanting to interview them all. Fourteen episodes later Will Newsome, the guitarist for that band, sits down with us for an epic two part discussion on life, the business, and his film that moved him, “Eddie and the Cruisers”. TC R

PART 1 Chances are you have been affected by an artist that burned out, rather than faded away; the bright promise of a star that quickly emitted too much light. The pain kept within an artist that influenced the rise can assist in the fall. But what happens when an artist is smothered by expectations and not allowed to evolve? When Eddie Wilson from our next film, “Eddie and the Cruisers”, takes the chance to expose his progression only to be rejected, his solution to the dilemma creates a mystery decades in the making. The day Moving Music launched its first episode with Shaun Booker, Ty and I wanted to share a drink and a good time in celebration. We met at the Turtle Creek Tavern on an unusually warm February Friday night. The band playing that night, The Martini Affair, left me wanting to interview them all. Fourteen episodes later Will Newsome, the guitarist for that band, sits down with us for an epic two part discussion on life, the business, and his film that moved him, “Eddie and the Cruisers”. TC R

What happens when we die? Death will come to us all, so I am sure the answer has interest. Many look to religion and faith for answers, while others insist on scientific enlightenment.  The truth is nobody really knows until you get there. How does suicide affect that path? Introduce that to the equation and the answers turn into more questions. Do soul mates actually exist? Trace Marie from the band Blue Level chose the film “What Dreams May Come” to illustrate her point of view. It was Jeff Tayama that sent Trace Marie to us. He wanted to know what her film would be. I’ll be damned if she didn’t pick a hard movie for me to examine. It is with kid gloves that I touch this one. You may learn a little about me, but I assure you, Trace Marie holds nothing back. Her bond with her husband clearly influenced this choice. As musical soul mates that collaborate to create art, their story lends to her perception. Get a glass of wine, sit back, and enjoy as she explains how “What Dreams May Come” moved her. TC

It is said that American corporate hierarchy views it as fertilizer that’s good for growth, but often it’s really crap that stinks. True artists are rarely comfortable in such environments.  Every company wants you to believe they are “outside the box”, but most are jailed squarely inside. A lack of vision and flexibility cause many to fade. Ironic that they call on artists to create marketing, yet shun the independence that makes great art. “The Hudsucker Proxy” is a reminder of how corporate America can suck the identity out of you. Brendan Michna and I met as he engineered lights for the 2015 HighBall on High St. I was on a “day in the life of downtown Columbus” photography exercise and seized the opportunity to make a friend. We exchanged pleasantries, spoke briefly, and then returned to our artistic craft. Some grand time later, we found ourselves on Thurman Café bar stools talking about local arts. An exchange of contact info gave me the chance to reach out once Moving Music found footing. Here are two

Who were you in high school? Did you hang out back with the hoods, or have practice every day as a jock? Was it prepping for college that drove you, or just trying to survive while navigating a tough domestic life? Did you have a friend, teacher, or coach that affected you? Are we doomed to accept the stereotypes tendered by others? What can we learn from this study of “The Breakfast Club” with Jeff Tayama?  We might find, just maybe, “each one of us is a brain, and an athlete, and a basket case, a princess, and a criminal.” Jeff Tayama and I met 19 years ago on that same live tv show I have mentioned so many times. At the start, it was live at 7:00 am, so Jeff and gang showed up in pajamas. The band, Cleopatra Grip, literally played in their underwear, providing humor and levity to live broadcasting pressure. Since then, Jeff and I have seen each other at Comfest and other concert venues. I have seen him play guitar several times with various artists. His sound is true and comes from the heart. His choice of

Prisons, walls, glass ceilings, and even pacifiers all have one thing in common, they are devices of control. On Moving Music, we have discussed liberating from even the self-imposed chains that bind. “The Matrix” stunned me in April of 1999 as I sat there watching this theme play out in a whole new visual way. The Wachowski‘s first installment in this series was mind blowing and right on target with its message. What I am sure was a metaphor for what society has become, "The Matrix" found a contemporary audience to spread its warning. This film changed the way we received the message. Oh Captain! My Captain! Where do I begin? It is not exaggerating to say that Tom “Ukulele Man” Harker has been like a Father to me. From the early 2000’s to now, every moment I have spent with Tom I have learned something. As I began to perform music with him I could see a rare depth in thinking through the songs he wrote. It is easy to guess that he was a teacher by the gentle way he deals with everyone he meets. We have perfo

I have long romanticized the role of the revenant. A person, normally dead or near death, who is allowed to remain on the Earth to right a wrong, then slips away into the afterlife. Hollywood has borrowed from this theme several times. From Brandon Lee’s “Crow” to Leonardo DiCaprio’s “Revenant” and well before, audiences have taken this journey with fascination and wonder. The revenge story of “The Count of Monte Cristo” with only the remuneration of things set right. In a tale that surely, at some point in the past must have happened, Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe craft a spectacle of a film that achieves this homage. “Gladiator” won 5 Academy Awards including best picture and best actor for Crowe. You might say Mike Hockenberry and I have held perspective from behind the local music curtain. We officially met through a mutual friend in the 90s, however I would frequent the music rehearsal space that he owned off Rich Street, MMS studios, in the late 80s. While my experience took me into live tv and music

We all dream when the unconscious brain takes over while we sleep. This dream state carries us through a nonlinear world that changes at the will of our own mind.  Our hopes, fears, disappointments and desires are explored without inhibition. If it is this way while we live, what happens as we take our last few breaths? How does the mind react to dying? Do we dream, and if so, is it only about regrets or memories? Is it possible to live another lifetime of altered reality within those last few moments we still breath? In 1990, Adrian Lyne directed a film, “Jacob’s Ladder” that would explore these questions in a very surreal fashion. I watched it in the theater and left asking these questions for the first time in my life. TJ George is a local artist who has written music for television and film. As a singer/songwriter he performs locally in Columbus and has been on “Songs at the Center” with host Eric Gnezda. When writing and performing he collaborates often. I asked him to take part in Moving Music and his

     Raise your hand if you know somebody who is or has been on psych meds. Ok, you can put your hands down. That was almost everybody; why? Is it that so many people are unbalanced? Could it be possible that many are over medicated and over prescribed? Are we running from issues or does the medication help us “balance” our response to the rest of the world? The answers may not be what we want to hear but to make the inquiry seems, at least, responsible.      Burke and Amy, from the Columbus! Something New podcast, reached out to us about speaking with Chris Shaw from the Topher James and Biscuit Brigade band. He had interviewed with them and it seemed like a good fit for Moving Music. Chris Shaw chose a movie that confronts the delicate balance between over prescribing psychological medication and healing the affected. Presented as a coming of age story with a solid soundtrack, “Garden State” delivers an examination that is honest and telling. Here is our review and discussion about the film and his music. T

     Is it possible to overstate the affect the Beatles continue to have on music, art and life? I can’t imagine so. It can literally be measured by life before and after you genuinely procure their music. John, Paul, George, Ringo, and producer George Martin changed everything. They were the lyrical voice of a whole generation and wrote the living soundtrack other artists aspire to. There will never, ever be another era of its kind. The Beatles advanced the process by which music is written, recorded and received.  The writing duo of McCartney and Lennon is the blueprint by which modern music is crafted. It is so beautifully aligned in world history that without it means we live in a different world. The Beatles are eternal art. The beginnings of this wonderful moment in time were captured by director Richard Lester in the movie “A Hard Day’s Night”.      Chuck Oney and I met while working at the same TV station in 1998. He was deep into his music and the daily work we both were challenged with. Our working

     In the 1980’s there was a flurry of fantasy based movies that seemed to be in every theater, year round. From "Labyrinth" to "Willow" and in between, audiences just couldn’t get enough. Ridley Scott lent his talents to one such movie, “Legend”. Ridley showcased a young Tom Cruise, just before his brother, Tony Scott, gave him the lead role in “Top Gun”. "Legend" lived within the Tangerine Dream soundtrack that included Bryan Ferry and Jon Anderson from the group Yes. That soundtrack lifted "Legend" above other fantasy films for young viewers like Matt Buchwalter.      Matt and I met in the early 90s through mutual acquaintances. We had worked with a lot of the same musicians over the years and developed a dialog. His love for music gave him the ride of his life when he became the drummer for Shadowbox Live, where he held that role for over 20 years. When I asked what his film would be there was no hesitation from this self-proclaimed nerd. “Legend” remained in his conscience particularly for the music. I

     It was 1999, and Prince’s song became the year’s unofficial soundtrack as the party began. Computers had not yet made it through a new millennium and many people thought the world was going to end. The old prophesies of Nostradamus seemed to target 1999. Many movies leading up to this time event, including “Strange Days”, “End of Days”, “The Matrix”, “The Omega Code”, and “Dogma”, picked up on this theme. However, one film escaped my attention during the party. Hype Williams, the premiere hip hop music video director, fashioned a tale that combined a vague apocalyptic theme with a story right from the ‘hood. I can’t believe it took me this long to rediscover and watch “Belly”.      Demari Faust and I met just outside The Ringside Café in Pearl Alley the fall 2015. He was shooting a music video with another video artist, Mook. I patiently waited till the camera stopped, introduced myself, and continued a dialog with both of them. After hearing “Demmy’s” music I wanted his interview. When asked, he did not

We all have family we are born with, but what of the family we choose?  Eric Gnezda is the older brother I chose. We met at a local Christmas Eve radio show in 1992 and have been locked in ever since. His determination to make a living at what he loved, music and songwriting, inspired me. Through the years, Eric has proven life is a team game. Always giving, always cheering for others. We have worked together dozens of times and he has lent a big brother hand to lift me up when I have fallen in life. As we traveled to and from gigs, our discussions ran the whole range of subjects and emotions. He guided me when I needed it the most. We have played music together, watched our children grow up, and bonded as brothers. We even have our own language with inside jokes. He has meant the world to me. So, when Eric told me he wanted to reach the world through “Songs at the Center”, which now airs on over 150 PBS stations nationwide, I could not have been more proud. He has found a way to really help other artists exp

SOME ADULT LANGUAGE      Violent events of the last decade, and even longer, have made us skeptical on the direction of mental illness reform. What can be perceived as a threat from beyond actually lurks within the walls of what is known to us. A closer examination reveals a kaleidoscope of things we do not yet understand. If a wide net is cast, then what is to be done with those that don’t really fit into the bucket they are thrown in? Did we misunderstand, mislabel, misguide, mislead or do we just want to forget and ignore the hard truth? Are they walls we actually erected within ourselves? There is no one answer solution.      Our first Academy Award for best picture comes with this examination. Kirk Douglas purchased the script that became a Broadway play, and later, his son Michael, partnered with Saul Zaentz, to produce this 1975 best picture. Milos Foreman was the perfect director given his experience originating from a stifling Czech Republic communistic regime. Louise Fletcher and Jack Nicholson won

PG RATED It was the summer of 1984, I was 13 and MTV was King. Miami Vice had not yet made its place on a Friday night TV schedule. Music videos were coming into their own as “mini movies”. An artist like none other kept peeking through and blurring the lines of Rock’n’Roll. Prince had written a story that was tailor made for a hungry MTV audience; He boldly presented a full length autobiographical film that played like a long form music video. The public ate it up and “Purple Rain” won an academy award for his effort. We all know how Prince made his way to stardom, and sadly, how he died last year. What remained hidden in plain sight is just how this affected other future artists like Wade Barnett. Wade is a blues guitarist who showed up on the local music scene, seemingly out of nowhere, and maintains a strong presence.  I met Wade a few years ago in a cigar shop. For cigar lovers, it’s in part the conversation that occurs while smoking together that endears us to the shop. Wade and I began a dialog that to

In the mid 1990’s, I was a live television director and Shaun Booker was singing for two of the most serious working bands in Columbus, Ohio. When I heard her, I knew I was listening to a local gem with attitude. From that first collaborative live broadcast we developed a bond and a special working relationship. I have proudly watched, and listened, as she has become an international artist and vocal ambassador for this Columbus artistic community. She’s right, she is the blues. A combination of struggle, perseverance and confidence rides on top of her voice. Her interpretation of the blues demands attention. The only thing missing was deeper insight to her personal influences. I could not have a better start for Moving Music than with her. Shaun chose the 1976 movie “A Star is Born” specifically for the emotional connection she had to it in the 70’s and even now. It is a story that she has, in many ways, lived and certain aspects of the movie parallel her own experiences. You, the listener, are about to be i

What is it about a movie or album that buries itself deep within our conscience? Almost everybody has one that moves them. For artists, the experience is often life changing. Before the opening score and fanfare of our 1st show, we wanted to give a sneak peek into Moving Music. This preview of intimate dialog represents what can be expected in coming episodes. So please allow Shaun Booker, Mark Rhodes, Eric Gnezda, Wade Barnett, Matt Buckwalter, Demari Faust, and Chuck Oney to borrow your ear for this special offering of Moving Music.