May 15, 2010 Modern drummer the world's most widely read drumming magazine.
White, featuring YES drummer Alan White, to reunite on May 15 as part of the Synergia Northwest 2010 Benefit Concert
Alan White (Yes, Plastic Ono Band), bassist/vocalist Steve Boyce (Merkaba, Two Sheds Jackson), and guitarist Karl Haug (Treason) will perform together again for the first time as White since 2007. Backed by a 46 piece chamber orchestra, the original members will be joined by percussionist Reek Havok (has worked with just about everyone from The Pointer Sisters to Motley Crue), keyboardist Jonathan Sindelman (Parallels, Ajalon) and guest vocalist for this performance, Tracy Bonham (Grammy nominated musician, singer-songwriter) who will be also performing her own special set that night.
As part of their set, White will perform “In the Presence Of”, from Yes’ Magnification (2001), with White reprising his piano performance. White will also perform selections from “Ritual, Nous Somme du Soleil”, from Yes’ Tales From Topographic Oceans (1973) accompanied by the Seattle Seahawks Blue Thunder Drum Line.
Formed in 2005, White released their debut CD White in in 2006, and has shared the stage with such legends as Peter Frampton and Robin Trower.
Original members of Heart reunite for Synergia Northwest 2010 Youth Music Benefit/Perform Together for First Time in 30 Years
Also backed by the orchestra, Steve Fossen, Roger Fisher, Michael Derosier, Howard Leese and up and coming powerhouse vocalist Somar Macek will join Alan White and Friends, Tracy Bonham, Geoffrey Castle, Marty Riemer and more. The group, originally founded by Steve Fossen and Roger Fisher, rose to fame in the 1970s with the Wilson Sisters on the success of the albums Dreamboat Annie, Magazine, Little Queen and Dog and Butterfly fueled by singles such as Magic Man, Crazy on You and the mega hit Barracuda.
Synergia Northwest 2010 is is sponsored by, the Tacoma Landmark Convention Center, Musicworks Northwest, Washington Music Educators Assoctiation, NAF Productions, Drifting Homeward Music, Music Aid Northwest and Central Washington University. For more information about Synergia, visit: synergianorthwest.com.
Tickets are On Sale now at Ticketmaster.com.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Former members of Heart to perform at Synergia Northwest, joining a 46-piece orchestra
L-R: Steve Fossen, Roger Fisher, Michael Derosier and Howard Leese with Somar Macek
A phalanx of Northwest rock stars, including Alan White of Yes and four former members of Heart, will join a 46-piece orchestra for Synergia Northwest 2010 at 7:30 p.m. Saturday (May 15) at the Temple Theatre in Tacoma.
Proceeds from the event will help provide education, enrichment and performance opportunities for music students who lack financial resources. Read more about it here.
The lineup includes White and former Heart band members Howard Leese, Steve Fossen, Roger Fisher and Michael Derosier, as well as singer Somar Macek, violinist Geoffrey Castle, singer-guitarist Tracy Bonham and the Seahawks’ Blue Thunder drum troupe. Host is Marty Riemer of “The Marty Riemer Show.”
Leese, Fossen, Fisher and Derosier are performing together for the first time in three decades, with Macek on vocals.
The newly formed Synergia Northwest Orchestra is conducted by Dr. Nikolas Caoile, the director of orchestras at Central Washington University.
The concert honors Native American Beaverchief, also known as Fred Jamison, who was from a long line of “Indian doctoring” people. Read about his collaboration with composer, arranger and producer Mark Nichols and producer Barbara Leischner on the “Big Magic” music project here.
Tickets to the all-ages event are available at Ticketmaster. The Temple Theatre is located at the Landmark Inn Convention Center, 47 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Synergia Northwest comes to Tacoma
New music concert will raise funds for music education
Synergia Northwest is a landmark event in the Tacoma area that combines contemporary, classical, established and up-and-coming Northwest musicians together under one roof.
On May 15, this benefit performance will take place at the Temple Theatre and will feature some big names in the music world, alongside local students representing the best in regional and high school musicians.
Michael McMorrow, a local musician, started formulating the idea two years ago with Alan White, former drummer for Yes and John Lennon.“A couple members of Music Aid Northwest, (which I was a board member of at the time) and I talked about holding a concert that included orchestration. I shelved it for a while,” McMorrow said.
Being a performer, he started to create an idea with White and his wife about doing an event for youth music education and using an orchestra aspect.
McMorrow, friend Brett Smith (of Central Washington University) and White put their heads together and got in touch with the Washington Music Association and the Seattle Symphony and started to pin down how they could create a benefit. Beyond putting bands together and raising money, the men wanted to involve really great high-school musicians and get them involved in the process.
Performers for Synergia Northwest include White, who is going to be performing music from Yes; Howard Leese, guitarist, record producer and musical director; Tracy Bonham, the Eugene, Ore. native who is a Grammy-nominated musician and classically trained violinist and pianist; and Randy Hanson, a local guitar hero and internationally-known bassist, in addition to a forty plus piece orchestra.
The highlight of the event will be all of the original members of Heart performing together for first time in 30 years. They will perform big late ‘70s singles such as “Dreamboat Annie,” “Barracuda” and others. Leese was the only one who remained with Ann and Nancy Wilson after the other members left the group.
In addition, music of Beaverchief, (the late Fred Jamison), who in the early ‘80s, reached out and became a bridge with the “settler” culture of Seattle and eventually the people of Europe, will be performed by his son Freddy, brother George and Mark Nichols. They will perform Jamison’s native “Swan Song.” The host for the program will be Marty Riemer, renowned host from local rock music station, the Mountain radio.
Though Synergia Northwest has been two years in the making, and the event has amassed some fantastic performers and orchestra, the event coordinators have not forgotten the main cause of the event, which is the preservation of music education in the Northwest.
“The whole concept is centered around youth education and the money raised for these organizations and groups is great but we’re also involving students in the process,” McMorrow noted. “Maybe it will give them a life-changing moment playing next to professionals.”
Though it’s an often held belief that Seattle is the music capital of the state, McMorrow argues that Tacoma has a rich music history just like its sister city. This is one reason among others why Tacoma was picked as the city to hold the Synergia performance.
“We wanted to put it in a historic setting because this is a historic event,” he affirmed. “Tacoma always seems to get overlooked when everyone’s always going to Seattle, but Tacoma’s a part of musical history as much as Seattle.”
Proceeds raised from Synergia Northwest will be directed by Music Aid Northwest, a Washington state nonprofit organization, to the Young Musicians Excelling award funding grant program and to both the Tacoma and Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras scholarship and financial assistance programs.
The program will also benefit Music Matters, a fundraising effort to help support school music programs through sales of a distinctive new license plate, available through the Washington State Department of Licensing. These special license plates will be available to purchase by every car owner in Washington state.
The Young Musicians Excelling fund sponsors state and Northwest competitions every year and music students participate in these, McMorrow said. “In order to participate it costs money, and if there’s a student who’s a prodigy who can’t afford to, this program will enable he or she to do so,” he said.
McMorrow wanted to create a family-friendly event for those who share a love of music and for youth being involved in music. Thus, kids and parents can definitely come to this event together and both take something away from it. Individuals with an appreciation for the aforementioned established musicians, aspiring young musicians and those for the furthering of music and arts education in schools should attend Synergia Northwest to help ensure that music remains taught in schools locally for generations to come.
Synergia Northwest 2010 takes place May 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Temple Theatre at the Landmark Convention Center, 47 Saint Helens Ave. Tickets are general admission $24.50 and limited VIP Golden Circle seats (in the first five rows) are $54.50. For more information and to order tickets, visit www.synergianorthwest.com.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Read the inaugural edition of Music Aid Northwests "MAN About Town" as Mark Naficy interviews Michael McMorrow
October 2009
No in fact I was encouraged by my mother and grandfather who were both musicians. By age 11 I was already writing music and playing for them on the piano. At 12 I won a statewide Young Composer Competition in California. I never looked back from there.
Well eventually I found myself in a band called the Yarddogs where I continued writing original music. We developed that band to a point where we were playing with bands such as Delbert McClinton, Jefferson Airplane, Ann and Nancy Wilson from Heart and Paul Rogers to name a few. I was always more into original music than playing in cover bands. While I was on tour with the HORDE Festival I met Brendan Hill of Blues Traveler, we hit it off, and decided to start a band called Stolen Ogre. That band went on to earn various national acclaim and we won the Relix Magazine 2005 Jamoff competition. “Icing”, a song I composed, became one of the songs picked to be on their nationally distributed compilation CD. We toured, especially in the Northeast, received significant college radio airplay and were highlighted as one of the top bands to watch for amongst unsigned bands in the country. I continue writing, recording and performing with various projects.
As you know I was on the MAN board at that time and was more than happy to participate. Of course I asked John Popper from Blues Traveler to join us. My band Stolen Ogre played and then there was the all-star jam which featured Alan White and Roger Fisher and I played keys for that too. That was a blast. Over the years I have performed with Ann and Nancy Wilson and the Lovemongers, Ricki Lee Jones, Taj Mahal and of course Blues Traveler. I have also collaborated in the production of the nationally syndicated host Bob Rivers "Twisted Radio" from KISW (now with KZOK) radio in Seattle. I have been fortunate to have been involved in countless projects and events and have made many lasting friendships right here in the Northwest. I am also currently on the airstaff over at WARM 106.9FM here in Seattle.
I am very interested in music education and experiences for our youth. I want to make sure kids can get a chance to enjoy music and even pursue careers in music. It is a part of a well rounded education. Synergia NW is a concert I am planning for 2010. It will be used to raise awareness and funds for youth music programs. I want to bring together music students and professional musicians playing classical and contemporary music.
I have been involved with and produced many events over the last 20 years. I produced the Support the Troops Concert for Peace Benefit at the Paramount theatre in 1991. I had the Lovemongers, Chris Cornell, Alice in Chains and my band the Yarddogs. This was a fundraiser for the international and American Red Cross during the gulf war crisis. I was also involved in Harmony for Humanity, a national violence prevention program, Heartland Relief Fund, Seattle Firefighters benefit, Picnic on the Green Snoqualmie Winery, Puget Soundkeepers Benefit and Winter Warmth Concert for homeless children
I am partnering in this project with Dr. Bret P. Smith, Assistant Professor, Central Washington University’s Department of Music who is an educator and conductor specializing in instrumental music education. I also have the support of Seattle Symphony Orchestra Conductor and Young Musicians Excelling Chair, Maestro Gerard Schwarz, Young Musicians Excelling, the Washington Music Educators Association and the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra.
I will be teaming up with Alan White and Dr. Smith to collaborate on original music for the event. It will showcase various musicians, young and old, students and professionals, across all formats and styles. I will highlight local youth and public school orchestras as well as original composers. Net proceeds will go through MAN to be directed to various music programs around Washington.
We hung out chatting at the restaurant for a long time and touched on many subjects. You know you have been there too long when the waitress drops the hint about her shift ending. It’s refreshing to be around someone as excited about his work as Michael McMorrow.
Visit Michael online at michaelmcmorrow.com.
And so my eventually loyal readers,
Be inspired by music…
Mark Naficy
Michael McMorrow
Washington Native- Musician- Composer- Recording Artist- Record Producer
Welcome readers to the first installment of "MAN About Town". I will attempt, through a casual interview process, to shed light on some of the movers and shakers in the Northwest music scene.How did you get into this crazy music business anyway? Didn’t you have anyone to warn you against it?
No in fact I was encouraged by my mother and grandfather who were both musicians. By age 11 I was already writing music and playing for them on the piano. At 12 I won a statewide Young Composer Competition in California. I never looked back from there.
I know you still play music, what’s going on with that?
Well eventually I found myself in a band called the Yarddogs where I continued writing original music. We developed that band to a point where we were playing with bands such as Delbert McClinton, Jefferson Airplane, Ann and Nancy Wilson from Heart and Paul Rogers to name a few. I was always more into original music than playing in cover bands. While I was on tour with the HORDE Festival I met Brendan Hill of Blues Traveler, we hit it off, and decided to start a band called Stolen Ogre. That band went on to earn various national acclaim and we won the Relix Magazine 2005 Jamoff competition. “Icing”, a song I composed, became one of the songs picked to be on their nationally distributed compilation CD. We toured, especially in the Northeast, received significant college radio airplay and were highlighted as one of the top bands to watch for amongst unsigned bands in the country. I continue writing, recording and performing with various projects.
I saw you play at the MAN Tsunami Relief concert back in 2004 and you were playing with an all-star cast of musicians. Tell me about some of these collaborations.
As you know I was on the MAN board at that time and was more than happy to participate. Of course I asked John Popper from Blues Traveler to join us. My band Stolen Ogre played and then there was the all-star jam which featured Alan White and Roger Fisher and I played keys for that too. That was a blast. Over the years I have performed with Ann and Nancy Wilson and the Lovemongers, Ricki Lee Jones, Taj Mahal and of course Blues Traveler. I have also collaborated in the production of the nationally syndicated host Bob Rivers "Twisted Radio" from KISW (now with KZOK) radio in Seattle. I have been fortunate to have been involved in countless projects and events and have made many lasting friendships right here in the Northwest. I am also currently on the airstaff over at WARM 106.9FM here in Seattle.
What is Synergia Northwest?
I am very interested in music education and experiences for our youth. I want to make sure kids can get a chance to enjoy music and even pursue careers in music. It is a part of a well rounded education. Synergia NW is a concert I am planning for 2010. It will be used to raise awareness and funds for youth music programs. I want to bring together music students and professional musicians playing classical and contemporary music.
Have you produced events of this nature before?
I have been involved with and produced many events over the last 20 years. I produced the Support the Troops Concert for Peace Benefit at the Paramount theatre in 1991. I had the Lovemongers, Chris Cornell, Alice in Chains and my band the Yarddogs. This was a fundraiser for the international and American Red Cross during the gulf war crisis. I was also involved in Harmony for Humanity, a national violence prevention program, Heartland Relief Fund, Seattle Firefighters benefit, Picnic on the Green Snoqualmie Winery, Puget Soundkeepers Benefit and Winter Warmth Concert for homeless children
Tell me more about Synergia.
I am partnering in this project with Dr. Bret P. Smith, Assistant Professor, Central Washington University’s Department of Music who is an educator and conductor specializing in instrumental music education. I also have the support of Seattle Symphony Orchestra Conductor and Young Musicians Excelling Chair, Maestro Gerard Schwarz, Young Musicians Excelling, the Washington Music Educators Association and the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra.
I will be teaming up with Alan White and Dr. Smith to collaborate on original music for the event. It will showcase various musicians, young and old, students and professionals, across all formats and styles. I will highlight local youth and public school orchestras as well as original composers. Net proceeds will go through MAN to be directed to various music programs around Washington.
We are excited about, and looking forward to, this concert. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help out. We would be honored to accept the proceeds and distribute them to the selected beneficiaries.
We hung out chatting at the restaurant for a long time and touched on many subjects. You know you have been there too long when the waitress drops the hint about her shift ending. It’s refreshing to be around someone as excited about his work as Michael McMorrow.
Visit Michael online at michaelmcmorrow.com.
And so my eventually loyal readers,
Be inspired by music…
Mark Naficy
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