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39 students 6 bands 14 years since inception 4 clinicians with over 100 years of experience 70 (and counting) performance hours Countless rehearsal hours 1 amazing season #BluesEd2015
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 Name: Rebecca Erdman
School: 2015 Graduate of Westside High School Band: Far & Wide Instrument: Vocals Possible College & Major: I have been accepted and am now working very hard to get to Berklee College of Music. I will be double majoring in vocal performance (With a blues and jazz focus) and sound production/engineering. How long in BluesEd? This will be my 2nd year How long have you been playing/singing? Since I could talk :) What is your favorite BluesEd workshop song? Feeling Good by Nina Simone Who is your favorite Blues artist? B.B King or Ray Charles. That's a hard one! Favorite BluesEd moment? First performance! Hobbies: I love to go concerts and hang out with my friends and typical teenage activities, but really my life revolves around music. I write music and have taught myself piano and so I spend most of my time writing lyrics and charging piano sheets and recording it. That's pretty much how I spend all of my time! What else would you like us to know about you? I am thankful for blues Ed for really revealing my passion of performing :)  Ben McLaughlin Name: Ben McLaughlin
School: Creighton Prep, 2015 graduate Band: Dilemma Instrument: Guitar College & Major: Loyola University, New Orleans - Music Industry Studies How Long in BluesEd? 3 years How long have you been playing? 7 years What is your favorite BluesEd workshop song? When My Train Pulls In by Gary Clark Jr. Who is your favorite Blues artist? Stevie Ray Vaughan Favorite BluesEd moment? Playing with Fire Hobbies outside of BluesEd? Attending concerts, listening to music, running  Hard to believe but our BluesEd Season Finale is upon us this Sunday, July 26th. Please join us for our final all BluesEd band performance of the year. We have six bands + our seniors will have their final jam. Music starts at 5:00 p.m. at the beautiful Sumtur Amphitheater in Papillion. Food & beverages available for purchase. Admission is FREE!
Highway 61 - 5:00 Silver Lining - 5:45 Us & Them - 6:30 Far & Wide - 7:15 Dilemma - 8:00 Voodoo Vinyl - 8:45 Senior Jam & Goodbyes - 9:30  Reprinted from the Omaha World-Herald: 17-year-old sax man racking up
the miles for his musicBy Casey Logan / World-Herald staff writer | Posted: Monday, April 13, 2015 1:00 am
 Drew Tvrdy
School: graduated from Omaha North High School Band: Silver Lining Instrument: Guitar Possible College & Major: I will study business at UNO and minor in music How Long in BluesEd: I have been in BluesEd for two years now How long have you been playing/singing? I have played piano since I was two years old but have played guitar (my main instrument) for three years now and started singing when I picked up guitar. What is your favorite BluesEd workshop song: Rack Em' Up Who is your favorite Blues artist? I can't decide on a favorite blues artist it varies every other week. Favorite BluesEd moment: had to be performing at Sumter amphitheater it was definitely the most memorable Hobbies outside of BluesEd: recording music  There are a lot of people who make BluesEd such a special organization for our young musicians. Of course we have our four amazing Clinicians who give up a great deal of time and talent mentoring our students. But how about the "Unsung Heroes" of BluesEd?
We'd like to give a special "SHOUT OUT" and recognize some very special people who have given up multiple hours to BluesEd: Our Lead Parents and Performance Coordinators! Each of these parents has given up countless hours to BluesEd & their bands. Not only do they help organize the bands, they set up gear, they communicate to the Directors & Clinicians, schedule practices, communicate via social media, arrange gigs, assist Directors with communication to bands, among many other tasks. They are the first ones to get to a gig and the last ones to leave. And sometimes they even spend some of their own money to make sure the band has everything they need to perform at their best. Please help us in recognizing these LP's & PC's for all of their hard work this year: Far & Wide: Jason Groenjes and Sean & Erin Gillen Dilemma: Chris & Kevin Shouse Highway 61: Daren Kizlin and Dawn Abboud Silver Lining: Kim Boyd and James Dark Us & Them: Trudy & Bryan Bredthauer and Laura & James Foxall Voodoo Vinyl: Susan Brooks and John Palensky BRAVO LP's & PC's!! You are very much appreciated. We can not thank you enough to your dedication to BluesEd!  BluesEd bands take the big stage at the Bellevue RiverFest again this year for the 3rd consecutive year!
Admission is just $1. 24 food vendors on site. Nebraska BBQ championships awarded Location is right on the river at Haworth Park. MUSIC Friday - July 17th Dilemma - 5:30-6:30 Saturday day - July 18th: Voodoo Vinyl 12:00 - 12:50 Far & Wide - 1:05 - 1:55 Silver Lining - 2:10 - 3:00 Us & Them - 3:15 - 4:00 7/18 - Saturday night: Highway 61 - 5:00 (or when awards are complete) to 6:30. Venue Haworth Park2502 Payne Dr Bellevue, NE + Google Map  Voodoo Vinyl performing on the main stage at Playing with Fire on June 18, 2015. Ever since Playing with Fire started it's free concert series in Omaha 12 years ago, BluesEd bands have been asked to perform as opening acts for the headliners. We have been blessed beyond measure with this partnership. Our students have a chance to perform on the big stage in front of large appreciative Blues-loving fans with a professional sound & light system. This year we were lucky enough to have three BluesEd bands at PwF: Voodoo Vinyl on June 18th Dilemma on June 25th Us & Them on July 2nd  This year, Playing with Fire also asked BluesEd bands to host an AfterBurn Jam following the headliner at a local bar/restaurant. BluesEd enlisted the help of Ben Curran, BluesEd alumni (Mojo Bag) and jam expert extraordinaire to assist our bands in prepping for the jam and leading the jams. The first week the PwF artists had an early morning flight so we still held the jam. We were lucky enough to have some BluesEd alumni sit in on several songs with Voodoo Vinyl. Watching the growth of our BluesEd alums, now in their 20's, was extremely impressive. It's so great to see so many of our BluesEd students continue to pursue music as a hobby or even a career. Even BluesEd parent, John Palensky, got in the act and played guitar and sat in on a few songs.
Our final night at the Playing with Fire concert was July 2nd. We had a dicey start to the show due to some bad weather in the area but Mother Nature shined on us and gave us a beautiful evening for a show. BluesEd band Us & Them Blues band opened the show and set the tone right for the evening with high energy blues and rock. Following Us & Them was the Boogie Boys Band from Poland & PwF favorite, Albert Cummings. After the sizzling show the crowd made it's way to the AfterBurn Jam to keep the fire burning. Many Polish fans wanted to see & hear the Boogie Boys one more time before they left Nebraska. Those in attendance were treated to a phenomenal show with the Boogie Boys and Us & Them jamming the night away. Several local musicians joined the jam too. Truly a very special night, as was each of the AfterBurn Jams hosted by BluesEd. Thanks again to Playing with FIre Promoter, Jeff Davis and his Associate Producer Vanessa Marie for always believing in BluesEd. Can't wait to do it all again next year!!
Reprinted from the Blues Society of Omaha newsletterWe are right in the thick of our BluesEd season! Our six BluesEd bands are performing nearly every weekend at area events. We just wrapped up our BluesEd Benefit Concert on Father's Day held at a Sokol Park in Bellevue. All six of our bands performed beautifully despite the hot weather. Our BluesEd parents, Stephanie & Jason Groenjes, chaired the Fundraiser which provided additional revenue for BluesEd. Guests at Sokol Park were treated to an outstanding Silent Auction full of treats for music lovers, food & beverage items, pampering gifts and tickets to area events. We also had three area food trucks serving our hungry guests & a full bar serving drinks. Funds raised help us keep our tuition costs low for our students while they learn the art of performing Blues music in a band setting. Look for BluesEd bands performing this summer at many well-known Omaha-area venues. Voodoo Vinyl, Dilemma and Us & Them all performed in front of large, appreciative crowds for Playing with Fire. Those bands then hosted the AfterBurn Jam at Cantina Laredo featuring the headliners from Playing with Fire. Even our BluesEd alumni joined us at a chance to jam with the very finest Blues artists in the world. For the first time in BluesEd history three of our BluesEd bands will also be performing at the venerable "Jazz on the Green" at Midtown Crossing. Opening acts on July 9th, July 23rd & August 13th will feature BluesEd bands Dilemma, Far & Wide and Silver Lining respectively. Other area events you'll see BluesEd bands include July 12th at the 21st Saloon for our BluesEd Showcase & July 26th for our Season Finale at Sumtur Amphitheater. Come out to support these young musicians. Chances are you are witnessing a young Jimi Hendrix on guitar, Etta James on vocals or Ray Charles on keys. Time and time again people attending our shows say they can't believe these are "kid bands." The talent level of our 12-18 year old students will blow you away. Be sure to check out our website: www.BluesEd.com and like BluesEd on facebook to get all the latest updates. Kevin & Chris Shouse BluesEd Directors  Nick Czarnick
School: 2015 graduate from Millard South High School Band: Highway 61 Instrument: Guitar (main), Drums Possible College & Major: Metro, possibly Business How Long in BluesEd: first year in BluesEd How long have you been playing/singing? Playing for 11 years What is your favorite BluesEd workshop song: Undertow Who is your favorite Blues artist? Stevie Ray Vaughn Favorite BluesEd moment:Sokol Park was my favorite show, so far Hobbies outside of BluesEd: Work at Hy-Vee, Cook BBQ, Play Music  Performance Workshop
Sunday July 12th, at the 21st Saloon (96th & L) Line-up: 4:00 - 4:35 - Silver Lining 4:50 - 5:25 - Us & Them 5:40 - 6:15 - Voodoo Vinyl 6:30 - 7:05 - Hwy 61 7:20 - 7:55 - Far & Wide Food will be available for purchase (Hawks BBQ will set up inside the 21st Saloon & Buffalo Company is next door.) Open to the public! No Cover Charge! |
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