Give me a tinge of darkness - gotta have something real, which always includes a little darkness. If you don't grit your teeth at some point playing/listning to music, you're missing the best part.
Here's a little organ solo from Dallas 10/5/07:
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2007 NOLA JAZZ FEST, ME WITH THE CRESCENT CITY ALLSTARS
Movies
Love 'em, but who's got the time?
JOHN BUKATY, ON ART:
Television
Saw it once, scared the crap outa me. How come everyone looks like satan?
Books
Joseph Campbell, Jungian stuff, world religions, satire, history, musicians auto-biographys, comedy.
Heroes
mom, dad, anyone who can keep smiling the older they get.
I am a professional musician - keyboard instruments.
CR Gruver's Companies
Tabima Enterprises, LLC New Orleans, LA US I'm The Boss
CR Gruver Halloween show at Banks Street Bar in New Orleans with Juice featuring Jeff Watkins. Same bar/same band post-voodoofest on Sunday Nov 1st! Posted at 4:34 PM Oct 29 view more
I'm just a dude - a normal dude. I chose to be a musician when I was 5 years old. No-one would teach me, though, 'cause my hands were too small. I waited until I was 9 before the lessons started. They were really easy, and I used to not practice, which would annoy my teacher. My parents would stop paying for lessons, and I'd beg them to keep taking lessons and promising to practice more. That went on until I was too "cool" for piano lessons, which was right around 14 years old - coincidentally about the time I started taking the pot.
Fast forward to 1997 - after many bands (Giant Panda Gypsy Blues Band, Double Dose, Medecine Show, Bluzymorvay, Peace Frogs, Dark Carnival, Love Pig, Rosco, Angie Aparo) and tons of parties, I thought maybe it was time to grow up and get a real job. I got my degree in business programming and got myself a real job. My (ex)girlfriend was happy I'd finally come to my senses. That's when music chose me. After a year of corporate soul-killing work, I realized that it wasn't up to me - I was born to play music, and it wouldn't stop haunting me until I got back to it.
The year 2000 I toured constantly with now-famous Angie Aparo (whom I'd toured with before my corporate year), signed to Arista records. I moved to Denver in 2001 after 6 months in Boston with Mountain of Venus. I met countless great people and made many new friends that I know I'll have for the rest of my life. I frickin' love Colorado - my first true home (away from home).
Touring part-time with Outformation and playing full-time in Denver I came across a couple punks named Tori and Chad that would eventually lead to Polytoxic - a dynamic passionate musical blend of fire, dirt and air. Twice we won "Best Jam Band" for the Westword magazine showcase show. We took the Westword award for Best Concert in 2005 for our re-enactment of The Last Waltz by The Band. We started playing in a burrito restaurant and ended up playing at the Fillmore in Denver, and selling out Cervante's Masterpiece Ballroom.
2006 was eye-opening, and my road turned to New Orleans. 2007 was a ton of hard work, but also turned out to be one of the best years of my life. I married the love of my life down here in New Orleans at the end of April. Outformation toured alot, and we released a new album in August, "Traveler's Rest". The fall was huge for us, playing shows to support the new record, and opening for bands like Widespread Panic, Umphrey's McGee, and Shooter Jennings.
2008 hit the ground running. Outformation signed with a management company in January, Mad Management out of Nashville. We're were very excited to have another piece of the puzzle in place, a piece that we really needed to help us grow to the next level. Heavy touring through the spring led us to record another 13 songs in July at The Fidelatorium, a studio owned by Mitch Easter. The completion of that album, plus the release of a live DVD from '07 would bring the year to a close.
My path has taken another turn in '09, away from Outformation and towards my life in New Orleans. I'm playing a ton, and an apprentice in the craft of piano rebuilding and tuning. I am still traveling some, throughout the Southeast and Colorado primarily, working on my house, and spending time with my wife. I have immersed myself in the music scene down in New Orleans, learning and growing, and trying to add whatever positive energy I can add to the rebuilding. I don't know what the future holds, but it's great to be living my dream.
Thanks,
You Are 54% Evil
You are evil, but you haven't yet mastered the dark side.
Fear not though - you are on your way to world domination.
Hello friends, I host a weekly acoustic jam featuring some of the best musicians in Denver. Musicians are welcome and encouraged to bring down an acoustic instrument and join the jam! The R-Bar is located on E. Colfax and Steele, next to Stella's with phenomenal drink specials and a really cool scene. The sign-up list will be available at 6pm and the music starts at 7pm. Hand drums and mics will be supplied. Hope to see ya!
I also just released a new funky album "Outcries from a Sea of Red" which is now available! You can preview and order/download by clicking this link to CD Baby:
If you dig it, please support my music by purchasing the music through my website or CD Baby. Only you can support original and independent music!
Hi, honey bunn!
Online Now!
