Funklets are out in the world.  Looking all cute.

VIDEO

I recently purchased a DSLR, so expect production values to go up. 

MUSIC

I got to sit-in at the Starkid Space Tour show in Cleveland.  It’s hard to gauge how massive Starkid is, but the crowd they drew in Cleveland on a Monday lends some perspective.  I also played with Charlene Kaye on a tune.  

I put tapewound strings on my bass.  

I got to hear Bernard Purdie play with Aretha!  Two interesting things Bernard said:

A) Everything clicked on Until You Come Back To Me.

B) Wilbur Bascomb is the only rich bass player he knows.

DESIGN

I helped Theo with the graphic design for his new album.  The album is awesome.  Search iTunes: Theo Katzman

MISC.

I will be moving to the bay area soon.  Challah at me.

Check it out, you’ll dig the vid:

The Funklet by Jack Stratton on Kickstater

This project brings together two areas I’ve been shedding for a while - drumming and design.  Feels good.  Making me practice too.

I’ll be teaching a week long video camp at the Music Center at the end of June.  DIY style.  Cheap gear, great results.  

BIG NEWS:  A piece from my Dad’s blog was published in the New York Times (op-ed) on mother’s day.  I’m going down to da Land to play Nightown with him.  He does a live reading of his blog.

I’m playing with Theo Katzman (local kickstarter king) a bit this summer.  Theo lists his band as:

• Theo Katzman…that guy
• Tom Stoepker…stunning
• Jack Stratton…vintage
• Joe Dart…legendary 

A few videos are in pre-pro (my mind).  One with Paul Mango, one with Tud.  Keep an eye out.  

So this update got flagged as spam because I put Ca$h in the title.  GREAT! Just great.

Just remastered a tune from the Vulf Organization.  Don’t know if I’ll work for them again anytime soon.  I never got paid, just threatened.  Check the tune here.

Helping with the Starkid musical Starship.  It is so gosh darn funny.  You’re just going to love it.  It’s sold out!  I’ll be making the soundtrack, so look for that in the future (the future of time, obviously). 

Lessons are going well at the music center.  I now have a Rhodes in my room.  I hung up one of my favorite quotes from a great teacher, Vulfmon.  It reads, “The best way to learn an instrument is by getting better at it.”

I’m playing with Theo Katzman and the Note Duration Ensemble at the Ann Arbor Folk Festival in Hill Auditorium this Friday.  It’s sold out!  A packed Hill is electric, straight electrons.  Giddy.

I A2 for the summer.  I have seen more outdoor live music within 4-blocks of my house than should allowed - legally. 

So much newss——

I’m designing a site with Blickwickle!  Yes, Blickwickle.  It is going to focus on bringing you the best moments in history.  For real.

Groove Spoon has been heard on the radio, somewhere in Michigan.  Cool, no? 

I’ve been doing a lil (just a lil) teaching at the Ann Arbor Music Center.  Looking forward to getting in the groove and teaching the funk, “you play _____, cool.  Sure, bring it, but we’ll probably just dance for the first three lessons.”

I have two new basses.  I nice James Jamerson type diddy, and a furnky Wilbur Bascomb/Joe Dart type gitter.  The both sound great and I simply can’t keep my hand off them.

I will be playing with my father at his duo show in Cleveland at the Alma Theater comin’ up.  Not to be missed:

DRIVING MR. KLEZMER
Thursday, July 29, 2010. Alma Theater, 7pm.
Cain Park
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
$20 in advance, $23 day of show.

The big band is really smokin’.

I’m speaking of Groove Spoon, duh.  The ten-piece beast that is fueled by pure liquid energy.  The ten musicians were brought together by the modest mutual goal of recording a #1 hit at every integer bpm between 80 and 159.

Check out this vid: YouTube

We had a lot of fun with that.

If you want to catch GS, we are playing at the Michigan Theater (opening for Groove) this Friday (12/11).

I designed some T-Shirts too.  You can cop them at the show for $15 (American Apparel!)

Also, if you haven’t checked out Justin D’s smokin bossa project, give a listen to our first show HERE FOR FREE.  I recommend anything with the name Santos next to it!  Get to play with some serious cats!

Peace be with,

Jack

I write you from my beautiful home in Ann Arbor.  The house, now dubbed “Mt. Brolympus”, is your standard student slum, but shoot, it’s darn cute.

There’s a lot of exciting stuff going on right now.  Groove Spoon has started rehearsals and it is sounding fresh.  We’re gonna tighten the screws and then rock Explorth on the 25th.  Chris Agar (bass) is doing another cruise ship gig in October, so be sure to hit up Explorth to see him.

I just joined Witt’s End Improv Comedy.  Very exciting.  I’ve been a fan since I’ve been at Michigan and just like momma said, “don’t just view it, do it.”

Check Klezmer Guy for the latest from my dad.

Gauchos (Steely Dan cover band) has started jammin.  WOO! too much fun.  the line-up:

Joe Brown (guitar)
Ian Finkelstein (keys)
Will Cannon (bass)

It was one of the strangest musical experiences of my life when we all sat down in a room, never having played together, and counted four beats, then launched into a rippin Reelin in the Years.

Not to mention I have the most killin school schedule that has ever existed in school

Photo
Video Art
Recording
Afro-Cuban Drumming
Jazz Piano

HA! Winner!

Things are moving along smoothly here.  If that is all you need to know, then great, peace be with.  All the diehards can keep reading.

I recently played two gigs with Gemini.  Tons of fun, the kids love it.  One gig was outdoors.  A thunderstorm crept up and soaked my drums.  No biggie, they’re fine.

I finished that track with Darren.  You can check it on the music page.

Groove Spoon’s line-up is final!  Get ready for a next A2 “it” band:

Jack Stratton (drums)
Justin Douglas (guit)
Mike Malis (piano)
Chris Agar (bass)
Antwaun Stanley (vox)
Emily Berman (vox)
Hannah Winkler (vox)
Andy Warren (trumpet)
Sam Crittenden (trombone)
Chris Hernacki (bass trombone)

and of course, Nate Zukoff will be in the mix (NPI).

Also looking to finalize Los Gauchos (Steely Dan cover band).  Got some major freaks on board for that.

In case you haven’t heard, I’m currently living the life.  It is unfair to Ann Arbor if you never spend a summer here.  I got a gig with a theater troupe, so I’m currently a paid actor (add it to the business card).  Pretty wild, kinda lucked out.

I’m currently writing from my permanent residence in beautiful Cleveland Heights, Ohio.  I played a gig yesterday with my Dad in Pittsburgh.  Drove there, six hour wedding, drove back.  Went really well.  Check my dad’s new blog if you haven’t.

So many projs are nearing completion.  Working on a vid with Chris Conover.  Working on a vid with a bunch of bros.  Working on a tune with Darren Criss.  Working on a tune with Brett Levy.  Working on a tune with Hannah.

This past week I got third place in the Feel the Music competition.  Pretty stoked, prize was 1k.  The Ann Arbor News did an article about the winners (my project is mentioned too) - check it.  Also, You can read an article on U of M’s front page here.   It was a cool contest and I got to meet some deaf musicians…think about it…yep, mind blowing.  Mad props to the winning team (bunch of PAT bros).

Been keeping it real otherwise.  Working on a killer track.  Remember when I said we (Conover, Zukoff) sampled my drum kit, well I’ve been messing with them and they sound great.  Gonna put those up on the site very soon.

Pumped for summer.  Gonna get back into the sketch comedy scene.  Look for vids.

So I haven’t put up a prank in a long time.  I can explain.  My roomate/business partner (BroRags Inc.)/prank bro, Nick Richards, is off broing out in Italy for the semester.  I made a call by myself once and I truly felt like the lamest human on earth.  So, there you have it.  You can expect more pranks soonish though, some other bros/broetts want to do them.

In other news, a new band I’m in is debuting this saturday night at the SYNC festival.  We are called Est, Fresh.  And let me tell you, we are having way too much fun with it, you shant miss this show (it is in the Video Studio on North (state of the art playa)).  Groove Spoon is going to be the house band for Mike Kelton Late Night at the end of March.  Should be a party.  I finally bought an HD camera, so look for some crispy vids soon.  The real news is happening the studio.  Nate and I are slowly improving with every tune.  I’ve also heard rumors of a Hannah Winkler follow up track.