Down the Rabbit Hole!
We’d like to thank the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens for inviting us to play for the Mad Hatter Mixer last Friday. What a wonderful night it was! It is a kick being the Queen of Hearts. Dave Lunn filled in for Jake Johnson on sax and played brilliantly as did Ben Parrish on guitar and Pete McDonnell on drums.
I got this lovely email from Pete Laybourn that meant so much to me:
“It is all too rare that we have an opportunity to thoroughly enjoy ourselves at a Cheyenne social function that was as all around perfect as the garden party Friday night. The night, the site, the food, the purpose and the MUSIC were all of the highest quality. On occasions like that I am always very happy when I feel that our community is hitting the right note and that the activity we are engaged in couldn’t be outdone anywhere, not in Denver, San Francisco or Santa Fe. All of your practice, preparation and equipment management came together harmoniously, what a wonderful accomplishment.”
Join us for the Mad Hatter Mixer, September 11, at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens!
Thank you, Renee, for a great party!
We had so much fun playing for Hansen and Associates’ grand opening celebration of their new offices in the the historic Whipple House and we were delighted to have our friends from the band, Swing That Cat!, sit in. Michele Lacovitti Peraino is their lead singer and also wrote one of the songs they performed. Her husband, Chris, plays guitar and Hugh Luck joined us on flute. 
Looking forward to playing Friday at the Whipple House
We are honored to be playing for Friday’s grand opening celebration of the newly renovated Whipple House, the new offices of Hansen and Associates. We will be joined by these two lovely people–Hugh Alan Luck and Michele Peraino, both artists as well as fine musicians from Wenonah, New Jersey. The have their own band, Swing That Cat, and (I’m sure they will want to go home with Pete’s drums). Hugh plays the flute and Michele sings. Super-classy. What a kick!
Check out their website http://www.swingthatcat.band/
Pete’s Newly-Restored 1950’s Gretsch Round Badge Kit
My 1950’s Gold Sparkle Gretsch Round Badge drums. I’ve been restoring and getting them stage worthy. The bass drum has the original calf skin heads. The snare is a rare 4″ drum with Billy Gladstone lugs. I’ll be using 50’s Zildjian “K” cymbals and a Zildjian “Ping” ride. These were the most popular drums and cymbals used by Philly Joe Jones, Max Roach, Elvin Jones and many more great jazz drummers. These drums were used by a drummer that played with a group from Greeley called “The Aristocats” led by Chuck Childers.
Pete
We loved playing at the Cheyenne Country Club!
Join us June 27 at The Suite with our special guest!!!
Join us at the Cheyenne Country Club, June 10
Pete McDonnell joins members of the Starlight Ramblers for a benefit concert
Last Saturday, Pete McDonnell joined his former band mates from the Starlight Ramblers–Jerry Wood, Tim McDonald, and Shannon McDonald–at the American Legion Post in Thornton, Colorado in a benefit concert for the Wounded Warriors project. They played many of the old Ramblers’ favorites: “Clementine,” “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie,” “You Always Hurt the One You Love” and more to packed house. The magic was there.
