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It’s a typical Monday morning for Evin Daniels. He’s kneading 12-ounce dough balls into a greased, aluminum rectangular pan.

“The trick is to make sure the oil doesn’t get on top of the dough . . . it could make a really big mess,” Daniels said.

When he isn’t tossing and saucing dough at his local pizza shop or attending college in hopes to land a teaching career, Daniels plays drums and schedules weekend jaunts with his three-piece band, seizing the opportunity to see the country for little or no money.

“I really started to book mini-tours within the last year,” Daniels said. “It’s like having an all-expenses-paid vacation. If I could do a tour and see a new state or a new city I’ve never been to, and only spend 20 or 30 bucks, it’s really not that big of a deal.”

Daniels describes his new band, Outside, as alternative rock, a loud three-piece in which all three members contribute in the writing process. The band includes guitarist/vocalist Sean Casey, bassist Cody Harris, and Daniels on drums/vocals. Daniels has played in hardcore/punk bands in the past (the last of which was with Harris on vocals), but Outside leans more on the alternative side, heavily influenced by alternative giants Dinosaur Jr., Counting Crows, and Goo Goo Dolls.

Daniels’ attitude coincides with a new generation of rock band, one with members that have a backup plan and are not concerned with making a livable wage as a musician. Daniels is studying to become a math teacher, Casey is planning to attend school in the fall, and Harris has other plans apart from the music scene. Playing a majority of house shows and small bars while on tour, the band typically breaks even for the night or nets only about $20 or $30 in profit.

“I have to plan around school, and we all have individual lives that come first,” Daniels said. “If I could make some money with music, that would be great, but it’s not the ultimate goal. I would just like to travel and meet people.”

Touring on a budget is a must for a band who wants to see the sights. Outside has mastered the art of networking, traveling to states where they have made friends with other bands. They’re able to book shows with these bands and often land a floor on which to sleep. The band plans to embark on their next weekend jaunt early next year in Daniels’ Honda Fit with minimal equipment.

“We’re sharing a bass amp while on tour, so we just have to carry guitars and drums. All the shows have a sound system already,” Daniels said.

Outside’s next mini-tour will kick off in their hometown of Monroe, MI on Thursday, January 8. Other stops include Athens, OH, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh, PA. Toledo’s Ottawa Tavern has a provided a home for the members of Outside for more than a year. The band plays its next show there on Thursday, December 18.

“I have the ability to express myself through music. I’ve made a lot of great friends, whether it’s from playing shows or going to shows,” Daniels said, pressing the last of the morning’s dough into the pan. “There. That’ll make the perfect pizza.”

See Outside at the Ottawa Tavern, 1817 Adams St. on Thursday, December 18 or Wednesday, December 31 (New Year’s Eve). Listen at gooutside.bandcamp.com.

Pink Martini is a band with a reputation for going where many pop bands won’t—all over the place. From Nina Simone to Count Basie and ‘50s lounge music, the neo-swing band blurs the boundaries between genres. On February 6 and 7, the Toledo Symphony Orchestra will join forces with Pink Martini members Thomas Lauderdale (founder and pianist) and Storm Large (vocals) of the internationally renowned band—a self-described “little orchestra”—with a dozen members fusing musical genres such as classical, latin, jazz and pop.

The performance will feature George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and other selected pieces from the composer’s songbook, along with classic pop music. The Toledo Symphony Orchestra (TSO), under the direction of Stefan Sanderling, will bring audiences an unforgettable, three-part performance that tips its hat to the jazz legend.

Sanderling, TSO’s Principal Conductor and a Pink Martini fan, invited Lauderdale to play with TSO.

“Intelligent programming is very important. It’s not just Pink Martini, it’s Pink Martini meets classics,” Sanderling said.

The concert will take place at TSO’s home, The Peristyle at the Toledo Museum of Art. In order to enhance the concert experience and bring more visibility to the audience, TSO recently added large HD screens to the stage. Through February, WGTE cameras will roll, capturing the stage action and projecting images onto the screens. According to Ashley Mirakian, director of marketing for TSO, this will add to the positive audience experience.

“[The screens are] concert enhancement. Our hope is to create a more immersive environment. This is something we’ve never done before,” Mirakian said. “We want audience feedback and we want to update the experience.”

In addition to the Pink Martini performance, TSO will perform Dave & Chris Brubecks’ Ansel Adams: America, a 22-minute, one-movement, Grammy-nominated piece that blends Ansel Adams’ iconic photographs of American landscapes with the Brubecks’ melodies. The event will bring some of the most heralded sounds and sights of the twentieth century together in a contemporary medium.

8pm, Friday and Saturday, February 6 and 7. $36-38. Toledo Symphony Box Office, 419-246-8000, tickets.toledosymphony.org

Professional thank-you letter

Dear Mrs. Vanderbelt:

On behalf of MCOD, I would like to thank you for your generous gift of $100. Your commitment to your community and our cause has not gone unnoticed.

Because of donors like you, MCOD continues to advance towards our goal of ridding our community of opiate addictions through education and treatment. This year, we are continuing to build a community fund for those with no insurance that are seeking treatment for their addiction. MCOD will also continue to host educational events in which our volunteer speakers share their struggle with addiction and their stories of survival.

Thanks again for you donation and your time you have given to our organization. You are greatly appreciated.

Best,

Jeffrey Berry

President

#professional #communiations #professionalcommunications

My first really long canvas I worked on. This was fun. 2013

Bob Marley painting. It's the first painting I sold.

finished 2013

"Trashley" Finished Nov 2014. I tried some new techniques for this one and found my style. It was a lot of fun all the way through.

As a founding member of the progressive-rock supergroup Emerson Lake & Palmer (ELP), Asia, and Atomic Rooster, prog-rock pioneer Carl Palmer now keeps his band’s legacy alive by redefining ELP songs with a three-piece instrumental band. The thunderous trinity interprets the keyboard-driven ELP classics into guitar-driven, edgy-rock n roll masterpieces.

After decades of touring and creating in different art forms, the legendary rhythm-maker discusses why rock is not dead, the changing state of touring, and the importance of keeping it fresh in an ever-changing industry while still listening to the classics.

How is touring different now?

CP: It is different in many ways. Touring is the main source of income now, as opposed to record sales in the past. Touring has to be more frequent and very cost-effective. With my ELP Legacy group, we can achieve this. We do our best to keep the overhead low and we give the fans a quality, higher production show. But, this has not been easy and we are constantly looking for ways to be a better live act with lower costs. I have been doing things this way since the last ELP tour in 1998, so I know how to do it. Many other groups, however, are struggling with the new business model that’s out there.

Do you dedicate time to practice? If so, what do you practice? Is there a skill in which you want to improve on?

CP: Yes, I practice on a regular basis. Not on the road, but certainly whenever I am home, I try and put in a couple of hours a day. You can always improve and that is what I strive for.

There have been statements made on the state of rock these days. Some rockers say that the genre of rock is dead. Do you agree?

CP: Rock is not dead—maybe the record industry is. But rock is alive, you just have to work harder to reach your core audience. The days of coming into town and doing a radio interview and selling out your show that night are over. You have to work at reaching your market- but when you do it can be great. Social media has made a huge difference and we know there are still a lot of rock fans out there.

You’ve said that prog-rock is the jazz of today… “it will always be there, but in the background.” Is that how you see the future of the rock genre?

CP: Rock changes yearly. It always has. In the 70s, prog was pretty big; then it became a rage for synth bands; and then punk or whatever. In the end, it comes down to great songs and good showmanship, and I suppose, good value for the dollar to most fans. I play progressive rock—but I don’t use any keyboards. We took something that was very specifically defined and completely re-defined it and the fans love it. In essence, you can be a horse of a different color. We have proved it.

I’ve read that you get bored doing drum solos...when you’re constructing a drum solo, what is your process and how do you keep it fresh?

I don’t get bored doing drum solos; I get bored doing the same drum solo over and over again. I have to keep fresh and different or else I will get bored and the audience knows it. Some tricks you can keep in every solo—I have been doing that thing where I balance a single stick on the cymbal for a while now—and it does not seem to get old, because every night the outcome is different. I just try to keep the solo exciting and to the point. It does not have to be a long solo; it has to be a good solo.

Can you still remove your shirt while playing today?

I can and I have. At ELP’s final show at the High Voltage festival in 2010, I did.

How is your art created? How is the light energy captured while you're drumming?

The short version is I am placed in a pitch dark room with my drum kit, and I play various drum patterns or what I play in a specific song, using drumsticks that have LED lights in them. Each time you hit the drum with the stick, the lights change colors. I am photographed using multiple cameras and they leave the aperture on the camera open for about 30 seconds. That creates the swirling swatches of color and the images are constructed from there using computers.

They are printed on an art canvas and we only do 10 or 20 of each image; that’s it. Then I sign them and they are stretched for hanging. It has been a great new element in my career and I am on my second collection.

Do you have any drummers today that you admire?

There are many—too many to mention, and of course I still enjoy listening to legends like Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich and Max Roach.

Catch The Carl Palmer Band live at the Jazz Café At Music Hall in Detroit, 7pm on Thursday, November 20. Visit carlpalmer.com and carlpalmer art.com for more info.

Getting a Grip on ADD/ADHD

Parent’s perspective to finding support and resources.

By Jeff Berry

Since July 2009, Ann Arbor Area ADHD Support Group has provided local resources, support, and educational services to parents of children with ADD/ADHD and teens who have the disorder.

Kim Garver took over as organizer in 2010 and now leads the parents’ portion of the group. Garver finds that the group support helps her to find new practical strategies on how to deal with ADD from a parent’s perspective.

“It’s an ongoing source of education—I stay current with new topics and new strategies and have learned what works for others,” she said. Organizer Matt Cunningham leads the adult portion of the Ann Arbor support group. “We try to build a strong sense of community, connect people with the correct resources, and fight the stigma associated with the condition. Also, we shine a light on the strength of ADHD and getting the proper support,” Cunningham said. Garver and Cunningham urge parents who suspect their children might have ADHD to get checked by a professional and find social support.

“ADHD is both under and over diagnosed in different populations. It tends to be overdiagnosed in boys, especially non-minority teens, while being underdiagnosed and undertreated in adults, girls, and minority populations,” Garver said. “It is important to see a professional who has the time and skills to make a proper diagnosis.”

Ann Arbor Area ADHD/ADD Support Group is officially sponsored by CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), a nonprofit organization that provides education, advocacy, and support to individuals with ADHD. Visit meetup.com/AnnArbor-ADHD-ADD-Support for information on how to get involved.

After his ten-year old granddaughter, Josie, mentioned that her mom had seen a girl wearing a pair of pants with two different color legs, entrepreneur and Bloomfield Hills resident, Tom Ervin, saw an opportunity to launch Oppos, his eighth business.

Oppos are leggings for girls that come equipped with a patented zipper, allowing the legs to attach and detach easily, allowing girls the power to design their leg-coverings for the day. Since March 2013, Oppos has been a real grassroots, family operation. Josie gave Oppos its name (which is short for opposites) and family friend and professional designer, Shell Chilton, was brought in as partner to make Oppos a reality. As a grandparent of 20, Ervin recognizes the importance of finding that unique gift for grandchildren who seem to already have it all.

Many Oppos customers are grandparents who are happy to give their grandchildren a gift that they don’t already have in their closet, Ervin said.

Chilton, a Michigan native, previously worked in the clothing design business in New York, but had been out of the industry for about 13 years. Oppos is her first venture back into the business.

“I can’t believe this hasn’t been done already. It’s just so timely, with the mis-matched thing going on with girls’ socks and mittens,” she said. “There are so many companies out there that are doing leggings and doing them well, but Oppos has the patent on the attachment design.”

New Oppos leggings can be purchased at Stars and Stripes Activity Center, 4630 White Lake Rd., Clarkston. For more information and to order online, visit oppos.com.

Ann Arbor YMCA takes a step toward a better community

BY Jeff Berry

The Ann Arbor YMCA has been chosen to participate in two pilot programs in early 2014. The first, Child Safety Initiative, will test new and existing abuse prevention services. By reviewing eight organizational operations, this initiative will provide opportunities to decrease the risk of child abuse by employees, volunteers, or other program participants. The Ann Arbor YMCA is one of 50 YMCAs chosen to pilot this program. Based on the findings of the Y’s participating in this pilot program, Y-USA will launch a Child Safety initiative in the third quarter of 2014. The second program, Day Camp Project Development Institute, will explore how to successfully implement new in-house, ten-week day camp programs that run each summer at the YMCA. The Ann Arbor YMCA was one of eight Y’s selected (out of 2,700 nationwide) to participate in this pilot program.

The Ultimate Cloth Diaper Destination

The Little Seedling is relocating to a more convenient location for parents

By Jeff Berry

Ann Arbor’s premier cloth diaper retailer, The Little Seedling, uprooted in March in order to sprout new customers.

The cloth diaper and all-things baby retailer will relocate from its current location on Zeeb Road to the Boulevard Plaza shopping center in order to increase walk-ins.

“The goal is to get a lot more traffic,” said The Little Seedling owner, Molly Ging. “We’re very destination right now. We don’t get a lot of walk-in traffic. No one visits us accidentally out here so the new location should bring a lot more traffic.”

Molly started Tree City Diapers in her basement in 2003 after realizing there were no retailers from which to purchase cloth diapers for her children. In 2006, Tree City Diapers located to its own building on Jackson Road after the basement would no longer suffice with the increased demand. Two years later, Molly expanded her product base to include strollers, car seats, apparel, and many other child necessities, changed the business name to The Little Seedling, and moved the business to its current location.

Molly recognized the many benefits of cloth diapers when her children were young and has turned her passion into a way of life, while giving local parents more options.

“There isn't anything in my life that I use for one or two hours and then throw away over and over and over. Cloth diapers can save a lot of money for families. Plastic diapers don't seem very comfortable to me,” she said. “There are tons of manufactures of cloth diapers-- more now than there ever have been. Cloth diapering isn't a one-off industry, it is a multi-million dollar global industry almost entirely run by women.”

New location will be at 2121 W. Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor. Visit www.thelittleseedling.com/store or call 734-418-2392 for more information

Fighting for Developmental Disability Rights

Washtenaw Association for Community Advocacy works for special needs

By Jeff Berry

It can feel lonely and overwhelming being a parent to special needs children, but Washtenaw Association for Community Advocacy (ACA) exists to fight for the rights of the developmentally disabled and help them live a life that’s all their own.

“A lot of the times, as a parent, you feel very all alone in the fight and I don’t think any parent should ever feel like that, and it’s overwhelming to know where to start,” said Kathy Homan, president/CEO of Washtenaw ACA.

Washtenaw ACA began in 1949 when a group of parents banded together to seek out better educational opportunities for their mentally-disabled children. Today, ACA is a leader in advocating for the rights of the disabled throughout the state of Michigan and has a successful track record of helping the mentally and physically disabled find employment, receive the financial help in which they may be entitled, gain transportation, and help them stay in their own homes—a benefit that ACA takes very seriously.

“There’s a big movement now to bring institutions back…that really scares us. It’s not individual living when somebody tells you to get up, what to eat, and what to do all day long,” Kathy said. “We believe people should be in their communities, in their own homes, doing what they want to do.” Kathy came to the organization in 2009 as a Community Work Incentives Coordinator. In June of 2013, she stepped in as president of the organization, bringing a wealth of experience raising two disabled children of her own.

“When we look at society right now, the most repressed group are people with developmental disabilities and the systems are so complex that you need some expertise to get through them and to make sure their rights are protected,” Kathy said. “Most people still see people with disabilities as second-class citizens.”

1100 N. Main St. #205, Ann Arbor. For more information on Washtenaw ACA, call 734-662-1256 or visit washtenawaca.org.

When he’s not knocking helmets on the football field, Ann Arbor Skyline junior Willy Clark is a playmaker in the game of giving back.

“I’ve gotten a lot of push at home from my mom. She’s always been a big advocate for helping other people out and not just trying to get ahead yourself. I feel good when I help out other people,” Willy said.

He is a calculus student and math tutor in the Math Mentoring Program (MMP), and an active member in Rising Scholars, a program partnership between U of M Center for Educational Outreach and Ann Arbor Public Schools which works to give underserved, but high-achieving students an opportunity to build leadership abilities, receive college preparation, and participate in team-building activities. Willy spends his volunteer time helping underclassman better understand math or visiting nursing homes to sing Christmas carols. He enjoys the simple task of giving back and encourages others to do the same. He cites his brother, Jack, as his biggest inspiration, while striving to beat his GPA.

“Growing up, my dad hasn’t been around and my brother looked after me. He used to walk me to school every day and as we got older, he became a role model for me. He graduated with a 3.8 GPA, which I’m trying to beat, and [received] all sorts of awards for academics and character…He showed me what a model teen really looked like,” Willy said.

Although he doesn’t have his mind set on a particular college, he’s weighing the options with his football career in mind. “I don’t really know what I want to do yet, but I know I want to go to an academically prestigious school.”

One thing is for certain--academics rates high on his list when considering to which school this sure-handed philanthropist will apply.

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