Avalon Music

Great news!  Avalon Music is pleased to announce a C.F. Martin guitars clinic for Tuesday, March 2 at 6:00 pm. 

We're bring back Martin rep Larry Barnwell and his sidekick, clinician Richard Starkey on their way back from the Wintergrass Festival.  Richard has worked as the resident player, technician and guitar setup expert at C. F. Martin & Co. for over 8 years. His clinics include a historical overview of the Martin Guitar Company throughout its 177 year lifetime.  There will be lots of picking and singing by Larry and Richard in a wide range of styles.

Avalon Music will have special pricing for all Martin guitars during the day and a free restringing clinic for steel string acoustic guitars from 11 am to 3 pm, as well as lots of FREE STUFF at the evening clinic!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, December 5!  It's Fender Day at Avalon Music! We're planning free guitar stringing and set-ups, prizes, and, of course, special prices on all our Fender products in stock.  We'll have more details in the next few days.

But it's not just the Avalon Music crew running this celebration, Phil Short from Fender - and a member of the Fender band since 1983 - will be here!  Phil will be "hands-on" and able to answer all your questions about Fender products and history.

So whether it is a Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jazz Bass, Precision Bass, Twin or Deluxe Reverb, SuperSonic or Hot Rod Deluxe, come down to Avalon Music and play a rock'n-roll legend.  Play Fender!

Yes!  You read it correctly!  Avalon Music has been selected by Sonor drums to host a clinic by drum sensation and YouTube favorite Derek Roddy!

Derek Roddy will be here at Avalon Music on Tuesday, November 17 at 6:30 pm.  The clinic is absolutely, positively FREE!   [But please let us know you will be coming so we can have enough chairs and refreshments set up.]

Derek has developed a great website for drummers, with forums, articles, and other informaiton to help you advance your skills and has a tremendous fan base on YouTube where you can check out his amazing videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7kQvyPXEQc

Here is a quote about Derek Roddy:

Some that play drums focus on speed, some on fills or solos. At the heart of a true musician there is: a drive to better oneself, the will o control your playing and eagerness to explore and sometimes expand the boundaries in music.  In a world full of new bands and drummers popping up every day there are only a handful that stand at the top, apart from the flock. These top musicians vary from genre to genre, at least at first glance. In reality the sign of a great musician and not just a 'player' is the ability to progress, adapt, innovate and explore as many avenues as possible to express their message and as such while some great musicians are well known and at the top of a certain genre they also delve into other styles of music and actively listen to the nuances and more often then not they incorporate something of that differing style into their performance, no matter how small the contribution may be. This is the case with Derek. Having had an interest in music from an early age Derek came to first be a fan of music before heading headstrong into the world of being a musician. While capable of playing many instruments and styles, Derek is most widely known as a phenomenal drummer in the Death Metal community having performed with such bands as: Hate Eternal, Malevolent Creation, Nile, Divine Empire, Aurora Borealis and Council Of The Fallen. This is, however not the extent of his talent. Derek is an avid drummer of any style and has performed as a strictly Jazz, Blues, Rock and nearly anything else musician

Please join us on Tuesday, November 17 at 6:30 pm - right here at Avalon Music!  Derek Roddy will be playing drums, demonstrating techniques, providing advice and answering YOUR questions.  Wow!  Thank you Derek Roddy and Sonor drums!

Avalon Music is very excited to have Rich Wetzel, Northwest trumpet sensation and band leader, as well as our Conn-Selmer representative, here at Avalon Music on October 27 for a Brass Techniques Clinic.  

Besides providing us with some amazing trumpets chops, Rich will cover a wide range of extremely helpful techniques for beginning to advanced students:  embouchure placement and movement;  tongue level and its effects on range and tone color;  flexibility; lip trills vs. shakes;  achieving more endurance and power;  use and development of air to maximize sound;  tongue articulation in the upper register; and commercial music techniques.

Rich will also provide information about the Conn-Selmer line of brass instruments, which include Conn, King and Bach brass, and Selmer, Leblanc, Emerson and Armstrong woodwinds.

Rich grew up in Los Angeles, studying trumpet with Frank Sinatra’s long time lead trumpet player and top LA studio player, Walt Johnson.  Rich played in the US Army in Europe and US Air Force National Guard Band in Los Angeles and has been a band director at high school and college levels.  Rich Wetzel and his Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra have been featured in Jazz Improv, LA Jazz Scene, The Brass Herald, and Cadence magazines.  Rich has played lead trumpet for major recording and concert artists such as The Four Tops, The Temptations, the Spinners, The Ojays, The Coasters, The Platters, Wayne Newton, Charo, Smokey Robinson, Al Martino and El Chicano.  He plays the Bach Stradivarius 182 trumpet exclusively. Find out more about Rich and his music at www.richwetzel.com and at www.groovinhigher.com

In addition to performing and teaching, Rich will be available for information about the Conn-Selmer family of instruments, selecting your brass or woodwind instrument, choosing a brass mouthpiece, and any other questions.  We will have a selection of student and "pro" brass and woodwind instruments available for demonstration and purchase at Avalon Music's incredible prices.  Bring your mouthpiece!

Please let us know if you plan on attending so that we may have enough refreshments and seating.  Just call the store at 663-7300 to get your name on the list. 

Join us on Tuesday, October 27 at 6 pm at Avalon Music for what will be an absolutely terrific, educational and entertaining clinic.