Audition Craziness!

Whats up! Just wanted to check in on a quick break from prpearing for a last minute audition and explain the often hectic part of this weird job....

Hannnah and I were at the movies last night and got out at 1 AM. (V for Vendetta on IMAX! Amazing!) I checked my messages and had one from after 11 PM from Barry Squire (the big casting agent in Hollywood) regarding a BIG last minute audition today. I was told to call him back if I could do it but his voice mail box was full. So I came home, did my gig homework super fast (see why everyone needs V-Drums!) and finally got a hold of his machine by 230. Got to bed at 5 AM. Woke up at 830 prepared to be at the audition spot just in case. Got a call on the way there and got a time. So Im off to LA for a 230 PM audition then getting in the car and driving straight to Palm Springs for a gig w/ Chris Williams. Craziness! Wish me luck everyone. Im real lucky to get this call so lets hope all goes well and I'll have good news to report soon. Peace.

MB

Yo!

Just checking in real fast. I will now be at Steamer's in Fullerton tomorrow night w/ Chris Williams and I will also be at Spaghetinni on Wednesday night w/ 2azz1. Come by and say hi.I am also almost done w/ my first educational boook. More new on that later. In addition, I am also freeing up some time to do some more teaching on both drum kit and hand percussion. Anyone interested please visit the "clinics/lessons" section of my site for info or email me at lessons@mikebennettdrums.com . Peace.

- MB

Catalina Bar & Grill

Hey everyone! Just got in from a gig at Catalina's out in Hollywood. This is "THE" room for jazz and all of the heavyweights play here. It was fun to play this beautiful room w/ Johnny Blas. We'lll be at Steamer's in Fullerton on May 6.

My back is out and I am missing my girlfriend. She has been back at home in Nevada for the week so I'm kind of lost. I'm not a good bachelor I guess. I'm a softy and I like her. The house seems empty without her. She'll be back Sunday so I just got to make it for a few more days.

I gotta be back in LA in the morning to do some playing w/ ex-Beck, Elastica, KMFDM bassist Abby Travis. She is also currently on the road playing bass w/ The Bangles. We'll see what happens! I'll check back in soon. Peace.

-MB

PS- Make sure to check out my MP3 drum lesson! It's on the homepage now!

Checking In!

What's up everyone! I've been really busy lately with little time to post. I've been gigging a ton! I even shot a really cool concert DVD over at the Orange County Pavilion w/ my favorite jazz vocalist Chris Williams featuring a super band of Blake White on guitar, David Miller (Royal Crown Revue) on bass, Mark Massey on Piano, Edmund Velasco on sax and others! Be on the look out for it soon.

I have two CD's for sale now in the online store: my first quartet record and the new album w/ Blake White and Dylan Wilson. They're on sale this month so get your copy now!

I am also starting a new segment on the website called "Licks & Tricks." Every month I am gonna post a free MP3 drum lesson illustrating a cool "lick." Look for it soon but if you really want to check it out head over to MySpace.com/MikeBennettMusic to hear the first one a little early!

I'll be at L.A.'s famous jazz club, Catalina's on Wednesday night w/ Johnnny Blas, at the M-Bar Friday w/ Jen Hasty and at La Palapa in Long Beach on Saturday night w/ 2azz1. I will also be w/ 2azz1 at Spaghettini in Seal Beach on next Wednesday.

My book is also coming along well. Some exciting news coming about that soon as well.

More soon! Peace.

-MB

(Taken from the Santa Monica Blvd. exit of the 101 freeway)

Hey everybody! Had a fun gig tonight w/ Jennifer Hasty and band over at the M-Bar in Hollywood. Cool room and a great crowd. I'm doing a few gigs a month w/ Jennifer so make sure to check my schedule for the next one. The super cool part about the club is that the salsa club El Floridita is right next door so as I was loading out I was listening to a killer charanga band!


I also just got a call from my friends Craig and Mary Durst from the smooth jazz group 2azz1 and I will now be performing with them April 19 at Spaghettini's in Seal Beach. Spaghettini's is the new "hip" smooth jazz spot so I'm sure it will be fun. I will also be w/ the group at the club on May 28 celebrating the release of their new album. I'm doing a handful of other gigs w/ them as well the next many months so check out my calendar for those. Craig and Mary put on a great show and play some pretty groovin' tunes. You can visit their website at www.2azz1.com

Thursday night was pretty killer as well. I went to hear a student of mine play at a local high school and stuck around at the end to hear the a local all-star big band that the high school's director had put together. To my surprise my first drum teacher Ron Schrock was playing! Ron is a great drummer and an amazing person. It was really cool to hear parts of my playing in my student and then hear Ron play and see where a lot of my playing came from! Ron to me is one of those great teachers that is more than a mentor but a life long friend. Every time I run into him I am always excited to "brag" a little bit about what I've been up to in hopes to make him proud. Through Ron I learned that the best teacher will work as hard if not harder than the student. It's taking that effort that can turn someones dream into a life based upon it. The trust and respect I have for him goes way beyond drumming and I am forever indebted that he made the time to make sure some kid who wanted to play the drums not only grew as a player but also kept his head on straight. Thanks Ron! I've been lucky to have studied w/ some of the absolute best in the world and I can 100% say that through every one of them I have gained a wealth of knowledge and was able to find more and more of my voice as a musician each lesson. Moral of the story: there is nothing more important than a good teacher and when you find that teacher study humbly, respectively and most of all don't ever forget to say thank you everytime you see them. It's the least anyone of us lifelong students can do.

I'm off to get my Pearl Jam tickets for the Los Angeles show on July 9th w/ my buddy Mason in the morning and then I'm off to Temecula to play w/ my bro Blake White. Check out our new record together at www.MySpace.com/WhiteWilsonBennett. Hannah's allergies have been real bad so I'm gonna go try to be the "good boyfriend" now and keep her company. Until next time...

- MB