02/03/11

Traditionals vs. Standards vs. Covers

This is the first of what I'm sure will be many many ramblings. These will be my opinions and experiences as a working class musician. Really, as an undiscovered musician in a still somewhat undiscovered city... Minneapolis Minnesota.

What can I say, I play music for a living and truth be told I am very lucky to be able to do so. A lot of the guys (and a few gals) that started along with me waaaaaay back in '92 and '93 don't play at all or really never did have the drive. I for some reason did. I play five at least 2-3 nights a week and sometimes 7 nights a week. And, every once in a while, there are time when there are 2-3 gigs a day and you're running all over the city trying to fit 'em all in and not start late.

Because this IS how I pay the bills, a lot of the time I must play other peoples songs, the hits, the ones everybody knows, the ones that will instantly fill a dance floor and inevitably... keep people drinking. They're called "cover songs" in most circles. Now musicians can take a lot of flack from other musicians and you'll hear things like, "Oh you're in a cover band" and "well do you just play covers" and my ultimate favorite was "I'll come and see you when you play all origional material."

On our set break (the band and I) we got to talking and that just the word "covers" in some circles is just like taboo and some are just repulsed by the fact that we would even think of doing it. I was like they are everywhere and why in for instance Jazz is it called a "standard" and in bluegrass or gospel music it's called a "traditional." I mean, when people say that they are going to the symphony to hear Mozart who wrote music over 200 years ago aren't and isn't that just a really really big band playing a cover tune?!

10/27/10

If ya didn't know....I shine shoes for Nordstrom, and it all depends on how often you wear them, and if you take care of your shoes. I polish mine all the time because it is very zen for me and I love it. But if you only wear a pair every once in awhile, then check 'em out and see if they really need it. Depending on the leather and how porous it is here are the steps it takes.

You'll need:3 rags (old T'shirt works great, or if you've got an extra dress shoe bag rip the seams and use that), a buffing cloth, polish (I favor Kiwi), Leather Conditioner (I use Dyo) and spray bottle.

1. Put DYO on a rag about a nickle size per shoe. Rub it in and cover the whole shoe. Set it down and do the other (allowing the first shoe to dry a bit).

2. Now this is key. Most people apply TOO MUCH polish!!! If your shoes are a very hard leather non-porous, or a very soft leather, very porous. You don't want to use too much. Here's why. Ever put too much wax on a car? You'll spend hours just pushing the wax from place to place and it never buffs out. Also mind the wing tips, polish gets stuck in the holes and you'll spend a lot of time re-buffing. I shine a lot of shoes and have for many years and over time have learned a thing or two.

So let's just say we have a hard leather, not too beat up, shoe tree'd, and well maintained shoe. Like an Allen Edmond apply a healthy amount to the whole shoe evenly set it down and do the next, once again allowing the first to dry (get the theme here).

3. Spray a small amount of water onto your brush and brush the entire shoe. Your done when you can see any brush strokes of polish left on the shoe and it even has just the slightest bit of shone to it. Now do the other.

4. Take a clean part of the cloth and give it a spray about a foot and a half away, so its just ever so lightly dampened. VERY IMPORTANT!!! Just touch the cloth to the polish so just the smallest amount of polish gets on the cloth. Re-spray from the same distance. Now in small quarter sized circles, polish the entire shoe making sure never to touch the same spot until you've done the entire thing. So if you're starting at the toe, you shouldn't be back at the toe until you've completely touched every other part of the shoe. Time away from each part of the shoe in this part of the shining process is allowing the polish to dry a bit and set (holy, theme again). Repeat this part as many times as you want. The more times you do it the more of a shine you'll get.

5. After you are satisfied and this it is the best you can do.... do it once more. Trust me folks will notice!!

6. Spray your buffing cloth about 4-5 times both sides and roll it up and squeeze it so that it is evenly wet throughout. Short fast strokes all over the shoe to buff sit back and enjoy!!!!

Side notes: Keep a small spray bottle of 1 parts vinegar 3 parts water in the car or in the shine box. It is the perfect mixture to neutralize salt, and it doesn't hurt the leather.

04/07/10

New song called "Pillow" for Amy, she hates it. Then I go into "Crying" by Roy Orbison, man I love him!!! Like a 5 octave range?!?!

04/05/10

Check out the new article from Twin Cities METRO Magazine !!!! Written by Ellen Burkhardt and shot by Marshall Fanklin Long.

02/21/10

Don't forget to sing up for my new Youtube site!!! here's a taste. This is my daugeter Sierra and I fooling around at home.

11/11/09

Texas, Southern Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota and The Minnie-Apple!!!

Wow, what a month it has been!!! So let's see where to begin, probably have to look at the calendar. Man I have never done so much traveling in all my life (as a Musician). I put on an average of 1000 miles every weekend!!! Played a lot of show and seen a lot of faces. It is good to be back in Winona MN again and re-cultivating those old friendships and a few new ones. Ed's No Name Bar in Winona, is an AWESOME new venue I've started playing solo shows at and Ed himself is a sweet heart. The people there just listen and love original music.

The Beads used to play in Winona all the freakin' time, and made many a friend down there!!! Corbin and his wife Tracy are in fact "old skool" They run the Hei 'n Lo a total neighborhood bar and we played there for Haloween!! Total riot!! Everybody was in costume and so there was much fun to be had.

We Messed With Texas....

It was an 18hr. drive to Houston but as soon as we got there I knew it was going to be perfect. There was this little old guy sitting in front of the club, "you guys wanna get in the club? Who are you, is it here on the poster?" he read it and flawlessly pronounced... Javier Trejo. Man that is the first time ever. The next thing was we stepped into the club and up rolls Mike Stinson the opener came in. Well outright, I was nervous first of al to be in a new town and also Texas musicians have a reputation. Mike walked up in a three piece western suit..... I knew right then and there, I loved Texas!!

09/05/09

Heidi Newfield

What a freakin' awesome time that was!!! Seriously?!?! The night started out like any other "opening slot" night. We showed up and the main act was pretty much gone. We played our set to a very attentive audience. This night featured the one and only Chico Chavez on percussion. I was trying this out to see how he did with the Americana/Country thing. "When you play dees kinds of music, is betty easy to jos play de same reedem as de drummer, pero you nee to fine ehdiferen soun." You just got to hear him speak....I tried. And boy did he ever, for a few moments I thought there was a horse behind me or rain or whips. Chico, you rock!!

Now on to Heidi Newfield and her band. See, the thing about Nashville musicians in my opinion, is that they all play their roll in the collective project. The band was solid and much to my surprise and enjoyment, Heidi is a really killin' Harp player. She's the show, she's got a hit right now with the song....

"Jonny and June"

Kinda flashy right?! So afterwards I ask the tour manager if I can get a piture with Heidi for my site and he says "sure, just go knock on the bus." Hollie, her guitar player answered and said "heck yeah, c'mon in man." She played this sweet white Gibson double cutaway with a single P-90 that kicked ass. As soon as I saw Porter McClister's Tele' (lead) I said to myself "game ON!!!" It had a Steal Your Face on it, I mean c'mon. We sat on the bus for a while the three of us talking (Heidi was in the back) music and guitars. Johnny Stanton, the bass player came out and he is actually from the Eau Claire area...Sweet!! We are shooting the shit and Porter and I get into talking Jerry, and how Country he was. Mamma Tried, The Race is On, I know you Rider, El Paso, Deep Elem and the Old and in the Way stuff are all country music classics, not to mention their origional "country" tunes: Ripple, He's Gone, Me and My Uncle.... I show him and Johnny the Huapango rhythem and they freak out. So, if you hear a song like that on the next album.... eh hem. Heidi comes out and now we all get to chattin' it's great, she's a really nice gal and not all ego in the slightest. She wants to learn the Huapango rhythem too and so I show it to her. "So do you write a lot of songs er what" she asks. Yes, I say and then she says "well play me one." Seriously, ok, so here is an opportunity. I play "Lakeside Firefly Show" and well it goes over well. Hollie really enjoyed it and the rest of the evening was spent chattin' and laughin. Porter saw my necklace and empathized (annonymity) so we had that bond. Just another reason to show that I can do this too!! What an awesome night, pictures soon come!!!

8/19/09

Busy Busy Busy!!!

Man, last week was a trip!! On Friday I played for the Tobacco and Firearms lobbyists and then Saturday for the super greens at the Lamar festival. It was like the total opposite ends of the spectrum. But let me tell you about Saturday....

Lamar is an old school house from the 1880's in St. Croix Falls WIS. It, for the last few years has been home to the local community center. They has youth programs, music lessons, movies and such. They have been having a festival for the last four years, and I was invited this year. I had no idea what to expect. Most of the "rural parties" usually invovle some sort of keg and plastic cups, but when we pulled up we were in for a real surprise!! There was a huge Solar Panel that powered the whole festival!! The vendors were not allowed to bring plastiwear or paper plates and instead used real dishes and silverware. There was a dish washing station. This decreased the waste of any "normal" festival. Here are the stats by the end of the festival: 700 people over 2 days, washed over 2000 glasses, plates, fork, and cups, six bags of recyclables, four barrels of compost, and only 37 Lbs. of trash. Seriously!?!? AWESOME huh?!!! Thanks to Kathleen Melin the centers director for such a great time!!!

Here, check out the article Kathleen wrote for the Polk County Leader.

8/10/09

LOG JAM, LOG JAM, LOG JAM!!!!!

Action packed weekend!! Joel Matt and I played a Blues Fest in Wicsonsin at Wolf Creek Bar Saturday, and then had to rush to get to the Cabooze for Log Jam. Log Jam is a party thrown every year by my buddies in the White Iron Band. The pressure was on, because there were tornado warnings so they moved the music inside. This screwed the set times all up, so when we got there it was showtime.

"You guys were AMAZING! You rocked the shit out of that place. Well done!"- Shanny MJG Productions

I was so F'in pumped after that one, and Joel mentioned it a few times how much fun he had.

Set List:
Rockabilly Funeral
Cry To Me
Orange Sunshine
Here Comes Sunshine>
China Cat>
A.B.P'n.>
China Cat>
I know you Rider
Sketchy Cat In Town
What I Am (Mash Up)

Sunday I did a photo shoot with the one and only Trev Fenner. You should definately check him out, he is a total professional and so easy to work with. Go to: www.trevfenner.com

For those of you who don't know me I am a total geek when it comes to clothes and hats. Wardrobe is essential to my show, and I belive that I need to show the audience the respect that they deserve by dressing up. Plus it makes me feel good. I am way into 50's western straight cut shirts, Western suits, and Cowboy Hats with what is called a "cattlemans' crease". I got my first cowboy hat from my grandfather, Genovevo Trejo. So needless to say when Trev and I talked about doing a photo shoot, I brought way too many clothes and hats, LOL!! Shoot, I don't even like to wear brown clothes with black guitars and visa versa (I think it's the OCD.... seriously I'm a dork). It was so fun and we'll have proof soon!! You can see the session on The Javier Trejo Show just go the the Trev Fenner episode.

Thanks again Trev!!
Can't wait to do a "location" shoot

8/8/09

I bought a kick drum yesterday and used it in my show!!! It was awesome, it added just enough drive to really put the duo thing over the top. It's a Pearl which really isn't much but it sure did the trick as far as I'm concerned. I love it, it's my new favorite thing. I mic it up and play it with my left foot. So now I've got the kick drum goin' on the left foot, and my guitar and harmonicas goin', to accompany the vocals. This "one man band" thing is looking more and more promising everyday. Don't get me wrong I love rocking out with a band (if you guys happen to be reading this), but most of my gigs have been solo singer/songwriter stuff, happy hours and such. Look, this whole "recession" thing hits the artists first, I don't care what they say. If the club owners can't pay their servers and keep their lights on, well then they sure aren't going to pay for entertainment. They aren't hiring the 6 & 7 piece bands anymore, or at least like they used to but...... if you can come in as one guy, sing songs, get the crowd going and fill out the sound? Shoot you can work all week long twice a day. See they still want music but the money isn't there like it used to be. This new addition (the kick drum) really fills out the sound.

Hope you can come out and see it sometime soon!!!!

8/06/09

So check this out....TWO DAYS IN A ROW!!!!!!! Whoa!!! So I'm here to tell you about my new Internet "TV" show. I'll be streaming LIVE shows as well as a look into the life and times of .....ME. You can see past performances as well as a look into my daily life. I broadcasted last nights show and I'll be broadcasting again tonight!! Simply goto: THE JAVIER TREJO SHOW to check it all out!! If you're on there you can chat with others who are watching as well, it's actually pretty flippin' sweet.

Here is the actual URL: ustream.tv/channel/javier-trejo-show

8/05/09

Hey y'all!! So, I don't know how many of you check this anymore but....
Last fall at school (MCTC) I took some graphics arts classes and, XHTML which is why you are seeing this right now. XHTML is writing code for websites and making links and adding pictures and all that jazz. Well I did not do so well in te class and quite frankly. It was hard as hell but I learned enough to really f&*K things up if I play around too long (tee hee hee). So, here it is, this is what I can do now and this will be my new place to spout off whatever the hell I feel like, so there!!!! !

This is only a test....if this had been an actual emergency it would have been followed by a brief announcement to "get ready cuz I'm about to go off!!!
I'll be adding photos and credits soon.

I am going to force myself to do this once a week, remind me K?