Merry Christmas! A compendium of upcoming outings for anyone looking to old-school up their holiday season. Find us out and about and say hello, you know we love y’all so much.

Von Maur

20111 Lord Street in Brookfield

(Bluemound just east of Barker)

262 599-7090

http://www.vonmaur.com/StorePage.aspx?ID=45

Saturday Dec 15

11am – 2pm

Von Maur – a simply beautiful place for holiday shopping. Need some help finding a gift? Their service is unmatched. Free gift wrap? You betcha. Live instrumental jazz and Christmas tunes? Yes absolutely. Do we still play ‘Baby it’s Cold Outside’? You know we do. Find us on the lower level.

Southridge Mall

5300 S 76th St, Greendale, WI 53129

On the lower level – in the Entertainment Area

Friday Dec 21

6:30pm – 7:30pm

AND

Sunday Dec 23

6:30pm – 7:30pm

No excuse for bringing your nieces and nephews gifts purchased at the gas-station on the way to the party. I can assure you Little Timmy does not pine for a tire pressure gauge and a funnel. Find something worthwhile at the many great shops of Wisconsin’s largest mall, then swing by the entertainment area and say hello as we weave Christmas tunes.

Caroline’s Jazz Club

401 S 2nd Street

414-221-9444

www.facebook.com/CarolinesJazzClub

Thursday Dec 27

8:30pm – 11:30pm

Relax at a simply superb jazz club – Carolines. If you haven’t been, you are missing out. On this set, all members of the band are named Dave except for me.

Live – Local – Late-breaking

The good folks of our sister band the Milwaukee Blues Rock Collective will be out and about at:

Paulie’s Pub and Eatery

8031 W Greenfield Ave, West Allis, WI 5321

www.pauliespubandeatery.com

Saturday Dec 22

9pm ’till late

We are obviously very excited to bring Christmas jazz back to Von Maur. I recall fondly my meeting Santa Claus during last year’s outing. Being a lifetime member of the ‘coal society’ I hadn’t had the pleasure of greeting him face-to-face during my formative years. Anyhoo, as we laid into our first set, ‘ole St Nick descended the escalator while shaking sleigh bells on 2 and 4 in perfect time. Sauntering past the line of kids and leaning over the piano he says to me, and I kid you not, “Hey man, can y’all play some Art Blakey?”. That’s right, Santa was a true blue jazz cat that knew. his. stuff. At that moment, in my mind, he was indeed the real Santa. Voice 2 octaves higher than intended and rife with child-like excitement I heard myself exclaim “Sure thing Santa!”. Well we busted out ‘Moanin’ from the Jazz Messengers and had ourselves a merry little time. So maybe pop on by this Saturday, Dec 15 at Von Maur and say hi to Santa’s groovin’est elves, Or catch us at any of the other superb venues listed above.

Much love to you all, thank you for supporting our music and our charity mission in 2018, blessings on your Christmas and to all – a guuuuuuuud night

Here’s a link to Santa’s favorite ‘Christmas’ tune – Goes great with milk and cookies.

Just a quick update to keep our loyal J Ryan Trio newsletter subscribers in the loop. Happy Halloween to you all, and do stop out and say hello. J Ryan Trio schedule available anytime at www.jryantrio.com

The Cheel

105 S Main St, Thiensville, WI 53092

262-236-9463

www.thecheel.com

Saturday Nov 3

9pm to late

The Cheel was voted among the top 5 new restaurants in Milwaukee – and with good reason. Their handcrafted dishes deliver authentic flavors from quality ingredients. Enjoy the full bar – heck enjoy the music why dontcha.

Caroline’s Jazz Club

401 S 2nd Street

414-221-9444

www.facebook.com/CarolinesJazzClub

Thursday Nov 8

8:30pm – 11:30pm

Jazz and blues and a few surprises – with Cadillac Jimmy on bass – check it out. It’s a true jazz club and Milwaukee landmark.

Bugsy’s Backalley Speakeasy

218 N Water St, Milwaukee

(but enter via the alley off Chicago Ave)

414-221-6565

www.bugsysbackalleysaloon.com

Saturday Nov 17

9pm – 1am

No shame in reserving a table to get a good seat – simply call ’em up and they’ll put you within hecklin’ distance. Bugsy’s is always undiluted straight up fun.

I usually work to create a marginally uplifting newsletter infused with positivity. However, in the spirit of Halloween, I’ll allow this month’s edition to trend just a smidge darker. All in good fun – enjoy.

Halloween ranks behind Arbor Day and Broccoli Appreciation Day as my least favorite holiday. I’ve never been a fan of the ‘pop-in’ style of unannounced visit, and wee tykes in costumes are no exception. Although paying off the children with candy such that they don’t mess with the house is a refreshingly honest transaction.

Here’s a list of candy I don’t like:

• Candy Corn – What flavor is it supposed to be? If brainstorming new candy ideas, best to start with something good and make it better – make it candy-er. Corn is not a starting point. Any vegetable really, no-one wants candy asparagus or candy spinach either. Plus they seem perfectly shaped to choke on – was that intentional?
• Laffy Taffy – tastes pretty good but it sticks on my teeth and I find myself chomping and slobbering it into submission like a dog trying to eat a pill wrapped in cheese. More hassle than it’s worth.
• Black Licorice – How tough must life have been when this candy was invented? This flavor could only be considered passable in a world yet to invent TV, the internet or indoor plumbing. Does it taste horrible? Sure, but back in the day it took your mind off of tuberculosis.
• Little boxes of Raisins – don’t give out little boxes of raisins – kids don’t want that. Nobody wants that. Just, just don’t do it.
• Anything with Nougat – I don’t know what nougat is and I don’t trust it. I don’t even like the word – it’s phonetically icky and seems a better moniker for an industrial lubricant than a candy.
• Anything with Coconut – Coconut insists upon itself. It has no business ruining perfectly good chocolate but inserts itself into the party like an unwelcome guest.
  • Hey we’re getting together Saturday for dinner, feel like stopping by?
  • Oh yeah, sounds good – hey can Coconut come along? He just went through a rough patch and could use a night out – is that okay?
  • Uuuuuumm, well – yeah sure I guess that’s fine – he’s not bringing nougat, is he?
• Leftover Valentine’s Day Candy Hearts – If you still have these sitting in the front-room candy jar mixed in with three sticks of Freedent and the keys to an ‘09 Scirocco, it is not OK to unload these expired candies on the trick-or-treaters. Save them for care packages you send to folks out-of-state. What are they gonna do about it? They’re outta state!
• Pennies – pennies are not candy.

Alright – have a good Halloween and if you find a bowl of candy on the porch of life, be a stand-up individual and take only one piece.

Must be October as I’m already working on Christmas tunes. It’s a fun time of year. Made funner if you pop on out to see us at any of our upcoming shindigs:

The Bay Restaurant in Whitefish Bay

342 E Silver Spring Dr, Whitefish Bay

414-455-3045

www.thebayrestaurant.net

Friday Oct 5

8pm – 10pm

Remarkable food and a great atmosphere in the heart of charming Whitefish Bay – good, good stuff.

Bugsy’s Backalley Speakeasy

218 N Water St, Milwaukee

(but enter via the alley off Chicago Ave)

414-221-6565

www.bugsysbackalleysaloon.com

Saturday Oct 13

9pm – 1am

Bugsy’s does Saturday night right – hot time at a cool venue.

Caroline’s Jazz Club

401 S 2nd Street

414-221-9444

www.facebook.com/CarolinesJazzClub

Thursday Oct 18

8:30pm – 11:30pm

In a word: legit. A truly legitimate jazz club. For such a special club we are bringing a very special sound – a hard hitting rhythm section with a certain Dave on the electric guitar. Get ready for some blues and a little rock mixed in with high energy jazz and soul.

Milwaukee Blues Rock Collective at:

Just J’s

9033 W National Ave, West Allis, WI 53227

414-212-8478

www.facebook.com/justjsrocks

Saturday Oct 20

night-time

This newsletter is all about in depth investigative reporting. Here’s your inside scoop: a band affectionately known as the Milwaukee Blues Rock Collective will be appearing at Just J’s in Fabulous Stallis and you might want to check them out. You’ll recognize some familiar faces and also some heavier guitar led tunes from Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Beatles, Cheryl Crow, Stevie Wonder and many more. And that ain’t fake news.

OK

So the girls and I on a recent Friday wandered over to a police K9 demonstration befitting the Wisconsin Veterinary Referral Center (WVRC). We are always interested in dogs doing cool things and are big fans of the WVRC as they recently saved our little cat Lucky from a serious illness.

Now recall The Corners is the community surrounding Von Maur in Brookfield – we’ll be lending some Coltrane to Santa when he visits Von Maur on Dec 15. So anyways we head to The Corners and in their very hip courtyard are amazed as police K9’s perform mock chases and pursuits. It’s fun watching things get bit that aren’t me. We pet the dogs, take photos and are ready to put out an APB on some pizza when I notice musicians setup in front of several large video screens. Shame on me for not gleaning the name of the group, but they were four girls ages 9 to 16 wailing away on some serious classic Rock. The bass player easily 3″ shorter than her instrument kept the groove nicely. Keyboardist / vocalist and guitarist / vocalist rang out killer harmony.

Now I’m not sure AC/DC’s ‘Hells Bells’ was the best song choice for these little cherubs, and it only got stranger from there. On-screen footage displayed behind them showed K9 fugitive take-downs in slow-mo. Picture that: Wee lasses grinding out Aerosmith’s ‘Sweet Emotion’ backed by scenes of a german shepherd (the woof woof kind, not the yodel yodel kind) laying waste to a trainer in front of razor wire at Taycheedah Correctional.

The take-away? That JRT sets can get a little wacky but level 9 weird is reserved for the ‘performance art’ offered on that cool Friday evening in the sleepy ‘burb named Brookfield.

On a side note, one of the police dogs was an adorable golden Lab. This dog was not for chompin’, but rather for sniffing out contraband and whatnot. They had him strategically placed on the sidewalk such that passers by could pet the pup and say hello. I noted not one bass player was willing to walk within olfactory distance of that dog.

Alright, move along – nothing to see here

Wishing you all a fine, fine September. But y’know it’d be more fun to wish you well in person – maybe pop on out for the dates below.

Bugsy’s Backalley Speakeasy

218 N Water St, Milwaukee

(but enter via the alley off Chicago Ave)

414-221-6565

www.bugsysbackalleysaloon.com

Saturday Sept 15

9pm – 1am

I’ve introduced you to Bugsy’s on many occasion – what is there left to be said other than wooo-hooooooo.

Caroline’s Jazz Club

401 S 2nd Street

414-221-9444

www.facebook.com/CarolinesJazzClub

Thursday Sept 20

8:30pm – 11:30pm

All of the staff and regulars make Caroline’s a Milwaukee gem. I would be remiss if I did not personally and heartily encourage you to join us.

Music is so fun. But never would I have guessed that there is also so much non-musical fun to be had. The below is a romp through the many non musical items on my checklist in any given week.

Moving that gear. Keyboards – big ones. And drums – lots of ’em. And stairs. It’s excellent resistance training – with cardio. I save on gym membership; you’d think I’d be in better shape after all that hauling, and I’da thought toting a keyboard down the sidewalk would raise my coolness quotient. Not the case. I’m uncool for, um… other reasons. Many… many other reasons. It’s even changed the way I enjoy watching other live bands. I watch folks play and mentally tally up the gross tonnage of gear on stage – then smile knowing I don’t have to load it out once the set wraps. heeeee he.

Parking. Well legal parking anyway. My car is almost small enough that with a handle bolted to the side I could pick it up and carry it – but then that’s more gear to haul. A real catch 22 right there. That said my parallel parking skills are if not legendary at least above average. Big ole van? No problem, ole Ryan can sling that bad boy into the just-barely-large-enough space between the pricey Mercedes S class and the disappear-below-my-mirrors Miata – all while angry traffic waits for me to get it right on the first try. Actually, that should be a show – I’d pay to watch drivers parallel park really well. I don’t get out much…

Sound systems. They are complicated. Sound engineers make it look easy wrangling countless cords while keeping (most) of the electrons pointed in the right direction. And when it goes wrong, it goes ear-crushingly wrong. We shared the stage a few years back with a Mariachi band (hey, we opened for an AC/DC tribute band once too). These guys had it right – no amps, no cords, no fuss, no muss (I dunno what muss is, but there was none of it). They ended their set, turned on a heel and played as they walked out. Awesome. Now how would I look in the Marichi costume? No need to let me know in the comments.

Requests: I respect mightily bands and piano-men that can take requests and play them well. We’re getting better in that department. The following are much beloved and oft requested. And as a musician, I love each of these songs. I mean I truly cherish and celebrate their ubiquity.

• Piano Man (Billy Joel)
• Brown Eyed Girl (Van Morrison)
• … wait for it…. Freebird!!!

Musicians. The musicians themselves. They (and me included) are an absolutely interesting bunch of cats. Yup. Interesting, that’s the adjective we’re going with. Sharing music is a great way to learn the real ins and outs of the people who play it. I’m blessed to share music with some fantastic people, and to have grown to know them so well is one of life’s best treasures.

The People We Meet – people that if not for sharing jokes, music and fun we might never have met. They are unique, each with a story to tell and given the opportunity to chat so many have become good friends. Good friends on this very mailing list. Love you all.

The J Ryan Trio is perfect for the dog days of summer as we seldom jump on the furniture and are almost totally house-broken. Almost totally.

Brookfield Public LIbrary Ice Cream Social


1900 N Calhoun Road

262-782-4140

Tuesday Aug 7

6:30 – 7:30pm

Enjoy ice cream in the courtyard of one of the nicest libraries in the area while soaking in a variety of tunes provided live by the well-read Poindexters of the J Ryan Trio. We’ll be rockin’ the reference section right in our neighborhood – stop on by and check out a book – it’s like the internet printed on a tree.

Arte Wine and Painting Studio


1442 Underwood Avenue, Wauwatosa, WI 53213

414-810-6095

www.artewineandpaint.com

Friday Aug 10

7pm – 10pm

Wine and paint and paint and wine – and a very sweet patio for summer dabbing and sippin.. An excellent Friday night for kids and adults alike. In the heart of downtown ‘Tosa – don’t miss out.

Late summer is travel season – we have a few notes from the road:

• Thanks to all who ventured none-too-far from home to check out the cats of the Milwaukee Blues Rock Collective at State Fair this last Friday – nice to see everyone. Those proper rockers are back at it Saturday Aug 11 starting at 7:30pm if you’re interested.
• Our very own Kristi and family returned recently from touring the venerable RCA Studio B in Nashville – part of the Country Music Hall of Fame. I can only imagine what tunes she’ll be adding to our set list.
• One of our operatives also recently trekked on past the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo TX. The attached photo shows the JRT is a fine addition to the tail fin of any Eldorado.

Direct from the voices in my head to the pixels on your screen – it’s the J Ryan Trio July Newsletter – a hot mess of incoherence.

Caroline’s Jazz Club

401 S 2nd Street

414-221-9444

www.facebook.com/CarolinesJazzClub

Thursday July 19

8:30pm – midnight

A birthday party featuring a solid evening of heavy hitting jazz, blues and maybe even a little rock-n-roll. Hey – you’re only as old as you feel, which puts me at about 86. But I act like a third grader so it all averages out…

Arte´ Wine and Painting Studio

1442 Underwood Avenue, Wauwatosa, WI 53213

414-810-6095

www.artewineandpaint.com

Friday July 20

7pm – 10pm

An evening for both the multi-taskers and the relaxers. The frenetic will appreciate listening to a not-too-shabby band while ALSO blending paint-on-canvass while ALSO enjoying great cocktails. The laid back and cool-as-cucumber set will dig a drink on the best patio in the city while enjoying the sounds of summer. Arte´ is the place where personalities of all types meet, greet, paint, groove and relax – join us Friday for a set to remember.

And Arte´ is for painters of any skill level – consider the image below showcasing a piece hand-crafted by yours truly entitled “attempted piano” – clearly an outsider artist with medication not properly titrated. Compare this to the lovely rendition of Theophile Steinlen’s iconic poster advertising Le Chat Noir. This copy is acrylic-on-canvass by our vivacious and lovely web-master / stage manager / sometimes diva – the one and only Heather.

We’ve always considered black cats to be good luck – harbingers of good musical times when found popping out of drum cases, sleeping in keyboard cases or dropping whiskers into martinis during many a rehearsal. A Claritin with a whiskey chaser is the standard prep for our vocalists.

The cats in our musical extended family are not limited to the feline variety. My special thanks this month to the hard hitting and steady groovin Luke from the Milwaukee Blues Rock Collective for joining us on our Caroline’s set. In addition to the J Ryan Trio facebook page (www.facebook.com/j.ryantrio/) be sure to check out the blues alley cats of the Milwaukee Blues Rock Collective at www.facebook.com/ milwaukeebluesrockcollective/. They’ll be at the State Fair in early August where animals of all varieties can be observed.

A reminder to check all drum cases before the gig.

credit: The Onion

June’s in full swing – and so are we. Pop on by as you know we’d love to see you

Caroline’s Jazz Club

401 S 2nd Street

414-221-9444

www.facebook.com/CarolinesJazzClub/

Thursday June 21

8:30pm – 11:30pm

I cannot recommend this place highly enough. Owners Paul (as in the Paul Spencer Band) and Caroline (as in the Caroline) are national treasures and the staff is the best you’ll find. It’s comfy, casual, classy and cocktail delicious. Stop in to hear the J Ryan Trio’ s musical jambalaya on Thursday and have a truly remarkable experience supporting a truly remarkable venue. For a peek behind the scenes, I don’t have video of the JRT at Carolines (yet) but I do have a clip of ole Ryan messin’ round with Paul’s crew – click here

Bugsy’s Backalley Speakeasy

218 N Water St

(but enter via the alley off Chicago Ave)

414-221-6565

www.bugsysbackalleysaloon.com

Saturday June 30

9pm – 1am

Summerfest schmummerfest – hit the fest and then stop by after dark to cool off at the hottest place in town. See you there.

American Legion Post 449

3245 N 124th St, Brookfield, WI 53005

262-781-0488

www.facebook.com/pages/American-Legion-Post-449/167509719986129

Friday July 6

6:30pm – 10pm

With our long standing support for the Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative, what better and more appropriate place to lay down a set of old school dance-able tunes than at the largest American Legion post in this great state of Wisconsin – the mighty 449. For all those asking us to play a set out here in the western suburbs Friday July 6 is your chance to hear us good in the neighborhood – stop on out – it’s a friendly rockin time.

Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum’s Renaissance Garden

Café Sopra Mare

2220 N. Terrace Avenue

414-271-3656

www.villaterrace.org/exhibitions_events/upcoming_events/?eid=27

Sunday July 8

10:30am – 12:30pm (as in: the morning)

Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum hosts the original trio – Mike, Andy and little-ole-me – laying down instrumental morning jazz in the best Tuscan courtyard garden this side of Florence. Make it a summer morning of art and sound. Interestingly Mike, Andy and I convened the first ever live JRT session at the fabulous Tusa Italian restaurant on April 28, 2012. Vocalists were shorter back then.

And now for today’s top news – because I don’t always have to try to be funny (looks notwithstanding) or witty (I’m halfway there).

A very good young friend of the trio continues her battle with cancer – recently undergoing a bone marrow transplant. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers – and thank you thank you to all those that attended the fundraiser held at the fabulous Annie’s Fountain City Cafe in sunny Fond du Lac last Friday. We were humbled to see over $1500 raised for the family. Medical bills are no joke – ain’t nothing funny about that.

Another good friend and mentor to the trio was banged up pretty seriously in an accident this last week – prayers to him as well – the Milwaukee music scene will not be at full strength until he recovers. He is one cool cat with several canines at home helping him feel better fast. Blunt force trauma – ain’t nothing funny about that.

On the happier side of the ledger, we’ve been enjoying a ‘musician exchange program’ with the good folks of the Milwaukee Blues Rock Collective. It’s like foreign exchange students but without the language barrier – because everyone speaks ‘music’. As in “hey man kick it up a half step on the ride out chorus” and “yeah that wah pedal gonna do what it do, baby” and other incomprehensible nonsense. Feel free to check out the MBRC at their facebook page. These cats are no-joke.

I also noted that our online videos are old enough to be featured on MeTV. So please do satiate your curiosity and show some love to the youtube links below – all filmed at Bugsy’s Backalley Speakeasy with my lovely Heather lending a ‘Blair Witch’ vibe to the camera work.

When Loves Comes to Town (BB King)

What I Say (Ray Charles)

Proud to present you with the May 2018 J Ryan Trio Newsletter below – we bring fake news to a high art.

Bugsy’s Backalley Speakeasy

218 N Water St, Milwaukee (but enter via the alley off Chicago Ave)

414-221-6565

www.bugsysbackalleysaloon.com

Saturday April 28

9pm – 1am

We have some good folks stopping out for this Bugsy’s date – c’mon down and join us – you’ll have no shortage of friends there.

Caroline’s Jazz Club

401 S 2nd Street

414-221-9444

www.facebook.com/CarolinesJazzClub

Thursday May 3

8:30pm – 11:30pm

Ever dream of starring in a classic film? Walk-on role in Madmen sound like fun? (it should – ’cause it’s awesome). Be classic cool and star on the set of Carolines Jazz Club with sound track provided by the J Ryan Trio – jazz, blues, cookin and cooled out numbers of all varieties. Want to update your profile picture? – bring a camera and snap a selfie. Do support this gem of a local venue.

Bugsy’s Backalley Speakeasy

218 N Water St, Milwaukee (but enter via the alley off Chicago Ave)

414-221-6565

www.bugsysbackalleysaloon.com

Saturday May 12

9pm – 1am

We’ll have a bevy (it’s a word) of new songs for you on May 12 – it’s new music May and it’s pretty… pretty… pretty good.

And now for pontifications…

Of the four dimensions, time for me is the trickiest. I’m OK with length, width and height (although I wish I were taller) – but it’s that temporal dimension that so often grinds my gears. Clocks all run the same, but the days are long and the years are short – so I’ve been told. An hour spent at the doctors office or in the dentist chair – that’s a long hour, man. Hours spent in the middle seat flying coach? Looong hours – more-so now that they got all strict and teetotaler on the free drinks policy.

Ah – but doing something you love? It’s a portal to a realm where time drops away and the hours fly by. So what do you love to do that nixes the clock? Hunting, hiking, skyping, facebook liking, motor-biking, shop-at-the-mall credit card swiping… …or the zoo… feed the animals… even though the sign says no, the irony of tossing animal crackers shaped like the animals to which they are being fed is simply irresistible. Whatever doth floateth your boat is all good (well, now keep it classy). For me it’s time at that piano. Those keys are a portal to a time-further-out where the only time is tempo. And it’s pretty good. So Salvadore Dali up your timepiece and do that thing you love to do plenty often – or share our time-out and join the JRT whilst out-and-about.

Also- a sincere thank you to our friend Jim. Jim comes to us from the Milwaukee Blues Rock Collective – watch for these cats around town. Jim’s wu-tang grip on the bass guitar, coupled with his cool as menthol personality, genuine goodness of spirit and riff-a-lific dance moves pegged the fun-o-meter at the recent Stein and Dine event.

Now – get your calendars updated with all the above lovingly provided info and we’ll see you for music and laughs as we all support some great charities.

J Ryan Trio

facebook / reverbnation / website / youtube / no-fly list

February. Feb-RU-ary. I find myself saying it Feb-U-ary, what’s with this ‘ru’? I dunno. Oh – and happy Chinese New Year – now entering the year of the Dog… that seems about right.

No worries, we’ll keep doing what we do – and in so doing extend you a sincere and heartfelt invitation to join us at any of the following upcoming J Ryan Trio outings – you know we’d love to see you.

The Bay Restaurant in Whitefish Bay

342 E Silver Spring Dr, Whitefish Bay

414-455-3045

www.thebayrestaurant.net

Friday Feb 23

8pm – 11pm

A relaxed venue in the heart of charming Whitefish Bay, the menu features tasty dishes, the bar features a fine selection, and the J Ryan Trio feature an eclectic mix of jazz and cookin numbers. Sounds like a right-fine combination.

Milwaukee Bucks

Bradley Center – East Atrium

Sunday March 4

5:30pm until tip-off at 7pm

Bucks vs Philadelphia 76’ers. Last season at Bradley Center – check out the Deer in action as we wind down the end of an era.

Bugsy’s Backalley Speakeasy
218 N Water St, Milwaukee (but enter via the alley off Chicago Ave)

414-221-6565

www.bugsysbackalleysaloon.com

Friday March 23

9pm – 1am

Bugsy’s – voted best Speakeasy in Wisconsin. We are making a Friday appearance on this one – seems like a fine way to cap the week.

Our busy schedule is also available on our website at www.jryantrio.com. As I am sure you can relate, I find myself often running full tilt just to keep up. Thus when things break, wear out or otherwise malfunction I find it overwhelming to chisel out time needed to engineer a fix. To the rescue I deploy a clever technique I have dubbed: “Fix-ished”.

“Fix-ished”: not fixed properly, but mostly almost good enough. A real time-saver when needing repair with time simply not available, or when time could be better spent watching Blues Brothers on TBS because, I mean – really who knows when they’ll re-run that film.

Now don’t get carried away: “Fix-ished” is not for everything. Things like… mmmmm, aircraft maintenance, dental work, veterinary science – these would be good candidates for doing the job, you know, completely legit. The following examples, however, I feel were low-hanging fruit ripe for the plucking.

With snow to shovel and holes in my glove – what to do? Almost too obvious, this slathering of duct tape is for the beginner ‘fix-ished’ aficionado. More advanced learners will graduate to caulk, bailing wire and eventually JB Weld.

A musical entry – this keyboard pedal suffered a broken housing due to, um… unbridled enthusiasm during a Stevie Wonder song. The giant washer and Herman Munster looking bolt have held this hot mess together for several years now.

Aaaah – an automotive entry. My beloved ride is 20 years young – far too tender an age to consider recycling into soup cans. Concerned that crafty thieves might steel groceries from the trunk through the holes in the fenders (and having lost a case of Dr Pepper through the same rusty egress) a meticulously crafted patch-panel was unceremoniously caulked and screwed to the vehicle. Both classy AND functional? Yes you can have it all once embracing the “Fix-ished” lifestyle.

It is now week 3 of 2018 and I have yet through my own gross negligence or imbecilic machinations to screw things up irreparably – a new record. Woo and hoo. Actually, the year is off to a fine start blessed by music shared amongst our JRT family.

And no family is complete without a photo album – ostensibly a repository of cherished memories, also a clearing house for embarrassing pics yielding hilarity and occasional opportunity for blackmail. Thus check out our choicest JRT family Polaroids appended to the tail end of this newsletter.

Also – we are absolutely stoked to add to our charity partnerships Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. The supercharged heroes of FAEW channel food donated by individuals and institutions and deliver it with devastating efficiency to a plethora of Milwaukee and Eastern Wisconsin food banks. Innovation sets them apart – driving meaningful and much needed positive impact in our Wisconsin communities. Click this link for more info www.feedingamericawi.org and get on board for the February PB&J drive.

Please do hang out with the little ‘ole JRT at any of the following upcoming events:

Throwback Prom

fundraiser for the American Red Cross

Badger State Brewing Co.

Sunny Green Bay Wisconsin

www.facebook.com/events/289559964809935/

Saturday Jan 27

Road trip – if you will be in the Green Bay area on Jan 27, please do click the link above for more info and to purchase tickets – it’s a great cause and in addition to a party featuring drinks and dress of the prohibition era 1920’s, is also a rare opportunity to mix democratic and monarchical rule as the prom King and Queen are selected via voted ballot. We will feature bicameral music from the Brubeck album “Jazz Goes to Electoral College”.

Bugsy’s Backalley Speakeasy

218 N Water St, Milwaukee

(but enter via the alley off Chicago Ave)

414-221-6565

www.bugsysbackalleysaloon.com

Saturday Feb 3

9pm – 1am

We’ll play a cookin set as Bugsy’s is the overlap of old-school classy and new-school cool. If you can’t have a good time there, as a board certified funk-sician, I recommend you be checked for acute anti-fun-a-dosis.

The Bay Restaurant in Whitefish Bay

342 E Silver Spring Dr, Whitefish Bay

414-455-3045

www.thebayrestaurant.net

Friday Feb 23

8pm – 11pm

The Bay is your place for casual dining with attention to detail. Great ambiance, tasty food and a full bar all in the heart of walkable Whitefish Bay. We’ll add an eclectic mix of whatever you feel like hearing, from Miles Davis and Frank Sinatra to the Temptations and Michael Jackson.

Excerpts from the JRT family album:

Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin – a great cause to add to our charity mission – completely impressed with what they do and how they do it.

It was 5° below that day – I wore the puffy coat. I think it’s gortex.

Alissa and Mike at Shank Hall – JRT opening for the sweet rockin sounds of Jasmine Cain.

Now what is Alissa thinking in this picture? Clearly it’s some sort of (justifiable and well deserved) disdain for the piano man, sure that’s a given. But is it annoyance, disbelief maybe tinged with pity? We’ll never know, that’s the fun of it.

Every time we play equipment is moved from vehicular stowage to full setup and back again. Some join a gym and honestly I just don’t get it. If you’d like to be in great shape and save $50 a month, call me and let’s talk about being a roadie. We’ll make sure you work the abs, glutes and Rolands.

We witnessed on Dec 23 the end of an era – last solo public appearance for the venerable and fabulous Mr. Joe Hite. He will in 2018 pilot the Joe Hite Orchestra through the heady airspace of weddings and corporate events – depriving us proletariat of slack-jawed stupefied amazement of his work on mic and keys. He is as stellar an individual as he is a musician.

And this is a picture of some cats… because no photo album is complete without beloved family pets. You know I will include for you, dear reader, whatever shameless schlock I think will keep you from hitting ‘unsubscribe’. Just look at those faces… I mean, c’mon.