Great Music Everywhere

I tell this story a lot when I come across people that voice some pretty strong opinions about how much they don't like this kind of music...and hate this kind of music...
I heard Oscar Peterson tell this story...Oscar, a great jazz pianist...was very close friends with another incredible jazz pianist named Art Tatum...now...Art Tatum was blind...and rumor has it he learned piano from an old piano roll...well...no one told Art that the piano roll was made by three separate piano players...but...Art learned the parts anyway...if you give a good listen to Art Tatum's playing...you'd probably find that a true story...what an amazing player...
so...Oscar was in Harlem playing a small club there and on one of his breaks...as he often did, he decided to take in a set of Art Tatum and his greatness...one master artist appreciating another...
...when Oscar arrived at the club...Art was gone...Oscar searched for him in other clubs in Harlem to find him in this little joint where a lone piano player was playing...Oscar sat down...said hello to Art...listened a bit...and asked Art why he was in such a joint and why he was listening to this player...his feelings were that he was not very good...and Art should be somewhere else, listening to someone better...
...Oscar said that Art simply said, "everyone has a song to sing...if you just listen closely enough..."...Oscar Peterson said he learned a great lesson at that time...and was able to understand what Art was saying...
From great Latin music...and it's many, many different variations...Brazilian bossa nova, to the great Salsa music that was born in New York from Puerto Rican and Caribbean influences...to music of the Andes, Mexico, Cuba, Panama, etc...to the incredible influences of what the African music and rhythms have had on world musical culture...the remnants and mixes of Irish, Scottish and Cajun that provide some influence into country, bluegrass, rhythm & blues...
From brass instruments, wind instruments, guitars, drums and percussion, pianos, strings, to the great sound of the human voice...to jazz, country, rock & roll, blues, cajun, country, southern rock, funk, celtic, electronic, heavy metal, hip hop...music is too great to ignore simply because our friends say so...or our family grew up listening to something different...or whatever...
...if we want to believe that we know anything about music...even if we don't play any instrument, we should become a student of what this world has to offer...open to the possibilities that range from Beethoven to The Beatles to Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, Merle Haggard, Al DiMeola, Chicago, Tower of Power, Santana, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Bruebeck, Led Zeppelin, Albert Lee, Cold Blood, Paul Simon, Gershwin, Sinatra, Tony Rice, and believe me...I could go on and on...
My point...listen...listen to music...in spite of what your friends might say...become aware...become enlightened...become free...if there's not enough peace in your life...music will bring it...if there's not enough love in your life...music will help you feel it...if there's too much stress in your life...music will help you release it...if there's too much hate in your life...music will help you to lose it...
To close, one of my favorite lines in a song comes from Gino Vanelli..."..and there are dreams I'll never live to see...but as long as you believe in me...I'll still feel them on the way...as I take life day by day..."
As I've gotten older...this has become a realization for me...I continue to write music still...and the one who truly believes in me, my wife Marta Alica...has supported and inspired me to continue from the day we met...I write from my influences...from the inspirations around me...and from the love and appreciation that I have to those that have dedicated their lives to great music that I have had the pleasure to hear and learn from...and from the love that Marta Alicia has given me through the years...
This is a great gift from God...the one thing that we have felt inspired to make our own and share with others...to help them...to help us...as Stevie Wonder wrote "Heaven, help us all..."

Talent In Toledo

Talent In Toledo
...As I have written...my brother Willie was the biggest influence and best teacher for my musical life...but, I can't let it go unnoticed how there was such an overwhelmingly large number of musicians that came from the little town I grew up in...and how there was such opportunity to play...because we loved to play...
...whether it was at high school dances, pageants, bank parking lots...finding generators and playing on football fields and beaches...we just loved to play...any time...all hours...for no other reason but to play...
Toledo, Oregon...7 miles east of Newport...had only around 2,600 people in this little town while I was growing up...but...starting with Willie...until I left around 1973...I can count over 30 professional musicians just off the top of my head...and I'm sure that there are some that I'm missing...of which I apologize...
Willie Reinen:
Guitar, Bass, Vocals, Songwriter, Trumpet
(Can play anything, any style, any time...worked with Jeannie C. Riley for years, wrote "Georgia Rain", toured and travelled extensively throughout
the world...I had the pleasure to work with him for years in Nashville and owe him so much...check's
in the mail...)
Rick Reinen:
Drums, Bass, Vocals, Songwriter, Guitar, Trumpet
(Very talented musician and artist...taught me my first complicated drum licks...)
David Brawley:
Guitar, Bass, Songwriter
(Absolutely one of the finest guitarists I have ever known)
Ron Norton:
Guitar, Bass, Vocals
(Ron & I formed our first band together and began playing clubs and school events in 1966...
at age 12...loved music with all of his heart...sorry to say that we lost him a few years back...
during our last meeting, I sat with a guitar and played while he sang "My Girl"...a great and lasting
memory of a dear friend and great musician/singer)
Duane Ransom:
Bass, Vocals
(worked in our first band together...still continues to play...an absolutely great bass player...
any style, electric, stand-up...right now with an excellent bluegrass band "Switchgrass"...one of the
best persons I know and proud to have him as one of my closest friends...)
Greg Wallace:
Keyboards, Vocals
(Great organist...never missed a cue or made a mistake...one of my life-long friends...)
Tim Meyers:
Drums
(Great player...just don't see enough of him...lives in Hawaii...maybe that's why...)
Mike Loomis:
Guitar, Bass, Vocals
(Mike & I have worked in so many bands together...not only a dedicated and very fine musician...
but, one of my closest friends...)
Vic Hungerford:
Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Vocals
(In a very good band called "Loyal Opposition"...I had to pleasure to work with Vic as well...
sorry to say that we also lost Vic a few years back...)
Doyle Scroggins:Guitar, Bass, Vocals
(Worked many times with Doyle...great vocalist...very positive approach to his music...always fun
to be around)
Bill Wallace:
Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Vocals
(Bill can play almost anything...why I say that is because I've only listed what I've seen him
play...who knows what he knows when I'm not around...great player)
Brad Tough:
Guitar, Vocals
(Played in and around the Oregon Coastal area...a great friend...)
Jack Loomis:
Vocals, Flute, Arranger
(Jack knew music...he helped us out on our arrangements of Chicago and other horn related songs...
he knew harmonies and seemed like he could sing anything...we lost Jack a number of years ago and
he is missed...)
Bruce Wampler:
Vocals, Percussion
(Not sure if I had more fun working with another vocalist as I did with Bruce...absolutely one of
the best Rock & Roll singers I had the pleasure to work with...)
Joe Todd:
Guitar
(Worked a number of gigs with Joe...very quiet...good player)
Doug Dahl:
Bass, Guitar, Vocals
(Also worked a number of gigs with Doug...funny guy)
Bob Werder:
Guitar, Vocals
(Worked with Bob a number of times...loved to play and sing)
John Fischer:
Guitar, Vocals
(John is another that started as I left Toledo...so didn't hear much of him...only know he made
his way to Nashville...)
Eric Wade:
Guitar
(Not only a good guitar player but one of Toledo High's best athletes)
Larry German:
Drums
(Very strong drummer...ahead of his time for how powerful his playing was)
Junior Hernandez:
Drums
(Drummer for "Loyal Opposition"...strong player...close, family friend)
Steve Wheeler:
Guitar, Vocals
(Fine player, didn't hear much of him as he started late after I left Toledo, he and his children
became really good players)
Tim Wheeler:
Drums
(Another strong drummer...good timing)
Terry Rose:
Bass
("Loyal Opposition" bass player...funny, nutty guy)
Alan Bittler:
Keyboards
(Knowledeable player...always had his parts down...also played with "Loyal Opposition")
Bruce Dixon:
Keyboards, Vocals
(Played with Willie in club bands around Oregon)
Cindy Criswell:
Keyboards, Vocals
(I worked with Cindy & her husband in Alaska)
Mike Moon:
Trumpet
(Mike not only handled the complicated parts of Chicago tunes...but...also...was the best catcher in
our league...sorry, I couldn't throw the ball straight...)
Jim Grenawald:
Trombone
(played his parts right on the money...and what a funny guy...)
Anderson:
Steel Guitar, Guitar
(I only worked one time with him...can't remember his first name...sorry...but...a really good
player nonetheless)
Keith Kapfer:
Bass, Guitar, Vocals
(Keith loved music so much...was one of my best friends, ever...we lost him a few years back and
he is missed greatly)
Then...there was also:
My nephew Jacob Reinen..a fine piano player...
My nephew Joshua Reinen...a fine singer...
My neice Jayvee Reinen Camacho...a great singer...
My sister Judy...piano and vocals (also lost her too soon...love and miss you Buah)
My Uncle Willie...guitarist and harmonica (late and great Uncle Willie)
...and...tho not from Toledo:
My son Brandon Reinen..a very good singer, guitarist, songwriter, screenwriter...
My daughter Sunny Nola Reinen...an excellent singer and choreographer...
My daughter Abby Reinen...a great singer, songwriter and choreographer...
My newphew Kevin Reinen...great guitarist...I mean Great!...and songwriter...vocals...plays every
instrument known to man...and is the lead sound engineer of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville...
...then...there's me...
started playing guitar in 1964..I played drums in my first band...was given an ultimatum by my
coaches...'it's either music...or sports'..Ron Norton chose sports...so I switched to guitar for
our band 'Cobalt' and Duane Ransom, Greg Wallace & I brought Tim Meyers in as our drummer...great
solution...once we hired Mike Moon, Jim Grenawald & Jack Loomis...I felt our band was incredible...
one of the best I've been in...we have no recordings to show for it...
...that is one of the driving factors that I have to record the songs that I am writing now...whether
they are Latin, R&B, Blues, Jazz, Country or whatever...I am trying to make sure that these thoughts
in my head don't get buried along with me...but...they also stand as a tribute to not only my family..
but..as I have listed above...all of the great talent that seems to strive in a small little place
called Toledo, Oregon...just because we loved to play.

My Inaugural Blog

I decided to pick a great day for my inaugural blog...my brother Willie's birthday...not only because of who he is...but, because of how my life started down this great avenue of musical curiosity and creation because of him...

I can list all of the reasons why...I can list all of the things I learned...I can list songs, places I've played, people I've met, musicians I've worked with....but...it all goes so much further beyond lists...

...what I was given is what I truly believe was an understanding of the greatest language in the world...a language you don't even need to know how to speak to completely understand and enjoy hearing..

Willie introduced me to the existence of The Beatles...I was completely unaware...he was my first musical hero...a great guitar player...and then a great bass player...someone that knew harmony and melody and became a great songwriter...on top of being an artist and could do anything that he set his mind to...

One example of a big lesson was when I was a kid...was in a band of my own...we were influenced by not only The Beatles, but, Led Zeppelin and that era of loud rock & roll...we would practice so loud that we could be heard three blocks away in a radio station...over the music that they had playing in the station...he casually walked into our rehearsal...waved his hands...and quietly said, "fellas...if you can't play quiet...you can't play"...and walked out...well...we, of course thought that was silly...of course we could play quiet...we attempted that as soon as he left...we stunk!...we learned a great deal just by that one sentence...and continued to play our rehearsals at a volume that we found could be accepted by an older crowd...and then turn up to a younger crowd and still have the same dynamics and power at any volume...

Another lesson was when I would hear musicians...stars...on television...or the radio...playing and singing...I would be confused at how some sounded so incredible...and some...somewhat less...after a while...I mentioned this perplexity to Willie and he just simply informed me...."people think that if you are on TV...or on the radio...or record...that you must be good"...he didn't have to finish that statement...I knew exactly what he meant...and I was amazed that sometimes...music is more of a business....than an art...

I learned both of those aspects from him...certainly as a business...the phrases "never burn bridges"...I learned from him...you never know that the person you just offended will be the next person you're trying to get work from...I learned how to place your songs in order to have a good pace and flow to the musical set...how to accept myself as the player I was...and not be trying to be someone I wasn't or troubled by the fact that there were others...better than me...and not be big-headed at the possibility that there were some...maybe not so much...

....one of the greatest lessons came one night in Nashville, Tennessee...we had just finished a song in our set and a young lady was waiting at the stage in front of me....behind her was a young man....I went to the girl and she began to tell me how much she loved to hear me play...how good she thought I was....I thanked her...the young man behind her then approached me and began to tell me how badly he thought I played and how his grandmother could do better...after I thanked him, I looked over at Willie and he just simply told me, "you know enough now that you know when you're playing well and when you're not...that's all that really matters..."

....that's how I've approached playing ever since...I know that I won't please everyone...and some may have motives of their own to criticize or praise what I do...that have nothing to do with music...and I have to just rely on my knowledge to determine if I'm having a good night or not...

...he taught me to make sure to learn all styles of music...not just the rock & roll of the times...and to learn the styles...not just sound the same on a country song as you do on a rock & roll song...I've tried to do just that...I've played jazz, blues, latin, country, R&B...and whatever came down the road...and have made sure to keep my mind open to what they style was saying and how it was being musically stated...

I could write forever on all the ways that music has blessed my life...how grateful I am that my brother Willie was sitting in our front room in 1964 and playing my favorite song, "Sunny"...and that, for some reason, I asked him if he'd teach me that song...he did...and for 48 years my curiosity has grown...has never been quenched...my love for music has never faded...my appreciation for great artists...and those that have greatness just beginning with them...but...I have to bring this to a conclusion somehow...

...I won't write this blog to be full of criticisms of players...of singers...of entertainers...they...along with the rest of us...get our full measure of all that is wrong with us and all that is wrong with the world...I love music too much to only look for what is bad about it...I believe that whatever I want to find....I will...so...I want to find the greatness in music...my inaugural blog of my appreciation for musical greatness starts with my brother Willie...you're still my hero...and I'm still honored to be able to call you my brother...I love you, and thank you so very much...

dpr

A Quick Introduction...

I am a husband, a son, a brother, a dad, and a g'pa - I am very aware that there are generations that would call me old man - yet still are generations that call me kid - but, I know that music is timeless - ageless - wondrous.

I saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan in February of 1964 at 10 years old and that began my love of music from that single moment. I started playing guitar and drums later that year and have been a student of music ever since.

I believe that music is the greatest language on earth and tho I am not schooled in it's technicalities - I know it's history, it's influence, and can play it and write it with no shame or excuses.

I have had the great pleasure of being alive at a time to be able to hear recordings of Bird, Dizzy, Ella, Duke, Satchmo, Jobim, Getz, Brubeck, Miles, Wes, Chet Baker, Sandoval, Grappelli, Buzzy Feiten, Paul Butterfield, Jimi, Allman Bros., Sinatra, Art Tatum, Chet Atkins, Albert Lee, Larry Carlton, Hank Garland, Robben Ford, Stanely Jordan, Oscar Peterson....

...and have had the even greater pleasure of actually seeing greats in concert such as Paul McCartney, Tower of Power, Chicago, Cold Blood, Santana, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Return to Forever, Al Dimeola, John McGlaughin, Bobby Whitten, Brent Mason, Alan Jackson, Merle Haggard, Maynard Ferguson, Moody Blues, Led Zeppelin, Johnny Winter, Edgar Winter, Ringo Starr, Clapton, Huey Lewis, Joe Cocker, Eagles, Chuck Berry, Aerosmith, Temptations, Crosby Stills & Nash, War, Mana and others...

....My point...is that I have had great influences and love to hear the sounds of Brazil, Nashville, Atlanta, Italy, California, New York, Caribbean, just great music....

I was taught by my older brothers to learn and appreciate all styles of music. I chose to grow up on Blues, Beatles, Santana & Zeppelin. Yet, I lived in Nashville for six years and was Brenda Lee's guitar player for two years...and loved it....she is a wonderful lady and entertainer, and I learned a great deal from that experience.

I now write music that I hear in my head. Whether it comes from sounds on the road while driving, melodic chirping of birds, to sounds I actually hear just before drifting off to sleep....I write them down and record them as soon as I can to not let the song slip away.

My greatest inspiration is the love of my wife, Marta Alica, and family - children and grandchildren, as well as my incredible mother, and my dad, who passed away many years ago - but, I'm still doing the best I can with the tools I have to work with, dad.

So, I know this is like a letter to home, but, when they talk about 'old school' - they're talking about when I was a kid...so, this is me...I hope you'll take a listen to music I've been blessed with - and have written it and recorded is as best I can...and I hope you enjoy it....I just want to thank all those that I have listened to and enjoyed for so many years...God bless this language - music.