Big Fun April 2010 Web Version by David Johnson

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

INSIDE APRIL, 2010

EMAIL: info@bigfunmagazine.com - 253-473-1866 THE MIX 6

Variety Entertainment

CONCERT SPOTLIGHT Washington Center for the Performing Arts hosts Pat Metheny and Monterey Jazz Festival On Tour

FINE WINE 10 Wines from Argentina Tacoma’s Wine Bank FESTIVALS 12 Randy Oxford’s Bonefest 14

Music on the Mountain and Bonefest

WHAT’S NEW 16 Don Fincher 18 Leah Natale JAZZ PROFILE 20 Interview with Tacoma trumpet player Kevin England

COOL STUFF 22 Olympia’s Tracey Hooker finally gets his Grammy 24

GUITAR SLINGER Cody Rentas

FUN 4 - 21 & OVER 26 Interview with Michael Evans of Ultimate Entertainment

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE

PUBLISHER / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID JOHNSON Accounting / Editorial Traffic: Rose Murphy Proofreaders: Ce’Lene Sakellis, Larry Warfield Photography: Sean Cummings, Walter Atkins, Richard Baker Advertising Sales: info@bigfunmagazine.com 253-473-1866 David Johnson and Gary Grape

EMAIL: info@bigfunmagazine.com - 253-473-1866 BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE is published 12 times a year. The views expressed in BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE are those of their respective contributors and are not necessarily those of its publisher, editors, or staff. All images in advertisements and advertorials/special promotions are supplied by the advertiser. Advertiser guarantee they have the legal right to publish all images supplied to BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT,ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE. Copyright 2010 BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE.

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

THE MIX Variety Entertainment COMEDY

BLUES

CLASSICAL

Becki Sue & Her Big Rockin Daddies! April 16 Firecreek Alehouse Lacey, WA

Seattle Symphony Gerard Schwarz, Music Director Masterworks Season Robert Spano Conducts Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 April 29 May 1 & 2 Benaroya Hall Seattle, WA

Brian Regan April 16 The Paramount Theatre Seattle, WA

LATIN POP Jon Secada

JAZZ

May 8 Kirkland Performance Center Kirkland, WA

Gerald Veasley Darren Motamedy Invitational April 4 Muckleshoot Casino Auburn, WA

SRJO Birth of the Cool April 11 Kirkland Performance Center Kirkland, WA

Janiva Magness

COUNTRY

April 17 HWY 99 Blues Club Seattle, WA

FUNK / R&B

April 17 Benaroya Hall Seattle, WA

Madeleine Peyroux April 15 – 18 Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley Seattle , WA

Maia Santell

Bump Kitchen April 15 HWY 99 Blues Club Seattle, WA

Randy Travis April 24 Emerald Queen Casino Tacoma, WA

POP / DANCE

& House Blend

Highrollers

CONTACT BIG FUN

April 21 Studio 6 Ballroom Tacoma, WA

April 23 Dawson’s Tacoma, WA

info@bigfunmagazine.com 253-473-1866

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

CONCERT SPOTLIGHT

The Washington Center for the Performing Arts April 29, 7:30PM PAT METHENY Pat Metheny’s versatility is almost without peer on any instrument. He first burst o nto the international jazz scene in 1974. Over the course of his three-year stint with vibraphone great Gary Burton, t he young Missouri native already displayed his soon-tobecome trademarked playing style, which blended the loose and flexible articulation customarily reserved for horn players with an advanced rhythmic and harmonic sensibility - a way of playing and improvising that was modern in conception but grounded deeply in the jazz tradition of melody, swing, and the blues.

April 15, 7:30PM MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL ON TOUR The Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour musicians reflect the spirit, history, artistic excellence, and sophisticated informality for which the Festival has gained international fame. The group also celebrates the Festival’s commitment to yearround jazz education in local, regional, national, and international programs.

KENNY BARRON When Kenny Barron first heard that the National Endowment for the Arts inducted hi m into its prestigious Jazz Masters class of 2010, he felt honored to be among the greats of music who have also received the U.S.’s top honor in jazz. “I was excited at the acknowledgment of my service,” says the 66year pianist. Called “one of the top jazz pianists in the world” by the Los Angeles Times and “the most lyrical piano player of our time” by Jazz Weekly, Kenny Barron is one of the most renowned and busiest pianists in jazz today. REGINA CARTER Regina Carter’s career has been a veritable crescendo of success that shows no sign of letting up. She is on a missi on: to m ake a meaningfu l musical contribution and do it on her own terms. Over the past four years, Ms. Carter and her quintet have brought audiences to their feet with exhilarating performances worldwide.

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

KURT ELLING Kurt Elling is one of the preeminent young male jazz singers t oday. Grammy® Awardwinner and nine-time nomin ee, Ellin g has spent the last nine consecutive years at the top of the Down Beat Critics’ poll and the last four consecutive years topping the Jazz Times Readers’ poll. RUSSELL MALONE Russell Malone’s exposure to music was in church. “The music was not sophisticated, but there was so much spirit!” he explains. “They didn’t always have instr uments ei ther, mostly drums, tambourines, and a washboard with a coat hanger…people do not know what soul music is until they see those church people singing.” Washington Center for the Performing Arts 512 Washington St. SE - Olympia, WA Tickets: 360-753-8586 www.washingtoncenter.org

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

FINE WINE

Wines

of Argentina There is little doubt that Argentina has locked up a position on the world wine map. They are producing excellent wines and outstanding values and often both at the same time.

THREE 2 TRY Gozzo Organic, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina The wineries organic vineyards are positioned at the foot of the Andes and are irrigated by snow ru no ff fr om th e m ou nta in s a bo ve. T he winemaker is dedicated to crafting high quality, earth-friendly wines. There is no compromise in taste with these organic wines. Gozzo wines have unique and vibrant flavors, luscious fragrances, and a balanced structure.

Domados, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina Domados’ epic story began with the current owners’ grandfather, who emigrated from Italy and planted his vineyards in the 1920’s. Since then additional vineyards have been planted and the winery has prospered with a focus on highlighting the terroir of the region.

Mi Terruño, Maipú, Mendoza, Argentina Mi Terruño is housed in a former mosaic tile factory in the San Roque district of Mendoza Province. The family has been in the wine 10

business since 1978 with the sole mission of bringing the great wines of Mendoza to a wider audience. They do this with state of the art equipment that produces a line of wines with a distinct earthiness and balanced fruit flavor. Imported by Elemental Importers in Seattle, WA and available at The Wine Bank in University Place, WA.

WINE BANK’S COMING EVENTS April 3rd - Anton Ville Winery – find this wine only at the WB April 10th – A Grape Expectations selection April 17th – Alma Terra Wines from Woodinville – a Syrah lover’s Saturday with a great story about Washington grapes & winemaking April 24th – Reininger Winery of Walla Walla The WINE BANK is available for private events. Birthdays, Anniversaries, fund raisers or?? – give us a call for details Courtesy of The WINE BANK 7017 27th St W. University Place 253.564.1101 Tues-Fri 10:00-6:00pm Sat 10:00-5:30pm

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

FESTIVALS | BLUES

RANDY OXFORD’S

BONE FEST INAUGURAL TOUR PREMIERES IN THE NORTHWEST

rombonist Fred Wesley, the man who put “funky” into James Brown and the “pop” into Maceo Parker, and auth or of Hit Me, Fr ed: Recollections of a Sideman, teams up with Trombonist Ed Earley who puts the smooth sounds of St. Louis blues into the Elvin Bishop Band, and the Northwest’s own Favorite ‘Bone player Randy Oxford, for a 10-day Pacific Northwest tour. Randy Oxford, “Mr. Energy,” and a member of the Washington Blues Society’s Hall of Fame, will lead the fest’s All-Star Band with vocalist Jada Amy, and this unique showcase will hit premium regional Blues Festivals and top Washington and Oregon clubs.

“Fred Wesley will fly in from New York after playing a Max Roach Tribute Concert, and Ed Earley has a break in his busy touring schedule with the Elvin Bishop Band, so the timing is perfect for what we hope will become an annual Bonefest tour” said Oxford. The tour opens in beautiful Mineral at the Fourth Annual Music on the Mountain Festival in the shadows of Mount Rainier, on April 30th and May 12

1st. Trombonist Ed Eulman, a Washington state fan favorite, will sit in for Fred Wesley due to Fred’s work on the Max Roach Tribute. Music on the Mountain supports the Lewis County Food Bank and the Mount Rainer Visitors Center, and has an incredible line-up in addition to the Bonefest showcase. Fred Wesley will join the tour for two shows on May 3rd at Jimmy Mak’s, one of Portland’s premier jazz clubs featuring a menu of Greek and Middle Eastern influences. The Upstag e in Port Townsend hosts the Bonefest on May 6 th with two shows. The Upstage is an intimate and comfortable venue with great sight lines, and it features some of the world’s best blues touring talent. With a me nu fe at uri ng Pa ci fic N ort hw est a nd Mediterranean specialties, it is also a musical hot spot on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. The Untapped Blues and Brews Festival brings the Bonefest to the Tri-Cities area in Kennewick on May 7th and 8th. This exceptional festival is a Pacific Northwest treasure, and will feature Hamilton Loomis, Curtis Salgado, and several

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

of the region’s best blues bands in addition to the Bonefest. With multiple lodging options, plus on site camping, Untapped is fan-friendly and is guaranteed to set attendance records in its 14th ye ar. Un tap pe d s up por ts Ka te ’s Te am Foundation, a March of Dimes fundraiser, and Untapped is one of the finest – and earliest – Blues Festivals in Blues Festival Season. Celebrate Mother ’s Day in Style at the Triple Door! Two shows at Seattle’s elegant Triple Door will close the tour on Mother’s Day, May 9th. The first show will be available for all-ages, “For The Mothers.” These shows are sure to please all Mothers on their special day, with a menu that features the Triple Door’s eclectic Southeast Asian favorites, and seating that allows everyone to have a front row experience. For more information, contact: Randy Oxford, Oxford Entertainment w ww.o xf or d en te rt ai n me nt .c om / bo ne fe st , oxfordentertain@aol.com Tony Frederickson, Shiver-N-Quiver, Anthonyfrederickson@comcast.net

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

FESTIVALS | BLUES

4th ANNUAL

MUSIC ON THE MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL SET TO EXPLODE

he 2010 Music on The Mountain Festival is all set to take place on two indoor stages on Friday April 30th and Saturday May 1st, 2010 at the Mineral Lake Event Center in Mineral, WA. This is a benefit concert and food drive for the Lewis County Food Bank and t he Mt. Ra inier Reg ional Visitor’s Center. This year’s festival promises to be the biggest and best one yet with an e ve n m or e d iv er se entertainment lineup coming from all corners of the pacific NW region. There will be a wide variety of conce ssions i ncluding more brews, wines and NW cuisine. And West Coast favorite, Scatter Creek Winery, will be back with new and exciting award winning wines. More vendors will also be announced. As always, there are plenty of ca mpi ng and RV sp ot s o n s ite wi th additional lodging near by. The now legendary “Mineral Lake Event Center Bon-fire” will once again be burning all weekend long. 2010 PERFORMERS “BONEFEST” backed by the Randy Oxford Band featuring Ed Earley from the Elvin Bishop Band and Ed Eulman from the South West Region, Little Bill and the Bluenotes celebrating Little Bill’s 71st birthday, The Kim Archer Band, The Dana Lupinaci Band, Star Nation and their Native American Music Tribute from southern Oregon, The Fabulous Roof Shakers, Loose Gravel and the Quarry, The Minors, featuring festival favorite Little Lisa and her new all-star band of amazing kids, Teenage singing sensation “Olivia” making her festival debut, Beat n” Feet, Garrett and Wescott, John Sparrow, Malcolm Clark with Russ Camerer, The world famous Mt. Rainier MEGA JAM, hosted by Randy Oxford will close out each night, All musicians are welcome. 14

ADMISSION General admission is $25.00 in advance or $30.00 at the gate. Active Military is $18.00 in advance or $22.00 at the gate 18 years and under is $18.00 in advance or $22.00 at the gate. When bringing 2 or more non-perishable food items, one will receive a 10% discount at the gate or a 10% cash refund for tickets previously purchased.

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

For Tickets and more inform ation go to: ww w. oxf ord en ter tai nm ent .co m or ww w. min era ll ake eve nt cen ter.c om. Ti ck et Hotline: 1-800-838-3006 Presented by the Mt. Rainier Regional Visitor’s Center and Oxford Entertainment LLC Directions and more information on additional ne ar b y l od gi ng ca n be fo un d at www.minerallake.com

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

Don Fincher High Rollers Band - Top 40, Dance Tacoma, WA

THE HIGH ROLLERS Back row (from left to right) Karl Ronning, Melvin Fincher, Dino Cedeno, Carlos Henderson, Don Fincher, Ron Fincher, Bob Robinson. Front row (from left to right): Bobby Cedeno, Sheryl Clark, Eric Stevens.

PERFORMANCE CAREER We currently are playing the last weekend of each at Dawson’s in Tacoma. In between we play weddings, corporate functions, etc. RECORDING CAREER We are currently in the middle of our recording project. We anticipate it will be completed in June. CIRCLE OF FRIENDS We have a great group of friends. They always come out and support our gigs which makes for a great party atmosphere. STATE OF THE BIZ We are looking forward to the summer 16

festival season. We hope to play in as many local celebrations as possible. Even though we play clubs, we are a great show band. PERSONAL LIFE The band is made up of working people. We balance our day jobs with playing as often as possible. Some of us actually work in the music business. FAMILY LIFE All the members of the band have families. All of our spouses are very supportive and come to as many gigs as they can. We thank them all for tolerating our lifestyles. QUEST FOR PERSONAL GROWTH

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

We are a tight group of individuals. As you see, we have two sets of brothers and the band has been together since September 1996. We are first friends and then musicians. PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE Friday, March 26 - Dawson’s Saturday, March 27 - Dawson’s Saturday, April 17 - FPCS Gala Auction at the Landmark Hotel, Tacoma Friday, April 23 - Dawson’s Saturday, April 24 - Dawson’s

www.thehighrollersband.com don@thehighrollersband.com karl@thehighrollersband.com

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

Leah Natale Vocalist, Composer, Producer Seattle, WA

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

PERFORMANCE CAREER I was selected as a finalist for the Sixth Annual Seattle-Kobe Female Jazz Vocalist Audition held at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, and business for my band (The Ambience Jazz Quartet) is really picking up. We have lots of festivals, private events and great venues lined up. I’m also beginning a few new collaborations that I’m excited about. RECORDING CAREER I recently produced two jazz albums and I am currently in production of a third album to be released in early 2011. – It’s going to be a swing album filled with classics from the 30’s and 40’s, but there will be some surprising twists to the arrangements and instrumentation. CIRCLE OF FRIENDS Lately I have been following the local band Sa mb atu qu e h tt p:/ /ww w. mys pa ce. co m/ sa mbat uque seat tle wit h vo cali st M ikae la Romero. They combine jazz and Latin rhythms that create an infectious energy. I would highly recommend seeing them live. STATE OF THE BIZ Like everything, the music industry is in constant change. My band and I recently celebrated our 200th show in just over two years. I consider myself very fortunate. We had to think a step ahead and even create new venues for music as budgets shrank. There will always be a place for live music, and new ways of distributing recordings has the potential to give the artist more control and reach audiences that we would otherwise not be able to. So, for now, I’m remaining positive about the future of the music/entertainment industry. PERSONAL LIFE I have recently discovered golf, and like music, if you are not completely relaxed and in the moment it is very easy to get in your own way. Being in the moment means forgetting all of the mechanic s and ex pectati ons and just swinging easy. You would be surprised how many musicians in this town are golfers. QUEST FOR PERSONAL GROWTH My plan is to keep on learning as much as I can. I will continue to seek out and ask questions of musicians who are working and doing what I would like to accomplish. I also want to keep on surrounding myself with great musicians and continue to find my own voice and style.

Leah Natale ww w. Lea hN ata le .co m Leah@LeahNatale.com

Em ail

a ddr es s: BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

JAZZ PROFILE

Kevin England Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Piano Puyallup, WA chose the trumpet because when I was a kid, seeing older kids play the trumpet struck a chord in my soul and I just had to play that thing. I was not even sure what it was called at the time.”

“I

drop and the cancer might come back, who knows? Any one of us can get hit by a bus tomorrow. The last time I checked, the death rate is still 100%. I don’t worry about that now. I try to experience and enjoy the here and now as much as the complexities and distractions of day to day life will allow. When I first met you in 1997, you were playing Straight-ahead jazz.. Yeah, man, like in the “ole Grounds for Coffee days,” right?

Kevin, I heard you had a situation with your health. What’s happening, Yeah. Then you started playing Smooth Jazz with Ed Taylor. and how are things going for you now? Well I have always considered myself a “post bop” straight ahead player. I am Well yes, I was diagnosed with certainly not a musical purist. meta-static melanoma (skin cancer I’ve worked in many types of INTERVIEWED BY DAVID KEYS that had spread to my lymph node musical situations. I toured with system) about 6 years or so ago. a circus band back in the 80’s. The original diagnosis put me at You don’t get much further from stage 4. (There ain’t no stage 5 my jazz than that. I never really was friend, stage 5 is in the dirt). I had an out and out be bop player, a 7% chance to live longer than 5 though I did try to emulate some years and I’m still here. I do believe of the styling of my heroes. But God performed a miracle in my life. really, I have too much R&B or This experience taught me a lot of rock influence in my life and things. When I was going through generation not to have that come treatment I was so weak I could not out through the music some even play my horn much. times. How long was that? Well, about a year. For six months I could not play my way out of wet paper bag if at all. You heard of the South Beach diet? Well I was on the “Son of beach diet,” ha ha. But it was a good opportunity to work on my chops and w ork through some sound production issu es I wa nted to correc t. I basically totally changed the way I approach the trumpet and it has been good. I’m still not where I want to be but I can play most of the stuff I want to and am getting stronger. What gives you the strength to keep moving forward during hard times? Well I have to say my relationship with God (I said relationship, not religion) helps me to move forward. Of course my family and friends are a great help. I did get an overall sense that God was not done with me yet so I really felt I was going to make it. Now that you have experienced a life-changing ordeal, has your music and musicianship grown in any way? I would say yes, definitely. When you grow as a human being, your music has to be affected. I think I grew a lot in this whole process but still have a lot more growing to do as I cross that crest of middle age…. Do you have a new appreciation for life? Yes, of course. Life is a precious miracle in itself. Hey, the other shoe might

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

Smooth Jazz, Straight-ahead jazz, those are convenient labels for marketing. Take a guy like Darin Motamety. He is known as a Smooth Jazz guy right? He has developed his carrier around that and I say more power to him for that. But you know what? That cat plays his butt off. Most of those Smooth Jazz guys can really play. Don’t kid yourself. I am sure he and many artists like him can play Straight-ahead jazz as good as anyone around here if they had a desire to do so. Now I, on the other hand, come from the other side of the jazz tracks and have played a few Smooth Jazz gigs and done some “Smooth” recordings. Ed Taylor was kind enough to take me into his band and get me some work when I was still coming out of the health issues. When you are a side man, you play what the boss wants to play and try to do the best you can for whoever hires you, regardless of the style of music it is. I had some really great times and experiences with Ed, his band, and his music. He’s another cat like the rest of us trying to get his art out there. I hope that when I was in his band, I helped him in some small way to do that. What style are you playing with your current band? Well, to label it, we are not Smooth Jazz. We could be considered predominately straight-ahead but a lot of the music we do has some funk and rock influences. What we bring is a product that I believe is unique. We hardly do any covers. Most of the covers we do nobody else is doing and we are starting to develop

around. We also have Mason Hargrove on guitar. We just added Buck England (no relation) on organ and keyboards and Mitch Reems is our drummer. The bass chair has been covered predominantly by Gary Crooks, Bill Duris, and Tom Brooks. It depends on who’s available for the gigs. Sometimes I wish I had played the bass. Not every band needs a trumpet player but you gotta have that bottom end, ha ha. Are you finding much work in the clubs and restaurants at this time? Well the way I see it, there is not a whole lot of work out there that can pay what we are worth. When I say ‘we’, I mean the jazz and music community in general in the area. I’ve certainly made more money in the past. The restaurants and clubs seem to be struggling to turn a profit (as are a lot of businesses during these times). I have to admit I have not been pounding the pavement like I should because the whole marketing thing is not my forte. Do you have any new recordings in the works? Not really but, we are definatly going to get some recordings of this band. We have messed around with some live spots but I have not been happy enough with the recording quality to put that out there. This is a live band type of project. The whole multi track, over produced thing is not what this group is about. How did you meet your wife, and how long have you two been together? Kathy and I met at a St. Patrick’s Day party. We think that we were set up and are thankful for it. We have been married 20 years. I could not do it without my best friend Kathy. She has been very supportive of the music thing. It takes a special woman to put up with a guy doing the trumpet calisthenics (scales and exercises) day in and day out. Not to mention the time away from home, the late nights, the self absorption, and all the other things that go along with being a musician. She really is my biggest fan and goes to most of my gigs with me. Do you have any children? Yes. Kath and I have Keith and Jazzmin who are becoming young adults. They were musicians in school but did not have the passion (or short sightedness, ha ha), that their dad has to pursue it. My Son does a little stand up comedy, though. He really is a funny cat and really has a gift for impressions and accents. Jazzmin is a real go getter and when she graduates High school this year she will also already have her AA degree. They are great kids and we have been truly blessed. Is there a difference between joy and happiness? Yes. Happiness is just a fleeting thing that is dependent upon the externals of life, moods and situations. Joy (true Joy) is something much deeper then that…and when you have that, you have it all.

Kevin England’s Email address: gabeshorn@msn.com

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

COOL STUFF

Tracey Hooker Gets His Grammy Olympia, Olympia, WA WA

BY DELORES JEAN

pe lle man ns pri sen ! S ou nd s li ke someone just won a spelling bee contest for some obscure word Webster coined— or perhaps it’s an imported jam from Europe. Well, in a way, it is actually both and neither. Tracey D. Hooker, a trumpeter from Olympia, WA received a phone call for a recording session, so he grabbed his pen and wrote a date in his calendar along with a dollar sign. He just agreed to play on a recording session for a band out of Norway. He recalls the day as being quite warm and sunny as he made the drive to Seattle. When he entered the studio, he could hear that chic, hip accent. You know the kind, like from a Die Hard movie. There where four other horn players, all saxophonist, assembled for this session. Tracey asked where the charts were, and then he heard that word, “Charts”? The 22

timbre of the human voice that says, yes, this is what it sounds like when the deer looks into the headlights. It was at that point that he knew the night was going to require oil for the lamps, some micro brews, which means more oil, and someone mu st pay tribute to t he Earl of Sandwich, his with roast beef! Tracey recalls the sound of the tunes being well engineered and hip. His new, Norwegian friends were of good cheer and seemed grateful for the help on their CD, and within a short time, Tracey had put together the lines they would record. As the five horn players worked out the lines, the Band Leader stated, “We looked in the phone book and saw The Kings Of Swing, and said that’s who we wanted on our CD”. Five hours later, the horns parts were recorded

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

and Mr. Hooker was returning to Olympia under a clear evening sky. Nearly forgotten, Tracey received an email in February 2009 that said, “We Won”. The Spellemannsprisen (Grammy) made it official. Imagine it: such an important contest won by musicians who were jamming. It took quite some time, but Tracey finally received the document on the first of March, 2010. He thinks the ocean liner had a bad GPS, engine troubles, or the Captain was working the Rum he’d bought on some far away island and finally wound up off the coast of Puget Sound. Whatever the case, he is grateful for the phone call, his new friends and an award that validates his life’s work as a musician.

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

Guitar Slinger Cody Rentas

Cody Rentas, a Washington native, was born in the summer of 1992. He started playing guitar at the age of six, and since then, at age seventeen, has transformed himself into one of the hottest rock/blues guitar slingers in the Northwest. It has been said that Cody plays his guitar with an old soul. You can feel the passion he has, from his melodic melodies to his shredding solos, Cody’s on fire every time hits the stage. Make no mistake, Cody Rentas is for real. You can catch Cody and his hot band tearing it up all over the Northwest. Contact: 206-255-0705 www.thecodyrentasband.com

BIG FUN IS SEEKING AD SALES MANAGER AD SALES REPS VERY HIGH COMMISSION AND PERKS

WRITERS NEEDED! DINING, WINE & ART FASHION, BEAUTY & TRAVEL CONCERTS, FESTIVALS & FILM HEALTH & SPORTS 253-473-1866 info@bigfunmagazine.com 24

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

FUN 4 - 21 & OVER

Michael Evans Ultimate Entertainment Tacoma, WA Looking to throw the perfect Bachelorette or Bachelor party? Consider mixing your party favors with some high quality adult entertainment.

dancers. The best dancers are multi-talented entertainers who are very popular and, very busy. It’s the same as booking any other form of entertainment; you will never get the best talent if you don’t book them well in advance. How old are the women who attend your shows?

INTERVIEWED BY DAVID KEYS When was my business established? Ultimate Entertainment was established in 1995. Why did we choose to build a business in the Adult Entertainment Industry? At the time I was building my company, it never occurred to me that I was working in the Adult Entertainment Industry. I was creating jobs for like minded people who wanted to act, dance and perform in high quality shows. I was building a business in the Entertainment Industry. In today’s economy, there are so many people working jobs they don’t like and, there are people who can’t find any work at all. We get lots of work, we make honest money and, we have fun doing a job that we love. What are the keys to having a successful Bachelorette party? It’s always a good idea for the party planner to get a lot of ideas from the women who will be attending the event. Sometimes you can make it a surprise party. I like to tell women to gauge how receptive the bride to be will be to having a male dancer. Having a great location is also important. Your party needs to in a place where you can play loud music and have all your friends yelling and screaming. The more women there are, the merrier the occasion will be. You need to plan ahead and not wait until the last second to book your 26

CHRISTIAN

They are all ages. There is a pre-conception that you have to be a horny young woman to go see a male strip show. Our production caters to women who just want to have a good time. They want be treated like a ladies and they want to see a stage full of talented, incredible looking men. What are the keys to having a successful Bachelor Party? That’s easy. You need at least two very beautiful women who know how to entertain men with dancing, songs, skits, costumes and more. What about nudity? There is usually no nudity unless it’s personally requested in advanced.

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

What are the differences between private parties and Revue shows? PRIVATE PARTIES: Personal friends and family members usually attend private parties. The setting tends to be in a house or in a hotel suite or ballroom. There are usually 8 to 20, or more, people joining in the celebration and you tend to get more personal attention from your dancers. With private parties, the dancers are working hard to make everyone laugh and play along with the skits they perform. Everything is more customized to fit that particular party. REVUE SHOWS: Revue shows are more staged events held in larger places like casinos, dance clubs, bars, community centers and places that can hold anywhere from 120 people to 1000 people. Each dancer has a complete routine and has experience performing in front of large audiences. The shows can be either male or female Revues, or Strip shows. There’s a lot of entertainment built into our Revue shows. It’s not just a bunch of people running around half naked doing nothing. Our presentations are fullblown entertainment…the whole show is structured from start to finish. And at the end of the show, you can have your picture taken with the dancers so you will have a nice memory of a great night. What’s the most demanding aspect of our work? Staying in shape is one of the toughest things for all male and female dancers. We all love to eat, but knowing that you can’t just keep eating anything you want makes it hard for us. Working out is very important. Gym memberships are a must because we need to be strong, we need to be in shape and we need to feel and look young. Traveling to different States to perform and being away from home is a little tough. Most of the entertainers who do what we do love to

There is a lot of entertainment built into our Revue Shows. It’s not just a bunch of people running around half naked doing nothing. Our presentations are full-blown entertainment…the whole show is structured from start to finish. perform on stage in front of hundreds of people, but the crowds can be tough and demanding, as they should be. When people pay a cover, they want a good show and they want to go home with an experience. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the male or female dancers, they demand a good show. Plus, making sure your costumes are always

hundreds and hundreds of people. It takes a lot of sweat, time and energy to practice routines but the reward is so great when you hear the crowd yelling and screaming your name. That makes it all worth while. People are always asking us for our autographs and for pictures. And when we go overseas, we’re treated like rock stars. It’s an exciting life.

counter-productive to that goal. Do you have a business motto? Our professional entertainers specialize in creating an atmosphere that truly celebrates that special someone in the party. Are your shows expensive?

Other than Bachelorette and Bachelor parties, what other types of private events do you cater to? Ultimate Entertainment books birthday parties, poker nights, sporting events, divorce parties, office parties and more.

ROSIE in top notch condition is a never ending battle. You have to spend the money to keep your stuff in shape and looking great. We go through a lot of wear and tear. What’s the most rewarding aspect of our work? It’s such a rush to perform on stage in front of

ASHLEY

How are the shows put together? Each dancer performs a solo routine as well as a group routine. The show is completely self-contained, with Ultimate Entertainment providing the dancers, a professional emcee, and all the promotional posters, tickets, and flyers for all events. All dancers are extremely professional, and all routines stay within the legal guidelines as determined by the State in which they are performing. What about drugs? Drugs are frowned upon and not tolerated. If an entertainer needs drugs to enhance his or her performance, that person is in the wrong show. This is a group that relies on cohesiveness and teamwork and drugs are

DAKOTA

MAGIC We can provide a show to fit just about any budget. Ultimate Entertainment Michael Evans Entertainment Director Revueshow.com, info@Revueshow.com Ultentertain@yahoo.com (253) 861-6255 Office 10:30am-10pm

ALINE BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010

206-255-0705 BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • APRIL, 2010