Lovin Life After 50: Tucson August 2020

August 2020

Take Two

Trixter’s Mark Gus Scott turns hit into ‘power country’ song

Christmas in August

Charrovida goes Charrovegan

Year-old restaurant undergoes menu refresh

Diana Madaras adds holiday flair to the summer

Mailed toYour Home Monthly

Every Other Memory Country singer Ryan Hurd releases nostalgic EP

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They CARE

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A Fighting Chance

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Looking Back

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Take Two

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Tucson Museum of Art’s Dr. Julie Sasse recalls her top exhibitions

NIVA battles for independent venues to keep rockin’ Trixter’s Mark Gus Scott turns hit into ‘power country’ song

Arts Christmas at Madaras

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AUGUST 2020

Charrovida goes Charrovegan

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Music

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Axe to Grind

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Year-old restaurant undergoes menu refresh

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Federal act provides relief to Tucson arts organizations

TSO guitarist Angus Clark and local musicians rip through ‘Burn’

Knead to Know

Sandwich shop August Rhodes rises into a bakery

Every Other Memory

Country singer Ryan Hurd releases nostalgic EP

‘Kuarantine’ Project

Chris Jericho teams up with other rockers to honor Kiss

Sports From Tragedy to the Team

Starling Marte considered retirement after his wife’s death

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Upfront They CARE

TUCSON

Federal act provides relief to Tucson arts organizations

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Across the state, federal relief funds support nonprofit arts and culture organizations experiencing significant hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Statewide grantees include a performing arts center in Wickenburg; a symphony orchestra in Yuma; Prescott’s Museum of Indigenous Peoples; Phoenix’s historic Black Theatre Troupe; and community arts centers in Bisbee, Kingman and Goodyear.

A complete list of Arizona recipients of CARES Act funding can be found at azarts.gov.

These grants are funded through a $75 million allocation to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. As per its central mandate, the NEA delivered 60% of the allocation directly to arts organizations in all 50 states, with 40% delivered to regional and state arts agencies for localized distribution.

On July 1, the NEA announced 16 direct grants in Arizona for $1.2 million. Fourteen Arizona nonprofit organizations were selected to receive grants of $50,000, while local arts agencies in Phoenix and Tucson each received $250,000 for regranting.

The same day, the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF), a regional arts service organization serving 13 western states, including Arizona, announced its own CARES Act grants. Five Arizona organizations were selected to receive grants of $10,000 to $20,000.

The Arizona Commission on the Arts, an agency of the state of Arizona, unveiled the recipients of its AZ CARES grants. Each of the 86 recipients will receive $5,000. www.LovinLife.com

“Because artists and creatives are the engines that propel much of the value that organizations make available to their communities, AZ CARES builds on the foundation provided by the NEA in focusing on organizations that are centering or upholding commitments to creative workers—artists, makers, tradition bearers, educators, designers and other content crea to r s — d u r i n g the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond,” says Claudio Dicochea, Arts Commission’s organizational programs manager.

“In further alignment with the NEA’s stated commitments as well as our public agency’s mission, racial equity, geographic parity, and other dimensions relevant to access and community benefit were prioritized as part of the selection process.”

Ultimately the Arts Commission was able to support 55% of the eligible applications submitted for this relief opportunity.

Dicochea acknowledges the many tremendously worthy organizations that applied and were not selected for funding.

“This is strictly an outcome of the amount funds available to distribute through this particular relief program and is by no means a reflection of the quality of an organization’s programming or the depth of their need.”

Gov. Doug Ducey granted $2 million in funding from the State’s Crisis Contingency and Safety Net Fund to the Arts Commission for relief-focused grantmaking.

The Arts Commission is investigating conditions and requirements associated with the relief funding and exploring equitable, expeditious funds-delivery methods.

$600,000

Arizona Repertory Singers AZ CARES Grant ARTAbility AZ CARES Grant ARTS EXPRESS INC AZ CARES Grant Arts for All, Inc. AZ CARES Grant Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona NEA CARES Grant Ballet Tucson AZ CARES Grant Borderlands Theater AZ CARES Grant Capoeira Institute Southwest AZ CARES Grant Children’s Museum Tucson and Oro Valley AZ CARES Grant Invisible Theatre AZ CARES Grant Kore Press AZ CARES Grant Lead Guitar AZ CARES Grant NEA CARES Grant Live Theatre Workshop AZ CARES Grant Loft Cinema, Inc. AZ CARES Grant Many Mouths One Stomach AZ CARES Grant Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson AZ CARES Grant NEA CARES Grant Odaiko Sonora / Rhythm Industry AZ CARES Grant POG, Inc. AZ CARES Grant Safos Dance Theatre AZ CARES Grant Sonoran Glass School AZ CARES Grant Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance WESTAF CARES Grant Southwest Folklife Alliance NEA CARES Grant WESTAF CARES Grant The Foundation for Creative Broadcasting AZ CARES Grant The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures AZ CARES Grant Tucson Symphony Orchestra NEA CARES Grant Tucson Youth Music Center AZ CARES Grant Warehouse Arts Management Organization AZ CARES Grant WomanKraft AZ CARES Grant AUGUST 2020

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Looking Back

Julie Sasse with artist James de la Torre at Borderlandia, 2011. (Submitted photos)

Tucson Museum of Art’s Dr. Julie Sasse recalls her top exhibitions

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI July 6 marked 20 years since Chief Curator Dr. Julie Sasse began her tenure at Tucson Museum of Art. In that time, she has organized more than 100 exhibitions and authored more than 20 books and catalogues. Her expertise, dedication and passion for her work are invaluable contributions to the museum.

Here, Sasse shares her top 10 curatorial projects from the last 20 years and a personal remembrance about each one, listed in reverse chronological order. How many did you get to experience?

1. “Southwest Rising: Contemporary Art and the Legacy of Elaine Horwitch” February 29, 2020, to March 13, 2020; July 2-September 20, 2020 “This exhibition is dear to me because of the many artists who have been a big part of my history in the arts, stretching back more than 30 years.”

Works by more than 80 artists, including Tom Palmore, Billy Schenck, John Fincher, Fritz Scholder, Georgia O’Keeffe, Bob Wade, David Bradley, Joe Baker, Douglas Johnson, Merrill Mahaffey, Anne Coe, Suzanne Klotz, Susan Hertel, Marilyn Levine, Larry Rivers, Paul Brach, Douglas Kent Hall, Lynn Taber, Beth Ames Swartz, David T. Kessler, Masoud Yasami, Dick Jemison, Paul Jenkins and others.

Inspired by Sasse’s book by the same name, this exhibition features some of

Elaine Horwitch Galleries’ most prominent artists with whom she worked in the 1980s.

2. “Dress Matters: Clothing as Metaphor” October 21, 2017, to February 25, 2018 “For this exhibition, I enjoyed discovering new artists and the wide range of creative expression and insightful messages that clothing has inspired.”

Works by more than 50 artists, including Sama Alshaibi, Joseph Beuys, Willie Birch, Christian Boltanksi, Bob Carey, Nick Cave, Kate Daudy, Jim Dine, Bailey Doogan, Angela Ellsworth, Fausto Fernandez, Adam Fuss, Valerie Hammond, Graciela Iturbide, Robert Longo, Robert Mapplethorpe, Mark Newport, Wendy Red Starr, Miriam Schapiro, Jaune Quick-toSee Smith, Andy Warhol and others.

This exhibition examines works of art that include the image of garments, which become powerful signifiers of who we are as people. The show examined how clothing delivers compelling messages about power, identity, desire, status, protection and transformation.

3. “Into the Night: Modern and Contemporary Art and the Nocturne Tradition” February 27, 2016, to July 10, 2016 “I’ve always been haunted by scenes of the night—not only are such works difficult to convey, but they are also loaded

Julie Sasse touring Trouble in Paradise, 2009.

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AUGUST 2020

with metaphoric content.”

Works by more than 65 artists, including Georges Braque, Kate Breakey, Gregory Crewdson, Marsden Hartley, Maki Kaoru, Rockwell Kent, Mark Klett, Richard Misrach, Lisa Robinson, Lynne Saville, Rocky Schenck, Amy Stein, Jamey Stillings, Masao Yamamoto and others.

This exhibition examines mystery, drama, the esoteric and otherness in paintings, photographs and works on paper that investigate psychological concepts of darkness, the dreamscape and its connection to the night, and the inter-connectedness of the environment with cultural and artistic concerns through the enigmatic notion of the night.

4. “Desert Grasslands” January 26, 2013, to July 7, 2013 “This exhibition was important to me because I learned so much about the desert region in which I live. While researching for this topic, I found so many wonderful artists who made the grasslands come alive for me.”

Works by Michael P. Berman, Kate Breakey, Stephen Capra, MF Cardamone, Diane Dale, Dornith Doherty, Matilda Essig, Deborah Springstead Ford, Moira Marti Geoffrion, Heather Green, Michael Haykin, Ben Johnson, Karen Kitchel, Mark Klett, Mayme Kratz, Joseph Scheer, Stephen Strom and David Taylor.

This exhibition is part of the Desert Initiative Project: Desert 1, a multistate visual arts collaboration.

5. “Borderlandia: Cultural Topographies by Einar and Jamex de la Torre” February 12, 2011, to June 12, 2011

“This exhibition was important because Tucson was facing widespread backlash due to stricter immigration laws enacted in our region. While conventions and public events were being canceled and artists boycotted Tucson in protest, the de la Torre brothers persevered and presented their exhibition to educate and enlighten audiences. They were a joy to work with.”

Internationally recognized artists Einar and Jamex de la Torre live and work on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, providing them with an insider-outsider perspective. Their blown glass and mixed-media works examine and confront the complexities of this geographical, cultural and historical divide with a sense of humor that is playful yet compelling. The de la Torre brothers simultaneously reference and erase the boundaries between “high” and “low” art and between “fine” and “folk” art. Central to their creative process are collaboration, humor and self-discovery. Their subject matter shifts between history, politics, immigration, identity, religion, popular culture, food and Meso-American symbols.

6. “Trouble in Paradise: Examining Discord Between Nature and Society” February 28, 2009, to June 28, 2009 “This exhibition was one of my favorites because I have a passion for nature and caring for our environment. These artists are similarly invested in highlighting nature’s dynamic forces as well as addressing the pressing issues of climate change.”

Exhibitions...continues on page 5 www.LovinLife.com

Exhibitions...continued from page 4

selmann and others.

This exhibition brings together artists working with the use of metal as the canvas or the form upon which color is applied in a symbiotic melding of surface and substrate. Artists using metal upon which to paint look to the qualities of light inherent in the material as well as the stable, smooth surface, and the ability of the material to be manipulated into multiple forms.

Works by more than 57 artists, including Edward Burtynsky, Susan Crile, David Maisel, Richard Misrach, Robyn O’Neil, Tom Uttech, Ellen Wagener, Diane Burko, Sue Coe and others.

Pollution, hurricanes, deforestation, tornadoes, wildfires—society is pummeled almost daily by stories of our turbulent world, and artists are responding to the rapid environmental changes facing this generation through stunning visuals. Portraying both terror and beauty in the forces of nature and the ravages humans inflict on the land through war and waste is at the center of the exhibition.

7. “The Grand Canyon: From Dream to Icon” August 18, 2006, to January 7, 2007 “This exhibition opened my eyes to the myriad ways that artists see the Grand Canyon, whether through an environmental lens, sociological perspective or the appreciation of its sheer beauty.”

Works by more than 47 artists, including Thomas Moran, Merrill Mahaffey, Beth Ames Swartz, Jack Dykinga and others.

The Grand Canyon is known as one of the most compelling places on earth and a symbol of the grandeur of the American West. Capturing its vastness and beauty has been a creative challenge for artists since the mid-1800s and continues to be a source of inspiration for contemporary artists. This exhibition touches upon a range of works, including early historic depictions of the canyon, 20th century illustrations of this natural wonder, contemporary interpretations of its beauty, and conceptual investigations of the canyon’s impact on our senses and society.

8. “Florence Pierce: A Light-filled Domain Contemporary Southwest Images XX: The Stonewall Foundation Series” September 10, 2005, to January 1, 2006 “This exhibition was special to me because no other museum had given Florence a solo exhibition. It was a highlight of my career to visit her studio and talk with her about her work. She experienced so much of New Mexico art history.”

This exhibition highlights the resin works from the 1980s and 1990s of New Mexico artist Florence Pierce. She was a member of the Taos Transcendental www.LovinLife.com

Julie Sasse with Trouble in Paradise artist Michael Najjar and TMA CEO Robert Knight, 2009.

Painting Group in the late 1930s, studying under Emil Bisttram.

9. “Paint on Metal: Modern and Contemporary Explorations and Discoveries” January 21, 2005, to May 1, 2005 “This exhibition is the first large-scale group exhibition that I organized at the

museum, and it gave me an opportunity to look at artists from around the country and Europe. It was also the first time I could write about a topic in depth.”

Works by more than 67 artists, including Robert Rauschenberg, Frank Stella, Nancy Graves, Alex Katz, John Baldessari, Carlotta Boettcher, Imi Knoebel, Sally Elesby, Margaret Evangeline, Tom Wes-

10. “Jaune Quick-to-See Smith Contemporary Southwest Images XIX: The Stonewall Foundation Series” October 16, 2004, to January 9, 2005 “I am especially fond of this exhibition because I got to work with a legend in contemporary Indigenous art. My MA thesis focused on Native American art, so this exhibition provided an opportunity to continue my interest in working with this important area of art.”

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith draws on her Flathead Salish, Metis (French-Cree) and Shoshone heritage as inspiration and motivation for her work. She is an enrolled member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation, Montana.

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5

A Fighting Chance NIVA battles for independent venues to keep rockin’

BY BRANDIE BOSWORTH AND VALERIE VINYARD Loud music. Bright lights. Bands playing our favorite songs as we sing along to the melodies surrounded by a sea of strangers and friends. This was the nature of concerts before the coronavirus pandemic hit. Now, independent venues across the nation are struggling to survive.

The Rebel Lounge in Phoenix, 191 Toole and The Rialto Theatre in Tucson, and The Orpheum Theater in Flagstaff have been closed since mid-March. The venues have experience furloughs, layoffs and little to no revenue over the last three months.

Susan Walter, The Orpheum Theater’s general manager, says it is surviving through sponsors and live webcasts from its stage to Facebook Live. The venue has been operating for 103 years.

Stephen Chilton is the owner of The Rebel Lounge and the vice president of The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA). The organization provides a voice, tools and resources to independent venues across America.

Venues and promoters can become NIVA members for free. There are about 2,000 members located in 50 states. NIVA stemmed from an initiative called Independent Venue Week, which originated in the United Kingdom. Chilton says The Rebel Lounge participated in Independent Venue Week, and he discusses via Zoom the challenges the venue was facing clubs closed. Participants realized their problems needed a larger solution, and the organization was formed to find

answers.

Chilton says while other businesses have offered options such as takeout and delivery, the mandates brought on

by COVID-19, such as social distancing, cannot be easily accommodated by his industry.

Dan Hernandez, the Tucson venues’ booking manager, says visiting concert halls is “...the weekend stuff you go to on a date, where you meet your friends, where you make friends, where you grow up and define yourself in music and culture.”

Chilton adds, “Is it worth having a concert that feels empty? If you erase all of the communal aspects, is it worth having them?”

Artists don’t want to go on tour and look at empty venues, Chilton says. Bands would rather wait for COVID-19 restrictions to lift and have a full crowd.

“We are usually a 1,000-person-capped venue, and we do not expect to get back to that until the pandemic is over,” Walter says.

She says she hopes to welcome back a limited number of people to spread out over the venue’s 20,000 square feet in the fall, but it depends on if the state’s virus data indicates it would be safe.

Chilton says venues could be closed well into 2021. Some concert halls are not permitted to open until there is a coronavirus vaccine or cure. This is why NIVA’s No. 1 priority is lobbying for funding at the federal level.

“We need big federal aid. Nothing short of that is going to save us,” Chilton says.

At The Rebel Lounge, Chilton says he

Devo played the Rialto in 2013.

Venues like the Rialto are in danger of closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo courtesy the Rialto)

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AUGUST 2020

The Black Keys are shown here performing at the Rialto, a venue that’s in danger of closing due to the pandemic. (Photo courtesy the Rialto)

pays more than similar-sized-revenue businesses because there are concerts.

For example, he pays 10 times more for insurance than other bars.

Walter says the industry is at a standstill, with venues forecasting to lose almost $9 billion of revenue if they stay dark through the rest of 2020. Although the programming has gone dark, the venue’s mortgage and other bills have not.

Initially, NIVA representatives were looking for revisions of the PPP loan to extend the eight-week period, Walter says.

They wrote letters and got 20 congressional representatives to sign and support the revised Cares Act 4.0. But even those revisions are not specific enough for the industry.

“We are going to be the last businesses back, and we are going to need help for a long period of time,” Chilton says.

Now, Walters says they are supporting the Bennet-Young RESTART Act, which will stretch over seven years with payment options.

For concertgoers and live music lovers who want to support their venues, NIVA’s SaveOurStages.com will automatically email visitors’ local representatives anywhere in the country to let them know they care about independent venues.

The site asks for the visitors’ basic information to locate the correct representative.

The process takes about 30 seconds, Chilton says, and users can share they care on social media with #SaveOurStages. So far, more than 500,000 emails have been sent.

In a June 18 statement, NIVA announced that 600 artists, including Foo Fighters, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Kacey Musgraves and Wyclef Jean, signed a let-

ter to Congress to join the #SaveOurStages movement.

Without help from Congress, Hernandez says 90% of independent venues will not be able to survive another three months with no income. The loss of venues will be felt in local economies. Every $1 spent on a ticket at small venues generates a total of $12 spent on restaurants, hotel and retail near the venues.

“People have always wanted to gather around music. The industry itself is relentless, and I know that we can reinvent.

It’s just a long road ahead,” Walter says.

The Rialto Theatre turns 100 years old in August. This is not the birthday extravaganza people were envisioning, however, says Rialto COO Sandy Ford.

“We are struggling,” Ford says. “But I think the Rialto has a lot of goodwill with the community.”

In fact, a GoFundMe for the Rialto’s 85 hourly staff raised about $20,000, Ford says.

That was a temporary help to the staff, but the Rialto needs help, too.

The Rialto and 191 Toole, which is part of the Rialto Theatre Foundation, put on 58 shows in 2020 before the shutdown, Ford says.

Ford estimates the Rialto and 191 Toole lost $2.4 million from March to June, based on 2019 numbers. Last year, the Rialto pulled in $6 million in gross revenue from 354 shows.

Many of the canceled acts in the spring rescheduled for fall, which is why Ford said the Rialto has a pretty full fall calendar. But with no end in sight for the pandemic, it’s difficult to say when things will reopen.

“There are so many things that are involved with a tour that put artists at risk,” Venues...continues on page 7 www.LovinLife.com

Take Two

Trixter’s Mark Gus Scott turns hit into ‘power country’ song

Mark Gus Scott markgusscott.com

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

Stephen Chilton is the owner of The Rebel Lounge and the vice president of The National Independent Venue Association. The organization provides a voice, tools and resources to independent venues across America. (Photo by Justin Yee)

Venues...continued from page 6 she says. “Who’s going to do that?”

Plus, the Rialto doesn’t feature local acts, instead pulling in national acts.

“We’re a touring venue, but we’re a 100-year-old building,” Ford says. “Can we afford to actually host shows at a reduced capacity?”

Ford says they’ve run the numbers at different capacities, and any capacity less than 50% means the Rialto won’t make money.

“We were going to have a good spring,” Ford says. “We shut down right before we had two sold-out shows—Buddy Guy and Shoreline Mafia.”

Of course, ticket sales are what propel operations, but Ford also is encouraging people to buy memberships, which encompass seven tiers and range in price from $40 to $2,500. Currently, there are about 850 members of the Rialto, and each tier comes perks like free popcorn, parking, drink tickets and occasional shows.

Of course, any sort of donation at rialtotheatre.com is much appreciated, too.

“I don’t know of many people that don’t have an amazing memory from the Rialto,” Ford says. “There’s this Tucson thread with the Rialto. I think it’s important for that tradition to continue.”

National Independent Venue Association nivassoc.org

Save Our Stages saveourstages.com www.LovinLife.com

Music fans worldwide have heard songs by the ’80s hair metal band Trixter. The “One in a Million” act’s drummer, Mark Gus Scott, hopes those listeners migrate to his songs.

The Arizona resident recently re-recorded the 1991 Trixter hit “Give It to Me Good” as a “power country” song—with him on vocals—in honor its 30th anniversary.

“I just want people to hear it,” Scott says. “Whenever I have something come out, I want fans to go to my website and check it out. The whole industry is upside down. If you want to buy it, I’m not going to stop you. God bless you. I just wanted to do this song so bad. I hope people like it and then share it. That’s what I think this is really about.”

“Give It to Me Good” is important to Scott, as the song changed his life. It was a Top 50 hit on Billboard’s Top 100 singles chart, No. 1 on MTV and led to a five-month North American tour with the Scorpions.

“Not sharing it is a crime,” he says about the song. “I’m bringing it to new markets—‘power country.’ It’s got a country twist and transcends generations. My son is sharing it with his friends, and they’re going crazy.

“The idea that it’s carrying on and people are embracing it is great.”

Scott says he coined the term “power country” after attending several country shows and seeing a tie between that genre and metal.

“I’ve gone to several country show— Eric Church, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley,” he says. “All these guys come out playing heavy metal. The crowds are going crazy. There’s a connection between today’s country and heavy metal rock.

“I would love for those audiences to bridge the gap. That’s where I came up with ‘power country.’ It’s basically country with a kick in the (butt). When you come from New Jersey, you think country music is ‘down south’ and old people listen to it. In the Southwest, there’s a different flavor to it. It’s a little more aggressive.”

The demographic is younger, he says.

“They still have life,” Scott adds.

Mark Gus Scott is streaming his new single, a “power country” rendition of Trixter’s “Give It to Me Good,” on his website.

(Photo by Pablo Robles)

“Country needs a kick in the butt, and I want to give it to them.”

His musical ally, Lou Piccadaci, co-produced the song, which takes the listener on a musical journey from country sixstring acoustic to a rockin’ powerhouse hoedown. Piccadaci, who lives in Surprise, defines his value not only as an

engineer but with his superior guitar performance throughout the track.

“For the past few years, I got away from rock ’n’ roll and made a lot of music that touched my heart,” Scott says. “But one thing is for sure: I miss rocking. And nothing is better than playing music

Scott...continues on page 8

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Scott...continued from page 7 that truly drives you and an audience to throw your hands in the air and dance.”

Scott adds Piccadaci has more talent than that. He’s a stellar pizza-maker.

“He has a pizza oven in his backyard, and I was totally locked in when I heard that,” Scott says with a laugh. “He bribed me with pizza. He has that East Coast mentality with the pizza. He knows what he’s doing. It’s thin crust.”

Scott first dabbled with vocals on “With You,” which combines an ’80s-style power ballad piano riff, symphonic orchestration and powerful melodic hooks—a big surprise for one of rock’s most well-known drummers.

“I’ve never sang before,” he says. “I’m not playing just drums. I play all the instruments on the cut, except guitar. I’m a horrible guitar player.

“I wanted it done right, and I wanted what’s best for the song. That’s more important than me playing all the instruments. I’ve never felt so strongly about putting words down on paper. I was trying to be emotional. I always thought I sucked as a songwriter, but something clicked, and I felt passionate about it.

This one’s right on target.”

Both songs are available through Apple iTunes, Amazon Music, Google Music and CD Baby. Autographed CDs can be purchased at MarkGusScott.com.

He previously released “Christmas Miracle,” a holiday album that includes his version of “Ave Maria.” The video features Scott performing among iconic Washington, D.C., landmarks like the World War II Memorial.

He frequently supports veterans by playing taps at cemeteries in New York City and the Valley to honor fallen heroes during Veterans Day and Memorial Day. “The Christmas album was a real-deal, adult contemporary Christmas record,” he says. “I thought I should be opening for Bing Crosby. The band was doing ancillary projects. Now I had a focus, and I knocked it out of the park. I love the way it came out.”

“I’ve done a lot of music, but this power country is sticking with me,” he says. “‘Give It to Me Good’ is the perfect song to show people what I’m really all about.

I feel this is going to define the direction I’m going to go on. It’s kind of old gospel or bluegrass with a heavy metal kick to it. I’m bringing it somewhere it hasn’t

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gone before.”

The parade drum Scott’s family knew he would be a musician when he was about 7, after his grandmother bought a “big parade drum.” At the same time, his mother gave him his first album, “Elvis’ Golden Hits.”

“I turned ‘Hound Dog’ on and I beat the living crap out of that parade drum,” he says with a laugh. “It made me feel wonderful. I broke the drumhead and I thought, ‘What am I going to do?’ So, I flipped it over and started pounding the other side.”

His first concert was Foreigner on its “Foreigner 4” tour in 1981 at age 13. Immediately, he knew his calling.

“When that bass drum busted the waves of the room, I said, ‘OK. I know exactly what I want to do in life.’”

As a sophomore in high school, Scott received the NAJE Special Citation for Musical Excellence and was granted admission to the University of Hartford Hartt School of Music. He attended three summers studying piano, drums, trumpet and a curriculum that included jazz, classical, chamber music, rock, music theory and composition.

He also put his knowledge to use as a musician/songwriter, and he toured high schools and colleges throughout the country as a guest lecturer, teaching and promoting music, DARE and his drum instructional video/teaching method, “Rock Solid.”

With Trixter, Scott sold more than 3 million albums worldwide, had three No. 1 videos on MTV, four Top 20 adult-oriented rock hits and hit No. 26 on Billboard album charts.

Trixter toured extensively in the United States, Canada and Japan in support of its five major-label releases. The group shared stages with Kiss, the Scorpions, Bret Michaels, Poison, Ted Nugent, Night Ranger, Cinderella, Twisted Sister, Dokken, Warrant, Great White and Firehouse.

Trixter is on hiatus, which is why this was the perfect time for Scott’s singles.

“Some people don’t make the band a priority any longer,” he said. “In any business with four guys, if you all don’t agree on what you’re going to do with the business, the business suffers.”

Perhaps Trixter’s most well-known tour was 1991’s “Blood, Sweat and Beers” with Warrant and Firehouse. Next year is the 30th anniversary, and Scott is hop-

ing Trixter reunites for it.

“It was more successful than we ever thought it would be,” he says.

“Warrant had ‘Cherry Pie.’ We had three No. 1 videos on MTV. Firehouse’s ‘Love of a Lifetime’ was just about to break. We just packed them in. Why shouldn’t we celebrate the 30th anniversary? We’re all here. What the hell? Fans ask about it. To not celebrate that, that would be a crime.”

Moving to Arizona Scott considers Arizona his home, after living throughout the United States in and out of suitcases on tour.

“I was going through a divorce and was very unhappy,” he says.

A friend asked him to consider moving to the Valley.

“My first day of exploration, I was sold before lunchtime,” Scott explains. “I literally went to breakfast, saw mountains, went over there and knew I was sold. I’ve been here four years and I can’t tell you how much I truly embrace the area.

“I can get anywhere in 20 minutes. I’m outside the circle of the 101. It’s more rural. I’m not in the thick of the madness of Phoenix. I look outside every morning and I can breathe. Everything comes alive. It’s quiet—until I make some fricking noise (with music).”

Scott has friends in the area, including rock drummer “Wild” Mick Brown, who played with Dokken and Ted Nugent.

The two spend their weekends riding motorcycles around Cave Creek.

“There’s something very comfortable about doing that just about every weekend,” Scott said.

“We do it 52 weeks. It may sound repetitive, but there’s something comfortable about it. We have a special gang of five members. We’re a tight-knit group.

It’s a wonderful brotherhood, and the motorcycle riding here is the best in the country—there are no potholes.”

Scott and Trixter singer Pete Loran record music for video games and movies.

“The whole thing started when we were doing sound effects for a video game and I started getting punchy,” Scott says with a laugh. “I pulled out the trumpet from the back of my car, and it sounded really good.”

First and foremost, Scott is excited for the world to hear his music.

“I’ve never felt so strongly about my music,” he says. “I hope fans enjoy it as well.” www.LovinLife.com

Arts Christmas at Madaras

Clockwise from top: Diana Madaras created this vision of a starry desert night in the form of an ornament for her Christmas in August collection; the first light glass ornament is for sale at Madaras Gallery; the Christmas church ornament will be a new addition to the holiday collection. (Photos courtesy Diana Madaras)

Celebrate the holiday with artists at Tucson gallery

BY ANNIKA TOMLIN Diana Madaras was sitting at her computer one fall when she heard a voice say, “Open a Christmas shop.”

She initially blew it off.

“And then it was louder,” she says. “It said, ‘Open a Christmas shop.’”

After realizing the only Christmas shop in the area closed, she decided to fill the void at her Tucson gallery seven years ago. For the last seven years, Madaras has dedicated her space to the holiday in August.

For the one-month show, she transforms the front portion of her gallery into a winter wonderland with items and paintings produced by her and guest artists.

“We have 25 different holiday cards, and we’ll also do different ornaments and prints and coasters and mini canvases,” Madaras says. “We probably have 1,000

ornaments at the holidays, plus really unique décor.”

The nine-time Best Artist in Tucson winner will showcase new holiday images that include a Christmas church, a saguaro in the desert with a coyote in a Christmas hat, and a brightly colored desert scene with stars.

“I can’t say I can pick a favorite, but we do have four new holiday card images in addition to some of our standard favorites,” Madaras says.

Through her award-winning gallery, Madaras donates to charities, including her nonprofit Art for Animals, which has

received more than $200,000.

“I have this animal foundation called Art for Animals,” Madaras says. “We help homeless, abused and injured animals.

We have done that since the start of the gallery.”

During the pandemic, Madaras Gallery is allowing in-person viewing with a

maximum of 10 people in the gallery at a time. Private appointments are available. She is unable to host the “wonderful parties and events” that occur throughout the year due to social distancing. She’s continuing to make the gallery accessible to people who want to see or purchase from it.

Customers can purchase online or have curbside pickup. The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t been too bad for Madaras.

“On the flip side, it has given me more time to paint, which I have enjoyed,” Madaras says.

“I’m getting ready for my October show.

“I’m very pleased to say that we have a lot of support online. We did a series of 1-minute videos of me and our other guest artist that people really liked.”

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3035 N. Swan Road 615-3001, madaras.com

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Dining

Charrovida

Charrovida goes Charrovegan

7109 N. Oracle Road 779-1922, charrovida.com 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Tuesdays through Sundays

Year-old restaurant undergoes menu refresh

BY VALERIE VINYARD When Charrovida opened in April 2019, owner Ray Flores wanted to offer diners an upscale, vegetarian-centric meal.

Within a few months, the restaurant was hitting its stride. Then the pandemic hit.

Like many restaurants, Charrovida temporarily closed in March because of the pandemic, but it reopened mid-July to offer takeout, catering, and socially distant patio dining and indoor dining.

The restaurant, which is part of Flores Concepts, is located in Casas Adobes Plaza, in the spot formerly occupied by Bird Modern Provisions and Bar. Flores Concepts includes El Charro Cafe, a restaurant that was established in Tucson almost 100 years ago.

With the reopening, Charrovida has revamped its menu to focus on more portable but still healthy and now vegan-focused meals. While everything on the menu starts out as plant-based or vegan, meat lovers shouldn’t fret: Diners have the option to add grass-fed beef, salmon and chicken as well as vegetarian options to meals.

“A lot of the food that we did there was

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AUGUST 2020

sit-down-style food that wouldn’t travel well,” says Ray Flores, president of Flores Concepts. “We wanted to make it more user friendly. We made it more customizable, better for packaging, for reheating.”

As a result, Charrovida has evolved into an elevated fast-casual restaurant. The usual 160-person capacity inside and outside the restaurant understandably has been cut because of social distancing measures.

On the new menu, diners can find build-your-own-bowl options ($13-$15), salads ($9-$12) and Chef Carlotta’s Tamales ($10-$17, depending on how many).

The former price points of $25 to $30 an entrée have been lowered so that nothing is priced more than $17 on the new menu.

Charrovida also debuted a new Sunday brunch menu July 26.

“It’s more about being clean and being smart,” Flores says. “We’re trying to do just little smarter twists. We wanted to consider all diets, as every family has their own challenges.”

Chef-owner Carlotta Flores and chef Gary Hickey revamped about 75% of the menu. They took care not to eliminate

La Taqueria, left, and Beyond Burger

Build Your Own Bowl, left, and Jackfruit Birria. (Submitted photos)

diner favorites such as avocado hummus, enchiladas, mini chimis and nopalitos.

Charrovida added the plant-based Beyond Burger to the menu ($15) because it is non-GMO, unlike the Impossible brand.

Flores raved about Charrovida’s “delicious” vegan gluten-free churro, aka Churro Dreams ($7), and the vegan Nachos Vida ($11), where the restaurant makes its own vegan crema with coconut milk.

“I think it’s more conscientious menu,” says Flores, ticking off such healthy options as a plant-based keto chile relleno ($12-$16), which is high in protein and low carb.

Charrovida offers a different soup every day, including vegan posole, black bean nacho soup and lentil.

Flores recommended meat lovers also try Charrovida’s jack fruit taquitos ($11).

“It just has that good earthy flavor that really works,” he says. “We really season it, and I think that would please a lot of meat eaters.”

The restaurant also features a vegan wine program of about 25 wines by the bottle ($24-$45), and healthy ingredients

are added to the signature margaritas, such as aguas frescas and agave. Charrovida is offering half-priced wine all summer.

Flores wants the restaurant to get involved again with community gardens at schools such as Manzo Elementary once they reopen. He says the restaurant had been using ingredients from the gardens to use in its recipes.

In addition, Flores Concepts has formed a partnership with the University of Arizona Community School Garden Program. This collaboration between the university and area Tucson Unified School District schools was established to help children learn the importance of food and food sustainability and why leading a healthier lifestyle can benefit everyone. While that program is on hold because of the pandemic, Carlotta Flores says her family remains committed now more than ever to teaching future generations the importance of sustainability and eating for your health.

“We want to make it with this concept,” Flores says. “We think it’s important to the community. We’ve learned a lot, and this menu is cool.” www.LovinLife.com

Knead to Know Sandwich shop August Rhodes rises into a bakery

BY VALERIE VINYARD As a fledgling sandwich shop, the 6-month-old August Rhodes was just getting its “feet underneath it” when the coronavirus hit.

The fast-casual artisanal sandwich, soup and salad concept offered wellmade, filling food with friendly, engaged employees.

So, when the restaurant had to temporarily close, “It took a lot of wind out of our sails,” partner Nathan Ares says of the pandemic.

During the closure, Ares and his partners reinvented the concept. On July 9, August Rhodes Bakery was born.

The move made sense, as the 2,200-square-foot location already had been baking all of the breads for restaurants that are part of the Ares Collective, which encompasses Commoner and Co. and the Prep and Pastry locations.

Ares also noted that other restaurants had been requesting baked goods from them.

Now the general public can benefit, too. August Rhodes Bakery is open for walk-up business from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Thursdays through Sundays, or until the bread is gone. Most prices range from $5 to $8.

For those who pine for August Rhodes’ sandwiches, Prep and Pastry has added

some of August Rhodes’ most popular sandwiches to its menu, such as the turkey club, BLT and the Jersey Joe. When the lease for August Rhodes Bakery ends in December, it will move to another location. Ares hopes to find something in the Campbell Corridor or at least remain north of the university.

“It’s just not us anymore,” Ares says.

“It’s a beautiful building, but I don’t want to be kind of hidden in an old shopping center.

“I would like it to be the north side local bakery,” he continues. “I don’t want it to be this huge production of delivering bread to every single grocery story.

I want to be the boutique approachable bakery on the north side.”

Partner and head baker Nathan Teufel, formerly of Canyon Ranch and Monsoon Chocolate, is the baking force behind August Rhodes Bakery. Ares calls the 37-year-old “a nerd about bread.”

In addition to its sourdough varieties, which include traditional, chocolate sourdough and roasted pistachio green olive, Teufel creates bialys, which Ares says are like fluffier bagels without the hole, and Japanese milk bread, which Ares describes as “really good Wonder Bread.”

Baguettes and English muffins also are offered.

The bakery also sells sourdough startAugust Rhodes Bakery’s sourdough bread with its housemade jam is available for customers to purchase Thursdays through Sundays.

August Rhodes Bakery 3073 N. Campbell Avenue 447-8873, augustrhodesmarket.com www.LovinLife.com

er kits and French toast making kits, which will come with a link to a video on how to make the bread.

Ares says August Rhodes already sells its products to Ren Coffeehouse, and he is in talks with a lot of restaurants and a couple of grocery stores.

“We just want to make sure we can take care of what we’re doing now before we expand out,” he says. “We’re going to be very selective of who gets it.”

In January 2014, Ares opened his first restaurant, Prep and Pastry.

It was tucked away in a plaza at 3073 N. Campbell Avenue, where August Rhodes Bakery sits. In June 2015, Ares and his partners opened the upscale Commoner and Co. at 6960 E. Sunrise Drive. Another Prep and Pastry is located on East Grant Road, and one recently

Partner baker Nathan Teufel with a loaf of sourdough. (Photo by Shannon Dudley/Corker Photography)

opened in Scottsdale.

His secret for success?

“Just do a good job and people will show up,” Ares says. “And keep your head down and keep a smile on your face.”

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Maybe you have seen him interviewed on CBS by Steve Ochoa or during the Dr Oz show, maybe you saw him on NBC. He has brought this new treatment to persons suffering from neuropathy in Tucson. He uses two kinds of Light to stimulate the nerves to function better. He uses pulsed infrared technology that helps reduce the pain, and FDA approved cold lasers that help the cells function better. He offers his consultation for FREE. He looks at the interview time as a time for him to see if you have the type of neuropathy that he treats but more importantly, for you to interview him and see if he is someone that you would like to work with. His clinic is certified with the Neuropathy Treatment Centers of America and he has received advanced training in the treatment of neuropathy. There are fewer than 100 doctors in America that have received this advanced training in this type of therapy. Dr T looks at neuropathy as a thief that comes to your life and starts to steal from you. If you allow neuropathy to continue, it will steal your independence (driving, walking, balance) As Dr T says “Everyday we are having more success relieving neuropathy pain, WHY NOT YOU?” Give his office a call and schedule the FREE consultation and see if you qualify for this new therapy 520-445-6784.

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Music Axe to Grind

TSO guitarist Angus Clark and local musicians rip through ‘Burn’

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Trans-Siberian Orchestra guitarist Angus Clark vividly remembers the day the world shut down. He was playing guitar for Cher and took a side trip to an NBA game in Oklahoma City.

Clark knew something was wrong.

“This year I was slated to play 10 shows with Cher, and the second one was in Oklahoma City,” Clark says. “The whole band drove to Oklahoma City to see the Utah Jazz play.

“We sat there waiting for the game to start, and then the cheerleaders came out and did the halftime show before the game started. Then they said the game

“Burn”

featuring Angus Clark, Bobby Sisk, Greg Smith, Jason Hartless, Marine Lacoste and Brian Buzard. youtube.com/watch?v= CbjMdDVWTZ8

was canceled. Our shows were canceled.

The basketball season was canceled, and I haven’t left home since.”

Instead of laying low, Clark has been creating music with friends. His latest project is a cover of Deep Purple’s “Burn” with singer Bobby Sisk (Drop Diezel) from Cave Creek; bassist Greg Smith (Dokken, Ted Nugent); drummer Jason Hartless (Ted Nugent); keyboardist Marine Lacoste (Uncle Kracker) and Phoenix guitarist Brian Buzard.

“I just recorded and there was Bobby, who has a lot of touring credits,” says Clark, photographed here with a Jackson guitar. “He’s a tremendous singer. I just recorded my parts and put the video and the audio in a Dropbox. It came out great.

After I submitted my parts, that was pret-

ty much it.

“I’ll do anything that helps people stay connected and to give people something to do and makes them feel better about the fact we all have to stay on lockdown right now. I want to keep people safe and healthy until we have a national strategy.”

“Burn” was a logical choice for Clark, who has played with a Deep Purple tribute band.

Every Other Memory Country singers Ryan Hurd and his wife, Maren Morris, are putting their family first during the COVID-19 quarantine.

They welcomed their first child, son Hayes Andrew Hurd, in March and are spending their pandemic-driven break watching him mature.

“We’re enjoying being home,” says Hurd, who lives in Nashville. “We’re proud to be with our son, and that part has been a huge positive. We wish we were on the road with our teams so we could see our fans and play shows. That’s who we are, and that’s a huge part of our identity. It’s been cool to see Hayes every day and not miss anything, though.”

The break hasn’t been all about family, though. Hurd released his latest collection,

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AUGUST 2020

“EOM,” on June 26. The EP includes an acoustic recording of his latest single, “Every Other Memory”; a live version of “Wish For the World” recorded at Nashville’s Cannery Ballroom; his cover of Taylor Swift’s “False God”; as well as new versions of his bestknown songwriting hits, including “Heartless” and “Sunrise Sunburn Sunset.”

For “False God,” Hurd says it’s fun to dive into other artists’ songwriting.

“When her album came out, I wrote on my story how much I loved that song,” he says. “She reposted my story, so I covered it. I love that song and that album (‘Lover’).

She’s somebody I have so much respect for

Clark...continues on page 13 Country singer Ryan Hurd released his latest collection, “EOM,” on June 26. (Submitted photo)

Country singer Ryan Hurd releases nostalgic EP

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

“Ritchie Blackmore is a huge influence for me,” he says about the original Deep Purple and Rainbow guitarist. “I had, in particular, been a fan of the early Rainbow (Ronnie James) Dio material.

“The Deep Purple material is much more popular than Rainbow material.

When getting together with Greg Smith a few years ago, we had always done Deep

as a songwriter.”

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hurd was playing it live. He says it paid off.

“When you play live music and you have fans in the room, you have Taylor Swift fans in the room,” Hurd says. “She’s the biggest artist in the world. I think it’s cool, too, to

hear a man sing a song that was originally written by and performed by a woman. It brings a different perspective.

“I didn’t have to change any pronouns to make it work for me, either. It’s a testament to her writing and the gender norms we express.”

The new single from “EOM” is the title track, “Every Other Memory,” which he cowrote with Cole Taylor and Nathan Spicer. The song is a nostalgic romp through a man’s former relationship, with lyrics like: “That last call, first kiss never left my mind/That old school Springsteen gets me every time/ And when I see that leather jacket/Think about how you had it.”

Speaking of lyrics, Hurd has had co-pen credits on some of country music’s biggest hits, including “Lonely Tonight” (Blake Shelton), “Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset” (Luke Bryan), “You Look Good” and “What If I NevHurd...continues on page 13 www.LovinLife.com

‘Kuarantine’ Project Chris Jericho teams up with other rockers to honor Kiss

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI As a wrestling superstar or a musician, Chris Jericho is always up for doing something creative that produces headlines.

Not one to let a pandemic get to him, Jericho jumped at the chance to join Kuarantine, a Kiss cover band that covers on the years 1983 to 1996 with drummer Kent Slucher (Luke Bryan), guitarist Joe McGinness (Klassik ’78) and bassist PJ Farley (Trixter).

“Only in a pandemic could you form a non-’80s makeup Kiss cover band with the guitarist from Kiss. We’re four guys who all really enjoy that era of Kiss, a forgotten era in the land of ‘kisstory,’” Jericho says.

“They have all of these great tunes from ’83 to ’96 that no one’s really focused on. We were ready to do that. It

Hurd...continued from page 12 er Get Over You” (Lady Antebellum), and “Heartless” (Diplo ft. Morgan Wallen).

“As far as lyrics go, we work so hard on them,” he says. “It’s nice to have people listen to them. I thought the one thing we do so well in country music is nostalgia and painting visual pictures with song.

“It touches on so many different nerves for the listener. I really love the way it turned out. We knew immediately ‘Every Other Memory’ was going to be special. Everybody’s eyes went up when the band figured it out.”

Music has been Hurd’s calling since his www.LovinLife.com

came together very easily. It was very organic.”

Kuarantine was founded by Slucher, who sent the drum parts to the Kiss song “No No No” to Jericho and asked him to guess the song. The band sent its cover of “No No No” to Kiss’ Gene Simmons, who liked the song. He sent it to his guitarist, Bruce Kulick. The axeman joined Kuarantine for the next single, “Heart of Chrome.”

This time, Jericho played the song for Kiss’ Paul Stanley, who said the singer was “pulling off quite the task.” “‘Heart of Chrome’ is a very hard song to sing,” he says.

“I’ve been singing that song for 28 years, since ‘Revenge’ came out. I’ve always loved that song. It was my suggestion to do it. It’s high and in my range. I know the nuances. ‘No No No’ was harder. I never sang it before, and I wasn’t the biggest fan of it until we actually recorded it.”

In addition to his wrestling career—first with World Wrestling Entertainment and now with All Elite Wrestling—Jericho is the lead singer of Fozzy, which will release its eighth full-length album this fall, featuring its latest single, “Nowhere To Run.” Jericho also hosts “The Rock Of Jericho,” a weekly radio show on SiriusXM Octane and the “Talk Is Jericho” podcast.

For Kuarantine, Jericho surrounded himself with top-notch touring musiformative years in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

“I think this is the only job I ever wanted since I was 11,” says Hurd, who earned a sociology degree from Belmont University in Nashville. “I did school, but I thought I would give this a go. I’ve always loved writing songs. Once I found out this is the job I can do, I made sure I really cherished being a songwriter in Nashville.”

And he has done so since then. COVID forced the cancellation of the back part of his headlining tour, and he’s “bummed” it didn’t work out. Hurd says it feels “strange” to be home in July, but to be home with Hayes and Morris is priceless.

Kuarantine

Facebook: kuarantineofficial Instagram: kuarantine_official

Chris Jericho

Facebook: ChrisJericho chrisjericho.com cians. Slucher has backed Bryan for 12 years in small clubs and giant stadiums.

McGinness is a rising country singer/guitarist who has shared the stage with artists such as Old Dominion, Florida Georgia Line and Granger Smith and is also a member of Klassik ’78, a digital tribute to ’70s Kiss. Farley rose to fame in the New Jersey-based gold-selling rock band Trixter, which toured with Kiss, Poison, Scorpions and others.

“When you get a guy like Kent, who’s known for being a great live drummer, it’s cool,” Jericho says. “He has a rock background. In Nashville, those guys often have their own session musicians.

They don’t use their own guys in the studio. He’s dying to do some of his own stuff to really show off his chops. Recording ‘No No No’ he said, ‘My legs are killing me from the double bass drums.

There’s not a lot of double bass in a Luke Bryan show.

“He wants to let loose and do what he can do. For me, I don’t sing like this in Fozzy. They don’t have super high vocals. It’s fun for me as a singer, and doing ‘Heart of Chrome’ in the original key and knocking it out of the part is awesome.”

As for Farley, Jericho says he has “street cred” because he toured with Kiss as a member of Trixter.

“One of the pros of a pandemic and lockdown is a lot of people found other kindred spirits to be creative with, ipso facto bands to record songs with,” Jericho says.

“We’ve enjoyed being in Nashville in the summertime,” he says. “There are good parts to this pandemic. We miss the teams, and we miss our fans and all the people on the buses and our friends we see in every city—the people we count on seeing on tour. We’ll see them next year.”

Ryan Hurd

ryanhurd.com facebook.com/RyanHurdOfficial twitter.com/ryanhurd rh.lnk.to/EOM-EP

Clark...continued from page 12 Purple material; the stuff that has Glenn Hughes in it. I had learned all that material.”

To put this project together, he had to “dive deep” and make sure he was getting the guitar solo “YouTube ready.”

“You don’t want to mess it up on YouTube,” he says with a laugh. “It was a personal challenge. I feel I got a good result out of that.”

Clark grew up in New York City with an opera singer mother and a father who played the cello. Music filled his home.

“I took up the guitar in earnest when I was 13, the same year Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’ came out,” he says. “After that, I was just learning Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath and ‘London Calling’ by The Clash.

Then I discovered Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow.

“I was a huge devotee of the giants of guitar, like Michael Schenker, Randy Rhoades, David Gilmore, Tony Iommi and Yngwie Malmsteen.”

Clark landed his first deal in 1992 with the band Naked Sun, a progressive metal act. But the musicians were dropped as “grunge took hold,” he says.

After that, he spent the rest of the ’90s touring the world with Japanese new age musician Kitaro, who was signed to Geffen Records.

“I was playing, essentially, instrumental Pink Floyd-style, orchestral rock music with no singers,” he says.

Around 1999, his friend and Kitaro fan Marty Friedman recommended him to Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

If there are concerts this fall, Clark will celebrate 20 years with the West Coast team of Trans-Siberian Orchestra. He’s especially fond of the Valley.

“We love that area,” he says. “I’ve previously worked with some guitar builders based out of Phoenix and (Peoria’s) Atomic Guitar Works. They’re great. We love that town. I can’t wait to get back there.

“I love playing with TSO and the fans are the best. The band is really tight knit.

Al Pitrelli, Jane Mangini and I have all been in the West Coast-touring band for about 20 years.”

For now, he’s spending a “fortune” on cameras and home recording gear through the pandemic and posting content on his socials @angusclarkGTR. “Since the lockdown hit, we’ve becoming self-producing broadcasters,” he says with a laugh.

AUGUST 2020

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Sports From Tragedy to the Team Starling Marte considered retirement after his wife’s death

BY DAVE HOGG Starling Marte was a late arrival to Arizona Diamondbacks summer camp.

He almost didn’t show up at all.

The 31-year-old outfielder was delayed

by Major League Baseball’s COVID-19 testing protocols on his way from the Dominican Republic and didn’t arrive in Phoenix until mid-July. After taking the day to get his four kids settled in, he worked out for the first time shortly thereafter.

“I had to wait for all of the tests to come back, but they are all good and I’m ready to go,” he says through a translator in a Zoom call with Diamondbacks reporters after his first practice.

When spring training was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, Marte was getting ready to be Arizona’s everyday centerfielder. Everything changed in one tragic week in May. Marte’s wife Noelia broke her ankle, then died of a heart attack while in the hospital awaiting surgery. He announced her death in a May 18 Instagram post, then tried to decide what came next.

“My first thought was I wanted to retire and not play baseball anymore,” Marte’s translator says. “I was processing the tragedy, and I was leaning in that direction. But I had some conversations with some pastors and my friends back home, and I felt a lot more supported.”

The final decision, though, didn’t come until Marte talked things over with his three oldest children, who are 10, 6 and

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AUGUST 2020

Starling Marte is expected to hit near the top of Torey Lovullo’s lineup. (Photos courtesy Taylor Jackson and Sarah Sachs/Arizona Diamondbacks)

4. His youngest, a 1-year-old, is also with him.

“I especially felt supported by them when it came to coming back to play,” he says.

“This has been the hardest on my oldest, because she spent so much time with her mother.”

Sadly, Marte has some idea what his kids are experiencing. His own mother died when he was 10, leaving him to be raised by his grandmother.

The Diamondbacks sent the team plane to get Marte, fellow outfielder Ketel Marte (no relation) and their families from the Dominican Republic. The teammates discussed playing through tragedy, as Ketel lost his mother in a car accident during the 2017 season.

“He and his wife gave me their condolences, and we talked a lot about our kids,” Starling said. “It’s all about moving

forward now and making sure our kids are ready to handle what comes next.”

The Diamondbacks organization, from the owner to the players, has done whatever possible to help a teammate dealing with a tragic loss, even though he’s never played a regular-season game for Arizona.

“We were in regular contact with Starling,” general manager Mike Hazen says.

“Obviously, it was a horrible tragedy, so it will be good to have him here and see him again.”

Marte played his first eight major-league seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, playing in the 2016 All-Star Game and winning a pair of Gold Gloves in the outfield. In January, he was acquired for a pair of minor-league prospects. He’s expected to hit near the top of Torey Lovullo’s lineup, probably in front of power hitters Ketel Marte and Eduardo Escobar.

Last year, he set career highs in homers (23), RBI (82) and runs (97) while hitting .295 with an .845 OPS. He also stole 25 bases, marking the seventh straight season with at least 20. That’s exactly the kind of hitter the Diamondbacks need at the top of a batting order that needed more runners in 2019.

“I feel really good and really prepared,” he says. “It was tough to get back to training, but I’m going to be ready for the season.” www.LovinLife.com

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