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Wade Boeger
The Promenade in Brooklyn
Heights
Photo by Angelica
Welcome!
Updated June 2, 2010
Happy Birthday, Dad
"So Wade, whatcha been up to?"
I
still play private parties, corporate events and small theaters, solo,
with the Movin'
Out Band, and
once in a while with The Billy Joel Band, when they are not on the road.
While it was two years ago now, the whole "stunt Billy" thing at Shea Stadium was an
amazing experience, and I am forever grateful to Billy and Tommy Byrnes
for putting me in Billy's chair. I will never forget that.
I am promoting two major things right now. I put
together a live / multi-media theater style show / concert called "It's
Still Rock and Roll To Me." It includes the original Movin' Out Band
from the Broadway production, stories and photos from the Movin' Out
days, some bits and pieces of trivia about the songs that may not be
readily known, and of course wonderful performances from what I still
consider to be the best band in the world. Biased as I may be, they are
great musicians, and I am very lucky to be playing with them. And of
course, it would be nothing without the brilliant song writing of Billy
Joel.
We debuted it at John Cranford Adams Playhouse at
Hofstra University in June of 2009, and we sold out three shows. That
created a buzz, and that buzz has managed to make its way to some new
venues. I hope that this show will have some long term legs. It's a good
one, a tribute to a legendary American composer who happens to be a Long
Islander. It's also a great excuse to have a reunion of "The most
dangerous band on Broadway." We can't help it. When we get together, we
have a blast!
The buzz brought Entertainment Unlimited to my door and
now I finally have some decent management. As of April '10 I am signed
exclusively to EU. 'Bout time I found sound good management! Check out
the Info page for details about EU and Ted Fass, the man in charge.
I have also been doing concerts with smaller versions
of the MOB. The five piece version (me, guitar, bass, drums and sax) is
a lot of fun for me because I am the piano man and the synth guy
at the same time. It keeps me very busy. We do shows as a with a six piece version, including a synth
player, and the seven piece with another sax player. I include the
multi-media aspect of the concert if the venue can accommodate it. Oh,
and occasionally sax player extraordinaire Cliff Lyons and I do a duo
thing which is just a blast. We even do a trio with guitar, of the last
three
we've done two were with Chris Jucino, a wonderful guitarist who did many a sub
job on Movin' Out on Broadway.
I have also been doing a solo show called "Piano,
Microphone,
Audience." (Check out some vids, links on the
home page) Just me and a grand piano. It's quite a liberating
feeling to just play solo and go off where ever I want when ever I want,
and respond immediately to the audience. Those shows are so much fun for
me. Not that my keyboards and sampler are a bad thing. They in fact make
the five piece version of the MOB possible. But with just a grand piano,
there is no technology to get in my way. Hence, the title of the show.
The acoustic grand is truly my axe, and what I was trained on.
Thanks to all the people who have been coming to these
solo shows. Especially the most recent one at The Metropolitan Room in NYC.
I'm doing one a month in different venues, and making sure each show is
very different from the last.
It's been slow going, but I am still in the process of notating a collection of my
instrumental material, with the hopes of publishing the finished
results. It's taking me forever, but it will include my version of Bumble Boogie
(which is finished!), Sugar Punk (my ELP on speed version of
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies that can be
found on one of the Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids recordings),
Boogie In Monk Suit, The High Class Boogie (inspired by the solo
in High Class Snot and the fact that I really can't stand the words to
that song anymore), and Graveyard In Lockport. I'll probably throw
Untitled and Rain In The Woods in, too. The most time consuming
aspect of this project has been trying to transcribe out my own solos. But
now that I have discovered the Amazing Slow Downer program, I've been
able to tackle that problem head on with quite a bit more efficiency and
accuracy. I know you can do that with Logic, but it's bit more
involved...
I started writing an opera for a small string ensemble
a long time ago when I lived in CA, but Movin' Out came along and I put it
on the shelf. I'm trying to start that up again, as there has been some
interest in my earlier string ensemble music. I'm not so much interested
in the opera anymore as much as just performing with a small string
ensemble. So, I'm trying to
get that going, too. I made friends with some of the string players at
Billy's Last Play at Shea event, and that's been wonderful
motivation to get the "string thing" going again.
I am spending most of my time in PA now, recording,
writing, practicing, enjoying the quiet. You know you can't buy good
neighbors, so when you have them it's kind of like winning the lottery.
I can't begin to express my deep appreciation for the kindness that my
friends here in PA have shown me. I will probably never leave for that
reason.
There are concerts that are open to the public coming
up. Check the
calendar and come on down if ya can!
Lastly I have been writing and recording again, and
little by little that next Wade CD is becoming a reality. I have five
songs so far. Long time
coming, but I hope to have it out sooner than later. I'm also working on
a Christmas CD at the same time, and odds are that will be finished
before the original one. I'm really aiming for finishing both this year.
Well, a guy can dream ...
And that's what I am up to!
I truly appreciate your indulgence.
Thank you,
What's
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Email me
at
wade@wadepreston.com
