Welcome to Wiestworld!

The On-going Wiestworld Video and Message

Hello Dear Friends of the Internet, in this and all the other universes!  As usual, there is LOTS going on here in Wiestworld, and all of it is big fun. I continue to lead a charmed life loaded with love, happiness, and a daily embarrassment of riches when it comes to all things creative.

Here is something I've been meaning to do for forever and finally got around to actually doing: I've put together a fun YouTube playlist of all thirteen charts that I have written over the years for the wonderful University of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band. First as a student member of the group (1985-88) then as a faculty member (2007) then as director of the ensemble (2008-2014) complete with two Grammy nominations (Ice-Nine: Best Original Composition, and Lab 2009, Best Large Jazz Ensemble) It's a cray-cray feast of nigh onto unplayable virtuoso madness from top-to-bottom! Just click on the graphic below

and it will take you to the playlist:

Wassup?

Along with writing both music and prose, recording and of course PRACTICING, I am accepting a limited amount of fun gigs (the operative word here is FUN!) Click on the button below to

see what's up concert and gig-wise for me this month:
 

The Vinyl Corner

 Our second Vinyl Hampdin album, BLUE is out and folks are digging it muchly! Here is the latest lyric video in a very cool animated format. It’s the “Is it country? Is it funk? Is it jazz? Is it rock? Is it Gospel?” track titled “Good Gravy!” This one describes the oft times lonely and angst-ridden journey that ends (and begins) in the ultimate (and blissful) discovery process of true love. Such a deal!

And what’s that you say? You don’t own a CD copy of BLUE? Not to worry– oh Ye with exquisite taste in music–you can order your very own copy signed by me at my Bandcamp site. Just click on the BLUE album cover artwork below and go grab one! (Or many) 

A New Sci-Fi Novel!

That’s right! I am in the process of a final rewrite and draft DELUXE of a new sci-fi novel. And to test the waters before I start shopping for literary agents (y’all know any?) I am releasing a chapter at a time on the lovely site MEDIUM. Just click on the word MEDIUM and you will be beamed right to Chapter 1. Feel free to join Medium, follow me, and comment on each chapter. I'd love to hear what you think!

Here is the synopsis:

DREAMING OF TESLA

In the near future, the Earth has been redrawn. Climate change has made the maps of the early Twenty First Century obsolete, all of the world’s governments have fallen, public education has ended and been replaced by a fully employed and happily complacent work force. As society begins to fall into a rapid tailspin of decline, an all-encompassing entertainment and fossil fuel industry known as QUE, powered by its wildly popular sensor necklace AI Internet and run by the enigmatic John Tecumseh James III has stepped in and become the de facto rulers of the planet.

In the underground arts community in the Manhattan Free Zone, brilliant jazz composer Clyf Davis has been given a momentous secret straight from the legendary Nikola Tesla Wardenclyffe Notes that promises to end the planet-wide QUE monopoly. Determined to stop Clyf at all costs, John James begins a quest to wipe out Clyf and his close band of friends as they travel across The People’s Continent in the hopes of reaching the only new government

beyond James’ control: Sagan.

And while you’re enjoying one of the new chapters for

DREAMING OF TESLA,

howz about a nice cuppa Vinyl Joe? Just head on over to the Vinyl Hampdin Merch page and git you one!

CLICK HERE FOR THE STORE

And finally, as promised, here are some live videos featuring Andy Sturgeon's mighty Mundelein High School Jazz Band (Mundelein, Illinois) and myself performing some charts from my new project “Groove Quest.” These are brand new pieces written for my guest artist appearances based on a thrilling and oh-so-cheesy

space opera of the same name.

Check ‘em out!

And I hope to bring said space-fest of extraterrestrial delights to YOUR school this year! If you’d like to make THAT magic a reality, contact my manager Brian Horner at this address: bhorner@soundartistsupport.com

Well, that's APLENTY for this issue of Wiestworld News! I enjoyed hangin' out here with you and discussing all that I'm up to. Life is always better with friends, and I treasure each and every one of YOU.

In fact, I love you all MADLY!

See Y'all next time!

I've added some of my personal contacts to this mailing list so...SURPRISE! But if you would rather not have this newsletter added to your in-box occassionaly, just click on the unsucscribe option below.

Yes, I will weep upon your leaving, but try not to think about that too much... I'll be alright :)