We've been busy both in stores and around town.  Take a look!

Lots of students took advantage of our Step-Up Nights in all three area locations.  Pictured is the sax display in our Champaign store, where shoppers were able to meet and greet Jonathon Breen, our Yamaha sales rep, who introduced us to the Yamaha 875EX 50th Anniversary Custom EX Alto Saxophone, one of only 50 made worldwide!

The Yamaha 875EX 50th Anniversary Alto Saxophone features hand-engraving in gold, gold-hardware (keys/posts), ribbed and flanged post construction, custom key mechanism, new bell brace, newly designed octave mechanism, ASC-820 case, and a 4CM mouthpiece.  Everyone agreed - it's a beauty!

Early in the month, the crew in Springfield was busy at the SOHO 2010 Music Fest.  Now in its 6th year, the festival showcases local music and the wealth of talent around us while providing some much-needed financial support for local charities.  Over 25 bands from Springfield and the surrounding area provided a broad variety of music, and Samuel Music is proud to have been a supporter again this year.

In Champaign, folks from Samuel Music took center stage at the annual Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival.

SMC Associates were busy throughout the festival, entertaining a

Caleb and Dave on stage

nd educating attendees.  At our booth, people were busy trying out equipment and participating in a small drum circle.  Champaign employee and guitar teacher Caleb Cook led the kazoo jam, performing with Chicago guitar hero Dave Uhlrich, named one of the "100 Wildest Guitar Heroes" by Classic Rock Magazine.

On stage, SMC employee and drummer Josh Kline appeared with  America's Got Talent star Tallan Noble Latz.

Caleb and Tallan heating it up

Following his rise to stardom, this energetic young man is traveling the country on tour.  He was recently named the 2010 WAMI (WI Grammies) winner of the Rising Star of the Year Award. Tallan recently performed at NAMM 2010 in Nashville.

Congrats to Yvonne, winner of the DBZ guitar at the Blues, Brews & BBQ!

Pictured are Yvonne,
Louie the alligator; Ed Nystrom, Champaign store manager;
Tallan Latz , America's Got Talent star; and Dean Zelinsky, creator of DBZ guitars.

 

If you think your tops...or even if you don't...if you like Rock Band, you'll definitely want to plan on joining us for our Rock Band jam session.  Saturday, July 10 from 12-4 p.m. we'll be holding a huge Rock Band extravaganza!  Show us your best Tom Petty, Beatles and Alice in Chains.  Or maybe it's Kansas, Megadeth or Otis Redding.  Whatever your style, whatever your instrument, come join us!

Girls, get out your leggings and your minis, guys, dust off those leather pants and studded belts...'cause you're going to want to dress like a rock star!  Whether your Madonna or Gwen, Travis Barker or Kenny Chesney, it's all about being a rock star!

 

A drum circle is any group of people playing drums and percussion in a circle. From as few as three to as many as several thousand, they're a continuous circle of sound.

In the sixties, drum circles gained popularity as groups of people just gathered and drummed in large jam sessions in public areas in many large cities.  And they've been on a roll ever since.

Throughout history, drum circles have been performed for thousands of years in many different cultures.  Ancient Indians, religious groups, American Indians  all used drum circles in religious, medicinal, and community events. In modern times, drum circles are performed in everything from straight music making to team building to music therapy and education to just recreation.  There are blogs, DVD's,  and Facebook pages dedicated to drum circles, and internet sites that help you "find a circle near you".  Typically, people gather to drum in drum "circles" with others from the surrounding community.

In 1991, during testimony before the United States Senate Special Committee on Aging, Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart stated:

 "The drum circle offers equality because there is no head or tail. It includes people of all ages. The main objective is to share rhythm and get in

A drum circle at Champaign's Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival last month.

tune with each other and themselves. To form a group consciousness. To entrain and resonate. By entertainment, I mean that a new voice, a collective voice, emerges from the group as they drum together."

So we're going to give it a try. On Saturday July 10th, beginning at 11 a.m. we will be having a drum circle in our parking lot at the Effingham store.  Bring your drums, bring a seat, and be prepared to make some music!

 CJ Weber!

A man and his guitar are rarely parted...even when they're across the world at the French Open! Yep, that's right.  Pictured is former Teutopolis resident and avid guitar player C.J. Weber, entertaining French subway riders with his American sounds!

C.J. was in France last month as part of the team coaching Ryler Dehart of Champaign, Illinois, at the French Open Roland Garros Tournament. Ryler, ranked 225 in the world, made it through the first several rounds in the Open but lost in the 3rd round to Russian player Teimuraz Gabashvili.
 
C.J. grew up in Teutopolis and attended Eastern Illinois University, where he had an impressive four-year both academically and athletically.  With a 3.95 GPA, this EIU Scholar-Athlete garnered Academic All-America First Team honors as a senior, following his selection to the Academic All-America District First Team as a junior and senior, as well as an impressive tennis career.
 
Weber coached at both his alma mater and the University of Illinois.  At Illinois, he coached three All-Americans and helped guide the team to the semifinals of the USTA/ITA National Indoors Tournament and to the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Tournament.  C.J. is in his fourth year as assistant coach of the University of Miami's men's tennis program.

We love to spotlight our Samuel family making music....if you have photos of your musician, please send them to Brian Bannister and we'll try to get them featured!