Had a great performance with the ICU on the 16th at the Pasadena Library. We had six new, original works performed and had special guests Vinny Golia and Ulrich Krieger who performed with us and also played an original work each. At the end, we also played Rzewski's "Les Moutons de Panurge".

My pieces went well and Kathy Carbone's dancing was outstanding as well as Mercus' reading of some of his text.

I also had a great time on Tuesday playing with Bill Stuhlly, Dona Oxford, Frank Macchia, and Jayce Burns...plus some guests who sat in. It was a fun night and we were told that we were better than the Dave Matthews band.... I'll take it.

On Wednesday i did a jam with Shin and his Midtones group at the Grand Star Inn in China Town and had a great night. I got to play with a bunch of great musicians.

Finally, had a audition/ rehearsal with Scott Collins, Eric Klerks, Craig Bunch, and John "Drumbo" French. We were going over John's music, learning some of the finer points. It was a blast and I can't wait to develop it further. John writes difficult music in the Beefheart vein, but is fun at the same time. We may learn some Beefheart music as well which will be awesome.

Whats new you may ask? I've finished mixing the CD "Have We Met?" by the MBB Trio with David Mills and Craig Bunch. We recorded and mixed at Wayne Peet's "killzone" studios and it turned out well. We will be releasing shortly. It features all original compositions by Dave Mills and myself, plus one tune co-written by both of us. Wayne did a fantastic job with the recording, especially with our cheap ass budget.

The Improvising Composers United group is starting to take off a bit. We did our first show at Zeropoint and we have a couple of shows booked at the Pasadena Library and the Taper Auditorium in downtown.

Also, I have been working on music by John "Drumbo" French, from Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band fame. Stay tuned.....

Dave Carpenter was my teacher for a year and a half while I was at CalArts from fall 1995 through the fall of 1996. Not only was he a great musician and bassist, he was a gracious human being and a very encouraging teacher. We read Bach Inventions and even performed them on my recital, and he "corrected" my Real Book with all kinds of "hip" alternative changes and such. He even got me into the NAMM show to see him play with Allan Holdsworth and Peter Erskine. He told me, "Just come down and tell them you know me, they'll let you in." And of course when I got there he spotted me and my wife and pulled us in without a hitch.

I didn't get to see him as often as I would have liked over the past few years as my own life got in the way. The last time was the Peter Erskine Trio playing at Redlands University, while my wife was completing her Masters degree. I always figured there would be another time and that I regret. Dave you will be missed...

From the LA Times:

Dave Carpenter, 48; jazz bassist co-founded Santa Monica-based Lounge Art Ensemble
From a Times Staff Writer
June 30, 2008

Dave Carpenter, a jazz bassist who worked with scores of legendary names, appeared on more than 200 recordings and was a founding member of the Lounge Art Ensemble, died June 23 of a heart attack at his home in Burbank. He was 48.

Most recently, Carpenter had been playing in a trio with pianist Alan Pasqua and drummer Peter Erskine and had just released an album called "Standards."

A native of Dayton, Ohio, Carpenter was born Nov. 4, 1959. He first studied the trumpet but switched to the bass at 12.

After studying music at Ohio State University, he launched his professional career playing with three giants of jazz: Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson and Woody Herman.

"Woody's band was the best, musically, because of the history that was in his repertoire, while Buddy was more like a life education," Carpenter told The Times some years ago. "I got so much confidence working with him."

Carpenter moved to Los Angeles in the late 1980s and found work as a studio musician with leading names including Herbie Hancock, Celine Dion, Ringo Starr, Hubert Laws, Michel Legrand and Barry Manilow.

In the mid-1990s, Carpenter joined drummer Erskine and saxophonist Bob Sheppard to form the Santa Monica-based Lounge Art Ensemble and performed frequently in venues around Southern California.

The group took existing jazz standards, put new melodies on top of the chord changes and came up with new titles.

"Dave Carpenter made any piece of music sound and feel better by his incredible musicianship, uncompromising beat and unerring ability to choose the right note at the right time," Erskine said. "His musical presence will be sorely missed by all who knew and heard him."

In addition to his jazz and pop music work, Carpenter was interested in classical music and worked as a soloist with the Los Angeles and Berlin philharmonic orchestras.

Survivors include his wife, Valerie, and two brothers.

Well, it's been a few weeks since I wrote here, but wanted to update. I had a nice gig @ Cafe Metropol last Friday with the great guitarist, Andre LaFosse, the amazing violinist, Todd Reynolds, and the always exciting pianist, Motoko Honda. Thanks to Rocco for helping us put this together!

Here is a clip of Motoko and I playing duet:

Motoko Honda/Daren Burns Duet

Here is the Quartet playing:

Andre LaFosse/Todd Reynolds/Motoko Honda/Daren Burns Quartet

Also, I just found this clip from April:



Crazy! I played with Motoko, Joe Berardi, and Scott (I forgot his last name) at the UndergrounDNuos, put on by KXLU and Amoeba Records, It was a fun time. Mike Watt and Kira played right before us, it was great!

Also, many things being planned and developed so stay tuned...

Here's a video of 'Thirty-Six Ghosts' from my Recital. It features, Joule Ladara-Vocs., Eric Klerks-Vocs., Vinny Golia-Woodwinds, Ulrich Krieger- Woodwinds, Scott Collins-Guitar, Misuzu Kitazumi-koto, Andrew Niven- Drum Set, Ingo Deul-Percussion, Randy Gloss- Percussion, Sarah Phillips-Conducting. The Dance is by Don McLeod & Rocio. The Live video is by Bo sul Kim. Video footage was taken by Jon Dunmore



Also, I had the privilege of working with composer, Jonathan Bepler last week, on a film project by Matthew Barney. It included about 50 marching band guys and gals from RCC, 50 guys dragging a car into a Chrysler showroom that was outfitted with bullet-proof glass to be shredded, a gold Trans AM, a mariachi band and one naked lady that was dressed as a scarab. It was quite the week as this all happened during my graduation from CalArts.

Oh yeah..... I graduated from CalArts with my MFA in Performer/Composer, African/American Improvisational music, under the direction of Wadada Leo Smith. I'm glad to be done and to be able to move forward I have a lot to say and do with music.