updated June 2025

As Dorothy Parker once said, Holy Shit, Time Doth Flit…

I’m preparing to play piano at my 55th (!?) high school reunion at Chaminade, my alma mater, in Dayton Ohio. An evening of standards, jazz, ragtime, themes from musicals and movies, and wrapping it up with Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue. At last, motivation to practice!

I have a brand new CD out called BADOOM SALOON. (The first band since ABBA to use all caps?) At this point it’s available on CD Baby, Spotify, youtube and Amazon. I brought a bunch of jazz musicians on board this time – most of them from The Seventh Street Big Band in San Jose. (Check them out if you want to hear some amazing jazz.) It was an honor for me to work with these super talented young people. (compared to me anyway) (I mean the age difference) Adam Munoz was once again my engineer and we recorded at Opus Studio in Berkeley. Ken Lee again did the mastering. This is the first time that I got up the nerve to sing my own songs and produce. And thank you Stephanie Haines for getting my voice back in shape!

I’ve been playing drums forsome years now, taking lessons from Gabby Horlick, the leader and drummer of The Seventh Street Big Band. Lessons are one thing but I was anxious to find out if I could actually play with other musicians. I got a gig with a non-denominational Christian band, playing every Sunday, sometimes filling in on guitar, bass or keyboards and backing vocals. I played with them for about a year and it was a great experience.

Loading the drums for a gig. Amp in trunk. Who needs drum cases?

I spent another year or so on my DIY videos, available here and on utube, under Actual Musician Steve Fecher. Ryan Shaffer did the editing, which was superb, as always.

Old Blondie, my 1954 B3, is retired and has morphed into a desk. I upgraded to this 1966 that has never been played out – not a scratch on it or on the new Leslie. This is the one you’ll see on the videos.

My Gibson Dove, bequeathed to me by Pogo Clarke, widow of my long standing best friend Tom Hostage. We played together for over six years, at hundreds of gigs, and were roommates most of that time. He was one hell of a friend and musician.

Just came across this (hard copy) from the first day of a new semester at Berklee College Of Music, Boston. My piano teacher lays down the law for the coming semester. And yes, I’m still working on this page.