Ravings of a Textual Deviant

The keyboardist is a friend of mine from high school, and I must say, had I known then that he’d end up doing this…I wouldn’t be surprised.

This December 2nd at Indianapolis Jazz Kitchen, two worlds collide when local smart-assed lounge lizards The Leisure Kings meet their musical match in the person(s) of Brent Wallarab and a cadre of Indianapolis jazz all-stars. Wallarab and 13 other perfectly well-respected and upstanding Indy jazz musicians, performing under their nom-de-lounge: Red Barron and his Midtown will put their reputations, careers, and self-respect on the line as they provide lush musical backing for the notorious Leisure Kings upon the occasion of the release of their first album, Total Loungification.  The album will be available for sale at the event in both the CD and 8-track tape formats.

For the past 5 years, The Leisure Kings – an Indy keys-and-vocal duo specializing in rendering loungy versions of metal and rap tunes and consisting of Michael Wiltrout (vocals) and Sean Baker (keys) – have been perfectly content to cheese it up on a smaller scale, performing club shows and private events, not bothering anyone (other than the people that they bother). All that will change now that this unholy alliance of high and low art has formed.

It all started when co-founder and -director of many excellent local ensembles, including The Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra and The Midcoast Swing Orchestra, attended one of the raucous Wednesday night Leisure Kings shows at Agio Restaurant downtown. At the show’s conclusion, for reasons known only to himself, Wallarab approached Wiltrout and Baker and proposed to supply the music charts and musicians necessary to flesh out their show into a 16-piece extravaganza the like of which hadn’t been seen in Indy in, well… ever. The Jazz Kitchen’s David Allee knew a sure thing when he saw it, and the venue and date were set.

Imagine it’s 1966 and you’ve scored Vegas’ hottest ticket: a table down in front for the Rat Pack at the Sands hotel. You settle into your seat as the Count Basie Orchestra begins its overture. Three fabulous wiseacres saunter up to the stage and address their microphones. First up is Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, Mr. Frank Sinatra. The Chairman clears his throat and begins to croon the first notes of a song by… Snoop Dogg. When he’s finished, it’s Sammy Davis Jr.’s turn as he brings his incomparable talents to bear on The Scorpions’ “Rock You Like a Hurricane”. Finally, ultra-smooth Dean Martin brings the house down with a heartfelt ditty from those West Coast balladeers, Van Halen.

Impossible to imagine, you say? Blasphemous? Well, if you’re at The Jazz Kitchen on December 2nd, it’ll be a whole lot less impossible to imagine, and the blasphemy’s on the house. Admission, however, is not. The best $10 you’ve spent this year buys you a seat at either the 8:30pm or the 10:30pm show. Tickets are almost sold out for the 8:30 show, and the 10:30’s going fast too, so don’t dawdle. The Jazz Kitchen is keeping their kitchen open later for the occasion, so the full dinner menu will be available at both shows.

On December 2nd, 2006, the classiest cheese in Indy won’t be in the deli section of O’Malia’s. It’ll be at the corner of 54th and College when the Jazz Kitchen Hosts The Leisure Kings CD release and Big Band Show featuring Red Barron and His Midtown Blowers.

Lately, it’s seemed as though my closet has been getting increasingly serious. Most of the clothes I’ve gotten to replace the ones that don’t fit anymore are either bussiness-y, or yoga clothes.

Well, Karen came to the rescue, having just cleaned out her costume closet. She’s one of the most positive, upbeat people I know, and always great fun on a mall crawl or shoe-mocking trip. And, as she says, she’s sentimental enough about her clothes that she wants to find good homes for them—a feeling I know well myself. She’s given plenty of my clothes a safe haven, so it only seemed right for me to return the favor.

Accordingly, she brought over a carload of dresses that ranged from silly to sublime…and in a couple of cases, I can’t tell which. Enough of them fit—either as-is or with minor alterations. My closet is much siller and more fun now, and I can’t thank her enough! I’ve no idea where I’m going to wear, say, a sparkly, purple, tie-dye-ish nylon dress, but I am very much looking forward to finding out.

It has been pointed out to me that I haven’t been blogging lately, which I kind of knew, but hadn’t realized it had been THAT long.

Work continues to be interesting in ways that discretion prevents me from describing. Could I do so, however, I would probably need a lot more “special characters,” and a bottle of tequila to convey my complete adventure.

As for non-work things, I have finished all my RYT-200 courses, and am eagerly awaiting my fancy-schmancy certificate from my school…which I then photocopy and send to Yoga Alliance, in return for an itty-bitty wallet card. Because I was in the neighborhood the other day, I dropped in on CitYoga, and asked if they needed teachers. Turns out that they may well be expanding and have a second classroom, so odds are good. I left my card, and I think it would be fabulous if I had a place where I could direct people who want to take my class (the mind boggles!) but can’t go to the corporate fitness center where I teach. I was thinking about that the other day, and realized there there are a fair few (the mind re-boggles!).

“A Very Phoenix Christmas” is nearly upon us; it opens the weekend after Thanksgiving. Right now, the skit that mom and I wrote is the second scene in the first act, if memory serves. Not that it does; I’ve been so wrapped up in work that I have no idea what the final form of the script looks like…even though mom has sent it to me at least once. Eh, it’ll be a nice surprise. I’ve also got three new scenes for next year’s From Dark Pages written, with a killer new ending kicking around the back of my head. I probably should give the director a call at some point… 

And as if that wasn’t enough excitement, I have applied my usual solution to a lack of motivation for housecleaning. I’ve invited nearly a dozen people for Thanksgiving dinner, and am entertaining again that weekend. Wheee!!!

Me: How’s the “Calypso Iced Tea”?

Coworker: I’ve figured out that “Calypso” means either “mango” or “Pine-Sol”.