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News &
Events with David Drazin David Drazin - PO Box 6442 - Evanston, IL 60204-6442 carseymour@aol.com |
Upcoming Performances
2020
SEPTEMBER
Tramp Records of Germany reissued the 1982 vinyl album of Seeds of Fulfillment, a Columbus, Ohio jazz-rock band for which David played keyboards and contributed original songs. In addition Tramp Records issued a previously unreleased album by Seeds of Fulfillment from the soundtrack of a 1982 Columbus public-access cable television show. Grapevine Video of Phoenix, Arizona, has released the following DVDs of silent films with David's accompaniment: Buried Treasure (1921, accompanied by David) and Polly of the Follies (1922, accompanied by Ben Model), two incomplete films starring Marion Davies. The Cossack Whip (1916), directed by John Collins and starring Viola Dana. The Innocence of Ruth (1916), directed by John Collins, starring Viola Dana and Edward Earle. Robes of Sin (1924), starring Sylvia Breamer and Gertrude Astor. (Except for Polly of the Follies, the above four DVDs were originally produced and released by Ed Lorusso, with a subsequent release by Grapevine.) Headlines (1925, directed by Edward Griffith and starring Alice Joyce, Malcolm McGregor, and Virginia Lee Corbin). The DVD was produced by Tim Lussier of silentsaregolden.com for release through Grapevine Video. The Chronicle of the Grey House (1925, directed by Arthur von Gerlach, starring Paul Hartmann and Lil Dagover). Rare Silent Films of Stayton, Oregon, has released the following DVDs: Early Universal Films of Eddie Lyons and Lee Moran. Volume 1: Seven short films; David accompanies four of them. Volume 2: Five films, all accompanied by David, including Mrs. Plum's Pudding, (1915, directed by Al Christie), the only film appearance of theatrical star Marie Tempest. For information about the Rare Silent Films DVD releases, please e-mail tguinan@aol.com. During the coronavirus health crisis, many performers have reached audiences through live streaming and collaborations on YouTube. David has participated in three of these performances: Gus Friedlander's Prohibition Orchestra of Chicago has recorded and posted on YouTube a tribute video to their late bandmate, saxophonist/vocalist Freddie Garcia. Gus chose a favorite song that Freddie loved to perform, The Sheik of Araby, and each band member recorded his/her part separately on video to combine on one screen. Please check out www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRH0miPg4-g Dave played and sang original comedy songs that were streamed free on August 22 and 23, 2020, at www.yippiefest.com. The performance was prerecorded at the 2019 Yippiefest, held at Chicago's Prop Theater. In place of David's usual Northbrook Public Library Silent Film Series, traditionally two live screenings every Wednesday in September, Dave has a "new career" as "the Robert Osborne of Northbrook." He prerecorded video introductions to the five programs in the library's virtual silent film series. The introductions are posted on an unlisted YouTube video, and the library's patrons may access the films through Northbrook's subscriptions to the Kanopy and Hoopla platforms. ARTICLE: 11 November 2018 “Keeping Score at the Cinema” by Luis Lopez Levi in F-Newsmagazine, School of the Art Institute, Chicago, Back in May 2018...
Click to see Dave at the multi-manual organ. See Dave's Louis Armstrong Award and latest CD releases . The latest: Sound engineer Richie Wohlfeil, owner of Hamtramck, Michigan's Lo & Behold bookstore/entertainment venue, posted some of Dave's tunes at https://folkbluesnight.bandcamp.com on an album with Detroit-area pianist Michael Malis. The session was recorded live when Dave was in Detroit rehearsing for the Free Press Film Festival. The live audience went wild, as you can hear on the recordings. Thanks, Richie! ![]() Above is Dave at the Capitol Theater organ in Madison, Wisconsin. Check out this YouTube video to see/hear him in action. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPft_JBtrpA
Since May 2013 - New YouTube videos: 1. Louis Armstrong & His All Stars Live at Indiana Beach (4:14), home-movie found footage, piano by Dave. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQcTD5LAJVg 2. Dave rocks on TV!: Chic-a-Go-Go 3/17/13 (5:13) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIR5lE7Hd6E&list=UUz8dU1UXfZVZio5mvlAMasg&index=2 3. Back to the Old Farm (10:59), music by Dave. 1912 Essanay/International Harvester, featuring Beverly Bayne in an early role. Filmed in west suburban Chicago area, Dunham Oaklawn Farm near Wayne, IL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bow99bzHfiM 5. The Rally or If Beale Street Couldn't Talk (20:15) music by Dave. Director Cal Ward. Jr. intuitively used the methods of silent-film comedy to create a classic of modern silent cinema farce (video: 1994 & 2002). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8YbgSHGG6g The Ambassadors "Avalon" : www.reverbnation.com/daviddrazin/ ![]() ---------------------------------------------------------------Plus some not-so-live accompaniments:Dave played with the Bernard Scavella quintet at Hyde Park Jazz Society's monthly concert series in January. Here's a video clip , which appears on guitarist Randy Ford's YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uJHO0gCpc4
Dave says:
Here's some great news: I did the music for a talking picture and it's a PUPPET MOVIE! It's 14 minutes long and is titled "Junk Palace." It's about the Collyer Brothers, recluses and compulsive hoarders. The filmmaker is puppeteer Lyon Hill. You'd love Lyon! He's a great original talent. The picture is currently a selection of the Full Frame Documentary Festival in Durham, N.C., to be shown Saturday, April 16 . It's produced by Heather Henson, Muppet creator Jim Henson's daughter. Here's a link to the trailer: http://www.mermecolion.com/Junk_Palace.htm Dave's appearances at Phil
Pospychala's annual Tribute to Bix traditional jazz festival
were a success. this year's event focused on female performers
of the 1920s/early '30s. Dave accompanied three singers:
Barbara Rosene, Jamaica Knauer, and Emily Toops; played in the
bus tour's jam session at the historic Washington House, Two
Rivers, WI; and accompanied a silent-movie clip of Gilda Gray
doing her shimmy dance in "Piccadilly." Check out the publicly
available "Tribute to Bix in Racine" Facebook page at
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150117103652645 (jam session) and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-to-Bix-in-Racine/307725818815 (dated March 15 at 7:19 a.m.) Dec 2010 - My friend Terry Flamm who used to be in a comedy group I'm still in interviewed me for a blog he writes. Chicago DIY Film . ![]() The Live Radio Theater shows at Joplin's Java in Waukegan on June 11 were a big hit for all who attended. Dave even played a few licks on the violin as Jack Benny! Dave was back at Joplin's to give a solo piano concert on November 19, 2010. Jan 2009 - Idaho author Larry Telles recently published his
new book/DVD "A Brief
History of the Silent Screen and the World at that Time"
(press release:
http://www.bitterrootmountainllc.com/bitterroot/?page_id=27
), and Dave played keyboard accompaniment on the
soundtrack for the DVD that comes with each book. Larry's
personal website is
www.essanayfilmmfgco.com . Dave's DVD & TV releases:
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DAVE DRAZIN AT
CHICAGO BLUES FEST June 9, 2007 In the interest of full disclosure, I should say right off the bat that Dave Drazin is a friend of mine. But I can honestly say he's a terrific piano player, and plenty of others will tell you the same thing. Dave's best known for playing piano at showings of silent movies, but he's also an excellent player of old-time blues, jazz and ragtime, and all of those skills were on display during his superb set Saturday afternoon on one of the side stages at the Chicago Blues Festival. See more photos of Dave Drazin at the Festival . Source: ROBERT LOERZEL, Underground Bee |
Hear Dave on
YouTube! Dave performed for a short silent movie made by Wisconsin Bioscopes (film students at the University of Wiconsin - Madison). Don't miss " A Visit With Grandmother " on YouTube. See it now. Visit Wisconsin Bioscopes for info on more of their fascinating film activities. Other Bioscape videos include "Rent Party" (Dave appears onscreen briefly) and "Cosmo's Magical Melt-aways." Check out this review article about Wisconsin Bioscape. (Yep, it mentions Dave's piano work, too). Dave has been playing regularly at the University of Chicago's First Friday jam session at the Quadrangle Club on campus. Watch a video of Dave in action at the Quad at Here is the page with Dave's video: http://www.archive.org/details/JazzAtTheQuadrangleClub . |
Recordings: DVD & television New DVD:
Laughsmith
Entertainment, FORGOTTEN FILMS OF ROSCOE
"FATTY" ARBUCKLE, DVD release May 24, premiering on
Turner Classic
Movies Monday, April 4. Milestone Films
, LURE OF LABRADOR and SWILIN' RACKET, bonus
shorts on WHITE THUNDER On July 29, 2008, Kino released a double feature
of "A Man There Was"/"Ingeborg Holm." Dave provides
the piano soundtrack for Ingeborg Holm, the first
significant work by Swedish director Victor
Sjostrom. |
We're happy to announce that Dave has been chosen to be
included in the 2006 60th diamond anniversary edition of
Marquis "Who's Who in America." Who's Who profiles the careers
of a select group of men and women from all significant fields
of endeavor - from business and politics to healthcare and
science to entertainment and the arts.
Articles
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© 2003-present by David Drazin |