Ben Makinen: News

Makinen has begun shooting on a new jazz documentary. Principal photography is taking place in Denver where the majority of featured performers live. Makinen began work on this project as an homage to the jazz masters who mentored him when he began playing drums professionally in the early 1980s.

Jazzes is more like it. Playing to a standing room only crowd, the John Kite Trio, with Ian Hutchinson on bass and Ben Makinen on drums, wowed the unsuspecting crowd at Anthem Lodge with dazzling improvisations over traditional jazz compositions from Fats Waller to Cole Porter. The fun continued and the band went wild at the after party hosted by Wendy! Thank you!!

The German production team of Robin Pleil and Christoph Mainz have released the CD "Butterfly Wing Theory Part 1". A few of the tracks are a result of a successful long distance collaboration - where producer and drummer
Ben Makinen recorded drums, marimbas, and percussion in Denver contributing to a
production mainly tracked in Berlin.

Hear for yourself at http://cdbaby.com/cd/artridge2

Vist Artridge:
http://www.artridge.org/
This eclectic and widely unpredictable instrumental blend takes you on a trip through various musical transmutations - and back. You'll never exactly know what's lurking around the next corner:
Ambient soundscapes turned prog-rock?
Ligeti choirs meandering along industrial dub cathedrals?
Bleeping retro space age sounds?
Slide guitars with a strong battlefield BBQ flavour? Hydraulic-Goth-Jazz-Relay-Fusion?
Apocalypse Now reinacted at your local electric substation? Subterranean mid-fi agitprop garage-metal-clash recitations?

Ben Makinen & Lioinel Young continue to mesmerize audiences at Q's Worldly Bar-B-Q Blues & Jazz Lounge with their eclectic New Orleans style duo. LIionel's electric violin weaves through haunting Delta-blues vocals while Ben creates driving & melodic rhythms blending his collection of drums and percussion from around the world.

Denver's most unique duo performs happy hours (5-7pm) Fridays throughout the summer and has begun performing on Sunday's from 1-4pm.

The Q 3rd & Detroit (NW corner, downstairs)

visit Lionel Young:
http://www.myspace.com/lionelyoung

Own My Music!
CDBABY
http://cdbaby.com/group/benmakinen

Tom Ball and Ben Makinen are in pre-productioin for master euphonium player Tom Ball's second album project. Initial tracking is slated to begin on May 19th in Greeley, Colorado. The euphonium and trombone playing of Ball, and the percussion talent of Makinen, will be joined by pianist Dana Landry and bassist Eric Applegate. Ball's first abbum, titled Fishleather Jacket, won the prestigious Roger Bobo Excellence In Recording Award in 2006. Ball's second album will again feature his original songs, one of which, titled Funky Pants, has a high probability of becoming the CD's title track. Visit Tom Ball at http://www.jazzeuphonium.com

Vintage footage from the now defunct Brendan's Pub featuring Dan Treanor, David Booker and Ben Makinen.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

(people around the world are welcome to participate in this US tradition: Simply thank someone who has helped you in any way at any point in your life. It's cool and it feels groovy - for those on a budget, it's free!!

FWINTER

Chie Imaizumi's Jazz Orchestra is performing live, on-air, Friday Oct 12, 4 pm MST for the KUVO 89.3 FM fund drive. Makinen will be playing percussion with this all-star band. Stream the show by going to www.kuvo.org then click on "LIsten Now".

Find out How & Why on my latest video:

Ben Makinen's composition Good Night has reached #19 on the American Idol Underground's Electroinca chart:
http://www.idolunderground.com/Pages/Charts/ChartDetail.aspx?GenreID=4

Good Night is the first track on Makinen's CD Lost Lullaby. The CD is for sale at CDBaby http://cdbaby.com/group/benmakinen
and individual tracks can be downloaded at iTunes and Rhapsody.

Introductions were made between Japan's star composer Chie Imaizuma and American born percussionist Ben Makinen. Facilitated by the talented trumpeter Greg Gisbert, the discussion resulted in Makinen accepting the offer to perform in Imazuma's All-Star Big Band. Respect and Honor flowed in abundance at this historic meeting. Please visit Chie Imaizuma's web site http://www.thousandpitures.org

and check out her newest release Unfailing Kindness on Capri Records.

Imaizuma's Big Band is performing every Thursday night at Denver's El Chapultapec Too.