Ben Makinen: News

Makinen brings his laptop to the KGNU studio for a 2nd on-air interview with the stations finest host Bill Nyerges. An adapter was run from Ben's computer straight to the control room's board. Ben's newest compositions were spun between cuts from Tom Ball's Fishleather jacket CD and from Nguyen Le's Tales From Vietnam CD.
The 15 minute segment can be downloaded at http://www.benmakinen.com/music-47.html

KGNU (88.5 FM) radio's Bill Nyerges interviewed Ben this morning and played music from his Lost Lullaby CD. Listen to it at http://www.benmakinen.com/music-42.html
Bill's entire playlist for this morning's show can be viewd at
http://playlist.kgnu.net/default.asp?show=6&from=10/09/2006&to=10/09/2006&ord=asc
Thank you Bill fro having me as your guest! I look forward to coming back.

Germinate, from Makinen's upcoming record The Goliath Beetle And The Ladybug,
will be played on Trance Fury Radio Monday October 9th at 3pm EST and again at 8pm EST.

http://www.trancefuryradio.com
Hear Germinate now by going to:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=480882

Your one-stop for random-ness. Go read it at http://www.bensneighborhood.blogspot.com

Ben Makinen has begun recording tracks for the producers of Artridge. Based in Berlin,Germany, Artridge specializes in creating cinematic soundtracks. Producer Robin Pleil asked Makinen to create drum and percussion tracks to add to Artridge's current, and nearly completed, project. Using the Internet and modern digital recording techniques, the two are able to collaborate freely in a way that once would have cost thousands of dollars (Euros) and have caused logistical nightmares. Please visit the web site for Artridge: www.artridge.org

The jazz-latin CD Fishleather Jacket, produced by Ben Makinen and Tom Ball, has received the Roger Bobo Award for Excellence In Recording. The award was presented to Tom at the International Tuba and Euphonium Conference in Denver on June 30, 2006. Congratulations Tom, you deserve it!

Listen to Fishleather Jacket at
http://www.cdbaby.com/tball

Ben Makinen has joined the explosive 9 piece latin dance band Onda as their new timbale player. Please visit Onda's web site for performance dates.

http://www.ondalive.com/

Tom Ball's freshman CD release Fishleather Jacket (produced by Ball and Ben Makinen) is a finalist in the Roger Bobo Excellence In Recording Awards. Winners will be announced on June 30, 2006 at the International Tuba Euphonium Conference (ITEC) held at the University of Denver Lamont School of Music.

Ball will be performing music from Fishleather Jacket with his quartet on June 29, 2006 at The Lodge nightclub in the Denver Marriot Hotel as part of the ITEC jazz night.

Visit Tom Ball's web site: http://www.jazzeuphonium.com
Visit the web site of International Tuba Euphonium Conference
http://www.iteaonline.org/ITEAawards/awards.html

Singles from Ben Makinen's CD Lost Lullaby are now available as downloads at iTunes Area 15 Live has singles available through iTunes

Area 15(TM) is receiving airplay on the following internet radio stations:

"Alien Planet Radio"
http://www.artistlaunch.com/artist8.asp?artistid=11274
"A Jazz Fusion MP3cast"
http://www.artistlaunch.com/artist8.asp?artistid=7869
"CRISIS WHAT CRISIS"
http://www.artistlaunch.com/artist8.asp?artistid=8324

"Whole Down Half Up", written by Area 15 guitarist Mitch Chmara, is currently at #3 on the jazz charts at http://artistlaunch.com/chartsx_cat.asp?p1=Jazz
Happy Patty!

Area 15's Whole Up Half Down reaches #6 on the jazz charts at artistlaunch.com

Take a listen http://artistlaunch.com/chartsx_cat.asp?p1=Jazz

Please read Ben's most recent interview and download his new tracks at
http://www.soundclick.com/benmakinen Find previously unrealesed songs and old favorites. The song list is continually growing.

Ben Makinen is now teaching a weekly percussion ensemble at Arvada West High School. His first day on the job, 1/26/06, was a success with the 10 students who signed up. After a hands on introduction to the family of percussion, the students were taught an afro-cuban 6/8 rhythm which proved a delightful challenge to all.

Goto http://www.bandradiolive.com/playlist.php?letter=B and request Ben's song "The Beatle & the Ladybug"!
Thank You! from the staff at Bmakin Music

Director Erik Bakst has submitted his recently completed short film, Lucky Stiff, to The Sundance Film Festival. In this movie Ben Makinen appears as Steve, a self serving and uptight office executive who ends up losing his job to, and having to fight with, a ZOMBIE!

Go see the new cover design for Area 15 Live - pick up a copy while you're at it! Perfect ChrismaChauna Kwanzika presents...
http://artistlaunch.com/

The 2006 Independent Music Awards has chosen Ben Makinen as a Finalist in the category of Film/TV-Multimedia for his song 6AM.
Visit IMA at:
http://www.musiciansatlas.com/pages/ima_finalists_song.asp

Big Band and Funk Bop shared the stage last night at the D Note when the Arvada West High School Big Band, under the direction of Tom Ball, opened for The Tom Ball Quintet. Ben Makinen captured the big band's performance with his mobile digital stereo Pro Tools studio. Ben then jumped up on stage and played drums for the quintet's set of latin, jazz, and funk. Joining the quintet were members of the Big Swing Trio: Mark Diamond on bass, and Andy Weyl on keys. Bill Kopper appeared as a special guest on guitar. The High Schoolers did so well, swingin' through classic Neal Hefti arrangements, that they may be asked to perform regularly! There is talk of Tom's Quintet scoring a steady gig there as well. The mellifluous sound of euphonium is too sweet to resist...

Area 15 LIVE is now featured on ArtistLaunch! http://www.artistlaunch.com/chartsx_cat.asp?p1=Jazz The band is very grateful to Phil Brown for introducing their music to Paul Laginess at Artist Launch.Check out Area 15's superb new cover artwork designed by Neville Meredith.

Ben Makinen is producing a Christmas CD to benefit the musicians who's livelihood was disrupted by Hurricane Katrina. The CD will feature Denver musicians performing Christmas songs infused with the spirit of jazz that New Orleans is internationally known for.
Recording begins October 3, 2005 at International Sound Productions with Mary Ann Moore [www.jazzarts.org/moore.php], the jazz vocal talent with The Big Swing Trio, singing in front a rhythm section comprised of Vlad Girshevich on piano, Eric Thorin on upright bass, and Ben Makinen on drums. Astute readers will recognize that rhythm section as the same one performing on Tom Ball's recently released CD Fishleather Jacket. Makinen has contacted the management teams of Branford Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr., and Nancy Wilson in an attempt to obtain a musical contribution to include on this benefit CD.

The Bear Creek Church has raised over $11,000 in aid to the victims of Hurricane Katrina as a direct result of A Benefit Jazz Tribute To New Orleans held on September 16, 2005. [See news entry below.] Congratulations must go to Dan Leavit, and his Leavitt Music Service, for organizing the event; and especially to all of the generous people who donated their money. All of the musicians who performed did so as a gift to the cause. Not only did they contribute their talents, they all turned down lucrative Friday night gigs to do so. Hats off to the musicians!!

Ben will be performing in Telluride at the Blues 'N Brews Festival on September 18, 2005. He will be drumming for Hazel Miller and The Voices Of Faith Gospel Ensemble.
11AM - Main Stage

Join Ben Makinen and friends for A Benefit Jazz Tribute To New Orleans on September 16 2005. All proceeds are going to the humanitarin aid effort for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The evening of jazz begins at 7pm at the Bear Creek Church: 3101 S. Kipling ST, Denver.

Featuring:

The Fat City Mardi Gras Band

Line Two

The Park Hill Brass Quintet 

Singer/Songwriter: Warren Niles Boulanger from Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The All-Star Dixieland Band with members of the Queen City Jazz Band

Special Guest:

Ms. Henrietta Alves:
house singer/pianist directly from Pat O'Brien's in the French Quarter of New Orleans

Freewill offering will be taken.

100% of the donations will benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina

LA based singer Kelda[ www.Kelda.net] comes to Colorado for 2 gigs that were booked at the last minute by Ben Makinen. Kelda will perform solo in Denver, 7 PM at The Mercury Cafe on August 12, 2005, and in Boulder, 7 PM on August 13, 2005 at Ken Green's Trident Sandbox Patio Theatre with Makinen joining her on percussion. Kelda's music has been featured on MTV and on episode #216 of CBS's Cold Case.