BUZZ Magazine August 2016

Magazine

2 / BAYBUZZ.ORG / AUGUST 2016

BAYBUZZ.ORG / AUGUST 2016 / 3

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER 

Dear Tampa Bay Music Lovers, 

Everywhere I turn these days, someone is telling 

me that Tampa Bay needed a publication like 

BUZZ Magazine. What a happy feeling that 

brings me to know that we are providing you with 

what you’ve been waiting for. As you read the articles 

in the August issue, you may sense a theme: 

“Unity, coming together as a community and finding 

a balance”. Only musicians can tell you best 

how music brings people together. Bay Buzz is glad 

to be a part of it. 

As we embrace the music, we embrace the musicians 

more who put endless hours into a craft that 

brings so many people pleasure. We thank you! 

Constance 

Tampa Bay Local Music News 

EDITORIAL 

Publisher Constance Hilton / constance@baybuzz.org 

Editor Bob Feckner / bob@baybuzz.org 

Editor in Chief Pamela Wills / pam@baybuzz.org 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

Andrea James 

Jennifer Lane 

Funky De 

Cherie Okie 

Daniel Childs 

SALES / 727.320.2424 / sales@baybuzz.org 

Pamela Wills / pam@baybuzz.org 

FIND US ONLINE! 

Website: baybuzz.org 

Facebook:facebook.com/baybuzzmusic 

Twitter: twitter.com/baybuzzmusic 

VOTING BEGINS 

AUGUST 1st 

2016 

BEST OF THE BUZZ 

Nominate your favorite local band to be added 

to the voting list. Winner to be announced at the 

annual BUZZ FEST in the fall. 

ON THE 

COVER: 

Este Loves by 

Andrea James 

Photo taken 

by Andrea 

James 

baybuzz.org 


WHAT’S INSIDE AUGUST 2016 

SCENE: 

8 THE FARM 

10 THE BLUEBERRY PATCH 

15 CHERIE’S CORNER 

16 THE HOMETEAM 

SOUNDS: 

7 STICK MARTIN’S GIGS 

12 LOCAL: ESTEE LOVES 

16 HOMETEAM 

20 FUNKY SEEDS REUNION 

SPECIAL SECTION: 

20 INDEPENDECE FOR JJ 

19 UNITY 

23 WHAT’S GOING ON 

26 FINDING THE BALANCE 



August, 2016 Calendar 

8-1 Green Iguana Ybor - Open Mic - 1708 E. 7 th Avenue Tampa 8pm 

8-2 Bausers Acoustic Jam 520 Douglas Ave Dunedin 9pm - 12pm 

8-4 Beach Front Cafe @ The Bilmar - 6pm 

8-5 Green Iguana Ybor - Duo - 1708 E. 7 th Avenue Tampa 9pm 

8-6 Beach Fire BBQ Grill 3pm - 608 Mandalay Ave. Clearwater 7pm 

8-6 Peggy Oneills Duo 1026 Florida Ave Palm Harbor 9pm 

8-7 Green Iguana Ybor (solo) 1708 E 7 th Ave Tampa 6pm 

8-8 Green Iguana Ybor Open Mic 1708 E 7 th Avenue Tampa 8pm 

8-9 Bausers Acoustic Jam 520 Douglas Avenue Dunedin 9pm 

8-11 Beach Front Cafe @ The Bilmar on Treasure Island 6pm 

8-12 Bullfrog Creek Bar - 11210 US-41 Gibsonton 9pm 

8-13 Beach fire BBQ Grill 608 Mandalay Ave. Clearwater 3pm 

8-13 Crabby Bills Beach Walk 333 S. Gulfview Blvd. Clearwater 8pm 

8-14 Green Iguana Ybor 1708 E. 7 th Avenue Tampa Solo 6pm 

8-15 Green Iguana Ybor 1708 E. 7 th Avenue Tampa Open Mic 8pm 

8-16 Bausers Acoustic Jam 520 Douglas Ave Dunedin 9pm 

8-19 Frenchys Rockaway Grill Trio 7 Rockaway St. Clearwater 8pm 

8-20 Frenchys Rockaway Grill 7 Rockaway St. Clearwater TBA 

8-20 Beach Fire BBQ Grill 608 Mandalay Ave. Clearwater 3pm 

8-21 Green Iguana Ybor 1708 E. 7 th Avenue Tampa Solo 6pm 

8-22 Green Iguana Ybor City 1708 E. 7 th Avenue Tampa Open Mic 8pm 

8-23 Basuers Acoustic Jam 520 Douglas Avenue Dunedin 9pm 

8-25 Beach Front Cafe @ The Bilmar Treasure Island 6pm 

8-27 Beach Fire BBQ Grill 608 Mandalay Ave. Clearwater 3pm 

8-27 Crabby Bills Beach Walk 333 S. Gulfview Blvd. Clearwtaer 8pm 

8-28 Green Iguana Ybor Solo 1708 E. 7 th Avenue Tampa 6pm 

8-28 Seminole Hard Rock Cafe Stick Martin Trio 8pm 

8-29 Green Iguana Ybor 1708 E. 7 th Avenue Tampa Open Mic 8pm 

8-30 Bausers Acoustic Jam 520 Douglas Avenue Dunedin 9pm 


Peacocks! Sand Hill Cranes! Folk singers! 

You never know what you’re going to see 

when you visit The Farm in beautiful 

Brooksville. 

But one thing is guaranteed – great music in a friendly, 

supportive environment!! Saturday night July 16 th 

was no exception as a fine lineup of performers took 

the stage for the 3 rd Thursday series. Yours truly and 

Lindsey Underwood were the featured artists and it 

was a blast! One of the unexpected highlights was 

versatile soundman Rod Sillars on jazz guitar, accompanied 

by Jordan Cherkinsky on mandolin and Jerry 

Ledsome on uke bass. Rod played a wonderful selection 

of jazz standards and it was topnotch entertainment. 

The Farm has become known as a beautiful spot in 

Hernando County for fine musicianship, community 

and good eats – the potlucks are legendary. 

Regularly scheduled events include the open mic 

every Thursday and on the 3 rd Thursday – Friday – 

Saturday each night has a lineup of performers so you 

can binge on music while you relax in the country. 

Camping is encouraged and the evening’s festivities 

have been known to go into the wee hours under the 

stars around a bonfire. 

Other events are popular at The Farm too. The 

upcoming “2 nd Annual Sweatfest”, July 22-23, will 

bring in bands and their fans from all over the area. 

The amusingly titled “Sweatfest” is a two-day affair, 

with music Friday evening and all day into the evening 

on Saturday. The event has been put together 

this year to raise money for a member of our community 

who needs funds for a medical condition. 

Come out to The Farm, relax and enjoy the country! 

If you want to participate in the open mic I recommend 

being there by 6:30pm to sign up. 


Where: 19234 Lake Lindsey Road, Brooksville, 

FL. Primitive camping only, RV's welcome. 

Suggested donation $10 a night. It's 

always a BYOB and BYOC (c=chair) Event. 

All events are rain or shine. 

Info: 352-515-4234 

When: Open mic every Thursday evening – 

sign up at 6:30pm and the 3 rd Thursday; featured 

artists only on 3 rd Friday and Saturday 

of each month – see the Facebook page for 

details. 

Photos by Jennifer Lane of JenMuse Photo, Beverly Burger, 

Andrew Bator and Lindsey Underwood 


Peace, Love and Blueberries - The Blueberry Patch 

Afew months ago your 

intrepid reporter attended 

her first Blueberry 

Patch open mic and yes, 

what I had heard for years is all 

true – the Patch, as it is affectionately known, is a 

wonderful, miraculous and tuneful place! Not only is 

there a fine array of musicians plus community jamming 

several times a month, the place is visually stunning. 

Everywhere you look is someone’s handiwork, 

bringing new meaning to the phrase “Reduce, Reuse, 

Recycle”. So fun! 

The Patch is also 

where you will see familiar, 

friendly faces 

each time you visit. 

You can dance, hum 

along and even join in 

various jam circles 

post-open mic until late evening on the 1 st and 7 th of 

the month if that is what you love to do. And every 

11 th , the jam is on stage with the Blueberry Patch 

Ramblers, which consists of anybody and everybody 

who happens to join the jam. It is led by a core group 

of a guitar, a bass and drums with various instruments, 

vocalists and drummers rotating in and out throughout 

the night. 

FL.” The Patch is 

Florida’s longest 

surviving artist’s retreat. 

Everyone is 

encouraged to participate 

in Volunteer 

Day, which 

starts at 11:11am 

every Saturday. In 

exchange for helping 

out, all will receive a $5 voucher good for free 

admission at the next Blueberry Patch event as well as 

free lunch. The $5 admission cost assures that Patch 

has operating capital and can continue doing the good 

work they’ve been doing for so long. 

My latest visit to the Blueberry 

Patch’s open mic fell on 

7/7/16, exactly 39 years from 

the founding date. The featured 

artist was a flame 

haired solo artist who goes by 

the name of Mountain Holler. 

He was absolutely wonderful. 

My fellow open-micers were great, too, on 

instruments ranging from solo banjo to electronica to 

drummers and guitar players and a uke or two. The 

emcee was Funky De. 

A regular team of volunteers makes sure that the 

mission of founder Dallas Bohrer continues on so the 

Patch is, to quote their website, “…a place of art and 

beauty, music and good times located in Gulfport, 


Drop by the Blueberry Patch on the 1 st , 7 th , 

11 th and 22 nd of each month. Also check out 

their Facebook page to see how to volunteer 

and to read about any special events posted 

such as Burning Blueberry Brother, The 

Blueberry Ball and the Peace, Love and 

Blueberry Festival. Even if you don’t play 

an instrument, the Patch is a wonderland to 

behold and well worth the visit! 

ALL PHOTOS BY JENNIFER LANE OF JENMUSEPHOTOS 


Local Vocals: Este Loves 

Andrea James 

enough to keep you dancing for her entire set. If 

you attend her shows often, you will notice that it’s 

never really the same show twice. One night it may 

be just Este and her guitar, the next, Este and a full 

band. You might even catch her with her boyfriend, 

Jason, on djembe and her sister, Carly, 

doing backup vocals (the best combo in my opinion!). 

Positivity is a recurring theme in her lyrics 

and if you listen closely, you can hear the stories 

When going to see Este Loves perform, 

you notice immediately that 

she is what most would consider a 

‘hippie’. She is short, gorgeous, and has a head full 

of dreadlocks. But when Este opens her mouth 

and belts out that first tune, you know that she is 

so much more than that. Her unique voice, 

thoughtfully written lyrics, and strumming guitar 

are what keep people coming back week after 

week. Florida-born and raised, Este comes from a 

family of musicians. Her mother, Joy, sings and 

plays guitar and banjo, her father, Bill, plays the 

she is trying to tell. One of my favorite songs by 

Este says, “I know who I am. I know where I 

stand. You can find me where the water meets the 

land.” It’s such an empowering statement and 

shows how she finds strength in herself and in 

nature. 

In order for you to get to know her better, I met 

with Este at a mutual friend’s home to ask 

her about her influences, her career, and her 

favorite places to perform: 

guitar, and her sister, Carly, is a wonderful vocalist. 

Beginning her singing career at the age of 3 in 

her local church, Este has gone on to make music 

her career. She now has a full schedule each week 

playing shows all over the bay area. The best way 

that I can describe her music is ‘acoustic pop funk’ 

but even that doesn’t get the point across. From 

songs that sound entirely bluegrass to a Reggae 

feel to funk and country, her original songs are 


What musicians have influenced you the 

most in your life? My first musical influences are 

my family. My mom sang and played guitar and 

taught me so many songs at a young age. My 

sister, Carly and I sang duets while my Granny 

Jeanie Burt played Honkytonk piano. We sang at 

church, private parties, and civic and community 

events. It was so much fun, and I always got such 

a kick out of performing and seeing people smile. 

While attending college, I enjoyed jamming with 

friends and got the fever to play out in public a little 

more. 

A few years ago, I went to my first local 

music festival, the Orange Blossom Jamboree, and my 

eyes were opened to a beautiful local music and art 

community. It was the first time I saw the band 

Cope, the Funky Seeds, and Come Back Alice. My 

mind was blown by the awesome music and the crazy 

amount of fun had by all. It was my first time 

hearing about “Hometeam.” I had no clue 

what Hometeam meant, but rumor had it, a bunch of 

awesome musicians would be jamming at 

the Hometeam campsite. So I made it a mission to 

find that campsite. It was there that I met and first 

got to jam out with Juanjamon, from Cope and 

the Juanjamon Band, who became one of my best 

friends and music mentors. 

Critter (Copious Jones), Funky D, Sean Hartley, 

and Brad Elliot. These people help me strive to become 

a better musician. 

What are your favorite places to perform 

and where can we catch you during the week? 

My very favorite places to perform are at our local 

music festivals. Getting to be a part of festivals 

such as Hometeam New Years Rally, The Great 

Outdoors Jam, Orange Blossom Jamboree, and 

Mind Body Soul are one of my favorite things in the 

world! I’m also super excited to be playing with Porcupine 

at the Blueberry Patch on Sept 17 th , opening 

for Troy Youngblood and the Soulfish! 

Usually during the week I am performing at 

local bars and restaurants. Right now you can find 

me every Thursday night at Beach Fyre BBQ Grille 

in Clearwater and Wednesdays at Keel & Curley 

Winery of Plant City. 

What are your plans for your career going 

forward? I plan on continuing singing, playing and 

learning. I feel like I’m just now in the beginning of 

my career. I want to keep progressing and expanding 

my skills constantly! I learn so much from my friends 

who are musicians and it’s so much fun to play with 

them. I want to play with as many musicians as 

More recently, I’m still most inspired by the 

amazing local bands of our area. Come Back 

Alice, Ajeva, Holy Miss Moley are constantly 

pushing their goals each show to expand their music 

prowess. You will never see the same set twice! I’m 

also influenced each time I get to play 

with Dani Jaye (Come Back Alice), Juanjamon, 


possible. They always keep the style changing and have 

a lot to show you as fellow musicians. I also play piano 

and a few other instruments, and I'd like to incorporate 

those into my shows too! But I need a larger car for 

that! 

You are involved in the Hometeam music 

scene. What does Hometeam mean to you? 

Hometeam is a community of music and art lovers who 

work together, inspire, and genuinely care about each 

other. I have seen hometeam grow and blossom over 

the past three years. My music career and my life 

would not be the same without Hometeam. 

I would also just like to say thanks to all of my friends 

and family and new fans who have come out to see me! 

We musicians need an audience to inspire us! So 

thanks to you all for the love and support! 

There you have it! Now you know all about Este 

Loves and her incredible music. Get out to one of 

her performances and show your support for this 

amazing local artist! You will not be disappointed! 

*** 


I would like to start with a 

great big friendly hello to 

all. I have always loved 

people, especially “positive” 

people. I truly love to 

see others Happy! There is 

so much to be Thankful for 

in Life. Too many people 

live their life in such a negative 

way that you can 

sense it the moment you come in contact with 

them. I either try my best to change their mood 

or I must walk away. I prefer to live my life in an 

upbeat, positive mode. 

I am a singer in a Band called Comfort Zone 

Band, an owner of a club with my son, Josh, 

called CJ’s On The Island and I was a KJ/DJ for 

over 18 years. I have dealt with many people 

related to the music/club/ hospitality industry. 

With that being said, I would like to talk about 

the positive business relations that many do 

not quite understand or just let their negative 

side take over. If you own a club, restaurant or 

are in the music industry, Bands, DJ’s, KJ’s, 

please stop trying so hard to compete against 

each other. Try working together instead. Build 

your “Positive” Community together. I often 

hear of all these band members, DJ’s, karaoke 

hosts and business owners arguing and trying 

to compete against each other. Please stop this 

nonsense! 

I have trained and helped many KJ’s get their 

start. As a Karaoke Host for years, I helped 

many to rid their fear to stand on that stage and 

sing. Many have their own shows now from 

Florida to Massachusetts. I am happy for them 

all. Now let’s talk about businesses, surely this 

is where the most negative feelings seem to be. 

Ok folks, it is not a competition! Our club, CJ’s 

for instance, is surrounded by many other 

clubs, restaurants and other businesses. My 

Son & I are big on helping all the businesses that 

surround us and beyond. We feel the more we 

help each other to succeed the more the entire 

Community succeeds. Unfortunately, that is 

NOT how every business owner thinks. I certainly 

cannot change another business owner’s 

Building a Great, “Positive” Community 

Together 

By Cherie 

way of thinking, but I can surely tell my sons 

that we are who we are and we will continue to 

keep it Positive! 

We recently put up a fun direction post in front 

of CJ’s naming and pointing to many businesses 

surrounding us. We have one business owner 

near us that spends most of his days making 

sure you are only in his establishment if parked 

in one of his spots and will actually walk into 

other businesses to have them move, yet we 

allow everyone, including his customers to park 

at our establishment. This is so very sad, but 

true. Is it really worth it to spend your day being 

so negative and petty?!? So, to all the businesses, 

clubs, restaurant owners, bands, DJ’s & KJ’s, 

please support each other instead of competing 

against each other. When you do this, you will 

draw the positive energy to you and your business 

which will help you succeed! Believe me, it 

works! 

Sing, Dance and Stay Positive My Friends, 

Cherie 


The Hometeam Way Of Life 

Andrea James 

About 4 years ago I moved to Florida 

from Springfield, Missouri. (Talk about 

culture shock.) My kids, husband, and I 

didn’t know anyone besides my mother and my sisters. 

It got a tad lonely so we started going out and getting to 

know the Tampa Bay area a bit more. After frequenting 

Skipper’s Smokehouse with my husband we realized 

that we had been seeing the same people nearly every 

time. Curiosity got the best of us, so we asked around. 

These people we were seeing were Hometeam people. 

We had been told we should attend the Hometeam New 

Year’s Rally at Maddox Ranch in Lakeland so we 

researched the festival, thought it sounded like a fun, 

family friendly event and bought our tickets. Life has 

not been the same since! 

Hometeam is a community of people that love 

music, the arts, and having a good time. The founding 

members have many events around the Bay area and 

host music festivals with a vibe that rivals any of the 

larger ones. The Hometeam festivals are usually fourdays 

of camping, music, and art. (Let’s be honest. This 

in itself is awesome.) Your first Hometeam event is 

spent realizing that these are the friendliest, social, 

amazing, outgoing people you have ever met. Before 

you know it you have met so many of these people that 

you’ve forgotten their names…but you’ll remember 

them after awhile. Don’t you worry! One event turns 

into two which turns into three and then you just become 

part of it…part of the Hometeam. You can’t help 

but want to go to everything Hometeam related because 

there are just not people like this everywhere. This is 

something magical. 

When attending a festival you will see rows of 

vendors selling the most beautiful art, stones, clothing, 

tie-dye, food, and other handmade items. There are 

usually at least two stages so that you are never far from 

some of the greatest musical talent in the country. People 

walk by and smile, say hello, introduce themselves, 

and quickly become like family. You look around and 

see children playing tag, blowing bubbles, hula hooping, 

and climbing trees. You never have to worry when 

you are near these folks. Forget a can opener? Someone 

will let you borrow it. Frying pan? That too. Need a lift 

to the gas station? No problem. You couldn’t find better 

human beings. Also, Hometeam is all about positivity. 

There is never a fight, no yelling, no negativity pervading 

the air, at any event. 

So, let’s talk about the music. Music is such a 

huge part of Hometeam. Bands like Come Back Alice, 

Holey Miss Moley, and The Applebutter Express bring 

some serious talent to the scene. There are usually at 

least 30 other bands over the course of each festival with 

music from noon and on into the wee hours. You can 

watch the crowds go back and forth from one stage to 

the next and back again, following the music wherever 

it goes (which sometimes is a random campsite at 3am). 

Are you a musician? Bring your instrument. Campfire 

jams are the best and everyone is welcome to join in! 

Artwork is all around in the Hometeam world. 

Artists like Stephen Barry, Bean Spence, Jimmy Rector, 

and Jerry Cahill keep creativity alive and well. Some of 

the artists even teach classes for the kids with things like 

face painting, t-shirt designs, and painting wood cutouts. 

You’ll even see a musician here and there, teaching 

the kids simple instruments and techniques, such as 

djembe or tambourine. There are classes for adults 

during the day as well. You can choose from many 

different topics such as yoga, couples massage, painting, 

edible plant walks, and song writing, just to name a 

few. 

Another great thing about Hometeam is that you 

don’t have to wait around for one of these festivals to 

join in. Just look around you. You’ll find people gathering 

nearly every night of the week. Downtown St. Pete, 

Skipper’s Smokehouse, Dunedin Brewery, Orlando, 


Sarasota, and up into Tarpon Springs…all places 

you’ll find Hometeam family ready to hang out 

and some of the best music around! Hometeam 

knows how to do it right. We know how to 

throw a party. 

When beginning this article I was curious 

as to the background of Hometeam. How did this 

huge family of more than 3,000 become a thing? 

I decided to ask the wonderful couple behind it 

all, Cody & Jenelle Bean. You will see them at 

each festival riding by in a golf cart, on a constant 

mission to insure everyone is having a great 

time. They are the sweetest people! Jenelle will 

always stop to give you a hug and see if there is 

anything she can do to help out. She is adorable, 

kind, and has the best smile. Everything that they 

do is greatly appreciated by all and if you are 

lucky enough to hang out with them, you’ll see 

that they are all about a good laugh and this big 

family. Cody, her husband, was kind enough to 

give me all the answers to my many questions. 

He is someone you will immediately realize is 

the face of Hometeam. He has a lovely ginger 

beard, a Hometeam shirt, and a Viking helmet, at 

nearly every event. His face, in sticker form, is 

plastered on cars, walls, golf carts, and lord 

knows what else. Here is what he has to say 

about Hometeam and how you can get involved: 

How would you describe Hometeam? 

“Hometeam is not just a festival… it’s a family. 

It’s an ever growing community of individuals 

whose shared love for music, arts, and good 

intention has become a launching pad for making 

dreams come true. While music is the common 

denominator that initially draws new 

patrons in, it is the genuine friendship and sense 

of family that has fueled our community to thrive 

and grow over the last 4 years. Whether you are 

a musician, an artist, a teacher, or just a fan of 

life, you will find not only acceptance, but uplifting 

support within the Hometeam. We seek to 

provide the perfect balance between the intimacy 

of a small festival, and the professional feeling 

and quality production of bigger events. We are 

made up of humble roots and big dreams. The 

vibe is real.” 

What makes it special to you? 

“The reason Hometeam is so special to us is 

because it is special to so many other people. It 

gives people a sense of comradery to unite and 

be proud of each other, together. It's like a rally 

call, because I mean, there's no such thing as an 

away team anyway.” 

How did Hometeam get started? 

“ In 2011 there was a big New Year’s festival 

planned that had some of the best Florida 

bands booked. A week before the event, it got 

canceled, and within the next 7 days, I decided 

to build a stage in my front yard so these musicians 

would have a gig. Some of the bands that 

played in my yard that year were The Applebutter 

Express, Zach Deputy, The Legendary JCs, 

and Savi Fernandez, just to name a few. The 

following year I wanted to know what festival 

was going to be happening and none existed. 

So, that's when I decided to throw the first 

Hometeam New Year’s Rally. The Rally began 

as a way to showcase the array of talent in the 

Tampa/St Petersburg area and provide a safe 

and fun environment for all ages, but has 

evolved into a union and reunion that encourages 

all patrons to believe in their unique talents, 

find others with like interests, and reignite 

passions that may have taken a back seat to 

their regular everyday lives.” 

What is the story behind the Viking hat? 

“First thing's first, it's a helmet, not a 

hat...hahahaha. So, in 2011 there was a battle 

of the bands going on in Ybor City, and I was a 

big fan of the band Orange Hour. I had been a 

Viking the Halloween prior to that event, and I 

just figured that for the battle of the bands, the 

Viking Helmet would be proper. When I wore it 

out to the show, everyone smiled back at me, 

and from that point forward I would be a fool 

to take it off. If the helmet fits, wear it. After 

watching Dennis Stadelman put band stickers 

all over his guitar, I thought it was a cool way 

to wear your heart on your sleeve, so I started 

putting stickers all over my helmet. The rest is 

history.” 


What do you see in the future for Hometeam 

and what can we expect to see soon 

as far as events? 

“This year's New Years Rally is going to be 

very special. It's our 5th year anniversary 

and the first time we get to celebrate with 

NYE falling on Saturday night. We are announcing 

the first phase lineup on August 

1st. As far as what the future holds, the 

possibilities are endless. We believe that 

every musical hub has its own version of a 

Hometeam family. One of our dreams is to 

begin to unite these communities from 

around the country in a way that will allow 

the musicians, artists, and fans to gain more 

exposure, more support, and more success as 

a team. While we are looking for great success 

for our patrons, artists, and everyone 

else, we aren't looking to become a giant, 

over populated production. We always want 

to maintain the intimacy of a smaller crowd, 

but spoil them all at the same time. Quality 

over quantity.” 

Hometeam Facebook page or Website (links 

below) or by following local Hometeam bands 

or artists. They would love to have your support 

and Hometeam will welcome you with 

open arms! 

www.facebook.com/hometeamnewyears 

www.hometeamnewyears.com 

How can people keep tabs of what is going 

on in the Hometeam world? 

“Our Facebook and our website are the 

places to stay up to date. Or if you find 

yourself walking around in downtown St. 

Pete, and holler out the word "Hometeam," 

someone is bound to answer, haha” 

Explain the importance of music and art 

in the Hometeam community. 

“The music and the art are what bring us 

together. When people are gathering in the 

woods around a campfire, it's special. You 

just can't get that type of a feeling on Main 

Street. No matter who you are, whether you 

are an artist, a musician, a vendor, a teacher, 

a doctor, or just a fan of life, there is a place 

for you at the Hometeam. That place has 

been cultivated because of the music and the 

art. It is up to us to keep it going. We are all 

in this together!” 

Photos by Andrea James 

I loved hearing the answers to these questions! 

This is what Hometeam is all about…. 

music, art, friendship, and knowing how to 

have a seriously epic time together. 

If you would like to get involved in the Hometeam 

community you can always find information 

about upcoming events by visiting the 


UNITY 

Reverend Funky D 

The Tampa-St Pete 

music scene has always 

been a very unified 

family. The first time I 

was ever given a chance 

to play in this town was 

by Mike Edwards, who 

invited me to sit in 

at Skippers Smokehouse in Tampa. It was then that 

I knew this was a really good place to be. I ended up 

joining up with several other Jam style bands and 

couldn't help but take notice how well they all work 

together. That was 24 years ago. Since then due to 

the efforts of those few bands back in the day, many 

bands have joined forces in this area and we have 

created a very unique music scene. 

I have watched it blossom over many years and I've 

seen some giants come and go. But the one thing that 

remains the same through it all is the unification. 

There is something magic going on around here. I 

personally experienced it when I fell ill last year and 

the entire music community came out and raised 

money to get me through. That is the kind of thing 

people need. I think our government would do well 

to take note of the way we treat each other in this 

community we have built. 

a Music mecca. Bands as far away as California 

are trying to relocate to our area. I received 

messages from my friends all around 

the country praising what we have going on. 

What most folks do not realize is that it 

crosses multiple genres. The hippies, the 

rockers, the punks, the hipsters, etc. all work 

together in this town. Added to that we have 

some very, very strong venues that work together 

as well. The Ale and the Witch, Ringside 

Café and the Blueberry Patch all come 

together bringing bigger and larger bands 

into town. 

When people ask me why Saint Petersburg 

does so well I always answer with one simple 

word -unity! 

These days Saint Petersburg in particular has become 


The Funky Seeds 

Reunion 

The Funky Seeds 

Funky D - Vocals & Keyboards 

Steven Scarcliff - Guitar & Vocals 

Sean Hartley - Lead Guitar & Vocals 

Patrick Schwing - Drums 

J Sideways - Bass 

Photos by Johnny Fish© 



JJ was born on June 

21 st of 1990 in 

Olympia, Washington. 

He grew up a 

social person with 

dreams for the future. 

A rock star, a 

dentist, maybe a 

photographer; anything 

was possible. 

An avid fan of Monster 

energy drinks, 

he collected any 

item with the Monster 

logo on it. 

In 2010, before his 

20 th birthday, he decided to follow his mother 

and stepfather (Dawn and Joel Baich) to Clearwater, 

Florida. There, JJ spent his days visiting 

the beach and looking for work. He also set out 

to get his high school equivalency diploma. He 

found steady employment at Frenchy’s South 

Beach Restaurant as a bar back and busboy. 

With a new job, new friends, his work toward a 

high school diploma, and the recent gift of a 

scooter from his parents, JJ was happy. He 

hoped one day he’d have a girlfriend to share his 

happiness with. 

Everything changed on March 11 th of 2011. JJ 

made a left turn out of a gas station on his 

scooter. He had turned after a car passed by; but 

he was blinded to another car in the second lane, 

a car that had sped through the intersection to 

beat a red light. JJ hit the car and rolled up the 

hood and over, breaking his left leg and hitting 

his head on the windshield. His helmet saved his 

life, but didn’t prevent him from slipping into a 

coma. JJ was airlifted to Bayfront Hospital in St. 

Petersburg; where he remained in that coma for 

25 days. 

When he came out of the coma, recovery was 

slow. JJ didn’t remember much of his life and 

unfortunately he still does not. While he can 

remember people, places, and the feelings associated 

with them, he can’t recall most facts or 

many memories. 

Dawn stayed by his side in the hospital. After 

two weeks, she began to do range of motion 

exercises with him. By the 6 th week of his hospital 

stay, JJ had to be moved to a skilled nursing 

facility in Orlando. With JJ at the new facility, 

Dawn stayed in the Ronald McDonald House 

which allowed her to stay close to JJ’s side and 

continue to help him with his therapy. 

After six months in Orlando, he was transferred 

to Health South Rehab in Clearwater for more 

intense therapy. On November 11 th , he was finally 

able to go home. 

Taking care of him now became a full time job 

for Dawn. “We use a Hoyer lift to lift him from 

his bed and place him in his wheelchair” she 

said. “By March of 2012, we were able to stop 

using diapers and now he can stand, with assistance.” 

Recovery continues to be slow and the family 

receives very little help, either professionally or 

personally. “Medicaid doesn’t provide for the 

care that he needs. Therapy has been mostly up 

to me, “Dawn said. 

Just last year, an anonymous donor built JJ a set 

of parallel bars for his home which gives him the 

ability to practice walking. Because his biggest 

challenge is finding his balance, JJ uses a wheelchair 

most of the time. 

Dawn and Joel began building a handicapped 

accessible bathroom and therapy room four 

years ago. They have most of the materials they 

need, but they have been unable to find anyone 

to do the work, and they do not have the money 

to pay someone to finish the project. 

“If we could get this done, it would greatly improve 

his independence.” Dawn said. 


JJ still collects Monster Energy drink memorabilia, 

and still hopes to one day find a girlfriend who he can 

love. 

To donate or help JJ ‘s parents complete the upgrades 

to their home, please contact Bay Buzz at 

727-320-2424. 

INDEPENDENCE FOR JJ 

SAVE THE DATE! 

AUGUST 20, 2016 

5PM - 11PM 

GATORS CAFE 

12754 KINGFISH DRIVE 

TREASURE ISLAND, FL 33706 

LIVE MUSIC by 

Roundhouse Social 

Wicked 

Avenue 43 

Evil Monkey 

Black Sun Circus 

RAFFLES 

BOOZE BARREL RAFFLE 

DRINK SPECIALS 

ALL AGES! 


WHAT’S GOING ON 

THIS MONTH 

Downtown Gulfport 

ALL AGES 

FREE 

200 1st Avenue, St. Petersburg 

FREE - ALL AGES 

The Railway Kings open at 8pm 

Pirate Flag at 10pm 

Theme: Jealousy Songs 

Crooked Thumb Brewery 

555 10th Ave South, Safety Harbor 

Dog Splash Park 

508 Live Oak St., Tarpon Springs 

2:30pm - 10:30pm 

Call for Info:845-661-5518 

Tampa Bay Pitcher Show 

Scott McGilvrey & John Sacett. 

14416 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa 

9:30PM 

$10.00 Plus Two Item Miminum Purchase 

Fun for all 21 and up. 

Vinoy Park 

701 Bayshore Drive NE, St. Petersburg 

4:30PM 

BUY TICKETS 


First Draft is a live literary event 

that occurs on the 3rd 

Thursday of every month. 

Southern Brewing & Winemaking Supply 

4500 N. Nebraska Avenue, Tampa 

FREE 

A fundraiser to help support a family who 

needs to raise funds for a handicapped 

Bathroom. Raffles, Booze Barrel Raffle, 

Live Music, Drink Specials and More! 

Gators Cafe 

12754 Kingfish Drive, Treasure Island 

5pm - 11PM 

Tampa Pitcher Show 

14416 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa 

$8.00 

Third Saturday Art Walk 

Independent artists, local authors and 

entertainers, live music by The New 

Horizons Band and The Paul Anthony 

Band and more! 

3007 Beach Blvd, Gulfport 

6PM 

Live music & dancing, live & silent 

auctions, catered cuisine, costume 

contest, Gecko Queen coronation, much 

more fun and suprises! 

Gulfport Casino Ballroom 

5500 Shore Blvd. South, Gulfport 

6PM - 11PM 

$35 

Perfomances by Christian Ryan’s Garage, 

Holey Miss Moley and Joose 

Skipper’s Smokehouse 

910 Skipper Road, Tampa 

$10 - $13 


Finding The Balance 

Entertaining in the Bay Area 

Daniel Childs 

“THE ENTERTAINER” 

The red February sun finally slipped over the edge of the gulf view and into oblivion, making room for 

the warm air to be infiltrated by a slight chill - just to let me know that, though the humidity of 

summer was long gone, the Sunshine State had no intention of changing its reputation. My shirt 

was drenched with sweat and my fingertips were black from hours of steel string contact, but the crowd was 

listening, and that was enough for me to play all the way until closing time. 

This was my first local gig as a Florida resident… the first show of many to come. Taking in the breathtaking 

view of the beach at sunset, complimented by the friendliness of a warm restaurant called Palm Pavilion, I 

began to feel at home - and that’s what started my journey in this area. 

I grew up in Tennessee, listening to my dad’s band play songs like “Brown Eyed Girl”, “Take It Easy” and 

“Running On Empty”. The aroma of hotdog stands and the sound of my dad’s voice echoing through 

fairground after fairground sometimes still hit me when I play some of those same songs today. I guess that 

was my training ground, watching and learning - which subconsciously got me ready for gigging across the 

state of Tennessee in my teens. Nashville, Memphis, you name it. Music became my life. 

I never planned on doing anything else, so in my early 20’s I hit the road and spent several years traveling 

across the United States with a few different groups, singing at thousands of venues nationwide. These travels 

led me to the vast state of Washington, where I met and later married the love of my life. After spending 

some months playing the Seattle venues, my wife Norma and I packed up and relocated to the south to pursue 

Christian ministry. And that’s what eventually led us to Florida. 

Once settled in my new home of Largo, I knew it was time to get my feet wet with local gigging in order to 

stay afloat financially. Acoustic guitar in hand and speakers on a hand truck, I began to play at any venue that 

would have me. And quickly I discovered that there absolutely is work for a cover musician in West Central 

Florida. The tricky thing, though, was material. What songs would work best and win audiences over in this 

new terrain? 

To answer this question, I began to try a vast range of material at my shows. I had quickly noticed that 

different venues in the area had clientele of different age ranges. Some of the Pinellas County venues were 

frequented primarily by people ranging from 50 - 70 in age, many of them being retired. As I would play for 


them, I began to notice that this group of people seemed to mostly enjoy hearing music from the 70’s and 

80’s, so I drew from the tunes I remembered hearing my dad play when I was a kid. I discovered that 

America’s “Sister Golden Hair”, Pure Prairie League’s “Amie”, or just about any Eagles song were sure-fire 

hits with this group. It became a regular occurrence for someone to leap from their bar stool onto the hot 

patio pavement to applaud at hearing their favorite song. 

But then, I found another demographic one night as I played at a venue in South Tampa. This was a much 

younger crowd - younger than me! People in their 20’s and early 30’s. So, I began to draw from my arsenal 

of 90’s rock songs - the stuff that I had listened to in high school. This proved to be a good move, as it kept 

the younger people well-entertained. Songs like Third Eye Blind’s “Semi-Charmed Life”, Goo Goo Dolls’ 

“Slide”, or MatchBox 20’s “3am” worked great with this type of crowd. 

But there were also the venues, like Palm Pavilion, that catered not to any one particular age group - but 

instead, were always filled with people of varying age ranges. These venues are where I discovered that to 

entertain a crowd of diverse patrons, one should incorporate material from not one, not two, but three 

decades. The great 70’s songs for the 50 and up music lovers, the 90’s songs for the youngsters, and then, 

the music that brings the two together - the 1980’s. Songs like Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer” and Tom 

Petty’s “Won’t Back Down”. Younger people dig the vibe of listening to 80’s music, and likewise, the 50 

plus age group love that music from having listened to it over the years. It seems that songs from the 1980’s 

bridge an unspoken musical gap that lies between mothers and daughters today. 

So, from now on, when you hear me play at venues around town - you’ll hear songs from all three decades, 

and beyond… because you just never know who will be at your show. And, there are always younger people 

who enjoy older songs, and older people who enjoy newer songs. The balance therefore, here in the Tampa 

Bay area, is to cater to everyone with the songs you select. Diversify! And for doing so, your tip jar will be 

full and you’ll have more fun. 

No matter the length of the set, when I strum the final chords of the final song of the night, bringing it 

home one last time… my face pouring with sweat from the Florida humidity and my fingers hurting from 

hours of fret play, there is a moment of excitement in knowing that I did the best job that I could, and that, 

God willing, I’ll be back to do so again very soon. 

Tampa Bay is such a beautiful area, with much to offer to people from every walk of life. From the emerald 

waters of the gulf, to the exciting social spots of the city, our venues are full of talented musicians who have 

stories to tell through their vocal and instrumental performances. May we as musicians, music-lovers, 

venue managers and connoisseurs do what we must in order to ensure that our locals, as well as visitors to 

the area, are well-treated, well-fed, and well-entertained! 


August 

4923 20th Avenue South 

Gulfport, FL 33707 

Monday, 8/1 

Open Mic with 

Barry Ertel 

8pm - 11pm 

Thursday, 8/11 

Open Jam with the 

Blueberry Patch 

Ramblers 

Saturday, 8/6 

Volunteer Day 

11:11am - ??? 

Saturday, 8/13 

Volunteer Day 

11:11am - ??? 

Sunday, 8/7 

Literary Afternoon 

Featuring 

“Harper Lee” 

Neptune Grill 

5501 Shore Blvd. S. Gulfport 

Sunday, 8/7 

Open Mic with Funky D 

Featuring 

“Fuzzy Britches” 

Monday, 8/22 

Savi Fernandez Band 

8pm - 11pm 

Saturday, 8/27 

Volunteer Day 

11:11am - ???

BUZZ Magazine August 2016

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?