June 2016 - 1

June, 2016

2

Letter From The Publisher
Hello Tampa Bay!
Wow, already into our third issue and
we’re buzzin’ stronger than ever!
We’ve got such exciting news to share
wtih you!
First I am happy to share this June issue
with you that is jam packed with all
kinds of articles about musicians,
record stores and reviews! We’ve been
working hard to bring you the news
you’ve asked for.
Bay Buzz is holding a contest for
musicians to submit their best
instrumental song to be the “Theme
Song” of our Promotional Video that
we’ll be shooting later this month! The
purpose of our video is to answer the
question: “What is Bay Buzz?” Our
selected characters in the video will
have fun answering that question.
And don’t forget, Best of The Buzz is still
going on, so be sure to nominate your
favorite local band.
We’d like to hear from you and your
thoughts on the articles you read.
Whether it be a comment or a question,
please feel free to reach out to us.
I’d like to personally thank our
volunteers for their hard work and
loyalty to this project. Without
dedicated volunteers, Bay Buzz
wouldn’t be as great as it is.
So without further adue, please grab
your favorite drink, maybe some
popcorn and relax as you read this
amazing issue of BUZZ Magazine.
Until next month,
Constance
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contents
June, 2016
BUZZ Magazine
Rosewood Creek
Florida Folk Night
16
Ukulele Feature
20
A Beatles Tribute
32
Musicians
Menagerie
34
Now Recording
38
JCT 27: Ukelear
Fusion
40
Photo by Pam Wills
Daddy Kool
Records
How They Make A
Difference in 8
St. Petersburg
Photo by David Muir Jr.
MAMA BONE
Reflects on The
Green Sunshine
Farewell 17
4
June, 2016

Publisher
Constance Hilton
Photo by John Stalter
Time Bandits for
“Island Days” on
Honeymoon!
10
Editors
Jennifer Lane
Bob Feckner
Marketing & Sales
Pamela Wills
Constance Hilton
Contributing Writers
Jennifer Lane
Contributing Photographers
Jennifer Lane
John Stalter
Event Coordinator
Pamela Wills
Photo by Aramis Ikatu
12
Laura Shepherd
Making Music With Magic
ON THE COVER:
LAURA SHEPHERD
Photo taken by Constance Hilton at
Orange Blossom Jamboree 2014 at
Sertoma Youth Ranch in Brooksville, Florida
Photo Used with Permission
Editorial Project Development
Constance Hilton
The Bay Buzz
St. Petersburg/Tampa
www.baybuzz.org
is a Bay Buzz
Publication
5

6

7

In 2016, getting your music has never been easier; you
don’t even have to visit a record store! With digital
downloads from outlets like Amazon, iTunes, Bandcamp,
and many others, not to mention digital files that
come from burning existing CDs (pirated or not), we
wondered how the record stores stay in business? The
music landscape has changed for sure, and the business
model is most definitely moving toward all-digital and
all-streaming formats; but the truth of the matter is
that many people still like to hold a tangible item in
their hands when they purchase music. If for no other
reason that they like liner notes with art and fancy
pictures. To answer our questions, we spoke to Manny
Kool, the manager of the downtown store, Daddy Kool
Records, since 1999.
What makes your store appealing to St. Petersburg? I
think what sets us apart from other music stores is that
we sell concert tickets. And we sell a lot of concert tickets!
We sell for promoters that produce shows for The
State Theater, Jannus Live and the Local 662, which are
here in St. Petersburg. We also work with promoters who
have concerts in Tampa at venues such as The Orpheum,
The Crow Bar, The Ritz Theater and The New World
Brewery and some more.
What type of research goes into what you put on your
shelves? We are part of a music coalition in which new
CDs are sent to us on a consignment basis. We order
months in advance to stay current with what releases
are coming out now. So if there is new CD which is to be
released today, we ordered it back in March.
The hardest part is finding local musicians to put their
music in our store. It’s on them to bring it to the store for
us to sell. Most local musicians don’t have the distribution
behind them to supply us with their CD. Now if they
do have distribution, we pick it up to show support for
the band to get it in the store and there are a few musicians
who do have distribution through a “one-stop”,
such as Damon Fowler or The Hip Abduction. But if musicians
use CD Baby as their distributor, it’s hard for us to
buy from them because of pricing.
Do you help market local musicians and their CDs? It’s
really up to the musicians to market. But we do sell them
for the locals. We price it at the price the musician set
and we don’t take a cut for selling them. And we try to
help get the word out, but it’s really up to the musicians.
In your opinion, what do you think makes a local CD a
hit seller in the store? It’s really up to the artist. Local
bands need to let their fans know that Daddy Kool has it
in supply. Also using social media helps to inform the
public. But many local musicians are not business people
and don’t realize that once your CD is done, that is only
half of the work. The other half is marketing.
Do digital downloads hurt music sales? And do you find
that people buy less CDs because they can download
them for less money? It’s a little of both. Downloads
are great for getting the word out but it
does take a bite out of sales. Physical sales are
not what they used to be compared to many,
many years ago. They are up in the last five to six
years though, but nowhere near where they
used be ten years ago.
8
Photos by Pamela Wills©
Do you think the concept of the album (in any
form) is dying? I don’t think so. The concept of
the album will continue because people buy
for the art value.
What is the job of the local music shop these
days compared to the 1990's? Compared to
the 1990's, I think we all had do then was unlock
the door and put out the Open sign. Our
job now is to have much more of a curator of
artists. Now with the way of the world there is

more records being released now and it’s keeping up.
We also use social media for marketing. We do print ads
as well, but they aren’t as effective as social media.
More people pay attention to their Twitter and Facebook
these days.
What are the demographics of customers that come
into the store? We’re fairly across the board. Kids come
in with their parents, kids come in on their own, college
students and older folks. For example, we recently had
an elderly lady come into the store and buy “Drake” for
herself.
What is the most important thing that a record shop can
provide their customers? I think we provide the overall
experience, even if you’re not buying a record that day.
The experience of coming into the store and discovering
new music and interacting with others is what we give
them.
What is so appealing about vinyl? The appeal of vinyl is
also the experience. And hopefully people are playing
them on a great sound system that lets it breathe and do
its thing. Also, it is the artwork and the tangibility of it,
cleaning it…it’s something that you nurture.
Can you explain to our readers what Record Store Day
is? Every independent record store across the country
(and international as well) usually joins in on this. It’s one
day a year (and it’s every day of the year)! It is the third
Saturday of April each year and hundreds of records,
7-inches, 10-inches, every format of vinyl, as well as
select pieces on other formats, such as compact discs,
are on sale and it’s a party! It’s an all-day event where
we’ve had a street party, where the street was blocked
off and have live bands, free beer. That kind of thing.
Thank you Manny for taking the time to talk with Bay
Buzz. Is there anything you’d like to add before we close
this interview? I would like to say when it comes to the
local musicians and getting their CDs into the store, it’s
real important that their packaging looks appealing. Get
a UPC on it, this way you can keep tabs on the sales. If
you don’t want a bar code on it, at least shrink wrap it.
Daddy Kool Records is located at 666 Central Avenue,
St. Petersburg.
www.daddykool.com
9

10
Photos Taken By John Stalter©

Time Bandits
Gary Gann (Rhythm Guitar, Vocals)
Bard Holcomb (Lead Vocals)
Tim Marshall (keys, Vocals)
Jeff Chalpan (Lead Guitar)
Charles Motta (Drums, Vocals)
Dudley Mays (Bass, Vocals)
www.thetimebanditsband.com
11

12
Photo by Aramis Ikatu

Hi Laura, so what is keeping you busy these days?
Making music videos is something that brings me
immense joy. I have a dozen or so. You can check them
out on my YouTube channel, ILShepherd9. My goal is to
try something different - the only rules are no girls
laying on their back or leaning suggestively over. I have
collaborated with people all around the world. I can’t be
in front of and behind the camera at the same time so
I’m always looking for a partner in crime.
How did you first get into music? Did you come from a
musical family? I did not come from a musical family. I
took guitar lessons in the seventh grade, but it wasn’t
until I was 40 that I really decided to play and perform.
Often people come up to me and say they wish they’d
started playing when they were young - and they are
still younger than when I started. Just remember today
is a good day to start.
What is the first song you wrote? The first song i wrote
was “The Grandpa Song”. It is on my album, “The Stand”.
When you get an idea for a song, how do you go about
it? What is your writing process? I usually start with an
interesting line; something someone has said or
something will just pop out like “a handful of silver and
a pinch of gold. I’ll use it for tar on the roof of my soul”.
I don’t even know what it means, but it makes for a
good song. Then I have to write the song while playing
an instrument. Otherwise, I end up with an a cappella
song and no real gift for putting music behind it.
How did you form “Ladies of St. Petersburg”? Tell us
more about this group. I was part of a group in
Fredericksburg, Virginia called The Singing Ladies at the
Burg. The idea is to pull people together for a specific
performance. No long-term commitment. When I
moved here I wanted to connect with other singers. So
I started “The Singing Ladies of St. Petersburg”. From
time to time we get a group together for a performance
or an event. The last one was the fundraiser at the
Gulfport Casino for “The Gulfport Food Forest” which is
a non-profit. I’m passionate about growing food bearing
trees on public lands.
Are you a full time working musician or is there
another job you keep? I do contract work sometimes
by playing music. I do work in the film industry,
although I will say the film industry is hurting here in
Florida since our governor cut the tax incentives. All the
work is moving to Georgia, but I am not. So there is less
of that to do.
How many instruments do you play? I started as a
guitar player. Then one Christmas, I brought home an
old, free piano on the back of my truck and had some
friends carry it up the stairs to my apartment. The stairs
were steep and when we got to the top, the windowsill
stuck out too far so we had to dismantle the window,
with the piano three quarters of the way up. Now I play
the mandolin because it’s easy. In a hard shell case it is
lighter than some women’s purses. Truthfully, I am a
songwriter and a storyteller.
Tell us some of the places you have played out at.
Which was your favorite and why? I generally play
where people want to listen to original music. St.
Petersburg has Studio 620 which is a lovely environment
for The Laura Shepherd Show. Festivals are also great
venues because people are there to listen to music.
Sometimes I travel to do a show. I just played a show in
Fredericksburg, Virginia last May at a place called The
Kenmore Inn. It is a fine listening room. It is my intention
to make people feel so good that they want to share me
with their friends.
You’re not shy. I’ve seen you start singing and playing
your mandolin at parties when most people are
talking. How did you overcome stage fight or was it
something you never had? Would you have advice for
those who do struggle with it? When I first started
playing out I was getting sick to my stomach before I left
the house. To do one song at an open mic I would stand
there shaking so badly that I could hardly play. But one
can gain strength overriding fears. I still get nervous but
practice looking confident and relaxed. My advice to
others is it does not make me any less nervous if I tell
lots of people that I’m very nervous.
Where are you originally from? I was born in Paris to
American parents, but I lived most of my life in Virginia.
I moved here in 2012 to take care of my mother when
my father died.
Let’s talk about your CD, “The Stand”. I find it very well
written and it makes you happy to listen to it. Was this
recorded in Florida? How long did it take to record?
Plus you got to work with some other musicians on this
project. Tell me, how did that go? “The Stand” was
recorded in Fredericksburg, Virginia at Wally Cleaver
Studio. My very good friend Keith McConnell was
instrumental in getting me started on the project. The
wonderful thing about an album is you can pull together
all kinds of people with varying schedules who could
13

…Laura Shepherd Continued…
never actually be in a band. I had a standing Monday
night appointment at the recording studio with the
agreement that we could cancel at the last minute if
something came up. I wished and hoped that Jeff Covert
would call and cancel because it is somewhat nerve
racking and hard work to record an album. The funny
thing is I looked forward to it all week until Monday.
With this and that, it took about a year to record. And of
course I have a soon-to-be released album. Look for a
release party within the year.
www.lshepherd9.com
Photo Taken at WMNF Studios By Meredith Bogush©
14

15

Rosewood Creek
Americana acoustic up and coming local band
Rosewood Creek were the Nulla headliners vestibulum for Florida
Folk Night early in May at The Old Key West Bar &
Grill. Florida Folk Night is a well established music
series run by Pete Gallagher and Pat Barmore,
featuring local folk musicians in local venues
across Tampa Bay. Pete Gallagher hosts the long
running “Florida Folk Night” on WMNF, 88.5FM.
Old Key West Bar & Grill is located at 2451 Central Avenue St. Petersburg, FL 33713 (727) 623-0969
Mad Fish Beach House is located at 13205 Gulf Blvd. Madeira Beach, FL 33708 (727)398-4103
Photos by Jennifer Lane of JenMuse Photo©
16

A Green Reflection
An Interview with Sara Phillips
“MAMA BONE”
Green Sunshine again. It was bittersweet, though. There
was sadness for sure, but also an appreciation and love
for all our friends who came out to support, my love for
my band mates and all the amazing adventures we went
on together over the years.
Hi Sara… it’s been a long road for Green Sunshine and
you accomplished so many things with the band that
has been known for the “all out party revolution” and
the funky groove sound. The band’s “Farewell” show
was at The Ringside Café in St. Petersburg on May
7th and it had to be hard, not to mention emotional
when the last song was played and you took your final
bow. How are you doing, Sara? It was an emotional night
for sure, and we all knew it would be. There were a
couple times on stage where I was watching the crowd,
and our audience was already in tears. That moved me,
for sure. When we all lined up and took a bow at the end
of the night, the tears really started flowing for me.
That's when it hit that it would be a long time before
I took the stage with
When did you join the band? How did that come about?
My first official show with Green Sunshine as a full-time
member was the first Home Team Rally at Maddox. I
liked to refer to Hometeam as my “bandaversary”. I had
been playing here and there at local jams and with the
Funky Seeds for a while when Johnny Nichol approached
me about sitting in with Green Sunshine on a couple
songs for a show they were playing at Inside the Gates in
St. Petersburg. I learned a few songs and played a few
different shows with them, and after a few times playing,
I was offered a full-time position at the band's trombone
player.
Green Sunshine traveled to many places to share the
music with so many other people. Can you tell me some
of the places you visited? Did you enjoy being on the
road?I love being on the road. I always loved to travel as
a child, and still do as an adult. Throw music into the
equation and I'm in heaven. Growing up, I didn't get off
of the East Coast very much, so a lot of the places I went
with Green Sunshine were entirely new to me. In my
three years with the band, I traveled up and down the
state of Florida, to Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama,
Louisiana, Tennessee, Virginia (my home state), West
Virginia, Washington, D.C., and New Jersey. I really
loved going to new cities and playing music for people
who had never seen us before and seeing what
life is like in different places around the country. It's
very exciting and I look forward to continuing to do
it more and more.
Can you share one of your favorite memories
being with the band? My first time to New Orleans
was with Green Sunshine. Everybody has heard
amazing stories about how great of a city it is,
especially for musicians and music lovers. We got
to the city with enough time before the show to
wander around a little bit and see the city. The
architecture was beautiful, there was music com-
17

ing out of almost every door you walked past, and most
of the people walking around were carrying some sort of
musical instrument. I was in love. That night for the
show, we played at a 24 hour bar/music
venue/laundromat called Checkpoint Charlie's. We had
teamed up with our friends in Mob Towne Revival from
Mobile, Alabama and were swapping sets all night long.
During one of the set breaks when Mob Towne was on
stage, a couple of us went to the bar next door, where we
found a 10-piece, all female brass band playing. If there
was one thing I should have seen my first time visiting
New Orleans, I believe that was it. It was such an amazing
night, I still look back at it fondly over 3 years later.
Sara, I want to thank you for taking the time to talk with
Bay Buzz. We wish you and everyone who formed Green
Sunshine the best of luck is all you do. We hope we hear
more music from all of you in the future. Would you like
to share anything more before we close this interview?
I just can't say thank you enough. Thank you to all the
fans, friends and family who have supported Green Sunshine
over the last 9 years. We wouldn't have gotten to
where we did without the support. And to all our fans
who are sad, I can't promise when or if we'll come back,
but Green Sunshine isn't dead. As long as you keep the
love alive and we keep on playing, the sun will never set.
In a post you shared on Facebook, you mention that
Green Sunshine was the first professional band you’ve
been part of. What other bands were you involved with
that helped you grow as a musician and may I say, as a
person? I grew up as a classical player through high
school and college, which is a very different type of music
than I find myself playing now. For about 6 years, I didn't
play trombone at all. During that time, I moved to Florida
and found myself in St. Pete. I met a bunch of the local
musicians and started talking about how I used to play.
People started to encourage me to pick up my horn again
and play at some local jams and, after a lot of fear and
nervousness, I finally did. After playing around locally for
a while, Funky D, or Animal, as I met him, invited me to
play with the Funky Seeds. I played with the Funky Seeds
for about 6-8 months, which eventually spawned off a
side project of Animal's called Charlie Dandelion, where I
played as well. After about a year total in those two
bands, Johnny approached me about Green Sunshine,
which was the first touring band I was a part of. I owe a
lot, both musically and personally, to Animal for having
me in his bands and teaching me so much so early on.
Without his help, I wouldn't be the musician I am today,
and I am forever grateful for that.
Where do you see yourself going from here? What’s
next? Right now, I'm not really in a rush to find a full-time
project. I want to take some time to go back to basics
with my playing, sharpen up some of my skills that need
some work, and try to play with as many different people
as I can. I'm looking to sit in and gain experience around
town with different types of musicians. I've already been
playing a lot with the Bath Salt Zombies and Row Jomah
and look forward to doing more.
18

19

UKULELE MADNESS
Love. And That Small Instrument Take Over Tampa Bay!
By Jennifer Lane
20

In my home, musical instruments multiply like rabbits. First one uke made it home... then five… now nine of those
4-stringed devils hang on the wall and call my place their home. Curious about this big love I’ve had since 2012 for
the small instrument, I set out on a journey in Tampa Bay to discover just how widespread this uke panic is.
What makes it tick? Who also is victim to its charms? And this is what I learned, dear reader: I am very much not alone!
And I couldn’t be happier about it.
No discussion of the amazing phenomena that is the latest ukulele craze would be complete without first looking at the
1,300+ member strong Tampa Bay Ukulele Society. Which is – quite possibly – the third largest ukulele organization in
the United States.
Jennifer’s roots with TBUS:
My first TBUS
meetup was in the
summer of 2012,
just as I was learning
to play my
brand new Lanakai
brand tenor, purchased
for a song
at Sam Ash. I met
Tom Hood early in
my ukulele journey.
One thing I
Tom Hood; photo courtesy of Tom Hood
noticed right away was “ukulele people are nice” - Tom
and the other members of our community constantly
gave that “aloha”/welcome vibe to each new (and established)
uke player who walked in the door of our monthly
Tampa Bay Ukulele Society (“TBUS”) meetups. No matter
if that person was a rank beginner like me or a seasoned
four string veteran.
So I checked in with Tom to find out the story of TBUS
and where it looks like TBUS is heading to.
Tampa Bay Ukulele Society:
Per their webpage, the Society’s mission is to provide
education, entertainment and community service. Back
in 2008 the society was a small group of uke enthusiasts
under the guidance of Dr. Ron Knaus. Jamming in his
condo out in Sand Key, bassist and uke enthusiast Steve
Boisen became the other founding father of TBUS and its
first President.
As the word spread, the group grew large enough to
require a bigger space – this time, a coffee shop in Clearwater,
a few blocks from Augustino LoPrinzi’s (luthier)
store. In 2009 an open mic at the Whistle Stop Café in
Safety Harbor started up and continues to this day on the
fourth Wednesday of the month.
As the ukulele and its enthusiasts in Tampa Bay grew in
numbers circa 2010, the idea for a local ukulele festival
came up with the thought, “Maybe we should formalize
this a bit more.” So in 2010 the first Tampa Bay Ukulele
Getaway (affectionately known as TBUG) launched, with
uke stars Fred Fallin, Victoria Vox, Gerald Ross, The Barnkickers
and Craig Robertson.
Since that time, other ukulele-based meetups have
sprung up – Pasco County, Manatee County, Hillsborough
County. No longer is it difficult to find a ukulele
locally or even online – they are truly everywhere!
Growing, growing, growing….
As TBUS grew, donations increased and, in keeping with
the community and education directive, donations have
led to the purchase of ukes for the library program. The
volunteer-led library beginning ukulele introduction
class (with ukes primarily procured from Mim’s Ukes, a
vendor based in Virginia and a long time TBUS supporter)
has given our community time with ukes in hand, and
accelerated the growth of the Society. The ukuleles can
even be checked out of local libraries so you can try
before you buy! Since May 2015, TBUS has sponsored 84
workshops and 1060 attendees and the beginner class
has become the #1 library program in both counties.
21

1300+ members. Count ‘em. Again, we have quite
possibly the 3 rd largest ukulele membership in the
country. Who knew, right?
So what’s the mission for 2016 and forward?
● Member engagement (not just headcount)
● A TBUS Band? There is potential for this; Dr.
Ron Knaus is spearheading this initiative.
The idea is to have a band ready for events
as needed; to demonstrate the diversity of
the instrument, and the talents of our
members.
How did Tom Hood, our Society’s President, get
started? In 2000 he was recording for an album and
wanted some “different” instrumentation so he
bought a plastic 1950’s Arthur Godfrey “Islander”
uke and got hooked.
Some folks you’ll want to know in the local ukulele
scene:
world”, Jay moved to uke after a work accident in
’08 severely injured his left hand and he couldn’t
play guitar.
Vestibulum velit orci, bibendum eget,
molestie eu, sagittis
In 2010 he was noodling around with a uke in the
local Guitar Center store, and his wife Kelly said,
“You’ve been playing for almost an hour and didn’t
complain about your hand.” So she bought him a
uke for his birthday.
That same year Jay started his amazing relationship
with TBUS – Kelly found TBUS online and Jay signed
up for a workshop with internationally renowned
ukulele player Lil’ Rev (Mark Revenson). At the TBUS
workshop that year Jay met two people, including Lil
Rev, who influenced him heavily from his playing
style to his uke choice.
Steve Boisen: The second person was Steve Boisen,
co-founder and President of TBUS. Steve invited Jay
to play at the open mic at the Whistle Stop in Safety
Harbor, an event the Two Ukes now run the last
Wednesday of the month. When he joined TBUS
there were about 230 members, with one monthly
event. He attended a few of the jam sessions and
open mics and got up the courage to play. After
that, Steve encouraged him to play out more. Per
Jay, Steve Boisen was very nurturing to all of the
members of the TBUS, which I quickly noticed when
I joined TBUS in 2012.
22
The Two Ukes: Jay Nunes and Todd Hughes
Photo courtesy of Two Ukes
Jay Nunes: Beloved leader and taskmaster for many
TBUS meetup jams over the years and coincidentally
my first uke instructor, has been playing an instrument
since birth. Ok, maybe not that long, but close
enough. With roots in what I fondly call “guitar
A “Daily Ukulele”: At the session Jay started using
The Daily Ukulele by Jim Beloff; a lot of songs in the
book were songs that Jay and his family played
while sitting around the campfire making music as a
group in New England. So moved by those happy
times, Jay wanted to start a jam session and share
music with other people. A bit later, Jay told Steve
he wanted to see a jam session start up at Taste
Café in Safety Harbor in April 2011 and there Jay
hosted his first jam session.
Eventually the TBUS jam settled into the Imperial
Palms in Largo, where it is open to everyone – beginners
and experts alike - on the 2 nd Saturday of
each month (see: www.Meetup.com and search
under “Ukulele” to see all the ukulele meetups in
the Tampa Bay area – there are a lot). The Largo
Meetup is packed every month, with well over 100
uke players at the annual Christmas Jam in recent
years. Jay was a board member of TBUS for 6 years

and President for a year; he was also instrumental in
planning six Tampa Bay Ukulele Getaways.
Two Ukes Co-Conspirator: Todd Hughes
Playing bass for 38 years, Todd told me he was a
KISS nut and wanted to be like Gene Simmons. He
started playing bass at about age 13, and he saved
up for his first bass, costly at $270 back then. He
played for fun in a garage band and in high school
band he tooled around on brass instruments so he
got the bass clef down. Todd moved to Florida in ’87
and was in bar bands and other bands. With the low
pay in the bars, he said “I played music for free; the
bar owners paid me to haul the equipment in and
out….” Todd told me he didn’t play hardly at all in
the early 2000’s but in 2010 he found a build it
yourself uke kit in the Grizzly Woodworking catalog.
It was fun tinkering around with it at the house, and
he soon graduated to a $100 Mahalo uke. To challenge
himself the first song he learned was “Hotel
California”.
The Two Ukes put their own spin on cover tunes,
and have been known to break out into original
songs.
www.TwoUkes.com
www.facebook.com/thetwoukes
The U-Bass? What in the world is that? Jay and
Todd first met at the Christmas in January 2012; Jay
brought his Kala U Bass (a 4 string bass very popular
In
here in ukulele world) and his bass amp along in
case anyone wanted to play. Todd approached Jay
and asked if he could play it. Todd was a hit! Awhile
later Todd started playing a Kala fretless U Bass at
the monthly jams and lends his bass chops to the
Meetups to this day.
The Two Ukes: After jamming for about a year, the
guys formed the Two Ukes and broke out into the
local community to provide ukulele music. Featured
artists at the S. Florida Ukulele Network Festival in
2016, they are fond of and actively supportive of
assisted living facilities and local venues like the
Whistle Stop Café and Gram’s Place. Also they are
available for private parties and standing gigs. You
can join the ukulele-centric fun at the Open Mic
Night on the 3 rd Weds of each month at Whistle
Stop Café in Safety Harbor; the lineup begins at 7pm.
In addition to all the above, Jay is back to playing
guitar at the local guitar open mics and jam sessions,
and he told your intrepid interviewer it’s only
because of the ukulele that he has the ability to do
that after his major 2008 injury.
The Mungos / Reenee and the Rollers
The husband and wife team of Norine and Vincent
Mungo, based in Clearwater, FL, is a local fixture in
the folk music scene. Both bring many years of experience
to the stage in bands, performing throughout
Tampa Bay at such events as the Pinellas Countysponsored
Heritage Village “Country Jubilee”, “Uke
It Out” in Ybor, “Florida Folk” at the Old Key West
Bar and Grill in St. Petersburg, and regular appearances
on WMNF. They are high energy, always smiling
and Norine’s self-penned songs are well-crafted
and engaging for listeners.
Why the ukulele, and how did your band come to
be? Their band Renee and the Rollers features a
bunch of ukes, with their four ukulele players and a
percussionist – Rick Alley, U-Bass; Vincent Mungo,
ukulele; Norine Mungo, ukulele; the effervescent
Bernadette Fausto on uke and flute; and Pete Spera
on cahon and assorted percussion.
23

The back story: Norine was playing with Vinny doing
Florida-centric guitar based folk music at festivals.
Musician Jim Allen joined them and brought his uke
along. After a year or so, Jim invited them to the
Whistle Stop where Jim handed Norine a uke and
she was “smitten as soon as he put one in my hand”.
Norine had arthritic pain and the small instrument
was so much easier to play. She found the
www.DoctorUke.com and Dave Couton websites,
and then she became 30sUkeGirl on Blogspot.
This was 2012; she bought a Luna High Tide. Her
husband Vinny started playing uke bass in 2013 and
not long after that he began playing ukulele.
In 2013 Norine started the South Tampa Uke Jam
under the auspices of the Tampa Bay Ukulele Society.
24
The Band: The band consisted of Pete Spera plus
Norine’s daughter and Jim Allen. In ’13, Rick Alley
wanted to learn bass so Vinny gave him uke bass
lessons. Not too long after that they needed a bassist
for a local festival. After a bit they realized female
harmony was missing so Bernadette Fausto joined
the band in 2015.
What’s Next: Currently Norine is writing a ukulele
method book. The band has produced the “Shores
of FL 1 and 2” CDs, and a uke-driven CD is currently
in process. They are very excited about all the opportunities
the future will bring.
To see the band, these venues are planned so far for
2016 and 2017: Heritage Village “Country Jubilee” in
October, WMNF-sponsored “Uke It Out” this December
in Ybor; in the end of January catch them at
the Pinellas County Folk Festival at Heritage Village,
and the Tampa Bay Ukulele Getaway open mic will
be led by the Mungos this November in St. Pete
Beach.
Contact: Norine Mungo at 941-580-4160.
www.facebook.com/ukegirl.norinemungo
www.facebook.com/reeneeandtherollers
JCT 27
Who is JCT 27? Jct 27 is an original band with roots
high above the downtown Tampa skyline. Uke Fusion
is Jct 27 bringing heavy strumming and picking
to create a variety of sound, style and genres to
electric “uke” playing like no other. Their inspirations
and influences include Americana, Folk,
Newgrass, Blues, Hawaiian and Latin roots.
Rebecca Michela: Ukulele/Vocals/Songwriter
Joe Krivanek: Ukulele/Vocals
Russell Roush: U-Bass
Bill LaGrandier: Percussion
Recent venues played: Uke It Out (New World
Brewery), Skipper’s Smokehouse, The Amsterdam,
Rock the Kilt, Tre Amici@TheBunker, Market on 7th,
Hideaway Cafe', The Whistle Stop, and others.
How did they meet?
Rebecca had been looking to start a musical project
for a while that featured the ukulele. So when Joe
Krivanek, ukulele lead and co-lead singer for the
band, ran into Rebecca at the Grateful Dead movie
the band began to get legs. Joe’s sister had brought
Joe a uke some time before and you can still see him
playing that psychedelic soprano whenever the
band has a gig. Rebecca met Bill LaGrandier a little

over a year ago at the Bunker at Tre Amici, and
Russell Roush joined the band recently.
Rebecca on Songwriting: “Songwriting stems from
many different places. It may simply be a harmony
or sentiment I am thinking about........or a reference
to concepts and experiences...or reflections of
someone who has crossed my path and left a mark.
Sometimes the music comes first and other times
the lyrics are the driving force. I refer to them as
"song ideas" because the diversity, creativity and
collaboration of everyone in Jct 27 makes the song
complete.”
What in the world is “uke fusion”? “We are
considered uke fusion because we bring several
genres and styles of playing to our songs.”
What’s next? Gigs, gigs and more gigs. Plus the
latest CD Ukelear Fusion came out just a few weeks
ago and it was produced at Atomic Audio by Mark
Nikolich.
In Rebecca’s words – “We truly enjoy writing and
performing original ukulele music and hope to
continue sharing our songs with others. We are very
appreciative of fellow musicians and ‘Junctioneers’
who have shown us great support!”
www.facebook.com/jct-27
www.reverbnation.com/jct27
Who Are They? “Uncut Ukulele Funk” - Uke fusion
band The Applebutter Express almost needs no
introduction. Almost. The band has been delighting
audiences from Tampa Bay to the far flung coast of
the United States for years now. Shannon Biss, the
female half of the original duo, said one of the
greatest moments on the recent tour across the
country was when everyone at the Colorado show
sang along their original tunes. Yes, how far from
Tampa Bay you all have come!
Let’s Quit Those Day Jobs! Kyle and Shannon,
founders of The Applebutter Express, never knew that
they would one day go past the open mics, quit their
day jobs and run around the country with the other
band members Joe and Zach making music for a
living. Kyle was a bass player for years but picked up
the uke in 2010 after purchasing one on EBAY for $25.
He rapidly acquired more (as we all do!!) and their
ukulele-forward sound became their calling card. After
adding Joe Trivette on violin and also the original
bassist, their sound solidified. Zach Rogers joined the
band on bass this year.
“Are They Bluegrass…?” Not quite bluegrass, not folk,
maybe “Americana” – anyway, the label does not
matter. Thoughtful songwriting, great jam chemistry
and a keen sense of humor has propelled the band
forward, and Shannon’s lovely voice is prime in the
mix.
Go! Just Go! Applebutter Express is a “must see”
band so I hope you’ll be able to catch them when they
are at home on tour. Good times guaranteed!
The Band:
Kyle Biss - Ukulele and Vocals
Shannon Biss - Vocals
Joe Trivette - Fiddle
Zach Rogers - Bass
www.applebutterexpress.com
The Apple Butter Express
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26
So, You Wanna Buy A Ukulele???
Chris Rooney started thinking about getting into
the ukulele sales business right about when
the craze was set to take off – 2007. Then gainfully
employed by Gibson Guitars, Chris smelled
the ukulele madness in the air and told his contemporaries
it was the wave of the future.
Nearly laughed out of the guitar vendor convention
by his contemporaries, Chris held firm
to his ideals and began Compass Music, which
featured the then not so popular “jumping
flea”. It didn’t hurt that a friend of his started
the now popular company, Kanile’a Ukulele.
As the economy pretty much tanked and people
sought cheaper, simpler entertainment
PLUS there was the leisure time afforded to
folks at the beach who were already retired –
bingo! Formula for success! The ukes were flying
off the walls. Chris also became known as
Photo courtesy of Compass Music
the guy to go to for instrument repairs, set up
and supplies. And he still is, offering exceptional
customer service in person that you just can’t
get from a website vendor. I can vouch for this
personally as he has installed ukulele pickups,
changed strings and done minor repairs for me
over the years.
Today Compass Music is alive and well and
Chris invites you to come on in and kick the
tires of his ukuleles. He stocks brands such as
Ohana, Snail, Eddy Finn, Oscar Schmidt, Kala,
and Makala.
Compass Music is located at 200 150 th Avenue
Suite D, Madeira Beach, Florida
www.compassmusicsales.com

Augustino Loprinzi Guitars & Ukuleles
The back story:
Donna Loprinzi Chavis, daughter of the legendary luthier
Augustino Loprinzi, is the moving force for this
small yet renowned boutique provider of finely crafted
ukuleles. Augustino Loprinzi began making ukuleles on
a bit of a whim. Long practiced in the design
and handcrafting of guitars - both classical and steel
string - Augustino was approached by Herb
Ohta's manager to create an instrument for the ukulele
virtuoso. Ohta-San found the resulting ukulele to be
a delight - and the Loprinzi name soon became
a legend on these small instruments.
The ukuleles are built of high quality materials and
they are meant to be passed on to future generations.
Loprinzi has been a longtime supporter of the Tampa
Bay Ukulele Society, and they are a frequent vendor at
TBUG.
A highly recommended purchase for the evolved consumer.
I have a Loprinzi koa wood concert ukulele with
a full, rich sound that I absolutely adore.
Contact: 727-692-8746
www.AugustinoLoprinzi.com
Photo courtesy of A. Loprinzi Guitars
27

Nokomis: The Rhythm Inlet & The Ukulele Place
Walk into the Rhythm Inlet’s store in Nokomis, Florida, just south of Sarasota, and you are transported into a
wondrous world of ukulele goodness – one of the largest ukulele brick-and-mortar store inventories in the
SouthEast. Barbara and Jeff, the husband and wife team who own the business, are some of the nicest and
most knowledgeable people you’d want to meet. Getting their start with percussion instruments back in
Maine, Barbara and Jeff started their store in Florida in 2005 and since then they have taught many beginner
classes.
In 2012 their customers were asking for stringed instruments. Jeff was a strong singer and taught himself how
to play ukulele. For two years before they said “No, we don’t have string instruments”. They started their first
class for ukulele beginners in 2012 with 5 ukesà now they stock 155 ukes, 13 brands. With the teaching studio
and retail business it’s over three quarters of the business. They offer great customer service, including ukulele
repair, and a wonderful selection of ukuleles to try out so you can make the best purchase.
The Suncoast Sand Fleas, a local ukulele Meetup group, meets monthly at the store. Look at
www.meetup.com, search: Ukulele, for the date and time.
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Rhythm Inlet & Ukulele Place is located at 2301 Tamiami Trail North, Unit A, Nokomis, Florida
(941) - 966-5800 www.rhythminlet.com

Luna Guitars & Ukuleles
One of the better kept secrets of our area is we
have a major player in the ukulele
manufacturing business right here in our
backyard. Luna Ukuleles, famous for their iconic wood
burned “tattoo” designs, are based in Tampa, Florida. I
spoke with Dennis Stafford, Marketing Director with
Armadillo Entertainment - Dean Guitars, ddrum and
Luna Guitars/Ukuleles, the other day.
How did Luna Guitars/Ukes get started? Luna was
founded in 2005, and they started making ukes in 2013.
Started selling ukes after observing that wildly popular
tunes like Jason Mraz’ song, “I’m Yours”, were featuring
ukulele.
One of the better kept secrets of our area is we
have a major player in the ukulele
manufacturing business right here in our
backyard. Luna Ukuleles, famous for their iconic wood
burned “tattoo” designs, are based in Tampa, Florida. I
spoke with Dennis Stafford, Marketing Director with
Armadillo Entertainment - Dean Guitars, ddrum and
Luna Guitars/Ukuleles, the other day.
How did Luna Guitars/Ukes get started? Luna was
founded in 2005, and they started making ukes in 2013.
Started selling ukes after observing that wildly popular
tunes like Jason Mraz’,“I’m Yours” were featuring
ukulele and a new crop of young folks responded to
customer demand. They are a manufacturer that sells to
the retailers so instruments can be ordered online.
Why Luna? 3 things, per Dennis. 1. Design: Luna is
known for their unique designs. The company’s
cofounder, Yvonne deVilliers, is a stained glass artist
and educator - she has a personal interest in Nature
and respecting world culture. She looks for symbolism in
Nature; the tribal pattern connects to Polynesian
culture. Every design has a story! 2. They try to sell
instruments at a great value - a lot for the money. And
3, people really like the company. They know their
customers, have a sense of ecology, know that music
can make the world a better place. When a customer
buys an instrument from Luna, they take the sale and
connect to a local dealer so the business stays local.
Luna Guitars/Ukuleles is a supporter of the Tampa Bay
Ukulele Society as well. If you are a TBUS member,
please ask them about a discount.
Where to purchase? www.lunaguitars.com or search
for dealers in the area.
www.lunaguitars.com/dealersus.php
29

Ukulele Resources
Augustino LoPrinzi Ukuleles
1929 Drew Street
Clearwater, FL 33765
(727) 692-8746
Builders of fine guitars & ukuleles.
Luna Guitars
http://www.lunaguitars.com/
Sam Ash
923 N. McMullen Booth Road
Clearwater, FL 33759
http://www.samash.com
Sam Ash carries a dfull range of ukuleles & TBUS Members get 10% off!
Dixie Ukuleles
1029 Hamilton Avenue
Tarpon Springs, FL 34689
(727) 493-1845
20% off all Ponos except Pro Classic models. FREE Case with Delux Models!
Sideway 8 Ukuleles
Lessons by Jay
Bring your ukulele playing to the next level.
30

31

TRIBUTE
By Jennifer Lane
To kick off the latest incarnation of Singer-Songwriter
Tribute Night at downtown
St. Pete’s Hideaway Café with his
tribute to the Fab Four, Matthew Haley stepped
up to the mic. Tall, good-looking and on some
uncanny level reminding me of an English
troubadour, Matthew began with a quiet
original song. His voice and vocal phrasing
sounded faintly of Chris Martin, the lead singer
with Coldplay. Immediately the audience
was captured. His second song was also quite
dreamy; I thought it was just gorgeous – “I’d
like to hold you; I wouldn’t want to hold you
down… I won’t look down on you like stars do…”
Matt’s rendition of the Beatle’s classic “All My
Loving” was the evening’s first foray into Beatles
territory. With a lovely slow start to the song,
the artist made the song sound very thoughtful
until the “All my loving…” refrain, where
he played the
song at the
usual pace. It
was a very effective
and memorable
treatment
of this classic.
Some of Matt’s other original tunes had a more
jazzy feel (which is one of this reviewer’s favorite
genres), and he also did noteworthy covers
of “Penny Lane” and “Across the Universe”.
The last song in particular reminded me
greatly of the trippy aspect of the
fantasy/drama 2007 film of the same name.
The musician said that when he learned the
song he thought of the show “Pleasantville”
and that influenced his playing.
After some amusing banter by the evening’s
MC, PaMela Palumbo, the next artist was introduced.
Joe Bonfiglio, a familiar face in venues up
The Beatles have
been named,
collectively, as
among the 20th
Century’s most
influential people.
On the HELP album
sleeve, the semaphore
letters that the four
Beatles are spelling
out with their arms
DOES NOT say
H E L P, but N U J V
A Hard Day’s Night
is the first album
entirelty written by
The Beatles - all 13
tracks are by
Lennon &
McCartney.
and down the Tampa Bay area and beyond, also
displayed quiet assurance and an obvious love of
the music of the Beatles. Joe skillfully
used a picking style (Travis picking?)
that added a lot of color
to his songs. His originals had
a great deal of movement to
them – moving along steadily
and carrying the listener
along on a journey with him.
In Highway 91, he speaks of
…”waving goodbye to yesterday
like it was a long lost
friend.” In fact, I thought story
songs were absolutely Joe’s wheelhouse.
Joe’s first Beatles tribute tune
for the evening was the “Ballad
of John and Yoko” and it
was met with an enthusiast
reaction from the Hideaway
crowd; Joe said he once saw
John Lennon and the Plastic
Ono Band at Madison Square
Garden. The artist also performed
“From Me to You” and
“Nowhere Man”, a solid cover. One of
the most interesting musical pieces of
the evening was Joe’s mashup of “I
Will” with “In My Life”. It was
outstanding because he combined
the sensitivity of In My
Life with great rhythm in I
Will.
And last, but by no means
least, The Iris Calling Band
took the stage. “Run You
Away”, a Cheryl Smith-penned
original, had great energy and move-
P
32

ment and swept you up into the story immediately.
Speaking of movement, this was the first
time I saw Chris Barbosa play viola. Chris’ wonderful
mastery of the instrument added so much
to Cheryl and the band’s well written songs.
The band’s version of “Blackbird” was absolutely
lovely, with Cheryl’s delicate finger picking on
this song and also on “Norwegian Wood”. The
crowd pleaser “Hey, Jude” featured yours truly
in the harmony vocal chair, and we also asked for
help with “Help!” and the crowd joined in.
To wrap up the evening was the inimitable
Bootsie on percussion and Chrissy on lead guitar
as they tore into
“While My Guitar
Gently Weeps” and
“Can’t Buy Me Love.”
hotos by JenMuse Photos©
All in all, it was a fitting
tribute to the Fab
Four and I’m looking
forward to the
“Prince” tribute on
6/4.
Among the food and drink mentioned in
Beatles’ songs are eggs, onion, cornflakes,
honey, coffee, marshmallows, cherry, truffles,
ginger, pineapple, honey, octopus, turkey,
marmalade, cocoanut fudge, tangerine,
strawberries, mustard and pies. But there
are no ‘scrambled eggs’, Paul McCartney’s
original working title as he was composing,
‘Yesterday’.
33

The Musician
34
All Photos Taken by Jennifer Lane of JenMuse P

s Menagerie
hotos© / Photo of Greg Morrison Taken by Nicole Hess
35

36

37

Renee Giaccone
Recording at The Hideaway
Cafe & Recording Studio
Trying to describe singer/songwriter Renee
Giaccone’s voice is like trying to capture
sunlight in a Dixie cup – bright, effervescent,
lilting and far too brief. Listen to her sing
“The Winter of 2012” and you’ll see what I mean. Absolutely effortless pipes, just a
gorgeous moment captured in time.
We sat down recently and shared some water somewhere in Pinellas Park and I asked
her about her musical life and her current recording project with John Kelly at The
Hideaway Café & Recording Studio.
She told me that she started writing songs fairly recently – in 2008 – and about her
love of songs in a minor key (this writer can relate!) Renee said that the blues inform
her music greatly. Her latest cd, recorded by the incomparable John Kelly, will be
complete sometime later this summer. All of the songs were written by Renee; on the
cd David Daniels will be featured on percussion with John Kelly on guitar.
When I asked Renee why she choose John Kelly and the Hideaway, she said there
were multiple reasons. “John is always in the artist’s corner; he has great advice and
he knows how to add some extra good stuff for the song, like in the arrangement,”
she said. “He tunes the room as if it’s an instrument.”
Stay tuned for the CD review of Renee’s latest effort, and in the meantime please
check out her videos and her tunes on Soundcloud. You’ll also want to connect with
John Kelly at The Hideaway Cafe if it’s time to make a great recording for yourself.
Curabitur felis erat, tempus eu, placerat et, pellentesque s

Matthew Bistok
Recording with Ryan
Dutton’s “Boom Boom
Room Recording”
My introduction to Matthew Bistok was a video I stumbled upon
recently called “Drunk Drunk Drunk”. How can you resist a title
like that, right? Matthew wrote the song and performed it with
his local group The Electric Powered Windmills. Love this crazy
story and the video is fun, filmed with a fish-eye lens: “Drunk
Drunk Drunk”.
When I caught up with Matthew in St. Pete (again, over that livin’
on the edge libation called water), I learned Matthew has
been keeping very busy with music over the years and has his musical hand in numerous projects. Ever
heard of his huge collective band called aFall On Purpose? Matthew opened for Cypress Hill here in Tampa
Bay a few years ago with Fall On Purpose – watch this video of “Nite Time” and you’ll be amazed, like I was,
that THAT many people can make such a great sound! He said his goal is to get the band member number
to 31 people…
They plan to team up with MIRA, Music Industry Recording Artists, a collective based at St Petersburg College.
Matthew is looking to add ethnic instrumentation so contact him if you’re interested – e.g., fiddle, exotic
percussion, bouzouki, etc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HZnYLAIAkk
In the works for the future is his “Tale of a Sidewalk Poet”, a concept album similar to Tommy or The Wall.
Each song will build on the previous song, and there is a surprise twist to the story at the end that this interviewer
didn’t expect (doh, that’s why they call it a “surprise”, Jen!)
So when I asked Matthew why he chose Ryan Dutton and the Boom Boom Room Recording for the upcoming
CD [featuring his tune “The Neighbor Upstairs”] he said that Ryan is a good friend and he understands
the musical process, putting his stamp on the recording but allowing the musician’s vision to come through.
Listen to their latest effort here: www.reverbnation.com/electricpoweredwindmills/song/26023076-myneighbors-upstairs
Another one of Matthew’s goals is put each and every one of his original songs in videos on YouTube. He is
well on his way.
To understand his multi-instrumental, collaborative view on music and how music can be (and why the
“rules” can be thrown out), check out this interview with Matthew about songwriting/music theory -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgejjuWnK-M
Keep a look out for Electric Powered Windmills and Fall On Purpose soon at a venue near you!
339

JCT 27
“fu·sion”
ˈfyo͞oZHәn/ (noun): fusion; plural noun: fusions
The process or result of joining two or more things together to
form a single entity.
What do you get when you combine three ukuleles and
percussion in Tampa, Florida? A damn good explosion
of music!
Jct 27, one of my favorite local bands, has just released
their second CD, Ukelear Fusion, and it’s a blast – literally
wonderful driving music with the sound driven by
several ukuleles and well-paced percussive elements.
From the bright and easy rhythm of the opener “Shine
Down” - to my favorite, the thoughtful, slower paced
and gorgeously harmonic “Fade Into the Night”, the
band simply shines. Bill LaGrandier’s percussion adds
movement to songs like “Another Train Song” and his
drum vs. bass battle with bassist, Russell Roush, on the
disc is one of the top moments on the CD.
Rebecca Michela, founder of the group and the lead
songwriter, told me that when she writes songs she
starts with song ideas – a loose framework of ideas that
gain color and life as she fleshes out the song. At a recent
rehearsal I watched them work out, very carefully,
placed harmonies that made the song rich and come to
life.
Another trick that Rebecca pulls off well as a songwriter
is the anthropomorphic qualities she gives to the concept
of trouble, making the song “Trouble” both a friend
and a foe in the song of the same name. It is very clever
and memorable work.
Russell Roush’s U-bass playing is solid and often inventive,
and Joe Krivanek’s lead uke playing is exceptional.
Hard working multi-band member Bill LaGrandier keeps
a solid back beat with djembe, crash symbol and the
occasional tinkling chimes to make it interesting.
If you’re a fan of great, genre-defying music you’ll want
to give this disc a listen.
Pick up your copy of Ukelear Fusion at CD Baby.
WMNF says it well: “Jct 27 brings their passion for
unique instrumentation by blending heavy strummin’
and pickin’ on the ukuleles with solid bass ukulele
grooves. The instrumentation, in combination with fervent,
stripped down percussion brings a variety of
sound, style and genres to uke playing like no other.”
The Band:
Rebecca Michela: Vocals/Ukulele/Songwriter
Joe Krivanek: Ukulele/Vocals
Bill LaGrandier: Percussion
Russel Roush: U-Bass/Vocals
JCT 27
40

HELP WANTED
Writers and Photographers Wanted!
Bay Buzz is currently looking for volunteers
who love our local music scene and
enjoys the craft of writing and taking pictures.
We need people who love to talk
with people, enjoy attending live shows
and writing. Must work well with deadlines.
Please contact Constance Hilton at
baybuzzmusic@gmail.com
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