ETHAN SELLERS MUSIC |
Hey Everyone- This month's newsletter is a day early, because I wanted to make sure I caught you in time for gigs this weekend, when I play 3 gigs with 3 different bands I lead (Character Fleadh, Tautologic, and Chez Butter). My brain is brimming with all the different repertoire, but my bandmates and I are up to the task! Let's get down to it... |
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CHARACTER FLEADH AND LOGICAL FLEADH - IRISH AND SCOTTISH TRADITIONS, CHICAGO STYLE
SUMMER GIGS FOR CHARACTER FLEADH AND LOGICAL FLEADH: After a wonderful time playing gigs at the Chicago Highland Games and Bucktown Garden Walk, we continue our summer with gig in various combinations of excellent players.
Friday, July 31st 7-8:30pm
Thursday, August 13th 7-10pm
Thursday, September 17th 8-11pm If you can't make one of our summer gigs, we have a pair of terrific recordings you can buy! Also, we're already booking into 2027 - so you may want to reach out sooner rather than later, if you want some great Irish/Scottish music for your (or your employer/organization's) event! |
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TAUTOLOGIC - PERFECTLY NORMAL ROCK FOR SLIGHTLY ODD PEOPLE
TAUTOLOGIC WILL RETURN TO THE LIVE STAGE Mark your calendars for two upcoming Tautologic gigs - the first of which is this Saturday...:
Saturday, August 1st 7-10pm
Saturday, September 5th 4-6pm I'm excited about both of these gigs, and working my butt off to prepare not only my parts but some fresh arrangements. These gigs will each highlight different aspects of our repertoire and stylistic interests. You could see both and have very different experiences. Our Mackey's Hideout gig will showcase the rhythm section and dive into some classic, hippie, and Americana rock parts of our catalog of originals and covers (yes, really!). Our performance the Lombard Historical Society event will be a completely different animal. Steve Martin, with whom I've played in Bourbon Aristocracy (with him on banjo), is a retired school band teacher who plays 40-odd instruments. We're going to put Steve to work, playing trumpet, trombone, flute, and whatever else my arrangemental mind conjures-up. Without giving away the whole game before we've finished the next album or even played these upcoming gigs, I can say for certain that I am very much enjoying the opportunity to explore different combinations of instruments, players, and genres - and hope that you will come along with me/us for the ride. If you want to freshen up on our past work before hearing us at our upcoming gigs, we have three albums up on Bandcamp…
TAUTOLOGIC’S WHEELS FALL OFF TURNS FIVE! Tautologic’s Wheels Fall Off was released 5 years ago, this April. We continue our look back at Wheels Fall Off with the fourth track, "Fat, Dumb, and Happy." "Fat, Dumb, and Happy" started as a title - it was something that my Dad used to say about people who'd settled into a sort of over-fed and blissfully ignorant mediocrity. It was partly dismissive, but maybe also a little admiring - contentment comes less easily to restless minds. Truth to be known, I go through periods of ambivalence about my own decision to remain in the City of Chicago, from time to time. There are some aspects - particularly with regards to child-rearing - that might've been easier. Also, months go by when I have my nose so firmly to the grindstone that it feels like all of the advantages of city life (primarily culture) are lost on me anyway, so why do I endure the annoyances of city life? On the other hand.... there are nights like tonight, when I took my son to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Grant Park to hear Ben Folds perform with the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra. Bathing in the beauty of the sound with a few thousand fellow Folds fans, it's hard to imagine such a thing happening in the non-Chicago parts of "Chicagoland." It takes the tax base of a city this large (to which I contribute with my property taxes) to make such things possible on a routine basis. The music for "Fat, Dumb, and Happy" takes its cues in large part from the zydeco-inflected tracks from Paul Simon's Graceland album, whose songs touch on moving from urbane youth to uncomfortable middle age. Buckwheat Zydeco's "Zydeco Boogaloo" was also a major touchstone, although I put a bit more elaborate song structures into even my folk/world pastiches like "Fat, Dumb, and Happy."
GET TURTLE DOWN MUSIC AND MERCH: Head on over to https://turtledownmusic.bandcamp.com, pick yourself (or a loved one) out something nice (downloads, CDs, t-shirts, posters) by Tautologic or any of our various spin-off and related projects, including releases by me, Logical Fleadh, or Le Travaillant. Turtle Down Music is operated by me and Tautologic co-founder Pat Buzby. Pretty much everything we make goes into making the next recording, so your ongoing support is appreciated. Buy the current stuff and we'll make some new stuff! The next Bandcamp Day (when we get 100% of sales) is next Friday, August 7th - but any day is a great day to get some of our music! You can also buy our music in person at whatever band's gig you're attending. |
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CHEZ BUTTER - HONOR STUDENTS OF OLD-SCHOOL SOUL
My soul band Chez Butter continues in its summer groove at these public gigs....
Sunday, August 2 - 6-8:30pm
Friday, August 21 - 6-7pm
Friday, September 25 - 6:30-9pm We've been on a roll with our summer/fall gigs and I don't want it to stop. Feel free to reach out if you or your employer/organization wants a fun and funky classic soul band for your event! |
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LE TRAVAILLANT - CAJUN/ZYDECO TO BRING THE BAYOU DOWN BY YOU
Le Travaillant is looking forward to Chicago's swampy summer weather, to go with great Louisiana music.
Monday, August 17 - 7-9pm If you can't make this one, we have a lovely EP you can buy! We're also booking gigs well into 2027, if you can believe it. Feel free to reach out if you'd like to get on our calendar! |
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BOURBON ARISTOCRACY - 100-PROOF BOTTLED-IN-BOND BLUEGRASS
I'm looking forward to playing with the Bourbon Aristocracy guys (and special guests) at...:
Sunday, September 20 10am-12:30pm
Sunday, October 25 3-4pm EST
Sunday, November 8th 2-3pm There's at least one other gig on our fall calendar whose details I'm currently finalizing, but feel free to reach out about bookings! |
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ALL OF THAT, IN A SINGLE LIST...: Other than the private gigs, here's where you can find me for the next few months...:
Stay tuned for more information (more dates are pending) and feel free to reach out about bookings - or to refer any of my bands for bookings. |
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MUSIC LESSONS - ONLINE AND IN-PERSON AT MY STUDIO: I have some openings for piano, guitar, and voice lessons. I also teach
theory and sight-reading for all instruments - and I have worked with some advanced students to write songs, set career goals, and plan large projects like albums. Inquire within and referrals always cheerfully accepted! Hope you're doing well, Ethan Sellers |
