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Friday, 01 March 2019 12:43

For the Guitarist Volume 8: Think Like a Horn Player

Ron Reis
Last month, I talked about how to think like a piano player. That was all about harmony. Horns, too, are all about melody. What is melody? That is the part you can sing. BB King, even when he played guitar, was also singing. What a concept, right? Play things that…
Chicago great legend Marshall Brodien has passed away at 84 after battling Alzheimer’s since he was diagnosed in 2007. Brodien, who started out as a carnival barker for traveling freak shows then later established himself as a hypnotist, was probably best known for his 27-year run with The Bozo Show…
Wednesday, 06 February 2019 17:25

For the Guitarist Volume 8: Think Like a Piano Player

Ron Reis
“Hey man, I’m a guitar player…why would I want to think like a piano player?” Good question. It’s all about being more MUSICAL. What I am talking about is harmony. You can do a lot with different voicings. When someone tells your average guitar player “play a G Chord”, you…
Friday, 28 December 2018 21:37

For the Guitarist Volume 7: Less is More

Ron Reis
The more I play, the less I play. I think when you are a young player, it is natural to want to make a statement. The way many players do this is by playing a bunch of notes. “Look what I can do”, right? You run all over the neck…
Wednesday, 14 November 2018 19:09

For the Guitarist Volume 7: Songwriting

Ron Reis
I started playing guitar at age eleven, but I started my first band at fifteen playing drums. The reason why I stuck with guitar is songwriting. I wanted to write songs. The guitar is a good, self-contained unit, a perfect vehicle for writing. Singer/songwriters tend to either be piano players…
Sunday, 07 October 2018 00:36

For the Guitarist Volume 6: Listen To Other Instruments

Ron Reis
Everybody has a favorite guitar player…well, almost everyone. We have those licks we learned from our favorites. That’s how we get a vocabulary of ideas. For me, I have gone through phases. I played along with recordings of people like Stevie Ray Vaughan and The Allman Brothers Band. That gave…
Saturday, 15 September 2018 21:39

For the Guitarist Volume 5: Chords

Ron Reis
One of the first things we learn as guitar players are chords. You know…..here is a G…..here is a C and so on. But what are chords? Chords are harmonies. The notes in the chord come from the scale they are derived from. If we take the C chord, it…
Music Theory is often a touchy subject in the guitar world. A high percentage of players will tell you it isn’t necessary. I am one of those who clearly disagree with this philosophy. The more you know about music, the better. If all you do is learn a song, you…
Monday, 02 July 2018 17:02

For the Guitarist Volume 3: Solid State vs. Tube

Ron Reis
For the electric guitarist, there is a dilemma…tube amp or solid state. Both have advantages. Both have disadvantages. Opinions vary as much as people do. I have traditionally been a tube guy, but I will not bias this article one way or another. The first amplifiers were tube amps. The…
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Outrage Made Manifest in “Bust: An Afrocurrentist Play”

30 April 2025 in Theatre in Review

Something extraordinary happens on a street in Huntsville, Alabama. Mr. Woods (Keith Randolph Smith), a hard-working Black man in the…

THE DEN THEATRE ANNOUNCES JUNE COMEDY SHOWS

30 April 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

The Den Theatre today announced upcoming June 2025 shows at the theatre's Wicker Park stages at 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., including "Anatomy…

Redtwist Theatre's GARY: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus: Who mops up after the royals' butchery?

29 April 2025 in Theatre in Review

I reviewed TITUS ANDRONICUS in mid-February, so I was eager to see the sequel! In TITUS, Shakespeare tells the story…

BrightSide Theatre announces cast and production team for season finale PIPPIN, June 13-29

29 April 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

BrightSide Theatre, Naperville’s professional theatre company, has announced the cast for the final show of its 13th season – the…

Chicago Puppet Lab Showcase culminates eight-month residency with experimental live shows by emerging puppet artists, May 31-June 1 at Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center

29 April 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Eight Chicago artists from diverse backgrounds and disciplines have spent the last eight months in residence at the Chicago Puppet…

Gusto Performances in ‘Spring Awakening,’ Vibrant Staging of 1906 Basis of Broadway Musical

28 April 2025 in Theatre in Review

“Spring Awakenings,” now playing at Chicago’s Greenhouse Theater Center, is not the Tony-winning 2006 Broadway musical “Spring Awakening,” but an…

Rosemont's Parkway Bank Park Announces 2025 Lineup for Rockin in the Park Free Summer Concert Series

28 April 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Rosemont's Parkway Bank Park entertainment district (5501 Park Place, Rosemont) will turn up the volume this summer with the return of its…

‘Kairos’ Is One of the Most Enjoyable and Provocative Shows in Chicago

27 April 2025 in Theatre in Review

Lisa Sanaye Dring’s play “Kairos,” which just opened at The Edge Off Broadway theater, is one of the most thought-provoking…

A Half-Century in Harmony: Ryan Opera Center Shines in ‘Rising Stars in Concert’

27 April 2025 in Theatre in Review

It was a night of celebration, reflection, and breathtaking talent at the Civic Opera House. Fifty years of song echoed…

From Graphic Epic to Stage Triumph: Berlin at Court Theatre

27 April 2025 in Theatre in Review

Court Theatre’s world premiere of Berlin, adapted by Mickle Maher from Jason Lutes’ monumental graphic novel, is a breathtaking achievement.…

Rivendell Theatre continues 30th Anniversary Season with GORGEOUS in a co-production with Raven Theatre May 1 - June 7, 2025

25 April 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Chicago's Rivendell Theatre Ensemble continues to celebrate its 30th Anniversary season with the World Premiere co-production of Keiko Green's GORGEOUS, directed by Kirsten Fitzgerald. The co-production…

Announcing the 2025 Broadway In Chicago Summer Concert

24 April 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce that its free SUMMER CONCERT will return to Millennium Park on August 11,…

THE JOFFREY BALLET CLOSES 69TH SEASON WITH EXTENDED RUN OF CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON'S ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND

24 April 2025 in Upcoming Dance

The Joffrey Ballet concludes its 69th season with two-time Tony Award®-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon's enchanting and family-friendly Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Set to…

David Mamet's 'Henry Johnson' in High Powered Premiere at Victory Gardens Biograph

24 April 2025 in Theatre in Review

“Henry Johnson,” David Mamet’s new play running at the vintage Biograph Theatre, is like many of his works, enigmatic and…

American Blues Theater presents the Chicago Premiere of Golden Leaf Ragtime Blues

23 April 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

American Blues Theater, under the continued leadership of Executive Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, presents the Chicago premiere of Artistic Affiliate Charles Smith's Golden Leaf…

Full Casting Announced for Hell in a Handbag's QUEEN FOR A DAY - July 9 – August 3, 2025 at Bramble Arts Loft - World Premiere!

22 April 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to conclude its 2024/25 Season with the world premiere of QUEEN FOR A DAY written by…

Stellar Performances in “Prayer for the French Republic”

21 April 2025 in Theatre in Review

Early in the first act I whispered to my companion and said “I love this!” Extremely well written by Joshua…

A WONDROUS SOUND - Orchestra and Chorus of the Chicago Lyric Opera is a wondrous compilation of the best of the best!

21 April 2025 in Theatre in Review

The repertoire for this fabulous program - A WONDROUS SOUND, showcasing the full force of Lyric’s amazing orchestra and chorus,…

Citadel's 'A Jukebox for the Algonquin" - The Reality of Life in a Senior Center sets the Stage for Tunes, Friendship and Rebellion!

20 April 2025 in Theatre in Review

Citadel’s latest production, A Jukebox for the Algonquin, truly captured my heart. It’s a refreshing reminder that as we age,…

A Night to Remember Aboard Marriott Theatre’s Titanic

17 April 2025 in Theatre in Review

As a lifelong aficionado of the ill-fated ocean liner RMS Titanic, I’ve always gravitated toward any experience that would leave…

The Artistic Home presents CUT TO THE CHASE festival of one-act plays May 1-4 at The Den Theatre

17 April 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

The Artistic Home Studio will present the 2025 edition of its annual CUT TO THE CHASE festival of new one…

Chopin Theatre & Gwydion Theatre present "Theatre of the Absurd" festival Eight Darkly Comedic Tales May 2 – May 25, 2025 | Chopin Theatre Studio

17 April 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

In an era that often defies reason, Chopin Theatre and Gwydion Theatre launch the first annual Theatre of the Absurd…

Pegasus Theatre Chicago announces cast for its revival of Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery

16 April 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Pegasus Theatre Chicago and Director ILesa Duncan proudly announce the casting for the revival of playwright Shay Youngblood's Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery, which follows…

THE LOVE OF THREE KINGS Returns and Kicks Off the Opera Festival of Chicago, May 9 and 11

16 April 2025 in Upcoming Dance

The Opera Festival of Chicago announces the cast and creative team for The Love of Three Kings (L’Amore dei tre Re), with…

See Chicago Dance Announces the Return of Chicago Dance Month, May 31 - June 28, 2025

16 April 2025 in Upcoming Dance

See Chicago Dance, the dance industry's nonprofit service organization celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, is proud to announce that its popular…

Steppenwolf Theatre Announces LookOut's Summer 2025 Season

15 April 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Steppenwolf's LookOut Series is pleased to announce its action-packed summer lineup of comedy, magic, storytelling, drag and more! The Summer 2025 Season…

Writers Theater Excels in Brian Friel's Funny, Complicated 'Translations'

15 April 2025 in Theatre in Review

Brian Friel’s “Translations,” now playing at Writers Theatre in Glencoe, IL, shows off the renowned Irish playwright’s signature skill in…

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces casting for the NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE of a new musical from the producers of SIX - 42 Balloons

14 April 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces today the cast of the North American premiere of the new musical 42 Balloons. From the multi-award-winning producers Kevin McCollum (Oh,…

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces a Bold 2025/26 Season of 12 productions

09 April 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) Artistic Director Edward Hall and Executive Director Kimberly Motes announce today the 2025/26 Season. As the nation's largest year-round theater dedicated…

Tickets on sale April 11 for A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness

09 April 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Tickets go on sale Friday, April 11 at 10 a.m. Central time for the world-premiere performances of A Night of Mellon…

 

 

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