Newsletter 12

Paul Yanuziello

Hello all!

Some things that interested me this week, and I hope will be of interest to you too.

Here are my five items, links or suggestions that should get you some inspiration and information.

1. I started my week dealing with a major snowfall. Not since November 1951 has Southern Ontario received this much snow, I mean it’s still fall, the leaves are still on the trees, I saw a flower blooming the other day. Monday’s I teach karate at Shingikan dojo, I checked in with Yahya sensei, the owner of the dojo, he texted: “Yes classes are in session”. I gave myself plenty of extra time and set my GPS app – Waze, to the destination, what normally takes 25 minutes, took me over 45 minutes and had me traverse every backstreet imaginable. It does look pretty, but I would rather just look at photos such as the one above, which I took on one of my morning hikes.

2. Sesame Street turns 50, how I loved Sesame Street in my youth. The folks who guest starred on that show were awesome. Savion Glover, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Winton and Branford Marsalis, and so many more. “Sesame Street’s 50th Anniversary Celebration,” airing on HBO on Saturday, honours the moments that taught generations of children the building blocks of learning through song, stories and silliness.

3. What I’m reading this week, Richard Kim’s, The Classical Man. I have an idea for another children’s book. It is based on my sensei, his style of teaching and the retelling of motivational stories. Well, after searching, Toronto, Richmond Hill & Markham library’s to no avail. I located it at a martial arts dojo in Brampton, a town about an hour away from me. I found it online and I could have ordered it and paid online.Right! I called the dojo to confirm and sure enough the gentleman who answered confirmed they had 3 in stock. I drove out the next day and I am now the proud owner of a new copy of The Classical Man by Richard Kim sensei.

4. Kindness day happened this week – November 13th to be exact. I made sure to focus on acts of kindness. Making breakfast for the family, driving the wife to the subway station, being extra nice to the server at the café. I recommended a couple of artists to someone who wanted to know about some good jazz acts. I recommended Jazzmeia Horn, a great vocalist as well as drummers Mark Kelso and Larnell Lewis they both have relatively knew CD’s out.. These last two artists I rate as two of the best  drummers around.

5. This week I focused on revitalizing my old drums. During the summer I found a rim for my bass drum, the rim and skin on the resonant side of the drum was missing. I think I actually got them from the pawn shop like that.   While doing a good deed for my wife, driving her to the subway, I stopped in at a drum store not too far from the Toronto subway station.  Mike at Just Drums welcomed me to the store and was very helpful. I explained that I needed the hardware for my old Ludwig set. He asked me how long I had these drums for?  I had to think about it, “about 40 years”, fond memories came rushing back to me.

I had a big rock kit, a Gretsch drum set that I used during my professional music career. During one practice session way back then, Wayne Wilson of Whiskey Howl  dropped by, he needed cash to get to Vancouver. He had pawned his drums at McTamney’s, a downtown Toronto landmark – pawn shop. I bought the pawn shop ticket for $100.00 cash and I went downtown to pick up the drum a gorgeous, gold sparkle, WFL (Ludwig) drum kit, made in 1959.

1950’s WFL (Ludwig) Drums

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