From UNDERDOG to IDOL

Five years into the "American Idol" phenomenon, it's safe to say that no other winner has generated as much controversy from winning the reality television show as Taylor Hicks, who, from the start, was an underdog.

Hicks will tell you it's been a David-against-Goliath struggle his whole life.

"Yeah, I definitely was an underdog and still am to a certain degree," said Hicks, calling from New Orleans. "It's always good to feel that way. You have to feel like that, carry that around with you. It makes you work harder."

Internet Link of the Week

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbe4FRt4C_s

This one is for Ben, who is leaving Sandusky for Florida after this week. Ben's friend appears at the end of this video as the blind man.

E-mail link of the week suggestions to Justin at editor@funcoast.com

FROSTED GALLOWS

Frosted Gallows member Amanda "Trixie" Slater will be the first person to tell you she didn't pay too much attention to the hotbed issue of global warming.

That changed recently when the latest scientific report detailing the melting polar ice caps and its effect on polar bears was announced.

The news ignited Slater's activist spirit resulting in the first-ever "Keep It Frozen: Global Warming Awareness Show," which takes place at 8 p.m., March 31 at The Pub and Grub Club in Sandusky.

Bob Szmik Trio

Genre:

Jazz - The type of jazz we play by and large is called 'straight ahead.'

Musicians:

Bob Szmik: started very early in public school bands as a percussionist and studied music in the U.S. School of Music for guitar while in the Navy. In 1999, he formed a duet known as ëIntimate Guitars' and has been very active playing jazz guitar in the area since.

Prof. Mike Lorenz: teaches music at Siena Heights University in Adrian, MI. and, lives in Toledo. Mike composes record albums, arranges movie scores and, works in advertising for radio and television. Mike has performed in the Toledo Jazz Orchestra, Siena Heights College Youth Symphony and, Midland Symphony Orchestra.

Daman Cook: percussionist, resides in Toledo, works in the studios of WTVG television station, and is a full-time musician. Daman was taught percussion by his father, guitarist and singer Leon Cook. Daman traveled on the road with his father at a very young age playing in Motown Revues across the United States. Some of the artists Daman has worked with are the Marvelettes, Temptations, and Martha and the Vandellas. Daman is also a regular guest at the Art Tatum Jazz Festival in Toledo and also leads his own bands in the Toledo area.

Past Guest Artists:

Pete Ford / keyboard / Toledo Ramona Collins / singer / Toledo Kelly Broadway / singer / Toledo Rachel Richardson / singer / Toledo Chris Buzzelli / guitarist / singer /Prof. Jazz studies BGSU Don ReVels / singer / Toledo Tony Ben / Grammy award winner / percussion / Toledo Brad Rees / singer / Tiffin U. Jimmy Cook / trumpet / keyboard / singer / Toledo Lori Lefarve / singer / Toledo Bob Fraser / guitarist / Cleveland Ernie Krivda / sax / Cleveland Barbara Knight / singer with Cleve. Jazz Orch. / Middlesex PA Rob Williams / sax / singer / Cleveland Marsha Newman / singer / Aurora, OH Evelyn Wright / singer / Cleveland John Morton / singer / piano / Akron Vince Mastro / singer / trumpet / piano / Cleveland Tony Pulizzi / guitarist / singer / Cleveland Al Gleghorn / double bass / Cleveland Jimmy Leihenseder / guitarist / singer / Cleveland Laura Varcho / singer / Cleveland Cynthia Valentine / singer / Adrian, MI Don Swindell / trumpet / harmonica / singer / Detroit Shahida Nurullah / singer / Detroit

What Makes us different:

The difference is the kind of music we play ... it's jazz. Our players come to the Sands from every major city in a 150 mile radius or sometimes more. The musicians are headliners, or band leaders from their areas and perform at the highest level. You have to travel to hear what we have right here at home.

Influences:

My influences have been guitarists Wes Montgomery and Pat Martino, but I also listen to pianists like Bill Evans, Kenny Werner. There are so many influences on all instruments which there's not enough time pick.

When & Where formed:

The Bob Szmik Trio is a spin off from Intimate Guitars which was formed in '99, and we started doing guitar duets every Friday & Saturday at Barones Restaurant Sandusky. Intimate Guitars still play every Sunday for brunch at Sawmill Creek. Francis Urso and myself, commisioned Bill Moll to hand make each of us a seven string guitar so that would allow us to play bass lines. We then added percussion to the group and we became a trio and started playing jazz gigs at Hunters. We were asked by the owners of Mon Ami to play there and so we added more musicians and then, we were a quintet. We then moved on to The Angry Trout and currently the Sands of South Beach which has been our home for over a year now. At the Sands, we have a core trio and feature a guest artist every week whom we bring in from surrounding cities.

Albums:

Tony Pulizzi started in our group and has produced at least 4 of his own CDs, and also he produced recordings for other people. Collectively, we've made hundreds of recordings, but no specific albums to speak of. The recordings are live at the Sands for the most part.

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Bob Szmik Trio