Twin B Project-Cana Martini and Wine Bar, July 17, 2009

As a kid, growing up in a Cleveland area suburb, I was lucky to hear the influence of so many musical talents through out the 80's & 90's. I spent lots of time, lots of money and lots of memory space in my head, putting away the soundtrack of my life. Music was a big part of me growing up and the friends i chose had the same love. We didn't always have the same taste in music, but we all loved to see and hear and attempt to play it.



Through friends, I got to meet a guy,Chris Reid, who had the same possession about music that i and my friends had. He didn't grow up with us, but instanly fit in because we all shared that common need to listen to music.



He came to the area from Toronto, Canada. He had already been an accomplished musician back home, in a trio with his twin brother, a band called I Divide. He ran into a good friend of mine, Mike Thome, and soon after worked on forming a new band named Begging For Seconds. They enjoyed some success, but soon family life called some of the bandmates away. Chris, always with the itch to play and always writing his own music, put together The Twin B Project just to get his needs to subside.





Last friday was his first show, I believe, as a one man band. He's past success helped to get the bar filled with patrons. His song selection and versatility as musician kept the people there. The big thing about Chris is He loves music. All genras, all eras, all arrangements. He loves to play his stuff, but loves share the music he enjoys, just as much. After starting his first set with one of his own songs, he went right into a well done version of Steve Winwoods "Mr. Fantasy" and from there, he did a full on grouping of music from all the great artists of the 50's through the 00's. He kept the groove of the music true, while still letting you know it was Chris Reid singing it. No matter what, the song it ended with a nice applause.



My favorites were his version of the Stone Temple Pilots version of Led Zepplin's "Dancin Days" and his salute to his motherland, a version of Neil Youngs "The needle and the damage done".


But this wasn't just a guy playing cover tunes on a Friday night. This was Chris' The Twin B Project CD release party. He played all the songs from the self released EP. As He stands, Chris' presence and sentimental lyrics keep the ladies there, while his playing keeps the guys lighters going. He's got great ability of vocalization that keeps you humming his melodies. It was a good night and now the area knows that Chris Reid can fill a venue and keep the patrons buying.

Good job to Chris and goodluck landing some more gigs. If your interested in a copy of The Twin B Project, email chish@23media.org and i'll get you in touch.

Story Time

When i was in High School, there was a kid, quiet, dressed a little backdated, but a nice, well raised kid. As he grew he got in metal, which was still mainstream in the early 90's.

My senior year i was invited to try and play with this group of other kids, i tried to play drums. I got to this country house, set up my set and these two kids plug in their guitars. They start to show me what they got and they have already, the two of them, written 6 to 8 songs, all guitar ofcourse. They shred these songs complete with individual solos. They were playing well beyond their age of 16 or 17.

The funny thing about it was the other kids was viewed as a burn out troublemaker. The teachers should have found a way to channel his ability in metal guitar 101. He had ability that i hope lead to other better things.

The quiet back dated kid was even better, i thought. I couldn't believe how this kid played. He was short with little hands, but his right hand hammered out this crunch that got you wanting to jam!(Early James Hetfield)

Ofcourse i wasn't much of a drummer. They needed someone who could play those quick time measures and i was no thrash drummer. I could hang with some "sick of it all" if it was slower but they needed someone who really embraced metal drumming. My reign lasted 2 weeks.

I recently saw the little quiet kid again. He still play, he has to. Said he's a hairdresser and plays acoustic at church on Sunday. Told you he was a good kid. He's still playing in a band, DOWNTROD. He gave me a CD of the band and it's listenable. I sure their better live, live music ALWAYS is. I'll have to watch the scene mag for the next time you play out, Darrell Patrick.