This all seems pretty intuitively true.  Particularly I think the part about playing various rhythms with different limbs being a form of problem solving.  I know when I am playing some Afro Cuban groove that uses 4 quite distinct rhythms on my different limbs my brain actually feels very relaxed.  There is something almost therapeutic about it.

Click…

An intense flurry of gigs and workshops over the past week or so.  So very rewarding!  Being a full-time musician is very hard work.  This week it felt worth it, like I was inspiring people and making a difference.  Thank you so much to King County Libraries, Pierce County Library System, and especially to Gilbert Elementary in Yakima.  Also much gratefulness to all the fabulous musicians I work with when I am not performing solo.  And a big big thanks to all the young people that inspired…

The Seahawks are in the playoffs!!

We all have high hopes for the Seahawks, look forward to the game tomorrow, and wish them well… but don’t let that game get stale and boring.  Why not come down to the Tillicum library for the first 1.5 hours of the game, have some fun making instruments, creating music, and dancing around, and then get back in time for the really exciting part of the game-the last part!…

I'm psyched to be presenting a workshop and assembly performance with my 4-piece band at Adams Elementary for students on Wednesday.



The band and I will be conducting my "Recycalypso" workshop for 50 minutes with the 4th grade then having a full band performance of my very interactive "Ian Dobson's Steel Drum Party" show where the 4th graders will get to play their original musical creations for the entire school!



Christian Krehbiel, Isaac…

Fall is definitely here and I am looking forward to things slowing down with performances a little so I can finish a new CD. 



Oh but not just yet!  There are some really fun public shows coming up in the next few days.  And then next week I have some great private house concerts and schools shows.  Here is the information about the public shows… 



**…

I was performing for the second year in a row at someone's US Independence Day party yesterday evening.  So I was playing a song with my backing tracks and someone comes up carrying a very young infant.  Super cute, a little goofy looking.  The baby is looking all around and seems to be enjoying the music, or at least taking it in.  The baby didn't seem to think it was too loud or anything.  When I finished the song the baby got a little bit fussy.  I thought, "oh, how wonderful, the baby…

Just played at a wedding this evening. The groom was in a wheelchair. It was a lovely group and we got them singing and dancing and it was a wonderful, special time with the bride and groom's blended family all there, in addition to all of their friends. Only after did I find out the groom has ALS and probably has a short time to live. The bride said her husband really loves steel drums and marimba, both of which we had there, and he loves music…

I faced down an angry mob of 4 to 7 year old girls today. It was terrifying! I was playing for an elementary school carnival and it was time for my break and I was STARVING and eager to get to the BBQ. That's when angry girl mob descended. There were maybe 15 to 20 of them. First they told me I was going to be grounded for 2 weeks for stopping the music. Then they decided that wasn't enough so they changed it and informed me I would be grounded for a million weeks. Then they began to…

After a lovely little vacation East of the mountains I am thrilled to be playing again tonight at Salty’s on Redondo Beach in Des Moines, WA. for their Monday Music Series!

I’ve just returned from the Caribbean and Panama Canal on Holland America’s Statendam where I was performing and teaching steel drums to passengers. I met so many great people and they were so excited to learn about the music of the region. For a number of them studying steel drums was on their bucket list. What an honor to help them achieve an item on their list! Below is a video with a few sights and sounds from this musical adventure……

I’m out on the Holland America ship the Statendam performing and teaching steel drums. I am especially enjoying the teaching part! The passengers are so eager to get a chance to learn about and play a bit of Caribbean music, and I love to share that adventure with them. I feel like I’m in my element! It is a great chance for me also to develop a curriculum for a short, relatively informal steel drum class.

Some of the other crew members and I had a little adventure in Costa…

Hello Caribbean Music Lovers,

Hello Everyone,

 

I have many more private events this month but only two more public ones… so I’d love to see you at one of them!  Both of these events are all ages and fun family environments.

I want to invite everyone out to what is truly one of the best happy hours in the Seattle area.  Plus it seems to be the most…

Howdy,

Yeee haw, summer seems finally to have arrived!  I’ve done a ton of really fun events in the rain so far this summer, but it was nice yesterday to perform in an all out glorious, sunny day.  The show was complete with my 6-piece band and the specially-requested 10-minute rendition of Bob Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff.”

I just wanted to send a quick note to let you all know that I’ll be playing a kids’ show today at the Everett Public Library.  I’m really…