Brad Yoder

end of 2009—feeling grateful…

Brad — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:23:31 +0000

hi, friends—happy holidays, all!
When I run into folks, I’m often asked “how’s the music going?” This is a question I’m never quite sure how to answer. My inner cynic/cranky old man likes to complain, if I let him (“I’m so broke! The album’s still not done! The turnout at my last show was light…”) You get the idea—the inner crank is unhelpful. :7
For me, success has always meant continuing to do things I love to do: write new songs I’m excited about, play them for people (mostly at small shows), play sax & harmonize with others, enjoy the great songs so many of my talented musician friends write, and getting excited about new music. The fact that I’m still doing all those things, having put out my first cassette tape release in 1992, seems pretty miraculous to me! As a writer, you always wonder if it’ll “dry up” some day (do chefs or shoemakers have this problem? a fear that inspiration will vanish overnight? I doubt it.) So, I’m grateful that I’m still writing songs that matter to me, 10 so far this year:
nothing rings as brightly, two left feet, carnival balloons (written while doing my annual Bethel Park H.S. residency), stalking poetry (inspired by a trip to Germany & Switzerland), just in case, better with practice (big & catchy, very ADHD!), mulberry tree (quiet & pretty), I was a terrible waiter (funny, and a contest winner!), ghost of me, and what God likes (a sermonette, really, advocating for my GLBT friends.) I just rehearsed those last two new ones last night, with the super-talented Jason Rafalak, who continues to patiently learn my new songs and rehearse older ones, and whose musical depth and insight always make any show I do with him more fun, and way better.
I also have 3 unfinished songs with nifty music and incomplete words (which I really want to be playing right now! :] )
This year, I got to:
—back up Jon Vezner (on sax) at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival—tons of fun, and great songs!
—play at a wedding in Germany, then travel and see old friends in Germany & Switzerland (and speak some German & French.)
—open for the unbelievable Bobs at Caffe Lena, a club I’ve wanted to play for years (now I have!)
—organize the “Musical Chairs” showcase at both the International Folk Alliance & NERFA conferences, & play with amazing people, including Pierce Pettis!
—got the next CD ready to mix (a process that should start any day/week now?)
—continue to work at my very fun day job, coordinating a Tutoring program for East End Cooperative Ministry here in Pittsburgh. So, I have a lot to be thankful for. Thanks to you, for listening, coming out to shows, and being connected to my musical life.

Full Band show this Friday, w/Putnam Smith!

Brad — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:12:51 +0000

Once again, I’m activating my “undercover” rock band, consisting of Ryan Socrates on drums, Jason Rafalak on bass, and Corey Congilio on electric guitar, for a show. We’re playing this Friday, Dec. 11th, at 8pm at Yoga Matrika, (6520 Wilkins Ave., in Point Breeze). Should be a fun show, and probably the last full band show till the next CD release!
Opening will be Maine’s Putnam Smith. I got a copy of his newest CD, Goldrush this year at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, and really loved it.

Apple Fest pix!

Brad — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:07:08 +0000

I got to play the 2009, 4th Annual Apple Festival, including 2 of me & Ryan Socrates (on percussion) playing music there at the Union Project (on Sat., Oct. 24, 2009). The pictures were taken by Larry Rippel.
Needless to say, the Apple Fest was tons of fun, with a Pie-ku poetry contest, music by us and also the Unitarian Folk Orchestra, and we even got to taste the winning pie!

Harrisburg show: DAMES review

Brad — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:19:39 +0000

Last month I played at the terrific new Midtown Scholar Bookstore space in Harrisburg, PA. Karyn Albano of Discovering the Area’s Music & Entertainment or DAMES, came out to the show, and wrote a really nice review.

Contest Winner! “I was a terrible waiter…”

Brad — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:23:13 +0000

Each August, Paul Loyd (aka “Just this Guy”) puts on a Songwriting Contest. Last year’s challenge was to write a song about a toy, and my song Lite Brite took 2nd place.
This year’s contest had the following criteria:
—write a song about the worst job you ever had.
—use the words: boss, work, pay, co-worker
—bonus points for the word “monkey” (as was the case last year.)
So, I came up with a song called I was a terrible waiter, which I thought was pretty amusing. And, I just found out today (M, 10/12/09), that I won this year!
The song I wrote for the 2007 contest was Java 13, which also turned out nicely.

Full Band show: Thursday night (Mill Site Tavern)

Brad — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:22:40 +0000

I’m playing a rare Pittsburgh-area full band show with Jason on bass (or mandolin), Ryan on drums and/or glockenspiel, and Corey on electric guitar, this Thursday night at 8pm, at the Mill Site Tavern (2512 E Carson St.) on the South Side.
I haven’t promoted this show as much as I’d like, in part because I’ve been super-busy trying to keep the next CD moving forward (just got strings recorded today!). But, you should come out because these guys sound great, plus the super-fantastic Autumn Ayers is opening.

call me “Rad”: more rock star cred?…

Brad — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:06:34 +0000

Here’s a funny interaction between my friend Rachel, and her son Noah, as reported on Facebook:

Driving in the car with Noah, age 6½, listening to Wake the Dragon, from Talk to Total Strangers:
Noah: What are we listening to? Turn it up - this is totally my kind of music!
Rachel (Noah’s mom): I’m glad you like it, Noah. It’s my friend, Brad Yoder.
Noah: Woah - you have a friend who’s a rock star?
Rachel: Yep.
Noah: He totally has the most perfect name.
Rachel: …?….! Oh, did you think I said RAD Yoder? His first name is BRAD.
Noah: Oh! Yeah, I thought you said Rad…

So, that does it—I’m changing my name to Rad Yoder. The hip-hop moniker will be B-Rad. Yup…

YouTube-age galore…

Brad — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 05:20:06 +0000

There are 3 new videos on YouTube.com, of my 4/18/09 show at the Daily Grind in Richmond, VA (thanks to Jim!): School Together, Two Left Feet, and a sax encore, This Little Light of Mine. Scott Lashinsky also played mandolin with me on these songs.
I also (finally) posted 3 duo videos David Jose recorded in the summer of 2007: Head Together, Can’t Sleep, and a little banjo/mando instrumental, Porch Swing Blues. Finally, I was super-pleased to see that there’s a video of Raina Rose's super-catchy song "King's Flashlight" up on YouTube, with me playing glockenspiel! :] (yes, I do own one.)

Post-Gazette Podcast: “Believe Your Ears”

Brad — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:18:49 +0000

I recorded a podcast yesterday (Tuesday, 3/24/09) with fellow local musician Peter King of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, as a part of their ongoing “Believe your Ears” podcast series (I’m episode #25).
I played my newest song, “two left feet,” as well as “Lite Brite,” and “love is all I have for you,” plus just a little soprano saxophone.
You can download or listen to the interview, or also download it from iTunes. Thanks to Peter King, for the invitation!

classical recital—2 songs!..

Brad — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 03:14:10 +0000

On the evening of Monday, March 9th (‘09), I had a great time playing in my first classical gig in a VERY long time.
Fortunately, it wasn’t really my show—Pittsburgh Symphony bassist Peter Guild heard me play Lite Brite at Pittsburgh Mennonite Church, and asked if I’d play 2 songs at the end of his recital. He played bass, of course, and Jason Rafalak joined us on mandolin (for songs on which he normally plays bass, when he plays with me). Those songs will be Lite Brite & She Loves Jesus>me.
The show was in the PNC Hall (corporate sponsorship really is everywhere!) of the Mary Pappert School of Music, at Duquesne University’s school of music, at 8pm. Here are 3 little musical jokes we worked into the 2 songs:
—Peter figured out how to play a well-known classical bass melody (Richard Strauss’ Heldenleben) during the instrumental section of “Lite Brite.” Sure enough, the classical musicians (lots of bassists there) got a chuckle out of that one. It definitely would’ve gone over my head, if I hadn’t been “in the know.” —In “She Loves Jesus”, we played a little triplet figure after the line “it’s hard to compete ‘cause he’s in the Trinity” (triplet/trinity); also,Peter played a very conspicuous low C (not available on your average double bass!) on the line “the Lord gets an A+, and I get a C.” This also got a laugh from the musically astute audience. It was a very fun evening, and the classical portion of Peter’s recital was also terrific.