Greetings!
The past several weeks have been absorbed by the fantastic Moisture Festival with  acts ranging from mute clowns to scantily clad aerialists and strippers. What a marvelous time! Upcoming are several different gigs with my friends the Supersones in Walla Walla and Folklife gigs galore with Reggie Garrett and the Snake Oil Peddlers and Eric Apoe and They. In addition, I will be heading to Los Angeles in a week to work on new material with Omar Torrez in preparation for a European tour in July and August has a tour of Alaska lined up.

The Zebra Kings and the Moisture Festival are warming the lewd engine for a panoply of persuasive phunky grooves! The venues are split between the ACT Theater on 7th and Union downtown and Hale's Brewery/Palladium in Fremont (on Leary Way) The dates are numerous so here goes:
Hale's March 17 7:30 PM Opening Night - Varietè 
Hale's March 18 7:30 PM Varietè
Hale's March 18 10:30 PM Late Night Varietè
ACT March 25 7:30 PM Burlesque
ACT March 25 10:30 PM Burlesque
ACT March 26 7:30 PM Burlesque
ACT March 26 10:30 PM Burlesque
ACT March 27 3:00 PM Varietè
ACT March 27 7:30 PM Varietè
ACT April 1 7:30 PM Burlesque
ACT April 1 10:30 PM Burlesque
ACT April 2 7:30 PM Burlesque
ACT April 2 10:30 PM Burlesque
ACT April 3 3:00 PM Varietè
ACT April 3 7:30 PM Varietè
Hale's April 9 3:00 PM Varietè Matinee 
Hale's April 9 7:30 PM Varietè
Hale's April 9 10:30 PM Late Night Varietè
Hale's April 10 3:00 PM Varietè Matinee 
Hale's April 10 7:30 PM Closing Night - Varietè

This is an excellent video series applicable to ANY instrument. Victor (we are on a first name basis heh) discusses the basics of the chromatic scale and how it can apply to ALL music! Enjoy!

I am so pleased with the progress of many of my students. Kudos go to Ann-Dee for plunging forth into the wild. Ann-Dee is taking the initiative and doing what all musicians should: explore! Excellent work! Also big slice of cake to Sofia for being 12 years old and tearing up the bass. Sofia is reading music far beyond her level and making huge strides with an insatiable desire to improve and learn. Thanks to both of you for making my job so damned easy!

I posted this video for students at the Seattle Drum School about a month ago. It is a simple exercise, but also a pain in the ass. I thought of the video when teaching a student yesterday afternoon (hey Luke!), and thought that since I was more alert when filming, it would be beneficial. Pay close attention to the details: fingertips, roundness to the hand, avoiding the bottom of the neck, thumb behind neck, slow tempo. I confess that I am being a bit self indulgent, but I hope you will forgive me.

Here is your warning! The Zebra Kings are filling it up at the most splediferous vaudeville, variety, and burlesque festival since that dude in Egypt decided to be forced out of office instead of turning tail (like the tyrant he is) toward some third world dictators country begging for mercy!! The Zebra Kings are: John Olafs on guitar, Damien Aitken on Sax, Jim Knodle on trumpet, Greg Keplinger on Trombone, Bill Shaw on drums, Me (that is Tige DeCoster for all the webcrawlers) on bass, and Steven Flynn on piano! Beer! Half nekkid people! Beer! FUN. Come on out!
The Moisture Festival Tickets Here!

While Graystar heads to the studio to do some recording, the beat continues with Paul Benoit and Eric Apoe. Eric Apoe has just booked a gig on Sonarchy Radio with Doug Haire in March (date TBA), Paul and I with Dan Weber on drums, are heading to Port Townsend in February, and Graystar has a gig at the Mix in Georgetown. I'll keep you posted! Cheers

Come out to the Cafe Racer tonight for the alien THEY. Yes, they. They are Alicia Allen on maratroppa, Danny Godinez on flimgad, me (that is Tige DeCoster for all the web crawlers) on nareoflum, and Eric Apoe on the spanglifier. Like a rare and uncurable drip drip, Eric Apoe offers a panoply of luscious libations and libel. 9pm. Come out. Now.

I will be playing with Paul Benoit at Conor Byrne in Ballard on Saturday the 15th. Dan Weber on drums, Paul on voice and guitar, and I. Come Down! Hope to see you there!

So, in case you don't know, I started a music repair shop in the basement of the Seattle Drum School in Georgetown called the Musical Instrument Repair Collective (M.I.R.C.).  The signs are nearing completion and the shop has finally begun to come together! The shop consists of three separate, independent businesses: Northcoast Brass and Woodwind, specializing in brass and woodwind (thus the name of the business), Silesia Guitars, operated by Dagna Barerra (a fantastic, skilled luthier with ten years of experience), and T & T Guitars (specializing in any and all repairs to stringed instruments)  operated by Tim DeCoster (my uncle) and I. Please feel free to ask me any questions when I am teaching at the Drum School and I will be happy to give you a tour!