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1.....Member name >>>Dennis Jakab.
2....Birthdate/Place of birth >>>9-23-51 Born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania not far from Pittsburgh.
3.....How long been in cosa? >>>2001?
4.....Do you write Lyrics/Music or both? >>>Im just beginning to learn how to do both.....I have several song titles and many lyrics but no music to them yet and none are finished at this time, except one song that I co-wrote with my wife.
5.....What instruments do you play? >>>My main instrument is the guitar, rhythm mostly and I am learning to play the fiddle, mandolin, harmonica, clarinet, sax, trombone, drums, accordion, organ, keyboard, Bass, trashcan bass,,,,,and anything else I can get my hands on....I haven't been learning them for very long and I still feel that I am a beginner on these others...I can't play any of them very well yet but some people seem to like the trash can bass ok.
6.....Brief musical history to present... when you got started in music, places you've played, media exposure, awards etc. >>>WOW!...this could take up a lot of space! I'll try to be as brief as I can.....Growing up as a young child I was exposed to Hungarian/Gypsy style music, waltzes and polkas too that two of my older brothers played in a band with my father. I never really played an instrument until I turned twelve....my dad taught me to play chords on the guitar so I could back him up on his fiddle playing...but we only played at home just for fun for about three years. We had an Old Hungarian made Cymbolim (like a very extra large hammered dulcimer) I started teaching myself how to play it and I also taught myself how to read music and music theory at the same time.....I was about 15yrs old. I only did that for a couple years then I never played very much of anything until one of my older brothers had a Drumming Hungarian Party at his house in 1997 or 98 and we played classic oldies and country music thru the sixties and then beat on drums all night long...it was getting into that rhythm on the drums that motivated me to get more into music. I had one of my dads old fiddles and for the first time in my life I tried to teach myself how to play it off and on until I bought a banjo in nov of 99? and I couldn't wait to get home and learn to play it.....but when I got it home my wife fell in love with it and I haven't been able to learn to play it since! But it was her love for that banjo that plunged us both into the local music scene and older music. We first joined the Oregon Old Time Fiddlers, played with some Cowboys in Sisters, then the Bluegrassers in Bend....then we joined COSA.
In 2000 we started having all day and all night jams in our home every other weekend from fall into spring until now we just started back up our home jams. We started out with old time music only. We had an interview and were placed on the front cover of the Central Electric Ruralite Magazine for having our open jams in our home and we had an article done up on us (my wife and I). Since then, we have been in the Bend Bulletin (another article and picture) the Prineville newspaper and the Redmond newspaper,......we started having jams at the lookout Mt. Grange in Prineville and playing around Central Oregon at different places for free so far. I started up the Old Time Opry to try to expose more people to old Time music and at the same time open it up for songwriters to perform also to kinda mix a little new with the old.....Still workin on that and other places to have jams and trying to open things up for a much wider variety of music! I have developed a strong desire to promote more music in Central Oregon and am working on some other projects that I hope will help in that area and help local songwriters also.
7.....Do you see yourself as a beginner, advanced.....or a seasoned songwriter? >>> I am Definitely a beginner songwriter.
8.....What styles of music do you like? >>>I like all styles of music and to be honest I never really grew out of Jimi Hendrix and the sixties music. I like old American Traditional, Country, Oldies and Classic Rock n Roll, International, Gospel, Blues and Classical and there is even some Rap that is not too bad! I also favor Disco music, I like the beat!
9.....Are you interested in playing in a band/or filling in for someone sometime? >>>After a little practice I should be able to do some Rhythm on guitar....or Trashcan bass.....if someone wanted me to play or fill in.
10....How far do you want to go with your music at this time? Have fun locally? Statewide? Regional/National etc. What are your goals? >>>Just have fun locally at this time and try to help promote more musicin the area.
11....Do you have any recorded music? >>>Not personally no...but I've played backup on a couple cd's.
12....What is your interests in cosa? What would you like to get out of it? >>>I would like to learn how to write lyrics and put music to it...thats my main interest in cosa...there hasn't been too much of that going on lately. I hope that changes soon!
13.Is there anything outside of cosa that you would like to add to let members know about? >>>Sometimes I might do some auto work on someones vehicle and I can usually find you the best price on auto parts in town. I can also do some steel welding and metal work. I will also try to help promote your music if you get me some demos with a Bio and if you want to perform around town. Also, If you like Old Time music and a variety I can put you on my music list to let you know when there are some music opportunties to play/or jam around Central Oregon.
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