Jim Hudak: News

It was billed as the Guinness World Record Breaking Attempt, and it was successful. Led by legendary performer and Bay Area icon Country Joe McDonald, Jim Hudak joined 2,051 other guitar players last Tuesday night, July 1st, to set a new world record for the largest guitar ensemble ever gathered in one place at one time.

Todos Plaza Park in downtown Concord, CA provided the setting as guitarists young and old joined Country Joe in the singing and playing of the Woody Guthrie classic, "This Land Is Your Land." The atmosphere was indescribable.

Guitars and people of all shapes and sizes jammed the park, with all them Bay Area news media capturing video and sound of the historic gathering.

City and County dignitaries and officials got a chance to wave and take a bow, many of who had guitars and performed right along with the rest of those in attendance. Every guitarist had to register and sign in to authenticate their presence in order to validate the new record.

The chance to play with Country Joe, most famous for leading the "F-Cheer" at The Woodstock Festival in 1969, proved to be enough of a drawing card to attract the 2,000-plus guitar players. And with such electricity in the air, it was worth the effort to find a parking place in crowded downtown Concord.

A good time was had by all, and the previous world's record of 1,800 guitars in ensemble has been eclipsed.

Continued airplay for over 25 of his recordings, ongoing regular performance engagements, and a slew of private parties have been highlights to a busy musical summer for pianist-composer Jim Hudak. Add the considerable time spent in his new home studio, and you quickly see how this is a musician with passion and dedication.

"I'm slowly getting my compositions and recordings together and stored on my various computer hard drives," said Hudak recently. "To have good access to my songs and recordings and be able to send them out by e-mail at a moment's notice is the goal for any serious musician nowadays. It's a painstaking process, but I'm starting to get more comfortable with it."

Utilizing a powerful ProTools system with his new Apple Computer set up, loaded with plug ins and recording options, Hudak is continually amazed at the possibilities. From orchestral music to simple live recording of piano, vocals, and guitar, he's joined the ranks of thousands of musicians who now record in the comfort of their own home studio.

Film and soundtrack applications continue to be the focus of much of what Jim Hudak is working on these days. Music licensing, music publishing and co-publishing agreements, and more and more new compositions are filling his plate. "It's an ongoing process," he says. "And it's nice to see the fruits of one's labor start to accumulate. I expect a whole new bunch of my songs to be added to satellite radio music stations in the near future."

As summer heats up, so do this musician's efforts to expand on his already successful career.

Last week, at the legendary Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, pianist Jim Hudak performed with vocalist Fred Pierce, the Tony Bennett Impersonator extraordinaire. In an unexpected series of events, Hudak, who had been booked at the Adobe Company's special party for clients, was teamed up with Pierce, the Reno based performer in the Fairmont's Penthouse Suite.

The duo performed five Bennett-recorded songs together, opening with "Pennies From Heaven" and thrilling the crowd with "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" as their closing number. The Fairmont Hotel was the site where Bennett first performed his monster hit recording of "San Francisco" nearly 50 years ago. Performing the song at the Fairmont with Pierce was a memorable experience for Hudak.

"The Adobe people decided that the significance of having a Tony Bennett impersonator as part of a party for some of their prized clients might be a nice touch," Hudak explains. "It turned out well for everyone, as Fred is a real pro. He helped me learn some of the songs he does from Bennett's repertoire on the fly, and I quickly realized that Fred comes from the old school of singers. By that I mean he's a musician first, like Bennett or Sinatra. They've all got a great sense of rhythm and timing, and they know how to swing. It was an honor to perform with such a fine talent."

With recent performances with such noted musical artists as The Relyks, Blues Journey, and even an informal session earlier this month with his childhood musician friends, The Spunkies, Hudak's engagement with Pierce continued his recent trend of playing more often with other musicians. "The interaction factor cannot be overestimated when you're playing music," says Hudak. "You give and take with the other players, and always learn something new. As much as I enjoy the total freedom of performing as a soloist, there's still nothing like the spirit and camaradarie of getting together and playing music with other people."

Last week's Fairmont Hotel performance was part of a busy performance stretch for Jim Hudak. He had 10 performances during a 10-day stretch in the middle part of May, including a Mother's Day engagement at Round Hill Country Club and two large private party events. He enjoys the frequent engagements, as it keeps his chops intact and his fingers limber. "Besides that, the extra cash is always welcome, too," chuckles Hudak.

Jim Hudak has joined the video revolution. Captured live while performing his original song "City of the Angels" in concert, a video of this performance can be seen on the popular YouTube website. The four and a half minute video provides a glimpse of the multifaceted talents of this great artist.

Introducing the song with his inimitable brand of self-deprecating humor, Hudak renders a fine vocal performance of the piece along with stellar piano work. The song is a tribute to his beloved city of Los Angeles.

"This song took me about seven years to write," said Hudak recently. "I would go to a special spot I'd found on a mountain top between the ocean side and the desert side of the city that would give me a 360-degree view of the greater Los Angeles area," he continues. "I would bring my guitar up there almost daily, and slowly add a phrase or line to the song bit by bit. I finally had it pretty well finished by the mid-90's, and recorded a studio version of the song with some great session players. I also have two different instrumental recordings of the song available on two of my CD's. But this is the first time I've ever had a video performance of myself singing the song, and I'm really happy with the way it turned out."

To see this historic video, go to www.youtube.com and enter "Jim Hudak" in the search bar at the top of the screen. Then click on the title "City of the Angels," and the video will begin playing automatically.

We welcome your e-mails and comments at jimmydak@pacbell.net. There is also a box available for your comments on the YouTube website.

Watch for additional video footage of Jim Hudak in the near future, including video clips that you can view from this website. Yes, it's true - Jim Hudak has joined the video revolution. Halleluiah!

In his continuing quest to keep expanding his musical boundaries, Jim Hudak will perform with The Relyks in a weekend set this coming Friday and Saturday nights, April 11th and 12th. The performances will be at the Clayton Club Saloon in downtown Clayton, a bar that's survived for over a century.

Indeed, the Clayton Club probably looks pretty much the same as it did 100 years ago. It once served as the watering hole for the coal miners who helped establish Clayton as a town in the 1800's.

The Relyks are a high energy, four-piece band who play a wide assortment of classic rock, pop, and blues music. Their first ever performance as a band was at the Clayton Club about four years ago, and they've performed throughout the Bay Area since then. But the Clayton Club is where they call home.

Comments Hudak: "You could call the club a dive, yet, I like the place. It has some character. For example, there are dozens of pairs of cowboy boots hanging from the ceiling. You don't see that every day."

We've all wandered or stumbled into a bar like the Clayton Club at some time in our lives. Particularly on a Friday or a Saturday night when the air is dense and hot, the music is loud and right, and there's a hint of potential trouble in the air. Wall to wall people looking for a little release in their lives.

"The club is small, and fills up quickly on nights when there's music," says Hudak. "There have been known to be fights there, though I've never witnessed any. As long as they don't throw beer bottles or shot glasses at us, I'll be happy."

Primarily a cover band, The Relyks perform music by some of the great rock and blues artists from the 50's through the 90''s, including Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Tom Petty, Elvis Costello, and Chuck Berry, among others. Hudak adds touches of the high, rinky tink piano sounds that are so much a part of the rock and roll tradition. His keyboard also enables him to provide organ sounds that swirl around the bed of rhythm and blues provided by the rest of the band.

"Between those upper register piano notes and bluesy chords along with the organ sounds, I feel I can add a little something to the band's already solid presentation," Hudak points out. "They're great guys to play and get along with, and The Relyks provide me a nice diversion from my typical solo piano performances at country clubs and restaurants. After all, there's certainly a rock and roll spirit in my soul, and The Relyks provide an opportunity for me to get reacquainted with that side of my musical interests."

If you can find your way to The Clayton Club next weekend, you may want to consider an afternoon nap. Hudak will be joining the band at 11 PM both nights, performing till 1 AM. He has piano engagements earlier in the evening at Round Hill Country Club in Alamo both nights, and will miss the band's first two sets between 9 and 11 PM.

For those who can make it to The Clayton Club Saloon, they'll be part of the continuing history of frolic and grit that's turned the club into a beloved relic in its own right. Come on down and join the fun.

Closing out the weekend long Creekside Arts Celebration in Clayton, CA, Jim Hudak joined a scaled down lineup of "Blues Journey" in an old fashioned jam session yesterday.

Shortly after performing a solo set on piano, Jim joined the three-piece band for about an hour of blues and country music playing, much to the delight of a captivated audience. He provided the "rinky-tink" piano blues notes that soared above the band's guitar, harmonica, bass, and fiddle parts, and the four-piece unit looked and sounded like they'd been performing together for years. "These guys are good," he said afterward. "They were real easy to just fall in and play with."

Jim's earlier solo set featured a rare look at him performing on piano while singing on several selections. He sang on "Children of the Sun," "Wild Goose," "Highway Fever," all songs co-written with his songwriting partner, Dan Erikson. He mixed in some instrumental selections from his five CD's, then closed the set with a vocalized version of the crowd pleasing "When We Get To Love," a song he hopes to record with a full ensemble of musicians in the near future.

The Creekside Arts Celebration features artists of all disciplines from the Clayton area and beyond. It was well attended, and has outgrown the limited space confinements of the Clayton Library. Event founder Arlene Kikkawa-Nielsen is exploring new options for future CAC presentations, including the possibility of having the event in the summer, when artists can display their work outdoors.

With the help of former classmate Jon Lesher, Jim Hudak has realized his dream and goal of setting up a solid, well equipped home recording studio. The equipment had been purchased last summer, but it took a few months to finish a major home remodeling project along with an extraordinarily busy holiday performance schedule to put the pieces together, coordinate the hardware, and plug in all the cables. Now it's about learning to use a boatload of new music and recording software.

Lesher has been instrumental in getting Hudak wired up and connected. A 24-year-old recording engineer extraorinaire, Jon has lent his techno-savvy talents to Jim's enthusiasm and determination to get the equipment set up and working properly. It's no small task, yet Jon's made the process relatively simple.

"I first noticed and met Jon during the two-year Recording Arts program we both took at Los Medanos College from 2003 to 2005," Hudak explains. "He was a quiet guy, and rarely took any notes in class, while I was feverishly writing down all that I could, trying to get a handle on the class material. Yet Jon always did well in the tests, and you could tell he had a good grasp of what the teachers were trying to get across. I went out of my way to introduce myself to him and let him know what my long range plans were."

Those plans include the recording of hundreds of original compositions, the transfer of countless recordings of songs and live performances from analog tapes into the digital domain, and generally turning the studio into a "content factory" aimed at providing music for music publishers, films and soundtracks.

"It's so much more cost effective to record in your own studio," Jim says. "For a typical album, roughly 75% of the cost goes into paying for studio rental, so this should really help reduce our overhead."

To be sure, Hudak's studio isn't as fully equipped as any number of world class commercial studios. He recognizes that for some recordings of certain instruments, venturing into one of the more complete studio facilities will be necessary. But the vast majority of work will be able to be done without his needing to leave the comfort of his own home.

"My learning curve is steep. I'm going to burying my head into a lot of books and manuels for the next several months. There's a lot I need to get good at, as far as getting to know my equipment and its capabilities," Hudak says. "But that's where having Jon here to help is so nice. He's grown up with this type of studio technology, as opposed to myself, who came up with reel to reel and cassette tape recording. The recording environment has changed an awful lot since then."

Jim's studio is equipped with a powerful Apple MacPro computer system with built-in and external hard-drives for music and data storage, and a ProTools M Box 2 Pro Interface and M-Audio Monitors by Digidesign. An assortment of software packages have been installed, including ProTools 7.3.1. He also has a half-dozen high quality microphones, including the highly acclaimed AKG-414 for vocals, acoustic guitar and voiceover work.

"It's definitely given me a new outlook on the configuration of my music, my career, and even my lifestyle," according to Hudak. "Now I really have to buckle down and put all this equipment to good use."

Stay tuned. Some exciting new music is sure to follow.

Earlier this month I was privileged to provide the piano music as part of a celebration of life for Mr. Pierre Bouret. I make mention of this because it was an especially memorable event held in honor of a uniquely wonderful man.

Pierre was a long time member of Round Hill Country Club, and one of my biggest fans. He always encouraged me to keep recording and performing. As soon as I would release a new CD, he'd immediately buy it, and tell me to "get the next one finished and I'll buy that one, too."

A Stanford graduate, I'll always remember Mr. Bouret as having an incredibly quick wit and kind disposition. He never had a bad word for anybody, and he lived into his 90's by epitomizing the essence of love in his life. He treated everyone with sincere kindness.

The many attendees and glowing testimonials given by dozens upon dozens of Pierre's friends and family served as an indication of what a beloved man he was. He maintained a sharp, photographic memory to the end, was well read, and a one of a kind character. He played up his French name and descent with dignity and joy.

The world was made a little bit better by Pierre Bouret's life and presence. He will serve as an inspiration to me and to many others for as long as we live.

Hello Hudak Website Visitors:

Those of you who've gotten to know me over the years are aware that music and sports are two of my main interests. Not my only interests, by any means, but just as I play the piano or guitar virtually every day of my life, so too do I read the sports pages almost daily. I grew up studying music and participating in sports, having been taught that in a special way music and sports work together hand in hand.

So it was that this past weekend, I drove through narrow, winding, country roads an hour east of my Clayton, CA home to Stockton for an EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE game between the Stockton Thunder and the Bakersfield Condors. (The capitilization above is no accident. How humorous it strikes me that two teams in the warm climate of the extreme western portion of the United States play in a league with "East Coast" in its name).

My wife didn't want to accompany me on this adventure, which was probably just as well. Quirky things like finding a parking place and waiting in line for a half-hour to get tickets are not her cup of tea. Not to mention attending a blue collar sporting event in a blue collar town like Stockton.

But that's exactly why I wanted to go. I wore my blue jeans and tennis shoes and joined nearly 6,000 fans inside the Stockton Arena. It's only two years old, and still smells new and clean. It bears mentioning that little old Stockton has one of the highest per game average attendance in the league. That's impressive considering they're up against many cities that are larger and have a more established "hockey tradition" than this city at the edge of the produce rich San Joaquin Valley.

The game itself was almost secondary to me. It was the total experience I was looking for. And I found it. Watching mostly 18-20 year- olds beginning their careers in the competitive hockey treadmill is a thrill all its own. I spent some time down at ice level to better see the looks on the players' faces as they made the necessary split second decisions inherent to the fast moving game of hockey. I quickly picked out the natural goal scorers and their bigger "body guard" mates who will fight to protect the team's best players. (In hockey, these players are known as "goons"). It's the same formula that hockey has used since, well, the Ice Age, whereby the skill players and the more physically intimidating players all know their roles.

The highlight of the game came when the hometown Thunder staved off a five-minute two-man disadvantage - the first time I've ever seen a team penalized quite so severely in a hockey game. It seems their players got unwisely over-aggressive and took too many foolish penalties.

I'll admit it: when the two-man disadvantage finally came to an end, with Bakersfield scoring nary a goal during the heated action, tears came to my eyes as those of us in attendance rose as one in a standing ovation for the Thunder's penalty killers. It was a moment I'll always remember.

Oh yes, the final score was Stockton 5, Bakersfield 2. These two teams, both struggling in the bottom half of the standings and playing in the East Coast Hockey League outpost called California, gave all of us at the game three hours of gritty, entertaining escape. And isn't that at least a good part of what watching sports is about?

For that matter, that's what music is about, too. To help the listeners find their way to another "place," at least for awhile.

Somehow, this morning's exercises and composition work at the piano seemed a little more enjoyable than usual. The fingers flowed a bit more freely, as did the ideas and combinations of notes dancing through my brain as I played. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but I'll maintain that my Sunday afternoon spent watching a minor league hockey game in the San Joaquin Valley might have had something to do with today's inspired music experience at the piano. You'd be hard pressed to convince me otherwise.

Jim Hudak

To all who have made their way to this website or otherwise offered your support this year, I would like to extend my warmest wishes to you for a happy, healthy Holiday Season.

Thank you all for your support, and please check back often in 2008. Some nice music related offerings are on the horizon.

Jim Hudak

It's another busy December for pianist Jim Hudak. As usual, he'll render dozens of performances this month, giving as many as three performances in one day on several occasions.

"For a musician, as it is for farmers and any number of occupations, it's all about making hay when the sun shines," says Hudak, who genuinely loves playing the piano. "I feel so fortunate to get so many job offers this time of year. It's an opportunity to stash some cash and to see all kinds of people at my performances. Some of them I've known for years, and some I'll be meeting for the first time. December has always been a good month for me, music wise."

As much as he enjoys all the work and performing, he also looks forward to some time off in January and February to immerse himself into his new home studio. The new recording equipment has been put in place, but isn't wired up or connected yet. Jim is excited about really zeroing in on getting up and running with his studio.

"I've got so many songs I want to record decent versions of and get them out there," he says. "I also want to digitize my many hundreds of recordings, old and new, that are on analog tapes. I'm really hoping that my home studio will serve as the thrust of a whole new era of recording and composition for me. I can't wait to get started."

For now, the busy Christmas season beckons. Check out the Jim Hudak Calendar of Events on this website for more information about his upcoming concerts and performances.

Vic Stewart's Restaurant, one of the Bay Area's most beloved independent steakhouses, has reached an agreement with Jim Hudak for three weeks of lunchtime piano performances next month. Starting December 3rd, Hudak will perform between 11:30 AM and 2:00 PM Monday through Friday at the legendary East Bay restaurant.

This will be the fifth December in a row that Hudak will weave holiday music into his own unique selection of songs on the piano at Vic Stewart's. The family owned restaurant operates as strictly a dinner house for 11 months a year, but opens for lunch on weekdays in December until Christmas.

"Ostensibly, they hire me to play lots of Christmas songs and help create a festive atmosphere in the restaurant," Hudak said recently. "Which I'm happy to do, of course. But they also give me the freedom to work in my other songs, from originals to jazz and classical and yes, some rock and roll, blues, and even some country. You know, the crazy mix of stuff that I always play. But after all, it is the Christmas season, so the emphasis is on Christmas and Holiday music. It's a fun gig, and I'm delighted that they want me back again this year."

Vic Stewart's is located in a building that was the original train station in Walnut Creek. It has special seating and dining available in a railroad car, and also features several private rooms for banquets and parties. The restaurant books hundreds of office Christmas luncheons each December, and also provides shoppers from nearby Broadway Plaza a nice break for lunch.

Located at 850 South Broadway in Walnut Creek. Vic Stewart's phone number is (925) 943-5666. Reservations are highly recommended.

Happy Holidays, and see you at Vic's!

Call it White Line Fever. Or a little bit of Jack Kerouac that's always been in my blood. But the bottom line is that I love driving and going on road trips.

A unique opportunity for me to take a road trip presents itself later this month. My wife is having several out of town girl friends coming into the Bay Area for a few days, and I've officially been kicked out of the house.

But it's just as well. I've been looking forward to a good solo driving trip for awhile now. My route will take me across the Sierra Mountains into Reno, then across the entire state of Nevada to Big Basin National Park. From there, I'll head back toward California, and make my first ever visit to Death Valley on the way home.

With camera, guitar, digital recorder, and some unfinished songs to work on, this should be a wonderful journey in a beautiful part of the west. Highway 50 through California and Nevada is one of the most scenic routes anywhere. And for all the traveling I've done over the years, this will be my first visit to Death Valley. So I'm counting down the days till I leave, which will be two weeks from today.

As Willie Nelson might say, I'll be ..."on the road again"...It should be fun.

Jim Hudak

In my last entry, I spoke of our home remodeling project. We're now into our ninth week. Roughly two-thirds of the way through it. Happily, it's gone smoothly.

The piano's been covered to protect it from all the construction dust and debris, as have been virtually all of my other music instruments and recording equipment. Our closets have been emptied, with clothes hanging on the living room furniture and stuffed into the guest room closet. This was done to allow for some reconstruction in the space formerly used as closets, and to give the builders time to complete new, walk-in closets for my wife Linda and I.

Yes, things are a bit chaotic around here. Definitely not much music wafting about lately in our household. More like constant pounding and noise.

But that's not all bad. It's been fun to follow the process and chronology of building related tasks as the contractors have worked on an addition to our home from the ground up. We've also added a new roof and filled in some "wasted space" between the garage and master bedroom. When it's all done, hopefully within the next month or so, we'll really have something nice. Something special. And I'm banking on the fact that the additional space will help me to reconfigure my music related equipment into a more ergonomic space for creativity and music making.

I've learned a lot during this period of construction. While I'm chomping at the bit to get things back to normal, I'm glad that Linda and I have moved forward with our remodeling plans. Hopefully this down time away from my normal "life of music" will help me to refresh my spirit and appreciation of my music. After all, a change of pace can be a good thing.

To all of you who've been buying digital downloads and CD's of my music, thank you. Your support is appreciated.

Till later, then--

Jim Hudak

Hello All:

With the dog days of summer upon us, thoughts of crisper weather and football and hockey creep into our mindsets.

Don't they?

For me, they do. But then I recognize that not everyone is a football and/or hockey fan. But for me, as some of you know, music and sports have always been two of my main motivators. Besides, the "crisper weather" aspect applies to all of us in the northern hemisphere, whether or not we're sports fans.

I thought I'd take a moment to update any of you who've found your way to my website on some of what's going on for me lately. So, in no particular order, here are a few happenings:

1. We've been doing a major remodel on our house here in Clayton, CA. As I type, the pounding of hammers resonates through my ears, as it has for the past month. The noise can be disruptive, yes. But I always remember the words of one of my all-time favorite writers, Louis L'Amour, who said that "I could sit in the middle of Sunset Boulevard and write with my typewriter on my knees; temperamental I'm not." I've always loved that quote, and to some extent, Louis' words apply to me, too.

2. My home studio. The equipment has been purchased! A powerful new Apple Computer, a ProTools software system, a pair of near field monitor speakers, a high-end AKG microphone (to go with other mics I've purchased over the years) and various other miscellaneous pieces of recording equipment sit stacked in their boxes, ready for set up. First, though, I must continue to make room for the new studio equipment by continuing the long "clear out" and reorganization of existing furniture and equipment here in my office, which is where the studio will be set up. But seeing all those unopened boxes stacked up serves as inspiration. I can't wait to get this thing up and running.

3. My sore back. Just prior to the Greater Spunkies Family Reunion last month in Grants Pass, Oregon, I wrenched my back pretty good. It hasn't been the same since, and sitting at the piano for extended periods of time has been difficult. I'll be seeing a back specialist doctor this week, and we'll see if we can come up with a plan to get my back right again.

I'll stop here for now. Those are three of the major events going on for me these days. My wife Linda just had a birthday, and we're continuing to work with the remodeling contractors each day to keep things moving and on schedule. Linda, with her construction oriented background, is particularly valuable to have around during this process.

We hope to have the remodeling done by the end of October. We'll keep you posted.

Meanwhile, best wishes to everyone. Be well!

Jim Hudak

As promised, The Spunkies gathered in Southern Oregon over the weekend of July 14th and 15th. Billed as The Greater Spunkies Family Reunion, the event lived up to its expectations. A good time was had by all, and a fun-filled musical reunion of old mates proved to be uplifting.

Hosted by Rick and Barbara Parkinson, who transformed their spacious tool and workshop building into a musical laboratory, The Spunkies suddenly had lots of room and a whole bunch of musical equipment at their disposal. In the end, the band showed it's not yet ready for prime time. But more than a few moments of inspired artistic brilliance and music related exhileration made the reunion special.

Said Bland Chok (Jim Hudak) upon reviewing the recordings made over the weekend: "It's easy to get swept up in the joy of getting together with old friends and playing music. We've known each other for 40 years or so, and we don't get to play together too often anymore. In the excitement of seeing one another again, it's both expected and necessary to turn a blind eye or deaf ear to things like the sound sometimes being out of balance, some forgotten lyrics, and so on. Of course, those things become quite glaring when you review the recordings, and I'm afraid there's not a lot of salvageable recorded material that came out of that weekend.

"But in the end, that stuff really becomes secondary, given the nature of this particular get together. The primary goal was for us to meet in a lovely place, play some music, and keep the spirit of The Spunkies intact. And we certainly managed to accomplish that. The Spunkies are alive and well, if not exactly a well-oiled machine at this stage."

Indeed, having so much space and musical equipment available ended up being slightly daunting for the band. Originally formed as a trio, these Spunkies included as many as six musicians participating in some of the songs played over the weekend. The sound was big, and at times, loud. But it was all part of the fun and flow of the event.

The biggest surprise of the weekend came with the addition of guitarist Mitch Gonzales, son of bassist/guitarist/vocalist Marc Gonzales (Rusty Waters). Mitch became the first offspring of any of The Spunkies to play with the band, and he proved to be a highly skilled musician. Besides guitar, Mitch also played bass and drums during the sessions, respectably providing youthful energy to an outfit of musicians roughly three times his age.

Roy G. Biv and Zubito Huascar displayed their typical brillance on keyboards and vocals, respectively, with Huascar taking a lengthy turn on drums and percussion.

"Zubito has a real opportunity here," says Chok. "He could become the Karen Carpenter of The Spunkies, what with his good looks, unique vocal style (albeit a vastly different delivery than Karen's) and his presence behind the drums. Karen, Levon Helm, and now Zubito Huascar are among the relatively few people in rock that have carved out their niche of being both a drummer and a lead vocalist. It's quite cool."

Musical highlights included a torrid version of "Zubito's Calling," and the unveiling of a new song, "Routine Colonoscopy." Chok also dusted off a couple classics he's co-written with lyricist Dan Erikson: "Wheel Of Fortune" and "Sugar Momma."

Though no date has been set for the next Spunkies reunion, the event at the newly dubbed Jollity Farm Studios, located on the banks of the Applegate River, rekindled the Spunkies' flame. The camaradarie and powerful musical explorations of a band that can go from rock to folk to jazz to blues (sometimes all within a single song) cannot be denied.

Let's hope that the next Spunkies reunion happens sooner rather than later.

As co-founder of The Spunkies, an "art band and more," Jim Hudak always looks forward to their occasional reunions. An upcoming Spunkies gathering looks to be extra special.

This coming July 14th and 15th, at a secret location in Southern Oregon, Jim will rejoin the Spunkies and a few members of their greater musical family for two days of playing, composing, and recording music.

The setting will be a rural retreat along the beautiful Applegate River near Grants Pass. Guitarist-Pianist-Vocalist Hudak, (known in The Spunkies as Bland Chok), will be joined by fellow founding members Fingers (Jim Schlauch) on keyboards and vocals, and Zubito Huascar, (Will Sullivan) on vocals and percussion. The three long time friends co-invented "The Spunkies" band and brand on August 9, 1981, and all three contribute extensively to the band's original compositions.

"We've made countless recordings over the years," Hudak said recently. "For 90% of our get togethers, I'd have a high quality reel to reel or cassette tape recorder running, capturing the music. That's especially important with this band, since the nature of what we do makes it impossible to play the songs the same way twice. The recordings have allowed us to capture and preserve music that's one of a kind, and would otherwise be lost as quickly as it gets created."

Indeed, with deep and mostly positive lyrical messages spewed out by Huascar in stream of consciousness fashion, recordings were the only way The Spunkies could prove to people that they actually play music. Hudak is the only full-time professional musician in the band, and they've performed publicly as a group only once in 26 years, at his wedding reception in Nashville in 1997.

"Since we so rarely perform, it would be hard to get anyone to believe that we actually write and play music," Hudak explains. "But the hundreds of recordings I've made of the band over the years authenticate what includes an impressive body of work. Not all of our stuff is great, and some of it is garbage. But when you put all of our best songs, lyrics, and musical highlights together, there's a lot of good material there. A treasure trove of absolutely inimitable music."

In this era of digital recording and the Internet, suddenly a worldwide audience of 7.5 billion people could have access to Spunkies music. Though the Spunkies have been slow to convert their analog recordings into the digital domain, Hudak's recent completion of a two-year degree program in Recording Arts may be just the ticket for this unusual musical aggregation to gain new exposure. He just put together 30-minutes worth of digitized Spunkies music on CD, the first time the band's ever had their music preserved in that medium. Hudak hopes to have more of their recordings digitized and available on-line in the coming months and years.

"The thing is, no one else does what we do. That's important in and of itself. We're proud of the fact that our lead singer and primary lyrical content creator, Zubito, can't carry a tune, yet he's got a presence and charismatic delivery that's oddly compelling. He's a bit like Jim Morrison, a poet and a shamanistic type of character. There's a lot to be learned from Zubito's imagery, philosophy and perspective."

"Fingers, meanwhile, is a brilliantly talented musician," continues Hudak. "Just an outstanding pianist and a good singer and writer. Me, I just try to be the catalyst, the glue that more or less holds us together. The Spunkies have proven to be an enduring concept and experiment, and every time we get together, new creative output results. It's quite astonishing, really."

Joining the original Spunkies this weekend will be Marc Gonzalez on bass, guitar, and vocals, and Rick Parkinson on vocals and percussion. Additional musical guests may be present as well.

Check back soon for a report on a weekend bound to generate lots of excitement and musical energy. The Spunkies: a unique musical collective that cannot be denied.

Izzy's Steakhouse, the new restaurant and music venue located in San Ramon, CA, has quickly become a popular attraction. For Jim Hudak, who has performed as the pianist/entertainer there four times in the past two weeks, Izzy's is proving to be a most suitable venue.

"This is really working out nicely," said Hudak over the weekend. "Sam DuVall, the owner, is an avid music fan, particularly in the areas of jazz and blues. Yet, he's open to all kinds of music, 'as long as it's good.' "

Featuring a concert grand piano with a solid in-house sound system and stage monitor, Hudak sings the praises of Izzy's as a fun place to perform.

"It's always nice when a restaurant is busy, which creates atmosphere. But to actually be able to hear yourself play (with the help of the built-in sound system), that's really an added bonus for this type of venue," Hudak says. "I can actually work a few songs with vocals into my act, and carry on with some banter to the audience. It makes my role more entertainment oriented rather than just providing background piano music."

DuVall, who owns two other restaurants in the San Francisco area, is well known for opening the legendary Great American Music Hall in the city in 1972. He also hosted his own jazz radio show in the Bay Area for a lengthy time.

"It's a fact of life that musicians will inevitably have some issues with restaurant and club owners," Hudak points out. "But with Sam, you've got a proprieter who knows and loves music, and who has abundant first hand experience in working with musicians. He treats them with respect and understanding. I hope to have a hand in helping him build his business here in the East Bay."

Izzy's just may turn into a goldmine. There aren't a lot of high end restaurants in the greater San Ramon area, and the upscale population base there seems thrilled with a new place to frequent. While steaks are featured at Izzy's, there are several other items on the menu, including grilled salmon and other fish and seafood.

And, of course, live music. Izzy's is located at 200 Montgomery Street in San Ramon. Their phone number is (925) 830-8620.

Check the Calender Dates section of Jim Hudak's website to keep posted on his upcoming performances at Izzy's and elsewhere.

Fry's Electronics, the California based nationwide chain of electronics superstores, now stocks "Bridging Textures," the latest CD by Jim Hudak. As a result of Jim's recent affiliation with Burnside Distribution, his CD's are now available in hundreds of stores nationwide, as well as through CD Baby at www.cdbaby.com.

Fry's offers a huge inventory of everything related to electronics, including computers and software, music recording and playback devices, and everything imagineable in the world of electronics. Recently they added CD's to their product line, and Jim is proud to be part of the Fry's Electronics empire.

Today, May 24, 2007, marks a special day in Jim Hudak's life. "First of all, it's our 10th wedding anniversary for my wife Linda and I," he says proudly. "Secondly, it's exactly 10 years ago today that The Spunkies, a band I co-founded with Zubito Huascar and Jimmy 'Fingers' Schlauch, gave our first and only public performance. It took place in Nashville, Tennessee, as part of my wedding reception festivities. Obviously, I'll never forget either of those two monumental events, which essentially took place in conjunction with each other as part of a very significant occasion."

Joining The Spunkies for the historic May 24, 1997 performance was Marc Gonzales, a talented musician who's played and recorded with the band several times over the years. He sings, plays bass and guitar, and has been known to provide a rhythmic touch to the band's sound on numerous occasions. For the Nashville performance, he also provided some vocal instruction for Huascar, a unique musician who occasionally faces pitch and tonality challenges.

"Marc helped Zubito turn in a solid performance on that magical night 10 years ago," Hudak notes. "It was a landmark performance for our band, which has its own charisma, in spite of our experimental and improvisational nature."

Hudak celebrated his 10th wedding anniversary by taking his lovely wife on a tour of the Great Northwest. "We flew from Oakland to Seattle, then on to Port Angeles, Victoria and Vancouver, B.C.," relates Hudak. "It was fun to show Linda some of the places that have meant so much to me throughout my life. There's not much prettier country on earth than British Columbia and western Washington, and it was a blast showing her around that beautiful area."

Having now returned safely to their Clayton, CA home, the Hudaks have several projects lined up around the house for this Memorial Day weekend. "Besides home related tasks, I continue to move forward with my plans to build a good, solid home studio," says Hudak. "It's a vital step for me to make to be able to professionally yet affordably record my music and my voice for all sorts of various applications."

May 24, 1997 to May 24, 2007. Ten years in the life of Jim Hudak, an extraordinary and gifted artist.