As things go in life, so they also change within the musical spheres of musicians and their bands. Due to an unfortunate misunderstanding, we bid farewell to David Altman (drummer), but we have a new band member to announce for the summer of 2022. Please welcome Bart Kozar. I met Bart while performing at the Gristmill in Port Clinton last summer. Our “old” drummer had injured his hand and couldn’t perform that evening. While lamenting the loss of percussion over a glass of bourbon at the bar before the gig, the stranger sitting next to me mentioned that he played drums. I turned to him and offered him $50 to sit in for the evening. Acknowledging my request, he walked the few blocks to his home down the street and returned a few minutes later with his home-made “suitcase” drum kit.
Bart went on to sub for us periodically last summer and has now become an integral aspect of our new sound. Here is what is amazing….despite some severe physical work-related injuries, he manages to perform brilliantly in several roles. We soon discovered that Bart Kozar was an accomplished drummer, bass player, lead guitarist, and keyboard player, with years of musical experience playing with many bands. Like manna from heaven, Bart dropped from the sky and into my life. I am so lucky to have met him.
The Island Song Trio’s sound just keeps improving. Two years ago, while taking my wife’s yoga class, I met this guy, Timothy Barrett, who played cello (years ago he reminds me) for the Akron symphony. We got together for a quiet cello/acoustic guitar yoga-music gig for Soul Stretch Yoga and the rest is history. Tim has been with me ever since as our band’s bass and electric cello player.
Somehow I have surrounded myself with “real” musicians who make me sound good. I am always humbly reminding them and everyone else that I am a mere amateur with very limited guitar skills and a mediocre once. I am truly blessed as they really appreciate all of the songs (over 200 now) that I have written. This is one skill that I am really working to improve as my 4th album of original songs is now in studio-production.
let me introduce to you…the Island Song Trio….
