Re: Another newbie from Metro Detroit
Jzzb8ovn wrote:
I believe Steve Oz is the only authorized Stick dealer in the US. That might account for the high concentration of Michigan Stickist.
Steve Oz is ... indeed ... the only authorized Stick dealer in the US. Virtually every Stick player in the area has gone through his door at one point or another. Oz has been playing since the late 70s and recorded the "Michigan Stick Trio" CD along with Wes Teregan and the late Pete Gilbert.
I don't know if Oz accounts for the high concentration of players here or not. I didn't know about Steve until after I picked up my first Stick. Although between those guys, myself, Gary J, etc, there were plenty of "sightings" in the area which likely peaked peoples interest. And of course the workshops have helped. Steve did the first Ann Arbor workshop in 98. He and I partnered up in 2000 and we held them virtually every year until 2009 when we moved from Ann Arbor up to Interlochen.
I think the biggest factor here is the popularity of the kind of music that attracts the kinds of players who gravitate toward the Stick. While we've always been popular for a gritty kind of rock music, the Detroit area has always been very good to acts like King Crimson, the California Guitar Trio, the Tony Levin Band, etc.
Whatever it is that brought you to the Stick ... welcome Mike.