No, it's not the 1981 Louis Malle art film, 'My Dinner with Andre" but my dinner and wonderful time with Stick Royalty Larry Tuttle and Rock Royalty Novi Novog! I had the distinct pleasure to have great conversation, laughs and forge some new friendships with these two extremely talented and creative individuals.

It all started when Greg suggested I get a Facebook page to help promote The Pittsburgh Seminar event. Ok, so I did,- now I have all the people from my High School finding me!

But, what it did do was open up access to more Stickists, a very important one to Larry Tuttle. Larry had an event listed that his composition, "Chorale and Fiddle Tune" was awarded the winning nomination and endowment by the H.J. Heinz Foundation and was going to be performed by our prestigious Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at the Audience of the Future & Student Side-By-Side Event.

So, I Facebooked ( is that a verb like Googled?) him and asked if he and Novi had any extra time it would be great to get together and if they needed anything while in town. Larry was really great, got right back, said they came in early for rehearsals, and had some free time.
We all went out to Benihama, and closed the place down- they were shutting the hoods off all around us as a hint! I had an incredible time, the conversation was so easy and just flowed about the Stick, all their experiences with the brightest and best stars, the music industry, the LA scene, writing for film and publishing libraries and recording in some of the most legendary studios, notably Western where Fleetwood Mac designed some of the space and recorded Rumours.

The concert was spectacular and Larry's piece was absolutely incredible with call and response parts, dynamic sections grabbing your attention on every beat, versatile use of the full range of the orchestra, blending of strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion, and all the right bells and whistles of a professionally well thought out composition. It was very easy to see how his composition won first place. It was nestled in with lesser composers I never heard of like Copland, Camille Saint-Saens, & Debussy.

Larry was on both Stick Night 99 ( the quintessential "Spanish Mice") and on the recent Stick Night DVDs. In addition to being a pillar in the Stick Community, his film and TV credits are extensive and well known ranging from "The Good Wife" to popular ads like the McDonald's Shamrock shake last month! Novi Novog has been on recordings dating back to the early 70's Rebecca & the Sunnybrook Farmers, to Frank Zappa ( new unreleased recordings coming out) , Doobie Brothers ( middle solo with Patrick Simmons on "Black Water") to Prince ( "Purple Rain" and "Raspberry Beret" in the video right behind his Purpleness who she says is extremely nice, intelligent and soft spoken) . Together they comprise the incredible duo String Planet and have made high quality organic sonics that just move you the way music should.

Here's a short but concise sample of their music and a brief interview to wet your whistle
to this infectious duo!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80PR2mgqhq4[/youtube]

To learn more- here's their website with bios and to purchase their music, which is also available on iTunes and CD Baby
http://stringplanet.com/

If you are in LA area, and can drive ( Nobody Walks in LA-Missing Persons), you really owe it to the part of yourself that you like to treat to go see these wonderfully creative talents!



-30-
Dave Brosky

How is it that I have never heard of Larry Tuttle? Is my engagement of the Stick community so shamefully 21st century than I can only find those active on YouTube, Stickist, and Google+?

Their Freeway Phillharmonic CD, Sonic Detour, is one of my favorite albums and was my first exposure to the Chapman Stick. Larry is one of the most musical stick players I've ever encountered.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCZQsg_lz0w[/youtube]

About a year after this was recorded, I had the pleasure of meeting Larry and heard him do an incredible rendition of Sousa's "Washington Post March".

I should also point out that Larry is an Interlochen alumnus.

Thanks for posting these. That "Spanish Mice" is just killer ...

Their CD "Songs from the home planet" is highly recommended!
Makes me happy and very inspired every time I listen to it.
A great mix of originals and arrangements of classical pieces.
Wonderful music! Stick and violin is such a good combination.

dang- you beat me to posting this video. Just simply some of the best Stick playing ever!
Love me some Larry Tuttle & Spanish Mice

Awesome, Dave - thanks for posting! That's some great playing.
Larry Tuttle is a better man than I; I would not have been able to resist the urge to run that obnoxious host through with my Stick.

Must check out more from Larry ... should be working ...