The Trevor Pan Show

My dear friend of immeasurable laughs, insights, silliness and the serious passed on June 3, 2010. Mark J. DeCotiis came in my life when I bought a Steinway piano a few years ago. An unlikely pair, really, but for whatever reason he just had an understanding that few friends can muster.

He’s my first close friend to go, I can’t much do anything other than play a song we had worked on. It’s the song, “When We Get Together”. I’ve reworked it, and will play a piano version of it this coming Sunday June 27 at Steinway Hall, Phoenix. He was a concert technician and piano tuner trained by Steinway and Sons. It’s funny, because I’m not much of a pianist but he worked on my piano as if I was Beethoven. He just had an immaculate perception of sound and dedication to excellence and love in his work…

And so with the nickname he gave me,
V-Fi

The Trevor Pan Show just finished “When We Get Together”. The first major single to feature a full band. Up to this point I have played solo on my recordings, and felt that because what I write was intended for a band that the next recording should feature a bass player and drummer.

Maggie Reamy, my new friend and up and coming engineer at school is behind the boards recording and mixing. Dennis Sexton, bass, and Steve Hargrave, drums, have been playing blues, jazz and rock for about 60 years together. I’m terribly pleased to have them add their talents to the record. And to top it off, it was mastered in Hollywood with Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering – how could it be any better?

This spring, forced by the economy from architecture, I had to make a choice. Do I continue down a temporarily futile path or enroll in music school and learn the things I should have years ago? Well, because there’s a surplus of vacant buildings in Phoenix an architect is next to useless. But, for music and you its a great thing.

After just a semester at Scottsdale Community College my songwriting sharpened. This song, I feel, will be the major breakthrough I’ve been searching for. Persistence I hope will pay off. Its chorus/refrain melody, juxtaposed to a syncopated verse section makes for a beautiful contrast and the bridge changes key and wraps it up so nicely in just a little over 2 minutes. And one of my favorite all time lines, “the way you laugh is music to me, like an afternoon symphony,” I feel will hold up against the best. Of course its up to you the listener to let it become that, but its the best from me at this point in time.

I look forward to touring and playing out, and finally getting a band together.

TP

So, last night I performed my song “She’s a Lovely Lady” for the first time at a concert of mine. It’s my newest song and perhaps the most touching. In fact, it hushed the entire crowd of about 150 people. In the process, scared me out of my wits. You could hear people setting their cups down. This made me a lot more uncomfortable even though it’s what you want as a performer, and I totally blew the next song “White Christmas”. Even though I was down after the show, thinking about it today I realized this was the turning point.

My new music is beginning to really capture people, I’ll just have to get used to the dead silence. Thank you for listening if you were there!

Whoa, what a great time in Boston. I made some cool new friends and attended a songwriting workshop. It was their summer songwriting program. I’m now applying study in their songwriting major.

Should be pretty amazing!

So, First Friday’s Phoenix Artwalk was a gas.

With a name your own price scheme this is what you get:

16 cd’s = 1 hug, $33.65, and (3) coupons for Quizno’s sandwiches.

We’ll see what Mill Avenue in Tempe bears tonight.

I’m hittin’ the streets tonight for First Friday to sell some cd’s and meet some folks. Hope to see you there!!

Wow, that was a fun show last night. It was at a house in Gilbert, AZ. I haven’t rocked like that for a while, very cool. There were several drummers and conga players; Bela Horvath to be sure. Great time and ppppp poool fun!

So, I’ve been taking piano lessons for the last 7 weeks now.  I met this gentleman through my good friend and master Steinway Technician, Mark DeCotiis.   Steve has played trombone for the Phoenix Symphony, conducted the Army Band for 20 years and now teaches piano to people of all ages.

Anyway,  I’m learning to read music, finally, and it has dramatically improved my songwriting in such a short window of time.  Just check out the demos on my songs page.  So, this is great news for the Show!

Peace,
Pan

I was out at Tempe town lake last Saturday strumming and reworking one of my older tunes. A couple of girls were out paddle boating and I thought I’d meet them for some reason. Anyway, I kept playing and practicing the new version and sure enough about a half hour later they walked by kind of shy like. So, I waved at them and they came over to hear the new version. One girl asked, “is this tune about a particular girl?” I said, “no, I just like it because it has three syllables.” They both go, “oh.”

So, then the next day I was thinking about the question and decided that the song should be about the girl I haven’t met.

Here’s the new lyrics:

STEPHANIE 3/4/09

Opened my eyes this morning yeah
Saw the girl of my dreams
She’s in my mind and my thoughts
I’ve never met her to this day
Until I do her name will be . .

Stephanie

I’ve tried to meet her many times
But she never seems to come my way
My luck will never find her
She’ll probably come upon me
She’ll ask me to dance
and I’ll say, “whoa for sure”
Slip your socks over your toes
and lets get down the way!

Stephanie

Now I’ve found my love
She’s found her love, too
Why did it have to take so long?
I guess these things just do
Now we’re in love . . in love

Stephanie

Shut my eyes this afternoon
Rest my head upon her heart
Talked the evening right on through
How’d she ever find me?