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John Nelson
by Hope
Kressner
"There ought to be some way to do music for a living and (...your profession here...) as a hobby." Words that all musicians have uttered at some point in their live. The best we can do is keep working those day jobs and try to pack as much musical pursuit into the off hours as we can. Whether honing your own material and skills or showing support for other musicians, little by little each of those off-hours efforts helps to build a strong musical environment in the community. In this respect, architect John Nelson has been instrumental (so to speak) in helping to build (ahem) the Colorado Springs music scent.
John is the driving force behind the Front Range Music Association, a growing group of musicians that holds a songwriting workshop in downtown Colorado Springs twice a month, and hosts a music showcase the first Saturday of every month at Rowdy's Bar and Grill. The bi-weekly workshops provide songwriters with a supportive environment and knowledgeable, constructive critiques of their work. There is no cost involved, just show up with a lyric sheet and a guitar (or tape of your material), and get ready for the feedback to flow. The monthly music showcase at Rowdy's has also been very successful, highlighting local talent and attracting an audience of 100 plus at each of the events. "People look forward to the show because it provides something different", John says.
John is originally from Sioux City, Iowa, and came to the Springs back in 1971. He's been playing the piano since he was a child and would pester his classical instructors to teach him more ragtime, jazz, blues and boogie. John has just released a CD of his original work, featuring the vocals of Wendy Manley and the instrumental work of several local musicians, including Phil Volan and Jeff Miller on guitar, Mark Neihof on bass, and Hope Kressner on fiddle. The CD is a fine compilation of original gospel music, and John's preference for the blues shows up throughout the arrangements.
"More venues for original material" is what John would like to see in Colorado Springs, and "Local musicians who are involved in recording their own projects pooling their experiences and resources, possibly networking together to create a joint marketing effort of these small independent labels."
