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“The Gipsy Dreams” bring Flamenco Fusion to The Oyster House Restaurant and Saloon in Studio City
By Debra Graff

On Friday, June 25th, “The Gipsy Dreams,” packed The Oyster House (OH) in Studio City with exuberant, excited customers who danced, clapped, and cheered all night long to the authentic gipsy beats and rhythms. Performing well known covers of their Gipsy Kings’ relatives, gifted guitarists, Daniel, Niko, and Jimmy Reyes (Reyes means Kings in Spanish), along with tracks by close friend and amazing accordionist, Paul Stevens, kept the energy level at this cozy, charming eatery to an all time peak.  The SRO crowd was exhilarated and mesmerized by the brilliant technique of these master musicians, whose finger work was so fast that even with a flash camera, the movement of their hands came out as a blur.  Only when they stopped playing could you capture an image.  Their fingers appeared to be flying across the fret boards.  With such powerful entertainment, everyone was transported to the world of traditional gipsy music in its real, true form.  Couples danced salsa and rumba, while others simply moved to the groove where they were sitting or standing. Parents brought their families, teenagers brought their parents, and everyone had huge smiles on their faces throughout the entire evening.
      

Rhythm guitarist, Niko, lives in Encino, and appreciates the comfortable homey atmosphere at the OH, and above all that there aren’t a lot of paparazzi following them around.  “We can just relax and play the music that has been passed down from our grandfathers.  Music has been in our family forever.  Our music is from our heart and soul.  If it ever becomes boring and a job, we’ll quit.”
      

Lead guitarist, Daniel, hails from Spain, and spoke to me through an interpreter (he speaks Serbian and Romanian).  He loves the clientele at the OH, especially his good friend, Christopher Allen Hunt, OH bartender for 16 years, responsible for booking the music.  They have fun, and the food is fabulous.  
     

Belltron Accordionist, Stevens, uses the Ketron mini module for tracks because you can hook it up to anything, bringing drums, percussion, and strings, so they’ll sound like the huge band they’re used to.  To see everyone dancing and clapping to the music is a “high” for Stevens.   “It’s a great feeling when people enjoy what you do on stage…and just hanging out with good friends.”
      

Beloved bartender, Christopher, told me, “The OH is proud and honored that we can host such a magnificently talented group.”  Bartender, Jedediah, thinks it’s phenomenal to have a little place like the OH where you get the opportunity “to see up close and personal,” people playing music that’s been on his IPOD for years.
    

Lucas Vidal, a film composer from Spain who scored “The Machinist” with Christian Bale, was thankful to be there because this kind of music is part of his life heritage.  “Rhythmically, the Gipsys are responsible for creating an entirely new genre.” 
    

Tommy Vicini, terrific bass player for “The Drinks,” (who play rock and roll music every Saturday from 3-6p at the OH), expressed how fortunate the OH is to have the best in gipsy music “PLAYING FOR FREE.”  Drummer and regular OH customer, Gary Sheasgreen, called the group “fantastic” and the “ultimate musicians.”  Guitarist, Rocket (David Lee Roth, Steppenwolf) said, “It’s nice to have a lot of guitars around you - the guitar army.”  He brought his teenage son, Kane, a drummer, who loves that Gipsy music “rhythmically sets a broad vibe.”  Frequent OH patron, Liliana, likes the friendly environment, remarkable food, and the band’s “creativity and sensual expressions.”
     

Roni B, owner of Roni B’s, the gorgeous clothing store in Sherman Oaks, admired the group’s beautiful syncopation and rich sound.  She contributes the success of the OH to Christopher, saying, “He’s a doll, the food is delicious, and I’m grateful I always get to network here.”
    

There is no cover or minimum and music starts most nights at 10pm.  The kitchen takes its last order at 9:45p Sunday through Thursday and 10:45p Fridays and Saturdays.
The Oyster House
12446 Moorpark St.
Studio City, CA 91604
818- 761-8686

Starting Early is the Key to Childhood Music
By Oliver Blacksmith

Before they can even walk, most children have an instinctive fascination with anything that makes a sound, and as soon as they realize they can make objects around them make sounds, there is no stopping them! Although parents might sometimes wish kids had a pause button, the joy of watching them discover the mechanics of music is hard to beat. In addition, as the children grow and get better with their hands, there is no end to the wonder as they really start to show their talents on musical instruments.

Pre-toddler Instruments

For the very young, simple rhythmic instruments and music-making toys, make a good launch pad. Before one year of age, they will be able to get to grips with a basic beating motion, so drums, bongos or even a simple glockenspiel or xylophone will inspire plenty of primitive sound making. There are also dozens of toys on the market that aren’t actually musical instruments but do play different tunes when different actions are performed. They are great for introducing pure music to pre-toddlers’ ears without other distractions. Of course, they are just modern interpretations of wind-up musical toys and jack-in-the-boxes, so are tried, and tested for a century or more.

Toddler Tinkering

As children grow and their co-ordination improves, it is possible that they will show some curiosity for more advanced music making. Probably the easiest way to start is with a keyboard instrument as it can be played with one finger or ten. A simple two- or three-octave electronic keyboard can be bought from a toy or music shop and after a brief demonstration from the virtuoso parent, kids as young as four can pick out very simple tunes or just marvel at the random noises they can make. They come in all flavors – monophonic, duo phonic or polyphonic, and with different instruments and background beats to play to. (Remember, Mozart started composing simple tunes at five, so if your child has not written their first concerto by six, you are being too soft on them.)

The guitar takes a little more co-ordination than the keyboard because the two hands are doing different things, and a degree of strength is required to hold chords down. For this reason, guitars tend to become playable when a child reaches about six or seven. Half size or three-quarter size guitars are no different from full-size guitars in terms of tuning or playing – they are literally just designed for smaller hands.

Ten, Teens and Beyond

Guitars and keyboards are fantastic early learning instruments as they play both chords and melodies. As children grow into double figures, they could well have been hooked by their musical starts but want to branch into other instruments. Violins and woodwind instruments can be picked up surprisingly quickly by the enthusiastic child, but if they have a love of anything from the harp to the trombone, they will be able to learn it. Even a drum kit is not the domestic disaster it might at first appear. Damping pads can be placed on the heads and they will make hardly any noise but allow practice, and electronic drum kits can be played with headphones.

The important thing is giving children the desire for music in the first place. And it really is never too early for that – as many a pregnant pianist will testify!

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