60
Arts
Oct. 17 - Nov. 6, 2015
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Hamilton junior tackles blues guitar with prowess BY KEN ABRAMCZYK
As the founder and organizer of the Chandler Jazz Festival, Bart Salzman has seen his share of incredible talent. But when he invited a local teenage blues guitarist named Brian Kabala to a jam session, he was astounded. “He did these incredible solos on his electric guitar,” said Salzman. “He’s got these licks down. He’s got the quick fingers and a good sense of tempo.” Now he’s become an established performer in the Valley, playing several shows a month around Chandler. Burgeoning star Before that jam session, Brian hadn’t been playing guitar for long. Now a Hamilton High School junior, Brian only received his guitar six years prior, at around age 8. Even that was short lived. He played it for a month and put it aside for other activities. “My mother hung (the guitar) on the wall and it was left on the wall,” Brian said. The guitar sat there until March 2013, when Brian began practicing. “I picked it up as a spur-of-the-moment thing, tried it for a few days and I started to really like it,” Brian said. It was a rather inauspicious beginning for Brian in pursuing an unusual musical genre for someone his age: the blues. Brian, who quit the swim team to play guitar, learned how to play the instrument by studying videos of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix. The blues may be an unusual choice for
someone his age, but Brian said he just loves that music. “I was playing my favorite songs, instead of the generic ones,” Brian said. Salzman realized after that initial afternoon performance that Brian had a special talent. Salzman sold Brian’s parents a microphone and a PA system so he could hone his singing skills. Salzman provided about an hour of coaching and showed Brian how to set up the system so he could play without distortion. Salzman also introduced him to others in Chandler. He parlayed those relationships into gigs at the Chandler Farmers Market and with the Phoenix Blues Society. Salzman called his friend, Obed de la Cruz, the owner of El Zocalo Mexican Grille, and a fan of the blues. That turned into more gigs on the restaurant’s patio. “He just loves him,” Salzman said of de la Cruz. Salzman slotted Brian to play a 15-minute set opening blues night at a jazz festival. The Phoenix Blues Society members in the audience loved him as well. A quartet, including a member of the society, was set to perform at 10 p.m. They played for a half hour, then Brian joined them. “Brian went to town and they wouldn’t let him sit down,” Salzman said. “He played for a whole hour.” Besides Hendrix and Vaughan, Brian said his influences include BB King, Freddie King, Leadbelly and Robert Johnson. Brian’s YouTube repertoire showcases his versions of Vaughan’s “The Sky is Crying” and “Pride and Joy.” “He holds the guitar over his head and plays it backward, so he plays with all these
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Hamilton High School junior Brian Kabala plays blues guitar—an unusual genre for someone his age. Submitted photo
tricks,” Salzman said. Brian isn’t all about blues, though, as he explores pop as well. When his father purchased an acoustic guitar for him, Brian learned within a few hours the Christina Perri song “A Thousand Years” for a wedding, his mother, Ivonka, said. Brian also knows how to play the ukelele. Crowd gives ovation Today Brian practices one hour a day during the week, and three hours daily on weekends. Not surprisingly, Brian is the president of the Guitar Club at his high school, a member of the Tri-M Musical Society and a National Honors Society member. Brian appreciates the opportunities he has to perform before live audiences. Performing at the jazz festival was “probably the biggest performance we ever had,” Brian said. Brian also performed first in a lineup for a fundraiser for the Phoenix Blues Society at the Rhythm Room. “He received a standing ovation,” his father, Chris, said. “They asked Brian for an encore presentation,” which he, of course, delivered. “It was really a great environment. Everyone was singing and dancing along to it,” Brian said. As Brian has progressed, he has grown into learning about responsibility and working to achieve goals, Ivonka said. Ivonka said Brian wanted to buy a guitar, and wanted to earn money to purchase it himself. He soon realized that saving $1,200 would be not be easy with just a few gigs. Ivonka saw it as an opportunity to showcase that “you can reach your goals if you put your mind to it,” she said. “We started looking around the house
to sell toys, games and other items through Craigslist and eBay,” Ivonka said. They bought small furniture, then fixed it up together and resold it to make money to purchase the guitar. Last Christmas he purchased his dream guitar with an Olympic white finish and a maple fingerboard. “I could see an extraordinary amount of pride in his eyes,” Ivonka said. Brian will keep busy this fall with his schedule at local gigs. He performs at the Chandler Farmers Market from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. starting on Thursday, Oct. 22, and will play every third Thursday through May. He is scheduled to play at Chandler’s Rock the Block! on Saturday, Nov. 14 and will be volunteering time and performing at the ICAN DreamBIG gala fundraising event at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa Friday, Dec. 4. Brian’s previous gig at the Phoenix Blues Society’s fundraiser landed him an endorsement from the group to perform at the Youth Showcasing event at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee, Jan. 29. Brian said he wants to attend ASU. He isn’t certain of his major yet, but thinks he will study music for his minor. For now, he’s enjoying playing in his hometown. “I really like playing, making people happy and making them feel good,” Brian said. “I like to hear them clap and put smiles on their faces.” For Brian’s upcoming schedule, check his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ briankabalamusic. Ken Abramczyk is an associate editor at the SanTan Sun News. He can be reached at ken@santansun.com.
Library presents music of WWII In honor of Veterans Day, the Ed Robson Branch Library presents songs of the war years. Erik Larson, music historian, will revisit some of the more prominent recordings, in remarkable sound quality, and offer interesting and little-known facts about the music and musicians. For those who love music, especially with a historic patriotic theme, come by the library front desk to pick up a free ticket for the 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, program. Seating is limited. Ed Robson Branch Library is located at 9330 E. Riggs Rd., Sun Lakes.
Erik Larson will present the Music of WWII program in November. Submitted photo