Chicago Musician

  Bassist Tom Mendel has had a long and storied career as a bass player. He has been ‘based' (pardon the pun) in Chicago for decades. He's played in the pit for long running shows like ‘Lion King', ‘Wicked', ‘Hamilton', ‘Moulin Rouge', ‘Billy Elliott', ‘Kinky Boots', and many more. But his music has taken him all over the country. He has toured with the likes of Lainie Kazan. He's played club dates with Christine Ebersole, Mandy Gonzalez, Hollis Resnik, to mention just a few. Tom has also recorded extensively, playing hundreds of jingles in Chicago's recording houses. He's also played numerous sessions from Los Angeles to New Orleans to New York. Tom has also been an advocate for union musicians for decades. Much of that work was for those who make their livings playing in the theatre musicians. In fact, he was an early member of the Theatre Musicians Association. He served 7 years as the president of the Chicago chapter, before spending 5 years as the national president of TMA. Tom has also worked on many union committees, negotiating contracts for higher wages and better working conditions with Chicago theatres, as well as for touring musicians. And that's just the tip of the iceberg as far as his work on behalf of performing professionals. But Tom is more than ‘just' a musician. He's also a Master Scuba instructor, a yoga enthusiast, and is not only a proud father, but has recently joined the ranks of his favorite new title: grandpa! Basis for bassist I first met Tom in 1987 when I joined the cast of Chicago's longest running musical up until that time, ‘Pump Boys & Dinettes'. We performed that show together for nearly three years at Chicago's Apollo Theatre. We've been good friends ever since. We know each other's family and have shared the best and worst of those times. Professionally, we've had the good fortune to work together many times over the years. And because the world of pit musicians is not that big, we have a lot of friends and colleagues in common. ‘Bassist Tom Mendel' is just the jumping off point for this conversation. Come check out this friendly chat between two good friends. I think you'll enjoy getting to know this admirable and accomplished man. See more on Instagram. @mendelmusic Chapters (00:00:05) - Introducing Tom Mendel(00:02:14) - Tom Joins In(00:02:44) - Pump Boys, of course(00:10:04) - Louisiana Days

Continuing my family home farewell, I talk to my siblings and their spouses. Then I chat with my parents. . . my parents as they are now. My dad has advanced speech dysplasia so he has huge struggles making himself known. But he tries. And my mom has dementia. She still sounds like herself, but her short term memory is shot. And, as you'll hear, her long term memory ain't so great either. For this episode especially, I recommend going to my photo site (there's a link to Shawn's Photos on the home page. And a link on that site to get back to BestShawnStengel.com) and checking out the Chicago Musician gallery. There is video of all the interviewees and about a minute with my parents. . . it's sweet and a little heartbreaking. There is also some footage of me singing with my nephews (alluded to in my interview with the parents). It's the song we sang at Heidi and Matt's wedding 3 years ago. Although I didn't get her on tape, you'll see Heidi in the video sitting in front with Matt. With mom and dad perched behind them. Plus some piano playing by the soon-to-be-I'm-sure-prodigy, Ada Mae. She's Matthew's 2 year old daughter. Overall, we had a great weekend at 'home'. We strengthened family bonds and made some new memories. We played Pounce (THE family card game. . . basically Solitaire, but everyone can play on the cards out on the table. It gets wild and woolly!), ate, sang, laughed. And a little bit of sorting. It was a kind, gentle, somewhat sentimental Family Home Farewell.

After nearly 2 1/2 years out of work due to the pandemic, I’ve recently returned to work. And it’s a really good job. I’m playing in the pit for the pre-Broadway production of a new musical, ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. Things have changed since I last worked on a show before the Covid-19 pandemic. Here’s an inside peek at how a musical gets put together. It’s an insider’s guide to what and how pit musicians contribute to a new musical. This is a very big production with a lot of high-powered people behind it. They definitely have their eyes on taking this show to Broadway. I have a few thoughts and observations about the process so far. I’m very grateful for the chance to be doing a show again, and to be working with great professional musicians. I hope you enjoy the view from the pit of ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ in Chicago. Like most productions with New York producers, most of the music team comes to Chicago, already in place. ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ is one such production. The Music Supervisor, the Music Director and the Orchestrator all came to town with the show. In addition, the assistant conductor and the drum set player also are New York based. The rest of the band is hired locally. In this case, that means 12 local musicians. And, in this world still in the midst of pandemic, each local player has to have a ‘covid sub’. . . someone who may not even be scheduled to play a performance, but who’s job it is to learn the book of whomever they’re subbing for, and to be ready to jump in. . . show or performance, if needed. It has, in fact, already happened. Musicals are hard to do. They are even more complicated than they used to be given all the new technologies in play. And speaking of ‘plays’, the story is still the thing. The technology can only support the telling of the story. Humans still need to get that part right. That’s why we’re still rehearsing!

Selling your family home after 50 years can be traumatic. It can also be a logistical nightmare and an emotional minefield. As my family prepares for the inevitable, since my parents are now in senior living, we decided to gather there one last time. Partly to say ‘Farewell, old house. Ya done good.’ Partly to […]

Guitarist Steve Roberts is an interesting ‘cat’. AND a dog person. He plays a multitude of stringed instruments. From acoustic guitar to mandolin to banjo to electric guitars with 52 foot pedals. He’s carved out a career across a wide swath of musical genres. Starting out in garage bands (no, not ‘Garage Band’!) as a kid in Oak Park, Illinois, Steve turned his love of the Beatles and Pink Floyd into a distinctive and distinguished career. (I know!!! You almost never see ‘distinguished’ in a sentence about guitar players!). His range is impressive: from bar bands to recording jingles; from contemporary music ensembles to the pits of Broadway musicals; from playing banjo at Symphony Center to playing mandolin at Ravinia with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; from touring with ‘Mary Poppins’ to appearing with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Steve has done it all. And he’s still doing it. He’s at the top of his game. Steve also has a passion for large dogs, road trips, and lamp making. . . maybe the last part isn’t true?? Guess you’ll have to listen in and see.

Who are our artistic influences? How do the performances and the performers we witness in our youth help to form and inform us as artists? Host Shawn Stengel takes a look back. He ponders the influences in his life before he became a professional. How do all these concerts and shows and singers and actors stick in my mind? How did they shape me for a career I couldn’t even envision having? Or did they? In any case, it’s fun to reminisce about the many memorable moments I’ve been lucky enough to have as an audience member. Who had the biggest impact on me as a performer? Nordica Thabes or Beverly Sills? James Glenn or James Earl Jones? Lena Horne or Mikhail Baryshnikov? Harvey Fierstein or Stockard Channing? They’re all stuck in my little brain somewhere. Still.

Violinist Florence Schwartz has played with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for over 30 years. Her tenure spans the eras of the eras of Solti, Barenboim, and Muti. She began her training at a very young age. It only intensified as she entered the world of Interlochen, Aspen, and the Eastman School of Music. Florence is also a mother of three children. She paints, she gardens, and spoils her dogs. What’s not to like? Also in the episode, I remember Hollis Resnik. Besides being one of the brightest stars of the Chicago musical theatre world for over 40 years, she was also my friend.

Host Shawn Stengel revisits a colorful early-career adventure. He toured with a D level production of The Phantom of the Opera: The Play: With Music. A producer with possible ‘family’ connections, a lower than low budget, a troupe of artists with a “wide range” of ability levels, and a company manager who’s main qualification is […]

Jeremy Kahn talks piano jazz, Cubs, winter sports, movies, and so much more. He’s one deep cat! Jeremy is an in-demand pianist with incredible jazz chops. He also has a great sense of humor, and a reasonably pleasant demeanor. To say he is ‘well read’ would be. . . saying something. . . Check out his website for access to his recordings, videos, and musings. http://www.kahnman.com

Renee Matthews is a beloved Chicago singer and actress. Her long and storied life includes debuting at The Chicago Theatre at the age of 6 and studying voice at the Metropolitan Opera. She played the harp for Harpo Marx (and brother Groucho) at Harpo’s Beverly Hills mansion, and toured the country as a solo vocalist. […]

Linda: I don't really have any memories before 'WICKED'. Shawn: No memories at all? Or memories of me? Linda: Of you! A conversation with Chicago woodwind player, composer, arranger and vocalist, Linda Van Dyke. We talk about her professional life, getting started in music, being a Cubs fan, her escape from St. Louis, and her intriguing ‘double life’ in Door County, Wisconsin. Linda teaches privately and used to run a jobbing band. Her current world includes working with young teens in a bell choir. Versatile lady! Shawn also shows a little love for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Introduction of the Chicago Musician podcast and its host, Shawn Stengel. Shawn is a long-time Chicago musician who has also worked across the country and internationally. This podcast will include reviews of theatrical productions and concerts, plus conversations with fellow musicians and interesting people that this musician has met along the way. The conversations are intended to be welcoming, informal, and free-wheeling. Hopefully these chats will be enlightening, personal, funny, unusual, political, truthful, emotional as well as musical.