Aaron StrickemailstrickinatoSan Francisco, CA

Streaming - use the jukebox!

JK! You won't find these tracks on any streaming platform! This is pretty much the exclusive place to hear my tracks! Use the jukebox as you explore the site.

12-13-22 Turtlehead Poo - Motern Media Cover Contest

Matt Farley, the genius behind The Toilet Bowl Cleaners and like a million other bands and things, had his annual cover song competition recently, and my submission made it in! (They all do).

Farley Discusses Turtlehead Poo

1-8-23 Don't Leave Me - Bughouse Square

Mutiny Radio, that strange place that broadcasts from a window on Valencia Street has a show Bughouse Square. The producers one day hit up craigslist to invite home recording musicians to submit tracks, so I went for it -- and sure enough, they played me!

  • You can find the whole episode here You can hear my track at 1:28:40.
  • You can listen to my cover of it in the jukebox! (Don't Leave Me). It's an original track about my dog's separation anxiety.
  • I've pulled out their commentary here:

The Bughouse Square announces the song.

History

In July 2020, I started playing the clarinet. COVID! I was taking lessons over zoom with a jazz clarinetist, and it was a complete and total musical awakening.

After years of hanging around my friends who are actual musicians, I was finally old enough to actually commit to practicing!

There is a ton to learn about music through the clarinet, but it's quite an unforgiving instrument. See how dumb and bad I sound:

The clarinet is a bit too loud to practice into the evening, so I started playing around on an electric ukulele that I came into posession of.

Also, my friend gave me a midi keyboard, which is great for trying to make myself some accompaniment, and I started getting into a little bit of recording.

This aligns with my original music goal (inspired by the Bill Gates quote “Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years”) is to record an album by the time I'm 40.

You can here some of these early recordings on the jukebox.

In 2022, I participated in the San Francisco Community Music Center Adult Beginner Jazz Ensemble.

Appreciation

Special thanks to some of the people who've inspired me and helped me in my musical journey:

  • Ben Slater When I say I've been hanging around musicians my whole life, I'm often thinking of Ben, who would even patiently include me in a jam by just telling me three notes to bang on the piano. Thanks for helping me see the joy in music, and for practicing with me in the park.
  • Henry Molofsky Early in COVID, Henry took some piano lessons, and invited me to view his recital over zoom. I was so shocked and impressed with how much he learned, I decided that I also could learn to play! I learned a bit later how miscalibrated I was, given that Henry was a music performance major in college. I had no idea, he's actually an incredible musician (and all around audio genius). Thanks for sparking this whole adventure, and thanks to you (and Briana) for being such a source of encouragement.
  • James Collector James produced the song in the jukebox "Peppero Day". He gave me a chance to play with him even though I'm a beginner and made me feel very welcome into his world of music. He's constantly inspiring me with his music, his writing, and with the love he brings to both.
  • Julie Love, my upstairs neighbor. Thanks for being supportive, even though clarinet can be so annoying.
  • Lucy Rose, my partner, who also endured the sounds of the clarinet, and who gave me space, time, and love so that I could pursue music!
  • Sam Reider Thanks Sam, for always being willing to talk through music with me, listening to me talk about my basic discoveries and for getting alongside with me. For being a source of encouragement, and for showing me what commitment and practice really looks like._
  • Steven Lugerner Steven was my first formal teacher. He was patient, and he opened up the world of jazz to me. I still don't like listening that much, but I have an appreciation. Thanks for helping kick off this whole journey.
COMING UP POSIE (2:33)