While in Big Sky and Moonlight Basin, my best skiing buddy Nick Economou took a tumble. However his resolve was strong and he came back to do it again! In much more dramatic fashion, I improvised a new song about his adventure and struggles, live in front of an audience, including Nick, at the Bozeman Folklore Society concert series! While not perfect, it is the first totally improvised song and performance of that song that I’ve ever put out into the world. So, the song and video will do the rest of the talking. Enjoy!
Thanks to the fine musicians in the Bozeman based bluegrass band “Flatt Cheddar” I was able to meet a fine banjo player and skier named Andrew Schauer. He showed me around a couple of his favorite areas on and near Bridger Bowl after we played tunes the night before. It was a beautiful sunny day that turned into a snowstorm by the time we were skiing down the final zone. We begin this blog with 2 photos: the first, a dog playing the mandolin. the second, a nice panoramic view from the Bridger Bowl Ridge. And finally, a video proving that I did go skiing! I dug the music from out of the archives – Blue Moose and the Unbuttoned Zippers collaborating with Fribo at Celtic Connections in Glasgow last year! The amazing guitarist Ewan MacPherson wrote this tune “Soft as Snow on Shore Street.” Ewan, if I got that title wrong, I suppose my Scottish accent interpretation is a wee bit off, and maybe you’re better off with this version? Great tune regardless.
And here it is, the epic cat skiing video with my Dad and in Idaho!
Music from myself live in Sioux Falls, SD, Chris Turner and myself at Rustic Roots, and my band Firecloud!!!
Since my last post, a lot has happened, including getting sidelined with a 24-hour bug in Missoula, (I was lucky enough to be in a warm bed at the house of fiddle student Carl and Becky the doctor) My Dad is back in Boston, I’m back in the world of the living and have been enjoying great skiing! Touring in and around Bridger Bowl near Bozeman was powdery and now I’m in Big Sky with my awesome ski buddy Nick!
The internet has been slow so I’m playing catch up with my videos – here’s the 2nd and last day of skiing Whitefish with my Dad. We couldn’t believe it was even more powder filled than the first!
After 2 days of powder skiing at Whitefish, Montana, 1 day of powder skiing at Schweitzer, Idaho, and 1 day of catskiing behind Schweitzer with Selkirk Powder, our magic 4-day long powder spree ended today.
My Dad and I awoke today to find 90 percent of the resort closed on wind hold with a base lift going slowly up through crazy gusts, and the snow, sticky mashed potatoes. 3 runs later and we were off to to see my friends Robin and PJ at O’Aces restaurant/bar/casino in DeBorgia, MT. We played some tunes for the folks and ate some delicious food! Now we’re looking forward to waking up early to check out Montana Snowbowl in Missoula!
The footage of powder skiing is piling up as fast as the snow falls and there are several more videos soon to come out of the past few days! In the meantime, here are some action shots from our cat skiing day:
me, skiing powder!
my Dad, Dave Reiner, skiing powder!
blue sky making a brief appearance
my Dad, the floating torso
feeling good
epic powder every run!
O – Aces
After about 3000 miles of driving east to west, I’ve finally arrived in Montana!!! I met my Dad, Dave Reiner (see www.reinerfamilyband.com) in Missoula, MT and we drove together north for a couple hours, ending up at Whitefish! Just in time for our arrival, it’s been snowing by the foot! Today was tough on visibility but big on fresh snow and fun!
The music is myself playing the fiddle, improvising with my new looper. Thanks to String Theory Luthiery – Josh Rieck and Phil Bennett for the amazing opportunity to play in the space in Sioux Falls, South Dakota!
