The Steel Guitar Forum

Hello All. My name is Tommy Kessler. I’m a working musician out of NYC. I currently do session work, play in a few bands including Telling On Trixie (www.tellingontrixie.com) and Coppermine (www.coppermine.com), play with many artists including Lisa Bouchelle (www.lisabouchelle.com) Psyche Of Sound (www.psyche2soul.com), Roz Brown (www.rozbrownonline.com) and I play with the Blue Man Group in NYC. With the Blue Man show I play a Zither & Chapman Stick.

The Zither is a wild/unique instrument that most people don't come across, at least I didn't until I joined the company. It is what made me really start looking into the Pedal Steel world. It's 86 strings and is played with a slide and finger picks. I can't post any pictures of it but imagine 6 lap steels on the bottom and a 2 and 1/2 octave harp up top running through 8 humbucker PUPS through a guitar rig...it's a wild sound ! So I've got the hand coordination and intonation down, time to learn about "pedals & levers"

I also have a few major label credits with Warner Brothers but nothing to brag about yet so I'll go into more detail on that in the future. I've got a handful of endorsements and those are listed in my signature (hope the sig works )

I spend a lot of time in the studio and on tour. I fly down to Oklahoma to work with Juell Records (www.juellrecords.com) artists about once a month so I'd love to meet up with some steel players in that area as well as the NYC/NJ area.

Time to search the forum so I can purchase my first Pedal Steel ! Thanks for all the future help everyone

Welcome,Tommy...

Here is a youtube of the Zither.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFz79SBnuk8

Welcome, Tommy. Seeing the Blue Man Group was one of the highpoints of the last trip to NYC for me.

Lots of great steel players near you so it shouldn't be tough to hook up.

Welcome to the wacko world of steel guitar and sometimes even more wacko world of the forum!

Welcome Tommy. I look forward to hearing about what you get up to on pedal steel.

John Roche wrote:Here is a youtube of the Zither.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFz79SBnuk8

That does look like a traditional zither...I've never seen that so that was cool to watch...the one we play is about 3 times that size and has the harp up top like that one, but has 6 "sets" of chords at the bottom that we play like lap steels...we've always said it's like a blend of zither, lap and autoharp

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome and I hope I'll be able to contribute someday to this forum rather than just "leech" information off as I learn

Welcome Tommy from another Jersey guy.

Welcome Tommy

For what it's worth, one of my all-time favorite movies is "The Third Man", which as you probably already know features an exclusively Zither soundtrack. Cool instrument. But then again, so is the Pedal Steel!

You'll have fun here at The Forum!

Welcome aboard Tommy!

Hey, if you're doing BMG in NY, you probably know my old bandmate Jeff Turlik.
You should ask him if he remembers how long the five-week program lasts.

This is a great place to learn about the steel guitar. When I first joined in, I asked a question about some old song, and got answers straight from the guy that played on it.

Sweet!

P Gleespen wrote:Welcome aboard Tommy!

Hey, if you're doing BMG in NY, you probably know my old bandmate Jeff Turlik.
You should ask him if he remembers how long the five-week program lasts.

Hey Patrick....of course I know Jeff...Were you in a band with him up in Boston ? I think that is where he is from if I'm not mistaken

ummm what is the five-week program ?

Welcome Aboard

Hi Tommy,

I have played with Lisa Bouchelle on occasion...she and Tom Reock have collaborated quite a bit, and I play in his "Reock and Roll Review".

Welcome to the Forum...it's a great place.

C'mon down to the Rodeo Bar April 14th and check out Western Caravan. John Widgren on steel, and two other steelers in the band as well.

Jeremy Steele wrote:Hi Tommy,

I have played with Lisa Bouchelle on occasion...she and Tom Reock have collaborated quite a bit, and I play in his "Reock and Roll Review".

Welcome to the Forum...it's a great place.

I'm finding a handful of people on this forum that have worked with her...not a big surprise but it's funny how I came across people by joining the steel forum

Steve Alcott wrote:C'mon down to the Rodeo Bar April 14th and check out Western Caravan. John Widgren on steel, and two other steelers in the band as well.

Do you play with them as well Steve ? I have a Blue Man show that night but I might be able to swing over there afterwards

I'm the bass player, and Skip Krevens plays guitar.