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A Musical Life: Caleb Drummond

Aaron Bowen

Bassist Caleb Drummond plays in a variety of acts in the Wichita are, including Spirit of the Stairs, the Jenny Wood Band, and The Travel Guide. He studied at Friends University and teaches at Damm Music Center.

“I’ve done, for years, three-hour, four-hour jazz gigs during the early evening and then I'll go to Kirby’s or I'll go to Barleycorn’s later on in the evening to do a set, post-midnight sometimes, with different bands.

It’s always a challenge to stay focused and to stay on top of everything. I enjoy that switching gears from having to read and play charts out of a book for standard jazz music to getting to play originals, rock songs, sometimes covers.

I used to do church gigs on Sundays. And when I was in Carrie Nation [and The Speakeasy] that was definitely challenging because with bluegrass, you do three hours at the show and then the after party happens where you have to bring your instrument to the party and jam at the after party with people. It’s pickin’ and grinnin’ until five in the morning and then I have to go to this church at six or seven in the morning to get ready for church rehearsal. Not exactly rested or anything like that or ready to go, mentally. It was different. It was challenging. I don’t really do that as much anymore.”

Jedd Beaudoin is host/producer of the nationally syndicated program Strange Currency. He has also served as an arts reporter, a producer of A Musical Life and a founding member of the KMUW Movie Club. As a music journalist, his work has appeared in Pop Matters, Vox, No Depression and Keyboard Magazine.