Church of Blues Presents:

"Yes, You Can!"

Composing the Blues: Writing/Playing from the Heart & Soul Winter 2025

10:30am-11:30am Every Sunday January 16- March 23, 2025

All Ages All Skill Levels Vets Cordially invited All Are Welcome Sunday Sessions are Always FREE!

Reservations Highly Recommended

Reservation Form: Yes You Can FREE Sunday Classes

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Course Calendar

Date
Course
Instructor
January 19, 2025
Blues-a-Palooza: Winter Season Kick-Off A tribute to women in blues music, showcasing the powerful voices and contributions of female artists.
Susie Shoemaker, Sabina Sandoval, Kathy Trusdell
Jan. 26, 2025
Slide Into Blues A session with the prolific songwriter and slide-guitar specialist exploring the soul of blues guitar.
Don Whitcher
February 2, 2025
Blues From the Heart A fusion of classic and contemporary blues, bringing fresh perspectives and timeless sounds.
Sabina Sandoval & Pandy Raye
Feb. 9, 2025
MASTER CLASS A Master Class in blues songwriting and performance led by the seasoned artist and educator.
Rev. Eric Strickland
Feb. 16, 2025
Willin' the Blues The Still Willin' Duo bring their rich Arizona blues traditions to the stage.
The Still Willin' Duo: Mark Willner & Sweet Baby Ray de Sylvester
Feb. 23, 2025
Blues Guitar Magic Master Guitarist Lee Zimmer teaches the subtleties of blues guitar, unlocking powerful techniques.
Lee Zimmer
March 2, 2025
Rhythm & Blues: The Pulse of the Soul A dynamic exploration of how to give a professional sheen to your rhythm and blues music, led by a Swamp Poets blues master Chris Berry & Hollywood Recording Engineer Col. Darryl Harrelson
Christian Michael Berry & Col Darryl Harrleson
March 9, 2025
Roots Revival Don Whitcher returns for a deep dive into blues basics, songwriting, and slide-guitar mastery.
Don Whitcher
March 16, 2025
Love Me Blue A Beatles-inspired blues class, showcasing the band's timeless influence on blues music.
Tommy "Rocks" Anderson
March 23, 2025
Winter Season Finale: Lee Zimmer concludes the season with a masterful class blending guitar technique and blues storytelling.
Lee Zimmer

Presented in coordination with our fiscal sponsor: Friends of Old Town Center for the Arts

633 N. 5th Street

Cottonwood, AZ 86326

This program is supported in part by the Arizona Commission on the Arts, which receives support from the State of Arizona and the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Arizona Community Foundation- Sedona/Verde Valley

Arizona Community Foundation- Sedona/Verde Valley

The Faculty- Winter 2025

  • Suzie Shomaker

  • Susie Shomaker was born and raised in New York city and prior to becoming a northern Arizona resident, enjoyed a long career as a NYC performer, singer and songwriter. Since moving to Sedona she has played a diverse array of venues and events including a stint with the Heavenly J’s as Jim Morrison, June Carter Cash and her most memorable and powerful performance as Janis Joplin. Suzie has also performed at the Encore Theater with the Branson Hall of Fame Sax player Marvin Short in a show entitled “Marvin Short’s Rock ‘n Roll Dreams.” Currently she performs with the band Menagerie at local clubs and many private parties, Suzie has been a great supporter of the arts to the area, and as Founder and Director of the late Sedona Live presented many local, regional and national performers. She recently said she is “sticking to a strong belief that the arts are crucial to the fabric of every community.”

    Suzie Shoemaker

  • Sabina Sandoval

  • Sabina Sandoval is a teacher, musician, facilitator, director, TED Talks speaker.She has played with some of the best musicians/performers, and have been performing, while recording, and teaching. As an artist, I am self taught for the last 45 years of my life, born and raised California girl. I successfully created the nonprofit-all volunteer charity group, Free To Be Me Dum Circle, a loving, educational, rhythmic music therapy event for all walks of life, with many backdrops.

  • Tommy "Rocks" Anderson

  • Tommy Rocks, proprietor of Tommy Rocks Music Store, in Jerome, Az., is an acoustic rock singer & guitarist who has performed thousands of shows throughout America. Currently Tommy performs 100+ shows a year, and is known as one of the most versatile singers and performers in Arizona. Tommy is also regarded as one of the top ukulele players in the state. He is the creator of the Jerome Ukulele Orchestra, which in their first year got noticed by America’s Got Talent, and later formed the Sedona Ukulele Posse in conjunction with the Sedona Arts Center where he taught music for two years. Tommy made the cover story of Ukulele Magazine in the winter 2018, and became an official Kala Ukulele Ambassador in December 2021.

  • Don Whitcher

  • Don Whitcher is a nationally-prominent slide player, whose previous bands have charted in the Americana and Roots Country charts since 2004. He is an original, prolific song writer with a voice that is deep and passionate. Since moving to Northern Arizona a few years ago, he has established himself as one of the best slide guitar and lap steel guitar players in the Southwest, and is part of the founding faculty, for Church of Blues Composing the Blues: Writing/Performing from the Heart & Soul.

  • Lee Zimmer

  • Master Guitarist Lee Zimmer’s background includes years of experience in rock bands, classical guitar and jazz, instructor at the Fender Center, head Guitar Studies at La Sierra and California Baptist Universities. Studying privately for several years with Maestro Seiko Sesoko, as well as performing in Master classes with Manuel Barrueco, Sharon Isben, David Russell, Michael Newman, and Jorge Morel, Lee's arrangement for two guitars of Le Tombeau de Couperin, by Maurice Ravel, is featured on a CD that he recorded along with guitarist Eric Brenton as Duo Sesoko, a premier guitar ensemble. Lee teaches and performs concerts regularly.
  • Listen to Lee on Spotify.

  • Alejandro Wood

  • Alejandro Wood is a local singer-songwirter with a sterling quality to his voice that once heard, is never forgotten.

  • "Sweet Baby" Ray de Sylvester

  • Sweet Baby Ray de Sylvester began performing playing harmonica on stage, sitting in with Jimmy Rogers and Pinetop Perkins at Lilly’s in Chicago in 1985. This experience inspired Ray to study the Blues and hone his harmonica skills through the years. In January 2020 Ray received the honor of being inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame. From Memphis to the Monterrey, Manhattan, to New Orleans, PBS Blues Blast, across Arizona, and currently with the band Still Willin', Ray keeps the Blues alive with his engaging performances and harmonica magic.

  • Rev. Eric J. Strickland

  • Eric Strickland's musical journey began at age nine, playing drums and singing in his father’s R&B band and participating in a multicultural musical education program that highlighted diverse musical contributions across Southern California schools.Throughout high school and college, Eric developed his signature sound on the bass guitar, influenced by notable musicians like Larry Graham. He continued his music education at Riverside City College and Cal State University Los Angeles, focusing on music composition and ensemble performance.
  • Eric's professional career took a significant turn when he joined the international group Up With People, traveling extensively and performing at the 1982 Super Bowl halftime show. Later, he formed Z’looke, which achieved success with a top-charting R&B single and appearances on shows like Soul Train.
    After years of performing in cover bands and adapting to digital music production during the COVID-19 lockdown, Eric now releases music under the name Eric J’rome and collaborates with long-time partner Lisa Lyon. Recently ordained as a minister, he serves as the bassist for Calvary Baptist Church of Santa Monica and performs at memorial services, utilizing music's healing power to support those grieving.