Creative Music Ensemble - Cafe con Leche

It's was a busy Fall semester of rehearsals at MUM. There were four bands participating in the Creative Music Ensemble class. We had final performances on December 14th at MUM's open mic. Then, Cafe con Leche (one of the groups that I played with) decided to do an encore performance at the local Cafe Paradiso open mic. Both performances were electrifying and I was so proud of the original songs that our groups performed!

The core of the Creative Music Ensemble class is improvisation. Usually a small group session will start with someone bringing in an idea for a new song. Then everyone begins to work out their own parts together. Soloing is encouraged and new ideas abound. Our mottos are that "there are no mistakes only happy accidents" (Bob Ross, artist) and "if you play something once it is a mistake but if you play it twice you meant to do it!" and "Do not fear mistakes, there are none." (Miles Davis) This frees each member of the group to try something new with boldness.

Here are some links to Cafe con Leche's final performance at Cafe Paradiso. Thanks to Keith DeBoer for hosting, Tim Britton for doing our sound and special thanks to Glenn (Fairfield Rocks Me) for recording our performance!

Drum Prelude by Oscar Gutierrez & It Ain't the Blues by Michael Chandler

Vocals, Blues Harp - Micheal Chandler
Drums - Oscar Gutierrez
Cello - Gina Orange
Bass - Madeline Hesse
Keys - Kaeli Ferguson


Come into Me Like a Flood by Madeline Hesse

Vocals, Keys - Madeline Hesse
Vocals - Ananda Kessler
Cello - Gina Orange
Native American Flute - Michael Chandler
Drums, Vocals - Kaeli Ferguson 
Drums - Oscar Gutierrez

Contigo by Edgard Camacho

Vocals - Edgard Camacho
Vocals - Ananda Kessler
Vocals & Keys - Kaeli Ferguson
Cello - Gina Orange
Drums - Oscar Gutierrez