2025 was a helluva year. Let's look back, with trepidation. And some joy. I'll give you a short (for me) travelogue of my trip to New Zealand and Australia. I attended some good concerts. There is a melancholy remembrance at the end. And all is laced with a ranting rage about the state of our country. 2025 Review.

If you follow Chicago Musician regularly, you know it's been a hot minute since I posted a new episode, so I address some of the reasons for that. I'll give you a hint: it has to do with the color orange, and consequently, I have some politics to 'unpack' (as the more popular podcasts say).

In February I went to New Zealand, including Auckland and Wellington, and then spent another ten days in Australia. I got to see quite a bit of the southeastern part of the continent starting with a good 6 days in Sydney. Even had dinner and lovely evening with chocolate queen, Kirsten Tibballs, so sometimes, the stars just align. Brisbane was next followed by 4 days in Melbourne, while a day trip to the Great Ocean Road was a real highlight (see Helicopter). Both countries are very beautiful and welcoming. The weather was hot (summer Down Under!), however a nice change from February in Chicago.

I attended some great concerts again this year. I'll talk about a few of the highlights, with names like Cyndi and Wynonna involved. I even played a concert. What the what what??!

After a year of silence, I have to blow off some steam about the shit show that is currently our country. And we'll talk about a path forward. Or if there is one. How do we stop this authoritarian regime before it's too late? Or is it already too late? I'm semi-hopeful about our country outliving yam tits and his clown show, but only semi.

Not everything is bleak in this episode, but we definitely have shit to talk about. Hold on! 2025: What the . . ?

https://sksyphotos.smugmug.com/Travel/New-Zealand---Australia-25/Sydney

Bassist Tom Mendel has had a long and storied career as a bass player. He has been ‘based’ (pardon the pun) in Chicago for decades. He’s played in the pit for long running shows like ‘Lion King’, ‘Wicked’, ‘Hamilton’, ‘Moulin Rouge’, ‘Billy Elliott’, ‘Kinky Boots’, and many more. But his music has taken him all over the country. He has toured with the likes of Lainie Kazan. He’s played club dates with Christine Ebersole, Mandy Gonzalez, Hollis Resnik, to mention just a few. Tom has also recorded extensively, playing hundreds of jingles in Chicago’s recording houses. He’s also played numerous sessions from Los Angeles to New Orleans to New York.

Tom has also been an advocate for union musicians for decades. Much of that work was for those who make their livings playing in the theatre musicians. In fact, he was an early member of the Theatre Musicians Association. He served 7 years as the president of the Chicago chapter, before spending 5 years as the national president of TMA. Tom has also worked on many union committees, negotiating contracts for higher wages and better working conditions with Chicago theatres, as well as for touring musicians. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg as far as his work on behalf of performing professionals.

But Tom is more than ‘just’ a musician. He’s also a Master Scuba instructor, a yoga enthusiast, and is not only a proud father, but has recently joined the ranks of his favorite new title: grandpa!

I first met Tom in 1987 when I joined the cast of Chicago’s longest running musical up until that time, ‘Pump Boys & Dinettes’. We performed that show together for nearly three years at Chicago’s Apollo Theatre. We’ve been good friends ever since. We know each other’s family and have shared the best and worst of those times. Professionally, we’ve had the good fortune to work together many times over the years. And because the world of pit musicians is not that big, we have a lot of friends and colleagues in common.

‘Bassist Tom Mendel’ is just the jumping off point for this conversation. Come check out this friendly chat between two good friends. I think you’ll enjoy getting to know this admirable and accomplished man.

See more on Instagram. @mendelmusic

CFM president, BJ Levy is my blockbuster guest to kick off Season 3 on Chicago Musician. BJ had a long career as a professional trumpet player. He studied at Indiana University and then DePaul University where he received his Master's in Jazz Studies. But the majority of his career was spent playing in the pit for Broadway musicals. We talk about the unforgiving nature of being a lead trumpet player, plus the physical demands of playing 8 shows a week. Like many of us, BJ started off playing in his high school band, but his unique journey has some interesting twists and turns.

The biggest shift in BJ's career started with a phone call. He was asked to run for the musicians union board of directors. As it turned out, that call was just the first stepping stone on his path to greater things. First, he was elected Secretary/Treasurer. Then, after a bumpy transition and contentious election, BJ won the contest for president. I was really interested in what being the president of a large union actually entails. Some of his duties are fairly predictable, but others are more nuanced and even surprising. We get into the weeds a little bit about negotiating contracts and the art of negotiating. BJ calls it coalition building. He also calls this 'the best job he's ever had'.

But it's not all union talk. We check in on some of our favorite streaming shows and other things the Prez does to relax in his down time. There might be a surprise or two in there, so stick around till the end!

If you'd like more information about the Chicago Federation of Musicians, here's a link to their website: cfm10208.com
For photos of BJ and more, click on Shawn's Photos on the bestshawnstengel.com website or follow this link: https://sksyphotos.smugmug.com/Music/Chicago-Musician-Podcast-Pix