Yearly Archives: 2009

MaidPro of Tulsa Tackles the Dirt with A&E’s Hit TV Show “HOARDERS!”

Staff Reports

MaidPro of Tulsa was recently featured on A&E’s hit television series, “Hoarders.”

The series looks at people who can’t part with their belongings, to the extent they are on the verge of a personal crisis.  MaidPro partnered with Screaming Flea Productions to restore the homes featured on the show to a livable condition once the clutter was cleared.

The Dec. 7 episode, filmed in Tulsa, followed "Gail" as she cleaned up her home.  Once a disciplined ballerina, Gail’s life was falling apart because of stuff. The floors were sinking, the gas line was bent and the water pipes broken.

Goats had eaten through the siding to the back bedroom and chickens, dogs, and cats were seen roaming among the piles of clutter in the house.

 “We were incredibly privileged to help our new friend, Gail, in Tulsa,” said Greg Ford, owner of MaidPro of Tulsa. "Having a part in transforming her home was difficult, but completely rewarding. Our team made an unbelievable difference.  The walls were brighter, the hardwood floors were reconditioned, and even the appliances looked brand new after we got done with them.”    

Added Mark Kushinsky, CEO of MaidPro,  “I think this is a cause that is often overlooked and misunderstood. We wanted to contribute to the effort of spreading awareness and “Hoarders” gave us an outlet where our services are needed  … While MaidPro is not used to cleaning homes like those featured on the show, we wanted to provide our services because they are necessary for recovery.”

“Hoarders” explores the world of extreme hoarding; a mental disorder marked by an obsessive need to collect things, even if the items are worthless, hazardous or unsanitary.  “Hoarders” is produced for A&E by Screaming Flea Productions. Executive Producers are Jodi Flynn, Matt Chan and Dave Severson. A&E Executive Producers are Robert Sharenow and Andy Berg. “Hoarders” Season 2 premiered Nov. 30 and the show is aired every Monday at 10 p.m. EST on A&E.     

For more on the series, click here.

CD REVIEW: ‘Crazy Love’ by Michael Buble

Andrew W. Griffin, Red Dirt Report

While I’m not big into schmaltzy big band music, I do like a good crooner now and again. As a big fan of Chris Isaak and Harry Connick Jr., I didn’t see an embrace of the music of Michael Buble as a big stretch. He’s got a heckuva voice and who doesn’t like a guy who views Frank Sinatra as a musical hero?

So, with Buble’s latest chart-topping album Crazy Love, we find just how dynamic and versatile the Grammy-winning Canadian is when it comes to picking material. There is some great stuff here, many of them jazz and pop standards. And then there’s his amazing interpretation of The Eagles’ 1979 hit “Heartache Tonight.”

Of course the title track, “Crazy Love,” a song Van Morrison did back in 1970 for his classic Moondance album, is given the smooth-croonin’ Buble treatment. And while great, it is still shadowed by the original.

On “You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You” Buble really shows listeners that at his core, he is a jazz singer. Keep that in mind when you listen to the pop standard “Stardust,” featuring background vocals from the a capella group Naturally 7.

And while he loves jazz, Buble easily embraces the retro soul sound of “Baby (You’ve Got What It Takes),” performed with the 60’s-esque group Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings.

Fellow Canadian Ron Sexsmith joins Buble on a cover of his smooth, bossa nova-esque song “Whatever It Takes.”

“Cry Me a River” sounds like a song from a James Bond soundtrack. It’s sultry and full of possibility. Buble is clearly having a great time singing this song.  

“All Of Me” starts unassuming and jazzy in a classic sense and then builds and comes back down, all the while Buble’s voice is firmly in control of the material. Impressive.

The first 15 seconds of “Georgia On My Mind,” with the menacing orchestra, soon brighten into the classic made famous by Ray Charles all those years ago.

And while the covers are aplenty, Buble co-wrote the bouncy, engaging pop track “Haven’t Met You Yet,” which has an almost Beatlesque vibe.

Buble sounds decent on “All I Do Is Dream of You” although not particularly inspired. But a song like “Hold On,” a song Buble had a hand in writing, starts off rather spare and slowly builds to a busy climax. The orchestration starts to drown him out a bit and it’s all unnecessary. It’s his voice we want to hear.

And overall, Crazy Love is album I want to hear again and again.

Grade – B

About the author:  Andrew Griffin is the editor of RedDirtReport.com. Visit the site here.

Cherokee Nation Offering Special Tours

Cherokee Nation

Cherokee Nation is providing grants to Oklahoma schools so students can take educational tours of important cultural and historical sites.

The tours will be conducted in the spring of 2010. Grant applications are being accepted now and will continue until are field trips are filled.

The grant-sponsored tours are available to 3rd through 6th graders. The tours are designed to promote priority academic student skills (P.A.S.S.) in various general subjects, while also providing an authentic look into Cherokee heritage.

Cherokee Nation has also arranged for special tour rates for 7th through 12th graders and college students. Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism department hosts the education tours.   

“Educating our children is one of the most important responsibilities we have and through this interactive experience they will gain a better understanding of the Cherokee people and appreciation for Cherokee Nation and Oklahoma history,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.

“There are many historical sites throughout the Cherokee Nation that are more than 150 years old that were established long before Oklahoma became a state. Students will have an opportunity to visit an ancient village, learn about the Civil War and enjoy live demonstrations of Cherokee culture and traditions among other activities.”

While experiencing Cherokee life past and present, students will go to various historical sites in Tahlequah, Okla., and the surrounding area.  Site visits include storytelling at the Murrell Home, a scavenger hunt held on the historic Capitol Square of the Cherokee Nation and blowgun shooting at the Cherokee Heritage Center. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in an authentic Cherokee art project where they can craft their own take-home surprise.

Participants will also receive a tour activity workbook, which encourages children to ask questions about important things they hear or see during the tour. The tour and accompanying materials are free to participating schools.

“Education is one of the Cherokee people’s core passions and an integral part of our history,” said Travis Owens, senior project manager of Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism. “It is important that the students can visit Cherokee Nation to understand more about Cherokee heritage. As for teachers, the tours are the total package with corresponding curriculum and admission to the various historical sites.”

The Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism department will present 26 education tours in Spring 2010, with approximately 20 tours or 75 percent dedicated specifically to schools within the Cherokee Nation 14-county jurisdiction. The remaining 6 tours or 25 percent will be made available to schools outside of the jurisdiction.

Tour groups may be limited to a maximum of 60 students with special circumstances taken into consideration. Each school can qualify just once for a grant per tour season, but can participate in the education tours as often as desired through separate funding. Factors in the grant selection include school location, Cherokee and other tribe Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB) enrollment, economic and social conditions and overall class size.

Schools not meeting the grant criteria can still participate in the program at a special rate of $5 per student.

Tours are offered during the 2009-10 school year. For more grant information or to book a school tour, please call Jasson Brook at (918) 384-6917 or email jasson.brook@cnent.com.

Cirtical Games For Oilers This Weekend

Rich Lohman, Sports Editor

After a wildly unsuccessful road trip, the Tulsa Oilers are looking to get back on track with a few wins this coming weekend.  The boys in blue haven’t played at home since a 7-6 nail-biter loss against the Colorado Eagles, and they haven’t won since hosting the Texas Brahmas in a wild, high scoring and fight filled contest on November 27th, where the Oilers posted a 6-2 victory.

At the moment the Oilers are still in a much better position than they were at this point of the season in the past several years.  Indeed, the fast start has benefited the Tulsa team as they sit at 12-7-1 with 25 points, good enough for 3rd place in the CHL North.  

Even with the recent rocky showings in the win/loss column the Oilers individually continue to shine.  Scoring maven Rob Hisey, who is currently on the Oilers IR has 13 goals and 19 assists for 32 points, and is tied with Odessa’a Dominic Levaille for the 3rd spot in the points race.  T.J. Caig is tied for 5th place with 31 points tied with Jesse Bennefield of Rio Grande Valley.  Hisey and Caig lead the CHL 3-Stars points race through this week as well.  

The Oilers will play three teams from the CHL South this weekend; the first match will be in Allen, Texas facing the Americans, whom the Oilers blanked 4-0 in the BOK Center on November 3rd, then home for a full slate of games facing the Brahmas on Saturday night, and on Sunday the Arizona Sundogs will play the Oilers for the first time ever since their inception in 2004 in a 4:05p matinee game.  All games this weekend are critical if the Oilers wish to stay in the hunt through the crucial month of December.

Tickets for this weekends games and all Tulsa Oilers home games can be purchased at the BOK Center box office, via the tulsaoilers.com, and at all Reasors locations.  Sunday afternoon will feature the Oilers annual Teddy Bear Toss, where fans can donate a stuffed animal to charity by throwing it onto the ice after the Oilers first goal of the game..

KISS Blows Up BOK

Ernie Osborn

altOn a bitterly cold night, KISS heated up the BOK Center in a big way.  They proved why they have been billed as "The Hottest Band in the World". 

Now into their late 40’s, 50′ and 60’s they put on a show that establishes a benchmark for younger groups that may never be seen again.  It was plain to see that they take the revenue they make from merchandising, album sales and touring and pour it back into their live shows. 

The night started off in a legendary KISS way, local band Hector Backwoods opened the show.  This band that was voted on by listeners and local music fans through the KMOD website.  A lifetime shot for the three piece rock group.  KMOD DJ’s KC and Promo Dave who host a local indie rock show on Friday night called DOMK (KMOD backwards) made a list of 10 top local bands and allowed the listener to vote on their favorite.  The winner received the 30 minute opening spot for the KISS concert.

Hector Backwoods made the most of their opportunity, with a rocking set and good stage presence they warmed up the near capacity crowd.  Staying humble and thankful for the opportunity they talked about how huge this was for them and how grateful they were for the shot.  I would recommend getting your hands on their disc if you get a chance.  Self proclaimed as country boys with a redneck rock sound.  Had some hints of The Cult in their sound.  It was entertaining and you couldn’t help but have pride that these guys were some of our own doing what they obviously loved to do on a national scale.  Congrats Hector!!  You deserve it.

If you have never been to a KISS show (as I had not) let me lay some of the ground work for you.  Just getting to the venue you can sense the electricity in the air.  There is an anticipation for this show that I really hadn’t felt before.  One of those feelings that you get when you figure you will never get to see something like that (considering that these guys have been doing this since the mid 70’s) and then suddenly you have a chance and build it up in your head like a small child does Christmas.  There are people running around in KISS makeup, you see fans renditions of Gene, Paul, Tommy Thayer, and Eric Singer (the latter two who have stepped in to take the place of Ace Frehley and Peter Criss).  The BOK even had a face painting area to get made up like your favorite character.  There are fans that have been around a very long time and there is a new breed that are in place, painted and dressed and ready to go.  Lots of kids under 10 years that are in full garb.  Amazing to see and even more of a thrill to see the band interact with them.

During the intermission between acts guitar techs came out to check wireless signal on the guitars and basses and threw picks into the crowd.  One landed close and I scooped it up.  I then turned around and gave it to a little boy who was seated behind me.  I later learned that the youngster had dressed up as Gene Simmons for Halloween and his dad was showing me pictures of his costume and telling me that they had found a way to get them into Gene himself and got a response.  What a great gift for the little fan.

The stage was shrouded in a black curtain with the now famous KISS logo in silver.  Lights give way to drum beats and guitar licks, then the legendary intro starts, "Ladies and gentleman, you wanted the best, you got the best!  The hottest band in the world, KISS"!  The curtain drops and pyro goes into overdrive.  Lots of flames, bombs and fireworks.  From the opener "Deuce" to show closer, and forth encore "Detroit Rock City" they set the place ablaze with thunderous rocking music and at times some campy behavior.  the set list also included 2 songs from their first release in 11 years, "Sonic Boom".  Paul Stanley, never one to shy away from marketing and promotion told the audience to go to "Wal-Mart.com or if you are not too lazy take yourself down to Wal-Mart and buy the album"!  Songs from album were "Modern Day Delilah" and "Say Yeah".

Guitarist, Tommy Thayer, shined during his 4 minute long solo that at one point had sparks shooting from his guitar that also set off pyro bombs on the light rigging.  One of which brought a piece of the structure down. 

Some would say that the band isn’t the same without Frehley and Criss and I would have agreed before this concert.  It is easy to see that what is in place is the product, KISS has become more than a band at this point.  The group has been a revolving door of faces at times, only remaining steady have been Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons.

From my seat on stage right it seemed as though the band was really playing to my side of the arena for some reason.  It later became know that the hit show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition was in town doing some filming and were featuring KISS along with the Wagstaff family from Gainesville, Florida.  Tentative air date is March 2010. The family teaches music lessons to those who can’t afford to take them.  It was clear to see that the band was all in favor of this endeavor and loved hamming it up to the family. 

Yes, these guys have a firm grasp on who they are and what they have accomplished in the rock world.  They pretty much invented the rock arena show and spectacle.  Gene with his fire and blood spitting, as well as his prowess on stage, from pointing to and playing to the crowd to his flight from the main stage to the light rigging and  and a smaller stage on top to play "I Love It Loud" to Paul streaking across the arena to a smaller stage at the back of the room to perform "Love Gun" it was truly an amazing show and circus. 

Not sure how much longer these guys will be doing this but don’t miss it if you get a chance.

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Photos: Kevin Pyle