Martin A. Totusek

Keyboardist/Bandleader

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1) MARTIN A. TOTUSEK

2) Archived: Hopeful news about proposed changes in Washington State Liquor Control Board Regulations, and more...

3) Archived: UPDATE: Any Washington State Bar or Restaurant may now hire Musicians

4) Power Macintosh & 68xxx Macintosh Info

5) RE: Keyboardist Keith Emerson

6) Other Music-related Links

MARTIN A. TOTUSEK
Martin Totusek (Tow-ta-schek) is a Seattle, Washington-based musician. Besides leading bands, he also works as a side-musician on call, and as a solo jazz & blues keyboardist. He has also performed as part of "The Totusek Brothers and Friends" (with Leif Totusek).
He is most recently known as the bandleader of the Seattle-based "Martin Totusek Band" (Electric Blues, Jazz, R & B), and of the "Martin Totusek Trio" (Jazz & Blues). Previously, he was known as the Music Director/Arranger for the original incarnation of the Seattle-area based Mary McPage Band, as a member of "Totusek, Lomax and Polk" (featuring the late Ms. Jacque Lomax on vocals), and before that as the leader of the Jazz Quintet "M. T. Q." (aka "Martin Totusek Quintet"), which he disbanded in 1993. In Jazz, Mr. Totusek is known as a keyboardist specializing in the music of Thelonious Monk. He has performed Klezmer, Yiddish, Jazz, and Blues musics with Seattle-area Klezmer musicians. He also worked in Los Angeles, California (where he was nick-named "Little Monk" by the late tenor saxophonist Rieny Brison) with bassist Vernon "Magic Fingers" Martin in the early 1980's (Vernon Martin was best known for his bass work on the recordings and performances of "Rahsaan" Roland Kirk). Martin Totusek and Vernon Martin maintained a long standing friendship and musical relationship since those times, until Vernon Martin's very untimely death in November of 2000.
Like his late Father (Richard Quam Totusek aka Dick Totusek), Martin Totusek is also known for his efforts to improve wages, working conditions and employment for professional live performing musicians.
Martin Totusek is the eldest son of his immediate family line. Both his parents were professional musicians; his mother Susan (now retired from performing) was a first soprano working in opera, musicals, and choirs, in Spokane, Washington in the 1960s. His Father was a well-known conductor in orchestral and choir circles. His youngest living sibling is guitarist and composer Leif Totusek, (a very talented musician) who is known as the Bandleader of the Seattle-based "Soukous" (aka African-style Pop-Rock-Rumbas) band "FREESTYLE CANDELA", and as a member of the jazz trio "1-2-3".

Leif Totusek and/or "FREESTYLE CANDELA" can be contacted via:
"Leif S. Totusek" <freestylecandela@yahoo.com>

A site has also been done for Leif Totusek by Mr. Don Keller at:
http://www.leiftotusek.com/

Martin Totusek has been engaged in the past to perform by:
- Seattle Central Community College
- Mike Lowry (1992 Campaign for Governor)
- District 1199 Northwest (Registered Nurses' Union)
- Seattle Displacement Coalition & Downtown Human Services Council
- Garfield High School (Seattle, Washington)
- Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival
- Pike Place Market Street Festival
- Seattle Folklife Festival
- The Public Defenders Association
- The Jewish Federation
- The Caroline Kline Galland Home
- Seattle area attorney Jay Krulewitch
Martin Totusek has also donated his musical services non grata to fundraisers for student scholarship funds, housing for Seattle-area A.I.D.S. patients, human rights groups, and labor unions.
Repertoire lists and/or demo recording are available upon request.

Martin A. Totusek's MP3s sound file links are listed via:
http://skinlayers.net/mtq/
and:

http://www.myspace.com/jazz2blues?lite=0

Send e-mail to: Martin A. Totusek
b b 5 5 3 @ s c n . o r g

Martin Totusek's musician-to-musician interview with pianist/composer and W.W. II veteran Dave Brubeck was published in the December 1994 issue (Vol. 20 No. 12, pages 5 - 17) of: "CADENCE - The Review of Jazz & Blues" (Cadence Building, Redwood, New York 13679-9612 {315} 287-2852)
Note: Formal permission to use a scanned to PDF excerpt [ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Excerpt_from_Dave_Brubeck_interview_by_Martin_Totusek_in_Cadence_Magazine,_December_1994,_Vol._20_No._12_(PDF).pdf ] - the second and third pages of the interview, is formally granted by Martin Totusek for use in Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopia, as of 17 December 2012.
CADENCE back issue containing the complete interview is available via:

http://www.cadencemagazine.com/cadencebackissues.html, and orders@cadencebuilding.com

Martin A. Totusek's eBay page:
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/thelonious-brubeck

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Historical Archive:

Some hopeful news about proposed changes in Washington State Liquor Control Board Regulations
The Washington State Liquor Control Board has issued proposed changes that:
a) Would allow Music to be performed prior to 9:00PM without having to get special permission and special permits to do so;
b) Would allow Minors to be in Venues, until 10:00PM if accompanied by an Adult, and if the Music is performed in the Dining area, rather than in the Bar area (if there even is a bar area in the Restaurant). Note that this did not effect the Seattle's ban on All-Ages Venues (aka Teen Dance Ordinance).
Any improvements in Washington State's contraditory, archaic Liquor Regulations (besides some needed changes in local City laws that scapegoat and harm local Musics), are to be desired.
August 2002 Update: Some goods news in Seattle.
1) The "Seattle Postering Ban" was overturned as un-Constitutional; See: http://search.mrsc.org/nxt/gateway.dll/slipop/slipapp/491041maj.htm?f=templates$fn=courtsdoc-frame.htm$3.0$q=%5Brank,100%3A%5Bdomain%3A%5Band%3A%5Bstem%3A%5Bor%3A491041MAJ%3E%5D%5D%5D%5D%5Bsum%3A%5Bstem%3A491041MAJ%3E%20%5D%5D%5D$x=server#LPHit1
2) the Seattle City Council finally over-turned the "Teen Dance Ordinance" Ban on all-ages music and dance venues in Seattle, and Mayor Greg Nickels signed the new "All Ages Dance Ordinance" into law...
This also means that parents can now again dance with their own children at all-ages, non-alcohol events in Seattle.

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Historical Archive:
Appeals Court rules that the "Drug Abatement" Law as applied to Oscar's II is unconstitutional.

On Monday, April 24, 2000, a three-judge Appeals Court Panel (Court of Appeals Judges Marlin Appelwick, Susan Agid and Anne Ellington) issued an unanimous ruling that held that the law as it applied to Oscar's II was unconstitutional.
"It certainly cannot be presumed that the owners of (nightclub and other businesses) . . . can guarantee that they will detect every incident of illegal drug activity, let alone prevent it," the judges wrote.
"To believe otherwise would require a presumption that an owner could see through clothes, tables, walls and doors, as well as to read minds." (Note the contract to what I directly heard the Captain of the East Precinct of the S.P.D. say to Mr. McCoy: "You must follow any Women into the Women's Stalls in the Women's Restroom, so that you can see if they are dealing any drugs...", at a Public Meeting at the Miller Community Center on Wenesday, May 12, 1999).
The three-judge Appeals Court Panel ruled that the actions of the SPD, Mark Sidran and Seattle City Government was an unconstitutional taking of the McCoy's property and a violation of their due process rights: "The record does not support a finding that the McCoys acquiesced in any illegal drug activity or turned a blind eye to it," the judges wrote.
As is well known in Seattle, without the Mr. McCoy's knowledge, undercover "Informants" working for the police patronized the club and bought cocaine between 1995 and 1997. No one was even arrested in connection with those "staged" sales. In an effort to identify and rid their club of any possible drug dealers, the McCoys had worked closely with the Police for many years prior to November 1997, when Mark Sidran attempted to shut down the Soul Food Restaurant. Oscar's II has stayed open pending resolution of the court case, with many restrictions placed. The McCoys had previously implemented many of the Police Department's 15 "suggested actions" aimed at thwarting drug activity, according to the Court of Appeals decision.
A King County Superior Court judge approved the city's drug abatement order in November 1998, saying that "the McCoys have not been able to abate the drug nuisance at Oscar's in the past." Court of Appeals judges Marlin Appelwick, Susan Agid and Anne Ellington completely disagreed, concluding that the "Drug Abatement" Law, as applied in this case, was an unconstitutional taking of the McCoy's property and a violation of their due process rights.
Mr. McCoy was and has always cooperated with the S.P.D. It was clearly unfair that he should lose his business when he was and has been cooperating with the Police. Many people have stated that the "Drug Abatement" Law has been unfairly applied to businesses that served African Americans and other minorities in Seattle.

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Historical Archive (June 1999)
UPDATE: Any Washington State Bar or Restaurant may now hire Musicians.
by Martin A. Totusek - Keyboardist/Bandleader
Chief U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour ruled on June 29, 1999, that the Washington State Laws regarding regulating Music & Dancing, and the Seattle City Government's/Seattle Police Department's, and the Washington State Government's Liquor Control Board's enforcement of it, is so vague and lacking in defined procedures that it is an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment Right of Free Speech, under the Bill Of Rights of the United States Constitution.
Additionally, the definitions and restrictions that were being practiced (also almost identical to the Language used in Mark Sidran's proposed "ADDED ACTIVITIVES Ordinance") were found to be so extreme that not only Music, but even a Poetry Reading, or a Political Play, or Political Spoof required a "Cabaret Permit" and/or so-called "Added Activities Pemission".
What this Ruling means (for the moment at least) for Musicians, is that now ANY Washington State venue currently selling Beer, Wine, or Liquor may legally hire and pay Musicians and Bands, and allow dancing, without having to have a "Cabaret Permit" and/or so-called "Added Activities Pemission" from the Washington State Liquor Control Board, and also the local City Governments and/or Police Departments (As it should have been to begin with!).
Everyone is now watching to see what positions and actions the State Government, and the Seattle City Government take in response to this Federal Ruling.

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Power Macintosh & 68xxx Macintosh Info
APPLE Computer Site
http://www.apple.com/

THE MAC REFERENCE ARTICLE
by Martin A. Totusek
(Currently this article's development is on hold)
http://www.eskimo.com/~mtq/

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RE: Keyboardist Keith Emerson (Who is an excellent jazz & barrelhouse blues pianist, besides his "Gothic-Prog-Rock"/"Mixed Media" electronic playing).
Richard Stellar has an Interview with Keith Emerson posted at:
http://www.interstellar9.com/emerson/interview.htm

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Other Music-related Links

HotBands.com:
http://www.hotbands.com/
Musicians Network ® Home Page:
http://www.MusiciansNetwork.com/
Seattle Music, Internet Community for Northwest Musicians:
http://www.seattlemusic.net/
Don Sickler's "Second Floor Music" (Jazz Sheet Music Publishing Company):
http://www.secondfloormusic.com/
Friedrich Gulda (The late Friedrich Gulda's personal site is down)
http://www.newgulda.com/
Friedrich Gulda - Schloss Kremsegg Official Homepage
(Done in co-operation with Friedrich Gulda's partner, percussionist Ursula Anders, and his sons, Paul and Rico Gulda)
http://www.gulda.at/english/projekt/text.htm
Chris Brubeck
http://www.brubeckmusic.com/
Dave Brubeck
http://www.brubeckmusic.com/dave.html
Washington Blues Society Site:
http://www.wablues.org/

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