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My fifth season of the Grinch has come to a close. It is such an honor to present this production across the country. I continue find such joy in this music, year after year. It was a shorter than usual tour this year, but I made the best of my time in Paducah, Charlotte, and Atlanta. Much love to my entire Grinch family. Fah who foraze!
Due to union regulations, the entire Grinch orchestra minus the Music Director and Associate Music Director had a two-week layoff at the end of November. The rest of the company traveled to DC for two weeks at the National Theater where they picked up local musicians, including Danny Villanueva, my friend and mentor from my University of Maryland days, who took over the drum book.
I didn’t mind at all as it meant I could travel to California to spend Thanksgiving with my wife and her family. I had a nice time in the warmer weather, but I did need to practice a lot as I am starting to sub on the new Broadway show, Six (more on that when the time comes). Special thanks to my in-laws, Alex & Alicia, for letting me set up shop in Alex’s studio so I could practice on a rental kit. Here I am with some of Alex’s record collection. There’s some good stuff in there!
After a week out west, I got back to New York and had just enough time to fit in a recording session at Power Station before hopping back on Grinch tour. It was a mini Lightning Thief reunion with Wiley Deweese (keys and MD), Yuka Tadano (bass), and Kevin Wunderlich (guitar). We recorded a new anthology for The Michael Friedman Collection with a group of fantastic singers. Here I am set up in “the Motown Room.”
Of course my favorite part of the project was that my lifelong friend Ian Kagey, Director of Operations at Power Station, was behind the board. We’ve been working together for over 20 years!
Now I am in Atlanta and about to open the last week of Grinch at the Fabulous Fox. Stay tuned for a little Grinch write-up once I’m back from tour next week.
I am honored to be a part of the latest arrangement from the Quarantined Woodwind Ensemble: Video Killed the Radio Star by the Buggles!
The Quarantined Woodwind Ensemble is a virtual ensemble with a rotating personnel comprised of NYC's top-call woodwind musicians from Broadway pit orchestras and the New York jazz scene. The group is directed by Tyler Burchfield and Emily Pecoraro, the latter of which I met through the extended Grinch family.
If you love piccolo, this is the video for you! Enjoy!
This year would have been my fifth year of playing the national tour of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, but 2020 had other plans! It’s been bittersweet to be in NYC right now instead of freezing my butt of in Milwaukee or watching live music til the sun comes up in New Orleans, but on the other hand, I got to spend Thanksgiving with my wife for the first time EVER and we will get to celebrate Christmas from our own apartment.
Still, I miss the escapades that come with touring. I miss the thrill that comes with the curtain rising 8+ times a week and the antics that take place with my orchestra mates after every show. I miss the feeling I get when grandparents point out all the instruments in the pit to their grandkids before the show. I miss the theatre.
Though I know this show inside and out, I’ve never actually seen it, except for the occasional times when I can see above the lip of the stage, and even then, I’m playing so much during the show itself that I can only watch 2 or 3 scenes. Therefore, I am SO EXCITED that tonight I get to watch this musical on television, starring Matthew Morrison as the Grinch himself. I have so many questions — can an unsuspecting worldwide audience handle ‘Whatchamho?’ Will ‘Shopping’ be cut? What exactly happens on stage during ‘Down the Mountain’ that everyone raves about while I’m trying to not drop a stick? Will the quartet nail the harmonies in ‘Now is the Time?’ How many times will I cry? I can’t wait to tune in to NBC tonight to find out!
Here are a few of my favorite drum moments from the 2018 tour. Enjoy!
View this post on InstagramLast day of tour. See y'all later, Whoville!
A post shared by Ashley Baier (@ay_bear) on
My fourth tour with The Grinch has come to a close! If my calculations are correct, I’ve played 225 performances total. Thankfully, this is a fantastic drum/percussion book that never gets old!
I had to get a picture of my setup for the Grinch this year before my “hut” (shield and baffles) was set up. I’m playing the same DW kit as last year. Big drums=big sound! I’m loving the Paiste crash cymbals as well. They’re really nice for suspended cymbal work. The Fox is such a beautiful theater and it is a true pleasure to get to play here for the second time!
Hope to see ya next year, Mr. Grinch.
I played my last show of the tour on New Year's Eve and made it from DC to my apartment in Brooklyn by 10:50 pm, according to the clock in the welcoming display my girlfriend left for me upon my arrival. What a sweetie! She (and a bunch of my awesome family) came to the show in DC. She even sat in the pit one night and we took a picture together on the stage following the show. Dawwwwwwww
On the last day, I finally got a picture with the two cuties who play Cindy Lou Who and one of the two Annie Whos. These leading ladies rock! We're pictured with Key 2/Associate Music Director Jordan Jones-Reese.
And for good measure, how about one last shot of (most of my) setup, this time from onstage. This view really highlights the confetti that rains upon us at the end of every show.
A photo posted by A. Baier (@ay_bear) on
Ashley Baier is a NYC-based drummer and percussionist.
