Am I Famous Yet? Memoir of a Working-Class Rock Star

Tailoring Talk w. Roberto Revilla - Tailoring the Memoir of a Working-Class Rock Star with Ivan "Funkboy" Bodley The Rock N Roll Tailor meets the Funkboy Bassist this week as Roberto is joined all the way from New York by musician Ivan Bodley! Ivan is a seasoned bass guitar player and music director. He has performed with over 50 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and over a dozen Broadway shows. He has performed with a host of musical legends including Sting, Elvis Costello, The Temptations, Ben E. King, Percy Sledge, Bo Diddley, Carlos Santana, and U2's The Edge. He has played Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Centre, performed on Broadway in Rock of Ages, Spider-Man and Kinky Boots, on TV with Conan O'Brien and Craig Ferguson… We could go on and on! He recently released his book "Memoir of a Working-Class Rock Star", the tale of his life to the present day, rich with so many stories from a rollercoaster ride of a career. With so many lessons in persistence and overcoming adversity to achieve your dreams, this is one episode you do not want to miss! Enjoy! https://www.buzzsprout.com/1716147/9704101 IG @therobertorevilla TW @ItsBobbyRevilla

In Episode 18 of The Brainwave Podcast, host Gail Hulnick talks with bass player Ivan Bodley (aka Funkboy) about his career as a musician, songwriter, producer, music director, and working-class rock star. Ivan has performed with Sting, Sam Moore, Gloria Gaynor, Martha Reeves, and 50 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees. In the interview, we talk about the inspiration for one of his latest songs, "Crabwalk," about working on music remotely after Covid shut down live performances and in-person songwriting sessions, and about the day-to-day life of the professional musician. Ivan hosts a podcast called "Am I Famous Yet?" https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/am-i-famous-yet-memoir-of-a-working-class-rock-star/id1540160547 He's also written a book called "Am I Famous Yet? Memoir of a Working-Class Rock Star." www.funkboy.net The Brainwave Podcast is presented and produced by WindWord Group Publishing & Media. https://www.windwordgroup.com.

This is a great conversation with my new pal Greg Potters at the AlbumReview.Net podcast. Greg says: "In this episode, Ivan and I will talk about his life as a professional musician on the road and in the studio as portrayed in his book. With a career that has taken him to more than 29 countries playing to audiences of up to 82,000 people, it is no wonder that Ivan “Funkboy” Bodley is truly a working-class rock star." www.albumreview.net @albumreviewnet Get my book: www.funkboy.net #AmIFamousYet #WorkingClass #RockStar #bassplayer #music #memoir #podcast #musician #rockandrollhalloffame #rocknroll #jazzfunk #QuarantineSessions #MusicFromTheVaults #broadwaymusicals #jazz #fenderbass #musicismylife #BassLessons #bassist #jazzmusic #jazzmusicians #broadway #contemporaryjazz #funkmusic #precisionbass #musicaltheatre #bassistsofinstagram #musicvideo

A week in the life of a working musician that included a closing night off-Broadway, a late-night shift on Bleecker Street, a Russian wedding on Long Island with a maitre 'd from hell, and the inevitable blisters gained from practicing upright bass.  Get my book: www.funkboy.net #AmIFamousYet #WorkingClass #RockStar #bassplayer #music #memoir #podcast #musician #rockandrollhalloffame #rocknroll #jazzfunk #QuarantineSessions #MusicFromTheVaults #broadwaymusicals #jazz #fenderbass #musicismylife #BassLessons #bassist #jazzmusic #jazzmusicians #broadway #contemporaryjazz #funkmusic #precisionbass #musicaltheatre #bassistsofinstagram #musicvideo

Stories from a few weeks back about Subbing over to the Broad Way on "Ain't Too Proud, the Life and Times of the Temptations" and "Regina Comet" just off the Broad Way. Backing 12 doo-wop acts in 3 shows over 2 days in Atlantic City testing sight-reading survival skills.  Photo with Bobby Rydell Get my book: www.funkboy.net #AmIFamousYet #WorkingClass #RockStar #bassplayer #music #memoir #podcast #musician #rockandrollhalloffame #rocknroll #jazzfunk #QuarantineSessions #MusicFromTheVaults #broadwaymusicals #jazz #fenderbass #musicismylife #BassLessons #bassist #jazzmusic #jazzmusicians #broadway #contemporaryjazz #funkmusic #precisionbass #musicaltheatre #bassistsofinstagram #musicvideo

Three days of no sleep. A wedding gig in Florida. Subbing on an off-Broadway show. Playing with Vincent Pastore aka "Big Pussy." Shaking 20 months of rust off preparing to once again sub in a pit over to the Broad Way and deal with a show bass that feels like wrestling a bear. Get my book: www.funkboy.net #AmIFamousYet #WorkingClass #RockStar #bassplayer #music #memoir #podcast #musician #rockandrollhalloffame #rocknroll #jazzfunk #QuarantineSessions #MusicFromTheVaults #broadwaymusicals #jazz #fenderbass #musicismylife #BassLessons #bassist #jazzmusic #jazzmusicians #broadway #contemporaryjazz #funkmusic #precisionbass #musicaltheatre #bassistsofinstagram #musicvideo

First time subbing on a new off-Broadway show. Flying to Mexico to get on a cruise ship. Lost at sea with Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Little Anthony. Straight off the boat to a wedding gig in Florida. Back to NYC for my second time subbing on the off-Broadway show. Get my book: www.funkboy.net #AmIFamousYet #WorkingClass #RockStar #bassplayer #music #memoir #podcast #musician #rockandrollhalloffame #rocknroll #jazzfunk #QuarantineSessions #MusicFromTheVaults #broadwaymusicals #jazz #fenderbass #musicismylife #BassLessons #bassist #jazzmusic #jazzmusicians #broadway #contemporaryjazz #funkmusic #precisionbass #musicaltheatre #bassistsofinstagram #musicvideo

A stressful week! Learning a new off-Broadway musical 10 days before my first time subbing. A 40-year-old bass spontaneously popped off it's bridge and sent it clattering to the floor. Double gig days and late-night shows. Jay & the Americans concert. And a wedding gig where one of the musicians was in the wrong key for a stunning amount of time and couldn't seem to hear it.  Get my book: www.funkboy.net #AmIFamousYet #WorkingClass #RockStar #bassplayer #music #memoir #podcast #musician #rockandrollhalloffame #rocknroll #jazzfunk #QuarantineSessions #MusicFromTheVaults #broadwaymusicals #jazz #fenderbass #musicismylife #BassLessons #bassist #jazzmusic #jazzmusicians #broadway #contemporaryjazz #funkmusic #precisionbass #musicaltheatre #bassistsofinstagram #musicvideo

Trying to learn a new musical and re-learn an older one, including very rare bass player on stage choreography. Suddenly feeling over-extended after 15 months of doing nothing. Another 20-hour workday. Performing with a nine-piece band of strangers. And crack of dawn flights to play with Rock & Roll Hall of Famers.  Get my book: www.funkboy.net #AmIFamousYet #WorkingClass #RockStar #bassplayer #music #memoir #podcast #musician #rockandrollhalloffame #rocknroll #jazzfunk #QuarantineSessions #MusicFromTheVaults #broadwaymusicals #jazz #fenderbass #musicismylife #BassLessons #bassist #jazzmusic #jazzmusicians #broadway #contemporaryjazz #funkmusic #precisionbass #musicaltheatre #bassistsofinstagram #musicvideo

Rants and ruminations from the week in review. A rare triple that became a 22-hour workday ending with a 4 a.m. subway ride home. A same-day round trip to Massachusetts and back for a wedding gig. Watching the making of a preventable clam onstage. Hiring an expensive band for a wedding and then playing the first dance and parent dances as mp3s. And ending the week with a case of laryngitis.  Get my book: www.funkboy.net #AmIFamousYet #WorkingClass #RockStar #bassplayer #music #memoir #podcast #musician #rockandrollhalloffame #rocknroll #jazzfunk #QuarantineSessions #MusicFromTheVaults #broadwaymusicals #jazz #fenderbass #musicismylife #BassLessons #bassist #jazzmusic #jazzmusicians #broadway #contemporaryjazz #funkmusic #precisionbass #musicaltheatre #bassistsofinstagram #musicvideo

In which I have only two gigs in a week, get asked to write charts that never get used, enjoyed my first post-pandemic traffic jam, played a 7-hour gig, dodged coyotes & bears, and had my first encounter with live on-site butchers. Get my book: www.funkboy.net #AmIFamousYet #WorkingClass #RockStar #bassplayer #music #memoir #podcast #musician #rockandrollhalloffame #rocknroll #jazzfunk #QuarantineSessions #MusicFromTheVaults #broadwaymusicals #jazz #fenderbass #musicismylife #BassLessons #bassist #jazzmusic #jazzmusicians #broadway #contemporaryjazz #funkmusic #precisionbass #musicaltheatre #bassistsofinstagram #musicvideo

Notable events for the week included fake it 'til you make it at a jam session. A great viewing party for The Tony Awards. Wedding musicians who seem allergic to doing homework for a job at which they were being highly paid. A finicky request list from a fastidious couple that required an epic song transcription. And an orthodox wedding at which the groom wanted to sing "Fly Me to the Moon" and where law enforcement was nearly summoned, though not for the singing. Get my book here: www.funkboy.net #AmIFamousYet #WorkingClass #RockStar #bassplayer #music #memoir #podcast #musician #rockandrollhalloffame #rocknroll #jazzfunk #QuarantineSessions #MusicFromTheVaults #broadwaymusicals #jazz #fenderbass #musicismylife #BassLessons #bassist #jazzmusic #jazzmusicians #broadway #contemporaryjazz #funkmusic #precisionbass #musicaltheatre #bassistsofinstagram #musicvideo

The stress of self-quarantine after a Covid exposure scare that jeopardized an entire Broadway production. Playing an event that billed itself as Disney World but with guns. Driving 5,000 miles in just two months. Playing a 5-1/2 hour wedding gig that made my hand seize up. Flying in a small plane into a dangerous line of thunderstorms. And finally getting to witness my lovely partner's debut in a new show over to the Broad Way.  Get my book here: www.funkboy.net #AmIFamousYet #WorkingClass #RockStar #bassplayer #music #memoir #podcast #musician #rockandrollhalloffame #rocknroll #jazzfunk #QuarantineSessions #MusicFromTheVaults #broadwaymusicals #jazz #fenderbass #musicismylife #BassLessons #bassist #jazzmusic #jazzmusicians #broadway #contemporaryjazz #funkmusic #precisionbass #musicaltheatre #bassistsofinstagram #musicvideo

A lunchtime gig for pensioners who left as soon as the free food ran out. Cancellation due to a Hurricane. The most popular wedding night of the year. Frustration with professionals who don't do their homework. Rage at selfish people who jeopardize my ability to make money.  Get my book here: www.funkboy.net #AmIFamousYet #WorkingClass #RockStar #bassplayer #music #memoir #podcast #musician #rockandrollhalloffame #rocknroll #jazzfunk #QuarantineSessions #MusicFromTheVaults #broadwaymusicals #jazz #fenderbass #musicismylife #BassLessons #bassist #jazzmusic #jazzmusicians #broadway #contemporaryjazz #funkmusic #precisionbass #musicaltheatre #bassistsofinstagram #musicvideo

This is a super fun conversation with my old pals from New Orleans, the very charming and entertaining Paul Sanchez and Mike Mayeux. We talk about my book, the music biz, life, the universe, and everything. Pour yourself another cup of coffee and check it out. Get my book here: www.funkboy.net #AmIFamousYet #WorkingClass #RockStar #bassplayer #music #memoir #podcast #musician #rockandrollhalloffame #rocknroll #jazzfunk #QuarantineSessions #MusicFromTheVaults #broadwaymusicals #jazz #fenderbass #musicismylife #BassLessons #bassist #jazzmusic #jazzmusicians #broadway #contemporaryjazz #funkmusic #precisionbass #musicaltheatre #bassistsofinstagram #musicvideo

This eventful gig week involved drunk, rude, and entitled wedding guests, a head injury resulting in blood on a fancy tennis court, a Father of the Bride who fancied himself a guitarist, me pretending to be a Cessna charter flight co-pilot, people on Nantucket refusing to greet strangers cordially, plumbing problems in a B&B, my car frame grounding out on a curb, and an expensive and very heavy bag of drum hardware dropped into the Atlantic Ocean, straight down to Davy Jones' Locker. Get my book here: www.funkboy.net #AmIFamousYet #WorkingClass #RockStar #bassplayer #music #memoir #podcast #musician #rockandrollhalloffame #rocknroll #jazzfunk #QuarantineSessions #MusicFromTheVaults #broadwaymusicals #jazz #fenderbass #musicismylife #BassLessons #bassist #jazzmusic #jazzmusicians #broadway #contemporaryjazz #funkmusic #precisionbass #musicaltheatre #bassistsofinstagram #musicvideo

This is a rebroadcast of an episode of Good Talk with Donnie Vapor and Robin Eve originally aired on Strong Island Television Oct. 11, 2020. Donnie was a great friend of mine who has since passed on. I really enjoyed this conversation with him. He was also kind enough to play my song "Look at That Cookie" in the episode as well as to replay one of the chapters from my book "Am I Famous Yet?" RIP, Donnie, you were a good man!  Get my book here: www.funkboy.net #AmIFamousYet #WorkingClass #RockStar #bassplayer #music #memoir #podcast #musician #rockandrollhalloffame #rocknroll #jazzfunk #QuarantineSessions #MusicFromTheVaults #broadwaymusicals #jazz #fenderbass #musicismylife #BassLessons #bassist #jazzmusic #jazzmusicians #broadway #contemporaryjazz #funkmusic #precisionbass #musicaltheatre #bassistsofinstagram #musicvideo

A gig at the Minnesota State Fair with Little Anthony & the Imperials complete with Jumbotron, getting "recognized" in airports and hotels, gig cancellations, and subsequent rescheduling.

In which I discuss Covid testing required for international travel, a one-nighter wedding gig in Tuscany, and getting off a flight from Rome and going straight to a gig.

This week I detail a jam session in Manhattan, a classic rock gig at a biker (adjacent) bar, multiple Covid tests for gig protocols, writing copious charts in preparation, a wedding in Massachusetts with questionable catering, and a little schadenfreude at the misfortune of others...

My heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been with me on this entire journey. What a strange and fun life it continues to be. 

First concert back from the pandemic with Jay & the Americans in Buffalo, NY. A visit to the final resting place of Rick James. A pool party at a billionaire's crib. And more overnight drives through the countryside on the highways and byways.

The chapter in which I attempt to extract life lessons from my aspirations to be a professional musician. Has it all been worth it? It is worthwhile even doing it?

Wherein I recount a jam session gig featuring "Sir Duke" in the key of A, and a road trip to Napa, CA, on very little sleep for a fundraiser where I enjoyed a brief encounter with a drug-addled maniac.

The chapter in which I detail a particularly memorable gig celebrating an historic event by performing with three Rock & Roll Hall of Famers in one night. It was a career-high punctuated with a final indignity.

More tales from the road describing the trials and tribulations of playing in a house band for a blues jam, then a cabaret show with a Tony-nominated Broadway star, a double on Bleecker Street playing in funk bands, a fundraiser in Connecticut, and a wedding in Maine.

The chapter in which I detail the daily challenges of being a freelance musician and the motivation it takes to start each day with step one.

More tales from the road. This week seemed like the first "normal" week back at work since the pandemic. And even though a wedding gig ended with police and EMS responding, it didn't seem out of the ordinary...

The copious logistics necessary to create a ritzy wedding in a remote field at 7,000 feet elevation in the Rocky Mountains. Missed flights. Exercising and performing at altitude and a sound company attitude. Differing levels of road-doggedness noticeable in the touring party. 

Six hours of driving, a six-hour gig, and six more hours of driving all in the same day! Also miscellaneous wedding gig shenanigans therein. www.funkboy.net

The chapter in which I detail the notable difference between playing in the backing group versus being an actual member of a band. My book is available at www.funkboy.net

In which I discuss outdoor gigs, weather permitting. Entertaining late-night drunks, the importance of setlists, learning how to improvise cohesive song endings onstage (or not!), and the necessary skills and occasional impediments involved with ascertaining the exact hours of an engagement.  My book is available at www.funkboy.net

The chapter in which I detail incidents where immediate remuneration at the completion of my duties is neither forthcoming nor expedient. Get the book at: www.funkboy.net

This week I detail long hours in the car, a country club with in-house noise police, witnessing a traffic stop that was a guaranteed trip to jail, hiring a drummer in Italy via smartphone while underground on the NYC subway, and the definitive answer to the question: how many bandmembers does it take to push the play button on a karaoke track? My book is available at www.funkboy.net

My former boss, Martha Reeves of the Vandellas, says some very kind words about my playing. 

The chapter in which I detail what it's like to be a substitute musician on a circus gig. Further expounded upon is the fondness I develop for the show's star dromedary and his tale of woe. My book is available here: www.funkboy.net #AmIFamousYet #WorkingClass #RockStar #bassplayer #music #memoir #podcast #musician #rockandrollhalloffame #rocknroll #jazzfunk #QuarantineSessions #MusicFromTheVaults #broadwaymusicals #jazz #fenderbass #musicismylife #BassLessons #bassist #jazzmusic #jazzmusicians #broadway #contemporaryjazz #funkmusic #precisionbass #musicaltheatre #bassistsofinstagram #musicvideo

Road stories of the week including 9 hours of driving to a wedding gig, a monsoon that almost canceled the entire event, a guitar player who made some interesting decisions on the gig, a drunken patron who wanted to sit in with the band, and a curious case of indecent exposure among the extremely rich. 

The chapter in which I recount many summer concerts in New York City backing legends of soul music including one show that almost ended in a duel with pistols.

I'm trying something new here. Now that the gigs have returned post-pandemic lockdown, I have decided to regale you with a synopsis of the week's notable events in the life of a working-class musician. The full season of "Am I Famous Yet?" will continue having chapters released on Fridays for an additional eight weeks. After that, I plan to send some re-broadcasts of podcasts where I was a guest down this feed. As always, my book is available via www.funkboy.net. 

The chapter in which I detail specific incidences of receiving very confusing instructions in the form of printed sheet music. My book is available at: www.funkboy.net

The brief chapter in which I recount a brief incident of receiving a brief from a fellow traveler.

The chapter in which I explore the phenomenon of people remembering my face for some reason when I don't necessarily remember theirs. I detail one jarring incident when I had forgotten meeting a celebrity who nonetheless remembered meeting me. And he had the receipts.

The chapter in which I detail the surprising frequency with which I am assaulted by this question and the variety of people who are insisted upon as answers to this question. It's never flattering.

The chapter in which I detail the social hierarchy almost universally imposed upon lowly musicians at catering halls and the hoops that must be jumped through not to get yelled at by random people who aren't even your direct employers.

The episode in which I give thanks to my viewers and give an update about the status of the physical publication of the book, which is now finally available here:  https://funkboynyc.wixsite.com/funkboy/am-i-famous-yet

The chapter in which I detail various phenomena that greet a weary traveler upon first walking in the door of a new establishment, which is something as musicians we do constantly, ranging from rare warm welcomes to odd and belligerent reprimands that usually have nothing to do with us.

The chapter in which I detail the shenanigans that are specific to Russian wedding gigs and how it is possible for a mother of the bride to lip-synch a selection from "Phantom of the Opera" completely without irony. "Am I Famous Yet?" is now also available in BOOK form!  https://funkboynyc.wixsite.com/funkboy/am-i-famous-yet

The chapter in which I detail the many kinds of private parties and the resulting shenanigans therein. A Funeral Directors' convention? You bet! Also, my book is finally available! Get your copy here:  https://funkboynyc.wixsite.com/funkboy/am-i-famous-yet

What do Santana, Keith Richards, Joan Jett, Chic, Wilson Pickett, Stanley Clarke, and Rod Stewart all have in common? The chapter in which I quantify my greatest misses.

The dirtiest and also the shortest chapter in the book.

The chapter in which I am fired not once but twice from the same gig. I'm hoping to be rehired so that I can be refired for a record third time.

Ms. Shirley Alston Reeves - Original Lead Singer of the World-Famous Shirelles has some kind words about Ivan as a bass player.

Ms. Dee Dee Kenniebrew of The Crystals ("Do Doo Ron Ron") talks about what it's like to have Ivan conducting the band onstage for her.

The chapter in which I discuss the value of a trademark to a touring act and what it's like to play for a group that has no original members. Cover photo: Charlie Thomas of The Drifters, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer.

The chapter in which I get fired and re-hired for the same job so many times that I lose count and lose a close friend in the process.

The chapter in which I get my dream gig, my ticket to stardom, and then immediately lose it after just one performance.

The chapter in which I recount being wildly disrespected by a promoter who was a stumbling drunk and a public embarrassment. When I complained about the mistreatment to my bandleader, instead of sympathy I got fired!

The chapter in which I recount the time in Mexico performing on a stage of, um, questionable engineering. #rockstar #bassplayer #electricbass #jazzfunk #jazz #fenderbass #music #memoir #musician #musicvideo #musicismylife #bassguitar #bassist #bassline #jazzmusic #jazzbass #jazzmusicians #broadway #contemporaryjazz #funkmusic #fender #precisionbass #bassistsofinstagram #broadwaymusicals #rockandrollhalloffame #rocknroll #musicaltheatre #strings #chords #instruments

The chapter in which I detail some epic failures to balance out the successes recounted in the last chapter. I've been fired from bar gigs, recording sessions, and theatre gigs. There is a glimmer of hope, however, as I was able to learn a new skill after one of these brutal dismissals. Photo: me in a Broadway pit with my bow, something I never thought I would say!

A few kind words from Crispin Cioe from the Uptown Horns, renowned music director, saxophonist, composer, and songwriter who has played and recorded with James Brown, the Rolling Stones, Solomon Burke, Tom Waits, Ray Charles, and the Ohio Players, among others. Photo: Crispin Cioe, Richard Belzer, and Ivan at the Kennedy Center for the Mark Twain prize PBS broadcast featuring music by Cracked Ice led by Crispin.

The chapter in which I detail getting my first gigs in NYC with classic soul, rhythm & blues, and rock and roll stars that felt like real success. I even played Shea Stadium! Well, sort of.  Cover photo: warming up in Carnegie Hall.

The chapter in which I discuss the difference between being able to function in a band versus being able to play something flashy by yourself at a trade show booth. Also, I play an F# that temporarily stops time.

The chapter in which I detail performing in front of the biggest crowd of my career, 82,000 people, without playing a single note.

The chapter in which I detail surviving my troublesome high school years and the quest for self-esteem, identity, acceptance, and life aspirations.

The chapter in which I discuss the actual metrics for and resulting pitfalls of the concept and desirability of fame. Fame - "the condition of being known or talked about by many people, especially on account of notable achievements.” Be careful what you wish for! 

The chapter in which I detail mishaps on Broadway stages in front of thousands of people and the very public embarrassment thereon.  

The chapter in which I ponder the actual definition of rock stardom, it's various components, and how they do and do not apply to a working-class musician such as myself.

The episode in which I quit my lucrative music business career for a chance at love requiring me to move overseas. It was a grand adventure and romantic idea that ran off into the ditch almost immediately.

Dreaded alarm clocks at 4 am for 6 am flights. And what happens when a band member doesn't show up for the call time? 

The chapter in which I finally make my way to NYC and begin my career in the music business, emphasis on the word business. My adventures in NYC apartments begin in earnest. 

The episode where I am asked repeatedly in broken English about my personal proclivities in a customs holding room at the Milan airport by a member of the uniformed Italian carabinieri gendarmerie. Oh, also, my personal life disintegrates before my eyes on that tour.  

The chapter in which I am threatened with my bodily safety and ultimately my life. And over what? A gig! I also describe my move to New Orleans for college and the musical world that opened for me. 

Jon "Bowzer" Bauman, the lovable bass singer from Sha-Na-Na, recounts our first meeting in his own words.

This episode details my first and second times working with Jon "Bowzer" Bauman from Sha-Na-Na. I discover that I am not "Hershey Happy." I also fear for my life playing a gig in the basement of a New Jersey "legitimate businessman."  As Bowzer says: "Grease for Peace!"

This episode chronicle the early years, answering the questions: How did I get here? Where did I come from? The music bug first bites me somewhere in my high school years. It turns out that my entire career was the result of the search for free vinyl records.

Solomon Burke was the self-proclaimed King of Rock & Soul. At nearly 500  pounds by the end of his life and as the father of 14 daughters and 7 sons, he was a character of epic proportions. I got to witness some of his legendary shenanigans first-hand. 

The last episode described what happens when everything goes exactly right. This episode illustrates just how tenuous success is by detailing the very next set on the same stage by a different band. The result was both beautiful and terrible to behold.

Most anecdotes are about when things go haywire. This chapter gives an example of what happens when everything works out as planned. At the Tokyo Jazz Festival in front of 5,000 screaming fans, broadcast live on national television, everything went swimmingly. 

Ivan “Funkboy” Bodley is a bass player and music director to the stars. He has performed with 50 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and appeared in 12 Broadway shows. He has been music director for Sam Moore (Sam & Dave), Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, The Shirelles, The Crystals, The Tokens and has performed with Sting, Elvis Costello, Temptations, Solomon Burke, Ben E. King, Percy Sledge, Eddie Floyd, Rufus & Carla Thomas, Bo Diddley, Buster Poindexter, Uptown Horns, Paul Rodgers, Wynonna Judd, and David Foster. Appearances include: Carnegie Hall (featured soloist with the Rock Concerto), Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize (with Cracked Ice led by Crispin Cioe), Obama Inaugural Ball featured in the Barry Levinson documentary “Poliwood,” Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Today Show, Emeril Live, Imus in the Morning, Charlie Rose, Live with Regis & Kelly, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Istanbul State Symphony, and Israel Symphony Orchestras.    Ivan is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of the Berklee College of Music and an inductee into the New York Blues Hall of Fame. To date, he has traveled to 29 countries around the world and played to audiences of up to 82,000 people in performance settings ranging from jazz duos to 150-member symphony orchestras.    Originally from Chattanooga, TN, Ivan has resided and worked in: New Orleans, Los Angeles, London, Boston, and is now based in New York City. Ivan has a BA in Psychology from Tulane University, where he was Musical Director of college radio station WTUL, New Orleans. He was also a publicist with Epic Records/Sony Music.    More information is available at www.funkboy.net.    Ivan “Funkboy” Bodley uses Moxy and Warrior basses, Hartke amplification, DR strings, PRA Audio wireless, and Tech 21, Digitech and Line 6 signal processors. Ivan eats only Little Debbie snack cakes.