Time Out
Band:
Time Out
Members: Hayden Diener, saxophone; Graeme Slonaker, keyboard; Cole Sipe, bass guitar; Sean Slattery, drums
Who we talked to: Cole, 13
When did you start playing music? I've been playing music since I was 5. I told my dad at a very young age that I wanted to play music. At first, we just went with general stuff, and then, when I was 6, I decided that I wanted to play the bass. I used to play music in the jazz band (at Dover Area Intermediate School). This coming year, I'll be attending a cyber school, so I can practice more.
Who are your influences? I think jazz music mostly influenced me. I listen to just about anything. (I like) Victor Wooten (the bass player for Béla Fleck & The Flecktones). I actually (went) to see a clinic (July 2) that he (was) teaching (in Maryland). His clinics are usually question and answer.
When did you decide to form a group? Last year around May, we decided that we wanted to go off into a group. My dad (Curt Sipe) said that he would coach us through that. We started out as a bigger group called Blue Train, one of the bands at my dad's . . . studio (Inspire! Studio of the Arts in Jacobus). That was made up of my group and ninth-graders at the time.
Have you booked any gigs? We play every once in a while. Our last show was at Serenity Station, and we opened for (Grammy-nominated pianist Eldar Djangirov) at a Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz event.
Are you a jazz band? We're more contemporary. We have a lot of funk tunes, and we play just about everything. Some songs we cover, but most of our tunes are getting to be originals. (We cover) "Take Five" by Paul Desmond and "Foreign Correspondent" by The Yellowjackets. Last year, when we broke off as a group and decided we wanted to record our own tunes, my dad took us into the studio. We're getting ready to go record again.
What is the best part of being in the studio? It's tempting to say the pizza, but it's not the pizza. It's probably the atmosphere and having to look past the glass window to see the drummer. It's really fun. It's different.
What's coming up for you this summer? My family and (Hayden) are going over to Germany . . . and we're taking this year's CD ("MMIX") with us to raise money to go over and record because we have an offer to do that. Anthony Wellington, my bass teacher, is coming with us. We leave at the end of July and get back early August.
Are you excited for the trip? It's the first time I've flown. Anthony, my dad and I and Hayden are going to be teaching clinics at a music school called Music Lab (run by jazz guitarist Tino Gonzales). I'm looking forward to meeting Tino. (He) toured with my dad. After the music clinic for two days, it turns into a family vacation.
What do you like best about performing? I like the atmosphere. I'm really shy, but when I get on stage, I'm not shy.
What do you like to do when you're not playing? I like to watch TV and read books. I like (the NBC series) "Chuck." I do like to go (to concerts). A couple years back, I watched Groove Jones play. I thought that band was pretty cool.
Where do you hope your music takes you? I'm not sure. I just want it to take me far and to take me where I'm supposed to go. I don't want to rush anything.
- ERIN McCRACKEN, FLIPSIDE STAFF
If you go
Time Out will perform September at Ralphstock. For details, visit www.myspace.com/ralphstockinc.
On the Web
For details about the band, visit www.timeout-band.com.
To read more meet-the-artist interviews, visit www.flipsidepa.com/musicdirectory.