Welcome to Zestysol!!
I've been a musician in Illinois for over thirty years. I've been a music teacher giving private lessons for twenty years. I started off playing a metal bands that had original music. As I started teaching, my students immediately challenged me to get out of my comfort zone in order to get them to where they needed to be. Bass guitar was my first instrument. I began reading sheet music. and learning cover songs to accommodate the needs of the people coming to me for help. In my early thirties I discovered Harlem Avenue Blues Lounge. I was clueless. The musicians at the open mic were kind enough to show the ropes. From that point on I was changed. I loved trying to learn no musical concepts no matter what they were. I am now confident in many styles of music and instruments. I don't have any plans on stopping either.
I had an opportunity to start a podcast about the local music scene. That spilled over into interviewing anyone trying to make Joliet a wonderful city. Co-Host David Francis and I were asked to host a local music radio show on a college station. I discovered some of my favorite music through doing these shows. I have had the privilege of airing nearly 350 local unknown artists on the various versions of the show.
Whether you're here to sign up for lessons or explore the rich culture of music and art in Illinois, enjoy yourself. It's later than you think.
Email me directly: tommaslowski@comcast.net
String Theories Music Lessons
I've been teaching music for over twenty years. I have developed a great method of teaching music fundamentals for everyday use. Whether you're a novice player or a gigging musician that wants a little more insight, I can help you out.
Click on the logo for information and learning materials for music instruction. You can sign contact me for private lessons for bass, guitar, ukulele, and drums. I have some instructional videos, play-a-longs, and study guides for sale.
My Music
Click on my gloriously serious photo to explore some of the music I've made over the years. You'll find links to videos and music that have been captured professional and by amateurs.
The What's Goin' Down In Downtown J-Town Podcast
This started off as a way to preserve the Joliet music scene. Our interview podcast exclusively featured musicians that were hanging out at Chicago Street Pub in Downtown Joliet. These people are very much into their craft. So many nights we'd sit and watch these brilliant musicians cast spells. We couldn't help but wonder, where the hell IS everybody? What do we need to do to get the word out? Thus, The What's Goin' Down In Downtown J-Town Podcast was born. I started a Facebook page to post the podcast's episodes. I thought it might be cool to post bands' area shows. That turned into posting anything positive that related to Joliet. The podcast evolved along with that idea as we began anyone doing anything positive in Joliet. I set out to show that Joliet had more to offer than what's more commonly displayed in the media.
Click on the logo find all of the photos, videos, podcast episodes, and links to some of my favorite spots to hang. Enjoy.
The Local Music Bonanza
When we found out that Downtown Joliet was getting a record store, the whole city got excited. I personally missed record stores so much. I was into tapes and CD's before MP3's took over. Nothing against digital formats, but I missed being able to go to the store and get a tangible item. These guys supported the music scene right from the start being musicians themselves. They were asked by The University of Saint Francis to host an hour long show on their radio station WCSF 88.7fm Joliet. They were unable to do so at that time. Audiophil's recommended David Francis and I to do a local music show. It was such a great experience. We discovered a lot of great unknown music.
In this section you'll find links to all of the bands that have been aired on our show. There's also a couple of broadcasts that we were to have recorded for your listening pleasure. Recording the show wasn't always an option. We had to adhere to some regulations being that we weren't students or employees of the university. We haven't been able to get back on the air since the 2020 shutdown began. I look forward to starting up a prerecorded version that will have a home on this website. I hope to get these back on the air as soon as possible. Click on the logo to go, yo.
Music Of The Ancient Ones
This page is going to be a constant work in progress. I'm trying to put the music of Chicago and the it's suburbs from the 1990's all in one place. Remember venues like The Thirsty Whale, The Gateway Theater, Smilar Coogan's, Off The Alley, Riley's Rock House, and The Lion's Den. Some of the bands I'm thinking of would be Lungbrush, Relative Ash, Milk Plow, Clockbox, FarOutOfMe, and Unique Chique. There's a lot more, and I only have some of these albums in my collection. Send me pictures, old flyers, and of course music from this time period and scene. I'll get all of it up here for everyone to enjoy.