Music
I've always loved music-listening to it, playing it. The emotion, the power, the passion. I took piano lessons for a few years as a kid. Got into Drama in middle school, but my friends were mostly in band, and I wanted to join them in high school, so picked up the saxophone (as Branford Marsalis says "I noticed you could get women with a saxophone"). Starting playing baritone sax in jazz band as a frosh and eventually alto sax. My most influential mentor in life was my band director, Ray Blank, Sehome High School in Bellingham, WA. I only had him as director for two years, but he instilled a passion and respect for the craft that lasted a lifetime. Loved music so much I started college as a music major, but then my line has always been "I didn't have the discipline to play four hours a day to get good enough to play for a living". And so got a music minor and landed in another passion, majoring in visual communication.
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One of the things I love about my wife is that she also knows and loves the language of music. She's a great piano player (incredible sight reader), and we both appreciate the fine interplay of a song. We believed you shouldn't force your kids into doing anything, but we did make darn sure both our daughters took piano lessons growing up, so they too would learn the language of music, as it has brought us so much joy and enjoyment in our lives. Both daughters are musicians- Carly can play multiple instruments, and has written her own songs. Susanna plays bass and can vocally harmonize like no one's business- any song, any time. One of my life dreams was to have a family band, and we had it for a few years, The Andrews Family Band (or AFB- I know, fairly pedestrian name). Turned our living room into a music room, and we played together mostly at church, first for the kids, and then for big people church. You'll hear some of our recordings below.
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I've been fortunate to be in community with some great musicians and enjoy music through a variety of venues, from jazz and concert bands in high school and college. To Concert choir in college. To directing church orchestra, and a youth musical while in college. Played keyboards in music worship. Started a wedding band (see our album below). Later in adulthood, picked up the guitar for playing in worship bands in church. Our family band. Played in and lead music worship bands in various churches we've been a part of. Enjoy a sampling of music from various eras of my life below.
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And when not playing, I'm enjoying listening parties at our home with family and friends. Turn down the lights, turn up the volume, and enjoy high fidelity with your favorite songs of all genres with quality speakers and a big ass subwoofer. Life is good. When it comes to audio and video, buy quality. You'll never regret it.
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Dem Down Under Blues
1986
Wrote this song as part of an Audio Production class at Western Washington University. Recorded in the Fairhaven college studios with musician classmates, including friend Ethan Hugg on piano. My brother Gary drove up to lay down the harmonica solo. My friend and co-worker at the Ennens on Holly grocery store where I worked as a courtesy clerk shot this on his Super-8 film camera. It was a song for my girlfriend Randen who was away in Australia as a Rotary foreign exchange student. Ah, young love.
The White Church Boys
Ain't no copyright law gonna hold me down
1988
The White Church Boys. In 2020's, this sounds like some far right wing propaganda group, but back in the 80s, I couldn't think of anything nerdier than a bunch of white boys who went to church together trying to make some soulful music. It was a dig on white folks. But the name would never fly these days with it's racist undertones either way. We started the band as a wedding band, playing for a friend's wedding reception. Recorded our one and only album live at our church. The band played at our own wedding reception, with good friend Ruben Watson sitting in on sax. (note: if listening on mobile, you'll see two options- "Play on SoundCloud" or "Listen in browser". If you want to be able to select tracks, play on SoundCloud. But I couldn't figure out how to open in a new tab, so you'll have to find your way back to the site to continue. If you Listen in Browser, you'll stay on the site, but can't navigate to different tracks. Just listen from start to finish. Your choice).
By Our Love
1990
Dean's visual communications degree senior project at WWU, I wrote (wrote lyrics, co-wrote the music) and produced music video for our band with Dave Simpson as guest vocalist. The song is a statement against the church culture of that time (and really most times) of being inwardly focused, or focused primarily on social issues, while ignoring the pain and suffering of those around us that Jesus came to love and serve, and calls us to do the same.
Katey's Song
1991
Wrote this song for our wedding during my last college spring break. Recorded it as I didn't have the balls to perform it live. There all times in life when you nail something. You speak your truth. I nailed the lyrics of this song. They're as true today as they were back in 1991.
The Andrews Family Band
2015
It was a life dream of mine to have a family band. Sharing the musical creation and expression experience with my wife and daughters- too cool. We mostly played at church during the girls' high school years-- first for the kids, and then for big people church leading music worship. I played guitar, Katey played keys, Carly played drums and Susanna played bass. All sang vocals. The Partridge Family for the 2010s.
McKenna & Dean
The Duet
2020
I started singing duets with McKenna at church when she was 14. What started as a single special became a special duet over the course of her high school years. McKenna has such a pure, rich voice. Before she ran off to college, and we moved town to Whidbey Island, McKenna came over to our living room studio and we recorded these eights duets. Our version of Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga.