Society of American Magicians Assembly 12
Donn D. French age 80, of Bloomington, formerly of St. Louis Park. Survived by children, David French, Carrie (Larry) Haslerud, and John (Debra) French; grandchildren, Chet and Alysa Haslerud and Ava French; significant other, Rita Lee; sister, Joan (Bill) Robinson; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Preceded in death by wife, Mary. Donn was a member of S.A.M., I.B.M., Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity, and the Minnetonka Men’s Chorus.
From Brian Alexander:
I just wanted to let you all know that the date for the annual magicians banquet is now set for Sunday, January 17, 2010, at 5:30 p.m. If anyone would like more information, or be placed on the Evite invitation list, please contact me at nancyandbrian1@gmail.com.
Thanks and I hope to see you there.
If you need a theme, bring something using a wallet. If not, just bring something to show and share. See you at Eagle Magic at 7:30pm.
For our November 20th meeting, we will have a travel-log by Geoff Williams. Geoff went a very long way to find folks who wouldn’t make fun of the way he spells his name. They say that the farther you get from home, the smarter you become. Come hear the boy genius just back from Australia and points in between. He has followed in the steps of Houdini, Percy Abbott, and John Calvert.
October 16th is our auction so clean out those closets. If you haven’t used or read it in several years now is the time to set it free. The club gets 10%. Paid up local members are free and others pay $5.
We began the September meeting by noting the obvious — that we’re meeting in a new place — and thanking Larry and Jennifer Kahlow for Eagle Magic’s hospitality. We also welcomed guests and new members Brent, Marc, Charlie, and Todd.
Next we had convention reports. Mike Arazi and Dave Taylor reported on the Houdini Convention in Wisconsin with headliner George Saterial from Boston. The convention was held at a beautiful hotel. Unfortunately, attendance was low this year. Mike brought some extra commemorative t-shirts produced by Tim Taylor which he offered to sell after the meeting to anyone who was interested.
Adam Moore reported on the I.B.M. convention held at the impressive Opryland Hotel in Nashville. The Thursday evening show directed by and featuring Jorge Blass with David & Dania, Yuji Yamamoto, Kyle Eschen, Latimer, and An Ha Lim was excellent. Other favorite events included Losander’s lecture and David & Dania’s quick-change workshop.
Jerry Martin attended MAGIC Live in Las Vegas. He particularly liked the one-hour, one-man-show Expert at the Card Table starring British magician Guy Hollingsworth which brought the Erdnase story to life. The show, produced by Neil Patrick Harris, had excellent story and stagecraft, and Guy’s character was suave and smooth. Jerry really liked it when a gentleman in the front row, who turned out to be Teller, was asked to pick a card and it happened to be the three of clubs. (Years ago in a book by Penn & Teller, they asked magicians to use the three of clubs as an international force card.)
Closer to home, Mike talked about visiting with British pickpocket Lee Thopmson from the cast of Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza. (Kooza was in town this summer.) He began developing a pickpocket act when, during his magic show, a volunteer’s watch came off as Lee was leading him to the stage. The volunteer didn’t realize it, so Lee took that opportunity to magically produce it at the end of the routine. This elicited such a positive reaction from the audience, that he began working in earnest to deliberately make pickpocket effects part of his show.
Next month, instead of the regular October meeting, our Assembly will host a magic auction. All magicians are welcome. This will be the great spot to turn old tricks into cash … so you can snap up the great deals on new ones all while supporting your local S.A.M. Assembly 12! There will be flat fee of a $5 to bid and/or sell. This will be waived for Assembly 12 members who have paid their local dues for 2009–2010. (Haven’t paid your dues? You can do so at the door or mail your check to Secretary/Treasurer Dave Taylor.) In the interest of time, we ask that sellers bundle smaller items as the opening bid will be $5. Each seller will have 10 minutes to show his or her items. This event will support the Assembly with a 10% commission on all sales.
To celebrate our new meeting location, the theme for this month’s performances was “tricks purchased from Eagle Magic.” Dave started with “Everyone’s a Critic.” Jerry followed with “Blok-Kord” which Doris sold to him. Darnay was next with a Ball & Vase routine and shared his experience purchasing his first Ball & Vase from Colin Pence. Dwight Exe assisted Jim Zurales with “Devistation” using a borrowed deck that (maybe) had been purchased from Eagle. Larry made an announcement that he is interested in acquiring Eagle Magic Shop memorabilia. He then performed and shared stories about the “Miracle Ball.” Donn French shared his take on the theme by demonstrating props he bought that he couldn’t get to work. Kenny Shank showed and talked about the book Counts, Cuts, Moves and Subtlities that he bought from Eagle when he got back into magic. Adam performed a color changing silk routine with silks he purchased on his first visit to Eagle. Dwight wrapped things up with a jumping rubber band routine.
Our Sept. meeting will be held on the 18th at Eagle Magic in downtown Burnsville. The dues are due. The theme is magic you have bought at Eagle so rush out and buy something between now and then. Remember it’s BYOSTS (bring your own snacks to share). Eagle is located four lights east (or north) of 35w on 13. It’s right under the remax sign.
Bruce Russell Jensen, DDS a.k.a Bruce Russell, Magician died on July 2 in Bloomington, Minnesota at the age of 67. He is survived by his wife and magic-assistant, Gigi.
Born in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, Bruce attended Chetek, WI schools, Superior College and University of Minnesota Dental School to graduate in 1967. Performing magic since age 11, Bruce retired from dentistry in 1989 to pursue his magic career.
Bruce was a friend and mentor to many magicians. His expertise and perfection in the art of manipulation were respected and honored among his peers. A graduate of the Chavez Studio of Magic, Bruce was also a serious student of magic history. He attended many conventions including Magic Collectors’ Weekend, the Yankee Gathering, and Abbott’s Get Together and was a Member of S.A.M Assembly 12 and I.B.M. Ring 19 for 36 years.
Bruce performed a Vegas style show with his wife Gigi. Honored by Winnipeg I.B.M. Ring 40 in 1967, Bruce always had fond memories of his fellowship with the Canadian magicians.
Bruce demonstrated his flawless execution in manipulation in 1965 when he won first place in the S.A.M. national competition. In 1967 Bruce flew to Miami for the I.B.M. convention. He did not bring an act. Rather, he bought a pack of cigarettes, performed his cigarette routine and won first place again for his manipulation at the convention’s contest.
Bruce was meticulous about keeping his magical apparatus in pristine condition. Not only could he repair and refinish just about any prop, he could show you how to perform it properly and hand you a copy of instructions if yours were missing.
Bruce touched the lives of so many magicians, family and friends. From Las Vegas to Minnesota, the legacy of his magic will continue. The full broken wand ceremony was conducted by Fred Baisch at the July meeting of I.B.M. Ring 19.
Elections were held for Assembly 12 officers. The current officers — Adam Moore, President; Steven Peer, Vice President; Dave Taylor, Secretary/Treasurer — were voted in for a second term. The National Council ballot was subsequently reviewed, and Tom O’Lenick was selected as a delegate to the National Council Meeting.
Bruce Jensen is doing well according to Larry and Jennifer Kahlow who had just come from visiting him. Dave reported on his recent trip to Des Moines, IA for Magic Maynia where he saw Fielding West, Justin Alan, and Steve Daly. Larry attended Magic Collectors Weekend in Chicago where Minneapolis-based Tad Ware gave a presentation on Nicola showing never-before-seen photos of the sinking ship that was carrying Nicola’s show.
Jack Nordin gave a mini-lecture on magic tables focusing on P&L flanges, casters, and dragons. Aaron Timmerman performed Extreme Burn by Richard Sanders while telling how he ended up doing this trick in a Vegas casino. Donn French was on next with his trained fleas. Darnay then shared an impromptu card prediction with a borrowed deck that he uses in social situations. Adam performed Art Emerson’s Color Monte which reminded Larry of the time Art sat next to him at a convention, poured a glass of what turned out to be Vodka from a Mr. Clean bottle, and offered it to Larry. Dave performed Card Warp. Dwight Exe threaded Jennifer’s ring on a rubber band and caused it to move uphill. Tom wrapped things up by showing the program from the Tenth Annual Conference on Magic History (held in Los Angeles in November 2007) on Dr. Hooker’s “Impossibilities and Rising Cards.”
Jack Nordin performed his Classic “puzzle” Chinese sticks. William “Darney” VonStocken showed us the shrinking sandwich sign, a snake fakir trick and a magic square.
Jerry Martin introduced us (by bio) to the magician-mathematician Percy Darconis and described a long-distance card trick where a mailed deck is shuffled by the recipient and a card selected. Mailed back, the magician calls the spectator with the name of the selected card.
Dave Taylor entertained us with a four-ace production from Card College. Bruce performed Oscar Munoz’s version of reversing aces (un-gimmicked, impromptu).
Kenny, with Don McLean’s American Pie playing, performed an illusion where, just as the “music died”, so did a music CD disappear from a wooden frame. We were also entertained with the bill-to-matchbook classic.
President Adam Moore, also with musical accompaniment, performed a routine from the November 2008 issue of M-U-M inspired by Robert Service’s poem, “The Shooting of Dan McGrew.”
Remember, starting September 18, 2009, Assembly 12 will meet at Eagle Magic in Burnsville, MN — 4 lights east of 35W on Hwy 13 and CR 11, the southeast corner; look for the Remax sign.
-Steven Peer