|
|
|
Iven Kelty
Hatteberg's People
Reporter: Larry Hatteberg
 |
October 10, 2004--Coming up next weekend will be the festival of bands in Riverside Park.
On Hatteberg’s People this week, a drummer --- who is just one of many talented Wichita musicians who will be taking part in those festivities. Iven Kelty has played drums most all his life. |
And he’s played with the big boys. A local talent who decided to stay local.
“Music is part of me forever.”
Wichitan Iven Kelty can’t imagine doing anything else except being here where the beat goes on.
Kelty’s band called the "Jazzkats" practices at the Midian Shrine Temple and is one of many you’ll hear during the festival of bands next weekend.
|
“They (this band) are playing way beyond where they thought they would ever be in their wildest dreams.”
Lot’s of experience here…. that’s former Mayor Don Enoch on the piano over there. Kelty says finding a place to play is the difficult part. |
 |
“Because this band gives us a place, a venue, that pretty much doesn’t exist anymore. When I was young we had the Blue Moon, the Teepee, the Trig, we had a variety and a myriad of places for young musicians to go ‘fail’ and then come back and try to get better. That doesn’t exist for the young musicians today, or for the old musicians in our case.”
To be a musician almost always means you have another job…Ivan does. He is the owner of Alternative Programs. His company works with those who have been sentenced to house arrest
“I thoroughly enjoy doing that and helping people get on with their life.”
But music never far from his desk.
|
“All kinds of music. It doesn’t make any difference what kind. It’s all good.”
One more thing about local musicians, never sell their talent short. While incredibly modest, Iven has played with some of the best…Glen Miller, Woody Herman, Les Brown and others.
|
 |
“I was a kid. I was like 18 years old and I couldn’t appreciate it. I had the freedom to be me with my instrument. I watch all these other people do things and their life just gets fuller because of it. It’s an incredible feeling and those that can’t feel it are really missing something.”
“It’s a passion. Next to my wife and children music is the best thing I have in my life.”
Musicians like Iven Kelty are in almost every community. They live next door, down the street, and supply the rest of us with the contentment that music gives them. That little extra zest for life that smoothes the rough edges of our existence, and brings memories back through music that comes from the heart.
“It’s as simple as that.” |
|
|
|
|
|
|
