College Of St Benedict

John “Big Ed” Vandeloo

Mass of Christian burial will be Saturday, August 13, 2011 at 10:30 A.M. at St. Benedict’s Church with Rev. Gerard Senecal, OSB as celebrant.  Interment will follow in Mt. Calvary Cemetery.  A parish prayer service will be Friday, August 12th at 7:00 P.M. in the chapel of Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home with visitation to follow until 8:30 P.M.  Memorial contributions are suggested to Mt. Calvary Cemetery Endowment Fund or to a memorial scholarship fund that is being established for students who wish to attend Highland Community College and study in the field of auto technology or to the local flood victims fund and may be left in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be left at www.arensbergpruett.com .  He was born December 6, 1923, on the original Vandeloo farm in the Deer Creek Community to John A. and Frances Watowa Vandeloo.  His formal education was completed at Hopewell Grade School, followed by an education provided through hard work and multiple experiences which enabled him to earn his GED and an honorary Doctorate Degree in mechanics. He was married to Ida Jane Kentzler on April 12, 1945, at Sacred Heart Church.  She preceded him in death on February 8, 1948. They were the parents of James Edward Vandeloo who died February 28, 2000.  Two years later, he and Peggy Grace were married on October 3, 1950 at St. Benedict’s rectory and  made their life in the home they built in 1958 until her death on February 5, 2011. She and Ed will now be buried together in Mt. Calvary Cemetery. His primary employer was Yost Motor Company for nearly 30 years.  Followed by employment with McDaniel Motors, F. P. Gehring Construction Company, United States Postal Service, Handke Implement the last formal employer was Northeast Kansas Vocational Technical School as an auto mechanic instructor.  During the early 1960’s he served as a bouncer at the Hilltop Dance Club and on his own time he did car and truck restoration as a gift to his children.

George Maurer Group shows off depth, flair, versatility on new ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MINNEAPOLIS —The members of the George Maurer Group now have publicly acknowledged what their fans have known for years:

They’re a bit twisted — beautifully, refreshingly twisted, like a citrus garnish in a musical martini.

Their new live CD, aptly named “Twisted,” shows them at their kinetic best as they stir things up with their jazz-infused, polished yet rambunctious twist on music that spans eras and styles. The track list includes everything from blues and jazz standards (the title track is a version of the Lambert, Hendricks & Ross classic later done by Joni Mitchell) to the Beatles.

The CD will be released Saturday, Aug. 20, and the group celebrates with a sold-out show that night on their home stage at the Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant in Minneapolis.

The release of “Twisted” celebrates the 25 release.

It’s also the George Maurer Group’s fourth CD and first non-holiday release since 2000. Yes, it’s time, and the sassy CD art is a perfect representation of the high-octane music inside. The cover, featuring vocalist Ann Michels, has a retro theme that represents both the group’s respect for history and somewhat irreverent take on classic concepts.

This is the George Maurer Group’s most energetic, sophisticated recording of its 13-year career, capturing the deep talent, seat-of-the-pants style and humorous character of their live performance. It was recorded March 5 at the Dakota during the same show PBS affiliate Pioneer Public Television recorded for a segment of its “Pioneer Presents” series.

In addition to George Maurer Group trademarks like Maurer’s virtuoso piano, Rich Manik’s dynamic saxes and Scott Chabot’s finessed drums, “Twisted” features five vocalists, all of whom perform in such harmonic perfection on “Drive My Car” that you might almost wish there had been a fifth Beatle.

Other highlights include Richard Witteman’s vocals on “I Can’t Get Started,” which include some alternative lyrics – a shout-out to Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer, for example – that he snuck in á la Ira Gershwin, much to the band’s and audience’s amusement. 

Guitarist Muggsy Lauer scats himself a storm on “Caldonia” while Witteman tears up the trumpet solo. Rachel Holder sings a version of “Killing Me Softly” that could make Roberta Flack cry, and bassist Jeff Engholm cranks up the attitude for the bluesy “Your Mind is on Vacation.