Lola McClane introduced our speakers, Jack Barz and Brett Valiant from Organ Stop Pizza.  Brett is a native of Wichita, Kansas, who realized his love of music at an early age. Brett began piano studies at age 4, continuing through organ instruction at Wichita State University. Brett’s professional career began at age 11, and by the age of 15 he was playing concerts around the United States. Since then Brett has appeared in Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Additionally, in the U.S. Brett has performed for the American Film Institute, as well as conventions of the American Theatre Organ Society (ATOS) and the American Guild of Organists (AGO). After years of filling in for Charlie and Lew at Organ Stop, Brett happily joined the Organ Stop musical staff in 2015. In addition to playing the organ, Brett’s friends know him for his love of ice and roller skating, animals, and classic rock n’ roll.  Jack is a native of Arizona and started at Organ Stop in 1985 at the age of 16 as a dishwasher and pizza maker.  In addition to enjoying his career as Organ Stop manager, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two college-age children.

 

Jack began by giving those in attendance a verbal and visual tour of the organ and some of the pipes while Brett illustrated what he was talking about with sound.  There are four keyboards played by the hands and a fifth keyboard played by the feet.  That fifth keyboard typically plays bass, but occasionally the melody.  Switches can be used to provide sound effects such as ocean waves, thunder, birds, doorbell, drums, cowbell, symbols, triangle, car horns, sirens and many others.  By changing the pipes, a the sounds of a wide variety of musical instruments can be duplicated, ranging from flute to honkytonk piano..  Put together, the instrument is a one-person orchestra.  The organ in the Mesa Organ Stop restaurant was originally built for a Denver theater.  It has 6,000 pipes, 88 sets of musical pipes.  Each set makes a different sound.  It is very exciting to hear Brett play.

 

Chris Krueger, who used to play an organ (not nearly as elaborate as what we saw) wondered if it is difficult to get someone to do repairs.  Jack answered that they currently ha two repairmen in service - one from Chicago.  They replaced one keyboard for them.  The replacement keyboard was custom-created for them.  There are some local organ technicians.  One spends about 25+ hours each week at the restaurant.  He said the best way to keep it in shape is to play it a lot, adding, "Technicians are not common - but neither are players."

 

Organ Stop started in 1972 at 7th Street and Missouri.  A second location in Mesa was opened in 1975.  There was one in Tucson for a while which opened in 1976.  The Phoenix location closed in 1987.  After 20 years at the old Mesa location, in 1995, the Mesa presence moved to its current location at 1149 E Southern in Mesa.  It was quite a process with the organ being installed as construction progressed in the building.  They will celebrate their 25th anniversary at their current location this year.  They opened the day before Thanksgiving in 1995. 

 

Charlie Baylog, the organist many remember started in 1973 in Phoenix.  Charlie passed away about a year ago.  He created a new classification of music for the theater organ.  He added some electronic stuff which gave him the ability to have four hands instead of two.  Brett is using that technology.  Lou Williams, their other organist uses it as well.  Brett said he has spent twelve years getting used to the organ.  It takes time to get used to all it can do.  Bill Brown was the original owner of both the Phoenix and Mesa locations, but lived in Phoenix.

 

Greg Bouslog asked how they were managing during the pandemic.  They have lost a lot of sales.  They were closed for two months.  There has been a slow but steady climb since reopening.  Their normal seating capacity is 700.  Now they cannot have moe than 350.  It has been difficult.  In normal times it is open seating and customers make friends with those seated near them.  Now, patrons sign in outside and are seated with their family/group, but distanced form other groups with appropriate social distancing.  

 

Jack said customers have been fantastic, but so has their staff.  They were glad to have the opportunity to present to Mesa West Rotary and finished their presentation with a memorable concert of patriotic and military anthems.