SHORTCUTS
MUSIC
M
agic happens when Bryn Loosley's
audience becomes engaged, whether
he's standing in front of his students at Carmel
Middle School, where he teaches Language Arts
to seventh graders, or leaning into a micro-
phone onstage as the frontman for Bryn
Loosley and the Back Pages.
"I love teaching because every day is differ-
ent. Every day I come to work is an opportunity
to challenge students, and be challenged by
them," says Loosley, one of those "cool teach-
ers" who becomes even cooler when he steps
into the spotlight with his acoustic guitar along-
side lead guitarist Marc Stafford (a Carmel High
history teacher), Patrick Blizinski (keyboards,
vocals), Steve Geer (bass), Jon Payne (drums),
and his little sister, Heather Loosley (vocals).
Loosley's pitch-perfect lead vocals have that
soft-and-sensitive feel, and many of the songs he
performs with the Back Pages are originals.
"We play singer/songwriter Americana music
with a country-rock flair," says the Morgan Hill
native, who recorded his first album, 2003's
"The Wrecker," in Portland, before forming the
Back Pages with Stafford six years later in Santa
Cruz. "Our most recent show covered all of
Bob Dylan's 'Nashville Skyline' album, which says
a lot about our style."
Bryn Loosley and the Back Pages recently
played at the Cabrillo Festival Church Street Fair,
and at Kuumbwa Jazz Center. Visit www.bryn-
loosley.com for more details.
Carmel Teacher s
Add Music "Cool"
to School
B Y R O B E R T N E V I N
64 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • H O L I D A Y 2 0 1 6
Carmel Middle School Language Arts
teacher Bryn Loosley performs with
his band the Back Pages, which
includes Carmel High history teacher
and guitarist Marc Stafford.
Photo:
Kelli
Uldall
