It started with an unsolicited email that landed in the inbox of the game presentation executives for the Seattle Kraken.
The name Rod Masters didnB次元官网网址檛 immediately resonate with Jonny Greco and Lamont Buford, who are in charge of overseeing entertainment and game production for the expansion franchise, though they would soon make a connection.
B次元官网网址淚 remember (Lamont) looking at me B次元官网网址� and heB次元官网网址檚 like, `The dude from `Slap ShotB次元官网网址� just sent me an email,B次元官网网址滲次元官网网址� Greco recalled. B次元官网网址淎nd IB次元官网网址檓 like, `What are you talking about? What dude?B次元官网网址滲次元官网网址�
That dude would be Masters, and if the name still doesnB次元官网网址檛 ring a bell, thatB次元官网网址檚 fine. Just know he may be the most famous organist to ever appear on the big screen in a sports movie, and now nearly a half-century after he made a lasting impression in B次元官网网址淪lap Shot,B次元官网网址� Masters is the first organist for the Kraken.
His name never appeared in the credits of the iconic 1977 movie starring Paul Newman. But anyone whoB次元官网网址檚 seen the movie knows Masters as the organist plunked in the head by a wayward puck and abruptly asked by NewmanB次元官网网址檚 character Reggie Dunlop to never play B次元官网网址淟ady of SpainB次元官网网址� ever again.
More than 40 years later, heB次元官网网址檚 now part of the fraternity of organists around the NHL, a 68-year-old living out a dream, even for someone who has worked as a professional musician all over North America.
B次元官网网址淚 love playing for the people and they seem to be loving it. ItB次元官网网址檚 just the best job I could ever even dreamed that I would have,B次元官网网址� Masters said. B次元官网网址淚 had retired and then I thought just for the heck of it IB次元官网网址檒l email them. B次元官网网址� I would think this a great job for any musician.B次元官网网址�
Organ or keyboard music is synonymous with hockey. It was even part of the soundtrack of the Beijing Olympics during stoppages in play.
Of the 32 NHL teams, only six B次元官网网址� Philadelphia, Carolina, Dallas, Arizona, Vegas and Edmonton B次元官网网址� donB次元官网网址檛 have an organist playing during games. Vegas, the last team to join the league before Seattle, didnB次元官网网址檛 have an organist in its first year, but tried it in Year 2. With all the other entertainment that went into the game production, the organ sound didnB次元官网网址檛 fit the soundtrack of Las Vegas.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think we set up the people that we had in the mix for great success, but it also just didnB次元官网网址檛 kind of feel right,B次元官网网址� said Greco, who along with Buford oversaw entertainment and game presentation for the Golden Knights before joining the Kraken. B次元官网网址淭he train was on the tracks for a lot of the Vegas elements and that just felt a little obtuse.B次元官网网址�
In the midst of starting the franchise in Seattle, there were thousands of boxes for the entertainment staff to check. One that remained unmarked when the season began was in-house organist.
But MastersB次元官网网址� email offering his services lingered as a reminder. If the Kraken wanted that organ sound reverberating through Climate Pledge Arena, someone was interested.
One problem: While he played a hockey organist in the movie, Masters had never done that kind of performing in his long musical career. At the time the movie was being filmed in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Masters was playing regularly at the Sheraton Hotel where the cast and crew were staying.
Most of his music background was in Top 40s, pop, disco and country. Not little vignettes to play in between slashes, trips and goals.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 new at this. ThatB次元官网网址檚 why IB次元官网网址檓 doing all this research all of a sudden,B次元官网网址� Masters said. B次元官网网址淚 never knew that I would ever get a job like this.B次元官网网址�
One of the peers Masters has reached out to for advice is Jeremy Boyer, who has been the organist for the St. Louis Blues for 15 years. Boyer is a star, performing primarily for the Blues, but also the St. Louis Cardinals at times.
He has amassed a massive social media following with his skill taking popular songs and making them rock via the organ.
B次元官网网址淚 think you have to be a little bit of a fan. You have to enjoy the game and your music has to reflect what is happening in the game, too,B次元官网网址� Boyer said. B次元官网网址淚 feel like IB次元官网网址檓 lucky, IB次元官网网址檓 out in the crowd so I really get the vibes of everybody thatB次元官网网址檚 around me and I try to take that energy and funnel it into my music.B次元官网网址�
Coincidentally, MastersB次元官网网址� debut with the Kraken on Jan. 1 came against Vancouver, whose coach, Bruce Boudreau, also appeared as an uncredited extra in the movie.
Since that debut against the Canucks, Masters has grown into his role and the team is learning ways to showcase him more. For instance, Masters tries to lighten the mood by playing after opponents score, which has been far more than the last-place Kraken were hoping this season.
Masters is also thinking ahead, with the idea of having a true organ in place for next season rather than the keyboards heB次元官网网址檚 been using in this first stint.
B次元官网网址淚 think people just thought it was really a good fit for where we were headed,B次元官网网址� Greco said. B次元官网网址淎nd it was just a super unique story we got to tell, and a character we got to add to our show that only the Seattle Kraken get to own.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址� Tim Booth, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
