Perform a favorite trick that calls on the mystical magical spirits, the eerie, occult, or otherwise spooky magician helpers during this Halloween season.
As usual, there will be drawings for cool magic gifts graciously donated by these special magic dealers:

• PaulRichardsMagic.com,
• Hocus-Pocus.com,
• MagicbyGosh.com or
• VanishingIncMagic.com for performances and attendance.

Mark you calendar now and be there! Society of American Magicians, Assembly 12 meets at 7:00 p.m. on the third Friday of September through May at Eagle Magic, 11995 County Road 11, Burnsville, MN (4 lights east of 35W on Hwy 13, southeast corner right under the Remax sign). Bring potluck “snacks” to share.
Crafts

This Friday, at our meeting, we have a theme and a tip.

The theme is impromptu coin magic. Bring your first or best non-gaffed coin trick. Or one you are working on.

The tip is anything you have learned and are willing to share around linking rings.

Our assembly had a very small, intimate group in December.  After a short meeting, Mike performed Sugar Rush (Search YouTube for “Sugar Rush”). Adam performed Daniel Garcia’s iCard. Larry added that the principle behind iCard comes from a Harry Anderson trick. The last 90 minutes was spent in interesting conversation and well-wishing.

Dave Taylor, Jerry Martin, Mark Heinrich.

Perhaps it was the theme of escapes or the lure of strait jackets that
attracted a record 20 people to our May meeting. Meeting notes of
interest include the reminder that we do not meet in June, July, or
August; and that valued member Geoff Williams will be moving to Florida.

Thanks to outgoing president Adam Moore and V.P. Steven Peer and congratulations to incoming president Jerry Martin and V.P. Mark Heinrich.

With the close of the meeting, Jack Nordin opened with the squeeze away blocks performed on a circa 1890 table that may have been owned by Houdini.

Darnay revealed the light and dark side of famed magician Jay Marshall.

Brent Andera performed a 5-phase ring & rope routine.

Dave Taylor, in full bi-wing pilot regalla, performed his rendition,
with permission, of Hank Moorehouse’s strait jacket escape (complete
with Dave Rose’s “The Stripper”).

In humorous style, Justin Alan performed two rope escapes.

Rick Ausland tap danced on a custom luggage-stage he’d invented. Adam Moore donned a strait jacket, but only for the 30 seconds it took to escape – the length of the musical excerpt from Mission: Impossible (see it here)

Mark Henrich, in homage to Indian- magician Kahn Be Singh, performed his “classic” ring-off-snake.

Geoff Williams performed a fiction-imitating-life version of cups and balls to poetry where three old men, in their “tubs”, somehow ended up retired to Florida.

Larry Anderson, circa 1970

Host and Eagle Magic Shop owner Larry Kahlow wrapped-up the evening retelling his 1970s death-defying antics of suspending “friend” Larry Anderson 5-stories over a downtown mall, in strait jacket, using only old, semi-rotten ski rope.

April 16, 2010, Burnsville, MN — The theme of our April meeting was to contemplate and celebrate the magical properties of the three of clubs (Tarot meaning of comprehension; also favorite forced card of Penn & Teller).

Adam Moore performed “Thinking Cap,” where the group “somehow” divined the 3C. Steven Peer premiered “Emote,” a mind-reading effect he’d just learned at a Tyler Erickson workshop. Dave Taylor shared his love of strait jackets and handcuffs; then flawlessly dealt out Don Allen’s “Big Deal.” Host and Eagle Magic Shop owner Larry Kahlow performed “Stop Trick” where, incredibly, the spectator dealt to the 3C! Darnay told a charming story-effect about his trip to NYC where he was introduced to the 3 card monte (Tonte’s version). Charlie revisited Zen’s classic card & envelope trick, “My Fifteen Card Trick.”

Last up, Jack Nordin took us back in time as he slowly assembled a beautiful, vintage, brass P&L magician’s table (just one in his vast collection). On that table, Jack performed his vintage, Thayer-made “Blue Phantom” effect.

Whether Karma, a poor night’s sleep, or unaccounted variables, things happen to undermine our otherwise “perfect” performances. Tonight was a retelling of such disasters.

Dave Taylor shared when 8-year olds – hopped-up on soda and confronted by the sassy patter of Hippity-Hop rabbits – rushed the stage.  Thank God for the chicken wire.

Jerry Martin told how he recovered from his finger chopper effect when he inadvertently selected a woman who was missing two fingers.

Sandy Meyer retooled some classic effects in St. Patrick’s day “clothing” including the Professor’s nightmare and Grandma’s necklace.

Steven Peer played the “Mr Obvious” role with his caution (from personal experience) never to accept a one-hour kid’s show.

Eagle Magic shop owner (and meeting host) Larry Kahlow shared “hip-hop” Hippity-Hop patter and a few dove disasters. He also explained how he controls children’s shows by playing past the kids to the parents.

Aaron Timmerman was brief, yet succinct in his observation that relatives can make the worst audience.

Towards avoiding problems with floating bill effects, Kenny Shank walked us through his quest to find the perfect ITR.

Adam Moore retold when his sub trunk nearly “truncated” the evening. Then he performed his multiplying billiard balls routine in order to replay one evening of heckler’s comments.

Darnay observed that heckling, over the years, has diminished as magic has grown in respect. From his newspaper archives, he recited some classic heckler-comebacks used by Henny Youngman.

Lastly, Jerry told us of a show he’d never forget for returning WWII amputees and one man’s resolve when he went to clap for the first time, realized he couldn’t, and instantly adapted by clapping his lone hand to his knee.

February 19, 2010:
The theme of sponge-magic began with Bruce Kilber using a coin purse-frame to produce sponge balls. Dave Taylor explained that he prefers square shaped sponges as, “they don’t roll away.” Adam Moore performed Color Changing Ball to Jumbo Square and shared the success-story of his first Super-X levitation utilizing a volunteer. Host Larry Kahlow gave us a wonderful history of sponge magic and samples of today’s varieties. Both Larry and David Stahl shared Al Goshman stories that we won’t repeat. Darnay gave us a peek at (perhaps) the word’s largest sponge-rabbit.

The evening wasn’t all sponge magic. Brent Andera introduced us to PowerBall-60, the Sander’s/Abbott retooling of the classic magic number square prediction effect.

Joe Otto demonstrated one way to stop annoying cell-phone interruptions with his cell-phone into water bottle penetration. David Stahl demonstrated a delightful bill packet switch.

Kenny Shank performed the illuminating 4-lamp, switchbox effect and Jack Nordin shared from his collection of Chinese sticks, the square fishing poles.

It was after all the formal presentations, in a corner of the room where, surrounded, Tom O’Lenick quietly and casually held an ordinary brass bolt while the nut slowly and magically unscrewed into a spectator’s hand (all to be instantly examined). What a way to end the evening. [ now available]

Bruce Russell Jensen, DDS a.k.a Bruce Russell, Magician died on July 2 in Bloomington, Minnesota at the age of 67. He is survived by his wife and magic-assistant, Gigi.

Born in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, Bruce attended Chetek, WI schools, Superior College and University of Minnesota Dental School to graduate in 1967. Performing magic since age 11, Bruce retired from dentistry in 1989 to pursue his magic career.

Bruce was a friend and mentor to many magicians. His expertise and perfection in the art of manipulation were respected and honored among his peers. A graduate of the Chavez Studio of Magic, Bruce was also a serious student of magic history. He attended many conventions including Magic Collectors’ Weekend, the Yankee Gathering, and Abbott’s Get Together and was a Member of S.A.M Assembly 12 and I.B.M. Ring 19 for 36 years.

Bruce performed a Vegas style show with his wife Gigi. Honored by Winnipeg I.B.M. Ring 40 in 1967, Bruce always had fond memories of his fellowship with the Canadian magicians.

Bruce demonstrated his flawless execution in manipulation in 1965 when he won first place in the S.A.M. national competition. In 1967 Bruce flew to Miami for the I.B.M. convention. He did not bring an act. Rather, he bought a pack of cigarettes, performed his cigarette routine and won first place again for his manipulation at the convention’s contest.

Bruce was meticulous about keeping his magical apparatus in pristine condition. Not only could he repair and refinish just about any prop, he could show you how to perform it properly and hand you a copy of instructions if yours were missing.

Bruce touched the lives of so many magicians, family and friends. From Las Vegas to Minnesota, the legacy of his magic will continue. The full broken wand ceremony was conducted by Fred Baisch at the July meeting of I.B.M. Ring 19.

Jack Nordin performed his Classic “puzzle” Chinese sticks.  William “Darney” VonStocken showed us the shrinking sandwich sign, a snake fakir trick and a magic square.

Jerry Martin introduced us (by bio) to the magician-mathematician Percy Darconis and described a long-distance card trick where a mailed deck is shuffled by the recipient and a card selected.  Mailed back, the magician calls the spectator with the name of the selected card.

Dave Taylor entertained us with a four-ace production from Card College.  Bruce performed Oscar Munoz’s version of reversing aces  (un-gimmicked, impromptu).

Kenny, with Don McLean’s American Pie playing, performed an illusion where, just as the “music died”, so did a music CD disappear from a wooden frame.   We were also entertained with the bill-to-matchbook classic.

President Adam Moore, also with musical accompaniment, performed a routine from the November 2008 issue of M-U-M inspired by Robert Service’s poem, “The Shooting of Dan McGrew.”

Remember, starting September 18, 2009, Assembly 12 will meet at Eagle Magic in Burnsville, MN — 4 lights east of 35W on Hwy 13 and CR 11, the southeast corner; look for the Remax sign.

-Steven Peer

Reminder:  Twin Cities Assembly 12 begins meeting at the new location of Eagle Magic Shop, Burnsville starting Sep, ’09 (same day/date).

The past presidents of Assembly 12 representing 27 years of leadership joined us for a special evening where the leadership performed for the members.

William VonStocken (72-73,93-95) opened with a version of “cut here” as a newspaper prediction. 

Jack Nordin (74-75, 76-77), in tux, presented Gospel stories using the juggling ball transposition and Chinese rice bowls.

Jerry Martin (86-88; 99-2001) opened with comic juggling. A humorous rendition of the 3 rope trick including a shoelace conundrum.

Bruce Colton (88-90) entertained us with a three card illustration of the classic story of the wool sweater, a party, and an emaciated Mexican Chihuahua.  Bruce closed with a dual, any card at any number routine.

Mike Arazi (95-99) performed a great poker routine.

Current president Adam Moore performed the teach-a-(teach-a)-trick version of the vanishing silk (& egg). 

Jim Kostick (04-05) had us laughing with his giant (hula hoop) linking rings. 

Dave Taylor (05-07) complete with stripping music, performed the classic Hank Moorehouse straightjacket routine.