Hey all,
Those of you who have met me know that I’m a pretty quiet guy. I like playing the wizard behind the curtain. Every once in a while, I get to come out from behind the scenes and make a few announcements.
First of all, I just finished editing a new issue of the Secret Art Journal. As always, you can find it online at secretartjournal.com.
I just received some wonderful news from Jeff and Eugene. It seems that their Master Class students swept all of the awards at the World Magic Seminar teen competition. We would all like to pass on our congratulations to Sterling Dietz, Jayson Morrison, Vinny De Ponto, and all their family and friends for encouraging excellence in the art of magic! I’ll be posting details about them and the competition in the Winner’s Circle in the coming week or two.
On a personal note, I really miss visiting Jeff, Eugene and the Vegas gang at the Master Classes. Jenny & I used to attend them on a regular basis. Between my software business and her career (college physics professor), we don’t have as much time to travel. For those of you who’ve never attended a class, you really don’t know what you’re missing! Even though I’m no longer making a living with magic, I always came home fired up to work on magic. I think all of my best work has come after spending long nights with my dear friends in Vegas.
I finally made it to the bead store and picked up some cool new beads for the Ritual of Liberation. You can check them out in the catalog: shop.yourmagic.com.
Back to my closet…
Bryce
To laugh often and love much…
to appreciate beauty,
to find the best in
others, to give one’s self…
this is to have succeeded.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
A hands on teaching at a recent Master Class
with Eugene, Losander and Jeff.
Photo by Lara Pugliese
Greetings friends and magical loved ones…
We are home again in Las Vegas for the next few weeks after our European and Asian touring. We’re sending you love for Valentine’s Day, and beyond. Abbi is enjoying being at home, and is spending time in her rose garden, tending the new additions and preparing for the coming blossoms. I’ve been catching up in my office, and spending a great deal of time with private students. Recently, magician Rob Ray came in from Arizona to spend three days here at McBride’s House of Mystery. He had the opportunity to spend each day engaged with me in developing his new show, and his evenings were immersed in my magic library and practice sessions. I really enjoy working with students, and always learn a lot in the process. During one of the sessions, Rob Ray shared a short poem with me that I thought would be perfect for an “out” or if something went wrong during his show…
“Tis easy enough to be pleasant,
when life
flows along like a song,
But the man worthwhile is the one who will
smile,
when everything goes dead wrong.”
— Ella Wheeler Wilcox
One of the important lessons I learned from a man who I consider my teacher, Channing Pollack, is that you can tell how good a magician is by the way they handle their mistakes on stage. Recently, our Master Class had the opportunity to go to Lance Burton’s and Mac King’s shows. Afterwards, the nine of us had the 
chance to go backstage and talk with both artists. Both Mac and
Lance told us story after story of how they turn potential tragedy into triumph, and how they maneuver out of difficult situations. One of the old show biz maxims is “Never let ’em see you sweat.” Recently, at one of our classes, a woman named Laura performed her act . Only after her performance did we learn that the CD player played another performer’s music. Laura never let to the audience that there was anything amiss with the music. She improvised her way through her act and in the end, she developed an entirely different performance based around this “mistake.” Instead of a comedy act, she now had a dramatic theater piece. I feel that that is “creative alchemy,” when you can take the “lead” of a mistake, and transform it to a golden masterpiece. Brava, Laura!
This week, Eugene Burger and I will help Lance Burton host the World Magic Seminar Teen Program here in Las Vegas. Bill and Becki Wells facilitate and do all the planning for this event. Year after year, we are amazed with the creativity and passion these teens have for their art. The program has been expanding each year, and this year, we are expanding our program again, to include guest presenters Tobias Beckwith and Max Maven. As you know, Tobias is my manager, and will be talking to the teens about the business half of show business. Max will be sharing some of his vast knowledge on the magical arts. The World Magic Seminar is 
one of my favorite magic events, and a time for me to catch up with our friends in the magic community. Right after the WMS, we are hosting a three day Master Class, Feb 24, 25, and 26th, with Eugene and myself. URL Many of our students are booking sessions with us now to prepare for the upcoming Magic convention competitions. If you would like to see who are the “up- and- coming” magicians, visit our WINNERS CIRCLE http://www.magicalwisdom.com/winners.php
March will be filled with private sessions, a few corporate shows and the production of a new magic teaching DVD. I’ll keep you posted. At the end of March, Abbi and I will be going to Poughkeepsie, NY for AkashaCon, where we’ll be performing our magic and teaching Universal Fire Circle Alchemy.
This will be my first time to visit the ancient stone circels in England! Plans are going well for our Springtime European tour. So far, Eugene and I will be performing our show THE SECRET ART OF MAGIC in Cornwall, where we will also do a Master Class. We’re looking forward to seeing Stonehenge, and Bath, then we’re off for more shows and classes in Amsterdam. URL of classes in europe)
Hot News! I just got off the phone with Tobias, he says my new 1hour television show for the ENIGMA is in the editing stages now. REAL MAGIC is the name of my episode. Find out all about it at http://www.worldscreen.com/newscurrent.php?filename=vision1206.htm
Love, magic and mystery,
Jeff and Abbi McBride
And all of our friends and family at
MCBRIDE’S MAGIC AND MYSTERY SCHOOL
Our whole team joins me in wishing you all a very Happy New Year!
I’m writing today particularly because we have two classes coming up in January for which we still have spaces left – an unusual situation this close to the start of classes.
The first is our first ever “Master Class for Balloon Workers,” dedicated particularly to helping those who do magic with balloons to create stronger presentations for their work, learn some new tricks and techniques, and to learn ways they can enhance their business and marketing skills. We’re expecting Guinness World Record holder John Cassidy as our special guest, and planning a week filled with fun and lots of learning. The dates are January 18-20, and registrtions need to be complete within the next 5 days.
(The photo is of Jeff signing autographs after one of his three shows on Christmas Day in Taipei)
Immediately following the special Balloon Workers class, we’ll have our first Extended Master Class of the New Year, from January 21 – 26. There won’t be another extended class til the summer, and there is actually still some question about the ones in July and August, as we’ve had some recent requests from casinos for an extended run during July and August.
That’s really all for now – just wanted to let you all know we DO have some spaces in these two classes still available, and that the time to register is NOW!
Have a happy and safe New Year!
Sincerely,
Tobias Beckwith
Manager to Jeff McBride
Hello Magical Friends!
Jeff and I have been enjoying being at home these past few weeks. I’ve heard it said that things speed up as they fall down. This Fall, as Visionaries in presenting Fall Fest, a special weekend of magic, music, movement, and mystery…. Exciting events included our sixth annual BoneDance, a dusk til dawn Alchemical Fire Circle, one hour away from the city lights of Las Vegas, under the vast desert starlit skies, and the Witches and Wizard’s Costume Ball. To see more photos, click here and look in the photo gallery.
We immediately went into our Magic for Medical Professionals conference here at McBride’s House of Mystery. Fifteen doctors and medical professionals from many fields joined Jeff, Eugene and Dr. Lee Grotte, for a weekend exploring the connections between magic, medicine and healing.
While the conference was going on, we were joined by Daniel Zuckerbrot and his team. They were here for a week, making a documentary about Jeff and McBride’s Magic and Mystery School for a new television series called ENIGMA. 
It was a challenging and creative week. Jeff and I were filming all day, in addition to hosting the seminar, and Jeff was performing on the Las Vegas strip at night. This unique television event will chronicle the many diverse aspects that fill our lives, like drumming, dancing, teaching, performing as well as an inside look at our life at home.
This past weekend, Eugene and Jeff (and the crew) were engaged in a Master Class, and Jeff was also performing at the World’s Greatest Magic show. The show is playing at the Greek Isles Casino, and has been running for two years. It has more high quality, “A List” magicians than any other show in Las Vegas’ history. Jeff and Eugene hosted the Master Class students at the WGM show. The students were treated to meeting the stars of the show, and a special “after-party” was held on the Las Vegas strip, where Abbi and Jeff filmed special “street magic” segments for the upcoming ENIGMA project. Next Spring, when his tour schedule permits, Jeff will be returning to the WGM show. You can always check our World Tour Schedule to see where we’ll be.
Coming up next, we’ll be at the Magic Castle in West Hollywood, CA for the week of November 20-27th. Then, we’re heading out to sea with Holland America, to perform on board, en route to Oahu, Hawaii, and then on to Taiwan, Spain, and Mexico. We’ll have more stories to share soon….
Until then, as Fall turns toward Winter, may magic keep you warm!
Abbi & Jeff
“Magick is most vivid (strongest) when practiced on the edge, on the boundry of reason and paradox, in those places where the known leads into the unknown and unknowable.”
— from The Principles of High Magick
by Forrest Glen Landry
See the magic through our eyes, and let me tell you of our most recent adventures….
This last trip to Europe was pretty spectacular. I
slept most of the way from Las Vegas to Newark, NJ, which is no surprise, given that we had to be at the airport by 8 am, and you know “magician” and “morning person” are antonyms. My secret? Earplugs and a scarf over my eyes– dark and quiet, sweet dreams, no matter where. In terms of travel, I’ve gotten to the point where I can catnap just about anywhere. Once we got to Newark, we realized we had a twelve, (count ’em, twelve), hour layover. In the airport. In New Jersey. So, we had a little lunch, and found a quiet lounge where we could check email, drink tea, and snooze… and then we were on our way to Nice, France. They pronounce it “Neese,” which was news to me. I have to admit, my French is really not very good at all, even though I studied it for a year in high school. My guesses about vocabulary pronunciation in French, in my attempts to read signs or menus out loud, were pretty amusing to the locals. For instance, I often share a bit of magic where I ask my participant to make a wish, which, in French is “fait une veux.”
If, however, you say “fait une vaux” you are asking them to make a cow….
We were met at the airport by Mssrs. Jerome Trouslard and Eric Roumestan, and driven through rolling, green, mountainous countryside, through a couple of tunnels into Monte Carlo. We had arrived in the province of Monaco, on the Southeast tip of France. It’s politically separate from the rest of France, being a Principality, and is ruled by Prince Albert, who, as it turns out, happens to love magic. He also likes car racing, which explains the annual automobile race “The Grand Prix.” That race runs through the extremely winding, narrow streets, up and down the face of the mountain, all the way down to the beach of the Ligurian Sea. Mostly millionaires live there, because, (unless one is a citizen of France or of the US), one doesn’t have to pay taxes there. Most of the cars we saw driven around the area were either BMWs, Bentley’s or Benzes….
Each day, on our way to the Princess Grace Theater, Jeff and I would
stop and look at all the yachts in the harbor. The biggest one there used to belong to Mr. Onassis. Last year, his claim to “biggest boat in the bay,” was usurped by a Sheik from Saudi Arabia. Well, that’s what Rodger Moore told us on the balcony of the Prime Minister’s place, during that champagne reception. Who would have known that James Bond’s real life dad was an amateur magician known as “The Hazy Wizard,” and that 007 had a few tricks of his own to share….
When the Grand Prix of Magic was started, it was a competition, with special prizes awarded by the previous prince, Rainier. It was a very high-end contest, like the Olympics of Magic. As the years went on, instead of a competition, the Grand Prix became more of a celebration with a full week of shows, sponsored, in large part, by the Royal Family.
Yes, we all stand up when the Prince or Princess enters the room, and we don’t sit until they do. If we’re all at dinner together, no one eats until the Royal one begins. Yes, if you speak to them, you really say “Your Majesty.” Royal etiquette, you know.
For one week, marking the 20th anniversary, many of the winners from
past years competitions were invited to return. We
were happy to be in the show, along with Mirko from Argentina, Norbert Ferre from France, Vic and Fabrini, from Brazil, who do a wonderful act involving a mechanical man and magic. Also on the bill was Tommy Wonder, from Holland, performing his classical magic with cups, balls and class. Rein Weindong, from China offered his clock act. Otto Wesley and Christa, from Austria were hysterically funny and a little out of control, both onstage and off, and delightfully entertaining to be around. Voronin brought his brilliant “Count” to do several different segments in the show. Topas, from Germany, presented his toy act, and illusions were performed by Dani Lary and also by Paul and Ajna Philippart. The Tarmac Co. did a great job as the MCs of the show with their combination of comedy and magic.
After the last reception was over, and the last show completed, we took a short nap, and were on our way to Belgium.
We flew from Nice, up to Brussels, Belgium, where Rafael picked us up. (http://www.magic-Rafael.com) The flight was only about an hour and a half, Brussels is just east of the northern tip of France. We arrived in Leuven a short while later and checked into the Ibis hotel, right in the center of town.