Post Up: Ukiah native returns, bringing jazz, teaching and music with him – The Ukiah Daily Journal

Returning to the place where you were raised can be a mixed bag, but for David Post, the return home has been nothing but positive.

A 1981 Ukiah High graduate and son of therapists – the late Berle Post and Esther Faber – Post began his arts career here, never realizing how far it would take him. Starting as a teen with the Ukiah Players Theater, he continued on, getting his BA in music from the University of the Pacific’s Conservatory of Music. He was Choir Director for the Fort Bragg Unified School District and the Vocal Jazz Ensemble Instructor for Mendocino College before working professionally in jazz – recording with Grammy-nominated musicians and playing, studying and arranging for the likes of the Manhattan Transfer, Bobby McFerrin, Dave Holland and Ray Brown. He spent time singing in clubs in St. Petersburg, was named Outstanding Male Vocalist at the Pacific Coast Jazz Festival and founded the celebrated Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth in Washington.

More recently, Post lived in Southern California.

“I had some great opportunities to teach down there, but it took everything I had to make it in L.A. Everyone I connected with was working hard. There wasn’t a cutthroat vibe at all. Maybe I’m just gullible, but I felt like by being a supportive person, I got what I put out there.”

Despite some promising opportunities, Post felt compelled to return to Ukiah – in part to participate in the lives of his growing nieces and nephews. Now that he’s here, he’s hit the ground running, diving headfirst into multiple projects.

Post is working at Ukiah High with Josh Small.

“I’m working with the sectionals in the choir and doing some private coaching with students.” At River Oak School, Expanded Learning Opportunities Program funding enabled him to create a theater production – one that harkens back to his days as a student at the now-legendary Mariposa School.

“Years ago, when he was a teacher at Mariposa, Tony Rutledge created a play called ‘Warm Fuzzies’ that was absolutely great. I remembered the basic idea, wrote some original music for it and adapted two pop songs. At River Oak, we’re rehearsing two hours weekly and preparing for a performance.” He is also teaching private voice and piano at SPACE (School of Performing Arts and Cultural Education) and at his studio, located above Mama’s Medicinals in Ukiah.

Post is working on a book based on a story told to him and his siblings by his grandfather.

“It’s called ‘Chocolate Town.’ My grandfather would always put us in the story – so it would start out, ‘David and Josh were home and Mom had to go shopping.’ The mom would tell the kids not to leave the house, but of course, they’d get bored, look out the window and realize that things looked strange outside. The sidewalk was gooey. What was going on?” What was going on was that the sidewalk, streets and town were now made of chocolate, and from there, adventures ensued. Post is incorporating the memories of his family members who all have recollections of the story, and is looking to partner with the perfect illustrator.

Another project is perhaps the one he’s the most excited about.

“It’s called Vocalogy. What I’ve discovered in my years of teaching is that about 30 percent of people in the U.S. believe they can’t sing. Why? Usually because someone told them they couldn’t sing – most likely someone completely unqualified to make that call. Of those 30 percent, maybe 20 percent are what we call ‘non-pitch matchers,’ but true tone deafness is really not a thing,” Post explains, adding that only an infinitesimal number of people truly can’t sing.

“Almost anyone can hear when two pitches are the same, or when one note is higher or lower than another. What they never learned is how to connect their ear to their voice. The tragic thing is that once a person believes they can’t sing, they won’t sing. It can become a traumatic event. Your voice is deeply connected to your identity.”

For the past several years, Post has been beta-testing the development of the Vocalogy program – part therapeutic and part simple training that helps people “find” their voice.

“I’m helping people discover that initial wound – the traumatic event where they were told they couldn’t sing. The first myth we dispel is that whoever told them they couldn’t sing had no right to make that judgment. That person was wrong. We identify that moment and I help the person begin to understand how inappropriate that judgment was. During that process, there are often some tears shed.”

Post notes that larger issues often attach to the feeling that someone can’t sing.

“People get shut down when their voice is criticized. Our voice spills over into our ability to speak truth in other ways.”

Once a person identifies and accepts they were misinformed about their ability to sing, Post begins basic voice training.

“99 percent of human beings can learn to sing on key in about a year, and most people can match pitch in about an hour, after only one of my sessions. In one session, we’ve been able to reframe years of misinformation.” Thus far, about 80 percent of his subjects have been able to match pitch and the other 20 percent are able to hear highs and lows. “We’re simply freeing the vocal instrument, so the ear hears it. After some practice, it comes.”

What he loves about the system is that it’s easy, painless and fun.

“I’m able to help alleviate an unnecessary weight on people’s shoulders. It’s such a joy and an honor to hold someone’s hand through this process.”

Post isn’t completely done traveling. In February he is going to Hungary to produce an English version of “The Lion King” with Ukrainian refugee children, and from there, he’ll travel to Berlin and Lisbon to sing and perform in a jazz concert.

Post is excited to be offering vocal jazz instruction – something that is hard to come by in Mendocino County. And he’s continuing to make music himself. Don’t miss his day-after-Thanksgiving show, “An Evening of Jazz,” which will feature classic jazz standards, wine and savory bites featuring Post on vocals, pianist Barney McClure and bassist Pierre Archain.

“I love Ukiah. I am really happy to be here. Part of the appeal of coming back is that there’s a real hunger for arts, events and education. This area is far from oversaturated, which is super exciting. For me, it’s a nice, calming balance – walking in Todd Grove Park, seeing familiar faces and teaching. I’m so fortunate. I get to play the 6 a.m. basketball game with friends I played with 40 years ago! These are all the things I love to do.”

For more information about Post’s teaching visit https://www.davidpostnow.com. Tickets to the upcoming jazz show will be available at the door or through Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/d/ca–ukiah/david-post/.