Off Hours

Communications technician David Reed has a wide variety of tunes on his playlist.

by Dionne Montgomery

Ladies and Gentlemen: Direct from Providence, Rhode Island, please welcome, FRONT AND CENTER!

Music to Dave Reed's ears.

David Reed is a communications technician for Computing and Information Services, but when he's not repairing your telephone or moving your computer Ethernet connection, he's trading in his phone wire for a microphone wire.

Reed, who's played the bass since age 12, formed an R&B cover band called Front And Center about a year ago and has been performing locally nearly every weekend since. Some of his favorite spots to play include the Westin Hotel in downtown Providence, the Sixth Bristol District Social Club in New Bedford, and 20 Water Street in East Greenwich. His schedule is on the Web (www.frontandcenter.mybravenet.com).

"I like playing at the Westin because it's close to home, and it gives our friends a chance to come out and see us," said Reed, who has quite the following from Brown. "I have friends from Facilities Management, Police and Security, CIS of course, and University Hall who stop by to support us — and we always have fun."

His six-member band, which features two vocalists, a keyboard player, drummer, guitarist and himself on bass, plays mostly old-school R&B music such as Earth Wind and Fire, the Commodores and James Brown. But, "we definitely keep up with the current hits, like Jill Scott, Alicia Keys and others," said Reed.

Like many struggling artists with stars in their eyes, Reed once dreamed of becoming a famous musician.

"Maybe a decade or two ago that was my goal, but now I'm having fun with my friends," he said."We all have full-time jobs and families. We're just jamming. If anything comes of it, then so be it, but I'll always be jamming. That's just me."

And, as if he didn't have enough tunes on his playlist, Reed has also served in the U.S. Army Reserves for 21 years. One weekend a month and for two full weeks a year, he and the 350 others who make up the 399th Combat Support Hospital Unit in Taunton, Massachusetts receive training on the latest telephony via radio communications.

"I do some of the same things I'm doing now for Brown for the military, except it's applied differently in the field," explained Reed.

Asked about the country's heightened state of alert since the attacks on Sept. 11, Reed said his unit is on stand by. "Right now we are just waiting to hear if we are going to be deployed or not."

History has sent Reed's training initiatives into new, unforeseen directions.

"We are being briefed on how to deal with bioterrorism and different kinds of gases, and we're learning ways to protect ourselves and others. I'm ready," said Reed. "That's my job, to be ready. I will do what I have to do."

At age 45, Reed has four children and two grandchildren and is in great shape. Once an airborne ranger who jumped out of airplanes, Reed's dreams and goals have air-lifted him to the stage, and he exhibits no detectable signs of slowly gliding through life. He balances it all with a simple philosophy.

"It's easy, because I love to do all of it," he said. "If you do something you love, it's always easy.

"I love serving in the military and enjoy entertaining people, but mostly I love working here. Seriously."