Magic Lessons 101: The 10 Principles of Magic

Tarantula - get it while it's hot!

2009-03-01T10:09:00.000-08:00

I've always loved Steve Fearson's floating cigarette. It's been my opening stage and parlor bit for over 20 years.
Now I can add to my walkaround some other cool stuff: Tarantula.
You need to head over to Penguin Magic and check out the video. If you like what you see, then I suggest you invest time and money for this one.

Also noteworthy is the Gecko. Both are great 1-2 punches for spring and summer walk around magic.

Check out the sites!

Jerry

Great Magic Card Trick
Magic Trick

Mr Magic: He's Now Available 24/7

2008-12-26T19:00:00.000-08:00

Mr. Magic.
He's there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Can you imagine having friends choose a card, hand them a phone
and have Mr. Magic do all the work? (of course, YOU take the bow).

Check out the new website, join the emailing list, and try a
FREE SAMPLE!

Jerry

New Magic Has Arrived: The Old Card Trick Updated

2008-12-23T00:22:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

I haven't posted for awhile, because I have been busy with some other adventures. One was going toe to toe with a famous Australian Magician over who invented the Balloon in a Dog trick first.

But all that "legal stuff" aside, I'd like to announce a brand new, out of the box website, featuring a new kind of "magic" never before created.

It's called 1-800-MrMagic, and it can be found at www.800MrMagic.com

All you have to do is click on the link above, and you are there!

Magic Tricks and Spring Cleaning

2008-06-29T09:54:00.000-07:00

Hope your summer is into full swing. Mine is just starting with the warm weather FINALLY hitting Seattle (90 today). OK, HOT weather.

I finally had the opportunity to pull out my old cardboard boxes and re-organize my magic into nice plastic boxes that seal on top.

That's definitely the way to go. No moisture damage, or accidental "crushes" from storage stacking mishaps.

I found a 'real old' illusion. Blackstone Jr performed it live on Merv Griffin. It involved a tray, some wooden colored balls, and a shotglass (I'll have to describe it in detail in another post).John Carswell, who worked for Blackstone Sr. made it for me. John was a awesome guy. He was in charge of care-taking and patching up Sr's show when they were on the road.

John continued to make magic gear and illusions until he passed away a few years ago. I didn't attend the broken wand ceremony because, well, I don't like funerals. My very first funeral I can remember was an open casket (note to parents: don't EVER take your 8 yr old to an open casket funeral).

So, John's illusion is magnificent - but made with the eyes and hands of an 84 year old. I have fond memories of him. I am going to have the props re-tooled and brought back into the magic fold this winter, so be on the lookout for the grandest of all parlour magic illusions.

Amazing what a Spring Cleaning can do...

More to come...

3 Card Color Monte

2008-06-22T14:46:00.000-07:00

Here's the next video installment of Magic 101: The 3 Card Color Monte (also on YouTube).

Except for one thing: Members will get the actual "How To" in the next video.

Above is a site that has the cards for purchase – just click on the picture to get to the site. I suggest you buy 2 or 3 (one to work with and one for performance... with a back-up just in case.

Enjoy!

My Link to Technorati

2008-06-22T13:29:00.000-07:00

Technorati Profile

Magic Lesson No. 201: The Look

2008-06-05T14:10:00.000-07:00

(For those of you who purchased my magic lesson ebook: The 10 Principles of Magic, this one should be a no-brainer).

Looking at this picture, can you tell who this is? Can you tell what this person is doing?
Why?

Pose and Presentation.

This guy could be the lousiest magician in the world, but you wouldn't know it until AFTER he started his routine. Why? Because he possesses the knowledge of the 10 principles. Even before he starts his routine, the audience is believing in magic.

I'm tellin' ya... learn from this. This guy is already 3 STEPS ahead of his audience. And he hasn't even started yet!

eBooks : Magic - ebook

2008-06-04T09:53:00.000-07:00

There's a ton of ebooks out there...

Here's a site that has a few worth looking at..

eBooks : Magic - ebook

How To Get Started In Magic

2008-06-04T01:47:00.000-07:00

How To Get Started In Magic

Here's a nice little article I wrote about "How it all started". Let me know what you think!

magic trick ebook - Google Search

2008-06-04T01:23:00.000-07:00

magic trick ebook - Google Search

Lee Asher and Thunderbird

2008-05-31T14:44:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought your could produce 4 Aces bare sleeved?
Lee is a great person - to see his blog and website gives you a good
idea as to who he is.
I own Thunderbird too. I haven't quite got it down 100% YET (only because I have a few other projects going on, including a townspeople role in "Music Man" for the next few weeks.

Check out his video. The pdf download does an excellent job explaining how to do this. The fact that he already speaks English means that the translation process is one step easier to decipher...

Visit his site by clicking here.

Magician Terry Jensen - Google Video

2008-05-25T09:45:00.000-07:00

magic terry jensen - Google Video

Terry is a great friend of mine. Very instrumental on assembling
The 10 Principles eBook ... What? You DON'T have it?
I specifically made it VERY inexpensive so you could get one!

remember: money back if you think it sucks... !!!

Terry has been doing magic for many years. In fact,
he has studied everything, has every book (and can quote
page and verse on most things...)

He called me up one day and asked me if I knew any
young kids who want to be in a video he's shooting. We both laughed for a minute until I realized he was serious!

Notice in the film that when the band starts singing, people aren't paying attention. When the magician comes in, then the fun is had, and the band is being heard by the crowd.
Watch Terry as he steals 2 things: a watch, and a necklace.

By the way, he really can steal that stuff. He does a pick-pocket show that is truly amazing.

Terry, when you see this... good job mate!

Jerry

Here's a SECRET worth Telling!

2008-05-17T13:00:00.001-07:00

Some of you are like me. You want a great deal.

Well here's one:

How to get a brand new car for up to 90% off the price!

Book Review: JB BoBo's Modern Coin Magic and the French Drop

2008-05-17T09:45:00.000-07:00

Reviewed: Modern Coin Magic
by JB Bobo - 1982 - 386 pages

If you ever buy a book on coin magic– this is the one to put on the shelf AND used. Not only does it contain some of the best coin routines, but it also uses magician lingo. And coin magic lessons. I can't stress how important it is to learn the lingo early on. A lot of magic tricks you'll buy throughout your lifetime will have our "special words" without explanations.
Words like:
•French Drop
•Double Lift
•Talking
•Flash
•The Pass
•Palm
•Muscle Pass

Some of these have nothing to do with coin magic, but if you have NO IDEA on what these words are above, Modern Coin Magic should be BOOK #1 on your shelf. The Tarbel Course on Magic should be your book SET on the shelf. Buy one book a month.

Back to Bobo...
I can't stress how important The French Drop is. Once mastered with coins, you can begin using it with silks, balls, rocks, cigarettes, cigars, cards, etc.
Don't try it with a bowling ball though... save that one for this guy:
(parents: This is from a German TV show, so Jonathan's a little more tame. There's a lot of YouTube uploads with a LOT of BLUE dialog, so you may want to preview his acts)

Magic Lessons now become Magic Improv!

2008-05-16T20:34:00.000-07:00

Improvisational Magic - Improv Everywhere Global

My Favorite Tricks in a Bag

2008-05-16T19:42:00.000-07:00

I was working as a magician one summer, and asked myself; "If I had to put together a small container of magic props, what would they be?
The idea came to me after playing with a cassette tape container.

I thought about what I could put in a cassette tape container and be able to do a mini magic show. Anytime, anyplace.
Here is what I came up with:

1. A Deck of Cards
2. 3 and-a-half of clubs
3. Thumbtip
4. Silk
5. Scotch and soda
6. A quarter
7. Beeswax
8. Flash paper
9. $1.00 bill
10. Business cards
11. 3 color monte

There you have it. Of course the deck of cards will not fit in the holder, but they could be rubber banded together (which then gives you rubber bands for another trick too!

I wanted to assemble and package this idea for others to buy, but you have to buy like, 3,000 thumbtips to get a good price!

Heck, use a 8mm video cassette holder and see what you can do.

I was going to call it something like "Magician in a Box" or "Instant Magician" or even "Magicians Emergency Kit" in case theirs got stolen (I actually saw that at Mickey Hades in Seattle) - something like that. It would also be a great kit to give to my students who come to my Magic Lessons.