Okay, a little update...
I've been largely offline owing to the dying computer becoming a dead one. Never fear tho, my new laptop should arrive in the next fortniht, so I'll be back to annoy you all!
I've been pretty busy jazzing it up - have startedrehearsals in a quartet off guitar, double bass, drums, and saxophone. We plan to start giggin in about a month,, once we have a decent set list and experienc playing together. We should be able toget a rgular weekly or fortnightly slot at a venue in town.
I've also been asked to sit in with the house bands at a few venues, so I've been working like a fiend at building up a repertoire...stuff like Take Five, All Blues, Footprints, uh...........that other one, y'know, the one with the funky groove? Hmmm.....Chameleon, and a bunch of others. I've surmised that (a) I can jazz (improvise tasteful solos and listen to other players and fit in around them) on more vampy tunes. The more vampy it is, the more jazz I am. I also surmised that (b) on fast tunes, or tunes with a hundred chords in them, I'm lucky to hit the arpeggios of the chords at the right time. But the learning continues.
Had quite a few hiccups along the lines of people wasting my time with vague ideas about projects which never go anywhere...one guy in particular has bugged me so much in this way that all the jazz gurus in the area have taken to saving me from him by dragging me away with an "I've got to introduce you to..." or "Hey, I gotta show you this lick/progression/trick" :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Fortunately, I seem to have moved past the timewasters, and have learned to spot them much earlier now.
Also have a couple of auditions coming up, and a soul band that's due to start rehearsing pretty soon, too. And I'm working on doing arrangements for acoustic guitar and trumpet (I have a feeling they'll mesh well in a jazz setting), as well as handling some notation/arranging duties for my jazz band. I'm also working with a flute player and a trombonist (separately!) , giving them heads I've notated or composed and getting feedback on how good a job I've done of writing for their instrument. I have a trumpet player in mind for my acoustic guitar/tpt 'project' but he is good. Like, seriously good. I think it may require my music to be mind-blowing, plus some major begging at venues and good performances when I sit in if I'm to persuade him to play it.
What else? Uh....lots and lots and lots and lots of practice. When not practicing, listening. Lots. Been asked to sit in on the Ceilidh performance at a friend's folk night, too. That's next Friday - if my new laptop arrives in time, I'll post some pics! If not, shortly thereafter.
I've also been encouraged to do something about sorting aa website. Mainly due to it being suggested by several people who make a living from music as a really useful thing to do, and also due to being asked if I have a site on a number of accasions. That's in the works right now, and we're planning to go live as they say in about a month. Should be earlier, but I need my laptop to organise some of the files that are going up on there.
My other big news (the really big news) is that I've been pulled in to book some gigs for an LA Blues guitarist and Session musician who is touring Europe this summer. His playing is pretty darn tasty, and his album Should I? can be found in Spotify, and in the usual places (iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby, etc.). His name is Phil Gates, and you can find out more about him at www.philgates.com Funny thing too - we both know the same bass player! I recommended a guy, Hank Van Sickle, in passing in case Phil ever needed a stand in when gigging in LA. Turns out, he already knew the guy and Hank had indeed subbed for Phil's regular bassist on a few occasions. We both agreed he's good people and a massive talent on the bass. Small world, eh? Anyway, if you're in Europe, keep your eyes peeled, as I'll be yelling form the rooftops as I get more info on the Euro tour dates. I'll certainly be bragging once I've nailed down dates for the gigs I'm booking, too - plan is to have 2-3 bands, 2 of them local plus Phil and his band.
So, all in all, lots of hard work and general being busy and, being laptopless, I've been neglecting this place. Gimme a week or two, and I guarantee that will change tho!
And Vic, I swear I'll start doing SSG again soon!
I love your posts! :D
Those are great news. Congrats on each comment but especially on the jazz. You were working hard these months, eh? 8)
If you came here I will try to view you. There are several blues/jazz festivals in spring and summer around the country and it is probable you play in one of those if you are touring Europe.
Hank Van Sickle, who was playing with Bluesbreakers? If so, he is an awesome bassist!
Thanks for the update.
Congrats on many fronts, Scrybe. You server as a reminder to all that you can do what you want. You also serve as a reminder to myself that I have a LONGGGGGGG ways to go, but I'm good with that. :)
Do keep us posted. Can't wait to hear some Jazz, Scrybe-Style being posted soon. I'm still very, very slow with Jazz chord progressions.
All in all, way cool!
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
Thanks for the update Scrybe - I was wondering wassup there? I'm glad you're keeping busy.
It sounds good, except for the computer, seems like progress and it will be a success! 8)
Like a bird on the wire,
like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.
Roy - I can still be very slow on jazz progressions depending on the tune! Lmaoo. My way forward was to join a local community jazz big band for weekly practice. Literally anyone can turn up - I could buy a sax tomorrow and go play sax with them no questions. So the standards can be a little patchy. But it's useful because they just give me charts and/or dots for tunes I've usually not heard before (eg Nostalgia In Times Square) and I get seconds to prep before we're in and playing - I have to read the chart accuratelywhile processing all the info coming from the band. Hard work, but my Reading abilities and confidence stepped right up!
Nuno - can you get us a gig? Haha, we have jazz and will travel! Seriously tho, if it all goes well, we're looking to start our own jazz night in town and then gets gigs in Manchester and other places. If it goes seriously well, you can bet we'll be looking to play far and wide! But baby steps first...
Yup, the Bluesbreakers bassist (or ex-bassist) - he's a seriously good guy as well as a top notch player. I'm very very grateful to have spent some time around him n Buddy when I was starting out, and very thankful that they were nice enough to take the time to show me a few things n jam while I tried desperately to do a bluesy lead over the top.
As for recordings...I do have some time set aside in the next couple of weeks to lay some trax down. Not sure how hazy I'll be, but we'll see.
I'm looking forward to being able to post again without having to use my iPhone, lmaoo, all the typos in my OP!
Note to self: still must must must buy a cheap bass. And an archtop. After winning the lottery to finance the latter, I fear.
Forgot to say...our sax player does both alto and tenor. He's young but has a really good tone. I favoured him over a slightlybetter tehnical player for that reason - plus he's good people, easy to get along with, and I'm betting he'll quickly become an excellent player once he has a bit more confidence and experience as the lead instrument in a band (he does lots of sitting in on jazz nights, not so much full shows, but I know he can handle it).
So far, we're doing...
Milestones (the modal vampy version, not the Parker bop one)
All Blues
Take 5
Watermelon Man
Blue Bossa
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
Oye Como Va (our drummer loves Latin music!)
and I'm hoping to add The Man I Love, Mood Indigo, Take The A Train, mebe Caravan, mebbe Moondance (so many singers request it), and Blue In Green to our set.
There's nothing like working with good musicians on a fruitful project to really make you step up your game! I'm stoked. :-)
:)
-=tension & release=-
Great set list, Sara!
Ya gotta lot of my favorites there... one more you might find fun: Desifinado :)
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
Moondance is a great one. I imagine playing behind someone whe can belt this one out would be fun. 8)
Scrybe, I work on three or four songs just to get used to jazy chords. Common ones, like Girl From Ipanema, A jazzed up version of Biily Joel's "Just The Way ou Are", in the style Diana Krall did. I've moved Otis Redding's "dock Of the bay" out into bar-chord land and experiment to my heart's content. One other one that's not Jazz, but has similarities is "Nearness Of You" by Hoagy Charmicheal and many others. I can't quite finish the arrangement though. Not sasfactorily.
One other song too. It changed directions on me and became two projects. Low Spark Of High Heel Boys by Winwood and Traffic in live settings. Here's a backing track that derived from it. http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8323298 It's got a jazzy feel to it. It's in Dm. I faked a bass by muting some glat wounds with tone all the way down. Sometimes the bongos work well, and sometimes they don't. I do have a clear track, sans my lead, that your welcome to have a go with it. It ain't jazz, but it does get that laid back repetion feel to it.
I also enjoy doing Nina Simone's "Sinner Man". Am instead of Bm
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
That's incredible!!!!
Good luck to you, it sounds like you have a ton of exciting things on your plate at the moment, and I hope you keep this momentum up!!
In Space, no one can hear me sing!
Nuno - can you get us a gig?
I should do a couple of phone calls! 8)
Buddy Whittington? Ok, if you don't come here then I will go there. I have to listen to somebody who met with two of my guitar heroes!
Moreover, the first one was Torres. Now Maxi. The next one must be Nuno!
I'll be waiting for those recordings :D
BTW what a cool set list!
Wow my head is spinning with all the stuff you have going on good luck with all of it!
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
Thanks guys, it's lots of fun!
I'm rehearsing with just my sax dude this Fridy, and then back to full band by Wednesday. Sax dude also runs a jazz jam in St Helens on a Monday nights that I'm gonna start going down to, and I'm sitting in at three spots next week. It's amazing how quickly it's all moving, but my playing and confidence are stepping up to meet it.
Yeah, I actually caught a wicked live take on Moondance last night. I'm thinking we should at least get familiar with that, Autumn Leaves n Summertime, plus mebbe one or two other "key" jazz songs, as we're open to people sitting in with us, so we'd do well to at least know a few key songs that are popular. I think those are the big three, just not sure about others...
Roy - yup, I'd def like the backing track to noodle over if that's not too much trouble. I'll take a listen to yours once the laptop arrives - my iPhone won't cut it, I'm afraid. :-(
Tom- thanks for the hook up on that track, I'll go find it. I also heard a tube last night called Sunshower by Kenny Barron that I liked enough to addto our list (that was the E7b10 one! Lmaoo).
St. Helens on a Monday, huh? Now that's easy to get to for me....buses every 20 mins through the day, every 1/2 hour after six pm. Let me know date/venue and I'll come watch!!!
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Hey scrybe. I went away for a while, but came back. First post of yours i've seen since returning. And flippin heck. Sounds like you have been busy a great deal doing Musaakk!
Anyway, give me a heads up when you got a show in Liverpool town, or if you ever travel to southport and i'll be there!
David Watts
Takamine G-Series - £229
Fender STD American Telecaster (Cola Red) - £849
Vox 15watt AMP (Valve pre amp) - £129
Acoustic/Electric Rhythm and Lead (Occasionally) Southport Elim Youth Band
Former Aftershock 24/7 Rhythm Guitarist (Band split)
