.:.impossible

I think there are too many variables here. I think the biggest one is location. Where do you live? You can rip through the most difficult of tunes, sight read like you're eating alphabet soup, and have been composing for three or four horns since you were a teenager, but you live in Iowa. That's going to be tough, even though you've mastered every reed instrument you've been able to get your hands on. I think the second biggest one, also dependent upon the first in ways, is what do you play? If you play guitar, for instance, in a town full of guitarists, you are going to have a lot more competition for the gig. How dedicated are you? If you don't eat, shit, breathe music, chances are the bassist across the river does. He's going to get the gigs you dreamed of when you first started going at it. My brother makes his living solely on music. Yes, he teaches privately to supplement the money he makes on gigs, but he has never had any other job. Crazy to think about, considering I started working when I was fourteen. Thing is, it sometimes seems like I have more free time than he does. If I want to make a road trip and take a few days, or a long weekend, I can just do it. He, on the other hand, has too many commitments. He has to find a sub for three or four days worth of gigs, reschedule lessons, and hope that a band gig doesn't pop up unexpectedly on short notice like they so often do. Bands don't accept subs...

I saw this group play at the Newport Jazz Festival (was it two summers ago already?). They were fantastic. Everything I was hoping and then some, of course. It's Ornette. I've probably talked about this elsewhere. Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland, Brian Blade played the set after Ornette's. Pretty amazing stuff. Similar mood actually. Ornette was wearing the best suit I've ever seen in person. It was a like a television test pattern. The music was just incredible.

Well, having lived with them for over a year now, I would say that the upper octave is extreme, but the lower and middle octave have a lot of depth that I would not describe as "bright". Maybe I got it wrong. The upper octave SCREAMS if I'm playing with med-hard mallets! Maybe that is how other vibists describe these bars as bright! I've found that the mallets make as much of an impact on my tone as anything. The bars sound very different playing with a medium mallet vs. a medium hard mallet. I always thought I'd play with the motor running, but I've really been playing more without vibrato than I have with. Bruce, do you play with vibrato most of the time?

I don't think a listener is necessary, though. Not to get into the whole "if a tree falls in the woods" thing.

I will refute that argument with but two words: Kenny G. Of course I excluded the bastardization of music. Though who knows, I don't know how Kenny G's playing makes him feel.

That is something else that I had written down.

Yeah! First time! It is always amazing when I hear something like that for the first time and I wonder why I hadn't ever checked it out before. I'll pull it out again this weekend. I remember really loving the left hand!

I wrote a lot of things down today, but this was the one that I thought I'd type up. Music is a means by which to diminish physical pain by creating sound. I wouldn't say that is how I define music. This is one way that I would describe it.

Yes. That is great stuff. Initially, I thought I'd prefer the trio recordings to the quintet, but that quintet is just fantastic.

I honestly never thought of Drive By Truckers as indie. Then again, I didn't know they weren't more than a regional band. Then again, I had no idea critics were paying attention.

What, this part? More Garage 'Emphasizer', Garage a Trois 'All Kooked Out!', Stanton Moore & Charlie Hunter 'Jazz for Jerks', Ten Hands 'Flyin' the Koop', Stanton Moore 'Bing, Bing, Bing!', Charlie Hunter 'Friends Seen and Unseen', Charlie Hunter Are you just against marketing?

Sal, did you ever get around to listening to this piece again? How would you describe it now? I still don't know exactly what it is, but it is dense and, to me, all guards down, pretty damned impressive. It will forever get bashed because of the roster.

Isn't that the point though? To "hip" people to good music?

I'm not saying I don't like Drive By. Matter of fact, they get lots of play around here. You go to a party, you're going to hear Drive By shows, or the occasional studio. Calexico never hits me the right way. Can't say I'm a fan of their stuff, though they do have some nice acoustic guitar/vibraphone things going here and there. I wouldn't buy an album, but I'd buy a ticket to their show. Sam Beam, I'd love to see. Columbia, SC right? Quiet town, quiet man. I like his playing. So yeah, stringing Iron & Wine, Calexico, and Califone together makes a little bit of sense. Rutili did a mini tour with them. Who are the rich kids from Louisville? I don't usually judge a musician by his background, but I would be interested to find out who you're talking about. And thanks for the recommendations. I do try to follow-up on a lot of the stuff you throw out here. Its just so damned much, and sprawling too! Found Sun Tunnels in a used bin a couple of months ago. I like it. p.s. I hope the (not really) was attached to the "self-hatin' southern man" and not the "...sorry". I got nothin' ta prove. see you in the backyard, brah (you forget, I'm coastal. round the marsh, its pronounced brah.)

Drive By Truckers best living band? Drive By Truckers best anything? How about best band to play the parking lot behind the Soapbox Lounge. Or best band to play AU frat party 2005? Come on man. That statement alone almost discredits everything you just said. Are you a War Eagle, or what? I still say y'all should be considering Califone. I wonder what Tortoise is going to sound like with Bonnie. and shouldn't it be "Negative B Squared"? It's in parens.

I was about to ask b-3er about THE DUO. I missed them when they came to town, but I remember Rooster Ties posting a link to the NEW MUSIC SEMINAR a few years back. They played Paranoid Android in completion as an organ drums duo and I really liked the other material on that disc. Jim, have you heard them? What's the word?

I don't see anything wrong with those lists. Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway for young hippies? Bad Brains for young hippies? COC for young hippies? Messiaen for young hippies? You always come across as if your taste in music/life is far superior to everyone, including many people on this board. Just an observation, and nothing personal against you. I just wonder where that comes from?

That's good news to me. I went through all of my Dinosaur Jr. albums just last month. Great shit. I was 12 when I borrowed a cassette of Fossils from a kid at the Bon Air Community Association canteen. I've still never seen Mascis live. The Fog would have been killer to see.

Would you? I would consider him a keys player. The times I've seen him, he plays more baby grand and clavinet than anything. I haven't seen him in a while, but the last disc has him playing a lot of synth. Of course it does not matter to me. Yes, I would call Medeski an organist because he has done some very cool things with the instrument that hadn't been explored yet, both in technique and sound. He really uses the drawbars to sculpt the sound expressively. He also has an instantly recognizable signature on the instrument, which is very hard to do. ok. I see what you are saying. I can agree with you there. I would really like to hear them go back to organ, bass, drums at this stage in their career to see what they would sound like. Do you have the ep that came with The Dropper? Some cool stuff there. I think The Dropper and Uninvisible were, in ways, their best yet though!

Would you? I would consider him a keys player. The times I've seen him, he plays more baby grand and clavinet than anything. I haven't seen him in a while, but the last disc has him playing a lot of synth. Of course it does not matter to me.

I think actor de jour pretty much sums it up.

Sparrow Mr. T Mystery Man Man In the Moon Wait, did I break the rules? The first was a sort of before and after jeopardy answer.

For the seafood lover in you.

I'm with you, brother. Maybe Mosaic will announce a Mosaic Select Elite series featuring the work of Malcolm Addey. Seriously, if they hear enough of it, they might consider hiring Malcolm for these reissues, right?

I think he'd pull off a great young Ellington though. Excellent casting Valerie!