Jim Alfredson

http://www.rodneyanonymous.com/archives/00000010.htm Pay special attention to the comments after the article...

I've been wanting to pick this one up for awhile now... someday when the funds allow.

http://www.jazzreview.com/cd/review-17626.html Coolness!

Even in jazz, people go for flash over substance, it seems. Lonnie's playing epitomizes, encompasses, digests, re-creates and rejunvinates everything that jazz is. He is a true original on the instrument whose sound you can pinpoint from only a few notes. And he's also a very nice cat!

Agreed.

That's the spirit!

Cool! Ron said he had a lot of fun on this date. Can't wait to hear it.

Take some pictures.

Here's the direct link: http://www.ctnow.com/music/hce-riffs0316.a...e-utility-music Nice article, thanks! We'll definitely get in touch with them!

Yeah, that's the Jimmy Smith way. The pedals just add an attack to the front of the note. Some cats just tapped the middle Bb pedal instead of "shadowing" the left foot to the left hand. That's primarily for swinging, walking bass lines. I find now that I'm comfortable with the pedals (and didn't settle for the "one pedal tap" thing, but learned them for real), I can play much better funky bass lines, off-meter bass lines, etc. with a combination of pedal and left hand than with just left hand. Again, it's another dimension to the instrument and really frees you up on certain things if you can kick pedals.

Which track(s) did you use from "One For Me"?

I'll never forget what my teacher/mentor told me, when I made excuses for not learning the pedals: "If you're not going to play pedals, you might as well play piano." A little over the top, sure... but it's akin to saying, "Can I be a drummer without playing the bass drum?" Sure you can. It might even be cool. But why not learn it and then if you don't want to use it that's fine but you'll still have the skills to work in multiple situations. The name of the game in the gig business is versatility and if you go around saying you're an organist but can't do left-hand basslines at the very least, you're not going to get jobs in jazz most likely. Most people looking for an organist want to have two musicians (bass and a chordal instrument like piano) for the price of one. Left-hand bass lines are hard. Pedals are even harder. But when the two finally come together, and you play a solo and realize for the first time that you weren't thinking about the bass line, that it was automatic, and that you're driving the whole band... shit, there's no better feeling! I still remember the day that happened for me. Now, if you've got something different in your head, then go for it. I have no idea if Medeski can kick bass (I'm guessing not) but that's not what he's about and he's never tried to be like that, so bully for him. It all comes down to what you want to do. But in my mind, it's better to know the instrument inside and out.

I just got even more respect for these guys: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5286835

Joe and I saw Victor Lewis with the Stryker/Slagel band in NYC last October. He's playing better than ever. Sounds like a killer band!

All I can say is, the person that isn't moved by Mozart's great operas (Don Gionvanni, Le nozzi de Figaro, Così fan tutte) has something wrong with them.

The poster already said that the music was deleted off the iPod, but he/she chose to delete that post because it was also a bit disrespectful. If you're concerned about the legality of the used discs, don't buy them. I don't see why it matters anyway.

Someone on another board suggested that they just re-voice the character and then pretend like nothing ever changed except one character (maybe Stan) notices a difference. But all the other characters think he's crazy. That would be funny.

Looks good to me!

Man, that gives me the heebeegeebees. <shudder>

Wasps don't inhabit old nests. They always build new.

BFrank, thanks for posting that! It's great news that he's working on a new record.

Smells fishy to me, man.

The thing with wasps is if you don't bother them, they won't bother you. Of course, if they build their nests right in a high-traffic area, that ain't good. We used to douse the buggers' nests with kerosine and light 'em up! When I was a kid, I also concocted a mixture that would stop them in mid-flight. Seriously, it would kill them in mid-air... just one spray. I don't remember what was in it and frankly it probably was not very safe around humans either (ah, the things we kids do when the parents aren't looking!)

Winwood's a bad dude. That last record he put out with just a quartet (organ, guitar, drums, and percussion) is a fantastic CD. And he can sing his ass off. Wish I could've seen the segment.

Brian was there and it was nice to see him and meet his girlfriend. We did record the show, which went well. We were a bit rusty, having not played a gig since February 9th, but all in all it was a good performance. We missed ya, Paul!