Free For All

I've about given up on finding stuff in stock here in KC. Borders and Barnes and Noble are WAY too pricey, and Streetside seems to be in the process of phasing out jazz completely. I do most of my buying at CDUniverse these days, although I miss the fun of going through all the stock (ala Jazz Record Mart). I'm going to Chicago for a gig in a couple of weeks- maybe I'll make a stop there! I'm jonesin' for that place! :rsmile:

I'd just settle for one that didn't drop calls all the time.

I was playing in a concert Friday night and someone's cell went off REALLY LOUDLY right in the middle of a solo. I immediately used it as a motive in my solo, and the audience was cracking up. I think they appreciated that more than anything "thoughtful" I might have been trying to play. I remember hearing that someone had done this at a gig (I think it was Wynton) so I must have had that in the back of my mind. EDIT: Because of course it is my ultimate goal to emulate Wynton........

Remember the Mancini thread we had a while back, Bruce? I said then I love Mancini for his orchestration skills/fondness for unique colors (love those alto flutes!) and general melodic sense. Quite commercial, yes, but he had his own identity. And he had some great jazz moments here and there. I remember on a Pink Panther soundtrack that I have there's an extra cut with some really "out" writing that was almost Gil Evans-like. I think much of his music stands up well to being re-examined and re-interpreted.

I don't know, maybe deus will slip into some kind of Stephen King twilight zone and actually start aging a year every day. Remember the story "Thinner"?

My weird dreams are fairly common anxiety-related themes. In one I've signed up for a difficult class that I need to graduate and forget to go all semester and have to take the final cold. In another I'm in some kind of a play (never been an actor) getting ready to go on and I have NO idea what any of my lines are. In another I'm trying to get ready for a gig and can't seem to get it together. Can't find my pants, forgot to shower, keep leaving and have to go back for my axe, etc. I do have a couple of really cool recurring dreams, though. In the first, I get to talk to my mom (who passed in '94) and am absolutely overwhelmed with joy, which sometimes continues for a while after I wake up. No sadness, just total bliss. I'm totally aware in the dream that she has passed away and I'm getting some kind of gift by getting to talk to her. Man, I wish I could have that dream every night! In the other one I'm playing a gig and for some reason everything is clicking perfectly. Good rhythm section and I'm TOTALLY focused- everything I can even vaguely conceive immediately comes out with no effort. Total Zen. Like you're driving and just let go of the wheel and the car stays on course. I'm thinking way ahead of what I'm playing and it's like the world is in slow motion. Now when I wake up I'm always a little disappointed it was just a dream, but it's also exhilarating that something like that exists in my subconscious- to me it means that if I can dream it, maybe at some point I'll be able to really experience it on a regular basis. On a few occasions (in real life) I've been in a similar circumstance where things are clicking,but I often blow the Zen moment by thinking "Hey, I'm really playing great!" >POOF<! It's gone because I acknowledged it. I really believe in the Zen concept of not getting wrapped up in extreme highs and lows. It's a good way to deal with maintaining optimism on a bad day and humility on a good day. I used to make myself crazy by over-analyzing every performance and reliving every bad moment. Once I stopped "punishing" myself for mistakes, I immediately started making fewer mistakes. Letting go of what you can't change is the way to go.

Happy birthday LV! Nice having you around here.

Is it already pirate-speaking time again, maties?

On a related topic, I recently I did a jazz clinic for mostly educators, and I was trying to decide what to prepare for a handout. When I clinic high school or college jazz bands, one of the most frequent comments I make is that everyone (students and directors) needs to listen to recordings to learn about the music. You can't teach someone to swing by simply describing it. Most things depend on the influence and vigilance of the director, however, and it's obvious that jazz is frequently not their area of expertise. So I compiled a list of 28 essential jazz recordings (not a "most of all time" list by any means), something for both directors and students. Now this list was not by any means historically complete, and it represented mostly instrumental music. I was trying to choose recordings that contain examples of the various grooves I hear rhythm sections attempt, and I tried to represent each instrument in a big band. My list ended up consisting mostly of recordings from the late bebop and hardbop periods, roughly 1950-1965 (mostly Blue Notes). The only things outside of that period were the Hot Fives/Sevens and the Blanton /Webster Band sets. It's fairly conservative list, and if I were making a Smithsonian-type compilation would be completely different (BTW, someone asked about the Smithsonian set- it seems I heard it's out of print. Is that true?). I was just trying to pick things that would represent musical circumstances encountered in most academic big bands. Basically, it's a list of what I think is most important for students and directors to hear. I tried to limit it to a nice round number like 20 or 25, but decided to go with 28. What the hell. Anyway, it's not really important what was on the list, and I'm sure there would be disagreement about content, but I found it interesting to see what I tend to gravitate towards (mostly hardbop). I think one thing that is so great about this music is that everyone finds their own cornerstones, and that's all that really matters.

I really liked this edition of OP's trio. I think the recording was "Tristeza on Piano"? Some burning Oscar.

I was gonna mention him. I've gotten interested in his stuff lately- he writes some very engaging tunes- not overly "guitaristic" at all. I like that he doesn't flaunt his technique at every turn, too. And Jim, you and Joe should just plain MAKE time to hang and work your shit out. No matter how busy you guys are, that's just too important to put off- having someone around who actually inspires you (and I'm sure it's mutual) is too rare and worth making time for!

When I attend a symphony concert, the fastest licks usually are found in the upper strings (specifically violins), upper woodwinds (flutes, clarinets) and piano. The trombones are usually counting rests and/or reading the paper.

Stan Kenton in '73. Return to Forever in '75 or so (Romantic Warrior tour). The latter was the first time I was ever was around people smoking pot. I think I got a contact high at that one. And then a "date" concert later in the 70s- Styx.

That Dolly Parton sure has some copious dollops.

Another convert! All right! This has long been a favorite Blue Note. In some ways, JJ would seem to be the antithesis of Woody and Joe, but the blend/contrast of the three horns seems to work very well, IMHO. Inspired compositions by Horace (and Joe) abound, and how about some props for drummer Roger Humphries? When I was living in the Cleveland area I got to play with him a couple times in Pittsburgh (at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, where several jazz releases have been recorded) and he still sounds great (he's originally from Pittsburgh). I'll always love this side and include it on my desert island list.

I seem to be spending a lot more time in the car this year and one thing that's really getting on my nerves is all these people on the PHONE while DRIVING. Many cannot handle this particular form of multi-tasking very well. 99 times out of 100 when I encounter someone who's driving erratically, sure enough, they're on the damn phone!! They sit at green lights, drive alternately too fast/too slow, weave, don't signal ('cause their hands are full) and it seems like they're frequently driving the biggest SUVs. The same thing with students at both schools where I teach part-time- the second class lets out they've got that phone attached to their ear. Sometimes DURING class they have to take or make calls. I have to ask at the beginning of rehearsals/classes that they turn off their phones, and you'd think I was asking for a kidney or something. How did we ever exist without cell phones? I got my cell phone mainly for my wife to have when she travels. I use it to check in, get a grocery list, etc. Short calls. I'm not interested in talking endlessly while driving- I'd rather catch up on listening to music, which is much less distracting to me. I think our ability to multi-task is highly over-rated. Technology is kicking our ass. The other thing I hate is people who bitch behind your back instead of confronting you directly. These people are most often the weak link in whatever chain they are part of. Students are notorious for doing this- they'll sit quietly in class and never say a word, but then you might hear that they've gone to a dept. chair or someone and complained about something you've done or said. Usually it seems they're trying to find a way to avoid work. These days when you are teaching you have to be very careful what you say (PC-wise) and you have to cover yourself "legally" by providing a fairly detailed syllabus which outlines specifically all class requirements, so that when someone challenges a grade you've got something with which to defend yourself. I'd much rather have a student say TO MY FACE what's on their mind. I actually respect them more for having the balls to do that. If the whiners spent half the time learning the material/practicing their instrument as they spend bitching, they'd be doing just fine. OK, sorry I blew up!

I just noticed it was your birthday and didn't see a thread, unless I missed it. We must leave no board member unharassed, so here's hoping you have, or had, a great day. H a P p Y b I r T h D a Y j L h O o T s !!

Kinda looks like a cardboard/stealth/surrogate johnson. I know men's bathrooms are usually a mess, but are women in there peeing all over the seats as well? I know my wife is very particular about where she goes. I think she's got the squat-but-don't-touch thing down. And I'm sure she'd be just thrilled that I shared that. Reminds me of a friend of mine whose wife makes him SIT to pee in their home. That seems to be fairly emasculating to me. I mean, c'mon, I always put the seat down when I'm done, but give me a break, you can't always aim perfectly. Remember the scene with Jim Carrey in Me, Myself and Irene where he's peeing after sex? Man, you never know where that's gonna end up! EDIT: And of course, there's the next question: do they make a device for #2? Like maybe the "Poop Chute" or something like that? Sorry everyone, I just couldn't stop myself on this one.

I'm not the audiophile that many on the board are, which is not intended to be a criticism of anyone. I love hanging out with audiophiles (that term still sounds semi-illegal to me), but myself, I purchase CDs for the music, and in all honesty I never look at who might have engineered the product. My equipment is not high end, but I'm very satisfied with my listening experience. I think this comes from a lifetime of being a freelance musician- financially I've never been able to afford spending big bucks on stereo equipment. I'm amazed that I own a house! It's not like I'm unable to appreciate quality though- when I hear a friend's high-end stereo or high def TV, or drink expensive wine or single-malt scotch I know the difference, but I don't feel bad about my lil' old sound system at home. I'd rather spend my money on accumulating a butt-load of great music. My personal areas of high expectations are my own playing, writing and teaching, so it's not like I don't know what quality is or should be. I'm also glad I don't have perfect pitch- I'd go crazy with all the out-of-tune pianos I have to play against! Sometimes I used to wonder if something was wrong with my ears- I often didn't hear what people were complaining about regarding things like Addey vs. McMaster, or if I did, it just didn't seem that important, compared to not getting to hear the music at all! I'm still fascinated to read all those posts, though! This place is a great mix of audiophiles, scholars, writers, players and fans! These are the people I like to be around in "real life"! Everyone contributes within their area of expertise, and we all end up better off!

From the board of tourism: Come to Kansas City- the Staten Island of the midwest! Trashy houses! Strip malls!! We got it all, just not as nice!!! :rsmile:

Not to worry you AB, but I remember being on the road and staying in a hotel where there was a Mary Kay convention (this was in the 80s), and I think about half the band got lucky! Those women knew how to PAR-TAY!!

he he I missed this the first time through, what time is the party? S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y, NIGHT! As usual, the drummer has that Ron Perlman "missing link" vibe. Notice the rest of the guys keeping their distance! Sorry Randy! ...and that plaid bass drum cover is SO five minutes ago!

See, I think the department or grocery store is the perfect place for this kind of crap- wallpaper for shopping. I get kind of bugged when I hear good jazz (like Kind Of Blue or Time Out, which seem to be two jazz classics that have penetrated the main stream) presented as "muzak". Seems kind of sacreligous to me somehow. I can tune out G and his cronies just fine.

If I'm understanding all this, it seems to me that the important difference between 16ths and triplets is that the former appears in groups of four and the latter in groups of three. If I'm remembering "Hot Fun" correctly, the ride pattern is triplets (1-and-a 2-and-a 3-and-a 4-and-a, at the risk of sounding like Lawrence Welk) so the meter might be considered to be 12/8............as opposed to 16ths (1-e-and-a 2-e-and-a etc.), or 4/4 meter. Think of the wakka-wakka guitar on Shaft.