Day Five - Moncton
The drive to Moncton was filled with thoughts about the gig from the previous night. Things that worked, things that needed work, things the didn't work - the usual self-deprecating musician talk...(*chuckles).
We arrived in Moncton a little earlier than expected and hung out in a coffee shop (Jitter Bean Cafe). We needed some coffee and internet. Jitter Bean has great coffee and they are super nice people! I have been recording our gigs and rehearsals since I arrived. I've always found that it's a great tool to be able to listen back. After we have some time to digest the recordings, I'm sure that we'll post some online.
I was really excited to perform at the Plan b Lounge in Moncton. It was just nominated for venue of the year in the East Coast.
Musically, I thought that Amy and I got into the zone. The music felt great! Stretching out and pushing our musical boundaries. I think that we feel like a group now. We are able to anticipate each other - we are really starting to understand each other.
The one downside to the gig was that there were a few tables of very loud people. I guess you can't always win that game...
We grabbed dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant across the street with Amy's brother-in-law and his wife (who also attended our show) and headed back to Truro.
Our next stop - Tatamagouche!
Showing posts with label listening. Show all posts
Showing posts with label listening. Show all posts
Saturday, 26 November 2011
My Tour With Amy Brandon - Day Four
Day Four - Fredericton
On Thursday, we were heading to Fredericton. We were heading to our first gig!
We woke up that morning and hit what has become a routine - coffee and rehearsal. After we ran our tunes fairly quickly, we loaded up the car for the four hour drive to Fredericton.
We arrived at the James Joyce (our venue for the evening) and loaded our gear. We met with the manager. After a bite to eat and some running around to find a cell phone charger (I forgot mine). We hit the stage.
The Gig.
I was a little worried before we started playing, Amy warned me the the crowd could be sparse, and it seemed like it would be. We are fortunate on the tour, because Amy did a brilliant job booking each venue, and none of our shows have a cover charge, but it's still nice to play for a crowd. Just before we started playing, a nice crowd of people show up and the James Joyce comes alive!
Amy and I had worked out set lists beforehand, so there were no questions about the material. This was great, because we could focus on making the music. I'm not sure if it was because I was nervous, but I was counting off our tunes faster than we had rehearsed them. This wasn't a problem from a musical/technical perspective, but definitely a problem time-wise. We added some standards to each set, which was incredibly relaxing. Common material. It seemed like we were able to experiment more with these tunes. The interesting thing (at least to me) that happened with my playing was that I feel like I became more free within the original material that we each had brought to the duo.
After a few sets of music, some shop talk with a local saxophonist and some dinner, we headed back to the hostel to sleep.
The next day we played Moncton.
See you in the next post!
On Thursday, we were heading to Fredericton. We were heading to our first gig!
We woke up that morning and hit what has become a routine - coffee and rehearsal. After we ran our tunes fairly quickly, we loaded up the car for the four hour drive to Fredericton.
We arrived at the James Joyce (our venue for the evening) and loaded our gear. We met with the manager. After a bite to eat and some running around to find a cell phone charger (I forgot mine). We hit the stage.
The Gig.
I was a little worried before we started playing, Amy warned me the the crowd could be sparse, and it seemed like it would be. We are fortunate on the tour, because Amy did a brilliant job booking each venue, and none of our shows have a cover charge, but it's still nice to play for a crowd. Just before we started playing, a nice crowd of people show up and the James Joyce comes alive!
Amy and I had worked out set lists beforehand, so there were no questions about the material. This was great, because we could focus on making the music. I'm not sure if it was because I was nervous, but I was counting off our tunes faster than we had rehearsed them. This wasn't a problem from a musical/technical perspective, but definitely a problem time-wise. We added some standards to each set, which was incredibly relaxing. Common material. It seemed like we were able to experiment more with these tunes. The interesting thing (at least to me) that happened with my playing was that I feel like I became more free within the original material that we each had brought to the duo.
After a few sets of music, some shop talk with a local saxophonist and some dinner, we headed back to the hostel to sleep.
The next day we played Moncton.
See you in the next post!
Sunday, 19 December 2010
Lineage - It's Importance to Me
I am very fortunate. I grew up in a household where jazz was being played all of the time. I grew up on Zoot Sims, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Rollins, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Oscar Peterson and as I grew older my tastes expanded and I started getting into Dave Liebman, Joe Lovano, Steve Grossman, Bill Evans, Bob Brookmeyer, Michael Brecker and so many others.
I have been thinking quite a bit about influence, and lineage because my students are developping into players. I have a grade 9/10 big band that I lead in Ottawa. Every rehearsal I walk into the room, and ask "So what's everybody been listening to?" There are some great answers - Miles Davis - Nefertitti, Michael Brecker, the RH Factor, Arturo Sandoval, and so many other artists. I'll ask "Does anybody know who Johnny Hodges is? or Clifford Brown? or Don Byas?"
The answer is generally "no", except for my students - because listening is a huge part of my lessons, and I can even think it's unfair that I ask. Unless you grow up in a jazz household, you probably don't know a lot of the names that I would bring up - especially as a 13 or 14 year old who's just getting into the music.
I believe that it is important to know the lineage of your instrument - the players and the physical instrument itself, and the music.
The lineage of your instrument is important from the player standpoint, because you begin to hear the influence. You can understand why and how a player draws from the players before him/her. Listen to Lew Tabackin for not just the Coleman Hawkins, but the Don Byas and the Sonny Rollins in his sound, phrasing and lines. If you talk to players who are new to the soprano saxophone, they are indebted to John Coltrane, but what about Steve Lacy?
If you think of the history of an instrument, you can figure out why players played the way they did. Especially on the saxophone, the invention of left-hand pinky-rollers was a huge innovation. Before they were invented moving around that key cluster was very awkward. Have you ever owned a Buescher True Tone? That was one of the reasons for me to switch off of them. The ergonomics were awkward on that part of the horn. This is just one example. But you could relate that to the reason players from that period didn't spend that much time around that end of the saxophone.
Another point to touch on is style. How was an eighth note played in 1925? '45? '65? '85? today? What kind of vibrato was in style?
The reason that I think that lineage is so important, is because it creates an active listener. When you start understanding nuances in sound, rhythm, texture, etc. You integrate what you like into your playing concept and taking something from the greats can't hurt.
It's incredible to watch my students hear the influence another player has on another - they then find out what they want to sound like. They develop a concept for their sound. They feel time in different ways. To me, it all comes down to active listening.
What do you think about these clips? What do you like? What catches your ear? Can you hear the influence?
Body and Soul
Coleman Hawkins
Dexter Gordon
John Coltrane
Michael Brecker
Chris Potter
What do you like? What catches your ear? Can you hear the influence?
I have been thinking quite a bit about influence, and lineage because my students are developping into players. I have a grade 9/10 big band that I lead in Ottawa. Every rehearsal I walk into the room, and ask "So what's everybody been listening to?" There are some great answers - Miles Davis - Nefertitti, Michael Brecker, the RH Factor, Arturo Sandoval, and so many other artists. I'll ask "Does anybody know who Johnny Hodges is? or Clifford Brown? or Don Byas?"
The answer is generally "no", except for my students - because listening is a huge part of my lessons, and I can even think it's unfair that I ask. Unless you grow up in a jazz household, you probably don't know a lot of the names that I would bring up - especially as a 13 or 14 year old who's just getting into the music.
I believe that it is important to know the lineage of your instrument - the players and the physical instrument itself, and the music.
The lineage of your instrument is important from the player standpoint, because you begin to hear the influence. You can understand why and how a player draws from the players before him/her. Listen to Lew Tabackin for not just the Coleman Hawkins, but the Don Byas and the Sonny Rollins in his sound, phrasing and lines. If you talk to players who are new to the soprano saxophone, they are indebted to John Coltrane, but what about Steve Lacy?
If you think of the history of an instrument, you can figure out why players played the way they did. Especially on the saxophone, the invention of left-hand pinky-rollers was a huge innovation. Before they were invented moving around that key cluster was very awkward. Have you ever owned a Buescher True Tone? That was one of the reasons for me to switch off of them. The ergonomics were awkward on that part of the horn. This is just one example. But you could relate that to the reason players from that period didn't spend that much time around that end of the saxophone.
Another point to touch on is style. How was an eighth note played in 1925? '45? '65? '85? today? What kind of vibrato was in style?
The reason that I think that lineage is so important, is because it creates an active listener. When you start understanding nuances in sound, rhythm, texture, etc. You integrate what you like into your playing concept and taking something from the greats can't hurt.
It's incredible to watch my students hear the influence another player has on another - they then find out what they want to sound like. They develop a concept for their sound. They feel time in different ways. To me, it all comes down to active listening.
What do you think about these clips? What do you like? What catches your ear? Can you hear the influence?
Body and Soul
Coleman Hawkins
Dexter Gordon
John Coltrane
Michael Brecker
Chris Potter
What do you like? What catches your ear? Can you hear the influence?
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