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Argh!

Well...I have taken an unplanned rest from Afro Blue because...

1) First, I forgot about a recording session I agreed to play marimba on, so I had to spend a weekend staying up too late and getting up too early trying to cram learning the part (luckily I'm an okay music crammer, so the composer was actually satisfied with my playing. Phew!). That was kinda dumb though, so next time someone wants me to record with them, I will make sure to learn the part in advance!

This is a wonderful page recommended to me by my friend Nahum Ben-Yehuda, who was the inventer of the historic "Good Vibes" mallets. Here are some interesting facts with pictures of many of the old Deagan instruments, originally designed by Henry J. Schluter.

http://www.deaganresource.com/index.html

Click on "Vibraharps".

Believe it or not, I wrote a percussion piece and and playing it up at Millersville University where James Armstrong teaches. He's a great percussionist and a great friend. He really helped me get the piece in shape!

Anyway!!!!! He gave this book of Hymns and Christmas tunes for any of you Catholics or Christians out there!

Would love to get some jewish songs or Kwanza or whatever else you might have!

The book is attached!

Something special happened during the gig I just did tonight in a restaurant.
The place was half-full - about 25 people. I was playing alone, with play-along-home-recorded CDs, split guitar and vibes.
At the middle of the gig I decided to try a new set on vibes, with a lot of the TOTMs and others tunes worked here on the site : Stella, Have You met Miss Jones, All the things, Anthroplogy, Billie's bounce, If I were a bell, Blue Bossa, Bluesette, Soul eyes, SomedayMPWC etc... I was playing most of them live for the first time, then I was a bit nervous...

Wooo!!!!!! Tonight was a HUGE breakthrough because I have finished the introduction!!! (well...at least I have the notes...still have to make it sound smoother and work on articulations and stuff...).

But anyway..

Day 5:
This day...doesn't count. Part of my job involves planning programs for students, and yesterday was my biggest program of the semester. So...I woke up way too early, went too bed way too late, and excused myself from practicing because this event only happens once a year (and it was a huge success!).

Day 6:

Alright...I said I wouldn't post again until the end of the week, but here I am hogging up the blog newsfeed because...I am excited that I just figured out this third part of the intro!!!

So here's how this has been going:

Day 3:

I was just sitting here listening to some practice tracks I recorded. You know I say all the time that I might be a teacher on this site, but I'm also a student. And I've listened to many of you and learned something.

I just realized while listening to these practice tracks that I learned a lot about solo playing during our TOTM. And it was from listening to little things some of you did. Even if you didn't do it perfect, I saw what you were going after and got it and learned from it.

Man...I think this blog thing is really helping me. Tonight I wasn't going to spend a ton of time on Afro Blue, but then I said "No, I've got to work on that transcription so I can post!!!".

Had the chance to see Chick Corea and Gary Burton and the Harlem String Quartet in Burlington VT last night. What a show. Great tunes, beautiful arrangements and unreal musicianship. The best part of the show, besides Gary Burton's unbeilably fluid lines (how can lines be so smooth?) was that all the musicians really wanted to share their music with the audience. They were into it! Thank you to Chick Corea and Gary Burton for continuing to Tour!

Alright...I need some motivation. Many times I have said to myself "Carolyn, you should transcribe more, it's great for your ear!" so I'll start working on something...AND NEVER FINISH IT.