This week I didn't practice as much as usual.
Work has been a real bitch and I needed some change to improve my perspective.
So I made it a listening week.

Aside from all the great videos posted at VW this last week or so, I kept being reminded of someone on the site saying we need to listen to other instruments and in particular guitar players. So that's what I did this week. A guitar listening marathon.

The guitar players I listened to were:
Jim Hall
Pat Martino
Bill Frisell
Emily Remler
Steve Kahn
Pat Metheny
Larry Carlton
John Scofield
Robben Ford

I'm getting a ton out of the latest Burton and Friedman videos. You know I always want to be a student, no matter what else I might become. That's the great thing about this site, it's an opportunity to be a student and a teacher. So I've watched and listened as much as possible to those videos and they are changing the way I play.

Just the sounds, when you hear someone play and they get 'their' sound can change you. I don't mean sound of the instrument, I mean note choices, sticking choices, etc.

It's only rare these days that I write anything in this blog, merely because most things that are happening here are just common stuff.

At the moment tho, lots is happening here in the company. We're reorganizing to cope with the huge increased market and specially the demand for the gigVibe model. Reorganizing is in terms of company structure, machinery/workshop structure and simplifying/standardizing the current models, investing in new machines.

I have the final lesson coming of our TOTM. The thing is there have been so many heavy videos going up that I thought I should chill on the TOTM and let all this great stuff through. It's been the Burton Lessons, the Friedman lessons, Ed Saindon performing. This is great stuff, and I've been learning a ton from checking out these cats so I assume you guys are as well.

I have the last lesson the 'Putting it all Together' lesson planned and I'll post it soon.

Let's back up a couple days. I saw Burton play, the music was great. Gary was talking about how it was new music and making jokes about maybe making mistakes. Well if they did, it didn't matter. These are serious and heavy pros. I know what went on behind the scene to make this first night work, however I assumed Scott Colley, and Antonio and Julian came in with the music down. But I could be wrong. Although it sounded like they had it down.

Checked out Burton tonight at the Blue Note. He played with:
Gary Burton, vibraphone
Julian Lage, guitar
Scott Colley, bass
Antonio Sanchez, drums

It was a GREAT concert. The band was smokin', and every took great solos, but I was especially blown away by Gary and Julian. The last tune of the night was Bags Groove and Gary took a great solo that really reminded me why he's so unique. He really has his own vocabulary!

Hi all,

My gig was cancelled tonight so I practiced all night. HOURS! You know I always say there are a few secret potions for getting good. One is study in all keys, two is to sing and 3 is now officially make time to practice. Time is the new secret potion for me! I always new it was important,and I ALWAYS put music first in my life, but now I've moved time on my secret potions list.

Check out this line up tomorrow!

Me (of course)
(in alphabetical order)
Behn Gillece
Mike Pinto
Dana Sudborough
Joe Veltri

(checking on Randy Sutin)

THE HANG IS HERE!

While trying to think up new lessons to post on the site I many times think of something and think, 'Oh man I already did that!'. However many of these lessons are buried. So I thought this would be 'FAVORITE LESSON WEEKEND'. Dig up an old lesson and tell us why it was helpful to you. That is if you have a moment!

So find a lesson that really helped you, put a comment on the lesson and explain why and how it helped you. Then we can all see. Also I can see what people dug and where to go with the lessons!