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Hi guys! Here's a transcription of Pat Martino that I've been working on off of the live album Young Guns. It is interesting to see how he can weave through changes and connect all of his lines in different ways. Playing this over and over is helping me to start hearing longer phrases. I've also been trying to challenge myself and work on playing uptempo with 4 mallets. I tend to feel a little bogged down when I am holding all four, so having something like this to work up to speed little by little has been very helpful! Let me know what you all think.

This is an arrangement of "Someone to Watch Over Me" that I have been working on for the last few weeks. It's inspired by the Keith Jarrett solo version from "The Melody at Night, With You."

I always find my arranging ability outpaces my technical ability on the instrument, so it's always a struggle to play these things well, especially when the tape is on.

2 Minute Vibe Masterclass – Playing lines over Green Dolphin Street with a focus on various improv techniques along with single and combination sticking as well as utilizing all four mallets.

It's so funny how Tony and I work on the same things 3000 miles apart without talking about it. I was inspired by our LONG, somewhat heated discussion about swinging using double-or alternate sticking. I ALSO love to practice solo playing, concentrating on the time and SWINGING! I ALSO do many takes, waiting for something decent that I can identify with to some extent. These are bebop-like changes from a piece written by a Norwegian guitar I play with occasionally. He LOVES bebop and playing fast tempos. But I listened to Tony and tried to play a "grown up" tempo.

You all might want to check out and down load the new Christmas album by my "Generations Quartet, "A Christmas Gathering", a new take on Christmas.

Go to www.malletmuserecords.com and listen to some examples. If you like it you can download the album or invidual songs.

Enjoy and Merry Christmas!