all-levels

A little late, but I'll be uploading a lot more soon.

I recorded a 4-mallet balafon improvisation that managed to keep the time and rhythm cycle clear enough for me to layer grooves on Cajon and stick. My goal in this samba-like sculpture was to surrender all tension and rhythm gravity, to get into a perpetual flow with lots of energy using the entire range of the instrument. Subscribe to the VW site and discover balafon ideas that can be adapted All Ways and Always.

"Woodwork" is the opening track to my 2006 CD "The Turning":
https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/jerryleake

I'm kind of regurgitating these old articles and things I did when I was more involved in the music scene but I'll have new stuff soon. I think these articles are pretty good and I wrote them when I was doing a lot of teaching. This article uses drumming as the instrument but the method works for vibe too.

Spending time with and learning how to play this beautiful instrument today with the classic "The Nearness of You" by the great composer Hoagy Carmichael. The first chorus is a slow, rubato ballad and then I thought I would try something different for a few choruses in 3/4.

Sharing a little bit of some very early morning practice time today. Here's what's up with this:

One of the things that has always mystified me a little bit, is the blues. I've sat on the drums in small group settings for years - admiring a horn player or singer's ability to express themselves in this unique art form.

Over the last couple of weeks, I've started listening more....and also getting into some of the lessons on this site. Going through Behn's comping lessons...and John's lesson which he shared, and some of the others.

Here is week 1 for the Practice Club. I really enjoyed working on this etude. It allowed me to work on my reading and learn some new voicing’s that I can now start implementing into my playing. Then taking those voicing’s and putting them through the keys.

Comping has never been my strong suit but I’m hoping that working through these rootless voicing lessons for the next few weeks is going to help. Let me know what you think!

remember this for the most part it is:

scale tone above, half step below.

C7 would be D B C F Eb E A Gb G C A Bb

For some reason this etude is especially challenging for me. If I went a little faster, then you can hear the dampening mallet almost ring. I tried using harder and softer mallets and these worked the best. I tried to keep the dampening mallet quiet and still feel and express the song.
To get it to this point, believe it or not, I practiced it a LOT. It is elegant and there's nowhere to hide! You can hear everything.