This is a funny one.

Just a side note.

I talk with Mike about once a week, and I tell you he's a great guy and a very kind soul. There are many Mike Balter stories about great acts of kindness. I feel really lucky to know him and hang out with him.

And Mike is a serious player, and has worked with all the best stage acts in the world.

Thought I'd post one of many invitation takes. Including the ones I trashed I've probably done about 200 takes.

If a few people sign up. I'll get online monday and talk about 'Have You Met Miss Jones' for an hour.

Sign Up by leaving a comment here that you'll attend.

Well, when I make up these lessons, they usually leave me with a lot to practice.

I've been playing probably a few hundred versions of Invitation over the last few weeks. It's a difficult tune to play solo. And I'm busting my ass on it, big time!!! It's really inspiring to know that while I'm practicing all these other guys are practicing also. I know when I'm practicing in the evening that Barryk is over at his place doing the same thing! That's pretty cool.

I was listening to Pandora.com and heard Bobby Hutcherson play "My Foolish Heart". Nice. I went right to Amazon and downloaded it. I practiced it over the past couple of nights and recorded it. Still needs work, but I felt like posting anyway.

I would have liked to have taken it slower but when BIAB rendered the Real Tracks slower, it didn't sound very good, so I left it nears its optimum tempo.

I also tried it with Tremolo, but for whatever reason, I couldn't get the sound I wanted, so I turned it off for this recording.

In this section we will study and play a tune every week.

In some cases we will have a duet verion to record with or everybody will record a solo version or even a version with aebersold or band in a box. In fact everything is possible. As long as you study the tune and record something.

I hope this is gonna be helpful for a lot of you guys!

TJ

I'm finished with those drum gigs. The drums are back in their cases, and I won't take them out again unless absolutely necessary. I must concentrate on the vibes. I'm only 68. it's not too late. Here's my morning assignment : I Remember You, with my faithful accompanists, the Band In a Box "real tracks".

No Vibes, but I have never heard anything like this before...

They are the Dodo's and they have vibes in their band.

And btw the Stevens grip will be the grip of the future.

We can all rest now. It's over. It will stop hurting soon and we will be able to hold our heads up high and proclaim 'I PLAY THE VIBRAPHONE'.

The Dodo'd sound really good. Our time has come people. Rejoice.

Now for those of you who don't know what we're talking about read the post under 'CHECK THIS OUT'.

_______
Now on the serious side, I kind of dig them. I really like this song and I dig their vibe! And they actually saved up for the vibes! That's pretty cool!