x

Me and Obama

tonymiceli 12 January 2009

So I was asked to play for Obama's inauguration party. Ok, cool, I'm a big Obama fan, of course I'd do it. In a second. One catch. None of the entertainment is getting paid, according to the person that wanted to hire us.

I'm still cool, I would do it. I'd feel like I was doing my part. Make sense? Still I'm kind of pissed. You mean bailout for the banks, for the auto industry for the real estate market.... but musicians play for free.

Blues in F (Gary Burton) by Philippe Briand

Philippe 12 January 2009

Hi everybody, I bet you're all familiar with this video of Gary Burton playing F blues. It's on YouTube, as well as on the Vic Firth site. I tried my ear at transcribing the first chorus, and turned it into a Band-Box file. It's great stuff. It shows how Gary approaches every chord in the progression from the 7th chord a half-step (or step) below or above. He does this consistantly thoughout his solo. Perhaps some of would like to take a look at this transcription. Many of you, I am sure, will be able to play it as a kind of etude. For me, it's much too hard.

A gig story from way back when.

Philippe 12 January 2009

Tony, I liked your gig story. I have one from almost 40 years back, when I was young and foolish. Once I had just become the proud owner of a sailing boat, and thought I could sail, not drive, to a gig. The gig location didn't look too far away, on the map. I thought it was feasible if I got an early start. But never trust the sea. Through the morning there was no wind at all, and I was making no headway. All of a sudden, in the early afternoon, a storm came from out of nowhere and hit bad. Panic on board.

x
⇡