So a local arts organization, the Hopkinton Cultural Arts Alliance (www.caahop.org), did some renovations and used some of the leftover materials to create a really nice outdoor "amphitheater" performance area. I managed to get a grant to run a series of five concerts in the space, and the video above is from the last one, where my band, the MetroWest Jazz Project played. The video was taken by a local news site (www.hopnews.com) and shows the end of my solo and part of the guitar solo on "Sky Dive" and the beginning of "Yes or No".

Here is our first EOTM by David Friedman. I'm hoping David will become our EOTM man. He has all these creative ways of playing scales and doing exercises. So let's see if we can get him to be our EOTM CEO.

Here's the first one. This is a great idea actually. If you practice one of these exercises each month and just for the month I would argue that technically it will alter your playing for the better. I'm going to do it also!

Check out the pdf below.

And for some totally different news......

I'm going to be a father in Januari! Not really planned but totally welcome and I'm really excited!

So watch out you young vibe cats!

Cu

TJ

Hey Everybody,

Yesterday I saw Gary Burton play at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland. It was awesome and I recorded one song on video. I'm waiting for Gary to see if he"s allowing me to post and if it's ok I'll post that soon.

And ofcourse I had to record this moment:

Gary Burton & TJ

“this one time, at band camp….”

I got home last night after spending a week at the Jamey Aebersold Jazz Workshop. While this is fresh in my mind, I thought someone may find value if I wrote about it and posted it here.

The first part is a talks about the format of the camp, the second is my personal take on the class, and a few suggestions that may make it easier if you are ever considering going.

The video quality is weird but the music is very nice (IMHO) !

I received my new M55 today. I am very happy. My University has a really old M55. Comparing the new one to the old one I am really happy. Musser basically took all the small things that could have been improved and improved on them! I am really happy with this vibraphone.

However, Shipping damaged the Motor controller. It is hanging there =/ And the off light is smashed. So I will have to get them to replace that.

*****
When the damper bar is up, there is the slightest ring in my high notes "Ab and Bb". How do I get rid of that slight ring?
*****

Thanks,

This is one of the posters I designed for Tony's gig in Ireland during his stay here, it features some fine musicians based here an of course the "Teach" himself. Really looking forward to these gigs.

John