Hey there guys (and dolls) ! About time I posted my attempt at Invitation. I'm not too conspicuous on the site lately. I'm teaching (what little I know) a trumpet player who I hope will be a good playing partner someday. This takes an awful lot of my time. When I've done a session with him (and this almost everyday), all I crave for is a cigar and a beer. Anyway, here's Invitation. I've tried to follow Tony's instructions in places, especially on the bridge. I'm still using the Albrights. They get a big sound but they are a bit unwieldy. Also I'm off to Germany on Saturday, for 10 days.

So I'm messing around with Woody n You and I'm having trouble getting ideas. This melody is different from many others I play. So I'm trying to think about 4 mallets and what I'd do. Wasn't making much progress.

But my cat is dying, and I've taught her to talk to me. So she started talking to me and I brought her down (basement) (feeling sad) and sat there with her and was petting her and talking to her, and she was replying. Then I gave her my good chair and went and worked on Elio Villafranca's music for a bit, and then I came back to Woody n You and everything was different.

Here is another one from a long time ago. Hope you enjoy it!

TJ

Here is a video I did a long time ago on the Burton Grip.

The sound is awfull and I don't know if anyone thinks this is helpfull, but I thought I'd share it with you guys. And you can see my practice container on this video.

TJ

So I just finished the first chorus of Bill Evans's solo on Nardis from his Blue in Green Live album. It took me about 3 hours to get it right. I think that is a pretty long time for one chorus, although the solo is pretty challenging and it goes pretty fast.

The only other solo that I've transcribed is Milt Jackson's solo from Miles Davis's Bags' Groove album. But that solo was 10 choruses long. This Bill Evans solo is only 3 choruses, so maybe I should go ahead and spend the extra hours and just get it done?

In the book 'This is Your Brain on Music', I'm reading about what it means to be an expert. Many scientists use the 10,000 hour theory. That is generally speaking to become an expert at anything you have to spend 10,000 hours working on it. That translates to 3 hours a day for about 10 years.

I thought this was interesting because at least this gives us an idea about practicing in a general sense. He brings up things like Mozart writing a symphony at age eight and argues that you don't have to be an expert to write a symphony.

Vibraman found this vid and did a web link to it. I wanted to get the vid right here and put it in our vibe players section.

Check out Lars Erstrand. He sounds so good, I think.

Great find Vibraman!

Oh man… It finally happened: no more need to practice, any technique, in any key. No more pain in wristles, or bleeding fingers. No more white nights in your basement...

You can all sleep in peace: here is the real future of all percussionists… :o)

- M

HELLO EVERYBODY.I RECENTLY PLAYED IN A JAZZ FESTIVAL IN GREECE AND I THOUGHT IT'S GOOD TO POST 3 PIECES.I KNOW THERE ARE MISTAKES AND WE LOST THE TIMING BETWEEN THE SAX PLAYER AND ME AND THE DRUMMER.ANYWAY IT IS NOT PERFECT...THE CONCERT WAS DUET VIBES-SAX AND THE DRUMS JAMS WITH US.I AM WAITING YOUR COMMENTS.

Tarik just posted a cool video of Benny Goodman playing with Swedish vibist Lars Erstrand. Here are a few links in his memory:

- Wikipedia bio: I just realised he died this year in March at 72 :o\ : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lars_Erstrand
- What a sweet pic!:
http://swingjazzblues.blogspot.com/2009/03/lars-erstrand-has-passed-awa…
- Very last video, one month before he passed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Njjkggc83qc
- Tarik Youtube's link with Benny Goodman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUAY-oQ2jmg