Here’s my take on ed’s tune “lifes blessing”
In my mind this piece has so many beautiful sections I really ended up mixing up sections to give me what I was going for – which was more of a “church” feeling – looping for example a line cliche idea that turns around using the C/G – D/F# cadence of mm14-15 for a solo/vamp section.
I also liked extending and looping mm 26 – 27 idea to give the ends more push, throwing a Ab maj7#11 substitute for the A-/G on the last times.

Great Gary Video here!

Hello everyone,

I have a clinic/concert coming up in April that I wanted to let you know about. It will take place on Monday, April 20th at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, Illinois.

The clinic will be held at 4 and will cover mallet and improv related topics.

The concert will be at 6:30. I’ll be playing along with several members of the faculty including drummer Rodrigo Villanueva who teaches in the percussion department.

Here’s the contact information:

Northern Illinois University
1425 W. Lincoln Highway
Dekalb, Illinois 60115-2825

Hope we get some people!!! Comment here if you are. Come on people! It's easy to do. Just need a web cam or video cam. I can help you set it up.

Here's some inspiration. Coltrane is practicing and someone is drumming on a pillow. Maybe Elvin.

Here's a very important exercise to help with chord voicings. Don't skimp on this one. Spend months on this!!

Chienese translation for Chinese Students

開離密集和弦練習(open and closed voicing)

好處：幫助你暢通無阻的演奏各種不同轉位的和聲配置(voicing)
因為練習那些位置上，姿勢上比較高難度的和弦，也能幫助你提升技巧。
如果你覺得在演奏某些和弦姿勢很彆扭，那可能是沒有調整好，要練習調整出更適當的演奏姿勢。

(打開PDF)
以Fmajor7為例：(PDF裡面都有詳細寫出音)

原位F,A,C,E. 然後只把A這個音移到高八度，得到F,C,E,A和弦。
第一轉位A,C,E,F, 然後只把C這個音移到高八度，得到A,E,F,C和弦。
速度要慢慢開始，重點是節拍器開起來，照著節奏打(play in time)。

If you get a 'Who Is?' on the site that means someone is interested in knowing more about you. It's up to you what you want to tell about yourself. Share as much or as little as you want.

Here is the who is book:
http://www.vibesworkshop.com/book/who-book/tonymiceli/031309

So who is Marie-Noelle ?

Thomas James Mackay
Born in 1967, in Oakland, Nebraska, Thomas Mackay is a native of the Midwest. He started his musical studies at the early age of five in piano and percussion. Mr. Mackay has mentored under Gordon Stout and Bill Molenhof, and has performed with David Valdez, Rob Scheps, Clark Terry, Terry Haggerty, Merle Saunders, Three Leg Torso, and Martin Fiero. Mr. Mackay was a percussionist with the Casper Symphony and timpanist with the Grand Forks Symphony. His vibraphone led trios and quartets have appeared at the