Here's why Mike Mainieri is playing solo here. It was right after 9/11. All flights were cancelled. Mike left 2 days before 9/11. So the band could not make it! Very sad.

It's Mike Manieri giving a solo concert. It's pretty incredible.

I always wonder how someone fills an hour by themselves on stage. Friedman does it and would love if he talked about it. He cheats and plays the wood. I know that. So does Mike do it here.

Here's an interesting bebop technique that I use a lot to embellish simple fragment of scales and arpeggios.
You'll sound immediately jazzy!!
Hope you enjoy.

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Sorry, but I had to do it.

I've talked about this many times, however since we're talking about chord melodies I thought another Dad speech was appropriate.

I made this for my student Dan Neville. We did out last lesson last month and we wanted to end it with a couple duos.

I did two duos, but I'm not happy with the other one. I'll post this one for now.

Also, I didn't post the second part. I always play both parts to see if I can play along with the track. If I can then I know the time is ok. This is ok. But I won't post the second part hear. This way to you it has no other part to influence you.

I've been working on this tune with different time feels since I've been preparing for a tour and CD with the wonderful Czech singer, Martina Bartova. I'm posting a very slow, kind of dreamy version with lots of space. I've recorded several versions so maybe in a couple of days I'll post a version containing fast arpeggio-like figures over the harmonies of the tune.

A short rendition of a Victor Young classic.

I'm working on dampening and pedaling using David's book, and checking out other players' renditions. There are some really nice ones up on the site. In your video of Etude #1 (back in 2008?), Tony, I noticed how close you keep the mallets to the keys and how relaxed your hands are. Beautiful!
I just got a tripod for my iPhone to be able to record. It's helping to be able to see and hear my own playing. I'd appreciate feedback from anybody.

“Bluesette” by the great Toots Thielemans from Brussels who passed in 2016 at the age of 94. I’m a big fan of Toots and his beautiful harmonica playing. I’m improvising here on his most famous song with a focus on using the top three mallets along with a few improv concepts. I think it’s important when practicing to isolate the parameters and techniques/concepts. My students and I will work in the lessons this way with good results. Gary Burton did the same with me when I was studying with him.

So, in this chapter of mic wars, there is a clear winner and it is not the mics or the signal path. It is the Omega vibraphone. Tony brought his over to my place and we recorded a couple of short passes so I could work out some kinks in some of my new recording hardware without playing at the same time. The nearly complete lack of noise, the beautiful pure tone of the instrument, and Tony's playing together gave a perfect backdrop to test the mics, because all the tests sounded good.

Here's the gear involved...