Halloween, 2017

Happy Halloween 

Watched a powerful video today (about 50 minutes long) about how to play piano from a fakebook. Nice.

Music Book

Up to page 36 in the “How to Play Piano Desipe...” book (chapter 6). Looks like what is coming up is the good ole’ inversions that have been so difficult for me. 

Played “Yesterday” on the piano. Nice, and I still have not ruled out the Sudnow Method. Just putting it on hold for now. I just have limited success memorizing songs.

Dear Prudence

Here’s me and my most recent guitar playing the Beatles’ “Dear Prudence” :

https://youtu.be/nP1d7au_Vwk

Hello Josephine

Rehearsed with some guys tonight in order to play music at a Catholic Mass this Saturday night. When we were done, the sax player said something about doing a Fats Domino song, since Fats Domino recently died. Well we ended up doing some Fats Domino stuff, and, well, it turned out for me to be one of the most fun times I’ve had playing music in a long time! Thanks Mr. Domino, and may you Rest In Peace. One of my favorite songs of all time is “Lady Madonna” by the Beatles, and I don’t think that song would have been written if it wasn’t for the influence of Fats Domino.

Anyway, here’s a rendition of us doing Fats Domino’s “Hello Josephine” tonight. Our guy on bass knew the song, and I’m not sure I’ve heard it before. I kind of like that this was a tune I wasn’t too familiar with. The lineup:

The lead singer also plays bass. There’s a sax player, a rhythm guitar player, and I’m on percussion. When I got home, I added a track of me doing a background vocal. Here it is:

https://app.box.com/s/pvsb44o2r0gvch4lxlwmjnyprfvenogn

Gibson

My newly acquired Gibson J45:

New Way

Couple of interesting things going on.

I think I’m going to try the book:,“How to Play the Piano Despite Years of Lessons” (What Music is and How to Make it At Home), by Ward Cannel and Fred Marx. I’ve had it for years, and never went through it well. 

Tonight I’ll be trading in my Gibson Les Paul Studio for a Gibson acoustic plus cash on my end. I would like to have fun with music and do so on an acoustic guitar. Maybe too much of my time with music at home is not having fun but rather tedious, and maybe a nice acoustic guitar might help keep things fun.

The Bucket List

Had some drink tonight and watched “The Bucket List.” Loved it. It was like The Dead Poet’s Society for people my age..... When I was younger, The Dead Poet’s Society got to me .... as did The Bucket List now. Always wanted to play music in the subway at Christmas time. 

Recent Recordings

YESTERDAY:

https://app.box.com/s/j4sj3n2zfl0y10rr3q5oq7i4j7bxnp9c

WANT TO BELIEVE (Original Song):

https://app.box.com/s/dell4hh1ym8e2cbfs405380b5cghvh50

WHAT CHILD IS THIS:

https://app.box.com/s/l39ymqxb9cxnbw0s19jwtr2q3lwlr7qi

Pics

Some recent family pics:

Guitar

An interesting night of guitar work. Worked on a jazzy version of “What Child is This.” Discovered that using patterns plus my ear yielded the best results in improvising. 

Piano

I just keep going with the piano and mostly the Sudnow Method. It takes work, and for me the challenge is to just stay in it for the long haul and just trust the Method. 

Just doing the Sudnow Method requires you to actually spend time at the piano, rather than watching videos, reading, or doing other things that take away from the task and hand.

Continue to work on “Yesterday” and “Over the Rainbow.”

Giving some thought to getting an acoustic piano!

The Zone

I played the piano tonight and I went into “the zone.” A place where self-criticism of my play quiets down, where I just seem to be kind of immersed in what I’m doing just for the sake of doing it. Just played “Yesterday” over and over ... never mastering it, yet immersed in it. I even added a little bit into it that was a reference to “Strawberry Fields Forever” (my favorite song). 

Constructive criticism: focus more on keeping a regular beat. On time. Go for quality. 

Also started a different piano program too tonight and will see where that might lead me while I work on perfecting “Yesterday.” 

Played a little guitar also, trying to work on the five Improvisation shapes and relate them to a major key. Will probably try to do a bit more Improvisation during Christmas shows this year. Speaking of which, band practice for the Christmas season starts tomorrow.

Gypsy

Yea so tonight I took out a couple of instructional Gypsy Jazz guitar books. I guess I get bored with an instrument, a genre, or a method. 

As with any genre, I’m not really interested in playing in fast tempos. like the mid tempo, or even the slower tempo stuff.

What a Wonderful World (Band Video)

The Band!

Gig Night

Our band played tonight for a community of older folks. It’s nice to see them actually enjoying it and singing along. I think our band wasn’t on our “A” game, but I think that overall we did well. May be missing some, but I sang lead on “Hello, Mary Lou,” “What a Wonderful World,” “Johnny B. Goode,” and “All Shook Up.” Here’s a pic of your’s truly singing “What a Wonderful World.” 

Shifting Winds

Recently, thought of gettting back into Gypsy Jazz guitar. Also, thought of taking a course in Blues-Jazz guitar that seemed to possibly focus on the Gypsy guitar style. Thought of even getting a Gypsy guitar. Tempted a bit to trade my guitar for a different guitar. Rejoined a Gypsy jazz band.

But I didn’t do any of the above, and will not.  I kind of backed out of the Gypsy band and basically suggested I’ll join if we do more of electric swing jazz band rather than acoustic.

Played at the piano a bit, and that seems to still be what I should focus on. 

Playing a gig for an older folks’ community tomorrow night.

No Making Music Today

Not in the mood to make music today...

"Want to Believe"

My friend worked on my song and he did a great job with it!  Wondering what to use, how to use it, try lyrics, etc.

Was tempted to take a jazz / blues guitar course that may focus on Gypsy Guitar but I think I'll pass.

Worked a little on piano. As odd as this may sound, playing "Yesterday" which I thought might be difficult, was kind of relaxing even though I definitely don't have it at a performance level. Continue to work (slowly) on "Over the Rainbow."

"Want to Believe"

Sent my friend the chord structure for the song. Maybe he'll help with it:

"Want to Believe"

Made what I think is a pretty good recording of my song, with a new section. Bad day: the Vegas shooting, and the news that Tom Petty is having bad health issues. First, news came that he had a heart attack. Then the news said he died. Now, the news says that he's alive. Would be beautiful if he can stay with us! Prayers up!

"Want to Believe"

Tried playing my Les Paul to see if it would do anything for me; didn't work. 

Piano:

Continue to play "Yesterday." I started working, I believe yesterday, on "Over the Rainbow."

A friend intrigued me regarding his suggestions that I try writing a song. So I did it. It's called, "Want to Believe." The title is inspired by his faith in Christ and how is like to have that faith. The song has no lyrics, and I'm not sure if it will. It's not bad for a first attempt at songwriting in awhile.

Philadelphia Eagles win and their record is now 3 - 1.