Im picking my blog back up as I am in the thick of college applications and auditions. I went this past weekend to NYU and met an amazing bass player, Ron McClure (http://www.ronmcclure.com/). He was the nicest, most welcoming person I met while I was there, definitely check him out!
Last night, I had the good fortune to see The Hot Club of San Francisco, an amazing gypsy jazz band. As they played, black and white silent movies were shown behind them, making for a very surreal atmosphere. The films ranged from comedy to horror to heartwarming, plus they were accompanied by some of the best gypsy jazz I've ever heard!
I am channeling Andrew Bird this weekend as I will be playing solo with a looping pedal at Bard Coffee from 10-12pm this Sunday, Nov. 21. Hope you can come!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
From Then Till Now: A Catchup
So when I last left off my blog in August, I had returned from Acton and was prepping for the DysFunktional Mayhem reunion concert at SPACE Gallery. DFM, by the way, is the funk band that I have played with since I was a freshman. We had broken up for a year because our bass player had gone to college, but with him back for the summer, we decided to do one last hurrah and have a reunion show exactly one year after our "last" show in 2009, which was also at SPACE gallery. We pulled a crowd of probably 80-90 people for this gig. With that much support and a great vibe going, the show was excellent. What was also great was that our friend Alex took some unbelievable pictures of the concert, some of which I have posted. Helps to have a friend who's a photographer!
My next gig was on Saturday, where I played music for my grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary...plus I was my grandfather's best man in their re commitment ceremony/mass. I also had to make a toast at their reception, and my toast glass was filled with Shirley Temple, since the staff had whisked away the champagne as soon as I sat down! Despite this setback, the toast was fine, and the music, provided by my dad and myself, was fine as well. That night, my dad and I headed back to Maine, leaving my mom and siblings back in RI.
After the drive, I was lucky enough to go up to Bar Harbor, Maine to play with my school music teacher and an amazing saxophonist, John Cooper, at the Bar Harbor Jazz Festival. Honestly, I didn't expect a small coastal town like that to have a jazz festival, but it was a great time nonetheless, plus there was actually a decent turnout on the village green! After spending the night in Ellsworth, I made my way back home, where I prepared to start my senior year of high school.
And so that's what I've been doing from early September until now...school. But it's not even the classes that are giving me the hardest time, it's the college applications. I can barely keep up with the sheer volume of work I have to do to keep up with school, colleges, and music (I don't know how I will get through this year with my sanity still intact!), but once January hits, and all the college madness ends, I'm sure it will be ok. But all that coupled with auditions for schools makes me very, very tired.
I haven't not done any playing since I've started school. I started taking a music class at USM with Trent Austin, an amazing trumpet player. I'm taking the class along with my friend Will Maxwell, and I think it's safe to say that we've both gotten a lot better! One of the most exciting times was when I went to NYC recently on a college visit to NYU (Top choice btw) and sat in with my teacher, Rob Thomas, at a Sunday Brunch in the city. But what was really great was that I got to meet another kid jazz violinist, Ben Suttin. He is also a student of Rob's, and it was amazing to play wit another kid who played my same instrument! It was a dream situation. One of the best parts about this city visit for me was going to NYU and meeting some awesome people, including bass player Ron McClure who is on the faculty. He was such a warm and welcoming presence, and really made me feel at home where I was. Overall, the isit was a smashing success.
So that's where I'll leave off, now that I'm all caught up. More to come soon!
My next gig was on Saturday, where I played music for my grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary...plus I was my grandfather's best man in their re commitment ceremony/mass. I also had to make a toast at their reception, and my toast glass was filled with Shirley Temple, since the staff had whisked away the champagne as soon as I sat down! Despite this setback, the toast was fine, and the music, provided by my dad and myself, was fine as well. That night, my dad and I headed back to Maine, leaving my mom and siblings back in RI.
After the drive, I was lucky enough to go up to Bar Harbor, Maine to play with my school music teacher and an amazing saxophonist, John Cooper, at the Bar Harbor Jazz Festival. Honestly, I didn't expect a small coastal town like that to have a jazz festival, but it was a great time nonetheless, plus there was actually a decent turnout on the village green! After spending the night in Ellsworth, I made my way back home, where I prepared to start my senior year of high school.
And so that's what I've been doing from early September until now...school. But it's not even the classes that are giving me the hardest time, it's the college applications. I can barely keep up with the sheer volume of work I have to do to keep up with school, colleges, and music (I don't know how I will get through this year with my sanity still intact!), but once January hits, and all the college madness ends, I'm sure it will be ok. But all that coupled with auditions for schools makes me very, very tired.
I haven't not done any playing since I've started school. I started taking a music class at USM with Trent Austin, an amazing trumpet player. I'm taking the class along with my friend Will Maxwell, and I think it's safe to say that we've both gotten a lot better! One of the most exciting times was when I went to NYC recently on a college visit to NYU (Top choice btw) and sat in with my teacher, Rob Thomas, at a Sunday Brunch in the city. But what was really great was that I got to meet another kid jazz violinist, Ben Suttin. He is also a student of Rob's, and it was amazing to play wit another kid who played my same instrument! It was a dream situation. One of the best parts about this city visit for me was going to NYU and meeting some awesome people, including bass player Ron McClure who is on the faculty. He was such a warm and welcoming presence, and really made me feel at home where I was. Overall, the isit was a smashing success.
So that's where I'll leave off, now that I'm all caught up. More to come soon!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
End of Berklee, Back to Life
So where I last left off, I had just finished up a whirlwind of a gig with the Middle Eastern ensemble, which went amazingly well, plus I got the recordings of the set, so I'll see if I can upload them.
After a short, two song set with another ensemble on Tuesday, real work began for the workshop concert on that Thursday. What was truly stressful about this whole thing was that a number of songs we were going to be doing on Tuesday were just being put in front of us! Nevertheless, we managed to pull three new songs together for our show on Thursday, which had five total tunes in the set. Overall, the concert was a great success, and I felt that I and everyone else played great! What was also great was that my whole family was able to come...it was great to see all of them, plus I got a free dinner out of it :)
I had originally planned to stay and watch the other workshop, but I had to run over to the BPC in time for the Instrumental Showcase concert, which included the Funk/Fusion all stars, of which I was a part. I arrived in time, and when I walked out on stage, I couldn't believe the number of people in the crowd...I dont think I had ever played in front of that many people before in my life! But no time for nerves...this was showtime. From the first beat to the last, there was nothing but pure energy, music, fun and soul...it was unbelievable to play with so many amazing people. After such a great gig, there was only one place left to go: Teriyaki House!!!!!!!!! After a bunch of us ate, those of us in the workshop called Terri Lynne, our teacher, just to thank her for all the great work. What a great night!
After a lazy Friday in which I mostly said goodbyes and bought records, I left the Berklee 5 week program on a bus headed for Portland. Once home, I had only a day of rest before I started on my next project: rehearsing with my old band, DysFunktional Mayhem, for our upcoming one -year reunion show at SPACE Gallery in Portland. As I am writing this post, I have just gotten back from a two day marathon rehearsal at out keyboard player's house in Acton, Maine (Oh yeah Massachusetts, you thought you had the only Acton...hah!), which although beautiful, was extremely out of the way and took over an hour to get to. What was also great about the trip is that I actually did all the driving, which had never happened with our crew, and the role reversal was not lost on anyone!
In closing, what can I say about Berklee except that it was one of the greatest and most incredible experiences that I've ever had. Ive definitely gotten better from it, in large part because I got to play with incredible musicians and benefit from their experiences as well as learning more about myself and what I can/need to do on my instrument.
Im positive all that will come in handy when I take the stage this Wednesday (tomorrow!!) with DysFunktional Mayhem at Space Gallery at 8pm in Portland. Will Gattis opens up the show, and then DFM will be rocking and funking up the house! Hope you can make it...its FREE!!!!
More to come...
After a short, two song set with another ensemble on Tuesday, real work began for the workshop concert on that Thursday. What was truly stressful about this whole thing was that a number of songs we were going to be doing on Tuesday were just being put in front of us! Nevertheless, we managed to pull three new songs together for our show on Thursday, which had five total tunes in the set. Overall, the concert was a great success, and I felt that I and everyone else played great! What was also great was that my whole family was able to come...it was great to see all of them, plus I got a free dinner out of it :)
I had originally planned to stay and watch the other workshop, but I had to run over to the BPC in time for the Instrumental Showcase concert, which included the Funk/Fusion all stars, of which I was a part. I arrived in time, and when I walked out on stage, I couldn't believe the number of people in the crowd...I dont think I had ever played in front of that many people before in my life! But no time for nerves...this was showtime. From the first beat to the last, there was nothing but pure energy, music, fun and soul...it was unbelievable to play with so many amazing people. After such a great gig, there was only one place left to go: Teriyaki House!!!!!!!!! After a bunch of us ate, those of us in the workshop called Terri Lynne, our teacher, just to thank her for all the great work. What a great night!
After a lazy Friday in which I mostly said goodbyes and bought records, I left the Berklee 5 week program on a bus headed for Portland. Once home, I had only a day of rest before I started on my next project: rehearsing with my old band, DysFunktional Mayhem, for our upcoming one -year reunion show at SPACE Gallery in Portland. As I am writing this post, I have just gotten back from a two day marathon rehearsal at out keyboard player's house in Acton, Maine (Oh yeah Massachusetts, you thought you had the only Acton...hah!), which although beautiful, was extremely out of the way and took over an hour to get to. What was also great about the trip is that I actually did all the driving, which had never happened with our crew, and the role reversal was not lost on anyone!
In closing, what can I say about Berklee except that it was one of the greatest and most incredible experiences that I've ever had. Ive definitely gotten better from it, in large part because I got to play with incredible musicians and benefit from their experiences as well as learning more about myself and what I can/need to do on my instrument.
Im positive all that will come in handy when I take the stage this Wednesday (tomorrow!!) with DysFunktional Mayhem at Space Gallery at 8pm in Portland. Will Gattis opens up the show, and then DFM will be rocking and funking up the house! Hope you can make it...its FREE!!!!
More to come...
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Middle Eastern mayhem
So heres what happened Monday night:
I was super pumped for the middle eastern ensemble's performance at the BPC, so excited, it would seem, that I clean snapped my E string during the sound check. So here I was, out a string with 30 minutes until showtime. What's a violin player to do?
First thing I did was look for another violin player to bum a string off of. None in sight. Once I shared this news with my friend from the ensemble, he immediately lent me $20 to buy strings. What a guy! On to plan B.
Plan B-Run down to Rutman's violin shop to get a single E string to replace my snapped one. Guess who decided to close early that day? Now all I was left with was the last resort-see if Daddy's music store sold strings.
So I run back and into Daddys and, out of breath, asked the clerk if the store sold violin strings. He answered that they did, but only in sets, not individual strings. With no other options, I agreed to buy the strings, terrible quality as they were. Remember that the only money I had was $20 from my friend. The clerk rings up the bill, and the total comes to $21.50. Damn.
I manage to scrounge up 50 cents from my wallet, but I was still a dollar short. I pleaded with the clerk, telling him that I was supposed to play in 20 minutes, but I received no help, the clerk just stood there with a sympathetic look on his face and told me that he was sorry, but he could not help me. Desperate, I pleaded to the other customers for help, to just give me $1, but all I got were blank faces.
Now angry on top of frantic, I ran outside hoping to find someone who would give me a dollar. To my luck, my roommate Dave was standing on the corner, and I told him of my predicament and pleaded with him for the dollar. Keeping an eye on the clock, it was now 10 minutes from showtime. Dave, as great as he is, was this time hesitant to give me a dollar, saying he needed it for his laundry. I then proceeded to tell him (please cover your children's ears) that I didn't care about his f****** laundry and that this was a huge emergency. I finally convinced him to lend me the money, and I ran back to Daddy's and bought the strings. I now had 7 minutes.
Now thoroughly sweaty, I ran back to the concert hall and put on the string while my bandmates cheered at my arrival and the good news...I couldn't have asked to be put with a better group of people. With the string on, and frequently going out of tune, we went up to perform to a large crowd at the BPC. With what I had just been through, I really didn't care about being nervous anymore, it was showtime.
Once we were set on stage, the lights were extremely hot and I could barely see the crowd, but I could see well enough to see that the jazz workshop had come out to support me! I couldnt believe it, what a great surprise. The intros were made, and we started playing, and let me tell you, it was some of the most fun I've ever had playing in a band. Everyone was on in their playing, the groove was tight and the thing was killin! Not to mention that my tone was really well mixed by the soundguys...how awesome is that!
After the show, we all went backstage to take pictures. As we packed up afterward, a girl came over to me and asked if I would marry her...jokingly of course (she was attractive too...double win!). By the time I got back to the dorm and collapsed on my bed, I knew I must have done something right. Disaster averted, plus a killin show, what more could a guy ask for?
Now it's all about rehearsing for Thursday...hope some people can come! More later...
I was super pumped for the middle eastern ensemble's performance at the BPC, so excited, it would seem, that I clean snapped my E string during the sound check. So here I was, out a string with 30 minutes until showtime. What's a violin player to do?
First thing I did was look for another violin player to bum a string off of. None in sight. Once I shared this news with my friend from the ensemble, he immediately lent me $20 to buy strings. What a guy! On to plan B.
Plan B-Run down to Rutman's violin shop to get a single E string to replace my snapped one. Guess who decided to close early that day? Now all I was left with was the last resort-see if Daddy's music store sold strings.
So I run back and into Daddys and, out of breath, asked the clerk if the store sold violin strings. He answered that they did, but only in sets, not individual strings. With no other options, I agreed to buy the strings, terrible quality as they were. Remember that the only money I had was $20 from my friend. The clerk rings up the bill, and the total comes to $21.50. Damn.
I manage to scrounge up 50 cents from my wallet, but I was still a dollar short. I pleaded with the clerk, telling him that I was supposed to play in 20 minutes, but I received no help, the clerk just stood there with a sympathetic look on his face and told me that he was sorry, but he could not help me. Desperate, I pleaded to the other customers for help, to just give me $1, but all I got were blank faces.
Now angry on top of frantic, I ran outside hoping to find someone who would give me a dollar. To my luck, my roommate Dave was standing on the corner, and I told him of my predicament and pleaded with him for the dollar. Keeping an eye on the clock, it was now 10 minutes from showtime. Dave, as great as he is, was this time hesitant to give me a dollar, saying he needed it for his laundry. I then proceeded to tell him (please cover your children's ears) that I didn't care about his f****** laundry and that this was a huge emergency. I finally convinced him to lend me the money, and I ran back to Daddy's and bought the strings. I now had 7 minutes.
Now thoroughly sweaty, I ran back to the concert hall and put on the string while my bandmates cheered at my arrival and the good news...I couldn't have asked to be put with a better group of people. With the string on, and frequently going out of tune, we went up to perform to a large crowd at the BPC. With what I had just been through, I really didn't care about being nervous anymore, it was showtime.
Once we were set on stage, the lights were extremely hot and I could barely see the crowd, but I could see well enough to see that the jazz workshop had come out to support me! I couldnt believe it, what a great surprise. The intros were made, and we started playing, and let me tell you, it was some of the most fun I've ever had playing in a band. Everyone was on in their playing, the groove was tight and the thing was killin! Not to mention that my tone was really well mixed by the soundguys...how awesome is that!
After the show, we all went backstage to take pictures. As we packed up afterward, a girl came over to me and asked if I would marry her...jokingly of course (she was attractive too...double win!). By the time I got back to the dorm and collapsed on my bed, I knew I must have done something right. Disaster averted, plus a killin show, what more could a guy ask for?
Now it's all about rehearsing for Thursday...hope some people can come! More later...
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Last Week...here we go
Ok, so after a restful weekend, its now time for concerts. For those of you who do want to come down to see any of them, here is a complete schedule:
Monday, 8/9 at 8:15-Playing with the Middle Eastern Ensemble at the Berklee Performance Center (BPC) It's part of the larger "Singer's Showcase" concert, so if you like vocal music, this is the one for you. Ill be playing in the first two songs. No tickets required. FREE
Tuesday, 8/10 at 4pm-Playing with Bruce Gertz's ensemble in room 1W in the 1140 Boylston st building. Will be playing for two tunes with some great players including my jazz workshop drummer and our trumpet player who also plays EWI. Smaller, shorter concert. No tickets required. FREE
Now heres the day I recommend coming:
Thursday, 8/12 at 6:30-Playing with the Jazz Workshop at the David Friend Recital Hall in the 921 Boylston st building. Will be about an hour concert, with great music and players including jazz harmonica! A must-see! No tickets required. FREE
AND
Thursday, 8/12 at 8:15-Playing with the Funk/Fusion all star band at the BPC...Some of the best players at Berklee put together into one amazing funk band, including violin, trumpet, tenor, guitar, bass and drums. Another must see! Part of the larger "Instrumental Showcase" concert, including jazz and rock showcases as well. No tickets required. FREE
Hope something fits into your schedule...Alright concerts, here we go!
Monday, 8/9 at 8:15-Playing with the Middle Eastern Ensemble at the Berklee Performance Center (BPC) It's part of the larger "Singer's Showcase" concert, so if you like vocal music, this is the one for you. Ill be playing in the first two songs. No tickets required. FREE
Tuesday, 8/10 at 4pm-Playing with Bruce Gertz's ensemble in room 1W in the 1140 Boylston st building. Will be playing for two tunes with some great players including my jazz workshop drummer and our trumpet player who also plays EWI. Smaller, shorter concert. No tickets required. FREE
Now heres the day I recommend coming:
Thursday, 8/12 at 6:30-Playing with the Jazz Workshop at the David Friend Recital Hall in the 921 Boylston st building. Will be about an hour concert, with great music and players including jazz harmonica! A must-see! No tickets required. FREE
AND
Thursday, 8/12 at 8:15-Playing with the Funk/Fusion all star band at the BPC...Some of the best players at Berklee put together into one amazing funk band, including violin, trumpet, tenor, guitar, bass and drums. Another must see! Part of the larger "Instrumental Showcase" concert, including jazz and rock showcases as well. No tickets required. FREE
Hope something fits into your schedule...Alright concerts, here we go!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Time to prepare
So on my last post, i mentioned that it was half price cheesecake day at Cheesecake Factory...which was delicious. Just to let you know. In other news...
Since the concert, workshop has been cruising. Our next big event is recording in a Berklee studio this Friday!!!! Very few ensembles get to do this, so this is really something huge to prepare for...we basically get to cut a CD and have some dope music to keep for ourselves/give to friends! This being said, in order for anything to be dope, it needs to be really practiced, so workshop has been even more intense than usual for the past couple of days. Right now, rehearsing tunes/practicing/getting our stuff together is the name of the game in preparation for Friday...hopefully it will turn out great.
Another event from the past while...Andrew Bird came to Berklee, and I saw and met him! This guy is unbelievable, and is really revolutionizing the way people look at and play the violin...he was using dual loop pedals, one for bow, one for plucking, and the bow one was put through a spinning victrola horn, which made the sound morph around the room and sound super cool. While his music was amazing, he, on the other hand, seemed extremely detached and disoriented, and was aloof in his Q&A session with the Berklee audience. But this didnt stop me, and I found out that he would be around at the back door of the performance center, so I went to go see if I could go meet him. Once I got there, there were about twenty people present, and I had to wait as fan girls crowded him for pics and autographs. Then, it was my turn, and I asked him about violin pickups and gear, and told him that I, like him, did violin loops. Instead of seeming happy to meet another of his kind, he kept the disoriented meter up to 11, and semi answered my questions in a drab and tired tone of voice. By the end of the day, I had reached two conclusions about his behavior...either he had not slept for a week and was resentful at Berklee for interrupting his schedule, or he was just hooked on several different substances...I'm not sure which one. But hey, he's a great musician, so that part of it was good.
That was on Monday. Since then, it's been back to the same routine of practicing and playing with people. Even more rehearsals have been added to my schedule now, since Im participating in the instrumental showcase Funk/Fusion ensemble, which is awesome! But yes, just the norm, except for one thing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-seDrv1eQo
This has become the new obsession of the workshop...you'll know why once you see the sax player. Dave showed it to me and boy, I cant get it out of my head for a minute. This makes me want a white pair of Raybans for this summer. You got saxrolled!
Oh, and tonight Im going to the singer/songwriter showcase at the BPC...with someone :)
More to come!
Since the concert, workshop has been cruising. Our next big event is recording in a Berklee studio this Friday!!!! Very few ensembles get to do this, so this is really something huge to prepare for...we basically get to cut a CD and have some dope music to keep for ourselves/give to friends! This being said, in order for anything to be dope, it needs to be really practiced, so workshop has been even more intense than usual for the past couple of days. Right now, rehearsing tunes/practicing/getting our stuff together is the name of the game in preparation for Friday...hopefully it will turn out great.
Another event from the past while...Andrew Bird came to Berklee, and I saw and met him! This guy is unbelievable, and is really revolutionizing the way people look at and play the violin...he was using dual loop pedals, one for bow, one for plucking, and the bow one was put through a spinning victrola horn, which made the sound morph around the room and sound super cool. While his music was amazing, he, on the other hand, seemed extremely detached and disoriented, and was aloof in his Q&A session with the Berklee audience. But this didnt stop me, and I found out that he would be around at the back door of the performance center, so I went to go see if I could go meet him. Once I got there, there were about twenty people present, and I had to wait as fan girls crowded him for pics and autographs. Then, it was my turn, and I asked him about violin pickups and gear, and told him that I, like him, did violin loops. Instead of seeming happy to meet another of his kind, he kept the disoriented meter up to 11, and semi answered my questions in a drab and tired tone of voice. By the end of the day, I had reached two conclusions about his behavior...either he had not slept for a week and was resentful at Berklee for interrupting his schedule, or he was just hooked on several different substances...I'm not sure which one. But hey, he's a great musician, so that part of it was good.
That was on Monday. Since then, it's been back to the same routine of practicing and playing with people. Even more rehearsals have been added to my schedule now, since Im participating in the instrumental showcase Funk/Fusion ensemble, which is awesome! But yes, just the norm, except for one thing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-seDrv1eQo
This has become the new obsession of the workshop...you'll know why once you see the sax player. Dave showed it to me and boy, I cant get it out of my head for a minute. This makes me want a white pair of Raybans for this summer. You got saxrolled!
Oh, and tonight Im going to the singer/songwriter showcase at the BPC...with someone :)
More to come!
Friday, July 30, 2010
What Ive Been Waiting For
So when I last posted, I mentioned that some conflict had come up in the workshop, minor but conflict nonetheless, and that the vibe wasn't as good as it used to be. Boy, it's amazing what just a few days can do. Since my last post, the workshop has been better than ever, and the vibe has returned. The climax of all this positive energy came last night at the workshop's performance at Berklee's Cafe 939.
After soundchecking, I was pleasantly surprised to see that my mom and grandparents had come to the concert! It was great to see everyone, and I got to catch up with some of my family for the first time in three weeks. What was also great was that my mom brought a bag of food for our room with all sorts of great stuff in it, and the fact that I didnt have to pay for dinner (a welcome relief!). But much more important was that they all came to support me at this concert, and I couldnt have asked for anything more. Thanks for coming guys!
Our workshop was the second band up, and as I watched the first workshop, I knew that we were gonna have to step it up...these guys were so killin. My favorite tune of theirs was one written by their bass player Troy, a friend of mine, which contained no improv at all, but revolved around a cyclic melodic progression with varying dynamics. Nate, our bassist, and myself were blown away by the piece. Also played was a tune by Mike, my roommate, which was excellent as well.
Once the other workshop finished, it was a quick get on/get off, and we began our set. we played five tunes, three of which I soloed on. From the first beat, I knew that there was gonna be something magical about this concert. Everyone was playing their absolute best, and the vibe that night was joyful and loose, but still with a quiet intensity built in. Personally, I felt the music truly kick into gear on our second tune, which was written by our harmonica player, Roni. I just felt that tune in my being to a point where as I was soloing, I actually felt myself somewhat depart from the present, even though I was still playing. My teachers say that kind of thing doesnt happen very often, so I was truly lucky to experience something like that, and on such a big night as well! On our last tune, "Byrdlike" by Freddie Hubbard, the band just exploded, and the groove was just amazing. I dont want it to seem like im bragging, but last night has taken its place for me as the best show that I've ever played. This is due mainly to the fact that I was able to play with so many other great musicians, there was not a single solo last night that wasnt killin. I really am priviledged to play with so many other great players, and I cant wait till the next rehearsal with these guys!
After the show, I walked around with my mom for a bit, just to catch up, and then I went back to my room with even more food in hand...our dorm is so set right now! The rest of the night was spent trying to teach Chase, our pianist, how to play violin which, as you can imagine, was screechy at first, but sort of cool by the end, Chase is a fast learner.
This is the happiest Ive been in a long time, and I hope this happiness sticks with me for the rest of the program and beyond as well. More to come!
Oh i forgot...Tonight is 1/2 price cheesecake night at Cheesecake factory...oh my, i just might have to check it out.
After soundchecking, I was pleasantly surprised to see that my mom and grandparents had come to the concert! It was great to see everyone, and I got to catch up with some of my family for the first time in three weeks. What was also great was that my mom brought a bag of food for our room with all sorts of great stuff in it, and the fact that I didnt have to pay for dinner (a welcome relief!). But much more important was that they all came to support me at this concert, and I couldnt have asked for anything more. Thanks for coming guys!
Our workshop was the second band up, and as I watched the first workshop, I knew that we were gonna have to step it up...these guys were so killin. My favorite tune of theirs was one written by their bass player Troy, a friend of mine, which contained no improv at all, but revolved around a cyclic melodic progression with varying dynamics. Nate, our bassist, and myself were blown away by the piece. Also played was a tune by Mike, my roommate, which was excellent as well.
Once the other workshop finished, it was a quick get on/get off, and we began our set. we played five tunes, three of which I soloed on. From the first beat, I knew that there was gonna be something magical about this concert. Everyone was playing their absolute best, and the vibe that night was joyful and loose, but still with a quiet intensity built in. Personally, I felt the music truly kick into gear on our second tune, which was written by our harmonica player, Roni. I just felt that tune in my being to a point where as I was soloing, I actually felt myself somewhat depart from the present, even though I was still playing. My teachers say that kind of thing doesnt happen very often, so I was truly lucky to experience something like that, and on such a big night as well! On our last tune, "Byrdlike" by Freddie Hubbard, the band just exploded, and the groove was just amazing. I dont want it to seem like im bragging, but last night has taken its place for me as the best show that I've ever played. This is due mainly to the fact that I was able to play with so many other great musicians, there was not a single solo last night that wasnt killin. I really am priviledged to play with so many other great players, and I cant wait till the next rehearsal with these guys!
After the show, I walked around with my mom for a bit, just to catch up, and then I went back to my room with even more food in hand...our dorm is so set right now! The rest of the night was spent trying to teach Chase, our pianist, how to play violin which, as you can imagine, was screechy at first, but sort of cool by the end, Chase is a fast learner.
This is the happiest Ive been in a long time, and I hope this happiness sticks with me for the rest of the program and beyond as well. More to come!
Oh i forgot...Tonight is 1/2 price cheesecake night at Cheesecake factory...oh my, i just might have to check it out.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Closer and Closer
On this eve as I write, I am about to go to extra rehearsal for Jazz Workshop in preparation for our Cafe 939 gig on Thursday at 6pm...that is a hint for those of you who want to attend. I can't wait!
I won't lie, things are getting somewhat strained in workshop...Im not sure what it is, but today, playing didnt feel as good as it has in the past, but I'm not worried...I know we'll pull through. And we'd better...our concert is in two days! Ill keep you posted.
The pics are from a trip I took with the string department on Monday to see the MFA's Musical instruments exhibit...hope you enjoy them.
I won't lie, things are getting somewhat strained in workshop...Im not sure what it is, but today, playing didnt feel as good as it has in the past, but I'm not worried...I know we'll pull through. And we'd better...our concert is in two days! Ill keep you posted.
The pics are from a trip I took with the string department on Monday to see the MFA's Musical instruments exhibit...hope you enjoy them.
Friday, July 23, 2010
A long but great week
Hello all...sorry for not posting sooner, but this is literally the first time I have been able to sit down and write this week...hope you dont mind.
The week really started for me on Tuesday, when my roommate David took me to Slate's bar and grill in Roxbury. As soon as we entered, I noticed two things; One, that the music was well above normal jazz sound levels, and two, that nobody looked thrilled about having a violin come to the stage. This, however, has been a repeated occurrence for me, and when I had finished playing that night, I was sure that I had convinced these people that violin was a valid jazz/funk instrument! As David and I walked back, people leaving yelled their satisfaction out of their cars as they left...what a great night!
Since I mentioned David, I'm going to talk a bit about my two roommates: David and Mike. Seriously, I could not have asked for better people to room with. Dave is a person who is wild about jazz...and is one of the best players of the music who I've ever heard. In workshop, he is such a positive force, and never has a bad thing to say. In his words, "None of us is better than anyone else, we just all play differently". I really do have the privilege to room with such a great guy as David. My other roommate, Mike, is one of the best piano players that I've ever heard, and also one of the nicest people that I've ever met. He's the one who got me into the show "Tim and Eric" (im now hooked), and is always helpful and supportive...he's backing me up on my college audition tomorrow. Whats also great is that both these guys have such great senses of humor...I dont think there's been a day with them where I haven't laughed. I really am lucky to have such great roommates.
Last night, I jammed with my friends Langston, Jack, and JB in front of a crowd, doing versions of "In a Sentimental Mood" and "Lover Man". These guys are all from Cleveland, and are here along with Brian, their bass player (I was filling in that night). These four are in a quartet already back home, and all received scholarships to some this summer. We are all lucky they came...not only are they all killin' players, they are some of the funniest people I've ever met...They even said I could be an honorary member of their quartet...how awesome!!! There has been no shortage to the number of awesome people I've met here...I'll let you know about more of them as time goes on.
A few other tidbits from this week:
I bought two replacement strings for the violin. Cost? $26. GRRRR
I got a care package from home on Wednesday...with cookies!!! Thanks mom :)
As I said before, I am now hooked on "Tim & Eric"...wheres my chippy?
My assignment for this weekend is to write an extra-killer swingin' chart...lets see if I can do it.
Workshop is just getting better and better...the tunes are happenin' and the vibe is great!
and...
I just realized my ID photo makes it look like I have a mullet...ouch.
More to come!
The week really started for me on Tuesday, when my roommate David took me to Slate's bar and grill in Roxbury. As soon as we entered, I noticed two things; One, that the music was well above normal jazz sound levels, and two, that nobody looked thrilled about having a violin come to the stage. This, however, has been a repeated occurrence for me, and when I had finished playing that night, I was sure that I had convinced these people that violin was a valid jazz/funk instrument! As David and I walked back, people leaving yelled their satisfaction out of their cars as they left...what a great night!
Since I mentioned David, I'm going to talk a bit about my two roommates: David and Mike. Seriously, I could not have asked for better people to room with. Dave is a person who is wild about jazz...and is one of the best players of the music who I've ever heard. In workshop, he is such a positive force, and never has a bad thing to say. In his words, "None of us is better than anyone else, we just all play differently". I really do have the privilege to room with such a great guy as David. My other roommate, Mike, is one of the best piano players that I've ever heard, and also one of the nicest people that I've ever met. He's the one who got me into the show "Tim and Eric" (im now hooked), and is always helpful and supportive...he's backing me up on my college audition tomorrow. Whats also great is that both these guys have such great senses of humor...I dont think there's been a day with them where I haven't laughed. I really am lucky to have such great roommates.
Last night, I jammed with my friends Langston, Jack, and JB in front of a crowd, doing versions of "In a Sentimental Mood" and "Lover Man". These guys are all from Cleveland, and are here along with Brian, their bass player (I was filling in that night). These four are in a quartet already back home, and all received scholarships to some this summer. We are all lucky they came...not only are they all killin' players, they are some of the funniest people I've ever met...They even said I could be an honorary member of their quartet...how awesome!!! There has been no shortage to the number of awesome people I've met here...I'll let you know about more of them as time goes on.
A few other tidbits from this week:
I bought two replacement strings for the violin. Cost? $26. GRRRR
I got a care package from home on Wednesday...with cookies!!! Thanks mom :)
As I said before, I am now hooked on "Tim & Eric"...wheres my chippy?
My assignment for this weekend is to write an extra-killer swingin' chart...lets see if I can do it.
Workshop is just getting better and better...the tunes are happenin' and the vibe is great!
and...
I just realized my ID photo makes it look like I have a mullet...ouch.
More to come!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Week 2
So where I last left off, I was writing a post on an iPad in the Boston apple store. That culminated a great day of walking around Chinatown and the rest of Boston with a great group of people, taking in everything around us, and even stopping at some freedom trail sites along the way. As I said before, I am really starting to feel a sense of community among us here at the Five Week, it's really pure, as JB would say...not shmaked.
So for the past two days, I have been laying back on my playing, to tell the truth. After a really intense week of playing and work, it felt good to relax for a couple of days and do some stuff outside of Berklee...not that I didn't do anything at the college. The string fling was this weekend, an acoustic string festival that lasts for three days put on by the Berklee string faculty. After showing up to a jam on Friday with a bunch of players, I was invited back to play at the concert the next day! I chose to play the Brazilian song "Sonoroso" with Eugene Friesen, who was on the faculty of the program...it turned out amazing!
On Saturday night, I went out to dinner with Kira and Andrew, who were visiting from Lexington, with a bunch of other people at a great Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Basil. Some of us then attempted to rent a movie from the Blockbuster down the street, but couldn't due to some company policy about accounts that left us with no movie and nothing to do. We ended up watching the Boondock Saints on David's laptop, which was fantastic as always.
Today was spent with the normal crowd going around to music stores and trying out gear, but that only lasted for so long until we realized that our musicianship homework had to be done by tomorrow, and so the transcriptions began. All this sitting inside, however, had put me in the mood to practice, which led me to practice for a couple of hours acoustically, and then play for an hour using effects and my amp...I can't wait for Andrew Bird to get here so I can see a master do what I am trying to develop!
I'm just about to go to bed, it's been a long day, plus I have my lesson tomorrow. Im also eagerly awaiting a care package from home with cookies which my roommates and I cannot wait for! Oh, and I did my first load of laundry...now I'm definitely set for the next week. More soon!
So for the past two days, I have been laying back on my playing, to tell the truth. After a really intense week of playing and work, it felt good to relax for a couple of days and do some stuff outside of Berklee...not that I didn't do anything at the college. The string fling was this weekend, an acoustic string festival that lasts for three days put on by the Berklee string faculty. After showing up to a jam on Friday with a bunch of players, I was invited back to play at the concert the next day! I chose to play the Brazilian song "Sonoroso" with Eugene Friesen, who was on the faculty of the program...it turned out amazing!
On Saturday night, I went out to dinner with Kira and Andrew, who were visiting from Lexington, with a bunch of other people at a great Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Basil. Some of us then attempted to rent a movie from the Blockbuster down the street, but couldn't due to some company policy about accounts that left us with no movie and nothing to do. We ended up watching the Boondock Saints on David's laptop, which was fantastic as always.
Today was spent with the normal crowd going around to music stores and trying out gear, but that only lasted for so long until we realized that our musicianship homework had to be done by tomorrow, and so the transcriptions began. All this sitting inside, however, had put me in the mood to practice, which led me to practice for a couple of hours acoustically, and then play for an hour using effects and my amp...I can't wait for Andrew Bird to get here so I can see a master do what I am trying to develop!
I'm just about to go to bed, it's been a long day, plus I have my lesson tomorrow. Im also eagerly awaiting a care package from home with cookies which my roommates and I cannot wait for! Oh, and I did my first load of laundry...now I'm definitely set for the next week. More soon!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
out and about
I'm writing this post on an iPad in the Boston apple store, pretty cool huh?
We took today to see Chinatown and walk around, al told there were about twenty of us who went on this excursion, and I even ran into my old friends kira and Andrew! How cool!
I now feel a definite feeling of community, and I am loving it...the guys are about to leave, so I have to make this brief...more to come on today
We took today to see Chinatown and walk around, al told there were about twenty of us who went on this excursion, and I even ran into my old friends kira and Andrew! How cool!
I now feel a definite feeling of community, and I am loving it...the guys are about to leave, so I have to make this brief...more to come on today
Friday, July 16, 2010
Finally
Yesterday was the first day I actually thought I played well in workshop...It was like a culmination of all the classes and lessons so far and it all just worked! I have to remember to keep up my double stops and octaves-there's classical technique for you.
I was asked last night to play violin at a jam session for two groups playing the tunes "Monk's Dream" and "Oleo". It was the only jazz played in that room that night and the band was killin'. I'm still not sure if those rocker-types enjoyed the complex harmonies and rhythms that we provided.
After the jam, we all headed back to my building for yet another jam, this one being in the practice rooms on my floor and lasting for close to three hours. By the end, everyone was sweating as a result of both too many people in a small space, and of the sheer fun and energy we were exerting while playing.
I have my first jazz history class today...wish me luck!
I was asked last night to play violin at a jam session for two groups playing the tunes "Monk's Dream" and "Oleo". It was the only jazz played in that room that night and the band was killin'. I'm still not sure if those rocker-types enjoyed the complex harmonies and rhythms that we provided.
After the jam, we all headed back to my building for yet another jam, this one being in the practice rooms on my floor and lasting for close to three hours. By the end, everyone was sweating as a result of both too many people in a small space, and of the sheer fun and energy we were exerting while playing.
I have my first jazz history class today...wish me luck!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Swamped
The title says it all. In the last two days, I have had days that go from 9am-8pm, with very few breaks in between. What that means is that I am exhausted, and can't stay up too late at night in order to practice/do homework because I need to get up early the next day! This is one that I'm going to have to figure out how to balance.
As jazz workshop continues, the tunes keep getting harder and the playing keeps getting more intense. Our pianist, Chase, brought in a tune of his which is very similar to a Herbie Hancock tune called "Dolphin Dance", and so our homework was to learn these two songs, plus the songs "Moontrane" and "Recorda-Me". The Herbie tune and Chase's tune are hard tunes, so they involved extra looking over and practice, which is one of the reasons I was up so late last night.
The other reason is thanks to records and the store Looney Tunes. Two friends and I were walking around at 10:30 last night as a break from music, and we stopped at the store, only to find it was closed. The incredibly nice clerk, however, let us in and browse at our leisure...I found a great Sonny Rollins album and an early album of Jean Luc Ponty which blew my mind.
Also went to a concert last night of a band someone recommended to me...and I'm not sure why. Out of eight songs, the same, New Orleans style beat was used on six of them, which made for all the songs sounding the same and a show that felt just too long. This feeling was mutual among my friends, and we left the concert hall somewhat disappointed, but eager to get some work done for our classes.
With transcribing solos, practicing, jamming and listening, I am indeed swamped. This is far more material than I ever did last year, and I'm wondering how I'm going to manage all of it. But hey, I'd rather be doing this than sitting in a classroom all day.
As jazz workshop continues, the tunes keep getting harder and the playing keeps getting more intense. Our pianist, Chase, brought in a tune of his which is very similar to a Herbie Hancock tune called "Dolphin Dance", and so our homework was to learn these two songs, plus the songs "Moontrane" and "Recorda-Me". The Herbie tune and Chase's tune are hard tunes, so they involved extra looking over and practice, which is one of the reasons I was up so late last night.
The other reason is thanks to records and the store Looney Tunes. Two friends and I were walking around at 10:30 last night as a break from music, and we stopped at the store, only to find it was closed. The incredibly nice clerk, however, let us in and browse at our leisure...I found a great Sonny Rollins album and an early album of Jean Luc Ponty which blew my mind.
Also went to a concert last night of a band someone recommended to me...and I'm not sure why. Out of eight songs, the same, New Orleans style beat was used on six of them, which made for all the songs sounding the same and a show that felt just too long. This feeling was mutual among my friends, and we left the concert hall somewhat disappointed, but eager to get some work done for our classes.
With transcribing solos, practicing, jamming and listening, I am indeed swamped. This is far more material than I ever did last year, and I'm wondering how I'm going to manage all of it. But hey, I'd rather be doing this than sitting in a classroom all day.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Settling in
Alright everyone, now that I've had a few days to get used to my surroundings, I finally have a free minute to post. My pictures will be up soon, dont fret.
So after driving my car down to Boston with my dad and staying with my aunt, my dad and I headed to Berklee for move-in day. The problem was that since my dad had to stay with the car outside the building, I had to bring in everything myself...unassisted. Thats a full crate of clothes, three instruments, an amp, a mini-fridge and other necessities, so needless to say that due to the heat of the matter, a change of shirt was required after the move in.
After the chaos of moving in, things quieted down for awhile, at least until the instruments started to be broken out. Within minutes of getting to Berklee I had met tons of fantastic musicians and the jamming had begun. That's pretty much all I've done for the past two days, besides eating and sleeping.
My two roommates, Mike and Dave, and I had our first jazz workshop class today, which was made up of just playin tunes with a group of people from the workshop...Im not even sure if its my set group, so I'm still a little confused how this whole thing works...when I find out, I'll let you know.
I am among monster players...I only hope I won't get eaten.
So after driving my car down to Boston with my dad and staying with my aunt, my dad and I headed to Berklee for move-in day. The problem was that since my dad had to stay with the car outside the building, I had to bring in everything myself...unassisted. Thats a full crate of clothes, three instruments, an amp, a mini-fridge and other necessities, so needless to say that due to the heat of the matter, a change of shirt was required after the move in.
After the chaos of moving in, things quieted down for awhile, at least until the instruments started to be broken out. Within minutes of getting to Berklee I had met tons of fantastic musicians and the jamming had begun. That's pretty much all I've done for the past two days, besides eating and sleeping.
My two roommates, Mike and Dave, and I had our first jazz workshop class today, which was made up of just playin tunes with a group of people from the workshop...Im not even sure if its my set group, so I'm still a little confused how this whole thing works...when I find out, I'll let you know.
I am among monster players...I only hope I won't get eaten.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
On the eve of Berklee
My name is Gabe, and I'm a jazz violinist...but you already knew that by the title. I have been playing classical violin for 14 years, jazz/other styles for 6 and have enjoyed the trip thus far, successes and failures alike.
This seemed like a good time to start a blog for two reasons. One: because I was urged to start one during my experience at Interplay jazz camp, and before I continue, I'd like to reflect on that experience. Fred Haas and Sabrina Brown have created a mecca for playing and learning in the town of Woodstock, Vermont, and I was very fortunate to be able to attend. I had originally been turned on to the camp by my high school music teacher, Chris Humphrey, hearing nothing but the best things about the camp. When I arrived, however, the experience eclipsed his adjectives in just how wonderful it really was.
My friend Will and I spent a week playing and studying with pro musicians...faculty and fellow campers alike. My own playing experience culminated in performances of the music of Sun Ra, and my own arrangement of the Steely Dan hit "Peg", on which I played bass and sang lead in front of a ten-piece band (I'm still amazed it worked so well! A huge thanks to all that played and made it work so well.). But perhaps the most spiritually fulfilling aspect of my stay was the Interplay Gospel Choir, headed by Mr. Walter Cunningham. I still count myself extraordinarily lucky to have been able to be around such a life force as this man, and to be able to learn and benefit from his musical prowess and experiences. I will most certainly be returning next year to Interplay.
Two: I am on the eve of what may be the greatest musical challenge I have ever faced: The Summer Jazz Workshop at Berklee's 5-Week Summer Program. Around Twelve musicians worldwide were selected to participate in this workshop...and I'm not sure that they've ever taken a violinist before. So here I go, hopefully set to emerge a much better player than I am now. I'll keep you posted.
This seemed like a good time to start a blog for two reasons. One: because I was urged to start one during my experience at Interplay jazz camp, and before I continue, I'd like to reflect on that experience. Fred Haas and Sabrina Brown have created a mecca for playing and learning in the town of Woodstock, Vermont, and I was very fortunate to be able to attend. I had originally been turned on to the camp by my high school music teacher, Chris Humphrey, hearing nothing but the best things about the camp. When I arrived, however, the experience eclipsed his adjectives in just how wonderful it really was.
My friend Will and I spent a week playing and studying with pro musicians...faculty and fellow campers alike. My own playing experience culminated in performances of the music of Sun Ra, and my own arrangement of the Steely Dan hit "Peg", on which I played bass and sang lead in front of a ten-piece band (I'm still amazed it worked so well! A huge thanks to all that played and made it work so well.). But perhaps the most spiritually fulfilling aspect of my stay was the Interplay Gospel Choir, headed by Mr. Walter Cunningham. I still count myself extraordinarily lucky to have been able to be around such a life force as this man, and to be able to learn and benefit from his musical prowess and experiences. I will most certainly be returning next year to Interplay.
Two: I am on the eve of what may be the greatest musical challenge I have ever faced: The Summer Jazz Workshop at Berklee's 5-Week Summer Program. Around Twelve musicians worldwide were selected to participate in this workshop...and I'm not sure that they've ever taken a violinist before. So here I go, hopefully set to emerge a much better player than I am now. I'll keep you posted.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)