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.

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.

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!

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!

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

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!

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.

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.

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.