Playing Around with Solar

A little practice with "Solar".

http://www.box.net/shared/vy0l7rghqpnxusjiyest

Recording in My Teacher's Style

I gave a try of 'Body and Soul' -- another difficult jazz standard
http://www.box.net/shared/st2kadn7833h8h0m0z7l

I made this in the style of my teacher, to show his influence. I did this in one take and my time was a little off as I tried to adjust to the backing track. As my friend Chris Bell advised me, I need to lay back just a little.

The advanced goal my teacher has set was to not be playing scales and develop better melodic concepts while I play. I have no idea if I achieved that but that at least was what I tried to do.

I suppose I should post an update to my progress in jazz. Over the last year, I've gone from practicing at home to regular jam sessions. I have a regular professional gig with my own band and as the recordings show, there's a large audience and plenty of regular fans that return each time.

Wow -- I've come a long way. It's been seven years since I started playing piano and jazz. I remember chatting with my teacher (5 years now with the same teacher) and I asked him why he took me since 5 years ago, I had all the theory but I could hardly play. He said he sensed it was all in me and I just didn't have the confidence to let it out.

Jazz is a very difficult genre to learn because progress is slow and improvisation is something that has to come from inside you.  Add to that the difficult of learning piano and it seemed an impossible goal at the beginning.

Now I'm setting a new goal. This is more aggressive. I actually want to be good at this. I realize that I've succeeded in reaching some level of mediocrity in jazz playing. It would take quite a bit of effort to sound like a 'better' player. We'll see how long that takes.

Recordings

Recent performance (Aug 12).

Mr PC
http://www.box.net/shared/34oi4e9brtx5j53si5g0

Canteloupe
http://www.box.net/shared/okca2x02t5azi59n66ph
On A Clear Day
http://www.box.net/shared/m41g3o0z9bl5jy8694jp
Look of love
http://www.box.net/shared/c2ildpaard6z65me080q
Footprints
http://www.box.net/shared/vrbbh4nov7dsnh5h8e8y
Autumn Leaves
http://www.box.net/shared/3hp2ra5ms6azvv53km9s

All Blues
http://www.box.net/shared/q2szbz5t24sp10rhy19j
There Will Be Another You
http://www.box.net/shared/y99c8y1eua8gxb5seq06

Summertime
http://www.box.net/shared/kxgvdiq604ihagt2puj8
Naima
http://www.box.net/shared/zq5gy8arvhnudykj5lvn
Girl from Ipanema
http://www.box.net/shared/q36j37la4hmm43b196ql
Take 5
http://www.box.net/shared/m0gfekl9bp6ii4po865c
Mr PC
http://www.box.net/shared/gtfluidmgt0kkqr402yq
Recordame
http://www.box.net/shared/mxt7b4nvkclnrkafg8rr

July 23 Gig

Here are a few samples from one my gigs this weekend.

This was my 8 piece band (Piano, Bass, Drums, Sax, Trumpet, Guitar, Percussion, Vocals) which I lead. I've been assembling many musicians from jam sessions to join me and I have this ever changing ensemble.

Forgive the loud background noise. There was a lot of people and some chose to hang out near the Zoom H4.

There Will Be Another You
http://www.box.net/shared/r6sfx9atki1uf3ukzk9l

All Blues
http://www.box.net/shared/7erii8hlsrpu97lg0cza

Canteloupe Island
http://www.box.net/shared/ey6zjaivbzzz5fm1h1tq

Mr PC
http://www.box.net/shared/zds558fv2us7u2x3l9kk

Naima

Here's a try at Naima in Solo piano

http://www.box.net/shared/p0t99huergcno7v0c6av

It's a little hard to make heads of tails of this and make something strong but it's such a beautiful tune so I'm giving it a shot. I played this at my last gig and it is much easier with a rhythm section and the horns playing the head.

Recorded on my Steinway.

Jam Snippets (June)

Jam Session tonight -- Here's a couple of recordings

This is a jam so we have a mix here, like a newbie trumpet player who we allow to play the head so he can participate. I have played neither of these tunes in a group before so it's interesting to see the dynamics that developed. You can hear the discussions.

This is RAW STUFF. Messy but fun at the same time.

Look of Love (Burt Bacarach)
http://www.box.net/shared/kkmuuza2lr023loxj66n

Pardon the guitar player plugged into my monitor and basically confusing me. So some of those wrong notes you hear are actually the guitar. He wasn't supposed to be playing.


Mr PC (John Coltrane)
http://www.box.net/shared/musahc62usb2ytkrehnp

This made me panic a little during the solo since it's the first time I've played at 200bpm live. It made me tense up and I repeated ideas and I was off the pocket there for a bit. Will do better next time. But listen to what happens with the rhythm section as everyone just let loose. Completely unplanned. It was great!

My First Major Gig

I did a show recently, my first major gig with a jazz group and I was also the leader. There was a huge crowd and I had Vocals, Sax, Guitar, Keyboard, Bass and Drums. What an experience! Prior to this was mostly solo piano gigs and many jam sessions. We were a hit with the crowd and they asked to play on a regular basis. I played with experienced musicians here and it was a great feeling to get through a tune with very little discussion. I had never played with most of these people. I played with the bass player a couple of times at a jam but that was it. There's mistakes everywhere, but this is jazz so I thought it went well for the first try.



Summertime
http://www.box.net/shared/d4i8yyjyoy

Whisper
http://www.box.net/shared/449jaxh002

Lullaby
http://www.box.net/shared/m7bb20l46l

Softly
http://www.box.net/shared/dtey8dycgd

Route 66
http://www.box.net/shared/ugqm0ja1s2

Autumn Leaves
http://www.box.net/shared/0xdsygnree

God Bless
http://www.box.net/shared/0v9fqvza7m

Someday My Prince
http://www.box.net/shared/jqri5f6zt7

ATTYA
http://www.box.net/shared/ks8y17ft3n

Indian Summer
http://www.box.net/shared/tqlo468gtb