Turns out that a friend of an old college friend lives here in the village. The Amigo's college buddy facilitated an email introduction prior to our arrival. We've had a few chats.
Well, it also turns out that this friend-of-a-friend is a very good conga player / percussionist / drummer and *he* knows a world-class vibes player who also lives in this little town (when he's not somewhere else playing, recording, etc.). We're talking seriously world-class here. "Shockingly good" is not an exaggeration.
The Amigo has been invited to participate in a pickup gig with these guys on NYE. A fourth musician -- a 20-ish bass player (home from college for the holidays) who possesses significant musical aptitude and excellent attitude will round out the quartet. Note that this material is lots harder than the E Pluribus Blues set list. It's real jazz (not Sears jazz) and the expectation is that we play the changes. We've been rehearsing essentially every day for two to three hours. Very congenial group. Very talented group.
It is the first time the Old Amigo has had the opportunity to play with, learn from, observe a world-class jazz guy on a daily basis. What a rare phenomenon this is. Also amazingly cool is that this vibes player is extremely kind, patient, and supportive. Never critical; never looking down at anyone else. Always positive. He suggests what he'd like us to do and helps us learn the parts and we play. And play.
The clock is ticking. We practiced for three hours today. We'll practice again tomorrow at noon.
This is the finest of rocks.
2 comments:
Good for you, Amigo! What a great opportunity.
I have been reading 'The Music Lesson' by Victor Wooten (Bela Flek's bassist). He reminds us:
"You should never lose the groove in order to find a note"
"If you stopped playing notes, Music would still exist."
Another reason to not worry too much about the notes...There are 12 notes in 'Western' music...In any key there are seven 'right' notes which leaves only five 'wrong' notes, which means even if we don't know what key we are in and guess we will be right more than half the time. On the keyboard in the key of 'C' the right notes for the major scale are all white, and the 'wrong' ones are black. What happens if you land on a 'wrong' note?...well, a 'right' note is a mere half-step away in either direction..TADA!!!!
Thanks, Al. What a great bit of advice!
Today's rehearsal went well. We have been playing nearly every day and are set up to take another whack at it tomorrow. Apparently guess it "helps" that three out of the four members are unemployed and the fourth one works nights!
Hope your holidays were/are a blast.
AvH
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