All Activity

A partial transcription this time; Matt Penman's bass part for the YouTube version of Stevie Wonder's 'superstition'. I just wanted to see where the arrangement was going (there is more to it that I have captured here but I lost the will after I got what I came for.....). https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/superstition-sfjazz-collective/

Searingly honest and reflective words @lee650 - food for thought for all of us, and thanks for sharing... Music has always been the help and comfort that got me through times, too. Wishing you the best of luck with everything ( now you're 19 again)! 🙏😊

Out in the car yesterday, while on shuffle mode three tracks from our monster Spotify playlist came on back to back and each had fantastic acoustic guitar solos. Cockney Rebel - Come Up and See Me Gilbert O'Sullivan - Alone Again (Naturally) Rod Stewart - Maggie May Perfect.

Just seen in a Facebook post by the guitarist Phil Robson that Dill Katz has passed away. He was a regular name on the jazz scene in London in the ‘90s having played bass in Nucleus and Barbara Thompson’s Paraphernalia among others, as well as producing many recordings and co-founding the Premises studios in Hackney. RIP.

So I put on Syd Barrett's spectacles, and this is what happened... : As one of the fathers of psych folk and lo-fi, here's an improvised instrumental lo-fi psychedelic folk piece in honor of the genius that is Syd Barrett. First take improvisation, played on my 28.6" scale 4 string Ibanez GSRM20B Mikro Bass, equipped with just a single bridge EMG Geezer Butler J pickup, from the P/J set, wired directly to the output jack socket, and tuned in B standard tuning (baritone tuning), recorded through my "amp-less" setup directly into my Zoom H4n handheld recorder, and only edited through a simple Wav editor.

Last night with Blockbustarz was in Camelon Juniors FC. First time in this venue and it was full. Small stage so both singers had to stand on floor in front of stage. Like most clubs folks want in early to get "their seat". People coming in 45mins before doors open which hindered us getting set up and doing a proper sound check but all was fine with it. You know you've had a great night when the bar staff shut the bar to get out on the dance floor for Shang-a-Lang near the end. Dancing from the start last night too and floor was relatively busy all night.. Feed back was incredible from so many people including the owner and the team that booked us and want us back again. Club shut the pool room to give us a decent sized changing room plus storage for all the cases and back up gear if required. Used the Sandberg VM4 into Shure wireless, Keeley bassist comp, Handbox WB-100 and Barefaced 212 cab and even tho i was standing close to the bass rig i could clearly hear the bass behind me. The Barefaced cab has surpassed my expectations. Few wee minor mistakes by us but only picked up by us. Mine was Ballroom Blitz where i just could not get that bass part in middle as if my plucking fingers couldn't move fast enough to keep up with drums. Not even a fast song but my head just wasn't working. That was 1st song second set so hopefully i'm fine next gig in 2 weeks. One huge bonus was that i adjusted my garage and put the Harley bike along the back wall allowing me to put the car straight in the garage after the gig and will empty it today. That will be how i do things from now on as it made life so much easier after a gig. Dave

A rather more staid event as it was the first concert given by the two new community choirs (same MD for both). So, the more sedate environs of the local Methodist church. Rep was essentially a mix of music form shows, American Song Book etc. As we're new groups, we don't have enough rep to fill a full concert so some 'filler' provided by a couple of precocious youngsters aged around 8 or 9. Whilst both were extremely good (the young pianist was scarily good) I could have done with that tbh. One of the stalwarts of the local music scene provided some very different stuff with a mix of folk/jazz improv type stuff - duets on various combinations of piano, flute, violin, tin whistle, and later on a small Gamelan set-up... And the issue is when you have 'guests' they tend to do too much.... However, the two choirs did well.

Well done the new singer at her first full gig. We're also seeing numbers down in various venues and owners telling us they've put on free bands but still not busy. At least you guys had a decent audience so that's all good news. Think folks simply don't have the money to go out as much at moment. Dave