Bilbo

I'm in. https://soundcloud.com/robert-palmer-1/corpuscle-mule

Finished mine today. Will upload as soon as I can get to it.

'Latin' is a massive genre or set of genres. The modes used are generally the same as with all Western music's. I.e. Diatonic.

I did my Jazz East gig last Sunday with harmonica player Adam Glasser. I just got this feedback. 'Dear Rob, Thanks once again for inviting me to play - you are my absolute favourite group of musicians for a listening supportive musical jazz experience, getting together on spec!' How lovely!!! Makes it all worthwhile.

Yes. There are a couple in the Music Warehouse in Colchester. 200 yards from the office!!

I have done one but I don't like it so I am going in again!!

Just reading another thread on this subject and it occured to me why this is so often a difficullt and intense experience. I would argue that in most working class families, music is discovered by people through informal routes at the mid to late teen stage and mostly through popular music genres. The most common first instruments are probably electric guitars and basses, amybe keyboards and, less commonly, drums (because of cost, space and noise issues). As a result of this, many people who come to the double bass do so late in their careers and after they have ALREADY started playing gigs. As soon as they take the plunge and buy a double bass, the people around them are immediately putting pressure on them to play the instrument on gigs. I was playing for a couple of years before I did my first electric gig and during those years was unemployed, single, living at home with my parents and shedding for hours and hours. When I got a double bass (thanks, Jake), I was a lot older, in full-time employment and had the full range of obligations that come with early middle age. As a result, I was gigging well before I was even close to ready. No stamina, no technique, lousy intonation etc etc. When I think about it, we don't really stand a chance, do we?

Think Ralph Towner rather than strummy guitar. I am following this thread and checking everything out as far as one can.

The chart is in one of the real books. Are you looking for a transcription of Berg's solo or just a head chart?

I had an Eko 12 when I was about 17. It had telephone wire strings and an action to match.

The next on my wish list. Any thoughts?

I spent years doing every gig that came my way but several years ago culled anything that was a bit sh*t and now only play gigs I want to do. Comes out at around one a week but I am happier for it. I have also stopped practising bass as I have all the chops I need for the gigs I do. This means practice time is fun too.

A lot of the issues referred to throughout this thread are things that I recognise from my own career. The first is getting like minded people to play with. I gave up trying to find singers when I was in my 20s and got into instrumental music and Jazz. I have always struggled to find musicians who want to play anything fresh and new and have found it much easier to find people who want to play the tried and tested. The same applies to bookings. Could do more gigs playing more accessible material but that Isn't where I get the buzz from. We grew up in a world with three tv channels and no internet, no dvds, no computer games. Music mattered more to us because there was much less to choose from. I play fewer and fewer gigs but those I do are of a much higher standard than they used to be. I am 'winding down' a bit now and playing guitar more because it is a stand alone instrument in a way that the bass isn't. It's not that I don't want to gig. It's because I don't want to play what is required to get loads of gigs.

[quote name='LITTLEWING' timestamp='1492249322' post='3278936'] Bring back The Old Grey Whistle Test. End of story. [/quote] Fcukin' A

My 'not hard' comments are actually a reference to the fact that musicians have a tendency to be drawn to exceptional technique but it's guys like Squire and another favourite of mine, Steve Swallow, who are able to make massive contributions to the canon without being monster chopsmeisters. They have the chops they need to execute their ideas and that is all that they need. The same can be said of people like Bill Frissel, Paul Motian, Charlie Haden etc etc. Chris Squire was a major influence on me as a kid and I can now probably play pretty much everything he could but I still consider him to be infinitely more creative than I have ever been.

It gives me the arse, this 'let's ride on the back of the kudos of a Jazz festival without actually playing any Jazz. It's bad enough when VAn Morrison and Jools Holland get headline slots but Wilco Johnson? Ridiculous.

The whole subject is, to my mind, an indicator of what the reality of being a musician really is. There are two extremes. Learn everything by rote and work in a set band playing with the same people who learned the songs with you and nailed every detail and nuance or use professional readers who read the impeccable charts you have written out beforehand. The reality is usually somewhere between the two. The problem is that everybody starts out playing with like minded mates so spending hours learning your favourite tunes is a buzz. Later on, you start having to balance real life, maybe work, etc with your musical ambitions are comprised. I am never going to learn 30 songs I probably don't like very much for one gig. Give me charts or book someone else.

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1493187469' post='3286246'] The Mrs has a [s]bed[/s]bowlback Ovation. It's been in the inlaws loft for the past 5 or so years. Fine if you're standing up, but try playing it without a strap whilst seated. It wants the strings to face your chest! [/quote] Tell her to try one of these. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B002GOHD9Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493455776&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=guitar+foot+stool&dpPl=1&dpID=41PIvPEGV4L&ref=plSrch

My electric piano and soprano saxophone. I bought them with the best of intentions but never actually touch them.

Bloody well bump.

I think it is worth saying that there comes a point in all of this where there is insufficient frequency or consistency in the use of certain theories to allow is to use terms like right or wrong, normal or conventional. There are idiosyncratic approaches to notation in every situation and it often falls to the musicians and MD in any given case to seek to establish consensus regarding the intentions of the composer or transcriber.

I found phoning more effective than email. Phone response is immediate.

I love doing shows. I don't learn them but read them so low input high return stuff.

I think Little Mix should have won. One of them wore a beret once.