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spike

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Posts posted by spike

    Is it me or is the current music scene CRAP!

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    [quote name='MacDaddy' post='463905' date='Apr 16 2009, 01:26 PM']Popular music as we know it today, is a regression in terms of musical evolution. The tonalities, harmonies, rhythmic devices, were all going strong 500 years ago. Popular music, has not progressed music in any way.
    To talk about how talented popular musicians are today is almost laughable if you compare them to musicians from the Baroque period.[/quote]


    "It's been a long time since Baroque and Roll"

    Getting into Jazz - where to start

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    [quote name='bilbo230763' post='455507' date='Apr 6 2009, 02:42 PM']AAAAAAAARGH!

    If you want to know about jazz, stay away from jam sessions that play Canteloupe Island, Watermelon Man, Chameleon, C Jam Blues and So What!

    Sorry, Spike, I know what you are saying is probably true but these jam sessions are, in my experience, rarely attended by anyone that can actually play any credible jazz. Its a tragedy but most good players would either be gigging or practising at home. These tunes are horrible (I actually refuse to play the first two - ever - and the others are rarely allowed out). They are seen by many as a great introduction to jazz but they are enough to put anyone off, particularly when played by people with bad time, no technique and no credible vocabulary. I too often see people at these sessions who have not yet dealt witht he fundamentals of their instruments and who are, to all intents and purposes, delusional.

    Just imagine. If you were interested in seeing what jazz was about and went to one of these sessions as your forst experience; you would be put off it for life.

    Find something more worthy of your time.

    As for suggestions of what to listen to: look for my GOD, I LOVE JAZZ thread here. There are 100s of suggestions, from me and others.[/quote]

    That's fair enough but we've all got to start somewhere. I know the tunes I mentioned might be the 'Smoke On The Water' of the jazz world to you more experienced guys but I still think they are a good way in. I don't think any of the jams I've been to have been as tragic as you've portrayed but maybe I've been lucky!

    Getting into Jazz - where to start

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I've just started playing jazz in the past year or so, so here's some advice from someone who's only a little further along the road than you are.

    As other have said, listen to as much jazz as possible. Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue is a good starting point.

    Find out if there are any regular jazz jam nights in your area and go along to listen. You'll probably find there are several tunes that get played regularly that are easy enough for a jazz beginner to learn. At my local jam they are Watermelon Man, Chameleon, Cantaloupe Island (all Herbie Hancock), So What (Miles Davis from Kind Of Blue), C Jam Blues (Duke Ellington?).

    I have found the Jamey Aebersold jazz playalong books to be very useful. Book one is a jazz primer and book 54 'Maiden Voyage' has several easy standards including Watermelon Man and Cantaloupe Island. They are designed for all instruments including bass.

    So I wanna play funk.

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    [quote name='thedontcarebear' post='419804' date='Feb 26 2009, 08:13 AM']Lettuce![/quote]

    Excellent band, modern raw funk

    Also worth checking out are Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings or pretty much anything on Dap-Tone records.

    Has someone mentioned that it's all about the One?

    How was your gig last night?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Mixed feelings about my gig on Saturday. We played at a small bar in Dunstable, first time we've played there and the first time we've done a pub gig for over a year. Normally we play functions but we like to play pubs so that family, friends and potential clients can come and see us.

    The very bad bit - We used the house PA and had feedback problems all night, so the vocals were never as loud as they needed to be. I never really settled into the gig because I was constantly adjusting the PA between songs. We didn't sound anywhere near as good as we could have done and that frustrated all of us.

    The good bits - The place was packed, both with friends and regulars and they all enjoyed us and we did two encores. The owner reckoned it was the best night he has had band wise and wants us to come back and we had a couple enquiries about functions too.

    The very good bit - Three different people that I'd never met before came up to me afterwards and told me how good my bass playing was. I'm used to being ignored most of the time so that was a great ego boost.

    No! It's happened!

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I waited until I was 46 before I got the sunburst Fender, first Fender I've ever owned too.

    My last originals band finished when I was 30 and I actually gave up music for a while, thinking it was time to grow up and become a normal member of society. That only lasted a year thank god.

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