UPDATE: Thanks to a newly developed illness (Rhymes with "bovid". I knew my luck wouldn't hold out forever.) I will be pausing this and will record the last 4 solos next week sometime. Thank you for your patience…..
I recently looked at my calendar and realized I wasn't playing much. Instead of complaining and getting depressed about it, I would record a solo every day for a week. The solos are all improvised, and created from the first thing I play when I sit down at the instrument……
On to day 3. A piece on brushes dedicated to a very inspiring individual….
I recently looked at my calendar and realized I wasn't playing much. Instead of complaining and getting depressed about it, I would record a solo every day for a week. The solos are all improvised, and created from the first thing I play when I sit down at the instrument……
Okay, day 2. The title for this came from the realization that, despite my continuing best efforts, I STILL CUT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD ON THE VIDEO. Oh well…. enjoy.
I recently looked at my calendar and realized I wasn't playing much. Instead of complaining and getting depressed about it, I would record a solo every day for a week. The solos are all improvised, and created from the first thing I play when I sit down at the instrument. Here goes…..
"Man, I NEVER play hi-hat on 2 & 4. I'm the hippest thing going!"
"KIDS THESE DAYS!!!!"
The following is an imagined conversation between 18 year old and current day (57 yrs.) me. We are meeting in a club at a jam session…..
Old Ted: Hey son, you sound great. May I talk to you a bit about what you played?
Young Ted: Um… I guess so, but you're not my Dad. Also, should you be standing up right now? A person of your advanced age should probably be sitting.
OT: What? ( These young punks…) Anyway, did you know the form of that tune you were playing?
YT: Form? Yeah, it was medium swing tune.
OT: Well, that's the style, but there's more to it than that. Do you know the melody to that tune, "Sonny Moon for Two?"
YT: No, I would have read it, but I forgot my Real Book. What are you getting at anyway, Gramps?
OT: GRAMPS??!!! Look, kid, you have some talent and enthusiasm, but I don't feel like you're really playing for the band….
YT: Look Mr. Warner, I'm sure you mean well, but I'll have you know, by mid-May of my grade 12 year, I was the best drummer at my high school…..
OT: Have you ever listened to any Sonny Rollins recordings?
YT: Sure, I have his album, "Don't Ask" which was recorded waaaaay back in 1979, and contains his greatest composition, "Disco Monk"! I probably have 2 or 3 other Jazz albums as well. Anyway, why are you asking? I play drums not saxophone!
OT What?? You listen to all the instruments…. Look here young man, when I hear you play, it doesn't feel like you're playing the form of the tunes or representing the soloists…..
YT: Mr. Weber, I'm sure when dinosaurs walked the earth and you were my age, unsolicited advice like this was appreciated but…..
OT: LOOK HERE YOU LITTLE DOUGH-HEAD! YOU'RE NOT PLAYING THE MUSIC OR SUPPORTING THE BAND!!! YOUR TIME SOUNDS LIKE IT"S BEING PLAYED BY A HUMMINGBIRD WITH HEART ARRHYTHMIA AND NO AMBITION IN LIFE! YOUR SOLOS AND TRADES GET EVERYONE LOST, NOT BECAUSE THEY"RE SO COMPLEX BUT BECAUSE THEY DON'T MAKE ANY MUSICAL SENSE!!! ARE THOSE YOUR DRUMS? BECAUSE THE SNARE SOUNDS LIKE A WET FISH WITH CAT POOP ON IT!!!!!! AND THE SNARE IS THE BEST SOUNDING DRUM ON THE KIT!!!!
YT: YOU'RE JUST A BITTER OLD GEEZER WHO DOESN'T UNDERSTAND MY GENIUS!!!! I KNOW I'M HIP, BECAUSE I WORRY ABOUT IT CONSTANTLY WHILE I PLAY! BESIDES, I WEIGH ABOUT HALF OF WHAT YOU DO, HAVE LOTS OF (non-grey) HAIR, AND AM REALLY CUTE WHEN I BOUNCE UP AND DOWN ON THE DRUMS FOR NO APPARENT REASON, SO I"LL GET WAY MORE GIGS THAN YOU!!!!!!
OT: Hmmmm…..need a drum tech?
Youngsters: Realize that there are people that have been doing this a lot longer than you and may have learned a thing or two….
Veterans: Appreciate the enthusiasm (and hubris) of youth and realize that wisdom comes with time….
I once remember reading someone mentioning something to the effect of that if you go into a public space and play a violin, everyone smiles, but if you play a drum, someone’s going to call the cops! (Thanks Karen!) It’s true. It’s challenging to listen to someone practicing drums, so it’s equally challenging trying to find a place to do so. Here’s some things to consider.
1. Communicate and get along with your neighbours.
Get to know the people near your rehearsal spot. Are there any days/times there’s simply no one around? You may have to adjust when you practice but it's a small price to pay to get at the drums on a consistent basis. Also, if you practice at the place you live, NEVER ISSUE NOISE COMPLAINTS AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOURS UNLESS IT’S ABSOLUTELY INTOLERABLE. It’s very easy to get into a passive-aggressive situation where things that people would normally ignore if you hadn’t annoyed them, lead to them issuing complaints about you. I get this is tricky, but try and “live and let live”, if possible.
2. Consider all spaces.
Is there some sort of business near you that is closed in the evenings and/or weekends? Perhaps they would like someone occupying part of their space to avoid robberies, make some extra coin, and support the arts? You never know. If you’re a student, can you practice at school? And don’t tell me you never can find a free room. Most of these buildings open by 7am, and in most cases, you could practice BOWLING, let alone drums, IN THE HALLWAYS until about 10am!
3. You may need to “prepare” your instrument.
There are many low volume cymbal and head options these days, or you could even buy an electronic drum set and play with head phones. I’m not crazy about this option, but it’s certainly better than never practicing.
4. If you are storing the gear you use on gigs, you will need 24 hour access.
This complicates matters somewhat. I have both headed out to and returned from gigs at all hours of the day and night, and even loading drums in and out can be quite noisy. Be as flexible as you can, but having your own key and entryway to your space is ideal.
5. Don’t be willing to practice in a space that is excessively dirty, unhealthy, or unsafe.
Asbestos insulation? Super rough neighbourhood? Rickety steep stairs that have you fearing for your life? I’ve been in some bad situations and believe me, it’s just not worth it.
In conclusion, realize that through your life and your various living situations, you will practice in many different types of environments. Flexibility, communication, and patience is the key!
And on a completely unrelated note, here’s a medley of footage of Duncan Hopkins’ 2 guitar band at the Toronto Jazz festival. I was to go into the studio with a version of this band (except with Reg Schwager instead of Sam Dickinson), but my ailing appendix had other plans! Luckily the great Montreal-based drummer Michel Lambert was able to do the recording. It's of mainly Kenny Wheeler's music so it will be great to hear what Michel does with that. :)
Musicians listen to music in numerous ways and for many reasons. Often, we are trying to educate ourselves, cram for a gig, or critique a student. Today, however, I'd like to talk about emotional listening. What was the first music that got you excited? Not necessarily excited about playing either, but just excited in general. A partial list of music that had this effect on me would be:
- "Roxanne" - The Police
-"Just What I Needed" - The Cars
- "Adagio For Strings"- Samuel Barber
- "Seven Steps to Heaven"- Miles Davis
- "After the Rain" - John Coltrane
- "Tomorrow Never Knows" - The Beatles
- "Two Folk Songs"- Pat Metheny
-"Smokestack Lightning"- Howlin' Wolf
…and many more! What all this music did for me is that it elicited a strong response. Sometimes tears because it was so beautiful, other times it felt like i was going to jump out of my skin because I couldn't believe how cool it sounded! In many cases I can remember exactly where I was when I heard something for the first time. Notice that most of the music was recorded quite a while ago. As one gets older and more "sophisticated", (read jaded) it's harder to be gobsmacked by something one hears, especially if one is an active, studying, musician. So, I was quite pleased recently, while listening to a show on CBC that plays music I generally don't care for to hear this, and I immediately needed to find out more about them….
Now, this may not have remotely the same effect on someone else, and that's one of the coolest things about it. I can't explain why it hits me as hard as it does. It has a pretty melody and I really like the singer's voice, but there's an intangible "thing" that I can't explain, and I have no desire to either!
Treasure any music that hits you on an emotional level, and don't deny any that affects you this way. It's not particularly cool in the Jazz community to like The Ramones as much as I do, but to try and "bury' any love of music that doesn't meet with the cognoscente's approval, feels dishonest and harmful.
If you're like me, all your "emotional" music experiences will inspire you to create sonic art that is honest and without artifice that may perhaps reach someone else in the same way. :)
Clubs that host music are an interesting animal, to say the least. They have to sell food/drinks, pay their staff, deal with customers of all kinds, etc. The job of running a club is VERY difficult, especially in this post-lockdown economy. Yet, some clubs distinguish themselves as true MUSIC ROOMS. I would like to discuss what makes these places special, as well as mention what policies and practices prevent a venue from achieving this. As usual. I will "out" the spaces that I feel deserve this designation, and not mention any names of clubs that fail in this regard. You know, "if you can't say anything nice" etc….
I would also like to be clear that not all music rooms are created equal. Some venues are eligible for grants, or have a lot of support from nearby synergistic businesses and so on….
A true music room will make you feel you are part of a team
A venue depends on many people such as bar staff, managers, door people etc. and they all have a role to play. The best venues do not have an "us and them" mentality and understand issues that musicians face. it also goes without saying that musicians need to be sensitive and aware of what the staff are going through and act accordingly. If you're saying to yourself, " Hmmm, the manager is dealing with a group of unruly customers who are refusing to pay their bill and a holding up chairs in a menacing way… I KNOW! This would be a great time to hit him/her up for another gig!" , please think twice, or three times before acting! Also, ALWAYS TIP YOUR SERVER EVEN IF THERE IS A DEAL OR FREE FOOD AND DRINKS! THEY ARE WORKING HARD! …And speaking of which…
A music room makes paying the band a priority
I'm not saying there can never be a tip jar or playing for the door situation, but there should be a guarantee or reasonable expectation of payment. We appreciate that you are running a business BUT if the band is good and professional, they are making your business better!
A music room never descends into an unannounced open mic night or a karaoke free-for-all
If a venue presents music and then lets whoever wants to play and/or sing at the end of the night (that isn't a scheduled open mic night or jam session), what are they saying about the hard-working professional musicians who just presented their music?
A music room helps the musicians be their best
This can be many things. A band menu with more than 3 items, or no band menu at all, just a choice of what to eat. House gear (amps, drums, PA). A staff that won't let the musicians be unnecessarily harassed. Not all music rooms will have all these elements, but even if these things have been thought of, it helps a lot. I've said it before but it bears repeating. If there is house gear, it's the musicians responsibility to treat it with care and respect!
A music room responds to musicians requests for gigs in a reasonably timely manner
Again, I get that people running clubs have very busy lives, and lots of musicians want to work. Then again, I remember contacting a (now defunct) club 7 times for a gig playing for the door on a Monday! This, for me at least, is stretching the bounds of "reasonably"! :)
As I mentioned, I'm not going to "out" any venue that is lacking in the above mentioned elements, but I will mention a few clubs/rooms that exemplify what I have been talking about. They include, but are not limited to:
The Rex Hotel (Toronto)
The Jazz Room (Waterloo)
The Yardbird Suite (Edmonton)
The Bassment (Saskatoon)
There are many more rooms, in Canada and abroad, that also satisfy the qualifications of a Jazz Room, so pardon me for leaving them out.
In conclusion, there was one place I worked, that always made a big deal about the tip jar and talked about "putting a little love in the jar". I've always despised that phrase, so as a response, I give you my beloved Fabs. People who knew a thing or two about playing different styles of music venues…..
