Part 2: The Mysterious Inner Workings of the Rhythm Section--A Bass Player
Part 1 | Part 2 – The Musical Exchange
In the first part of this article, I described what the initial meeting and “getting-to-know-you” pre-bandstand event is for the rhythm section. Bassist meets drummer. Drummer meet bassist. Let the vibes begin.
The goal, obviously, is for the entire band to work its way toward a meaningful ...
Part 1: The Mysterious Inner Workings of the Rhythm Section--A Bass Player
Part 1 - Before the First Note Is Played | Part 2
When I was first starting out as a young musician, I wanted to play everything. Piano, bass, drums and guitar were my first instruments. I started gigging professionally on drums, guitar, and bass. My experience has taught me a lot about the roles of ...
The Art of Improvisation: Going Solo
What exactly is improvisation? The Latin form “improvisus" literally means “unforeseen." Merriam-Webster describes the verb “improvise" this way:
to compose, recite, play, or sing extemporaneously to make, invent, or arrange offhand to fabricate out of what is conveniently on hand
This definition serves as a good reminder for how we should approach our music. ...
On the Verge of Extinction: Is the End of Live Jazz Near?
It was the year 1971 when my brother and I made history.
We had a record player – you know, one of those things only DJ’s seem to be able to master these days – and sat listening to James Brown performing Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved with his band. At the time, it ...
What Jaco Said: Thoughts on the Man and His Legacy
When I first heard Jaco, I was 16 years old. I walked into the music store where I worked in Utica, New York, and didn’t see anyone minding the store. Everyone was over by the stereo section. A few of the older musicians were standing in a circle, passing this album back and forth. They were ...
Shame on the Bandstand: Rites of Passage -- What They Don
We know how long it takes to become a musician, even a mediocre one. But the real test of talent doesn’t come until we hit the bandstand. Eventually, every young (or at least inexperienced) musician playing traditional jazz -- in this case, the one type that has survived for decades: bebop or bip-bop -- hits the ...
