LearnJazzPiano.com archives: The Juice Bar
7 -- 01/24/2004, 14:27:36 -- #1074983256
What happened to all the old midi files?

If I can't find 'em, how's anyone else going to?

7

In The Course of Performance: Studies in the World of Musical Improvisation
Scot -- 01/24/2004, 20:32:58 -- #1075005178
Hmmm... ideas abound.
Ok guys, I can see this might not be the "quick and wonderful easy to use" system that I envisioned.

But, I have a pretty killer idea.

See, the message base, and how certain things work in this system is very nice.  Maybe the new-school forum style of messages is more to the liking of people, though.

Well, did I mention I have a nifty idea?

I can make this forum "look" like the forums that are in use today.

Each hall is a topic area, each room is a topic.

They would be listed like:

Topic Area 1
topic 1
topic 2
topic 3
topic 4

Topic Area 2
topic 1
topic 2
topic 3

I can even add threaded style messages to the system which would allow you to respond to one particular message (thread) and build on that just like the old forum.

So, give me some time to incorporate this idea and in the meantime, work with what I have up here.

Ryan -- 01/24/2004, 21:03:40 -- #1075007020
New Forum
I don't see what the complaints are about...it is more complex, but I find that after logging in, all you really need to do is click the "Rooms" link, and you can see the whole sitemap.  

Everything is neatly organized.  It looks like Scot took care of the MIDI file thing...they now have a whole room to themselves!

This new style will allow a whole new level of interactivity...i.e, we can post our own lessons/files.  This is really remarkable!  Thanks Scot!

--Ryan

Scot -- 01/24/2004, 23:01:33 -- #1075014093
I just came up with the ultimate idea.  Basically I'll add a function to the citadel that lets me turn a room into a forum similar to the one that was on LJP.  So one room for multi threaded messages, but the rest of the BBS the way it is now.

Kai -- 01/25/2004, 03:19:20 -- #1075029560
non-existent messages?
Thank you, Scot, for this new resource and cool logo.  I could not log on as easydoesit today but created a new account for myself.  On entry, 2 items were shown against Mike's place but when I entered the room, none were apparent and none were  displayed when I clicked on Display old messages. Thought you might like to be aware of this in case it is a general problem.
Kai

Scot -- 01/25/2004, 08:15:26 -- #1075047326
Oh, I keep forgetting to fix that.  Those were private messages that you saw as new.

The good thing about that bug is that I have all the data already being stored, I just need to manipulate it a bit smarter.

Ultimate Latin Songs sheetmusic book
smg -- 01/26/2004, 08:26:08 -- #1075134367
smg here(feel like I wandered into a party thrown by someone at work
where you see everybody you know from being with them 24-7 but because the settings' changed things take some time to adjust to!!)anyways to me this seems like a welcome extension of the old forum,I checked it out the other day and had no problem accessing the site,went to various peoples' "rooms";which leads me to this-probably I should go ahead and set one up since I'm here just about every day,people have made reference to stuff I've posted,etc.etc
.....what's the consensus?For myself I'm cool either way,I'll just keep on posting the usual tibits of info,things I find online,etc,or if people think I should set up a "home base" where my stuff can be found I'll do that....let me know...

The Pat Metheny Songbook: 167 tunes, 400 pages/lead sheets
Barry -- 01/26/2004, 08:29:06 -- #1075134546
The SMG room.
I definitely think that your own room would be a valuable resource smg and I'm sure many others would agree.

I vote a definite yes!

Barry

Mike -- 01/26/2004, 08:40:32 -- #1075135232
yeh, I think you should.  I will come visit.  I set one up.  I just have not decided exactly how to use it yet.  I have considered
1.)posting ideas that I am working on (for example right now I am making up a lot of ii v type exercices for my self).
2.) Scaning LCC type material and posting that stuff for people who can not afford the book.  (It would seem to be a no brainer for a
justified use of space, but I am not sure because I get tired of debating the validity of a theory which to me is a  no brainer.)
3.)posting materials that I use to teach my students., and excerpt from a method book that I am trying to write on piano playing.
4.)just randomly do all of the above and be unorganized about that.

Scot -- 01/26/2004, 09:18:51 -- #1075137531
Guys like SMG and Mike need their own rooms! You guys have a lot to offer, and this is the perfect place for it. Lots of people looking at your stuff, free apples, what more could you ask?

Ryan -- 01/26/2004, 11:56:09 -- #1075146969
Hey, if I have one, you should too :)...you post some welcomed material.

Scot -- 01/26/2004, 12:20:48 -- #1075148448
I do have one :)  It's this whole bbs!  Actually, I do have one in the main hall.

Ultimate Latin Songs sheetmusic book
Ryan -- 01/26/2004, 15:32:39 -- #1075159959
Oops, of course you should, I was continuing the "root" for smg :)

The Pat Metheny Songbook: 167 tunes, 400 pages/lead sheets
smg -- 01/27/2004, 11:36:40 -- #1075232200
Room
Despite some site-specific glitches soon to be straightened out,I've set up a room,thanks to everyone for the feedback...

David -- 01/28/2004, 12:27:01 -- #1075321621
Study partner needed
I am working through "The Jazz Piano Book" by mark Levine and would like to discuss various topics. Is anyone else working through this book?

Thanks!
David

Peteboypete -- 01/28/2004, 13:23:07 -- #1075324987
Not Quite
Man, I'm working through Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book."  I could almost help you.  Sorry.

Scot -- 01/28/2004, 13:28:54 -- #1075325334
They are both very similar books. The Jazz Piano book covers much of the same material, except that it is focused more on how all of that works for piano playres and not just jazz musicians in general.  Lots of overlap, and in fact, some of the  stuff seems to be copied word for word from one book to another.

What kinds of things are you working on in the book right now, David?

smg -- 01/28/2004, 15:42:02 -- #1075333322
As luck would have it
Just so happens last night I went through a pile of stuff I had printed out/downloaded of various things and found most of the book!
I'll be glad to get into this with you (or anyone else),it's a great work and definitely appropriate for the new forum since it touches on stuff a lot of people always are asking about(just went through the user log and was amazed to find out just how many people have registered so far)plus a lot of great players that really know things the book gets into in their own interpretation show up here,so I'd suggest you consider this forum a study partner!!I'm going to work on "Mirror Mirror" in the next few weeks...

Ultimate Latin Songs sheetmusic book
Harvey -- 01/30/2004, 02:47:26 -- #1075459646
Jamie Cullum’s “20something”.
Anyone know the chords, voicing etc for Jamie Cullum’s “20something”.

Alright don’t laugh. I realise it “ain’t no classic”, but it’s a good party piece!

Cheers, H

PS is this the right place to post this message?

I've had trouble navigating the new site, sorry.

The Pat Metheny Songbook: 167 tunes, 400 pages/lead sheets
jmjelder -- 01/30/2004, 12:18:13 -- #1075493893
I had a copy but lent it to a piano player (I played guitar at the time) and lo and behold I never say it again (ha!).  But that's OK, he put to a lot better use then I was able to at the time.

What specific question(s) do you have?  I'm sure someone here can/will have an answer for you.

Joe

jmjelder -- 01/30/2004, 12:23:51 -- #1075494231
I still don't have the hang of this new format.  My previous post was to David regarding Levines's book but seems out of place or redundant.  Oh well.

Joe

Scot -- 01/30/2004, 12:54:38 -- #1075496078
Treat this environment like you're at a pub or something. Everyone is involved in the discussion. The "Lobby" has the threaded forum that anyone can use for discussion as well.  

General Discussion here can be of anything!  There isn't an out of place or redundant post possible here.

On another note, has anyone ever heard anything that Peter Nero used to do? He was my first "jazz" influence.  Half a year later I discovered Oscar Peterson, but I've always enjoyed Peter Nero.

Scot -- 01/30/2004, 13:32:17 -- #1075498337
Mid Term Grade
Ok, folks, give it to me without any sugar coating- how is the new system treating you?  Mind you it's not completely finished yet, but you definitely have the idea of it.  I think the interactivity of the site has gone up even in the short week that it's been up and running.

Any comments?

djbrak -- 01/30/2004, 13:47:54 -- #1075499274
Bossa Nova chords for left hand
Hi, I bought this Latin Jazz Piano book that has Chega De Saudade (ACJ) arranged sounding like a tango song.  I want to learn a way to use the chord progressions and play them in a bossa nova style.  Can anyone help me?
Thank you!
-Renato

Ultimate Latin Songs sheetmusic book
albetan -- 01/30/2004, 15:18:04 -- #1075504684
Comping bossa
In bossa nova is very important rhythm... Left hand must play bass:
/ X - - X X - - - /
In a bar: quarter doted, eight, quarter, silence of quarter.
This pattern also: / X - - X X - - X / .
Very typical of bossa is the woodblock pattern in two bars:
/ x - - x - - x - / - - x - - x - - /
A nice practice is to play with right hand chords in woodblock pattern and bass with left... to get dominion in it. It is not easy but very funny when you get it.
Practice a lot... that´s the  feeling of bossa nova!

Right hand plays melody alone or harmonized with chord notes.
Left hand plays bass... so you are marking rhythm.
Left also may play like woodblock pattern... if you have a bassist or an organ pedalboard.

Beginners  may play bossa as a rock-ballad:
/ B - C B B - C - /   (B = bass; C = chord)

The Pat Metheny Songbook: 167 tunes, 400 pages/lead sheets
albetan -- 01/30/2004, 16:25:15 -- #1075508714
Chega de saudade

You will find score of "Chega de saudade"  
in LJP "Links" "Transcripcions" "Jobim"  
http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Delta/7824/real_book.html

Mike -- 01/30/2004, 16:57:01 -- #1075510621
I think the new system is awesome at this point.  There was a little bit of a learning curve, but not bad at all.  Its great that it seems there may still be new possabilities to come.  Once I started to learn my way around the thing that has really made the new format work for me is understanding the Welcome STats.  That is very cool.
So for example as soon as I come on if I want to see if any one has been to my room since the last time I was here, I dont even have to go look, it will say so right there in the Welcome STats,  If I'm curious as to if 7's room has been active and is worth looking at... It will be right there in the Welcome stats.....   Once I realized all that the whole format has really started making sence  to me.
pretty cool.

Whacky -- 01/30/2004, 17:38:51 -- #1075513131
the new site
I love it!  i took me a while to get the hang of it...I really use the "Welcome Stats" link a lot...As for General Discussion and Lobby...I'm wondering if you should maybe combine those two...I actually prefer the "threaded forum" in the "lobby" - just more used to it I guess...

And Peter Nero?  How abot Scratch My Bach?  That guy is amazing...and quite humorous if I remember correctly...we have a bass player here in town who claims to have been Peter's bass player for a few years...He's a character too...he goes by a couple of different names- a very nice guy...I haven't played with him yet, but I've talked to him on the phone...Hopefully I'll be able to make one of his gigs...I'd love to hear some PN stories

7 -- 01/30/2004, 19:40:50 -- #1075520450
I second Whacky's motion to "combine" General Discussion & the threaded forum lobby (I vote to scrap "General Discussion").

The problem with the type of format this room has is that by the time you see a new message, you've already forgotten what the message was that the response was replying to, so you have to open up old messages and the scroll through that to figure what the heck they're talking about. And once you do find out, you realize that you weren't actually that interested in the first place (well sometimes).

In any case, Scot it is obvious that you have spent an incredible amount of time and effort to make this site really HAPPEN!

It's working.

Great job!

7

Scot -- 01/31/2004, 11:37:09 -- #1075577829
Heh, I changed the name of the Lobby to the Lobby Lounge. I figure since we're jazz piano players, going to the Lobby Lounge is old hat :)  Ah, I have some fond memories of drunk women trying to sit on my lap during tunes like, "My Funny Valentine"... the best lobby lounge I played in was at the Ritz-Carlton in Aspen. Did that for two years.  Man, when the guests at a place like that want you to keep on playing, they start putting three digit bank notes in the tip jar!

Ultimate Latin Songs sheetmusic book
flicklers -- 01/31/2004, 11:45:08 -- #1075578308
Blues ostinatos
I've been wrestling with blues left hands for a while and hoped y'all might have some suggestions.  I try to play various figures in "shuffled" eighths (long short long short...) such as roots with (two each) 5ths, 6ths, 7ths, 6ths or root, 5th, 6th, 5th, 7th, 5th, 6th, 5th but they quickly seem tired to me for a whole song.  Any favorite suggested alternatives or variations to throw in?  And, of course, my other problem is maintaining a left hand pattern while playing a right hand melody or other figure especially if the right hand has notes not simultaneous with the left hand.  Any one have any suggested exercises to help get over this?

The Pat Metheny Songbook: 167 tunes, 400 pages/lead sheets
flicklers -- 01/31/2004, 11:48:09 -- #1075578489
Some how posted the previous here when I meant the lobby
will repost there.  Sorry for the clutter.

albetan -- 01/31/2004, 14:13:24 -- #1075587204
Tips for Bert´s rhythm
Search in old forums "MUSICAL PERCEPTION".
Most people have a linear perception. Reading your post, Bert, i think you have a linear perception of music.
You may develop a structural or a rhythmic perception.
Comp a song without playing melody... imagining it, as if you were comping a virtual singer or sax. So you develop your internal hearing and you are entering into the rhythm´s world.
Listen to jazz recordings, marking pulse with foot and touching over a table beats as guitar chords. So you learn to feel rhythm.
You must feel rhythm... and adapt melody to the beats that you are playing.
Rhythm is a function of subconscious. Please read some stuff about it in "lesson pages" Contributors" "Alberto..."
You must develop a sense of rhythm no thinking in it while playing, but feeling it.

Whacky -- 01/31/2004, 22:36:39 -- #1075617399
fond memories
reminds me of when I used to play solo in a quasi-elegant restaraunt...a very expensively dressed woman came up and sat on the bench as I played...I didn't realize how drunk she was until she burped in my face as she reqeusted a tune...smelled like bourbon and prime rib...

7 -- 02/01/2004, 22:11:40 -- #1075702300
Hotel Splendid

On the Niederdorf in Zurich, there is/was a piano bar called the Hotel Splendid.

I had a gig there playing solo Jazz piano.

One night around closing time a woman came up to me between songs and said "You're good but not perfect."

I responded with "Like your face, baby".

She looked at her boyfriend and muttered something like "What the hell's the matter with that guy?"

Ah, the beauty of playing to drunks ...

7

Scot -- 02/04/2004, 11:02:23 -- #1075921342
627 accounts?
Holy moly, there are over 625 accounts in the userlog.  That's a lot of accounts!

Ultimate Latin Songs sheetmusic book
flicklers -- 02/04/2004, 11:50:35 -- #1075924234
Accounting for accounts
I'll bet your new format forced lots of lurkers like myself out into the open.  Your site has probably always been far more popular than you realized.

The Pat Metheny Songbook: 167 tunes, 400 pages/lead sheets
Rick -- 02/04/2004, 13:09:18 -- #1075928958
Definately, if you checked the hits on the old site when you first logged in and then logged out...you got a hell of a lot of hits.

Loads of proffesional (and famous) jazzers know about this site. Its been written about in magazines  and everything. Even my teacher Nikki Iles knows and she doesnt have the internet!
Just goes to show, ey? :-)

Scot -- 02/04/2004, 13:25:57 -- #1075929957
Well shoot, I'd like to see an article about this site!  I know it comes up first in search engines, but I wasn't aware that anyone had said anything about it out there.  That's pretty cool!

Mike -- 02/04/2004, 18:23:17 -- #1075947797
How much this site turns up in search engines has always amazed me.
I have always figured it must be that you are some kind of true Internet wizard Scot.  But it seems any word you type into a search engine...  if that word has ever been typed  in this forum before...
this forum pops up in the search engine.  Its unbelievable... I mean if someone jokes in a thread here that the trobone player sounded like he farted.  And then a medical student at Harvard does a search for medical diagnostic posibilities of the fart.  The first search result the med student will get is   Learn Jazz Piano... Trombone Player sounded like he farted.

Mike -- 02/04/2004, 18:30:18 -- #1075948218
how many of those 625 call themselves pianoman? :)

Whacky -- 02/04/2004, 21:27:06 -- #1075958826
I'd better watch my mouth :)

Ultimate Latin Songs sheetmusic book
Mike -- 02/04/2004, 21:48:00 -- #1075960080
MANINTHEMIRROR ?     but why watch just your mouth ?

The Pat Metheny Songbook: 167 tunes, 400 pages/lead sheets
Kai -- 02/05/2004, 01:15:18 -- #1075972518
What to watch in a bar...
Watch the customers.  I saw a man come into a bar with a roll of tarmac under his arm.  He said to the barman, "A whiskey and soda please and one for the road" boom boom!

Hope the word tarmac is recognised other than the UK.

Kai

RobM -- 02/05/2004, 03:52:06 -- #1075981926
while we're on bad "walked into the bar" jokes...
A horse walks into a bar.  The barman says "Why the long face?"
B'dum s**t

RobM -- 02/05/2004, 04:04:09 -- #1075982649
bad joke2
A woman walks into a bar and asks the barman for a double entendre so he gives her one.

I know, it doesn't work if you pronounce "double" properly.

Barry -- 02/05/2004, 05:21:21 -- #1075987281
And why not.....
A woodworm walks into a pub and asks "Is the bartender here?"

Whacky -- 02/05/2004, 07:30:16 -- #1075995016
warning! tasetless!
a guy walks into a bar, sits down and notices the guy next to him really stinks...so he's says,

"exuse me for saying this but you really smell terrible!"

stinky guy:
"I know, I crapped in my pants"

clean guy:
"why don't you go the the restroom and clean yourself up?"

stinky guy:
"I'm not finished yet"

does this qualify as a deletable stupid post?

Ultimate Latin Songs sheetmusic book
Mike -- 02/05/2004, 21:23:14 -- #1076044994
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind,"
-Dr. Seuss

The Pat Metheny Songbook: 167 tunes, 400 pages/lead sheets
7 -- 02/06/2004, 11:33:03 -- #1076095983
Wow

Scot -- 02/06/2004, 12:29:53 -- #1076099393
Damn straight.

jmjelder -- 02/06/2004, 20:56:54 -- #1076129813
Mr. Dithers:  Bumstead, what's with you anyway?! Is it ignorance or apathy?!

Dagwood:  I don't know and I don't care.

Whacky -- 02/07/2004, 07:50:27 -- #1076169026
Steven Wright
to the clerk at Border's:
"can you show me to the self-help section?"

clerk:
"that would defeat the purpose"

7 -- 02/07/2004, 08:18:04 -- #1076170682


I bought my step-daughter a camouflage outfit for Xmas and I haven't seen her since.

Ultimate Latin Songs sheetmusic book
Kai -- 02/07/2004, 10:33:38 -- #1076178817
Since we're still on jokes ...
Alice had a wonderful husband, Ray, who worked very long hours and looked after his wife very well, only leaving her along to go his bowls night out.  As Ray’s birthday approached, she thought that she would treat him to a really good night out  and rekindle the romance of their marriage, with dinner, followed by a special treat of a visit to a strip club.
They enjoyed their dinner and walked along the road into the strip club.  The bouncer on the door said “Hey, Ray, how’re ya doing?”  Ray explained that the bouncer was a member of his bowls club and worked there part time.
As they were seated, the waitress came over and asked Ray if he’d like his usual.  Again Ray explained that the waitress was a member of the ladies’ bowls section and he had seen her in the clubhouse after the matches.
They watched the strip show and one of the strippers came over, sat on Ray’s lap, put her arms round his neck and asked him where they were going to later.
Alice was furious  and stormed out of the club and hailed a cab.  Ray just managed to jump into the cab as it pulled away.  His wife gave him a hard time and he tried very hard to tell her that she had totally got the wrong idea.  By now Alice was beyond listening and she cussed him up hill and down dale, using bad language, with many four letter words.  However, Ray continued to try to placate her.  
At that moment, the taxi driver turned to Ray and shouted over his shoulder “Hey Ray, you picked up a real bitch this time, son!”

The Pat Metheny Songbook: 167 tunes, 400 pages/lead sheets
Mike -- 02/08/2004, 11:05:05 -- #1076267105
Pulp/n.
1. A soft, moist shapeless  mass of matter.
2. A magazine or book containing  lurid subject matter
and being characteristicically printed on rough,
unfinished paper.




Rick -- 02/08/2004, 14:18:09 -- #1076278689
Sid's Ahead
What happened to Sid's room? I'm sure i remember him having one

Scot -- 02/08/2004, 15:43:18 -- #1076283798
I think he had one on the old site (the test site). When this site went up, I didn't transfer any of the datafiles from the test site.

7 -- 02/08/2004, 22:26:30 -- #1076307990
Bad Luck Sid

sid -- 02/09/2004, 05:29:04 -- #1076333344
Thanks for your concern
It's tough being thrown out of your room and onto the street.  If it weren't for the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen I'd be a goner.

sid

Ultimate Latin Songs sheetmusic book
Whacky -- 02/09/2004, 06:36:24 -- #1076337384
you can stay in my room...sadly, nobody visits me :(

The Pat Metheny Songbook: 167 tunes, 400 pages/lead sheets
Mike -- 02/09/2004, 06:57:00 -- #1076338620
I swing by both of your rooms.  The key to having people come by your room is to post new files and especially ones worthy of dowloading.

Scot -- 02/09/2004, 08:04:15 -- #1076342655
And put links in search engines :)  You see my nefarious plot now- having your own rooms creates more exposure for LJP!  ha ha ha...

7 -- 02/09/2004, 10:03:17 -- #1076349796
Incosiderate oblivious egotistical guitar player

At a jam yesterday, this guy from Liverpool calls me up to help him with a number and wants me to play "gob iron" (liverpudlian for "mouth organ").

The guitar player takes EVERY fill, leaving me with the choice of not playing at all or sneaking in a note or two in the small space between when the guitarist takes a breath and the singer begins the next line.

I know how to do this quite effectively. But aware musicians trade fills - they do not take EVERY ONE.


So the singer gives me a nod that it's time for my solo. I begin blowing and the fucking guitar player is going at it great guns.

The singer actually has to TELL the guitar player that it's my solo (because he's obviously deaf). At which point the guitarist drops out  which completely takes the wind out of the rhythm section's sails.

After about bar 4 everything begins to stabilize and I start ripping it up like the way it's supposed to be done.

And then  the singer gives the nod to the guitarist that he gets the next chorus to solo over.

The guitarist begins soloing about two bars before the end of my solo, and just when I'm about to get to my solo's climax this bastard comes in and tromps all over my shit with hobnail boots.

I drop out for the guitar solo and then wait for the penultimate bar of his solo. At which point I begin blowing my heart out in a loud vengeful yet intense musical manner all over his "grand finale". He gives me this look like "What's the matter?"

Revenge is not really a form of justice (or shouldn't be) and turnabout is not really fair play. Normally I'm not a vindictive person, but sometimes these idiots just piss  me off.

The worst of it is this guy thinks of himself as a "pro's pro". I would have actually said something to him to explain a couple of small details concerning arrangements, but as I once said "I only critique those that I  like and that there's hope for".

7

Mike -- 02/09/2004, 14:00:48 -- #1076364048
Whenever you know you will be gigging with a guitar player go prepared for war.  Make sure that you have an entire PA system with you dedicated just to amplification of yourself... preferalbly two PA systems so you can dedicate one system entirely to point at the Guitar players ears.  To take such gigs otherwise would be a little like going to war in Iraq and not expect that Hussein might do a good job of hiding out fof a while.  The Guitar player hoged the fills.......  What the hell  did you expect man?  
   I watched the a little of Great Balls of Fire last night.  I love the scene where Jerry Lee Lewis  gets Pissed at Chuck Berry after they fight over who is going to be the warm up act.  Chuck Berry wins out because he says it is in his Contract that he goes on last.  So Jerry Lee goes out on stage does a couple of numbers then lights the piano on fire while doing "GREAT BALLS OF FIRE"  The audience is going nuts.
   As Jerry Lee walks of stage he says to Chuck Berry "Follow that asshole".....
    Precious moment in Piano histroy... Like a rare AFC Super Bowl Win.

Scot -- 02/09/2004, 15:42:58 -- #1076370178
I don't like playing with guitarists or vibes players. They both get in the way too much. A guitarist is good if he is a rhythm player, though, and on the two occasions that I've actually hired guitar players, it's for that reason- classic trio  without drums.

The Monty Alexander transcription collection: originals, calypso, etc...
Whacky -- 02/09/2004, 19:17:11 -- #1076383031
Chuck Berry
I played on a show with Chuck Berry one night (I guess we were the warm up band - he lives here in town - nobody much cares - he was once arrested for having hidden cameras in the ladies room of his club, but that's another story I guess)...the guy literally  pulled his guitfiddle out of the case and played the show - notice I skipped the part about tuning - because he didn't tune it...he played about 45 minutes with the most out of tune crappy guitar sound I ever heard and left...fascinating...

The Pat Metheny Songbook: 167 tunes, 400 pages/lead sheets
Whacky -- 02/09/2004, 19:21:08 -- #1076383267
Another memorable moment
and how about the drunk who gave me 100 bucks to play "Send In The Clowns"...while I played he began yelling in the most un-articulate drunken slurred speach pattern you can imagine: "my daughter.....was with...Steven Sondheim...when he wrote that song!"

- a classic:)

jmjelder -- 02/09/2004, 20:38:08 -- #1076387888
Wacky,  Loved your stories!

Scot, As a guitar player (before I started to study piano) let me apologize for all the bad musicians, who happened to play guitar, you ran into.

I wish you had the opportunity to play with Jimmy Raney or Chuck Wayne, just to name two, of the great guitarists who knew how to comp with or without a piano, solo, fill in or lay out as called for and not step on anyone elses music.

My own pet peeve is over-busy drummers.  Aaaghh!

Joe

Mike -- 02/09/2004, 23:47:02 -- #1076399222
oh you just can not beat the sounds of Soundheim and Bernstein...
sing with me now...
   I feel pretty, oh, so pretty, I feel pretty and witty and bright!  and I pity any girl who isnt me tonight!....
    I feel charming.........    oh so.... charming......

Whacky -- 02/10/2004, 07:50:59 -- #1076428259
okay...got another one
I'm playing with a band for a Bar-Mitzvah at a country club...wer'e told ahead of time that a family friend is going to sit in and sing with us at some point...

In walks this babe with big hair and a book full of charts and says, "hi, I'm a singer from LA"  (B.F.D.)  I almost said, "hi, I'm a piano player from St. Louis"

it' so nice to have a place to unload all these memories...I'm starting to sleep better at night:)

Scot -- 02/10/2004, 08:39:02 -- #1076431141
I have two good one, both from Aspen Colorado where I played at the Ritz.  One night in the lobby lounge my bass player and I were doing a duo and it was getting close to quitting time. A yuppie biker gang walked in and started drinking.

Now, a yuppie biker gang is just like any other biker gang except that they hall their Harley's around in horse trailers and are accountants and book keepers by day.

They were tossing $100 bills into our tip jar to keep us playing. At the end of  the night we had over $500 in tips!

Then on another evening I was doing solo piano at one of the eating venues in the hotel.  There were supermodels there, the famous ones.  Claudio Schiffer sat down next to me (smelled goooood) and tipped $50 to play My Funny Valentine while she had her arm around me and tried to sing along. Ahhhh...

The Monty Alexander transcription collection: originals, calypso, etc...
Mike -- 02/10/2004, 12:07:24 -- #1076443644
I normally do not allow sing a long but there is a case for an exception if I have ever heard one.  wow.  don't you wish that could happen on every gig.

Straight, No Chaser: Life and Genius of Thelonious Monk
Whacky -- 02/10/2004, 15:52:49 -- #1076457169
that smell always wins :)

Rick -- 02/11/2004, 09:39:50 -- #1076521189
Great stories!

Scot, were you playing acoustic pianos at these gigs or electric ones?

I find I have to use a lot of electrics at my solo gigs, as hardly any venues around here have acoustics, one of the reasons I cant wait to move to London in September!

ps...Whacky...I chose the Guildhall :-) Good chance I'll get taught by John Taylor- smooth or what??? hehe :-)

Scot -- 02/11/2004, 10:18:20 -- #1076523500
They had nice Yamaha grand pianos. Not big ones, maybe 6', but big enough. I pretty much refuse to do solo gigs on my keyboard unless it's something that's really going to fill my wallet up.

Whacky -- 02/11/2004, 10:38:46 -- #1076524725
yeah...you do a solo gig on an electric keyboard, and right away they want to know if it has drums and all that "fancy stuff" - "I saw this guy with one keyboard and he sounded like a whole band!..." - gag...

Rick -- 02/11/2004, 13:58:11 -- #1076536691
ouch, nasty. I hate keyboard gigs, I just cant play very well on them, its almost psychological as physical, thats why I love any gig on an acoustic, even if its pants, like this mondays gig :-)

The Monty Alexander transcription collection: originals, calypso, etc...
Rick -- 02/11/2004, 14:00:05 -- #1076536805
ps...the UK is pretty useless for acoustic piano gigs unless youre in London, hence me moving. Altho I shouldnt complain, im playin a Steinway on sunday with Tim Garland, so for once I can leave my keyboard at home :-) (oh yeah its a bugger to move around too!)

Straight, No Chaser: Life and Genius of Thelonious Monk
Whacky -- 02/11/2004, 14:40:50 -- #1076539250
hey Rick...congrats on Guildhall and John Taylor!

paddyallen -- 01/16/2005, 15:19:23 -- #10448
Reply to Sweep88
Hi, hope this works as private in response to your request for phone# I live in England so a phone number is not very practical on time zones. Unless tou live here too.

my email address is done leaving out the @ with a space instead, this is  supposed to prevent phishers etc.

alanbensport aol.com

Whacky -- 01/16/2005, 16:31:39 -- #10450
well, sorry to say, it's here for the world to see:)  You need to click on the "(send a private message)" link and choose a recipient in order to make it private...

Don't worry, it takes a while to figure all this out...we've been using the system for a while now...Since there are a lot of very cool features, it takes a while to learn the ropes

Java -- 01/19/2005, 13:29:25 -- #10532
Java
Java is an <a href="http://kamsconline.com/staff.php?ref=view&id=10"> overprotective mother</a>.

Whacky -- 01/19/2005, 14:30:35 -- #10535
I don't get it???

The Monty Alexander transcription collection: originals, calypso, etc...
El Cuco Pianist -- 02/16/2007, 16:09:15 -- #33111
I need midi files -piano solo- of blues and "Jazzy blues",with more chords and extra-notes in the blues scale....if anybody can help me....the blues will be happy. Thanks.
 

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