Was a good day today. Beth and I rehearsed for our Gardens show at Cake Shop on the 30th. Felt good. Decided to put one piece on the back burner and shape it more before presenting it again. I love the piece, but I agree, better to present when it's reached a higher level of connection.
That's been a subject of conversation lately with many of my musical friends. Connection. Really, for me I say just be honest with your creation. Don't worry about friends, money, love, and most importantly, don't worry about what other people are doing or thinking, for that is none of my business or yours. Can't control it thank god, so just do your best work.
It's a fine line. What I do I can easily cross into self indulgence. I only hope that I don't. When I run out of things to say I stop talking.
Been thinking a lot about jazz today. I don't really know why I've been thinking so much about it. Maybe because there is so much I like about it and so little happening that interest me. I can't think of a more awful existence for me to play jazz standards for the rest of my life or to be lumped in with the 'jazz' genre yet, I do play the tenor sax and I do improvise with that thing and work very hard to be a better player, man and musician. Yet when it comes to booking shows....I don't enjoy most of the acts I may be booked with. What seems logical as a bill almost never works, especially if it's with 'jazz' acts. I usually wind up standing in my room (the sidewalk in the cold with the smokers in front of the venue!) waiting my turn. I've spent years in that room.
I do know this. When the band is in front of the right audience majic happens. That's all I need to know. I do want community, a scene, some kindred spirits on the journey. It has been really lonely at times but... I'm not afraid to be alone. Or I should say I'm no longer afraid to be alone.
Let the music speak for itself.
I did spend another 3 hours practicing my horn. One of those times where I feel like I'm getting worse on my instrument. That's a good thing. It means I'm practicing things I'm not very good at rather than running up and down what I already know. Breakthrough? I remembered to sand my reed a bit halfway through. Went from stuffy to musical in a few strokes. Miracles are just remembering what worked before and doing it again sometimes. Before that I just wanted to eat a taco and go home. After that I felt progress.
J
That's been a subject of conversation lately with many of my musical friends. Connection. Really, for me I say just be honest with your creation. Don't worry about friends, money, love, and most importantly, don't worry about what other people are doing or thinking, for that is none of my business or yours. Can't control it thank god, so just do your best work.
It's a fine line. What I do I can easily cross into self indulgence. I only hope that I don't. When I run out of things to say I stop talking.
Been thinking a lot about jazz today. I don't really know why I've been thinking so much about it. Maybe because there is so much I like about it and so little happening that interest me. I can't think of a more awful existence for me to play jazz standards for the rest of my life or to be lumped in with the 'jazz' genre yet, I do play the tenor sax and I do improvise with that thing and work very hard to be a better player, man and musician. Yet when it comes to booking shows....I don't enjoy most of the acts I may be booked with. What seems logical as a bill almost never works, especially if it's with 'jazz' acts. I usually wind up standing in my room (the sidewalk in the cold with the smokers in front of the venue!) waiting my turn. I've spent years in that room.
I do know this. When the band is in front of the right audience majic happens. That's all I need to know. I do want community, a scene, some kindred spirits on the journey. It has been really lonely at times but... I'm not afraid to be alone. Or I should say I'm no longer afraid to be alone.
Let the music speak for itself.
I did spend another 3 hours practicing my horn. One of those times where I feel like I'm getting worse on my instrument. That's a good thing. It means I'm practicing things I'm not very good at rather than running up and down what I already know. Breakthrough? I remembered to sand my reed a bit halfway through. Went from stuffy to musical in a few strokes. Miracles are just remembering what worked before and doing it again sometimes. Before that I just wanted to eat a taco and go home. After that I felt progress.
J
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