A good group sound has always been more important to me than my own individual sound. As a musician I've worked hard on my own sound. Saxes, reeds, mouthpieces, countless hours of practice, guitars, picks, strings, tubes, amplifiers and countless hours of practice. All of that is necessary and good but for me means very little without a team.
I've been really blessed with the current group I play with, Gospel of Mars. We've been at it four and a half years now. There's been times of such discouragement I just wanted to throw in the towel. Some days it feels like these 3 cows in this picture, licking salt with nowhere to go but this little pasture......But we're still at it and in the last 6 months I can say we've become a good band. We've found our sound and that feels better than anything else in this life. It takes that long. I've learned to not make fun of bands that I think are not good. If they stick to it in four years they may be quite good. I may not like the music but I can tell when someone is really committed to their process.
And that's how it works. Or so I've been told. You show up, show up, show up and show up playing for 4 people, then 5, go through the worst thoughts of quitting, learn to not listen to that voice that constantly compares me to other music (make it more jazz! No one will like this honest stuff you are playing! Make it more rock, improvised music never made anyone a dollar blah blah blah blah bleah!) and then one day those tracks come through that are undeniably good, honest and worth taking care of. I've watched Aaron evolve as a drummer, new kit, different tones, keep honest to his own interest and abilities, and I've watched Bob evolve as a bassist, bigger tone, more adventurous exploration, and as a player myself, my sound has evolved to match the group. I'm the last sax player I would choose for a Bruce Springsteen type band, or for a jazz group. My sound is kind of messed up, but it fits with this group and that's what keeps me interested.
JB
I've been really blessed with the current group I play with, Gospel of Mars. We've been at it four and a half years now. There's been times of such discouragement I just wanted to throw in the towel. Some days it feels like these 3 cows in this picture, licking salt with nowhere to go but this little pasture......But we're still at it and in the last 6 months I can say we've become a good band. We've found our sound and that feels better than anything else in this life. It takes that long. I've learned to not make fun of bands that I think are not good. If they stick to it in four years they may be quite good. I may not like the music but I can tell when someone is really committed to their process.
And that's how it works. Or so I've been told. You show up, show up, show up and show up playing for 4 people, then 5, go through the worst thoughts of quitting, learn to not listen to that voice that constantly compares me to other music (make it more jazz! No one will like this honest stuff you are playing! Make it more rock, improvised music never made anyone a dollar blah blah blah blah bleah!) and then one day those tracks come through that are undeniably good, honest and worth taking care of. I've watched Aaron evolve as a drummer, new kit, different tones, keep honest to his own interest and abilities, and I've watched Bob evolve as a bassist, bigger tone, more adventurous exploration, and as a player myself, my sound has evolved to match the group. I'm the last sax player I would choose for a Bruce Springsteen type band, or for a jazz group. My sound is kind of messed up, but it fits with this group and that's what keeps me interested.
JB
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