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Bendelow Road had our monthly hit at Lakeland Steak and Ale tonight. This was our first outing with new drummer, Ryan Marsh. It was with Ryan that I played the Red Rose Room last Wednesday. This was a quite successful hit. Our second set was definitely shaky, but we haven’t sounded as tight [...] My alma mater, Southeastern University in Lakeland, FL, has been seeing some press lately in relation to its proposed performing arts center. The property directly to the north of the University has been owned by its affiliated church, the Assemblies of God (for the sake of disclosure, I am an adjunct at this University [...] Got a call last night to be a last-minute sub for Alejandro Arenas for the Mars’ Trio‘s steady at the Westchase Starbucks. I found out today that USF drum instructor, Steve Davis, would be playing drums on this gig. This was quite a big deal for me, as Steve has played with some [...] The USF Jazz Blog got a much appreciated nod from be.jazz, a Belgian jazz blog. Check out this visually appealing, insightful blog. If you haven’t done so already, please add me as a friend on your myspace. I can be found here.
Facts and Opinions: 1|A very young Miguel Harth-Bedoya led the orchestra in all three works without a score! This left him plenty of room on the podium to move around and practically get right there with the top desk strings. The program: Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Overture, De Falla’s The Three-Cornered Hat, and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherezade.
It’s hard to believe I was studying with a member of the Cleveland Orchestra (much less one sitting at the top desk) within a year of beginning my double bass studies. I have Mike Hill to thank for the contact and Kevin to thank for his patience. Should I ever move back to Cleveland, the first call I make (after family, before the cable guy) is to Kevin to set up lessons. I hear in those minidiscs his patience and my naivete and it’s almost embarassing. Some days I feel like I haven’t improved much since I left Kevin. I know it’s not true, but I also know I’m not playing at a level near where I should be. It’s my own fault and something I can rectify. I went to see someone I consider a friend play in one of the best Orchestras in the world and was reminded why I love the double [...] As an undergrad, I talked a lot about the fact that music students do not get the kinds of breaks that math, education, business, etc. majors get. We have to practice through Spring Break and Christmas Break and all Summer; meanwhile, the others are at Panama City Beach or skiing in Vale. Yes, [...] Last night was a hit at the Westchase Starbucks with Rich Van Voorst and Mark Feinman. I have played with them at the Waters and Anderson Starbucks as a sub on several occasions and enjoyed this change of scenery. Westchase is one of those upscale suburban developments that thinks it is a posh European [...] How Low Can You Go? Anthology of the String Bass (1925-1941)
I can’t even say that I’ve been through the entire anthology yet. I haven’t gotten to the third disc and am only half-way through the book, but I am already thrilled with this purchase. The photos in the book are worth the price alone! I have been stuck on the second disc, Wilmoth Houdini’s Tiger Tom Kill Tiger Cat, Damblay, Santapie and Rat, The Spirits of Rhythm’s Dr. Watson and Mr. Holmes, and the classic Yes Sir, That’s My Baby by Roy Acuff and His Crazy Tennesseeans in particular.
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Most people around me know that, after the Ben Jaffe MNJ and Masterclass, I’ve developed a bit of an affinity for trad jazz and early American Music. 