Good morning! Just shy of nine on another knocko day. Already made a dent in that first cup of Morning Joe. Unlike working days, where coffee consumption was often an all-day affair. These days I just fix one pot in the morning, which yields about three cups and change. Moderation in all things- including moderation.
Music news. I had a bit of fun yesterday by giving cannabis news at the top of the page. Sometimes I feel a bit one-dimensional just giving music news, and like to digress here and there. Besides being a musician, I'm also a long-time user of your milder hallucinogens- pot and hashish. I suppose it's another side of my personality. I don't do it when I give lessons--one student wanted to try that and it made me very quiet and reticent--or when I play someplace. Not even on the breaks. But I do indulge a bit when I practice, and when I do the more exploratory stuff in the home studio.
I should add here that in my experience, there is no substance out there that's gonna make you play better. Having played and written music both cold sober and stoned on my ass, I can tell you there's no appreciable difference in the outcome. It just changes your perception of what you're doing.
And now, finally, back to the news. The top story is still my new CD Near-Miracle on 33rd Street. This link will take you a variety of digital companies, like Spotify and Deezer and Pandora and so forth. You can listen to any song on the album in its entirety, and purchase any individual tune(s)or the whole pizza pie.
YouTube is still alive and well. Been posting pretty much every day. I'm trying to practice every day as well, so as to have the best chops I can when I record. I don't believe in "chops for their own sake", but the more technique you have the smoother your playing is going to be. Technique is a perfect servant and a lousy master!
And that about wraps it up for today. Thanks as ever for stopping in and wading through all this. Happy Thursday to you! Hey, it's almost Friday. For now, I'm outa here. More later. PS today's pic was taken in 2008 by Ed Clark. He's a wonderful photographer and I'd recommend his services to anyone. Being as that was 12 years ago, I'd say we're due for another photo session. The tune of the day is Mango Peninsula, which is loosely based on the changes to Cantaloupe Island. Two of them anyway..