Good morning! 10:26 on this sunny Tuesday. Next week is supposed to be when the fit hits the shan as far as Winter weather. February is the shortest month of the year, but I think it compensates for its size by being the nastiest. What it may lack in days it more than makes up for in ferocity. A little dog with a big fight in him..
Music news. Still in a holding pattern with my soon-to-be new releases, waiting for them to pass muster from CD Baby. Things are just gummed up right now, so a little more waiting is involved. Patience may be a virtue, but it sure as hell ain't one of mine. Eventually.. One is a live quartet album and the other a compilation of different trios, a mix of live and studio performances. Coming soon..
YouTube is still alive and well, with a new post every few days. Trying to step up the guitar practicing these days, getting in multiple sessions in a day when I can. Always working on fluency, but at the same time not losing sight of the fact that chops are only a means and not an end. It's been said that the rational mind is a perfect servant and a lousy master. And so it is with one's chops. Their only real use is to support one's ideas. A display of technique with nothing behind it gets real old real fast- almost like it has Progeria. (I think that was supposed to be a joke..)
The paradox is that you work like holy hell on things like scales and arpeggios and patterns only to "lose" it all in the moment of playing. Charlie Parker probably said it best. "First, master your instrument.. Then forget all that shit and play!"
Well so much for my two cents. That's about all I've got for you this morning. Two cents worth of 'wisdom'. Thanks as ever for stopping in and reading. I do appreciate it. Happy Tuesday to you! For now, I'm outa here. More later.
PS Today's pic was taken at Sebastian's on 5th street downtown, maybe 1990 or so. Tim Green and Jeff Magby are the other musicians.
PPS Today's tune was written back in 1985 or so. My road years. Our bandleader was from LA, and had a curious love/hate thing going with his home state. He told me he was going to start signing his correspondence love, lunch, later. And a song was born, or at least the title.