Photos from The So On and So Forth Mini Tour

@ The Sucre Coffee Jazz Lounge, Brooklyn NY.
Transportation, always a pleasure...
Audio clips to follow!

The So On and So Forth play in Brooklyn!

Spanner's Dark Boat recieves East Coast Music Award Nomination

Last fall at the Banff Centre I had the unique opportunity to record engineer Spanner, an experimental duo from Newfoundland Canada. The CD that was produced from the sessions has been nominated for an East Coast Music Award.

You can hear some of the tracks on their myspace page.

Pittsburgh with ahl trio

Toronto Banff Reunion

This past weekend playing in Toronto was epic. Overnight bus, 12 hours from New York, hanging with the crew from Banff, playing "the most beautiful concert imaginable" (see flyer above), meeting new folks, and working on some amazing music, including Piazzolla's Milonga del Angel, Don Salvador's Tema Pro Gaguinho, Dittersdorf duo for Viola and Bass, Ellington's Isfahan, Sam Rivers' Beatrice, Wayne Shorter's Night Dreamer, Miles Davis' Nardis, and a piece of brand new music composed for this event by Darren Miller.

The only activity that was not checked off of my to-do list was a grand gospel sing-along. Next time, folks, next time.

Organic Sound Lab Sample Library

I have been going through my archives and sampling snare drums, kick drums, high hats, grooves, and other nice sounds to sequence. I am up to 11 kick drums, all sounding different! Thanks to the great drummers I have had the privilege of tracking - Nathan Ellman-Bell, Alan Munshower, Adam Miller, and more.

Brother Jack McDuff

I have to say my favorite B3 organist of all time is Brother Jack McDuff. When I was in the record store the other day, I ran across this:

And, for 2 reasons it had to be mine: oh yes, my namesake Shakey Jake is on the cover, but Jack McDuff is in the liner notes. This music is amazing. Organ, Guitar, Harmonica, and Vocals. No Bass, No Drums!

Schoenberg's Theory of Harmony

I am revisiting Arnold Schoenberg's theory of Harmony. This book, from around 1911, was published before he made his most important changes in style. One may expect to find Schoenberg writing some out there theories of 12-tone atonal composition, but this book is actually as square as it gets. He lays out the rules before he allows you to break them.

I am approaching it as an arranger, composer and bassist. I find that if I go through the exercises, write them all out, and then practice them on the bass, the most simple things become even more solidified in my mind, my ears, and my fingers. Concepts such as the "law of the nearest way," help me discover new ways of voice leading through chords with minimal movement.

In a way I feel like I am starting over. Back to square one! But it is fresh fresh fresh and exciting. Let me know if you would like to use the book after I am finished with it...

Band Apart at L'Escalier

My last show in Montreal, August 18th at L'Escalier with Band Apart, that's John Paton's music, with Jake Henry and Ivan Bamford.

Photo from 2640 August 7

It looks like we are tuning up:

Nuevo Tango trio with Susan Alcorn and Melissa Hullman. Photo from David Smooke.

Film Scoring for Conseil Quebecois de la Musique

Sight reading music for 12 francophone composers, scoring to film is a good time. Studio La Planete provided beautiful facilities (Neve!). The arrangements were for String Bass, Cello, Viola, Clarinet, 1st, and 2nd violins. This was all recorded to time code and a click track. Tempos would change to match the picture. The composers had a range of songs and effects, few open to improvisation, but many encouraging interpretation.

The production size of a film scoring operation can range from a single person, to a team of composer, orchestra, recording engineer, music producer, and director. I was happy to be on the side of the glass I was on, trying to make sense and something musical out of the situation. It was rather intense, and I would like to do this more.

Otherwise, I am saying goodbye to Montreal this week. My friends Eli and Ashley from Providence RI came up to play at L'Envers. Check them out at REL records. I made sure they had a St. Viator Bagel and some 2am putine. I am blessed to be hanging with Kalmunity on Sunday night at Dieze Onze. On Monday, Recorder experimentalist extraordinaire, Terri Hron, will be here via Amsterdam via Banff. Then, Band Apart will perform on Tuesday at my old stompin' grounds, L'Escalier. Wednesday night I will play piano bass duo with Julie Themens at Le Cafe Les Entretiens. All of this while I finish up the Frank Feutre record, and then I am OUT.

Italian Festival in Little Italy, Montreal, is loud and sleek. One went east, one went west, one flew over the cuckoo's nest. jkl

Friday August 7th at 2640

I am headed back to Baltimore for some fun fun fun.

Franck Feutré

My good friend and flat-mate Ben and I are currently producing the new Franck Feutré record.  Franck Feutre is Ben's brain child imaginary character who recounts his adventures in an invented language made up of neologisms, pseudo-English, French, Swahili, and Bantou.  The record will have flute, acoustic guitar, acoustic bass, electric bass drums, synthesizers, casio keyboards, and other fun noise-makers.  We are recording it in our home in Montreal with flautist Hannah Rahimi.  See the picture of the mess and confusion below.  

Tango in Montreal

While boarding the Beaubien bus one day with my bass (check that alliteration), I met Leila Boily-Afriat, a Tango dance guru, who soon introduced me to Tango pianist Victor Simon.  Every Thursday, at Cafe de Lima, he hosts a Tango Jam Session.  I went and heard Victor play with bass-clarinetist Matthew Belanger.  They blew me away.  They were freely improvising in the tango context.  It was like Eric Dolphy meets Astor Piazzolla.  I am now very happy to be studying tango bass with Victor.  Check out his group:  Ensemble Montreal Tango.  

Jakes play Jazz at Zitto e Mangia

Every wednesday night we will be playing standard jazz at my favorite neighborhood restaurant, Zitto e Mangia, across the street from my house in Little Italy, Montreal.  

Wednesdays 7-9 pm

Zitto e Mangia

Corner of Clark and St. Zotique Ouest

Jake Henry - Trumpet

Jake K. Leckie - Bass

TBA - Drums

BYOB

Free Entry

Orchestra Concert in Rosemère

Saturday, June 13, I will play double bass with OSC du Québec.  We will play Haydn Trumpet Concerto, The Opus 50 Romance of Beethoven, The concerto for 2 violins and strings of JS Bach, 2 pieces of JS Bach (Bist du bei mir, and the 2nd mvt of the 3rd suite), and the Symphony 14 of Mozart. 

Birdcages

Here is a little tune I wrote called "Birdcages" performed by Melissa Hullman (violin), Susan Alcorn (Pedal Steel) and myself (Bass) at The Red Room in Baltimore.

It's title is a reference to an installation by Erika Kierulf, a visual artist in Montreal.  Check out her website and click on the link to "It's All The Same To You"

Down to Baltimore

I am very excited to return to Baltimore this week.  This is where I will be playing:

Sunday May 10, 3pm - AHL trio at The Hexagon

Monday May 11, 7-9pm - Boostimus at the Hopkins B&N

Thursday May 14 - Restaurant

Tuesday May 19 - Out Out of Your Head Collective at the Windup Space

Saturday May 23, 8:30pm - AHL trio at The Red Room (See Poster Above)

Montreal is treating me well.  I am teaching, playing, and freelancing as an audio engineer.  I look forward to mixing a jazz quartet record when I return from the states.  I ate 5 Saint Viator bagels yesterday, and I continue my daily rituals of swimming at the Y and drinking a latte.  My friend Pemi has lent me an interesting book by Alan Watts, but I think I have been trying to read it too late at night for it to make any sense.  

I got a new toy.  An Oxygen8 Midi Controller, which will make the process of composing music on the computer more efficient.  It will help me with with arranging, sequencing, and film scoring.

Monday Nights at L'Escalier

For the past few months, we have been hosting a weekly jam at L'Escalier.  

This is what Jeff and I look like when we play, according to Xav.  

McGill Baroque Orchestra Spring Concert

I will be performing long low notes on the Double Bass with The McGill Baroque Orchestra on Thursday April 9, 8pm in Redpath Hall at McGill.  Ooooold school.
"Hear the McGill Baroque Orchestra in their final concert of the 2008-2009 season! Showcasing works by Locatelli, Boccherini, Vivaldi, and W.F Bach, the orchestra will be joined by virtuoso violinist Mark Fewer. This is sure to be a fantastic evening of music! Tickets are a bargain at only $10, too."

Thursday April 9

8pm-10pm

Redpath Hall on McTavish

Montral, QC

BAMBAM enregistrement live à l'Escalier!

Blaise Borboën-Léonard-Violon
Damian Nissenson-Saxos
Jake K. Leckie-Contrebasse
Moïse Yawo Matey: Percussions
Ivan Bamford: Batterie
Avec le Maitre du Son: Olivier René de Cotret!

* on va faire la même chose jeudi 2 avril aussi!

TOBLJ East Coast Tour/Road Trip

This past week I was on what we like to call "A Tour In Theory, Road Trip In Practice," with my spiritual advisor, Dani.  We drove from Montreal to Boston, and met up with folks there for a meal and a jam.  We crashed Generoso's Bovine Ska and Rocksteady radio show on WMBR, where we listened to an amazing reggae version of the Adams Family theme.  Click the above link, and you can listen to us on air (wed march 18 midnight).

Next stop was Brooklyn, where we played at Goodbye Blue Monday with Alan and Dina.  We played some Gospel inspired originals by Dani and Alan.  Dani played Mandolin, Alan the guitar, Dina drums, and I played piano and an organ they had called a "Fun Machine," at a 90 degree angle to the piano.  

Next we stopped in Philly for lunch, and then headed onto Baltimore to meet up with old friends.  I stopped in to see the Dolphin, who is working on a Hendrix mash up album.  We made it out to Thurmont, Maryland for a bluegrass inspired farm party.  

It was an excellent Tour In Theory, Road Trip in Practice, and I am happily refreshed to return to Montreal.  I will be playing with Kalmunity tomorrow night at Sablo Cafe, and some more gigs lined up for the rest of the week.  I will try to keep my myspace page updated with those dates.  

Transverse Doppler Effect, March 27 @ Bar Populaire

This is where I teach!

L'orchestre des JazzKidz de Montréal from Jeff Kitchiguine on Vimeo.

The Jon Davis Tour

This past weekend I was on tour with the Jon Davis Band.  It was a crazy and wonderful time.  We played at the Black Sheep Inn in Wakefield near Ottowa.  The vibe was not so happening there for many reasons, and we did not play up to par, but the hang afterwards was amazing.  We stayed the night with Jon's godfather.  He and his wife live in a cottage-like house, and their lifestyle is an inspiration.  Super comfortable home with lots of books, and all organic foods.  Yum!  

The next day we drove many hours to play at Rivoli on Queen Street in Toronto.  We had a super long and effective sound-check, and played very well.  I was very happy to see some friends who I had met in Banff, and they let me crash on their couch, which was more comfortable than my Montreal bed.  Amazing, the 2 nights on tour, I slept better than I had slept for the past month.  I had a coffee in Toronto, and I must say, I am spoiled living in Little Italy, and I am afraid that I have become a circumstantial coffee snob.  

The ride back from Toronto to Montreal, things got interesting, to say the least.  The van had most of the gear, Jon, and Adam, our drummer.  I was riding with our guitar player, Jim Bland, in his car.  About half way from Toronto to Montreal, the car all of a sudden started sounding very sick.  We pulled over, and when we tried to start the car again, it made a terrifying noise, so we decided to let it be.  We called CAA, a tow truck came, and towed us to the nearest garage.  They think the fan belt went kaput.  Drag.  We took a taxi to a train station, and got back to Gare Central in Montreal before the Metro closed.  It was a long and confusing trip back, but Jim and I were super relaxed, and were able to discuss philosophical discourse for the hours we were delayed.  No problems, as Dani says.  Life is made up of these little happenings.  The head space you are in defines you.  It could have been a major drag, but the first thing that happened when the car broke down was Jim started to laugh.

On The CTV News

Jon Davis - Beautiful Snow from Alain Pilon on Vimeo.

Jon Davis CD Release

JON DAVIS CD RELEASE
WITH FULL BAND AND STRING QUARTET
Mar 1, Montreal / Mar 5 Wakefield / Mar 6 Toronto (details below)
(please/s'il vous plait see/voir press release en francais and in English and/et poster attached)

Sunday, March 1
SALA ROSSA • 4848 boul. St-Laurent • Montreal
Presented by Hello Darlin' Productions
Doors 7:30 Music 8PM • Admission $10
Opening act Mike Evin

Thursday, March 5
BLACK SHEEP INN • 420 Riverside Drive • Wakefield
Doors 8PM Music 8:30PM • Admission $10 ($20 includes CD)
Opening acts Honeyman and the Brothers Farr / The Shamrocks

Friday, March 6
THE RIVOLI • 334 Queen Street West • Toronto
Doors 8PM Music 9PM • Admission $10 ($20 includes CD)
Opening act Jadea Kelly

FOR RESERVATIONS EMAIL: davises@sympatico.ca


JON DAVIS BAND
Jon Davis - voice, guitar, piano
Jim Bland - electric guitar
Adam Miller - drums
Jake Leckie - upright bass
and STRING QUARTET
Brigitte Dajczer - 1st violin
John Young - 2nd violin
Pemi Paull - viola
Michael Spleit - cello

Using the I Ching to guide my practice

I recently attended a master class given by drummer Jim Black.  He emphasized the importance of being able to distinguish between long (3 eighth notes) and short (2 eighth notes).  A rhythm in 7/8 could be thought of as short-short-long, and a rhythm in 11/8 could be thought of as long-long-short-short-long.  I wanted to incorporate this into my daily practice.

In a previous blog entry, I described how I practice all the scales I know in all keys in a span of 6 weeks, practicing 3 scales a day in 2 different keys.  I wanted to have a similar grid to practice time signatures and intervals.  But, the question was how to practice a different time signature with a different interval in a different scale in different keys without getting completely confused?  Randomness.

I turned to the ancient oracle, the I Ching.  I use the 3 coins method of building hexagrams.  I toss 3 coins 6 times, and that determines what time signature I will practice, and in what intervals.  This can apply to the scales and keys I am practicing that day.  For example, today's coin tosses were "K'un" and "Sun," meaning I was to practice 7th degree intervals in the time signature 13/8.  I was able to apply that to today's scales, Lydian, Harmonic Minor, and Augmented, in F and B.  It was also interesting to hear major or dominant 7ths arpeggiate (increasing in pitch F, E, Eb, D).  All determined by chance!

Today's Hexagram, Kuan, describes "contemplation."

Last night I met some amazing Cuban musicians at Les Bobards.  Their bass player, Rene, had hurt his hand in a car accident, and I had the great pleasure of sitting in and playing some tumbao when he needed a rest.  Other than that, the French is coming along, I am setting up the Montreal Organic Sound Lab Studio, and playing my ass off.  Every monday night, we play and host a jam session at L'Escalier.  This past weekend I met some great classical musicians at a warehouse party down in Old Montreal.  The opening band played a Philip Glass quartet.  People were sitting on the floor, listening, digging on it, and I was like "I have arrived!"

Interview with Dolphin

Check it!

Interview with Dolphin

Making it happen in Montreal

I moved to Montreal 3 weeks ago, and so far I am enjoying my time, and discovering many things about this city.  I has been frigid out, but that hasn't stopped me from going out on the scene.  I have played at the weekly jam sessions at Grumpy's, and Diese Onze, and I have been hosting a weekly monday jazz jam at L'Escalier.  The Kalmunity collective rocks urban beats and slam poetry every tuesday night in my neighborhood.  It reminds me of What The Fuck Jam Session in Barcelona.  Monday thru Thursday mornings, I attend a French class (free, thank you Quebec!), and I have been pursuing every avenue and door that I find.  

The Blaze keeps me posted on his performances.  I listened to him play at Upstairs with the Malcolm Sailor Quartet, and tonight I will see him playing with Tune-Yards at Il Motore.  I also attended the Turtle Boy CD release party (I live with their drummer!), and have been setting up sessions with many of the folks I have met.  My friend Andy is building a recording studio close to me with ProTools HD and a grand piano.  What more do you need?  It is an exciting project, and I look forward to seeing and hearing how things turn out in the coming months.  

Last Friday I played some dirty funk at a "mustache" party.  See handlebars-and-patch above.  I am starting my own project.  I am envisioning some instrumental dance music - Fela Kuti, Cachao, Skatalites, Jorge Ben, Piazzolla, and a rocking version of Danses Des Petits Cygnes from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake (bring the ballet into the bar!).  Instrumentation?  

So much has happened in such a small amount of time.  I am still figuring many things out, but I take it day by day.  In the same week, I drank the most amazing coffee, and ate the best bagel I have ever had.  It has been pretty amazing to be in Canada watching the American political and economic situation.  Are you guys alright down there?

Susan, Melissa, and Jake at 2640

Check out this page with some pics and audio from our concert in Baltimore!

Link: 2640 January 10

Recording Ben Frock and the Subatomic Particles

I am very excited to announce that Ben Frock has released this wonderful recording that we produced last spring.  Sonically, it is one of the finest projects I have been involved in.  Musically, one of the most tasteful collages of sound.  The whole record is one long improvisation.  It flows, direct to tape.  Analog, baby!  Check it out.

Link to CDBaby where you can purchase the CD

Link to Ben Frock's Myspace Page

The goal of this project was to make a timeless sounding recording. Timeless in the sense that vintage technology was used to record contemporary, almost futuristic sounding improvised music with modern electronic and computer generated effects. I wanted to make a record that could have been made in the early 1970s for Bluenote, or in the year 2150 to broadcast to human settlements on the moon. This project would not have been possible without the inventiveness and forward thinking of Ben Frock, Jonathan Birkholz, Dan Marcellus, and Eric Trudel.

The engineering challenge was to record the group playing in a large room (East Hall), and incorporate the sound of the room into the recording. I wanted to record in a large room because jazz is so often recorded in small, dead spaces, using artificial reverberation, and although I used artificial analog reverb (EMT plate), I wanted the option of having a real room to play with.

The audio paradox that I explore in this project is the question of reality. 

When we hear something on the radio, how much of it is real? There is so much out there that is edited and manipulated, at what point does it still resemble the original performance? I have done many sessions in ProTools, and there is always an instinct to start cutting and pasting things when it is up on the EDL. The editing in this project is minimal, but the manipulation of sound in mixing is dynamic. Does sending a sound through an equalizer, a plate reverb, or even a digital effect flavor it to the point of invalidity?

The first thing that attracted me to the art of recording was the console. I saw engineers mixing as a performance (not using automation). I believe automation has its uses, but I also think that when we listen, subconscious (and subatomic?) decisions are made to move our finger up or down on a fader in that moment. Using the equipment in studio 3036 was a very tactile experience, from calibrating the tape machine to mixing the tape down through the analog console.  Tape has a magical quality to it. I believe it is a valid medium to record to for several reasons. Sometimes, the sound of the tape is appropriate, and pleasing to the ear. I like the high frequency roll-off, and I think the sound of trumpet recorded through a ribbon microphone to tape is an aesthetically pleasing classic.

As a performer, tape can add energy to a session. For this session, I was backing up everything to the MX2424 digital multitrack recorder, including sound check, and first-takes. The band was aware of this. I told Ben, “Let me know when you want me to roll the tape,” and when he did, I could tell that they were performing their best. Using a limited medium provides a certain amount of pressure to the artist. I think it is analogous to the use of film in photography. One can snap a million digital pictures, but if real film is in the camera, and there are only 24 shots, each photograph that is created is a result of extra attention, planning, care, and excitement.

I have been experimenting with minimal microphone setups on the drums. For this project, I used a Jecklin Disc with MKH 20 omni-directional microphones as drum overheads. They picked up the kit very evenly, but I added a Beyerdynamic M88 on snare for a little extra snap, and an AKG D112 on the kick for a little extra oomph. 

In mixing, the level of the room mics were lowered and raised which added another dimension. 

During more ambient sections, Ben and I explored the use of a lot of room, while more intense sections were brought forward towards the listener for greater clarity. The use of the room had to be approached with caution because of anomalies caused by discrepancies in time of arrival. In the mixing environment I was in, I attempted to fix some of this with delay, but in the end left it as it was because of the sense of depth it gave to the other instruments. This had the most negative effect on the transience of the kit.

The mix was active, and we rode the faders to blend the sax and trumpet. The lows on the DI of the keyboard are boosted to act more as the “bass player,” while the miked amp was panned to give the illusion of another soloist. Electronically manipulated effects are actively panned in some sections to give the feeling of movement and disorientation.

Ben Frock and The Subatomic Particles:

Ben Frock……………………..Trumpet
Dan Marcellus……………...Drums and Cymbals
Eric Trudel……………………Tenor Saxophone
Jonathan Birkholz………..Hammond XK-3 Organ, Electronics

Additional Engineers:
Andy Stella, Daren Vaughn

Tape Operator:

Shaun Roberts

Mastered by Paul Wickliffe

RECORDING SYSTEM DESIGN:
Drums - Jecklin Disc with MKH 20s as overheads
Beyerdynamic M88 on snare
AKG D112 on Kick (originally an RE20 was in place, but through troubleshooting with signal flow, it was replaced with “old faithful”)
Organ – Direct In
Senheiser MD 421 on ampTrumpet – Coles 4038 ribbon
Sax – Royer 121 ribbon
Computer – DI
Room Mics – Spaced Neumann M150 Tube

Console: Sony MXP3036VF
Dolby SR Noise reduction
Otari MTR-90 2” Tape Machine with Quantegy 456 Grand Master Tape 15ips +3dB elevated operating level
Digital Backup: Tascam MX2424
Outboard Processor: Sony DPS-M7 Digital Effects Processor, EMT Plate
2 Track Recorders: Tascam CD Recorder, DVRA-1000 DV

D-RW 96-24

Acoustical Considerations:
The null points of the figure-8 pattern ribbon mics were pointed towards the drums, which provided for good isolation. The drums and keyboard amp were surrounded by gobos to control bleed. The curtains in East Hall were closed.

Four of Baltimore's killingest young musicians.  

Phaedon Sinis Recital at Banff

New Years Potluck at Hickory

Check out Robbie's Blog for the full menu.  The New Year's feast was one to remember.  I made (of course) a Brownie Pie!