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.