Here are a few random samples from something I'm watching. You may find them interesting:
This is a discussion between John Patitucci and Eric Marienthal on the road with Chick Corea. Eric was talking about how he prepared, working hard for the first rehearsal only to find out that the first tune was the one he did not have a chart for. They hand him one in concert key. He was able to transpose it while reading it for the first time. John Patitucci said every sax player he's ever played with could do that. He then tells the story of bringing charts for Chris Potter. John transposed some of them in Bb, and Potter is so used to transposing on the fly, he said it messed him up. He also said something that touched me, since I agree. Chris prefers the chords in concert key. YES! Winning! Long story short, it's something you may need to do someday if you aspire to those heights. I'm immune as I can't sight read if my life depended on it.
David Sanborn (who also said he thinks and talks in concert key!) mentioned something about time that isn't unexpected, but maybe some of you never thought of it. Eric asked him how he thought about time. He said that he always hears 12/8 in a shuffle. Some people can't play that feel well, especially if they're not concentrating on jazz or blues. I've know a bass player or two who couldn't do walking bass properly, they don't feel it. Dave states that there are three "times" at once, he kind sang them, but it amounts to 1/4, 1/8 and 12/8. He mentioned Phil Woods, Cannonball and Hank Crawford as inspirations. Ironically, Hank Crawford did the version of "That's All" that I studied most when I submitted my first BotM.
The two sax players also talked about evaluating an instrument or mouthpiece. They agreed that the sax you should buy is the one where, while you're playing it, you suddenly realize that you're supposed to be trying to check it out it, not just playing. In other words, if you concentrate on trying little tiny movements, you won't be getting the full picture; I found these tidbits interesting and hope you get something out this post. It's just as valid if you think differently than these folks, whatever works for you is what you'll do.
This is a discussion between John Patitucci and Eric Marienthal on the road with Chick Corea. Eric was talking about how he prepared, working hard for the first rehearsal only to find out that the first tune was the one he did not have a chart for. They hand him one in concert key. He was able to transpose it while reading it for the first time. John Patitucci said every sax player he's ever played with could do that. He then tells the story of bringing charts for Chris Potter. John transposed some of them in Bb, and Potter is so used to transposing on the fly, he said it messed him up. He also said something that touched me, since I agree. Chris prefers the chords in concert key. YES! Winning! Long story short, it's something you may need to do someday if you aspire to those heights. I'm immune as I can't sight read if my life depended on it.
David Sanborn (who also said he thinks and talks in concert key!) mentioned something about time that isn't unexpected, but maybe some of you never thought of it. Eric asked him how he thought about time. He said that he always hears 12/8 in a shuffle. Some people can't play that feel well, especially if they're not concentrating on jazz or blues. I've know a bass player or two who couldn't do walking bass properly, they don't feel it. Dave states that there are three "times" at once, he kind sang them, but it amounts to 1/4, 1/8 and 12/8. He mentioned Phil Woods, Cannonball and Hank Crawford as inspirations. Ironically, Hank Crawford did the version of "That's All" that I studied most when I submitted my first BotM.
The two sax players also talked about evaluating an instrument or mouthpiece. They agreed that the sax you should buy is the one where, while you're playing it, you suddenly realize that you're supposed to be trying to check it out it, not just playing. In other words, if you concentrate on trying little tiny movements, you won't be getting the full picture; I found these tidbits interesting and hope you get something out this post. It's just as valid if you think differently than these folks, whatever works for you is what you'll do.