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Bluesy/Funky!

Wade Cornell

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New Zealand and Australia
Another spontaneous improv with Australian Guitarist Chris Fenton. Kind of bluesy/funky.

https://soundcloud.com/whampton-court/so-says-you

Comments welcome
 
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You really need to get a rhythm section from somewhere Wade. I know that's going to be like finding golden eggs. This just sounded like one was missing. It was still enjoyable to listen to though.

Chris..
 
Thanks for the listen Chris. A rhythm section indeed! Wish you could see where this is. Very remote location that's a little over half an hour by 4 WD and often impassable. No phone, power, etc. but by a river so there's water. The chickens and turkeys wander through the house (shack). He's got solar and a generator, so a few modcoms (but not many). Not exactly jam central and it would be fair to say the guitarist is a hermit (long beard ragged grubby clothes, you get the picture).

What's interesting for me is how much you can do without a bass, drums, known tune, written music, backing track, etc.

My experience is that if you are doing improvisation without preconceived references, then two people only need to consider what each other are doing. When you add more people/instruments, unless they are very good AND very in tune it can quickly deteriorate into everyone playing their own thing instead of playing together. The guitarist has made himself "geographically undesirable" so seldom plays with anyone else and is often "chemically enhanced" so the rhythm isn't what it could be.

I guess I look at what happens and (considering the circumstances) am often amazed that anything interesting comes out. It's certainly not the world of click tracks. For me this has a living charm that I don't find in overly mechanical productions. The music breathes. Just have to give it some life support at times to make sure it doesn't crash.
 
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Very enjoyable listen.
You both work very well together to produce an easy to listen to and very clear recording.
Smooth bluesy sound from your tenor and some nice playing from the guitarist.
I didn't really miss a rhythm section, the guitar provided enough for this one I think.
Nick.
 
Thanks Nick. The guitarist was a pro in Melbourne for a number of years before dropping out and living as a hermit in FNQ. Have always enjoyed what Melbourne has to offer. Hopefully we can meet up if you ever come up to FNQ or when I'm next in Melbourne (probably next year).
 
You guys sound great together and mesh like you're playing a written tune !
Nicely recorded too. :)
 
Thanks Nick. The guitarist was a pro in Melbourne for a number of years before dropping out and living as a hermit in FNQ. Have always enjoyed what Melbourne has to offer. Hopefully we can meet up if you ever come up to FNQ or when I'm next in Melbourne (probably next year).
Send us a PM next time you're in Melbourne and will see what we can arrange.
I'll do the same if I get up your way.
 
Very enjoyable indeed, and impressive, too. Thank you Wade!

I didn't feel that what you played suffered from not having percussion at all. It had a fluid, floating feeling which percussion may have altered. And you both knew what you were doing, recreational pharmaceuticals or not as the case may be...

I can just picture this in FNQ. I had two brothers down in Brizzie for a while - one suggested I might go over and do some opal fossicking, living in a tent or old bus or opal cave (this last must be an amazing way to live - I have seen some incredible photographs) and going to town at long intervals to sell opals and get supplies... he reckoned it would suit me perfectly...I was tempted...

Anyway, guitarists, like pianists, not infrequently play unaccompanied, so adding a horn works - in the right hands. Guitar and clarinet or flute works, banjo and clarinet, too.

Taking the idea further, playing a horn unaccompanied is a real challenge for all but short pieces if the audience is to remain interested . I have a Jimmy Guiffre CD (Free Fall) which is worth listening to.
 
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Very nice noise

I like the spiky licks from geetar and your tone
 
You guys sound great together and mesh like you're playing a written tune !
Nicely recorded too. :)

Thanks Brendan. Every once in a while you hit on a simple idea and then sync so that what comes out sounds like it was planned. Magic when it happens as you get that "I'm plugged into the universe" sort of feeling. Requires the give and take of participants and becomes harder with more than two players, but I've also been in jams where the whole room was pulsing.
 
Send us a PM next time you're in Melbourne and will see what we can arrange.
I'll do the same if I get up your way.

Will do. Got any extra horns? Can just bring a mouthpiece. Very few jams up in FNQ, unless you play Irish or Country Western.
 
Very enjoyable indeed, and impressive, too. Thank you Wade!

I didn't feel that what you played suffered from not having percussion at all. It had a fluid, floating feeling which percussion may have altered. And you both knew what you were doing, recreational pharmaceuticals or not as the case may be...

I can just picture this in FNQ. I had two brothers down in Brizzie for a while - one suggested I might go over and do some opal fossicking, living in a tent or old bus or opal cave (this last must be an amazing way to live - I have seen some incredible photographs) and going to town at long intervals to sell opals and get supplies... he reckoned it would suit me perfectly...I was tempted...

Anyway, guitarists, like pianists, not infrequently play unaccompanied, so adding a horn works - in the right hands. Guitar and clarinet or flute works, banjo and clarinet, too.

Taking the idea further, playing a horn unaccompanied is a real challenge for all but short pieces if the audience is to remain interested . I have a Jimmy Guiffre CD (Free Fall) which is worth listening to.

Yes the lone miner going out to strike it rich is still a local dream that many pursue. Most up here look for gold nuggets, but there's also gem stones. I'm not tempted, but I'm also old and not keen on spending weeks or months wandering around the outback carrying gear and supplies on my back. Nice to visit...don't want to live there.

I'm trying to build up the courage to try some solo recording, but as you say a little can go a long way.

Many thanks for your observations. I left the pharmaceuticals to my friend, I'm dopey enough and easily get lost.
 
I thought I was in New Orleans for a minute. BTW. I had to force myself to listen for any vibrato, and there was, lots of varied subtle effects, but they were so much part of the music, that I was not aware of them. Which is what it's all about.
 
Hi Wade,
I like this guitarist.
Okay, so what can I say to you that I haven't already?
I've always respected your original voice and what you're trying to convey to the listener.
No, I've already said that.
I've always respected your repellent attitude towards the standard or cliched reference in how music is generally put together.
No, I've already said that.


Hmmm.....


Well, I guess it's never gets old when someone's passion for making music in an original format, while understandbly concentrated in the esoteric, wages on against the wind in an exoteric environment and continues to persevere. That I can say never gets old or repetitive in acknowledgement!


In fact, it's vital to acknowledge whenever possible.
 
Will do. Got any extra horns? Can just bring a mouthpiece. Very few jams up in FNQ, unless you play Irish or Country Western.
I've always got some extra horns around tenor and alto at least.
 
I thought I was in New Orleans for a minute. BTW. I had to force myself to listen for any vibrato, and there was, lots of varied subtle effects, but they were so much part of the music, that I was not aware of them. Which is what it's all about.

Thanks Jim. I agree, that's what it's about. The technique shouldn't be the object, just a means of communication. Tripping over my fingers and technique is still embarrassing, but as time goes on less so. It's a race to see which happens first: achieve a good standard of playing, or crap out due to old age. Will be 67 in a few weeks, so it's no joke.
 
Hi Wade,
I like this guitarist.
Okay, so what can I say to you that I haven't already?
I've always respected your original voice and what you're trying to convey to the listener.
No, I've already said that.
I've always respected your repellent attitude towards the standard or cliched reference in how music is generally put together.
No, I've already said that.


Hmmm.....


Well, I guess it's never gets old when someone's passion for making music in an original format, while understandbly concentrated in the esoteric, wages on against the wind in an exoteric environment and continues to persevere. That I can say never gets old or repetitive in acknowledgement!


In fact, it's vital to acknowledge whenever possible.

Thanks Mike. Very kind of you. I'm surprised you haven't heard me with this guitarist before. It's been a long while since the recent posting I did with him (maybe three years?). Here's a few others I posted recently with the same guitarist:
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12423078
http://www.soundclick.com/player/sin...=12427304&q=hi
http://www.soundclick.com/player/sin...=12427304&q=hi

They get to sound fairly similar after a while as he tends to play in keys that all utilize the open Bottom E string. The modes are slightly different, but I find myself playing too much in the same mode. I've got a few more I'm sitting on as I don't want to wear out my welcome and, as with these, they are similar modes.

Also great to hear you posting music again!
 
I've always got some extra horns around tenor and alto at least.

Will bring a tenor and alto mouthpiece when I come. I've got those horns plus sop and sopranino for you to have a bash on if you come up first.

Cheers!
 
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