Forget St. Patrick, We Want St. Thomas

[Veggie Dave]

I'm not sure what to say about this song...

I've had to practise so hard to be able to record this one. I'm not sure why it's been such a challenge, I guess because you don't have much of a chance to catch your breath and while it's not exactly a million notes a second, for a beginner like me it's still pretty fast over a relatively long period of time.

I'm not sure why I kept using the note C, either (the song's in D on tenor), as it's not in the scale and probably shouldn't work - but it sounds right to me.

Anyway, I think this is my first proper venture into bebop. I can't say it was easy, but I think I'll be popping back to it again.


DeadAudiolink Removed

 

[jimmylh]

Check out this live version by Sonny. I like it even better than the recording.

 

[Veggie Dave]

I was quite pleased with my version until I saw that...

 

[jimmylh]

I was quite pleased with my version until I saw that...

You did pretty good. I heard a few "bad" notes in there but not many. Not sure if they were the C natural that you mentioned. I've played this tune many times but I think I deleted all my versions I recorded. They sucked anyway..

 

[Nick Wyver]

Comparing oneself to Mr Rollins is never going to be encouraging.

 

[Veggie Dave]

Comparing oneself to Mr Rollins is never going to be encouraging.

Although it's nice to have a goal.

 

[Nick Wyver]

Although it's nice to have a goal.

Hmm...
After 43 years that particular goal is still a dot on the horizon.

 

[jimmylh]

Hmm...
After 43 years that particular goal is still a dot on the horizon.

I can't even see the dot yet............ even with a telescope.

 

[Targa]

I think I can claim to be half as good as Mr Rollins, I just need to practise tha sax a little more, I can already stagger around like an old man.

 

[rhysonsax]

Check out this live version by Sonny. I like it even better than the recording.

Masterful. I think that's a young-looking NHOP on bass.

We should have a calypso for one of the tunes of the month here at the caff.

Rhys

 

[Chris]

That sounds pretty good Dave nice one, the chords for the first 8 bars are in D, BUT D6 doesn't use the M7th of the scale and that lets you use Cnat, the next 4 bars are a min 251 in Em so no C# in the scale, finally the last four bars are just in D by using the 6 chord it lets you dictate what you play. The 2nd chord(B7) is the min7 that is jazzed up to a V7, in which case it might take an alteration when played and it might have the b9, which once again lets you play the Cnat, as for the A7 chord, Cnat is the b3. Well you did ask

 

[Veggie Dave]

I did, and even more bizarrely, I understood the answer!

 

[jbtsax]

You are demonstrating some very good listening. I especially liked how your solo started with a short "motif" that you repeated and then embellished. That really worked well. You are also listening and picking up notes and rhythmic ideas from the rhythm section as you improvise. That works to give unity to the ensemble. I'm hearing the pitch a bit sharp on a few notes which detracted from an otherwise great version. You might want to check your D, E, F#, and high B with a tuner.

 

[Veggie Dave]

Thanks!

And as you've noticed, I wasn't as relaxed as I should've been and had a problem with biting. I'm starting to find my Classic II a little frustrating to play, which is making me physically try harder. I'm not sure if it's starting to leak or that I'm just starting to expect it to react more like a sax that costs four times the price.

I think it's the latter, although the sort of action you get on more expensive saxes would help a lot. It's funny how one part of the body being tense affects other parts. I find that on faster sections I have to really concentrate on my fingering, partly because of lack of experience but also because they need to travel so far courtesy of the action that the slightest mistake is exaggerated, so rather than letting your fingers flow almost without thinking, I have to intentionally finger each note. The tenseness that creates in the fingers also transfers itself to my emboucher, and that's a little frustrating.

And it's somewhat exacerbated by that damn little red recording light.