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“Take the A Train” by Billy Strayhorn – warmed up today with this classic. I’m in a practice room at Berklee right next door to the hand percussion room. A little bleed through the room. Sorry about that. This may be a simple song but there are so many things that we can do with it within the framework of the form and harmony. One of my favorite versions is from the great pianist Oscar Peterson.

Benny Golson, Philly native sax player, composer and arranger was in town for Penn States annual jazz festival 10 days ago. Benny wrote many classics including Killer Joe, Whisper Not, and I Remember Clifford. At 90 years of age, he still played great sax solos and told rambling stories about how he came to write each song. It was great inspiration for guys in our band, several of whom are in their nineties, to see Benny still going strong. His work is all over YouTube, including Lionel Hampton introducing Benny’s rendition of I Remember Clifford.

"Loro" by Egberto Gismonti - A great (and somewhat tricky!) song by the superb Brazilian guitarist/pianist. I played this one many years ago and dug it up from the files recently. A very unique and beautiful composition.

Hi folks,
Happy to present my new record, "Sense of Place" featuring Jon Cowherd, Drew Gress, Johnathan Blake, and myself on vibes. https://destinyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/sense-of-place

A beautiful and challenging jazz waltz by Bill Evans.

What do you think? Pthello sent this to me.

Pattern 1, complete lesson on scrolling audio.

Fun playing with Gustavo today in a duo vibe setting at Berklee.
We started off the day (3/29/19) for the Massachusetts Percussive Arts Society Day of Percussion headed by chapter president Thomas Schmidt.

Slow Agbekor (traditional Ewe warrior dance in 12/8, also known as “Atsiagbekor”)
In this one-man-band arrangement, four support patterns and drum languages build the ensemble array: gonkogui (bell), totodzi and kagan drums, and ankle bells. Once the groove is established, I recite a number of master drum themes, with several songs interspersed. The left hand uses the Burton grip to simultaneously play two parts: bell and totodzi.