Hey Guys,

Tony inspired me with his crazy version of Alone Together, so I decided to take this tune as the next tune to study this week.

Remember, I'm trying to keep things going here and I hope you guys join in and record the tune. The deadline is next friday, so let's all post someting, ok?

I'm working on a play-along for you guys to record with and I hope to have it ready monday evening. In the meantime, check out the tune(hopefully by ear and not by realbook) and check out Tony's post(see check this out).

I was just playing the piano and realized, I could not dampen single notes while holding the pedal down. But you CAN on a vibraphone! I probably would never have even tried, if I didn't play the vibes.

Barry

http://www.joelocke.com/nl/0910_fof_kitano.htm

Joe Locke ‘Force of Four’
Live at the Kitano Hotel

October 16, 2009
October 17, 2009
2 sets: 8pm / 10pm

66 Park Avenue
at 38th Street
New York, NY 10016

Bookings:
phone: 212-885-7119
email: jazz@kitano.com

Come along to see Joe Locke’s celebrated quartet ‘Force of Four’ - featuring the great talents of Robert Rodriguez (piano), Johnathan Blake (drums) and Ricardo Rodriguez (bass) - live at the Kitano Hotel, NYC, on October 16 and 17.

Visit www.kitano.com for booking details.

I took this picture tonight of our local high school marching band. See anything unusual?

Barry

This was recorded at a recent studio session. Needless to say the two Dana's were promptly sacked!

This is a funny one.

Just a side note.

I talk with Mike about once a week, and I tell you he's a great guy and a very kind soul. There are many Mike Balter stories about great acts of kindness. I feel really lucky to know him and hang out with him.

And Mike is a serious player, and has worked with all the best stage acts in the world.

Thought I'd post one of many invitation takes. Including the ones I trashed I've probably done about 200 takes.

If a few people sign up. I'll get online monday and talk about 'Have You Met Miss Jones' for an hour.

Sign Up by leaving a comment here that you'll attend.

Well, when I make up these lessons, they usually leave me with a lot to practice.

I've been playing probably a few hundred versions of Invitation over the last few weeks. It's a difficult tune to play solo. And I'm busting my ass on it, big time!!! It's really inspiring to know that while I'm practicing all these other guys are practicing also. I know when I'm practicing in the evening that Barryk is over at his place doing the same thing! That's pretty cool.

I was listening to Pandora.com and heard Bobby Hutcherson play "My Foolish Heart". Nice. I went right to Amazon and downloaded it. I practiced it over the past couple of nights and recorded it. Still needs work, but I felt like posting anyway.

I would have liked to have taken it slower but when BIAB rendered the Real Tracks slower, it didn't sound very good, so I left it nears its optimum tempo.

I also tried it with Tremolo, but for whatever reason, I couldn't get the sound I wanted, so I turned it off for this recording.