Ruminations on the marimba this morning with "All The Things You Are" - experimenting with different four mallet techniques/sounds and seeing where it goes. Sometimes it's smooth sailing and sometimes it's off a cliff. Ha!Ha!

I've been slow to warm up to marimba over the decades, but recently I've really come to love the instrument. Most of my resistance was due to me since I didn't own one, plus I didn't see myself ever playing one as a practical gigging instrument. Since I don't gig on vibes anymore, I've really opened my head in terms of marimba and I have to give credit to Evelyn Glennie for that.

first video explaining a basic path toward solo playing

This is a really first-rate section of a Manu Dibango concert where Manu introduces alto saxophonist Moreira Chonguica beginning at 30 minutes into the concert. Manu (from Camaroon) was one of the first internationally-known musicians to die of coronavirus, and in this video he is 84 years of age. Although primarily a saxophonist and singer, he has effectively used marimba as part of his Afro-beat sound. In this video he plays vibes, but what I really like is how he uses it to blend with the ensemble.

I first heard of Anthony Kerr in the late nineties when he was a member of Georgie Fame's R&B band, and it caught my attention for no other reason than my fascination with players who have to make the vibes blend into a rhythm section. Anthony now teaches at Royal Academy of Music, and I discovered this solo performance the other day.

What I find interesting is that he plays "Summertime" more uptempo than the usual ballad interpretations one would expect from a soloist. I like his left-hand technique as well, and his sense of time pulls it together.

Just want to mention again without making a big to do about it. Sculptors have to make sculpture. Painters make paintings.
We make music. So the question is are you making music?

Imagine knowing a sculptor who says they are a sculptor and have been doing it for 10 years and you ask to see something and they say they haven’t made anything but they’re working on it.

Practicing is preparing to make music. Recording yourself or playing a concert I think is making music.