I always say we spend most of our time playing alone! 

Bebop heads can really help with your technique. Play them very very slow and speed them up.

Just had a great talk with the owner of Falls Music Company. Behn Gillece gave me there info. I have to fix 2 discs on an m55. They said to use C-clamps and gorilla glue! Clean the areas (rod and disc) put a thin layer of glue on it. Put the disc on and then clamp it with the c clamp!!!! That's it. He does it all the time he said! 

Now Musser owners. I think we all have problems attaching the pedal rod to that piece up top. It doesn't stay and other thing up top their becomes immoveable and I have to get a hammer and wack it loose! 

Ok, I'm working on Pannonica. I hope some of you guys are working on it also. I posted an etude. 

It's here.

When I study these tunes I think of 2 parts. 

• The first part is can I make lessons around the tune. Do I know the tune well enough.
• Next, can I make a decent audio recording. 
• Next, can I make a decent video recording
• Finally can I play it on a gig, solo or with the band. 

Great interview!!!

Click here for Warrens interview

Check out the attached PDF!

I'm working on Monk's Pannonica, which was written for Pannonica de Koenigswarter. Monk spent the last 10 years in the upstairs of her Apartment in New York. 

This is a great tune. I've been working on it for a little bit now. Ballads are great because you can use the pedal more and your sound can be 'wetter'.

Here are two versions of the tune. Of course a Monk version and then a Chick Corea version. He does it a little quicker.

Also is attached is an etude and an mp3 of the etude. I did the etude on my malletkat. I think I have a good vibe sound!

We had a great workshop week this year! In the workshop, we spent a lot of time talking about ii-V's in minor and the various structures. This etude covers a few important positions for the half diminished chord; one where the root is in the bottom and the other where b5 is in the bottom. Also, it goes through some important closed and open positions.   

During the pandemic, one of the first things I did was to revisit a textbook that was deeply meaningful to me when I was in college.   To be accurate, it is a translation, not the original, but I don't speak or read German so it has to do.   I am referring to Hindemith's two volumes of "The Craft of Musical Composition".

Check out the attached PDF!