News From The Neighborhood

So I have been noticing over the last few weeks how inconsistent my posts have been and how they seem to be a such a poor quality compared to my past posts. If you have been reading this blog, I apologize and hope that I get my shit together, sit down and write out some decent stuff.

I have been working hard to press on in a constructive way essentially the 3 bands that are taking up my life currently. I have my acoustic quartet which is made up of a very consistent and talented line up. Most of the work we play though has been restaurants and bars which I can say now is starting to get a little stale. Its the atmosphere, not the music that's stale. I would like to play more adventurous music, newer standards and of course originals but unfortunately this band is in a rut of playing the kind of jazz I call money making music. With the help of a newly hired agent, I hope that this band will start to get work where it deserves: more in a club setting than at some suburban restaurant with an audience that is barely listening to us. If you ever catch this band, see us at Park Central in Hamden, the one rowdy jazz oriented bar in CT where we really get to stretch out.

My goal for this band is to take it in a more original vibe. I want the band to play my own compositions as well as from members in the group. We all have such different approaches yet we work really well. We just need to get in some rehearsals and things would really come together i think. The pianist and myself seem to be completely on the same wave length in terms of our musical back ground and where we would like to be. Our drummer is a disciple of Philly Joe Jones and its evident in his playing which what more could you really ask for? The bassist is what I call a ponderer. A musician who is always looking for not quite the right approach, but the most artistic approach.

Another band I am trying to move along is the Dharma Bums. As posted before, I grew up in the Ska scene and I wanted to continue that style music going in my life. Unfortunately its been a slow process and juggling a 7 member band has been hard to keep track of. This group really surprised me. Within our first 3 weeks of practice and rehearsing we were ready for our first gig but due to snow, we had to cancel.

Third and lastly, is my electric project. Due to the fact I listen to almost every form of jazz I always find myself saying "Hey I want to try that!" This group is comprised again of a trumpet quartet but with electric bass and a drummer with more of a rock background. This band's goal is to play that grey area between rock and jazz. Not your typical jazz fusion band with a lot of notes and lame song structure that won't ever end; more of the Miles Bitches Brew, Herbie Mwandishi vibe. The approach I am starting with is to play a few originals and then songs by previously said musicians, open for a few jam bands to get some exposure then work our way up....kind of like in a MMW way. I hope to add effects to my horn and bass as well.