I decided to record my Studiologic NC2X. Full of bloopers but who cares (it's jazz, right ). This is their version of the Mark I Rhodes (not very authentic, especially compared to my SEVEN) but the board is very playable. I haven't recorded the organ voices yet - still tweaking to try to get it to sound at least as good as the Nords.

It's been kind of gloomy around here lately so I thought I'd do something really 'hokey'. You may or may not recognize it as there are lots of bloopers, but in case you don't, it's an ageless tune called Blue Skies (Skys ?? ). I forgot the melody in a couple of places and it's hardly a 'jazz' tune, but hey, anything's a jazz tune if you just put a shuffle beat behind it . Hmmm, I really should have rehearsed it a couple of times. Anyhoo.....

https://app.box.com/s/1bavlgmn0a0uqof141qwg6y4hp5d2025

chas

Chas, another winner. I am going to make a CD of your music--- I understand your way of playing a song. Never doubted what song it was, and I did not feel you lost the melody.

The trick of a good musician, play the wrong note and make it sound right. My friend once said that you can’t make a mistake when playing Jazz. If you play the wrong note quickly move to the note next to it. (smile)

John C.

Thanks John. As I've gotten older...well old, actually, I've gotten very lazy about playing. If I'm recording, if it's 'close', I'll just let it go and not redo it. It's like, when you're practicing, you come up with all kinds of good licks, but as soon as you hit 'record', your brain (and fingers) goes into stupid mode. Probably doesn't happen when you're gigging regularly, but old age certainly factors into it.

chas

Chas, very nice version of Blue Skies. You still got it! Your fingers sound young to me.
I know you're a Willie fan and have heard his version too.

Chas, there was a guitar player that would hum his jazz lines while he was playing, Toots T????????? His lines were original.

I had students who could not play a jazz line, but they could hum a jazz line with no effort. I did teach my students the scale modes that are used in improvisation, and then told them to forget their names and try not to use them when they were searching for a line unless they wanted to sound like every other guitar player. Those scales were in the heart of the students – they found their way into their playing without thought.

I love this subject, John C.

PS, my last thought: Do note play from your fingers, play from your heart, sound like Chas. That is what I hear from your playing now.

Chas, Nice job always liked that tune.

What a great relief there is to hear that there are more than me who experience this. Specially when it comes from professional players.
Even though I'm just an amateur and not recording, this happens when I play with others or listeners present.
When it comes to hit the right key at the right time, and then suddenly, it did not work out the way as when practiced....

Lovely version of Blue Skies.
The first name that strikes my mind when see that title is Jim Reeves,
but as a jazzy version I also think I've heard Ella Fitzgerald recording.

I really enjoyed listening,...Great song,
with a bit of Vol parts balance mix attention
all will be sensational in a tasty way...

Of course. And I'm not just a recent fan; I've been a Willie fan since before he became a Country superstar, back when he was writing all those great R&B tunes. That, plus his efforts with Farm Aid and other humanitarian projects, plus the 'aroma' inside his tour bus , and of course his gigantic musical gifts.

chas

Morning, Chas:

What a treat! I kept expecting Ella or Julie to "break-in" with a vocal from "Heaven"... (maybe even Mason)... but your playing style is just right for my "expert ears!"

Thanks for sharing your talent with us. ----Dave

P.S. Merry Christmas from West Mayberry!

George Benson?

If you call that "stupid mode" I need to learn tap into that mode!
Seriously, I really enjoyed your rendition.

Yep, he's probably the most prominent but there have been others such as Keith Jarrett, our genius weirdo . BTW, thanks to all for the kind comments but think Curt deserves more kudos for that beautiful arrangement of 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen'. Also, I'm not in love with that Rhodes patch on the NC2X although it probably could have been improved with a little tweaking (chorus, a hair of reverb, a little compression) but hey, it was 700 bucks.

chas

chas ... Pretty darn good for a song you don't know ...
I also didn't think the instrument sounded bad at all ...

Soooo tasty!!!Actually, Ella taught me the changes to this tune in 1962. She had just divorced Ray Brown, but they were still close.

Really wanted to stop by last week on the way back from Newnan, but ran into a health problem.

Best post of the year.


R.