we'll see how many songs I'm going to have to learn in the next month or two
And with it another lesson. The version of Bill Cheetam I learned (from lessons of all things) has the B part in the wrong key! Its more of a harmony line. I played it through once, thinking "that sounds off, maybe its my timing" and the second time I was like "oh dear". So I turned to the jam leader Ran Bush and asked him if I were in the wrong key. He chuckled and said "yeah, you have a jazzy thing going there" D'oh! But the Tuesday jams at the 5th String in Berkeley ...
So my biggest deficit is in numbers of tunes. Well, today's lunchtime walk to the 5th String Music store has helped fix that. I just got a copy of Dix Bruce's Parking Lot Pickers Songbook, with over 200 tunes. Its commonly used at the slow jams here in Berkeley so it will be especially helpful when I'm out here for work. Should keep me busy for a while. Whoa, I see the version on Amazon has 225 songs! Apparently there is a new edition ...
At the slow jam at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley. Two lessons learned. One, smaller circles mean one calls more tunes, and apparently all I know are fiddle tunes in A. Second, I can mess up but find the tune again and carry on. Its ok. It doesn't bring the jam to a halt. Also just got my first video feedback from Mike Marshall. All those years doing technical exercises have paid off. Now its time to learn. More. Tunes!
Made it out to the Tuesday night slow jam at the 5th String. This was attended by a smaller group, so I got to call two tunes and play several breaks as a result. This has really helped in developing the self confidence needed to keep going when I get back home to Cow Town! Now to learn how to play breaks on tunes I do not know...
its a line at least, defined by two points, but things are shaping up this year! I went to the 3 hour long slow jam at the Freight and Salvage, and even managed to take breaks/kick songs off. Despite a terribly shaking hand and completely blank brain, the body just kind of took over and did it for me. Plus, met some really nice folks! Will definitely do this again next trip to Berkeley. Tomorrow night the same host will be holding another slow jam at the 5th String ...
Figure that instead of posting yet ANOTHER New Year's resolution to play out with people, and then not do it, I would instead post about when I actually manage to do so... I am currently in Berkeley on sabbatical research. For many reasons, Berkeley means music to me (at least I have a strong association between the two), so I brought my mandolin along for the trip. Checking the schedules of the 5th String music store and the Freight and Salvage, I see there are MANY opportunities ...
Recent Comments
