Let's See How Long This Lasts

Thu, 22 Sep 2005 04:29:59 GMT

School has started back (this is week 3) and things are deffinately going my way. I finally got into the Wind Ensemble at DePaul in spite of being a jazz studies graduate student, and it looks like my combo is going to be good too (still want to start my own band!).

I've got a couple of big band charts in the book of the jazz ensemble, and I'm continuing to write more music of various and sundry kinds. I've been a little down lately because not only does it seem like it's a constant struggle to get my music played, but this fact engenders self-doubt as far as compositional ability. Granted, nobody held a gun to my head and said "be a composer!", but it just seems like everyone wants to devote their time and energy to music that they already know. I've been trying lately to write music that sounds as good as possible "right out of the box", meaning, people can make sense of it quickly and without a lot of fuss. I want to bring in something that people play and exclaim, "Jesus! This is a great piece of music!". This has proven to be a great challenge for me, and I wonder what it is that I lack that makes this so difficult. I think part of it has to do with writing stuff that is of extremely high compositional quality. Never mind the orchestration, the notational aspects, etc., if the music it's self is slammin', all that other stuff doesn't seem to matter as much. So I want to become a stronger composer, and I need some guidence as to how to go about this in a systematic and organized way.

more later

Fri, 26 Aug 2005 09:09:20 GMT

For more than 24 hours now, I've had this song in my head that I heard on the radio while making copies at Kinko's last night. I didn't know what it was called, who sang it, and I couldn't remember any of the lyrics, but I had an otherwise clear reccolection of what it sounded like. From what I remembered hearing, I could tell someone what key it was in (Eb), that it had Fender Rhodes piano and Fender Rhodes bass, what the tempo was (around quarter = 136), what the main chord progression was (Fmi7-Bb-Eb-Bb/D-Cmi7), and the pitches and rhythms for a fragment of the melody, yet none of this meant anything to any of the people I tried to describe the song to. Then, as I was falling asleep 15 min ago, I could suddenly hear very clearly in my head the words they had been singing to the melodic fragment I had heard. I lept out of bed, did an internet search for the words I had heard, FOUND MY SONG, confirmed that it was what I was looking for by listening to a clip of it off of towerrecords.com, and now have solved the mystery:

King Harvest- Dancing in the Moonlight

Now I can go to bed.

Wed, 24 Aug 2005 06:12:11 GMT

This is my first update in a long while. I guess I stopped because I didn't feel very many people were reading it, but I'm going to see if I can't be more regular now. It's been a good summer. If I had to do it over again, I'd taken care of some things sooner than I did, like getting all my stuff set up in the apartment, getting a part-time job, and generally being more agressive about getting my life set up the way I want it to be.

A little bit of friction (but nothing too serious) is resulting with my room mate(s) with reguard to matters of tidyness and schedule keeping. Basically, they want to put off acting like adults as long as possible and be "an apartment full of college guys", and I have little interest in that. As soon as I get a part time job, I'll offically be a "grown-ass man", and ready to function in society as such. Just today, I phoned Mike and asked him when he was comming home for dinner, and he said that he was at his girlfriend's place and was thinking aboout just eating some stuff there. He needed to tell me that in advance if he was going to do that. I had dinner started already, not to mention the fact that I had been anticipating dinner all day. So, they came over here and we had a lovely dinner of sloppy joes and corn on the cobb, JUST LIKE HAD BEEN PLANNED. Mike didn't understand why it was such a big deal. I tell you, these people are children.

I feel very empowered right now, because I just bought an airplane ticket online. With my own money.

Mon, 20 Jun 2005 15:34:15 GMT

Everything on the Itunes "Top 10 Downloads" list is a piece of musical garbage, except for the Tim McGraw song, which at least has a "melody", such as it is. The Foo Fighters song is okay too.

Not feeling very musically tolerant today.

Sat, 18 Jun 2005 02:12:43 GMT

Playing records is so... insanely.... awesome.....

Tue, 17 May 2005 07:31:38 GMT

(corrected...hopefully)</a>
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Tue, 17 May 2005 07:11:26 GMT

It's been a long time since I've updated. Actually, updating would have been quite useful in the process of getting me through the process of dealing with the end of the year stress. There's been quite a lot of it.

After getting done with this gig at the Jazz Showcase with Slide Hampton, in which the jazz ensemble played 4 nights (and recorded 3), I'm in better physical shape to play than I have been since I got done with the Disney band last summer. I had been harboring thoughts of having a genuine "period of intensity" this summer, but hearing the rough mixes of the Showcase concerts, as well as my recital CD which I just recieved 2 days ago, has really given me a lot of ideas and direction about what to really focus on this summer to shore up some things about my playing. For one thing, there's something about the tone (quality of sound) I'm hearing in my head that isn't translating to reality in quite the way that I would like. For another thing, many of my peers in jazz ensemble have all kinds of improvisational vocabulary that I don't have, and I'd really like to spend some serious time practicing with guys like Rob Haight, Tobias, Kevin Fort, and many others. I'd like to not only expand my bebop vocabulary, but start to really investigate some pentatonic stuff and get a handle on some different ways of playing outside the chord changes. I need to come up with a speciffic laundry list of solos to transcribe as well as tunes to learn. I'd also like to really get deep into the Arban's book and use it as a means of not only getting my technical chops up to a higher level, but as an exersise in always, ALWAYS making beautiful music, even when it's a little 1-measure piece of crap. Charlie Vernon talked about that in my last lesson with him. Speaking of Charlie, I have a lesson with him on Wednesday, the first in quite some time because I haven't been able to sign up the last 2 times he's been here. I hope he doesn't mind that I'll be bringing my small horn in again. I always leave lessons with him wanting to really re-double my efforts to solidify my basic trombone-playing skills.

Ever since friday night when we were all at Tobias's apartment partying and listening to music, I've been really checking out Freddie Hubbard. I've known about him for a long time, and I've even got a couple of favorite albums that have him on it, but I've never really been motivated to check him out in real depth, dispite having transcribed a solo on rhythm changes nby him last year. We were all gassed by this track called "Spirits of Trane", and so I went on Itunes and found it and have been listening to it as well as the other tunes on the compilation we heard it on. It's motivated me to go buy the albums they're from and really listen to them. I hear so much in his playing that I'd like to incorporate, on some level, into my own.

For the real jazz nerds out there, I'm also experimenting on the piano with major 7 #5 chords and how they sound not only by themselves, but as a substitute for the minor 7th chord a half-step above. So, for example, substituting Gbmaj7#5 where Gmi7 would normally go, and seeing what kinds of situations I like the sound in, and what ones I don't. Right now, I'm thinking that the root motion by which it's approached holds the key to wether it's really satisfying or not, to say nothing of the context of the music that surrounds it. Ian Tores, one of the guys in the jazz ensmble this year, LOVES the maj7#5 chord and has used it in a variety of different harmonic situations in the music he's written for the band and his improvisation. I think he likes the harshness and disonance of it, which I'm certainly hip to, but I'd like to see if I can't figure out how to use it in a way that reflects the way I hear it. I'm also very interested in how voicing and orchestration can really highlight the qualities in the chord that my ears are drawn to. Lots of thoughts, lots of thoughts.

Mon, 09 May 2005 06:04:45 GMT

I'm trying hard to focus on things I can control right now, and not on things I can't control even though I might really want to. For example, I have control over wether or not I get these comprehensive exam questions done tonight or not. So, I am focusing on getting those done. I can NOT control where exactly our new apartment is going to be (at least not right this minute), so I am not going to focus on that. I also cannot control wether or not this girl I went on a date with on friday turns out to be everything I've always wanted in someone (which she already isn't anyway. I am NOT going to make a list of all the ways in which she doesn't conform to what I wish she was. I also am NOT going to try to decide how many ways I'm willing to bend over backwards to accomodate our differences, because we've been on ONE DATE, and she's not even looking for a boyfriend anyway), so I'm not going to focus on that either!!

Why do I have such excruciating difficulty letting go of things I feel like I need to control? I feel like if I don't get a handle on certain things (and in my mind, i need all these things taken care of yesterday), then terrible, awful, horrible things are going to happen and I'll have only myself to blame.

I need a drink, and then I need to do these comp questions. Here we go.

How the HECK am I going to move out of here????

ugh!

Mon, 02 May 2005 23:54:41 GMT

I don't understand this music. I really dig it on a gut, emotional level, but my intelect isn't giving me any clues as to how it's put together, except on a moment-to-moment level. (see "music currently playing")

Sat, 16 Apr 2005 03:53:23 GMT

Your Linguistic Profile:

50% General American English

15% Dixie

15% Upper Midwestern

10% Midwestern

10% Yankee

Rehearsal Saga

Sat, 16 Apr 2005 02:58:53 GMT

Here is the detailed, play by play (not quite) description of my rehearsal which happened on Tuesday from 8-10.

I was feeling crappy that day, in part because the weather was dreary. I had a headache and I was nervous about how the rehearsal would go, whether everyone would show up, if people would like the music, what I was going to say to everyone, etc. I took the #8 Halsted bus north to the nearest KFC for lunch, and that just made me feel worse. I rode the bus back down to school and went over to Joe's apt. to sit and try to relax. We listened to a bunch of music and it made me feel better. I got Joe to go over to the Concert Hall with me and move the synthesizer across the parking lot and into the music building to room 106 where my rehearsal was to take place. There were combos rehearsing in there at the time, as there would be all the way up until 8:00 when MY rehearsal was to start. DePaul has a huge space crunch in the school of music. So while the last combo was rehearsing, I quietly moved as many stands and chairs as were needed to combine with what was already in the room to seat a 17-piece ensemble, as well as 4 risers for the brass.

People gathered outside the room as we were waiting for the combo to get done. When they were done, we all went in, and I quickly finished setting up the chairs and stands that I had moved into basically the right places before. Gradually, the rest of the band trickled in. The drummer was the last to show, which is a problem in a big band, because everything depends on where the drums set up. We began rehearsal at around 8:10.

The rehearsal it's self went wonderfully! Everyone was attentive as we played through all the music I had written as well as Randy Snyder's piece, which was easier to put together than I though it was going to be. We took a 5-min break a little past the hour, and everyone came back after 5 min like good professionals do. I tried to stay very general with what I said to the band, because I knew that they were hearing most of this music for the first time and were just trying to get a sense of it. My goal was that everyone would leave the rehearsal with a good idea of how everything was supposed to go and what to iron out on their own before next week. All that being said, the band sounded very very good. As with most ensembles with great players it, the difference between a very good and a great performance will be the level of attention to the little details that make a huge difference when added together: the length of this note here, the exact dynamic when the trombones come in there, attention to time and feel throughout the course of the chart, etc. In the time since the rehearsal, I've thought of many, many things to say to the band about this and that, as well as a number of more general concepts that will help everything be heard more clearly.

Ever since that rehearsal, a number of people have been singing my praises and saying that the recital is going to be one of the best of the season. Bob Lark heard about it and now has a renewed interest in my music. The posters are up and the word is out. I still have to hear back from the recording engineers to see if they're going to come record the recital, and I also still need to get the reception stuff taken care of. I may very well put Joe in charge of that.

Sick

Sun, 10 Apr 2005 02:38:15 GMT

I picked up a head-cold style sickness from somewhere this week.

Also, I'm overweight.

I must go practice my trombone. I have not done so in many days.

That is all.

Tue, 29 Mar 2005 18:34:11 GMT

Can anyone tell me, specifficly, how to get LJ comments delivered to my email account?

Tue, 29 Mar 2005 02:07:26 GMT

Elliott Carter is also dope. All of you should go check his music out, seriously. I feel like it was written specifficly for my ears. I actually find it soothing.

Mon, 28 Mar 2005 17:51:10 GMT

My World Music class met for the first time today and I didn't go. They changed the time and place, and I lost the email that said what they changed it to. I didn't put forth any effort to find out or to show up at the most likely time and place either, so it's pretty much on me. It's kind of funny though.

RH factor is dope.

that is all.

update soon

Mon, 14 Mar 2005 07:04:43 GMT

I've decided that for poker nights, I really want a perscription monocle. How cool would THAT be?

http://www.eyeglass.com/monfil.html

Sun, 06 Mar 2005 18:50:28 GMT


jazz is love
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Fri, 04 Mar 2005 08:12:43 GMT

Tonight, Joe and I cooked spaghetti over at his house, accompanied by asparagus, bruchetta, and a sald. It was delicious.

Fri, 04 Mar 2005 08:11:18 GMT

Today has been a crappy day, but it's getting better the longer it goes on. I woke up late and didn't go to the reading session that the 2nd and 3d jazz ensembles were doing. I wasn't required to go, but I wanted to show up. Instead, I lazily sifted through a job application for Borders. I just picked Borders because I like books. What I really need is a job that I can work mornings until noon and have the rest of the day to myself.

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that you have to act like you really, really want a job in the worst possible way for them to take your application seriously. Half way through the online application process, I saved and quit, because I was tired of answering questions about what my hypothetical reaction to such and such would be. I felt like saying, "Just give me a damn job!! I'll show up, I'll do whatever you need done, I'm agreeable, I'm educated, and I've read more books than most of your customers".

Official Notice to all concerned

Thu, 03 Mar 2005 23:16:34 GMT

This will serve as my written account of the following events and will be a point of referal to all those who inquire on the subject.

As it turns out, I am officially disqualified from consideration for the armed forces. As such, I will no longer be going in to the Air Force to play the trombone.

The reason for this is that I've been on medication for depression since I was 13, and times like right now remind me of the fact that I do sorely need it in order to even pretend to be happy. It is a very low dosage (in the grand scheme of things) of a medicine that is a commonly perscribed anti-depressent. I've never been hosipitalized, I've never had to drop out of school, and there's nothing on my record that would indicate that I couldn't perform the duties that I was being asked to do, 100% of the time. But the Air Force sees it differently.

I found this out officially last saturday, but I've known it was potentially comming for several weeks. I freaked out about it when I learned that the possibility existed that I would be rejected, but by the time I found out officially, I was calm and objective. I continue to think about the big, wide, wonderful world of possibility that's now avalible to me because I know I can stay in Chicago for a couple more years at least.

I have a lot of ideas. I want to get some trombone students, I want to start a band, I could work a part-time job doing something that I'd get at least a little enjoyment out of, I want to move out of my apartment and get a cheeper place with some DePaul music students, and who knows what else.

That's my story, and there's nothing else to stick to.

Mon, 21 Feb 2005 08:14:52 GMT

It's been pointed out to me that I haven't updated in a while, so I'll give a quick rundown of what's been going on lately.

The weekend consisted of 3 jazz ensemble high school gigs, two of which involved us playing behind alto saxophonist Phil Woods who played with the band last year at the Jazz Showcase as well as at the Midwest Clinic this year. Phil wasn't in wonderful physical shape, was having some heart and breathing trouble, but he played great and even soloed on a couple of student charts that he had never played on before. We have a concert at the Student Center at DePaul on thursday, and hopefully we'll have a fair amount of new music ready to play for that. 2 rehearsals with this band is, in fact, enough time to work up a certain amount of new music if we all focus. I'm bringing in the final(ish) version of my chart on "Darn That Dream" tomorrow as well. We'll see if it's paid any mind.

I'm really swamped with writing right now. I'm DETERMINED to get this chart on Darn That Dream out of the way so that I can turn my atention to my recital music, which should have been finished a long time ago, but things have kept comming up that demanded more immediate atention. Hopefully, the music will come fairly quickly. I still need to get an updated info letter out to everyone in the band and get the recital date reserved, which I believe I can officially do on monday since it's 10 weeks out. I just printed them out, so I can do that tomorrow as well.

The big thing that's weighing heavy on my mind is the call I got 3 days ago from the Air Force recruiter telling me that I am "disqualified from consideration for the Air Force" because of my history with depression and the fact that I've been on meds for it since i was 13. At first I was stunned and quite bummed about the prospect of explaining this to all of my family and friends, and then after talking to some friends and family, I have concluded that it can't be as cut and dried as the recruiter says. They heavily recruited me for this gig, had me audition, and have really talked up the gig to me, so I'm thinking that they'll do everything in their power to get me through the enlistment process. You would have thought they'd have asked a couple of questions if there was something like this that would potentially keep me from being able to come aboard. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out, and I have some decissions to make, but I can't imagine that this is over. I've got too many people on my side down at Offutt. I'll keep you all posted as this develops.

Cleaning House

Sun, 06 Feb 2005 09:13:45 GMT

Hey Peoples-

I've cleaned house a little bit on my friends list, just because it's hard to keep up with everyone and there are some people who've never commented in my journal and whose LJs I've just never felt compelled to comment upon. So if I deleted you, and you want to stay on, I'll keep you on, but otherwise, my life needs less clutter and more people in it that are interested in making a meaningful contribution.

Album Reccomendation

Fri, 04 Feb 2005 05:35:04 GMT

I would like to reccomend this album to all of you.

The Redwalls- Universal Blues

You can get it on Itunes.

Their ex-drummer (the one on this album) goes to DePaul with me. The band is now signed with Capitol and is supposed to have an agressively marketed album out soon. It's possible that you'll hear about these guys in a big way soon. or not.

Seriously though, I like their record. Go check it out.

Thu, 03 Feb 2005 17:33:12 GMT

You scored as Ross. You're brainy Ross. Once a geek and now a hit with the ladies. Hope you have enough money to pay for all those weddings!

</td>

Ross

80%

Phoebe

60%

Monica

50%

Joey

45%

Rachel

30%

Chandler

25%

Which Friend are you?
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Fri, 28 Jan 2005 02:59:48 GMT

My weekend has begun! I have nothing at all going on tomorrow, since Jazz Ensemble is off all this week and Wind Symphony isn't rehearsing. Hopefully, I'll be able to wake up at a reasonable time and go work out, get my day going, etc.

I'm really into Joe Lovano's "Ballad Songbook" album right now. This is very deep music and it inspires me to want to play, write, and practice more. I really do need to practice jazz more. I've been so involved with writing (mostly just to satisfy myself and explore musical territory in a compositional way) that I really haven't been putting in the time on the horn that I would like to. The problem is, I could easily fill 3-4 hours a day with all the stuff I want to get in to and really work out on the horn. Just getting my fundamentals to a point where I'm really proud of where they are is a daunting enough task in and of it's self. Lessons with Charlie this quarter have been a real eye opener for me. I don't have a bad sound, but it's seriously pittiful compared to Charlie's. He played my Conn 6H in my lesson on tuesday and played "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You", just for kicks, and he got the most beautiful sound out of it that was nothing like mine. It's really making me want to work to try and get the kind of sound that he gets. He sounds really professional and world class on every note he plays. I sound very good on some notes, pretty good on others, and just okay on few. It's very humbling and give my ego a check.

Come to think of it, my ego has been getting a lot of checks lately. It seems like a lot of places I turn, my informational contributions, ideas, and opinions just aren't appreciated in the way that I would like them to be. Every time I try to bring something forward in my arranging class, the prof always challanges my assertation and says, "Why can't it be this other way?", or "Maybe you're just seeing it as such-and-such". Usually, when you put an observation about something forward, you're looking for people to recognize it's worth in some way. But all I ever get is, "Yadda yadda yadda.... I'm not trying to bust your balls, I'm just saying that yadda yadda yadda". If he's not trying to bust my balls, they why is he telling me that he thinks I'm wrong??? I guess I shouldn't say anything if I'm not ready to have my viewpoint challanged.

It's almost 9:00 now. I'm gonna go and practice some more in about an hour.