A lot of things have changed for me over the last year, including my commitment to music. It has grown by leaps and bounds. Recently, I was talking with a co-worker and we collectively decided that we had won the guitar lottery. Neither of us are ground-breaking, world-changing players, but we were in the right place at the right time with the right skills. Not only have I found the coolest job possible during the last year, but my musical vision has widened.
Therefore, I present you with a list of the albums that opened my eyes (and ears) over the last year.
Dirty Side Down – Widespread Panic. It took me a little time to fully get into this album. Once I spent some time listening to it and then going to see the band live, it all clicked. Now that Jimmy Herring has had some time to find his space in the band, I think WP is finally hitting their post-Mikey stride.
American Patchwork – Anders Osborne. From the opening de-tuned riff to “On the Road to Charlie Parker,” this album had me hooked. I had heard about Anders before this, but never really got into him until this album. In August, I went and did an interview with him in Chicago and he came across as genuine and frantic all at the same time. Two traits that true artists always have.
Orchestrion – Pat Metheny. To really get what this album is all about, you need to forget that it is a “solo” album. I think with Metheny’s last album, the need to create a long-form piece had been met. With Orchestrion you really hear how Metheny’s “sound” comes through. This is probably the tour I most regret missing this year.
Live at the Jazz Standard – Wolfgang Muthspiel & Mick Goodrick. I would consider this album on of the better modern jazz duo albums of all time. Both Muthspiel and Goodrick are intimately familiar with each others playing. This type of connection betweeen two musicians is rare and to have it translate to an album is somewhat of a musical unicorn.
Georgia Warhorse – JJ Grey and Mofro. Pure Georiga blue-eyed soul. JJ has been around for a while, but this album combines the swamp feel of his homeland with the uptown horns of New Orleans. Also, the songs are GREAT. Check out the documentary vid and dig the solo acoustic version of “Gotta Know.”
10/31/2010 – Phish. I didn’t get the chance to see the boys from Vermont this year, but from all the accounts I have read, Phish 3.0 have been melting faces and busting out some new jams. This Halloween show from Atlantic City found them paying tribute to one of their main influences by covering Little Feat’s Waiting for Columbus from front to back. I think for anyone who wants to like Phish, but hasn’t found something they dig, give them the second set of this show.
Living Proof – Buddy Guy. The solo on the opening track “74 Years Young” will make you reconsider the direction of your life. Guy rips into an unbelievable solo that is bursting with fire, intensity, and nearly 3/4 of a century of being one of the most legendary blues-stringers to pick up an axe. Pay attention.
Sugarcoating – Martin Sexton. I am a huge MS fan, and this album continues where the last one left off with a groovy band sound and some great writing. The only downer is the title track where Sexton takes a political slant with his lyrics. Martin, please leave the political stuff at home.
Blues, Ballads, and Favorites – Jimmie Vaughan. For his first solo album in nearly a decade, Vaughan captures the ’50s vibe perfectly and lays claim to the title of MTP (most tasteful player). His trademarked capoed guitar is in full force with a tone that is less Albert Collins and more Gatemouth Brown.
Groove Alchemy – Stanton Moore Trio. If hearing Stanton Moore play drums doesn’t make you either dance or pick up a drumstick and want to hit something, then check your vitals. Here, Moore along with organist Robert Walter and guitarist Wil Bernard head up to Levon Helm’s barn to combine funky, organ dance grooves with some burning modern jazz.
Roadsongs – Derek Trucks Band. After listening to this album and seeing Derek at the Crossroads Festival this summer, I firmly believe we will one day (probably very soon) be speaking his name alongside Beck, Clapton and Page. The sound he gets on this album is equal parts Duane Allman and Aubrey Ghent. You can tell the band has been hitting it hard and luckily on this night in Chicago the tape was rolling.
One of the most viewed posts I have written was the post about Pat Metheny‘s Orchestrion Project. Nothing was especially groundbreaking or news-worthy about it, I just thought it was really interesting. Since that time I have been thinking about what little we know about it and how (or if) that will effect the success of this project. I have even spoke directly with Pat about this and I am still confused.
I decided to make this really easy for Pat and come up with a few things that he (or his people) can do to help make sure this project attracts not only his core fan base, but new fans as well.
Make it Accessible
I know how difficult it is with the economy and all to make a living on tour. However, I think it is important to realize that you can’t make new fans when tickets are $60 or more. Period. In order to get a buzz going about a certain project, you need to identify the influencers and evangelists and make the project not only appeal to them but make it accessible. The youth market is doing all the talking today and you need to convert them. Student discounts on tickets is a great idea that has been around a long time, but I think you should take it a step further.
Anyone in college or high school comes to the show for free.
Yes, free. If you really want to reach new audiences and influence the next generation, you need to take away any reason why they SHOULDN”T go to the show. Let’s face it, this is probably some pretty experimental stuff and you want to make sure everyone in attendance WANTS to be there. There are a million things to do that don’t cost anything, but if they choose to come to your concert, you know they want to be there. If they end up really liking it, they are more likely to buy some merch as well.
Spread it Out
For me, the biggest thing I take away from a truly great concert experience is the ability to re-connect with the music when I get back home. Ever wonder why all the “jambands” are so popular? They allow their fans to take a piece of their music home. It not only gives your core fans an amazing memento, it makes it easier for them to turn their friends onto the music as well.
Allow everyone to videotape and record EVERYTHING
From the looks of it, I think that each night on this tour will be completely different both in sound and material. Why not document it all? Your fans are willing to do this FOR FREE. Let them.
Tell A Story
I was really surprised about how little Pat really described this music when I spoke with him about it. It not only made me more curious, but it raised a little doubt in my mind. Is there something he is hiding? How different will this be from his other material? In today’s “real time” culture, it is important to be up front an honest with your fans.
Create a conversation with your fans about why and how you are doing this project
This could take the form of a blog, a short video(s) or even a column. Both DownBeat and JazzTimes should be tripping over themselves to help you with this. The point is to start a dialogue with your fans that is both meaningful and authentic. Start now.
Be Transparent
This does tie into the point before, but I think you can take a different angle. What if you made your soundchecks open to the public? Do you think your ticket sales will suffer? I don’t. Many fans would love to watch how your rig is setup and then see you make sure everything is working. Not only would it give them a unique experience, it would make them feel like they are in a “Secret Society.”
Make your fans feel special. Because they are.
I am no expert on this by far, however I am a huge fan of your music. These are just a few things I think might help in someway. In my opinion, too many artists aren’t taking advantage of the new way of thinking when it comes to consuming live music and the feeling of community. Also, any of these ideas I guess would work for any artist. I didn’t mean to single you out, but this project is on my mind.
Don’t worry Pat, I will come see your new project no matter what. I feel like I am a true fan.
We recently had Pat Metheny as a guest at our Purchase, NY campus for our Jazz Summit. During that appearance, he went into a bit of (more) detail about his latest project entiled “The Orchestrion Project”.
“Orchestrionics” is the term that I am using to describe a new performance method to present music alone onstage using acoustic and acoustoelectric musical instruments that are mechanically controlled using the power of modern technology.
In early 2010 a new recording will be released on Nonesuch. It will be a “solo” record in that I am the only musician—but a CD that in some ways recontextualizes the term.
Even in speaking with Pat directly I was a bit confused as to exactly what to expect with this project. My understand is that he has developed some new more electronic based interfaces to create music. It sounds exciting and fresh and exactly what (I think) modern jazz needs right now.
If I was Pat I would get a videocamera and record some demos of the Orchestrion material and put them up on YouTube. I am sure a lot of fans would like to discover these new sounds right along with Pat.
For a description of this project in Pat’s own words, click here.
At the end of his clinic with us, he played a few chourses of Autumn Leaves very similar to the video below:
To have a unique voice on an instrument is the goal of every artist. The ability to identify a musician by how they manipulate their instrument is something you don’t need inherent musical talent to be able to do. You just need to have an emotional connection to a certain sound that triggers something in your mind. When I began to seriously study jazz guitar I made sure to check out all the great players that everyone told me I should hear. Jim Hall, Grant Green, Pat Metheny, Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell and Barney Kessel all contributed to my early education in jazz guitar. After investigating the styles and history of those players, I did what most serious music students did, I started to look for new and intersting musicians.
Kurt Rosenwinkel was the first jazz guitarist I heard that made me think that it was ok to use non-jazz influences in a jazz style. The first album I heard from Kurt was “The Next Step“. This album (unknown to me at the time) was a pretty big departure from his previous album on Criss Cross Records called “Intuit”. “Intuit” was a collection of bebop tunes and standards performed in a straight ahead style with Michael Kanan on piano, Joe Martin on bass and Tim Pleasant on drums.
“The Next Step” opened my ears to different influences in a jazz setting.
Not everything has to swing.
Later on when I discovered Dave Holland’s music, I went though a phase where I did listen to any jazz with a swing feel. The straight eighth feel spoke to my rock influences and Kurt’s tone used distortion, delay, chorus, and many other effects that were normally reserved for artists who played much fewer chords.
I have a recording from a workshop Kurt did in ’06 where he discusses his tone and then proceeds to play a blues for about 15 minutes and with each chorus exploits a different sound from his arsenal of pedals. Not only does Kurt have a mastery of harmonic and melodic devices, but he knows how his instrument works in an intimate way that allows him to further express himself.
Many young jazz guitarists are becoming a part of Kurt’s tribe the same way they flocked to Metheny in the 80′s. Here is a new, young, fresh voice on the instrument who not only knows the historical lineage of his instrument but is open to influences of his generation and beyond.
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