If I Was Pat Metheny

Sep 28 2009 Published by Jason Shadrick under Music Business

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.

Now off to listen to my favorite record.

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Pat Metheny’s Orchestrion Project

Aug 10 2009 Published by Jason Shadrick under Guitar

Update: Here is a follow up post – If I was Pat Metheny

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”.

Here is a descripton from his website:

“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:


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Playing Catch Up

Feb 05 2009 Published by Jason under Guitar

Buddy Guy performing at the Crossroads Guitar ...
Image via Wikipedia

So mostly due to deadlines at work and post NAMM craziness, I have been absent.

Matt Warnock, a guitar professor at Western Illinois University recently interviewed me for the MusicEdMagic Website.  You can read it here.

Also, we have announced some of our guest artists for our campuses this summer.

National Guitar Workshop’s 2009 Guest Artist Roster (more to come)

Chicago, IL – Blues Guitar Summit July 12-17 with special guest Buddy Guy

Austin, TX – Blues Guitar Summit July 19-24 with special guest Jimmie Vaughan

Purchase, NY

July 19-24 Rock Summit with special guest TBA

July 26-31

Jazz Summit with Pat Metheny

Jam Summit with Jimmy Herring and Oteil Burbridge

August 2-7 Rock Summit with Paul Gilbert

August 9-14

Blues Summit with Robben Ford

Songwriting Summit with David Wilcox and Robert Lee Castleman

(I have a cool job)

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Kurt Rosenwinkel

Dec 18 2008 Published by Jason under Guitar

Cover of
Cover of Intuit

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.

Here are some more links to learn more about Kurt

Offical Home Page – Kurt Rosenwinkel

Wikipedia – Kurt Rosenwinkel

Interview and Performance on NPR

Kurt Rosenwinkel Offical Group on Facebook

Interview on Jazz.com

Interview at State of Mind Music

A Rosenwinkel by Any Other Name

Please leave a comment or link to any other valuable link I might have missed.

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Pat Metheny

Dec 10 2008 Published by Jason under Guitar

Musician Pat Metheny a...
Image by Getty Images via Daylife

I don’t remember the first time I heard Pat Metheny‘s music, but I do remember the first time I “got it”.  I was in a used CD store in Asheville, North Carolina when I saw a used copy of Pat’s “Question and Answer” album.

I went back to my room and put on the only track whose title I had heard of before.  “All The Things You Are” was so amazing, I froze there listening to it and replayed it about 6 times before I had to turn it off to process what I had just heard.

Come to find out later that this was Pat’s return to a trio format and he couldn’t of found a better rhythm section than Dave Holland and Roy Haynes who give absolutely unbelievable performances.

I had never heard any musician have such a complete mastery over rhythm, harmony and melody in improvisation.  This lead me to get more albums by Pat, Dave and Roy and get deeper into the language of Jazz.

After hearing more of the Metheny catalog, I found that I enjoyed his trio albums more than those of his larger “Pat Metheny Group” ensemble.

It wasn’t until the summer of 2008 that I actually had a chance to see Pat perform live.  It was during the National Guitar Workshop’s Jazz Summit in New Milford, CT.  This performance included John Patitucci and Antonio Sanchez, who for the last few years has served as Pat’s drummer of choice.

I was able to meet the group before the clinic started and they were all very down to earth people.  The format was going to be an “open rehearsal” where Pat would pass out some music and they would work through it.

For sound check they played “All The Things You Are” and it immediately took me back to that first time when Pat’s music first opened my eyes.  It was just as fresh and inspiring as it was that afternoon in Asheville.

After the clinic, I spoke with Pat and he told me that this was the first time that he had played with John and Antonio in a trio.

No one would of ever guessed.

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