Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

...at the ripe old age of 44. I just finished taking theory lessons with a guy who has a jazz band here on the Cape. He writes all of the parts for all songs. They have a keyboardist, drummer, guitarist and bassist, and the bassist is leaving. So this guy calls me up the week after I finished my program with him and asks me to join. Awesome! He's very well prepared and today gave me a CD of songs, another CD of songs minus the bass part, and tab music for all of the songs. First practice with the band is in a week!

I'm pretty nervous but it's a great opportunity to play music I like and with a bunch of good folks. They do not play many gigs (maybe a handful a year for special occassions). The music is the style of Jeffrey Scott's "Rare Blend" I'd say (though the bassist will be about 500 steps lower on the ladder of ability and experience!). The bass parts are not really very complicated so far, so I hope that I can just do my part and try to fit in.

I have been working on one of the songs all night and I'm pumped! I sure hope I can pull it off.

Wish me luck!

You'll do fine! Congrats.

Ccongrats, Greg! Just close your eyes, buy all the beer and sushi and they will love whatever you do!

If you can, I'd love to hear some of this music.

Thanks! Jeff, I just sent you an email with a link to the first song I am working on.

-Greg

That is great news! Please keep us posted, and let me know if I can do anything to assist.

Sounds good, Greg! You have mail.

My own practice at home has been going well. First true band practice tomorrow night. Can't wait!!

Congrats

Give it hell, Greg. And remember -HAVE FUN! If it's not fun, it's not worth it (or it's classical music ).

It was a blast. We went at it for about 3 hours. I got there a bit early and played a few of the songs that I had learned for Scotty (the main guy). He was very pleased. No preoblems with timing so that was cool.

Then when everybody else got there, they decided to work on all new stuff that I had never heard or seen music for. What a challenge, but I got through it well enough to make everybody feel pretty comfortable with me. They're a great bunch of folks. Really cool music too. This is going to be a great opportunity for me!

I am glad to have something real to focus on during practive now. First gig is March 27th so I have a lot to do.

AWESOME!

Sounds like you're gonna be busy for a while!

Yes, pretty busy. The good thing is the old bassist will be at the show to play the older material, so I will just learn the new stuff (6 songs).

I forgot to mention that for the first practice, the biggest thing I learned was the importance of counting accurately! Seems simple but I came in at the wrong time a few times (when there were long 48-bar sections with no bass).

I find that at times we all count things differently, for example, I composed a song where there is a section in it where a measure can be counted as 7/8 or as three measures of 3/16 and one measure of 5/16 or something to that effect! It does trip us up sometimes but that is what I do best, come up with weird ideas!!!

Wow, that would be confusing. This is one of the things I want to work on with my bass teacher tonight.

Jeff (do you prefer Jeffrey?), I have to say that I think I did you an injustice by trying to lump this band in with Rare Blend. I had not listened to your stuff in awhile, and after drowning myself in this new music I went back and listened to quite a bit of "Stops Along The Way" last weekend. Wuhan Incident, Mystic Jam, Feast of the Warrior Kings are all awesome songs. You are a fantastic musician in a great band. I can only hope to rise close to that level in my playing and ability to create something fresh someday! I'll have to play some of this for my band sometime.

Jeff is fine but since we usually think of JR as Jeff I guess to differentiate us you should probably stick with Jeffrey!