Multiphonic Sounds

I am sad to hear of Calgary guitarist Chris Reimer’s...

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:44:00 -0700

I am sad to hear of Calgary guitarist Chris Reimer’s passing. We just shared a stage on the 8th of February this year where he saved my opening set that night lending me a missing power supply and cable, reassuring me that he was, “happy to help”. He performed solo electric guitar which shined with beauty; I remember feeling like I was in church or in a spiritual ritual hearing bells of cosmic light that filled my soul. Reimer will probably be best remembered as guitarist for the Calgary band Women but I think this set in particular deserves some introspection and meditation - it shines with beauty.

Recorded by Brad Hawkins, February 8th, 2012 at Weeds Cafe, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Miles Davis & Paul Chambers

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:39:02 -0700

Miles Davis & Paul Chambers

Miles Davis Quintet with Wayne Shorter (tenor saxophone), Herbie...

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:27:00 -0700

Miles Davis Quintet with Wayne Shorter (tenor saxophone), Herbie Hancock (piano), Ron Carter (acoustic bass), & Tony Williams (drums) - 1964

These five are truly listening, reacting, feeding ideas to one another for a mutual goal. Wynton Marsalis often talks about ‘jazz democracy’ an explination of how jazz is made up of a rhythm section accompanying and shifting their playing in response to a soloist, Davis’s quintet play like one unit, each shifting and creating a mutual expression yet each individual is free, almost improvising in an awakened state.

I learn something everytime I watch Miles play. He was a great leader and really let everyone stretch and search musically for new ground. The interaction among this group of musicians could be the most cohesive unit in jazz from this period.

On a side note: Check out the AKG D12s (or Echolette) dynamic microphones that they’re using. These mics are legendary for being great on recording bass drum but it’s wonderful to see them live on stage. There are some interesting mic placements, it looks as if Carter’s bass is not going through an amp; this is nearly unheard of today except by neo-traditionalist. I’ve seen a few groups play without an amp but it’s really difficult to hear any bass unless you’re right up close when playing with drums. One thing to notice is how close they’re positioned to one another on stage, I don’t think they had monitors either. Great live acoustic music with dynamics, rhythmic syncopation, and expression.

Relentless Energy. So much has been written and said about John...

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:16:00 -0700

Relentless Energy. So much has been written and said about John Coltrane and his quartet; there is so much to experience and learn when one listens with an open heart. This video is really dense in many ways: harmonically, rhythmically, and dynamically.

These four musicians played “My Favorite Things” so many times but still found ways to be creative within its structure. Coltrane was often known to just start playing without counting pieces off. Here we can see him give two ‘stomps’ for the tempo count in at 16:44 . These two taps can be interpreted as a 2 bar count in 3/4 (ex.1) [three quarter notes per bar] or the “1 and 4” of 12/8 [twelve eighth notes per bar] (ex3).

ex.1 (3/4): 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3

ex.2 (c): 1 2 1 2

ex.3 (12/8): 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

There are many ways to feel and interpret music while playing and listening to fast tempos. Often feeling it as “1-2/1-2/1-2” is more natural for the musician. It also frees up the mind to be more creative and allows intuitive energy to take over. Thinking of each beat at such a frantic pace is limiting because it restricts the music and can create stress. Coltrane here is obviously feeling the tempo in ‘cut time’ or ‘1/2.’ This allows him to effortlessly execute fast flurries of notes and interact with the group rhythmically.

One must always internalize a tempo (especially when it’s fast) so that the music has a lighter bounce which can make dragging or dropping tempo, less common. Many students tend to tap their feet as a way of keeping time but this is a physical tenseness and when you study great musicians you can see how still and focused they are but always physically relaxed. Tensing up can make you play out of tune and can even lead you to not playing again. The way to learn how to play fast is to play fast! Practice uptempo by always using a metronome when you practice. Try setting it on two and four and just improvise freely, focusing only on eighth note lines in time. Once you get that together try playing standards that you know at faster tempos. Keep playing fast, the more often you do the easier it gets.

This is the way music should be recorded. Daniel Lanois’...

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 17:09:00 -0700

This is the way music should be recorded. Daniel Lanois’ music will sound great on any stereo system even with the worst EQ settings it’s ‘distinctly lanois’. Black Dub is his new project, heavily influenced by dub engineers Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and King Tubby but flows from one of his previous releases, Belladona.

This performance features the completely unique musicality of Brian Blade. Blade’s approach to dub drum playing in this case is really original. Unlike the typical approach of drumming in this style, which uses a repeating rhythm usually consisting of closed hihat and cross stick snare with an emphasis on beat three.

One drop reggae rhythm:

Blade swings his eighth notes similar to Carlton Barrett’s ‘one drop’ rhythm but he changes his patterns throughout the song and follows the shape of the vocal line. In usual dub recordings the vocal was added over the rhythm. Producers would then use the multi track recording and add sound effects or vocal parts and do remixes. In recording with a live vocalist, Blade is able to improvise and react live to the Whitley’s phrasing. His improvisational accents from his jazz background really add to the feel of this piece. There’s a moment around four and a half minutes that is really powerful, he uses his ride cymbal equally as a crash accenting vocalist Trixie Whitley’s dynamic live performance.

Listen to more BLACK DUB: http://www.blackdub.net/music

Paul Motian (March 25, 1931 - November 22, 2011) with Bill Evans...

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 01:56:00 -0700

Paul Motian (March 25, 1931 - November 22, 2011) with Bill Evans (piano) and Chuck Israels (bass).

Go to 10:40 to hear Paul swinging with his musical brush work. This video is not the highest of sound quality so try and use headphones; learn to love the tape hiss of live TV from the past. There is an incredible level of creativity and natural spontaneous group interaction; it’s jazz at its finest.