JGBE Virtual Jam (Round 5) - Recordame

**lawson-stone** · 02-13-2021, 02:05 PM

So here's a very early attempt on the form of this tune. I haven't really tried yet to learn the melody, partly because I find I learn melodies better once I have the underlying form in hand. I'm always open to hearing constructive criticism and good advice from players, and you guys are seriously ALL players. It's kind of amazing to me that we haven't had people dropping in and opining who haven't contributed. That's wonderful, IMO. I really only care what other players think on the formative level. Of course I care what listeners think and feel, but "player-ly" advice from others working on the same tune is a great gift.

**ragman1** · 02-13-2021, 02:09 PM

Lawson -

Good god, man, you don't need lessons! That's one of the best versions here! Enough of this self-deprecating stuff! Heavens to Betsy :-)

**lawson-stone** · 02-13-2021, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by ragman1

Lawson -

Good god, man, you don't need lessons! That's one of the best versions here! Enough of this self-deprecating stuff! Heavens to Betsy :-)

Well thank you Rags. I was kind of trying to get my Wes Montgomery on a little with that. The resolutions are tricky to me right there near the end of the form.

**lawson-stone** · 02-13-2021, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by kris

You play very good.Your feel is very nice -reminds me of Dexter Gordon.

Thank you kris. I don't ever recall being compared to Dexter Gordon. That's a complement I will enjoy thinking about.

**TOMMO** · 02-13-2021, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by ragman1

Lawson -

Good god, man, you don't need lessons! That's one of the best versions here! Enough of this self-deprecating stuff! Heavens to Betsy :-)

I have to agree - excellent playing - I'll have another listen tomorrow and try to get inspired by some of your lines. I like the chord solo at the beginning!

(and I'm being serious here!)

**lawson-stone** · 02-13-2021, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by hohoho

(Too?) many notes this time. Thanks for nice and differing contributions everybody.
I liked the space in "Picked"s long take and now I'm listening a second time...

I like a lot of notes! And I liked the flow of this, how lines morphed into new phrases. I still tend to break phrases at the 4/8/16 bar boundaries, and I need to learn to play over them with larger ideas like you do here.

Also anybody who says you can't play jazz on a strat needs their head examined. You've got a solid punchy tone there that I enjoy. Also played really clean, which I admire a lot, and which is a challenge for me.

**mr. beaumont** · 02-13-2021, 02:28 PM

Lawson, I honestly think your strongest take in these last few weeks.

See? You gotta go for it!

WWPCD?

(what would Peter c do?)

**PickingMyEars** · 02-13-2021, 02:33 PM

Lawson,

It must be the hat...

I've got one on order, I like the feather:

Joking aside, that was some quality and controlled playing on your part!

**lawson-stone** · 02-13-2021, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by PickingMyEars

Finally had a chance to record.

Long solo. I tried to make the solo build and not come off as "that guy" that takes one thousand choruses--in a damn jam session--and says nothing...

... I think I became "that guy." Building a long solo is an artform and I am on the tip of the iceberg. Hell, at least I found the right iceberg--they kinda all look like blocks of ice to me

At least I am having fun trying to out wit everyone here with creative titles for these submissions. Transcribing My Voice Memos = Recorda Me... yeah, I know. I get a pass for bad jokes because I'm a dad, right?

Enjoy or begrudgingly listen:

Long solos can be a challenge. I usually play about 5-7 minutes, looping the backing track if necessary, as a way to discover ideas, try to develop them, come back and do them differently, without losing the forward motion of the solo/track. I then hope that I have 2-3 consecutive choruses that make sense that I can post. But what I like about "going long" is the change to just let the creative engine run, peak, lag, recover, shift gears--you can uncover lots of ideas that way.

All you guys are succeeding at something I want to do better. I always tend to fall into blues licks or blues phrasing, kind of a very bad Herb Ellis imitation (I wish I could do a very GOOD Herb Ellis imitation!). I need to learn to hold back the blues phrases and use them for better effect. You really don't fall into blues licks, but keep developing melodic ideas.

**lawson-stone** · 02-13-2021, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by PickingMyEars

Lawson,

It must be the hat...

I've got one on order, I like the feather:

Joking aside, that was some quality and controlled playing on your part!

There is a story with the hat. About 20 years ago, a bunch of local musicians formed a swing/jazz band, and I played with them. Even contributed the name of the group "The Metrognomes." For our gigs, the leader told us to wear "hip black." Well... nobody every accused me of being hip, but I found out that meant basically "black on black." They also said "pork pie hats look kind of cool too..." so I went out without even knowing what one was and bought it. The band really took off and I had to drop out, I couldn't keep up with the rehearsals and gigs! They are still one of the best "big bands" in our region. But I kept the hat.

Meanwhile, my hair fell out. And in my office, the air circulation brings the air directly onto my head, so I'm cold all the time. Watching the show "Breaking Bad," I saw the main character disguise himself with... a PORK PIE HAT and my ADHD brains said "Hey I've got one of those and I could use it to keep my head warm" so when I'm in the office, I wear that hat.

Out in the world, I usually wear a fedora. After all, I actually am a real archaeologist!
JGBE Virtual Jam (Round 5) - Recordame-explorer-everlast-jpg

JGBE Virtual Jam (Round 5) - Recordame-explorer-everlast-jpg

**lawson-stone** · 02-13-2021, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

This week, a bossa, from Joe Henderson's "Page One."

Attachment 79136

8 bars of modal flavor followed by some descending ii V I's with a little twist. Fun stuff.

I did mine with Jim Hall in mind.

Enjoy!

Definitely succeeding with the Jim Hall vibe. Not just in parts, but the whole singing feel I associate with JH is there.

**lawson-stone** · 02-13-2021, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by kris

Masters:

I am having trouble getting past the fact that in the freeze frame, the drummer looks like Ron Howard.

**lawson-stone** · 02-13-2021, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by Peter C

I like this. It feels like you just a little bit angry at the tune, in a positive sort of way... don't know if that makes sense. You attack it, but you both sort of win the encounter.

**lawson-stone** · 02-13-2021, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by John A.

I found a backing track by live musicians that I was really enjoying playing to (though it somewhat kicked my butt), so I played it all the way through. Too long, and with moments of Recorda-merde, but WTF, YOLO, fortune rewards the bold, yada yada.

John

John I enjoyed this. Lots of ideas I'd never have thought to play, that I intend shameless to steal. Too bad in music you can't footnote a source, right? I like the tone too. I'm playing around with that kind of chunky, gauzy ES175-with-tone-off sound. I enjoy the almost flute-like quality lines can get playing like that. Not guitaristic or stringy sounding.

What guitar is that, btw? I'ts beautiful, what little of it I can see.

**lawson-stone** · 02-13-2021, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by kris

Why you play it if you do not like it?
Jazz is open art...but If you do not like a tune do not play it.
This is true for everyone.

Kris
I wish personally, just me here, that you would lay off the attacks on ragman. It isn't helping anything. Nobody is playing more or better because you keep sniping at ragman. We all are kind of eccentric, opinionated, sometimes contrarian people here, but there's no need to just keep picking on one person. It's rather obvious, and it's embarrassing as well... for you. You are an established player with an international audience. You need to act more like a statesman. That's just my view, of course. But I hate to see someone bullied and picked on.

**lawson-stone** · 02-13-2021, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by PickingMyEars

...
At least I am having fun trying to out wit everyone here with creative titles for these submissions. Transcribing My Voice Memos = Recorda Me... yeah, I know. I get a pass for bad jokes because I'm a dad, right?

Enjoy or begrudgingly listen:

I've got a clip title coming that will be a worth companion to yours. Stay tuned.

**lawson-stone** · 02-13-2021, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by kris

Jazz Funk style.It feels like a real jam session. The exchange of feelings with the saxophone is very developing and inspiring. The background alone is not enough for me ... :-)

Box

It's not my own style but I really enjoyed it. I heard a bit of a John Scofield vibe in the line ideas you played. We don't get a lot of clips on this forum where people use effects, and so I actually enjoy hearing someone do a take that is outside the lines. Nicely done.

**lawson-stone** · 02-13-2021, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by John A.

I don't think you should assume silence is dismissal. I for one stopped paying as much attention to the thread and had moved on mentally after the first few days. I also didn't want to overdo it with comments.

As for playing this one or sitting it out, I don't think you should let comparisons to others stop you from trying. Either you'll exceed your expectations or you won't. Either outcome is informative, and no one is going to think you shouldn't have bothered or ridicule you. If you don't like the tune or have other things you'd rather work on that's a different story, but don't psych yourself out of trying. Or maybe try the middle ground of taking a stab at the tune privately and deciding whether or not to post later.

John

Thanks. For some reason, last week I just didn't feel like I belonged somehow. Nobody was talking to me. Maybe it was my breath... maybe I was coming off negative, who knows? Anyhow, you're right, and I'm a grown man who ought to be able to pursue his goals without a lot of drama.

So thanks, I needed that!

**hohoho** · 02-13-2021, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

So here's a very early attempt on the form of this tune. I haven't really tried yet to learn the melody, partly because I find I learn melodies better once I have the underlying form in hand. I'm always open to hearing constructive criticism and good advice from players, and you guys are seriously ALL players. It's kind of amazing to me that we haven't had people dropping in and opining who haven't contributed. That's wonderful, IMO. I really only care what other players think on the formative level. Of course I care what listeners think and feel, but "player-ly" advice from others working on the same tune is a great gift.

Listened to this at least 4 times. Wow!! Easily the best I have heard you play Lawson!!
Thinking Kenny Burrell when you play those chord hits!
Thanks!

**lawson-stone** · 02-13-2021, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Lawson, I honestly think your strongest take in these last few weeks.

See? You gotta go for it!

WWPCD?

(what would Peter c do?)

Actually Peter's clip really inspired me, like, what the hell, what harm can I do? Who's it gonna hurt if I bomb?

**lawson-stone** · 02-13-2021, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by hohoho

Listened to this at least 4 times. Wow!! Easily the best I have heard you play Lawson!!
Thinking Kenny Burrell when you play those chord hits!
Thanks!

That's really encouraging. To think I was going to skip this one. This thread has really move me back into improvising after a very long period of mainly learning the solos of the masters. Maybe I've learned something?

**ragman1** · 02-13-2021, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

After all, I actually am a real archaeologist!

I can dig that

**John A.** · 02-13-2021, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

So here's a very early attempt on the form of this tune. I haven't really tried yet to learn the melody, partly because I find I learn melodies better once I have the underlying form in hand. I'm always open to hearing constructive criticism and good advice from players, and you guys are seriously ALL players. It's kind of amazing to me that we haven't had people dropping in and opining who haven't contributed. That's wonderful, IMO. I really only care what other players think on the formative level. Of course I care what listeners think and feel, but "player-ly" advice from others working on the same tune is a great gift.

Yeah, that sounds great, Lawson. Love both the chord-soloing, and the single line stuff. Great mix of arps and licks. I agree with others that this is the best of these you've done so far.

John

**lawson-stone** · 02-13-2021, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by John A.

Yeah, that sounds great, Lawson. Love both the chord-soloing, and the single line stuff. Great mix of arps and licks. I agree with others that this is the best of these you've done so far.

John

Thank you for that. We've been on lots of different "play and post the clip" threads, and I have grown to appreciate your playing and your insights into the music. Thanks.

**John A.** · 02-13-2021, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

John I enjoyed this. Lots of ideas I'd never have thought to play, that I intend shameless to steal. Too bad in music you can't footnote a source, right? I like the tone too. I'm playing around with that kind of chunky, gauzy ES175-with-tone-off sound. I enjoy the almost flute-like quality lines can get playing like that. Not guitaristic or stringy sounding.

What guitar is that, btw? I'ts beautiful, what little of it I can see.

Thanks Lawson. The guitar is a Seventy-Seven Hawk Jazz. It's a variation on the 165/175 theme, with some differences in wood, a slightly thinner body, and a 24.55" scale length. I got it in December and am very happy with it.

Oh, and about your breath ...

John