Just Friends

[Mark Kleinhaut]

As this song, “Just Friends” nears the 100 year old mark, it is a mainstay of the Great American Songbook, and a jazz standard that has been performed by, well, pretty much everybody. The beauty of jazz, in my opinion, is that a song like this can be played in an endless variety of ways. Everyone who ever picked up an instrument has the opportunity to put their stamp on it- do it there way. Playing your own way is as much the tradition as playing it like others, learning by copying. It’s two faces on the same coin. Keep tossing

[AKA]

Just beautiful! One of my favorites. Bird’s version with strings is really nice.

AKA

[Mark Kleinhaut]

Just beautiful! One of my favorites. Bird’s version with strings is really nice.

AKA

. Thank you!

[Mick-7]

As this song, “Just Friends” nears the 100 year old mark, it is a mainstay of the Great American Songbook, and a jazz standard that has been performed by, well, pretty much everybody. The beauty of jazz, in my opinion, is that a song like this can be played in an endless variety of ways. Everyone who ever picked up an instrument has the opportunity to put their stamp on it- do it there way. Playing your own way is as much the tradition as playing it like others, learning by copying. It’s two faces on the same coin. Keep tossing

Mark, Have you have you always played fingerstyle? (never used a pick?).

Your technique is very pianistic, perhaps you could say a little about the evolution of your harmonic conception, it's quite unique.

[Mark Kleinhaut]

Mark, Have you have you always played fingerstyle? (never used a pick?).

Your technique is very pianistic, perhaps you could say a little about the evolution of your harmonic conception, it's quite unique.

Hi Mick, thanks very much. I’ve actually been more of a plectrum player than fingerstyle for most of my years on the instrument, with lots of hybrid involvement along the way. During the last few years I have spent more time fingerpicking for a couple of reasons. First, about 3 years ago I had a torn tendon and surgical reattachment of my right biceps tendon where it attached below the elbow. After the initial recovery I had lots of stiffness and pain in my right hand that made holding the pick very uncomfortable, but ironically fingerstyle didn’t hurt at all. This was at the same time of doing zero gigs due to the pandemic and all of my focus on solo guitar video craft.

As for the harmonic concepts, I pretty much do it by ear to guide my note choices, but I’m sure you can hear the influence of Bill Evans and Jim Hall. I’ve always enjoyed the fingerstyle playing of guys like Lenny Breaux and Mick Goodrick, but I still also love the blazing fast plectrum of guys like McLaughlin and Dimeola, so I’ll never go completely fingerstyle

[Mick-7]

Hi Mick, thanks very much. I’ve actually been more of a plectrum player than fingerstyle for most of my years on the instrument, with lots of hybrid involvement along the way. During the last few years I have spent more time fingerpicking for a couple of reasons. First, about 3 years ago I had a torn tendon and surgical reattachment of my right biceps tendon where it attached below the elbow. After the initial recovery I had lots of stiffness and pain in my right hand that made holding the pick very uncomfortable, but ironically fingerstyle didn’t hurt at all. This was at the same time of doing zero gigs due to the pandemic and all of my focus on solo guitar video craft.

As for the harmonic concepts, I pretty much do it by ear to guide my note choices, but I’m sure you can hear the influence of Bill Evans and Jim Hall. I’ve always enjoyed the fingerstyle playing of guys like Lenny Breaux and Mick Goodrick, but I still also love the blazing fast plectrum of guys like McLaughlin and Dimeola, so I’ll never go completely fingerstyle

Thank you, I find it interesting the way you navigate the fingerboard, very smooth and efficient, no wasted movements at all. I tend to be more extravagant.

[Mark Kleinhaut]

Thank you, I find it interesting the way you navigate the fingerboard, very smooth and efficient, no wasted movements at all. I tend to be more extravagant.

I have paid lots of attention to ergonomics and efficiency of motion. If you see my plectrum playing videos (I can link on if you wish) it applies to right hand economy too. I was inspired years ago watching a video of Coltrane playing where all this amazing sound was happening yet his body had absolutely no motion. Like a statue, his fingers barely even seemed to move. Those images remain in my memory(lifelong) even more than the sounds themselves.

[Mark Kleinhaut]

Thank you, I find it interesting the way you navigate the fingerboard, very smooth and efficient, no wasted movements at all. I tend to be more extravagant.

Mick, by the way, thanks for your interest and the conversation. Cheers!

[Mick-7]

Mick, by the way, thanks for your interest and the conversation. Cheers!

Thank you, you're starting to persuade me that I jump around on the fingerboard too much - just a musical juvenile delinquent I guess.

First, about 3 years ago I had a torn tendon and surgical reattachment of my right biceps tendon where it attached below the elbow. After the initial recovery I had lots of stiffness and pain in my right hand that made holding the pick very uncomfortable, but ironically fingerstyle didn’t hurt at all.

It's impressive that you had the fortitude to overcome that, reminds me of a cellist I knew who played with the San Francisco symphony (first chair no less). He injured his fretting hand and, like you, had to stop playing and realized that he'd have to develop completely different techniques to play the instrument well again. He started playing jazz to help him achieve that - he could no longer play many of the complex classical pieces he knew. Eventually, he was able to return to his former skill level, t'was quite a long road to get there though. When life hands you lemons....

[Mark Kleinhaut]

Thank you, you're starting to persuade me that I jump around on the fingerboard too much - just a musical juvenile delinquent I guess.



It's impressive that you had the fortitude to overcome that, reminds me of a cellist I knew who played with the San Francisco symphony (first chair no less). He injured his fretting hand and, like you, had to stop playing and realized that he'd have to develop completely different techniques to play the instrument well again. He started playing jazz to help him achieve that - he could no longer play many of the complex classical pieces he knew. Eventually, he was able to return to his former skill level, t'was quite a long road to get there though. When life hands you lemons....

There were some dark days to endure, but playing was never optional for me. Even if only one finger worked I’d feel I’d have to try to go on. More than 55 years of playing without ever a break.