Alfie - Burt Bacharach

**matt.guitarteacher** · 08-01-2016, 11:19 AM

nice. Had a chuckle at the title on the video. One of us spelled it wrong. :-) Ha ha. Rough from some months ago:

destinytot · 08-01-2016, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Hey, that trumpet playing wasn't half bad, man!

Thanks, man! I'd love to play more, but there's only so much time.

I'll explain (because it might help someone) that I got a trumpet many years ago because a great singing teacher said that it was the best way to learn breath control - and I took her literally, not realising how hard trumpet players work to build and maintain embouchure.

My reason for playing it these days is to develop confidence to trust my ears - and bring that to guitar. Because it does take confidence to blow.

And my reason for playing it now is that I don't want to feel wishy-washy before my Skype lesson with Pasquale Grasso in twenty minutes - a big deal for me!

destinytot · 08-01-2016, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by matt.guitarteacher

nice. Had a chuckle at the title on the video. One of us spelled it wrong. :-) Ha ha. Rough from some months ago:

I enjoyed that so much! I could almost hear the yrics to this great song as you play. (And I'll edit my Ralphy to Ralphie!)

**matt.guitarteacher** · 08-01-2016, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by destinytot

I enjoyed that so much! I could almost hear the yrics to this great song as you play. (And I'll edit my Ralphy to Ralphie!)

Ha. Thanks. That was a joke by the way. :-) I shouldn't post with so many clams, but I'm lazy/overbusy. Kind of thrown together one morning in reply to another thread. Always enjoy your posts, Mike.

Originally Posted by destinytot

(And I'll edit my Ralphy to Ralphie!)

Seriously, I feel like an ass . That was completely a joke. My weird sense of humor regarding the ironies of "misspelling" respelling's. :-)

**John A.** · 08-01-2016, 03:14 PM

Chuck Loeb has a nice lesson/arrangement of Like Someone in Love

This is in C. I always played it in Eb until a stumbled on this, and now I find a prefer it in C.

Re: Alfie, not a solo arrangement, but some really nice harmony/counterpoint ideas in this:

John

**targuit** · 08-02-2016, 05:12 AM

Originally Posted by John A.

Chuck Loeb has a nice lesson/arrangement of Like Someone in Love

This is in C. I always played it in Eb until a stumbled on this, and now I find a prefer it in C.

Re: Alfie, not a solo arrangement, but some really nice harmony/counterpoint ideas in this:

John

John A - I have to agree with you regarding Chuck Loeb. There are perhaps two living guitarists whom I truly respect for their teaching insights into playing solo chord melody style guitar and their teaching style in conveying those insights. One is Martin Taylor. And the other is Chuck Loeb. Martin does certain things in what I find to a slightly idiosyncratic style. Chuck's style is more 'classic' in my opinion and very well executed. I especially like his teaching style. Calm, direct, professional. This valuable lesson is a good example. If I intended on taking a course from any professional guitarist, his would be at the top of my list.

I do like his arrangement and execution in C very much of Like Someone In Love. It is an excellent key for pure solo guitar with this beautiful song by my favorite composer, Jimmy Van Heusen. But this is one of those songs that work well in several keys including those more favorable to tenor voices like A, Bb, or G. I've been favoring Bb lately but it is all good.

I'm also favoring Bb for the key to Alfie lately. I'm going to check out your YT link now.

**mr. beaumont** · 08-02-2016, 07:56 PM

Here it is in A...

Forewarning, if you don't find the usual idiosyncrasies of yelling kids, barking dogs, and the kitchen timer going off that are common to my videos, you might want to skip this one

**matt.guitarteacher** · 08-02-2016, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Forewarning, if you don't find the usual idiosyncrasies of yelling kids, barking dogs, and the kitchen timer going off that are common to my videos, you might want to skip this one

:-) My entire family enjoyed listening to this. We're driving , and my wife got a kick out of the extraneous sounds especially (in addition to the excellent playing). At one point, she said, "Matt, that's you" , and I was very pleased that she might associate my playing with with yours .

"Really, how do you mean?" .

" Just your ability to tune everything out".
Ha ha . Oh well, maybe someday. :-) Good job in choosing the key to suit. The chords in the bridge make it. Congrats again.

**mr. beaumont** · 08-02-2016, 08:31 PM

Thanks man. I really liked your take on the nylon...brave getting up there so high for the bridge, but it sounded great!

**targuit** · 08-03-2016, 06:14 AM

Beautiful playing, Jeff! That is the arrangement true to the song.

But it sounds like you overcooked the pasta....

Nice tones out of your Ovation - congrats.

**targuit** · 08-04-2016, 04:59 PM

Commendable job, Mike, with the trumpet! The first "real" instrument I had as a pre-teen was a trombone! Lasted about a week by which point I had conceded trying to get a proper sound out of it.

**targuit** · 08-05-2016, 09:28 PM

I don't hear those melodies as quite identical. But I love the harmonic movement at that point.

**targuit** · 08-07-2016, 07:57 PM

Just small talk regarding recent practices. Last night I was playing through Billie Holiday versions of several standards. There is something very bluesy and elementary to her approach to standards. A good review.

Lately I kind of keep an informal list of the standards I play through with info about keys in which artists play a tune. This morning I was listening to a lot of Eliane Elias. I want to get her CD Made in Brazil which won the Grammy in 2015 if I recall for latin jazz. I just like her style and playing.

In need of some inspiration, guys. I 've been cycling through repertoire by composers as well lately. Jobim, Kern, Rogers...anything to get a 'theme' going and the blood flowing.

destinytot · 08-08-2016, 05:44 AM

Originally Posted by targuit

Last night I was playing through Billie Holiday versions of several standards. There is something very bluesy and elementary to her approach to standards.

Lady In Satin is special and apart, but my favourite Billie recordings are the ones with Teddy Wilson. Instant sunshine!

**gtrplrfla** · 08-08-2016, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by targuit

Just small talk regarding recent practices. Last night I was playing through Billie Holiday versions of several standards. There is something very bluesy and elementary to her approach to standards. A good review.

Lately I kind of keep an informal list of the standards I play through with info about keys in which artists play a tune. This morning I was listening to a lot of Eliane Elias. I want to get her CD Made in Brazil which won the Grammy in 2015 if I recall for latin jazz. I just like her style and playing.

In need of some inspiration, guys. I 've been cycling through repertoire by composers as well lately. Jobim, Kern, Rogers...anything to get a 'theme' going and the blood flowing.

Hi Targuit ! Jimmy Van Heusen compositions have challenged me and his frequent use of chromaticism is a source of creativity. Matt Dennis , who often collaborated with Tom Adair, wrote some beauties that Frank Sinatra in his Capitol Records era , nailed perfectly. "The Night We Called It A Day" ; "Everything Happens To Me" and Matt Dennis with Earl Brent wrote the gorgeous, "Angel Eyes." I never tire of hearing or playing them in chord/melody style.

**fasstrack** · 09-01-2016, 05:28 PM

I used to play Alfie. Now I prefer A House is Not a Home. Just one of those things, I guess. The lyric is a bit treacly for me, and sometimes I need to like the whole thing (Deep Night is an exception: pedestrian lyric, great tune). I agree that Bill Evans played Alfie beautifully instrumentally. Doubtless others did too.

Don't wish to be too negative here, but to tell the truth I like some of his tunes and find others gimmicky (the odd bars don't feel as natural as, say, Jobim's) and sort of of their time, not timeless. Some are even schlocky to me (like Raindrops Keep...or I'll Never Fall in Love Again). Dionne Warwick's readings did a lot to get those over. Some of the artists, like Wes Montgomery, who recorded his tunes were better than the tunes. They may have recorded them because they were popular---not necessarily a bad thing.

A good, quirky, even original pop composer, but not up there with the greats. Merely an opinion...

**fasstrack** · 09-01-2016, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by gtrplrfla

Hi Targuit ! Jimmy Van Heusen compositions have challenged me and his frequent use of chromaticism is a source of creativity. Matt Dennis , who often collaborated with Tom Adair, wrote some beauties that Frank Sinatra in his Capitol Records era , nailed perfectly. "The Night We Called It A Day" ; "Everything Happens To Me" and Matt Dennis with Earl Brent wrote the gorgeous, "Angel Eyes." I never tire of hearing or playing them in chord/melody style.

I would add to that list: Strayhorn (speaking of chromaticism, among many other virtues), Dubin-Warren (I like Summer Night), Alec Wilder (underrated) and a guy I never heard of until I looked up composer credits for There's a Lull in My Life, Harry Revel...