858 1-4

Again, I'm not keeping up with this as much as I'd like. Updates, updates, updates.

Met with the guys from the Weather Report thing. It was an interesting night. Lots of old war stories thown around. Of course some expectations were presented, or hinted at rather. It's a bit odd to think about, but I'm already in groups with three of the four cats. The idea is to use Weather Report as a jumping off point. Sometimes the hardest part of starting a band is determining the group's identity. Having an initial idea like this is generally a good thing, as long as no one tries to restrict it to that initial identity. Groups have a way of turning out some wonderful and surprising work when they're allowed to grow in an organic fashion.

I'm still looking for the right day gig to give my life some financial stability. It's difficult when I've committed to so many different projects. However, the music that I'm creating now is definitely benefitting from all the time I've been dedicating to these projects. It's just like anything else (as I'm fond of saying these days), just putting in the time will make all the difference in the world.

I'm finally redeeming all the free tunes I've won from iTunes. I just grabbed the new Bill Frisell album, Richter 858. It's pretty amazing. For a long time I was starting to worry that Frisell was just going to stick with the whole ambient americana thing he was doing for a while. It's nice to hear him stretch out more. And of course, I am partial to dissonant musics so I'm in hog heaven right now.

...and they did

So a few days away from this and you'd think I'd have accomplished something. Well, you're wrong. Politics with the various projects I'm in are going well at least. It'll be interesting who sticks with all of them and who actually winds up on the bandstand at the first gig. The Weather Report gig (tentatively titled "Six degrees of Weather Report") is starting to get interesting. Not only are the tunes pretty easy (except for the fact that I'm copping Wayne Shorter on a guitar, a GUITAR!) but there's a ground swell of ideas to actually modernize the tunes and make them our own. It may just turn into a real band instead of a pick-up gig of sorts.

That's enough for now. I've got to do some work on the website (which can currently be reached here. Have to put up a lesson area, etc. So stay tuned for my reveiw of the El Clan Destino/Youngbloods Brass Band Show a few weeks ago.

Have fun!