Oli Rockberger and Aaron Parks

This was taken in the studio while the two of them were geeking out listening to each others’ new recordings. Each was plugged in to the others iPod.

Taken on day 3 of the December 2011 recording session.

This is me making the quintessential *geek jazz musician* face while watching Oli Rockberger lay down some nasty Fender Rhodes overdubs on the third day of the recording session. (The guy’s last name is ROCKBERGER for goodness’ sake!)

*That’s Matt Pierson (super-star producer) caring less on the right.

Hear me say the work “Like” somewhere around 97 times on Jason Crane’s wonderful podcast of interviews with jazz musicians.

Listen here:

Or, Right-click and “Save As” to Download

I met up with Jason on a recent trip to New York and we talked for over an hour in the studio where I was mixing the new album.

We discussed time feel, Branford Marsalis, John Mayer, playing with and for (vs. against) audiences, and more.

- Don’t call a Ferrari repairman to fix your toilet
- Playing clean and looking for the pretty notes
- What I look for in drummers
- Pocket
- How to have a musical conversation with an audience

Jason has over 340 interviews with jazz musicians on his website. Check it out here.

NEW ALBUM COMING 2012 - L to R: Oli Rockberger, John Shannon, Aaron Parks, Eric Harland, Matt Pierson, John Mayer, Bob Reynolds and Janek Gwizdala. Photo: Michael Weintrob.

Bon Iver album cover. Click to listen on iTunes.

I’ve been digging the new Bon Iver album for months.

So much so that I covered one of their (his?) songs on my forthcoming album.

But I guess I’ve not appreciated it as much as the band, Miracles of Modern Science, who took the time and creative energy to craft this brilliant little nugget: a Bon Jovi song done in the style of Bon Iver.

If you’ve you’ve listened much to Bon Iver, you will appreciate how spot-on this spoof is.

After checking that out, I gave MOMS’s interpretation of Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks” a spin. Big golf clap to these chaps for such creative work.

Links:

• Miracles of Modern Science

NEW ALBUM COMING 2012 - L to R: Oli Rockberger, John Shannon, Aaron Parks, Eric Harland, Matt Pierson, John Mayer, Bob Reynolds and Janek Gwizdala. Photo: Michael Weintrob.

If you’re not familiar with the work of Avishai Cohen, the brilliant trumpeter, please, do some homework. He’s incredible.

I had the good fortune to attend Berklee during the same years Avishai was there (along with his sister Anat Cohen; a very talented saxophonist and clarinetist) and hearing him play always motivated me to improve (or “shed”, as we jazz musicians like to say). He’s just one of those guys whose playing is so good it simultaneously depresses and motivates me. (Depressing because it makes me feel so far away from being the player I want to be.)

In this video, pay close attention to what Avishai says about work ethic, practicing, and expecially transcribing (~1:40). A constant theme I try to instill in students is that you learn this language of jazz through immersive absorption in the music, through imitation and assimilation. You don’t learn it from pattern or ii-V7-I books.

NEW ALBUM COMING 2012 - L to R: Oli Rockberger, John Shannon, Aaron Parks, Eric Harland, Matt Pierson, John Mayer, Bob Reynolds and Janek Gwizdala. Photo: Michael Weintrob.

I’m not one of those people who cries “Napster killed the music industry!” There are numerous opportunities for me to reach audiences with my music that didn’t exist in a pre-digital world.

And a service like Spotify allows people who would otherwise not buy an artist’s music to give it a chance. A few months ago I discovered Bon Iver’s new album, checked out a few songs on Spotify, loved it, then promptly downloaded it on iTunes because I needed it in my iPod. Had I not liked it, I would have moved on.

So there’s that. Exposure.

But let’s not pretend anyone is going to earn any money from Spotify.

Get to the bottom of this graphic and you tell me. Is Spotify helpful to an artist?

Source: informationisbeautiful.net

What do you think? Leave a comment below.

I keep seeing you in these new adds for P. Mauriat tenors. Did you make the switch for good or do you go back and forth to a Mark VI. I’ve been thinking about getting a new tenor and I would love to get a Mark VI, but the $6000-$9000 price tag is stopping me. I’ve been considering Mauraits or Yanagisawas. Which Mauriat do you play? … and what kind of a set up do you use?

Love your playing. Looking forward to the next album.

Thanks,
Dave

Let me begin by saying I’ve played the same Selmer Mark VI saxophone for 16+ years. I love it. I’ve developed my sound on it. I’ve not thrown it away. It’s not going anywhere. It’s one of a kind.

But there’s a new horn in my life.

Did you make the switch for good or do you go back and forth to a Mark VI?

I’ve switched back and forth to gauge what adjustments to make, but I’m aiming to play the Mauriat exclusively. At a certain point the switching is no longer productive.

Why did I switch?

I love my VI, but Mauriat’s System 76 2nd Edition is a beautiful horn; it has an even sound, it’s fun to play…and it looks cool!

Recently I had my repair guy in NYC loosen the spring tension a bit and now it’s less stiff and feels even better (more like my Mark VI’s action).

A big reason I came on board w/Mauriat is for the exact concern you expressed:

I’ve been thinking about getting a new tenor and I would love to get a Mark VI, but the $6000-$9000 price tag is stopping me.

$6-9k is if you get either a junky horn that needs lots of work or rob an old lady who doesn’t know what she has. In my recent experience, you won’t find a decent one for under $10-12k. It’s crazy how much vintage Selmers go for now!

If I were hunting for a new horn today I couldn’t afford a vintage Selmer…and if I could, I wouldn’t feel comfortable playing it outside the house due to A) it’s high price tag, and B) it’s irreplaceability.

Is P. Mauriat a good alternative?

They make two types of horn: rolled tone hole and regular. I’m a regular guy.

Many players love the rolled tone hole editions, but that’s not what I’m used to (coming from a VI) and I don’t get “my” sound on them.

The System 76 2nd Edition has regular tone holes and its keys are placed on the body in a fashion similar to a VI.

I never cared for the new Selmers, never been into Keilwerths, and while I love my Yamaha soprano, I can’t imagine playing a shiny new gold-lacquered Yamaha tenor. The Mauriat’s vintage *look* is appealing.

So that’s my two cents. Whether a Mauriat suits your needs is a personal decision, but I highly recommend trying a few. Especially the System 76.

- Bob

I’ve admired Myron’s music for a long time. My fellow Berklee-ites and me gave his album Like a Flower Seeking the Sun a lot of play.

In college I remember seeing him play at Wally’s (a famous jazz haunt in Boston) and being blown away. A) because he was awesome, but B) because he was at Wally’s!!

But I became a true fan after hearing his contribution to Perceptual, the second album by the Brian Blade Fellowship, and one of my desert island top 5.

Why this video interview? Because I love to talk process with people who are passionate about what they do. Myron is one of those people. He’s an incredible musician and composer (as well as a super nice guy) and if this is the first you’re hearing of him, I hope it’s not the last.

Enjoy.

Links worth clicking:

• Myron’s website
• Myron on iTunes
• Brian Blade Fellowship

Photo courtesy of the LA Times Credit: Luis Sinco.

Here’s a video replay

The plan

The project will last 7 days. At the end I will collect your work and piece together the best of it into a video set to the song Closer from A LIVE LIFE.

What you need to participate

1. Any video camera. Could be your smart phone, a Flip, a high-end DSLR, whatever you want. The best camera is the one you have with you at the moment.
2. A YouTube account (so you can upload your footage for me)
3. A copy of A LIVE LIFE.

What to do now

1. Film something–anything you want–that strikes you as going well with the song Closer. A good way to do this would be to have earphones on and camera in hand and shoot while you listen. Landscapes, car rides, city buildings, yourself…anything that speaks to you. (I don’t want to tell you what to imagine. This is your project.)
2. Sometime between now and Sunday, September 18th, upload your favorite video clip (length between 30 seconds and 2 minutes) you your YouTube account (you can make it unlisted so it’s essentially private)
3. Send me the link here

I will download the clips and see what can be made from all your creative ideas.

That’s it. Any questions just leave a comment below.

Happy movie-making!