(excerpt from Dervish at the Crossroads) Wanda Waterman Montreal jazz guitarist and university professor Michael Gauthier shared this anecdote, so illustrative of the mysterious quality in music that makes it intrinsic to human experience: Back in the eighties there was … Continue reading My Jazz Years
Jack’s Cats: The State of Swing 2019 Jack Malmstrom: Bandleader, reeds Phil Small: Piano Gretje (Kitten) Angell: Vocals Blake Handler: Vibraphone Mark San Filippo: Drums Bryan Dedlow: Guitar Marcus Buser: Bass When I heard that “Ain’t Gonna Be Blue” was … Continue reading Jack’s Swing is Alive and Well and Living in L.A.
“I recorded all the vocal and guitar tracks on a cheap Shure mic, then brought in my band for overdubs. Had a wonderful engineer named Josh, and we did it all in my apartment. I love the fact that it’s imperfect. It’s organic and raw and true.” Continue reading The Steven Blane Interview
“There is only one reason that you ever fail at anything . . . and that is because you eventually change your mind. . . . anything and everything you have ever decided to do, you have succeeded, or will succeed, at doing.” ~Victor L. Wooten in “The Music Lesson” Continue reading Zen and the Art of Guitar Mastery
We’re not creating a sound—we’re part of that sound. We’re the direct descendants of people who’ve played this music since its inception. We’ve inherited this tradition, and it’s part of who we are.
~ Ben Jaffe Continue reading The Preservation Hall Jazz Band: So It Is
The Mindful Bard 