Tim Price...Bloggin' For Rico- T.P.'s Thanksgiving bonus blog- stuff to shed for the jazz based saxophone & woodwind player. A feast!

I practice everyday, and I practice for at least 2 hours before I do anything. I don't do it because I think that Mike Stern or Sting is going to call. < I wish they would > I do it because it's the one thing in life that has been a constant for me. So few things in life ever remain the same, if any. But the saxophone < and my woodwinds > is the same every day.To me, it's the best ever deal you can make in life. If you work hard and practice at your saxophone , you get better. It's that simple! Think about it. Still grateful to be playing and learning. Looking forward to each gig and rehearsal and student, trying to stay in that vibe. And learn what I can from it. All human beings are linked together through the timeless, universal chain of history and events.The musician links to the practice room and the bandstand. Various life developments have been born in both environs. ~ The first stage of the artistic process involves absorption of principles and techniques that have already been accepted as standard in the field , the artist personalizes past and contemporary styles, meaning active participation in real world. This is why, I've always felt the need to play with all kinds of musicians, any age and of course working heavily with students to develop their "real world" skills. So- till next week - practice hard and eat more vegtables and fruit. Don't forget to do something nice for somebody too, remember compassion is essential with each other. Here's some things to work on also ; STUFF TO SHED FROM TIM PRICE.... Check it out and enjoy.... also- for some more ideas....check through these ; IF...you want some ideas on ii-v's...look here; http://www.timpricejazz.com/lessons/iiV.pdf If your looking for a nice warm up / sax sound study-look here; http://www.timpricejazz.com/lessons/sax_warmup.pdf for info on tune study; look here; http://www.timpricejazz.com/lessons/learningatune.html reed info, look here; http://www.timpricejazz.com/lessons/dealingwreeds.html sax players food for thought:look here; http://www.timpricejazz.com/lessons/creativepurity.html A nice jazz line using II-V. http://www.saxontheweb.net/Price/Dec00.html And a I-VI-II-V...of course http://www.saxontheweb.net/Price/Jul01.html If you check my web page- you'll find some intervallic studys on II- V. http://www.timpricejazz.com/lessons/intervalic1.jpg For those interested in some Bird & bop to shed...check out; http://www.saxontheweb.net/Price/Bird-ologyStudy.html http://www.saxontheweb.net/Price/Bird-ologyStudy.html

Coltrane's playing had the blues in it- just listen to " COLTRANE PLAY'S THE BLUES"...On Atlantic records or "Blue Trane". If you play jazz, and your playing is void of the blues feel, and sound you are lacking in something very basic, and a vital element to this art form.From Louie Armstrong to Ornette, it's heard and felt. In Pentatonic scale use you can use a C Pentatonic scale over these chords; C maj 7 C7 Dminor7 D7sus 4 Emi7b5 Fmaj7 G7sus4 Ami 7 B7b9sus4 Bbmaj7 F# dom7 F#mi7b5 A player like "Thin man Watts" is a very strong blues&pentatonic player. He know's what he's doing. To take it a step further.... On a D minor7th....chord you can use C pent. over it & its gonna be funky. On a C maj 7....chord you can also use a D pent and is going to be singing and funky. BUT. Also on a C dom 7th chord you can build a pent scale off the SHARP 4th..and it will be hip to. EG~ C7...use F # pent. Check out this blues lesson I have on Sax On The Web about Thin man Watts; http://www.saxontheweb.net/Price/Blues1.html#Watts It's a lick from his CD-" Return Of The Thin man". The tune- " SLOP BUCKET." IT GOES THRU EVERY KEY OF THE BLUES...within Thin mans rhythmic bag. You can't beat his-TIME-feel of' being funky. Thin man played things that you could FEEL. More folks NEED to get to Noble Thin man Watts...as his playing carried a message. He told a story!! That aspect today is becoming a lost art. NOT ONLY..could he funk the club down but he was a strong jazz player as well. As a kid,, I heard a 60s organ band at this club in my home town. The club was a semi-famous joint called the "Grand Hotel". It was aside of a railroad station, and had organ groups on weekends. But,one weekend there's this wild band from NYC there. The sax player was as skinny as a telephone poll !!! Later I found out it was a guy named -NOBLE THINMAN WATTS. You could hear him on 2 blocks down the street...PREACHING TENOR . I NEVER FORGOT THIS GUYS PLAYING...it was like a tattoo on my soul.People for months in that joint " the Grand Hotel" were still talkin' about the THIN MAN on sax playing there.

Check out these Sax On The Web lessons of mine for ideas and phrases on the blues. Each lesson is very different but still deals with some aspect of blues playing via jazz. http://www.saxontheweb.net/Price/Blues2.html http://www.saxontheweb.net/Price/Roo...ajorChord.html Look further down in this one...I have a lick on Birds "Now's The Time" thru 12 keys. ALSO CHECK OUT FOR YOUR EAR ; http://www.saxontheweb.net/Price/EarTraining1.html This lesson , also has some ear training via a nice line to play thru the keys by ear. Then, as usual, a line thru all keys thru some important progressions.

CHECK IT OUT.....HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM TIM PRICE & RICO REEDS. I’m grateful for the music that was inspired by and created in the 60’s: Miles Davis, John Coltrane and all the great Bluenote recordings (Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Hank Mobley)There was a profound sense of exploration and subtlety in all this music.I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to hear Ed Beach in New York, a radio station that was jazz music. I’m grateful to have grown up in an era when a middle class family could go on nice vacations, own a house, send their kid to college < Berklee >without going into serious debt. This was also an era when you could be a “starving artist” in New York City, and not actually starve.I came though it and learned something from it. Big time. I'm grateful for a great wife and to have people in my life that understand my quest. Enjoy your holiday my friends~ TIM PRICE