Tim Price Bloggin' For D'Addario Woodwinds- TP's holiday blog chock full of stuff to shed, things to think about and TP's kitchen sink Xmas cookie recipe.

Tim Price Bloggin' For D'Addario Woodwinds- TP's holiday blog chock full of stuff to shed, things to think about and TP's kitchen sink Xmas cookie recipe.

Merry Christmas blog- stuff to shed. Change you life, change your sound and add some slide in your stride this holiday season. Also my " kitchen sink" cookie recipe, don't worry the lobster comes on NYE. HA!! And some long tone study's at the end- so you don't sound whacked out. There is a LOT here and stuff you do not find in books. EG- The Billy James lesson. Get started and keep your reed wet and practice your long tones and listen to Lester Young. Merry Christmas, Warmest Wishes for Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year. Cheers! 

This lesson with Billy James was a joy.It was published in JAZZ PLAYER in 1996. Billy was the drummer with the famous Sonny Stitt bands that featured Billy and Don Patterson. I was blessed to know & work with Billy and Don through various parts of my life. This lesson is something special- as Billy was one of the greatest organ group drummers in the world. BUT...one day I also found out he was deeper than that, of course. I gig in Philly was fouled up somehow- at the last minute we had no organ player. A Philly bassist Dylan Taylor was there to hang- and say hi to when we realized this. SO- WE WENT TRIO!! Billy- bass and me!! I couldn't stop playing...Billy inspired me so hard with this open sound within HIS THING and just going for it. To me- there was only one Billy James....guys like Sonny Stitt knew it- so did Lockjaw Davis and Eddie Harris. Read this and see why. God bless Billy- he was one of the real ones. ANY SAXOPHONIST...Worth their salt should know this man's playing. Get into the players like  this- find their groove and style. Your sax playing will get better quick- watch what happens. Jazz is a street music- everything that you learn in a classroom is one thing. KNOWING....your history and the players within the music is vital. No excuses!  Enjoy.

This is the _VERSE_To " Body & Soul" given to me by jazz legend Big Nick Nicholas. If your familiar with the Coltrane tune " Big Nick"....Well that's who this is.
I usually play this verse rubato then segue into the tune. I'm posting this as a respect to my friend BIG NICK..because he's not known as well as he should be, and by getting this out into everyone's hands...we all can keep the VERSE to this tune alive...and also one of the real tenor players in jazz BIG NICK.
Big Nick was also the man Bird went to, to get songs and ideas for them for his " Bird With Strings" recording.
I consider myself very lucky to have known Nick in this life...and this is a great way to keep his name alive...and legacy. If you play this...and pass it on...remember where it came from please.

SO THERE YOU GOT IT.....Practice and study this stuff.

Happy holidays from me to you and your playing. The best in the new year and remember to practice long tones everyday or you'll sound whacked out. You don't wanna sound whacked out do you?
SO...Dig and study the long tones page below. AND...don't think that your getting thru the holiday without a TP Xmas cookie recipe?
Nooooooo....It's right below the long tones.

Enjoy these blog as much as I enjoy doing it- Happy holidays.

~  TIM PRICE...D'Addario Woodwinds blogger- artist.

Ingredients

1

(17.5 ounce) package Betty Crocker™ oatmeal cookie mix

1

egg

1/2

cup butter

1

tablespoon water

1

teaspoon vanilla extract

1

cup Nature Valley™ granola (use your favorite flavor!)

3/4

cup mini holiday M&M'S™ minis chocolate candies, or red and green cherry bits

Directions

• Heat oven to 375°F. Don't put your reeds or mouthpieces in the oven!
• Prepare cookies as directed on the Betty Crocker Oatmeal Cookie Mix package, mixing in 1 teaspoon vanilla with the egg, butter and water. Put on a Sonny Stitt CD- chill.
• Stir in the Nature Valley™ Granola and the M&M™ candies. Be careful not to over mix the dough or the M&M™ colors will bleed into the dough.
• Drop the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet in rounded tablespoonfuls.
• Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until edges are a light golden brown. Let cool 2 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Let cool completely.