It beats the four walls baby! That's an expression that the late great Lester Parker used to use. The more you get out and play, the more aptitude, ideas and energy you have. Today more than ever-to get something happening with other people face-to-face is of paramount importance to your playing.
Tuesday night I played a excellent gig with pianist David Newman. I always tell David set up two sets worth of music. I look at the sets and it's the best way to refresh yourself on tunes that you might not of played, and also learn new ones if that may be the case. Best way to learn a new tune ? Get out of the house and find out what you don't know! Even get together with a guitar player and a piano player- you're doing it. I hope this is making sense, because it is something we are sorely missing in today's atmosphere in jazz. I look to jam sessions back in the day, when tunes were called and standards were the call the day. Everybody was on a common ground-the Facebook world hadn't started to flood the world with bedroom videos yet. A fair drummer who played jam sessions all the time, could easily turn himself into a very good drummer in a group circumstance by playing with other people. Same holds for any instrument.
I want to say, this is vitally important as well. Once you find the mouthpiece you really love, sure get a back up. And it's always an asset to have something that lays in a different area sonic-ally for gigs that you have to do a different blend on-if you're that kind of player. E.g. Broadway shows a rock gigs etc. Don't be foolish-spend your money on studying records and CDs and reading autobiographies about the great players in jazz. That will improve your playing in an incredible manner. Check it out and watch what happens. Today's blog- Is dedicated to Lester Parker. His picture is below-King Super 20 - Metal Berg Larsen mouthpiece 120 over Zero and...RICO BROWN BOX 5 reeds. The set up of a warrior. Lester was always up for a session- his expression " ban the books" referring to guys who opened a fake book for a blues head or " Body and Soul" would be echoing on the stand.
Imagine what you could accomplish if you could simply get yourself to follow through on your best intentions no matter what.
The pinnacle of self-discipline is when you reach the point that when you make a conscious decision, it’s virtually guaranteed you’ll follow through on it.Be it practicing your instrument, sticking with a mouthpiece and putting the time in to learn to play it or just daily goals and jobs. Your discipline is one of many personal development tools available to you. Of course it is not a panacea. Nevertheless, the problems which self-discipline can solve are important, and while there are other ways to solve these problems, self-discipline absolutely shreds them. Self-discipline can empower you- imagine the results, if you say to yourself ... I want to learn all my scales in 3eds...in every key at 120 on my metronome. Not have to...but want. That can be done sooner than you think with discipline. So can application to study-reading a new book to open new ideas on things. It can wipe out procrastination, disorder, and ignorance. Within the domain of problems it can solve, self-discipline is simply unmatched. Moreover, it becomes a powerful teammate when combined with other tools like passion, goal-setting, and planning. Self-discipline is like a muscle. The more you train it, the stronger you become. The less you train it, the weaker you become.
Think of the results- just for you.Confidence before an audition! Confidence when picking up your horn to play in a new setting- your primed and ready. Relaxed and confident! We all possess different levels of self-discipline. Everyone has some — if you can hold your breath a few seconds, you have some self-discipline. But not everyone has developed their discipline to the same degree. Check it out- it takes self-discipline to build self-discipline. Similarly, the basic method to build self-discipline is to tackle challenges that you can successfully accomplish but which are near your limit.
This doesn’t mean trying something and failing at it every day, you must start with challenges that are within your current ability. Old opportunities will dry up. New opportunities will begin to appear.Your mind set does change- and so does your ability on whatever you are working on with discipline. Invitations that once attracted you will seem boring, while others will become interesting to you.People will change how they relate to you. Some will become more distant while others will zoom closer.Gigs will appear, you'll enjoy things more. Things you used to merely dream about will begin to seem possible for you. Celebrate your success!
~ Till next week...practice your long tones everyday- Tim Price
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