Tim Price Blogging For Rico Reeds- The timeless brilliance & innovation of John Klemmer.

- John Klemmer....exploring, experimenting,creating always reaching for and inspiring the world with innovations. John had the guts and courage to step ahead every time he played his horn. I'll be blunt and totally honest...everything-you hear today in loops, samples, electronic saxophone playing with vivid imagination was already done by John Klemmer in the late 60's. His musicianship and feeling knocked me out when I heard it. Inspiring and he made me want to search further, expand and just be more open to it all. His results today are a world class benchmark of genius.Johns knowledge of harmony-soul-sound-intensity and love is evident always. Johns first records on Chess I just got on CD and his " Blowin Gold" on import from Japan. Blowin Gold was_BEFORE_BITCHES BREW_ and deep. Very deep- there was a musical direction there. "There is a saying, `What you are speaks louder than what you say'"...this is a positive example for eternity of that.Everything Klemmer has done is unique, musical and personal. Johns saxophone sound is one of a kind. For any musician who feels there is a spiritual component to what they do, check out Johns directions and listen. His work is inspirational, thought-provoking, and illuminating. Ultimately, John's concepts are universal and can be enjoyed by all. I was always inspired by his common thread between all of the world's musics to illustrate his points.As I said,hearing him as a teenager helped me broaden my perspective, and understand the true nature of a players quest. The recordings before " Blowing Gold" like "Involvement". Wow. Check that out now- if you haven't. ~ That John's very first album, what he played onit, and how he played the saxophone was/is amazing. Total maturity, musicality, a personal sense of beauty,passion and emotionalism. The vibe was set! He was a debut record with a strong sense of direction and a total mastery of both his instrument and composing skills. LISTEN- To his obvious signs of the ballads & bossa novas. hIs beautiful sound, chock full of grit and ideas on standards and ballads still to this day sounds amazing. ~ As time moved on- you can hear the innovation in John's music. But the roots and directions set on those early recordings set the stage. " Blowing Gold"....was like nothing else then. Remember this was before Miles came out with " Bitches Brew". You can immediately hear the Essence of Klemmer's Unique sound & style as well as lyrical,super melodic passion. Electronic saxophone directions, jazz-rock beats, it's all there in the highest form. BACKED BY A SUPERB BAND....this recording is history forever. ~ Another recording of importance is the " Cry" album. In talking to John awhile ago I found out why this music was so unique, uplifting and stunning. This is the story- the "cry" album was recorded in Tucson Arizona away from the L.A. music vibe so no one would know about it. John recorded in a gigantic brand new studio in the middle of the desert offered to him. The deep part of this that I'll never forget was he told me- he recorded with the lights off and his parents whom he invited sitting in chairs on each side of him in total darkness. This was a "gift" or "tribute" to his mother was dieing rapidly of cancer at the time.John told his mother that by her being right there next to him inspiring him as he was playing-improvising she would be immortalized. What was played here were intended to sooth his mothers pain, as well as his own.As they sat there, John played and recorded.Hence the title "Cry". ~ WHEN...the album came out it stunned everyone as radio stations and non-jazz stations were playing the entire album, as it was it very successful. From John's explanation, "Cry" was the purity and essence of "Touch" of John without the rhythm section. From a saxophonistic point of view- Klemmer's time has always been the ultimate. How he uses time, and the strong way he plays time, weather it's straight ahead, fusion or romantic is one of a kind. You can hear this as far back as the debut record and the cadenzas he played with Don Ellis. It's an ever evolving process. ~ John Klemmer is one of the gifts to this music,a guy with a horn who loves to play and explore as well as experiment while expressing himself in a very personal manner with a deep definite loving purposes behind it all. CHECK THIS OUT ; ELECTRONICA http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDB94549CEB56B837.......... NEW MUSIC http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9iIZ...e=results_main.......... LIVE IN L.A. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a23-t...e=results_main......... SOLO ACOUSTIC SAX II "GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK" SOLO SAX III http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQc84...e=results_main........ JOHN KLEMMER YOU TUBE CHANNEL http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...be.77KU5iR4F90......... ~ IT'S A LESSON IN ALL THINGS MUSIC.....TALKING TO JOHN KLEMMER ABOUT MUSIC AND HIS PASSION FOR IT. HE IS A HARD WORKER, AND SOMEONE WHO NEVER LOOKS BACK, A FORWARD THINKER WHO YOUNG PLAYERS, STUDENTS AND LISTENERS NEED TO STUDY, ENJOY AND EXPERIENCE MORE. ~ He really defined my thoughts on the Rico Plasticover reeds. How he feels they respond in the studio, with electronics and define the essence of the player. John has been a long time RICO REEDS ARTIST...someone that Rico is very proud of. A modern day master who changed music. Just listen! John is the essence of timeless quality, when it applies to music, his presence looms strong as ever today. In all this is more than a half-century of brilliance that is uncompromising in a way that contains vivid intuition, innovation and joy. Have you heard " NEXUS" ? ~ I hope this Rico Reeds Blog....on Rico artist and jazz legend John Klemmer is helpful to you. There will be more on John too. I am working on some ideas and directions. BUT- Check out the music, listen to " God Bless The Child" on youtube from his " NEXUS" sessions. Much thanks to John Klemmer for his devotion to this art form,and his great explanations on this music. There will be more- till then- keep listening and moving forward. - - - Tim Price

Tim Price Bloggin' For Rico Reeds- Creative thinking is an attitude not a technique.

Creativity does not have to be about developing something new to the world, it is more to do with developing something new to ourselves !! Our attraction to music is a personal one. Sure, there are peer pressures, and multi musical purposes, but somewhere in our hearts we have our own musical tastes. To step forward and play what you feel might be your best move.I feel it’s tragic to not explore music and life through creativity and self development. I respect the ideal of traditional development of needed musical skills but not at the cost of creativity. No one should have to wait some undetermined amount of time to compose something or even think about composing something.Ditto with improvisation. Same with any writing or art. It’s sincere. It’s in the moment.We have all remarked when an innocent child speaks their mind and reveals something candid, with no worries about consequences, failure, or judgment that makes us think. We also know there is something envious about that special quality; raw freedom to express with no fears or hang-ups. When a young student drums on a desk, draws on a paper, or sings, sincerity is at its best. And it’s all valid because it’s sincere. The path of a true "artist" is a rocky road.It's like walking up wet glass at times but after a while it's fun.It is your business to keep the channel open.You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you.You'll note a slow emergence almost imperceptible. it will be something you never forget. Been talking to my students about the many aspects of the creative mind set. Trying to just expand more ideas and thoughts.We are all creative every day because we are constantly changing the ideas which we hold about the world about us and our relationship with it. Creativity does not have to be about developing something new to the world, it is more to do with developing something new to ourselves ! When we change ourselves, the world changes with us, both in the way that the world is affected by our changed actions and in the changed way that we experience the world. It’s a thought process.Creative thinking is the process which we use when we come up with a new idea. It is the merging of ideas which have not been merged before. New ideas are formed by developing the current ones within our minds. This evolution HAS to be brought on by practice.Ongoing creative thinking is the continuous investigation, questioning and analysis that develops through education, training and self-awareness. Ongoing creativity takes time and practice to become skillful. Ongoing creative thinking soon becomes an attitude not a technique. TILL NEXT WEEK.....Do the right thing and practice long tones- TIM PRICE

Tim Price Bloggin' For Rico- Teddy Roosevelt, Jerry Bergonzi and you!

So many times people musically are concerned about harsh reviews that serve no purpose and just thrash the artist. The common sense of communication, respect and review are lost forever in this kind of situation. The great teacher Charlie Banacos once shared the below quote with me of Theodore Roosevelt which sums it all up nicely. “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” Theodore Roosevelt And...to take it a step even further...some words from Rico artist Jerry Bergonzi ; "It's none of your business what other people think of your playing" - Jerry Bergonzi Here's a helpful hint to gain new dimension ; Replace the same old videos you watch on youtube with classic jazz recordings.Start listening more to masters and study the real history of what your playing! Youtube can be a great starting point- but keep on searching. Listen to more String Quartets, more Woodwind Quintets, read more about composers.Do you know about the books on Ellington? Open a book, listen to Red Garland, Bartok,Blue Mitchell read Boulez. Stop to think...do you need to listen to the same stuff? Why. Are you aware of Bud Powell and his music? The world is out there go find it.Live music needs your support! I continue to explore and learn all I can about all music in the quest to develop a voice.The more I know about what’s behind the music the more profound the effect is on my musical psyche. Being a complete musician goes well beyond the notes- much more than that. I’m grateful for the era that I came up in, and the teachers, musicians that made me aware of these values. Balance! I hope my words on this issue, in the process inspire people to do the right thing.Go hear some live music, support the people playing NOW, be part of it. Till next week be in the moment and make every moment the best it can be. ~ Tim Price

Tim Price Bloggin' For Rico Reeds- WHAT IT IS.

- - What it is...Is hard work and commitment.Commitment to your chosen art form, and desire to do just that.Creativity and responsibility are twins in art. One cannot claim to be truly creative without being responsible. However, the commitment of an artist to a cause should never be blind commitment. The artist should always retain the right to question motives. In that way the artist will remain faithful to both creativity and social responsibility.If all art is a form of communication, all art is produced with an audience in mind. The process of artistic creation is an exercise in communication and as all communication must be able to communicate, it therefore follows that the process of artistic creation entails the responsibility to communicate. It can therefore be argued that there is no necessary contradiction between creativity and responsibility in art. I know that there are philosophies like art for art’s sake, which can be contrasted to say the literature of commitment. But I say you cannot be truly creative without being responsible. The moment you stop being responsible you stop being truly creative.IT DON'T JUST HAPPEN. You got to work.< all art is produced with an audience in mind > ~ These last few days...have strengthened that idea. I taught a workshop Sunday for JazzEd at Berks Jazz. Beautiful energy, students and commitment. From there, I drove from my Reading, Pa home to outside Philly.To my vibes player Randy Sutins home to rehearse for Thursdays gig. I ran into my old friend Harold Smith there. ( pictured above in first picture, to my right.) Harold is a force of nature and inspiring. It was great to see him. Randy and I have been playing jazz over 30 years together. Long drives at night home,late hours going into the next days work. AND SO IT GOES. To do this is responsible and shares a responsibility to the music. We've played decades of jazz clubs, strange rooms that wanted jazz and nice clubs from Cape May New Jersey to Wilmington Delaware and NYC.There creativity and social responsibility join. You got to get to the audience and be on time too. Done deal. Randy and I have played with players like Cedric Jensen-drums, Cecil Payne the bop baritone sax legend, Richie Cole, organist Tommy Pass, Junior Cook- the great tenor saxophonist and more. The joy and fun are memory's and we're still doing it. It is our life. - You do it, and keep doing it. That is.....what it is. - THURSDAY.... Tim Price Jazz-A-Delic.... Thursday, April 11, 7 p.m.... Gerald Veasley's Jazz Base.... case his Jazz-A-Delic project, featuring vibraphonist/percussionist Randy Sutin, who has been creating music with Tim for over 26 years; drummer/composer/educator Sean Kennedy; and superstar bassist Mark Amentt. Pefect committed jazz players to be on the set with. Till next week....stay true to YOUR muse and keep on- TIM PRICE PS- THANK YOU.... Jeff Kirschenbaum & Andrew Lepley for the great pictures. You guys are the best.

Tim Price Bloggin' For Rico- Musical forward motion in the Jazz-A-Delic lane.

.... Being a complete musician goes well beyond the notes.It involves more than just getting a degree, playing your instrument, and those aspects. More so, it includes, the day to day life of travel, prep before you travel, making sure your ducks are in a row on the daily agenda.Gas for the car, bus ticket, clothes and schedule. Anything short of that in todays environment is a loss on the player-performers game card. Yes, it's past the mouthpieces, or a five digit Selmer and the demo CD that your uncle Ralph paid for. It's called- day to day life. Here is a day in my life- as of May 13th. I thought I'd share this with you all dear readers, hope you enjoy it. I continue to explore and learn all I can in the quest to develop my own musical voice. This is an account of a day in my life, and what’s behind the music via a profound the effect on my musical psyche.As I said, being a complete musician goes well beyond the notes. I’m grateful for that......As you read, Putting life together- and dealing with it. I'm glad I'm doing things I enjoy. To come up to date,Sunday April 7, I will present my Sax Workshop 11 am in Reading, Pa for Berks Jazz festival at the Goggle Works. Check www.berksjazzfest.com for directions etc. Stop by please if your at the Jazz Festival this weekend. My philosophy about personal musical growth is that musicians should learn how to think, listen and talk about music. Likewise, I pass this on to my students of all ages. IT'S WORKING! If your in 5th grade or a Doctor studying jazz clarinet with me for fun. There's something we all have. It's this criteria: brain, ears, and voice. Naturally, these three are interrelated. If you think about music, then it follows that you can easily talk about it. Listening is the most important part. Without ears, music would not exist. If I had to pick the most valuable musical tool for shaping musical growth, it would be personal taste. Always visualize only favorable and beneficial situations.Music helps with this.Try to use positive words in your inner dialogues or when talking with others. Once a negative thought enters your mind, you have to be aware of it and endeavor to replace it with a constructive one.Persistence will eventually teach your mind to think positively and ignore negative thoughts.It does not matter what your circumstances are at the present moment. Think positively, expect only favorable results and situations, and circumstances will change accordingly. It may take some time for the changes to take place, but eventually they do. A student once asked me if a particular note "worked" in a particular setting; my response was, "only if you like it". Take it a step further Bob Dylan plays the same C7 chord that Pat Martino does. Same 4 notes, likewise when Sonny Rollins hits a D minor 7th, it's the same chord that Jeff Beck might play or Keith Jarrett. It's how YOU deliver it. Lots of cooks use tomatoes and basil you dig? Same deal.Keeping a open mind can create a path for a student. There's a big difference between Bud Powell and Duke Ellington. But they both have a message. Think about it.Personal musical taste expands infinitely. This allows for musical evolution. Just live it. Go for it. Play it. Write it. Above all, use your own personal, ever growing, musical taste. Hence, music is the real teacher. Share the music and propagate it as much as you can. As always,strive for tone and help your school music programs, in every way you can. - Also within Berks Jazz Festival...my Jazz Festival gig is April 11TH. NOW-Tim Price Jazz-A-Delic,Thursday, April 11, 7 p.m.Gerald Veasley's Jazz Base / Crowne Plaza Reading / Tickets: $15 Berks native Tim Price is no stranger to the Berks Jazz Fest.For the upcoming fest, I will showcase my Jazz-A-Delic project, featuring out of this world vibraphonist/percussionist Randy Sutin, who has been creating music with me for over 26 years; drummer/composer/educator, the great Sean Kennedy; and the great bassist Mark Amentt.If your within distance, stop by and listen. I'm a lucky guy! As I said before... being a complete musician goes well beyond the notes. Check this-When I was a student in high school I wore out a James Moody record with " Last Train From Overbrook" on it. He became one of my favorites.Years later he gave me a saxophone lesson ( in 1973! ) in the Taft Hotel in NYC.I was fascinated by a tri-tone technique he was using, he showed me a lot of other things in that lesson too. I went to pay him and he told me to just remember him when I became well known. At that time,I was living in the Bronx,and was flattered by his humanity. Years later he spoke to me at an IAJE and I reminded him of this story and he kissed me on the cheek.His musicianship and his aspect of being a good person left a deep inspiration on me for life.There was also a point he lived in Reading, Pa where I am from. This was in his childhood years. His mother operated the elevator at Pomeroy's department store here in Reading Pa at 6th & Penn St. He told me that story on a break at the Jazz Workshop in Boston when he was playing with Dizzy ' round 1970.Music is a beyond words experience.Someone as great as James Moody- is a huge benchmark to me. As well as many others I mention.Keep on your path and do something good for somebody. Be well and remember compassion is essential with each other. See you next week. - Tim Price