Tim Price Bloggin' For Rico Reeds- Happy Thanksgiving; Cookin' with T.P. - Salad w/Cranberry Vinaigrette !

Original recipe makes 8 servings; 1/2 cup cider vinegar ; 1/4 cup cranberries ; 1/4 cup olive oil;2 teaspoons white sugar; 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper ; 2 heads romaine lettuce - rinsed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces; 2 medium heads Belgian endive - washed, dried and chopped; 2 red Anjou pears; 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped. Directions...In a saucepan, combine vinegar and cranberries. Cook over medium heat until cranberries soften. Remove from heat; add olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Place in blender and mix until smooth. Refrigerate until chilled....Core and julienne one pear, core and dice the other....In a large bowl, combine the Romaine lettuce, endive, diced pears, walnuts and Gorgonzola. Toss and drizzle with enough dressing to coat...Divide among salad plates and garnish with julienned pear. Top with any additional walnuts as well. ~ SO !! Just what ya'll need. Try it...you know you want to. It's easy and delicious...and when your family and friends say how great it is. Tell em'...RICO REEDS is what's happening on the bandstand, concert hall and...IN THE KITCHEN. Happy thanksgiving! Thankful for family, music, community.REMEMBER...It's our job to make things better. Enjoy your holiday everyone. - - Tim Price

Tim Price Bloggin' For Rico Reeds- watch what happens!

Do you ever find yourself avoiding being positive(optimistic) about something until you are positive(confident and fully assured) about it? The other problem with this sort of approach is that it cuts us off from the vital “spice of life” called variety. Life very rarely unfolds in straight lines. I’m willing to bet that if you look back on your life, some of your best experiences happened by “accident”, or maybe you now look back and see them as “coincidences”. There are many people who always need to be fully assured about the success of the outcome before they make a move. To them, it would be irresponsible or even foolish to make decisions and take actions based on a sense of raw optimism. After all, what sort of plan is that for success? Take these steps- and watch what happens! Challenge Yourself... Stand On Your Own Feet.... Live The Moment... Have Respect... Do Some Good.... BUT IN MUSIC...Fear and many times that fear holds a person back. It's to your advantage to get past this. Now! Sometimes this fear manifests itself in unproductive ways, such as procrastination. You find that you’re not following your map or making any progress towards your goals. If you "can’t get motivated," fear is probably at the root of your procrastination. In most cases where you find fear is causing inaction, the “cure” is taking action. You see, usually you feel so overwhelmed that you don’t even know where to start. But if you can just get started somewhere – anywhere – you’ll find that your fears start to melt away. Soon you’ll be able to take more focused, productive action. It sounds circular, doesn’t it? Fear is causing inaction, but the solution is to take action. How can that be? That means that in order to use action to cure fear, you need to let go of one major fear: specifically, the fear of taking the wrong action. Once you do that – once you give yourself permission to move forward even if things don't seem quite right – you’ll be able to progress faster on your goals and make those positive changes. Another way to stay motivated is to surround yourself with supportive people and accountability partners. Sometimes fear manifests itself as imagined productivity. For example, you may be taking a lot of actions but going absolutely nowhere. However, keep in mind what we discussed earlier with regards to choosing toxic friends and partners. Ensure that they truly are supportive. Note: Once in a while some of your own friends and family won’t believe in your dreams. If you talk about your goals, they’ll laugh and make it clear they think you’re foolish. If this happens to you – and if it’s someone that you need to see on a regular basis – then don’t talk about your dreams any more with this person. If they try to “bait” you or ask you to talk about your goals, answer politely but don’t give them any “ammunition” to fire back at you. Think on your own feet as I said before! This is just the beginning for you. Chances are, you feel energized and ready to take on anything. Your next step is to move now. If you wait, I promise you won't do "it." Imagine yourself accomplishing it. How will you feel? Why is this goal so important to you? Imagine people congratulating you. Think of the future, not the past. Once you’ve done that, create your road map. How will you reach your goal? What tangible steps will you take to get there? Next it’s time to observe and listen. How do you feel as you start working on your road map? Finally, find supportive people and reward yourself. And remember this: once you begin and continue, you deserve it! YOUR ASSIGNMENT IS...Surround yourself with like minds. People who have goals and visions. Get started and remember to have fun! Till next week- stay on your path and stay positive! ~ Tim Price

Tim Price Bloggin' For Rico- Happy Birthday Fred Lipsius.

- - TODAY...Is Fred Lipsius birthday. He is 70. Happy Birthday Freddy. As you might know...Fred was the original saxophonist in Blood Sweat & Tears. He arranged,composed and played piano too. Fred truly is one of the great innovators in modern music. His saxophone playing is off the hook fantastic. As a tribute to Freddy...I posting an interview I did back in 1988, when I wrote for Saxophone Journal...on Fred. ( I did some studying with Fred in the 70's to in NYC...when he lived in Hastings On The Hudson. Every conversation with Freddy is a lesson- he's a long time friend. Plus hysterical...good times.) HAPPY BIRTHDAY...Fred. Many many more brother Scorpio....thank you for your inspiration. ARTICLE IS HERE.....http://www.fredlipsius.com/Price-Interview.html ENJOY...Tim Price

Tim Price Bloggin' For Rico Reeds- Remembering Charlie Mariano.

~ Remembering Charlie Mariano on his birthday. Happy birthday brother Scorpio! One of the real inspirations in my life & music. To me, Charlie is as important as Miles and Coltrane in jazz. He defined a way of playing & had a forward motion in his music that was his own. Totally inspiring. When I turned 18 while going to Berklee School Of Music ( it was called school then, and shortly after changed to college.) I paid extra to study privately with Charlie Mariano. It was a known fact he didn't teach private lessons but...he and I had a interesting rapport, so I asked & he said sure.So right near my18th birthday, Charlie had a spare nadaswaram...and asked if I wanted to buy it. So I bought it and started to study it with him.To really to be honest , it did a number on my chops at first. If you look at the picture, I'm holding the same nadaswaram, and over my shoulder is a great picture of Charlie, from when I did a feature article on him in Saxophone Journal. That was fun too, because I was way out of Berklee & Joe Viola calls me and said- you have to do this!!He knew our friendship. Charlie Mariano taught me this instrument in a very special way. Lessons would be hours. Sometimes Joe Viola would pop in to listen and check it out. At this point in time like I said, I was 18 and Charlie was 50. he had already played with Kenton, Mingus and a tribute to Coltrane record with Elvin Jones called " Dear John C". He is a timeless person. The nadaswaram really helped me understand the music of India and how it related to jazz. I was very lucky- and that helped me crystallize something that was in my mind. A life long inspiration too. At the time I used to hear Charlie play nadaswaram in Boston with OSMOSSIS, A raga-rock band he had that recorded for RCA. OK-this band kicked holy-azz in the way it sounded.They had two drummers, and a full rhythm section and vocalist. Plus Charlie!! They played " The Boston Tea Party" a Filmore style rock club, and opened for Zappa and Cream. Mariano's lines across the raga-rock grooves were transcendental. NOBODY -was playing like this. - God bless Charlie Mariano...a stellar human being and one of the _real ones_in this music. Happy birthday brother Scorpio.

Tim Price Bloggin' For Rico Reeds- STEVE BERLIN. Of the legendary band Los Lobos; A giant in rock & roll saxophone & more!

What knocks me out about Berlin, is that he knows how to make the_past_the future in the sax styles. To extend the idiom, past < which I love as much/more than anyone> .the backbeatin' cry of the honker lies a workin' mans sax player. STEVE BERLIN. Of the band Los Lobos. This guy stood/played aside of LEE ALLEN in the orignal LA starts of this band ( the Blasters ) and also plays great keyboards. ( eg-piano-organ) and does some world clas production. You need to go to a Los Lobos gig and hear this guy within the band. Check out where he puts the sax IN the ensembles and how he USES the Bari Sax within the bands unique sound. Steve has the roots. The soul. Of a REAL honkin' in your face sax demon. A no-holes barred, take no prisioners kickin' tenor player. BUT, that is within what he is doing in the tapestry of LOS LOBOS. Remember - " The Blasters" - Steve (with Lee Allen) is on "The Blasters" complete Stash recording set and he plays bari (along with Doug James) on a cut or two of Roomful of Blues "Live at Lupo's" recording. On "The Blasters" hit "So Long Baby Goodbye" Berlin plays classic rock bari sax counterpoint to Lee Allen's tenor. What knocks me out about Berlin, is that he knows how to make the_past_the future in the sax styles.One of the great sounds and styles in rock saxophone. Listen to him. Steve Berlin (born September 14, 1955, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American saxophonist, keyboardist and record producer, best known as a member of the rock group Los Lobos and, before that, Top Jimmy & The Rhythm Pigs, The Blasters, and The Flesh Eaters. Berlin is married and lives with his wife and children in Portland, Oregon. Berlin joined Tuatara as a side project in 1998 on their second album, Trading With The Enemy. As either a session musician or producer, Berlin has worked with the Crash Test Dummies, Backyard Tire Fire, Beat Farmers, John Lee Hooker, The Paladins, Faith No More, Dave Alvin, R.E.M., The Go-Go's, The Smithereens, The Replacements, Leo Kottke, Sheryl Crow, The Act, Los Super Seven, Rickie Lee Jones, String Cheese Incident, Alec Ounsworth (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah), Raul Malo, Rick Trevino, Jackie Greene, The Tragically Hip, Great Big Sea, The Bridge, Nathan Wiley, The Dandy Warhols, Making Movies and Deer Tick.[1] - Berlin is a 1st class person and very important voice in the saxophone. I'm shocked, at when folks talk about " rock sax" his name is not mentioned more. His bari playing with the " Blasters" is some great work. One of my students who loves " The Blasters" made me a lot of MP3s, and Berlin and Lee are killin'. Steve Berlin, also plays a lot of piano/organ from time to time w/LosLobos. Non the less, he's..OUT THERE...playing and a force to be heard. I'd say imho, he might be one of todays most important house rockers on tenor. He comes out of the mecca of greats like Lee Allen & Big Jay and Willis Jackson. his baritone sax playing is very original, and inspiring. Check out my friend and someone who is always on the case musically Steve Berlin. - Tim Price