Tim Price Bloggin' For D'Addario Woodwinds-With just a little bit of planning, accomplishing a goal is a simple task.

 


There is a nice chill in the air ,enjoyable and a welcome. Everyone has dreams. Whether they are big or small, they have vast importance in our lives. However, the procrastinator in all of us doesn't have to win. The Little Engine That Could was on to something with the whole "I think I can" mentality. With just a little bit of planning, accomplishing a goal is a simple task.

Start working toward your goals today. Ask yourself, "What can I do today to get one step ahead, however small, closer to achieving my goals?" Stay focused and believe in yourself even if others do not believe in you.Define and describe your goal. Write down when you want to achieve it. Write down the reasons why you want it. Write down what it would feel like after you have achieved it and write down your accomplished goals Figure out exactly what it will take to get it. Be realistic about the time things will take. Many people don't allow themselves enough time, and give up too soon.Once you've broken down your goal into pieces, write down the steps on a piece of paper to make sure you have everything thought out. One of the worst things that can happen is you're almost to the point of your goal, but you're not sure what to do next. Also, give yourself deadlines for each step. Otherwise, you'll end up procrastinating and never achieving your dream.

Visualize. Close your eyes and imagine yourself accomplishing your goals. Where are you? How did you get there? How do you feel? Do this often. Don’t get swayed easily with the noise and happenings going on outside. Put your attention on what you are trying to achieve. Remember the goal, and you will have control over the discomforts and difficulties.. Now that you have the momentum going, don't let it stop! Some steps may seem less exciting than others seem, but make sure to stick to your plan until the end!

If this is one of the first jazz albums you listen to, you will be thoroughly impressed with its virtuoso,it is a exceptional jazz album.This is one of the truly great albums, an album that epitomizes the great preoccupations of jazz--the breaking down and building back up,the old and new schools. It is also more evidence of the Duke's continued reign as undisputed champ of music in America; he was willing to do anything, go anywhere. And so he followed Mingus and Max Roach into their world,a record that is hard-driving and forceful and beautiful. It's not surprising that Mingus, in the presence of Ellington, plays as well as he ever has. No matter how far Mingus reached, no matter how experimental he got, he came from Duke, and worshiped Duke.

And Duke? What can one say... In addition to being a wonderful soul, he was a very smart man.He didn't sign up with Mingus and Roach to dip his toes cautiously and quickly into some new horizons.For me one of the biggest reasons I love this recording all these years is when you play this record it takes you away, where I don't know,the outer nebula and beyond even that. Duke's piano doesn't let up. Nobody plays bass like Charlie Mingus and he's never played better than with these guys on this record. Max Roach is the quintessential bebop drummer, his tempo is his own and Duke and Charlie sound so fresh decades later.

These men are jazz, without them it wouldn't be.If you don't own this record- you need to.To pick one song here and call it my favorite would be impossible. These men, these players in this thing we call jazz, may have departed this mortal coil, but they play on. This music speaks louder than anything. It will forever because...it was played and recorded by people who loved and respected the art form.
 
Lost words - ART FORM. Think about that!
Here below is info for the practice room- and your playing. Check it out- I hope it helps some of you. Till next week- Happy spring?? hahaha- Hey I live on the East Coast...LOL-hahaha.
Stay on your dreams- Tim Price D'Addario Blogger. . . 

And- Let me add this ; SKYPE SAXOPHONE LESSONS WITH TIM PRICE   Personalized Lessons in your home. Using Skype. Learn on line from recording artist, author and jazz educator. ( New School Jazz Dept. and Long Island University, and Selmer & Rico clinician)

I will listen to you play, make suggestions & offer practice regimens. My online lessons will focus your practicing for maximum progress towards creating immediate results. My approach is simple. It combines discipline, creativity & with musical knowledge. Your playing is examined in real time, on line, Then you are assisted to reach a new goal right there ! Take advantage of Tim Price's 35 plus years of teaching, performing, recording & writing experience. Step by step online videos to help you improve your playing at a logical pace. On screen spoken help explaining how to reach your next level. 

All levels are welcome. SEE YOU SOON~ Tim Price . . . .

Tim Price Bloggin' For D'Addario Woodwinds- IT BEATS THE FOUR WALLS BABY!

 

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

Tim Price Bloggin' For D'Addario Woodwinds- IT BEATS THE FOR WALLS BABY!

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 been flooded 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

Tim Price Bloggin' For D'Addario Woodwinds- Hip Cake Walk & the jazz life.

In speaking to many people about jazz, as time goes on I realize how damn lucky I was even as a high school student to be around the caliber of musicians I heard in small bars. And one of my past blogs I referred to a local jazz club here in Reading Pennsylvania-that was run by a pimp called "Macs Place". I was still in high school when I went in there-as the cats got to know me I was asked to come up and play a tune. Trust me, I would've never had the guts   to be asking cats like that to sit in at that age.I had heard the big bands as they came through this area, Basie, Duke, Hamp,Buddy Rich, Stan Kenton and Woody Herman. Hearing guys like Lockjaw Davis, Sal Nistico and Paul Gonsalvez in high school set my mind straight as to _WHAT_a tenor player sounded like. My mom took me to Lambertville NJ as well to hear guys like Stan Getz, Dave Brubeck and MJQ there in their summer concerts at Lamberville Music Tent.

I was telling a student that recently things to listen to-like Don Patterson's record with Booker Ervin called " The Hip Cakewalk". I was telling him about an alto saxophone player on that recording named Leonard Houston. I did not know about the recording, Leonard had played here in Reading Pennsylvania in the late 60s with another Philadelphia organ player I can't remember. There's a good chance it might've been organist Billy Gardner, when I actually spoke to him he told me about the recordings he was on with one of my main inspirations George Braith. But Leonard told me about the recording he had done with Don Patterson which I immediately went out and found.

That's the way you find things out! There was no Google then Ha ha ha. Sometimes those clubs were walking distance from my house so I would just walk in and try to catch a matinee or an early set. I made sure I had a coat and tie on like everybody else in the club. Once the bartender and staff got to know me-and I knew I was there for the music everything was cool. I just had to stay low key and not drink or create any attention. I heard people like Paul Weeden on guitar, Billy Bean on guitar Danny Turner on alto sax and a host of others I mentioned on my blog before a few years ago. If you Google those names, they will come up. Check them out.

Remember this is the late 1960's, I graduated from Reading High School in 1969- Then went to Berklee School Of Music in Boston. Which changed to Berklee College Of Music in my freshman year.

When I think about it none of those bands were even advertised, but the places were always full and people were spending money. Most of the time there was no cover charge whatsoever. I was always allowed to sit near the wall and just listen. More often than not,  education I got from hearing people like that was amazing. I've search the recordings out and check these guys out on vinyl. Still to this day hearing somebody as a kid like Shirley Scott or trombone player Al Grey were life changers.
Aside from all that,and my students question about the " Hip Cakewalk", I noticed one of the pimps from that generation had passed away this week. Out of respect for him-I dropped by his services. He was the last one I think. He had a small bar near the Parish Steel buildings that was a shot and beer spot for the steel workers after work. I mentioned guys with names like chewing gum Jimmy, another pimp they used to call Wat!! Short of course for Watusi. Along with chewing gum Jimmy, and guys like Honey Boy. Most of these guys ended up in Reading and were never born here. From what I said in blogs, you can see that they were a jazz fans, but they saw where a young guy was like me, checking out the music, and they were super cool. If I would've never told my mom or aunt about characters like that, I might've been grounded for life as a teenager ha! God bless them, they were real.

My point is-anything I put in one of these blogs like a CD cover or mention a musicians name, please go check them out. There's a good chance this might be one of the only spots you hear their names. Sometimes information comes from more than one source - it pays to go out here live music and I won't be telling you this if I didn't over 50 years ago. Most of that music has held the test of time, and I'll leave you with this, you find a better record and record than " Hip Cakewalk" with Don Patterson, Booker Ervin, Leonard Houston and Billy James. I'll leave you with that! This weeks blog is dedicated to the late great Horace Parlan. Another musician that spent his life in Europe and was originally from Pittsburgh. Check out the CD that I have listed below here with the Turrentine brothers. If that don't knock you out you need to see a doctor. Tell next week, check out some of this music. OK- The picture above this is probably 1977- of yours truly playing a local bar here in Reading, Pa, probably " Birds Place". A bar on a side street downtown- when I was off and home from road gigs. As with any city, there was jazz here and REAL JAZZ. If you get my drift then you know. For sax peeps- That's my old Couf Tenor saxophone, a Lawton 9starbb mouthpiece and....Rico brown box #5 tenor saxophone reeds. See you next week- Check out Booker Ervin & my man Don Patterson. ~ Tim Price