Tim Price Bloggin' for D'Addario Woodwinds- IT DON'T JUST HAPPEN..you got to work.

- - 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 > ~ You do it, and keep doing it. That is.....what it is. 

 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 . It's called- day to day life. 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.

  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.   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
PS- - THIS LADY...PLAYS HER AZZ OFF!!!!! D'Addario artist Mindi Abair and I at one of the Holiday shows she did a year ago or so- She is one of today's ultimate performers and players. If you see her concerts or CDs - get to them immediately- she is all that and more.
Proud to know her and call her a friend too. . one of the real ones today!



 

Tim Price Bloggin For D'Addario Woodwinds- A trip to Rahsaanapolis. Get your rip, rig & panic on. Today is the day on the D'Addario Blog that we remember the great instrumentalist Rashaan Roland Kirk

 

Today is the day on the  D'Addario Blog that  we remember the great

instrumentalist Rashaan Roland Kirk

Rahsaanapolis awaits you!

Today on the Rico Blog is the day we remember the great instrumentalist

Rashaan Roland Kirk, who was born on August 7th ( yesterday) 1935.

He was one of the most important musicians in jazz, now then and always. Check his history here :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rahsaan_Roland_Kirk

As a assignment for ALL those interested, please go buy -

Rip, Rig & Panic

How can you miss with this band!

Roland Kirk - Tenor Saxophone, Stritch, Manzello, Flute, Siren, Oboe, Castanets
Jaki Byard - Piano
Richard Davis - Bass
Elvin Jones - Drums

You can even get a 2-for CD here; At CD Universe. Downloads too!

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1177275/a/Rip,+Rig+And+Panic%2FNow+Please+Don't+You+Cry,+Beautiful+Edith.htm

This CD combines two of Roland Kirk's most celebrated albums. Rip, Rig and Panic is renowned because of the astounding line-up, Jaki Byard on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and the redoubtable Elvin Jones.In this respect it provides listeners,a good overview and trip into Rahsaanapolis.

This said, it would require a truck equipped with extra heavy-duty suspension to deliver the box set providing a comprehensive tour of Rahsaanapolis. Kirk was a man of profound contradictions, relentless experimentation, and an unquenchable appetite for music. He has been largely overlooked by jazz historians (to say nothing of the public!) and unfairly tagged as a novelty act because of his propensity for playing multiple horns simultaneously and actually making his own reed instruments out of bits and pieces of other reed instruments. But also listen to his gentle side- he was capable of playing music so fragile and beautiful check out " I Talk With The Spirits".

Who else could take you from Sidney Bechet, Don Byas, and Fats Waller and have the trip make sense? Kirk played everything he touched, and he played with unparalleled intensity. His flute playing was amazing, but his tenor sax work was simply off the map. Kirk belongs in the pantheon with Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Eric Dolphy, and John Coltrane - indeed, he's already there, it's just that the mainstream hasn't noticed yet. I'm not aware of any Rahsaan Roland Kirk CD that isn't worth the price of admission, but for veterans and first time visitors to Rahsaanapolis alike, this CD is a must have. Rico Blog readers get it now!

Are their musicians like this anymore? The experience is uncommonly artistic and uncompromising but never strains the ear or mind. As a free-range whole, Kirk was a poet's poet, clearly and constantly musical, with the mark of unsurpassed integrity.Give it up to Rahsaan.

I am lucky to be one of the few people who has all the Roland Kirk records on original vinyl. Including the rare stuff with Tubby Hayes and James Moody. In 1969 I saw him sit in with ZAPPA and The Mothers Of Invention at the Boston Globe Jazz Festival. He played Zappa's stuff and jammed on " Louie Louie".

Needless to say...it was the best version of that tune I ever heard. HA!!

IN 1970.....I lived in a apartment building in Boston, a now famous building a lot of us lived in called " Holmes Hall" on Hemenway st in Boston down the street from Berklee. Jam sessions day and night, all kinds of sounds daily and great musicians there.Ray knew Kirk very well and took us down on a Sunday to hang.

In the midst of the hang, someone ordered a pizza. The guy shows with the pizza and dropped the change as Roland Kirk paid him. AT THAT POINT....Kirk .reaches down , and picks up the change and hands it to the guy. I had to know how he did that, I asked him. He was still going by the name Roland then, he looks at me and sais " EARS BABY". I am very lucky. He was the musician that influenced me to search out stritch and saxello and expand my woodwind mind set at an early age as well. Thank you sir for that sonic message!

Remembering a late great master innovator, bright moments indeed.

~ Tim Price

Roland Kirk - Rip, Rig & Panic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMg6Cy1Kh3o&feature=related

Roland Kirk - Alfie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47VSwCMhZ8I&feature=related

Roland Kirk - Slippery, Hippery, Flippery

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7WvonH_Oxc&feature=related

Buddy Guy, Jack Bruce, Roland Kirk, Jimmy Hope & Ron Burton Supershow Live

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW7mCDmP644&NR=1

Tim Price Bloggin' For D'Addario Woodwinds- Thank you Gary Burton! Much enjoyment in your retirement years & life.

Just a few weeks ago vibraphonist , leader, educator and jazz icon Gary Burton step back from the bandstand and went into retirement. I'd like to use today's blog to thank him for the multitude of recordings and direction and inspiration he's provided. His history should be obvious to any jazz fan, if it's not immediately obvious, please google him and make it a point to take some time and get familiar with him.

Gary was discovered first by iconic innovative jazz educator-master musician John LaPorta at a summer band camp. From what I remember from what John told me, it was one of those Stan Kenton camps. That said; Gary's career from a teenager to his final concerts always were bright spots and bright moments. In a world of music this man not only stands tall , but set an incredible benchmark for those who care to partake. His bands always  had the highest level players. Manny had been introduced to the jazz audience for the first time and stepping forward displaying what they have to offer. Gary's bands were always spot on, starting on time with a focus set and a forward motion and development of the music. Music for music sake at the highest level.

For me before attending Berklee I had heard Gary's first recordings that were new to me of course called " Duster" and " Tong Funeral" and of course I was lucky enough to hear him play live as a side man with jazz legend Stan Getz. The venue that I heard Gary play with Stan was the Lambertville music tent in Lambertville Pennsylvania. In the summers Lambertville would have jazz in this theater in the round. I have great memories in that era of hearing not just Stan but the Woody Herman band with Sal Nistico, Dave Brubeck and the MJQ. Places like that reinforced my fortitude and wanted to become a musician and also hearing how it was done a few feet from my face while I was still in high school. Stan's band had Gary, Steve swallow and Roy Haynes. Again the route was rehearse music and music of the highest level. They went from tune to tune like the established pros they were. This was of course before Gary's RCA records and I believe the only record and I had at that time was something called " New Vibes man in town". I quickly made it a practice to make sure when something came out with Gary on it , or one of his own recordings, I got it. And my ears and my knowledge were better for it. One of my favorite records was " Throb" which had violinist Richard Green on it and also a drummer who I later would have the joy of playing with, and having a great friendship named Bill Goodwin. Recordings that are timeless gems and stand tall in the direction of the art form of jazz.

As that was developing in the music-in my third and fourth years at Berklee I had Gary for improvisation classes and ensembles. He was a no-nonsense teacher and you left with knowledge and a firm grip of what he was teaching you. To this day I'll never forget this man's commitment to what he did for us as students, he came in the room knew all of us by name the second class. This was before computers and before passing out printouts. He would go to the blackboard and write out on the board within seconds cord progressions and scales that he wanted us to investigate and study. Many times and ensembles there was printed music that we've never seen from Mike Gibbs or Carla Bley. He'll pass out a concert sheet, and if you were a saxophonist or transposing instrument you were required to transpose that music on the spot. I remember a few times he also played piano in the ensembles, and his piano playing was very inspiring. In short he was a teacher that was of great assistance to me at that point in my life but also somebody who propagated and displayed musicianship that I had to be attained. A very friendly human being to.  Let me say that his " Berklee On Line" classes are something that had it's own importance as well. ANYONE...going to Berklee today worth their salt in any shape or form, should make it their business to listen and study Gary's playing but also his career. ( read his book too!)

There are many people in this business that came to Gary's bands as sidemen that have careers today that are untouchable. There was a certain ambiance about Gary's  four mallet technique and his choice of music was always the best. Always fresh tunes and as I said before well rehearsed and totally professional from the first tune to the last whether he played a concert or a club. Is bands always started on time! You never waited for Gary Burton to start a set. That says everything especially with the way the level has slipped today and the opposite has taken place which we won't get into. I have find memories of hearing Gary and also fun memories of the period that I encountered him while a student at Berklee. There was another thing I thought I'd mention-a few times and ensembles he say to people what would you like to play? I remember one time somebody called Sonny Rollins is tune " Airegin".... Gary Play the tune without any kind of second-guessing or anything, in the period of the Steve swallow tunes some of those tunes were very tricky to people who had not been playing songs with nine bar phrases or cord progressions that had stepped out of the bebop cycle. Being around Gary and hearing him play these and demonstrate these on a professional level within a few feet of you with some of the best education you could get. As I say, to hear is to see!

I admire somebody who created such a benchmark  in the music in so many ways I'm sure I'm missing a few as I write this blog. Things that today don't exist in the same level, like having a working band constantly, employing a band, a leader that had his skills together so that the band move smoothly and concentrated on the music.
Burton has been an innovator on several fronts: virtuoso soloist as well as influential bandleader and educator. He’s discovered one future star after another for his bands: Larry Coryell, Pat Metheny, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and, in his current quartet, the guitarist Julian Lage. Burton also ushered in the new wave of “jazz-rock fusion,” preceding Miles Davis by a couple of years. Meanwhile, as a teacher and administrator at Berklee for 33 years, he transformed the curriculum, bringing rock into the program, expanding the use of digital technology, and, more recently, initiating the school’s online education program.

I applaud Gary Burton for the career and more keys left in this music in many ways in many shapes. Also for the integrity that he has had as a human being musician educator an innovator. And that's a word that is used to freely today but yes indeed Gary Burton was a stone cold innovator. Thank you sir for touching this music so deeply and I wish you nothing but the best in your retirement. Health happiness and lots of sun and good times you've earned it. I bow deeply in your direction as somebody who has followed your career from not only a fan but a student who heard your message and the music, let this blog be a thumbs up and a huge thank you. Thank you Gary Burton!   

Tim Price Bloggin' For D'Addario Woodwinds 2017

Tim Price Bloggin' For D'Addario Woodwinds- JULY IDEAS TO PRACTICE-LISTEN TO & MORE!

BATTLE STATIONS

  It has been my contention that the most valuable viewpoints come from those who do. Thus, it’s logical to assume that any saxist who is surviving in this field, and doing it with success, is doing something right.
The energies we all put into our craft; The years of apprenticeship and life-struggle, and the never ending open tuition to the school of hard knocks is always balanced by the intense commitment to the horn, and the pure love of playing it. 

The music always has an infinite history and fertility, inexhaustible vitality, and at the same time, a seductive power of temptation - which inspires all of us who play – and offers the open-ended invitation to create as much as we can. The results, the waiting, the practicing at all hours, the talking of the music and constant study gives the music a breath of spirit, endless in motion and evolution. This will always be a source of awe and wonder to the fan or player. The legacy of the sax is a never ending landscape, at all times finite and infinite, both temporal and spiritual. The following players below are life long friends- we all hang study and play a lot- If you do NOT know them you should. If you play the saxophone these guys are the ones who will set your ears straight. Take a chance and find out who they are. Get started now- old school. Seek and ye shall find.

 You aware of this book? If not get it;

 YOU KNOW THIS TUNE? Sam Rivers is also someone you should know- start now.

 LEE MORGAN'S TUNE....get it together.

 TRI- TONE SUBS....the good bad and ugly - on one page.

 THIS BOOK....Was suggested to me by none other than the great late Von Freeman- if you don't practice out of it- you should .

 STUDY WITH ME...Skype NYC and Reading Pa....

 Working the new Sax Dakota straight tenors out with my man Joe Lovano in NYC last week in NYC.

 Trane study's on your favorite progression. You dig?

 Suggested listening....if you are NOT listening you are NOT learning.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST.... Here re some more things to get under your fingers; 

HAVE A GREAT JULY 4TH....Drink plenty of water and be cool. Practice like a boss and listen to the cats I'm telling you to. Battle stations!! Thanks- Tim Price for D'Addario.

 

THAT'S IT FOR NOW....YOU TALKIN TO ME???!!?!??!!?!?