A dear friend of mine, saxophonist Steve Treseler, got me thinking about the role that modern musicians play in a world whose ears have already reached the point of saturation. In his senior recital at New England Conservatory, Steve stated that one of his major goals was to "create music that doesn’t exist yet." At the time, I took this pretty literally, and assumed he said it because he’s an improviser, and that’s what improvisers do: spontaneously compose, invent, react, and perform new ideas. In the three years since we graduated from NEC, I’ve seen my musical life take on Steve’s idea, and in a way, it’s transformed itself into a mantra that characterizes nearly everything that I do. WAITIKI is a good entry-level example of this: although we market its music as being rooted in the principles of exotica music, it isn’t purely tiki music. As many others have pointed out, so many influences are clearly present: that of Frank Zappa, Maurice Ravel, pop culture, Federico Fellini, Michael Cain, etc. … not to mention, all the separate influences that each of our musicians (Tim Mayer, Brian O’Neill, Mikey Connors, Abe Lagrimas Jr) bring to the table.

On a deeper level, though, framing my practicing around the idea that I’m creating "music that doesn’t exist yet" helps me to stay focused on what I’m doing individually — in other words, it keeps me from comparing myself to others who are also classical bassists (or, musicians in general) in training. We each have our own talents, abilities, and perspectives to bring to the music that we create. Every time we set our bows to the string to play, or bring an instrument to our mouths, we are  creating new music. Regardless of whether we are playing Bach or Shostakovich, Hindemith or Coltrane, Ravel or Martin Denny or an entirely new work.  

As some of you may know, I recently took a long-awaited trip to Japan. To see the sights and experience the lifestyle of the metropolises of Kyoto and Tokyo.

I want to move! Check out my photos: Photos from Japan Trip … Yeah! Yeah!

So, the past two weeks, I’ve been learning to work with German bow. This is a pretty big change for me, because in a way, it’s like having to re-learn and re-train all new muscle movements. Almost like starting from scratch. I guess this must be what jazz players who start using the bow must feel like: that they are in control of their left hand, but really need to focus on their right. Though, I know "how" the bow should feel in the string, and I also know what the strokes and stuff should sound like.

In a funny way, switching to German bow feels like a natural progression for me.  My studio teacher (Todd Seeber) is a himself a German bower, and my friend Ben Levy is also a German bower. I would consider both Todd and Ben to be my principal "sound models" — that is to say, when I think of certain bass sounds or strokes in my head, what I "hear" is the work of Todd and Ben. I guess ‘growing up’ (at NEC) as a bassist was difficult for me, because I had trouble matching German bow sounds with my limited French bow technique. I mean, some things come more naturally for German bowers than French bowers, and vice-versa.

So far, my experience with the German bow is that it feels very natural, and easy to play in the string. I miss some of the ease of play I developed with French bow - right now, I am doing very methodical work to get my bow tracking right and string crossings smooth. I figure that, if I’m starting something from scratch, the very least I want to do is to start with bad habits.  

Thursday nights are special nights for me; they’re the evenings that I usually go down to Wally’s (jazz bar on Mass Ave.) and check out Tim Mayer’s Latin jazz band. The guys he gets are some of the finest musicians in Boston. On piano, Aruan Ortiz. On congas, Gregorio Vento. On drums, Matt Brady. Earlier in the year, Tim had a rotating cast of great bass players: Esperanza Spalding (bassist for Ray Charles Big Band and Joe Lovano), Keala Kaumeheiwa (Thelonius Monk Institute alum), Alex Alvear (nominated for a 2004 Latin Grammy Award), Hogyu Hwang (original bassist for Prelude Sextet) … but lately, his main man has been Danny Weller (who is just a bad-ass, period!). I love going down to Wally’s on Thursdays to see Tim and the gang blaze through all kinds of Latin feels, man.

Anyways, tonight was supposed to be a really special night because Tim called Luques Curtis (bass player for Gary Burton "Generations" Quintet) to come up and play this week’s gig with him. Tim told me Luques was coming up, so I cleared my evening schedule to be sure to see him play. (I’ve known Luques for a while, and am good friends with his older brother Zaccai). Well, as fate would have it, the bus Luques was on broke down on its way up from NYC, and Tim couldn’t find anyone else to play the gig. So, he called me!!

Long story short, tonight was definitely a "trial by fire." I’d never really played any Latin feels before, so I was really just trying to hold down the fort. I think it blew away though or something! Geez! Anyways, I have been wanting to learn to play Latin music for a while now, so I guess this was a good initiation/entry point. And my first time playing at WALLY’S!!!

Last night, I did probably what I should’ve done 5 or more years ago. Thanks to the wonders of the Internet and Google, I tracked down my former Solfège & piano teacher Jackie Darvill and sent her an email to thank her for a job well done. After all, if it weren’t for those fixed-Do Solfège lessons from 3-5 years old, who knows if I’d be the same musician I am today. (My guess: Probably not). I’m happy to report that she wrote back and informed me she’s now teaching string orchestra in a public school somewhere in NY state. Glad to hear she’s doing well… Anyways, thanks Jackie!

I can’t wait to move out of my apartment and into a different one. I’m not totally sure where yet, but come Sept. 1st, I really hope my living situation turns around 180 degrees and that I can be happy again. That’s all for now.

So I’m really diggin’ the Czech-Ease bass by David Gage. I picked it up on Thursday afternoon before playing the NY Uke Fest. It actually doesn’t look much smaller than a regular 3/4-7/8 size bass, if you’re not used to looking at one. But when you pick the thing up, haul it around, and stuff … it’s TONS SMALLER. Get this: I was able to sling it on one shoulder, wear my backpack, and wheel a suitcase with one arm, and have my other hand free to eat a hot dog! All while walking down the street and and catching the NYC subway and stuff. It was sooo super easy to catch the subway with the Czech-Ease. It totally fits through the subway turnstiles and everything! Not to mention, we fit it in a cab with four people, 2 ukes, a guitar, and a suitcase … in a regular sedan cab! These are situations that just WOULDN’T BE POSSIBLE with a normal double bass. I gues you can tell that I’m a happy customer. Yesterday, I schlepped it on the T and then the Commuter Rail out to Norwood, MA. Who knows what the future holds, for me and my Czech-Ease!

Went out to 57th & 7th today (CARNEGIE HALL) and saw Helen’s Carnegie Hall debut. She did really great!! Then we went to Congee Village down near Chinatown (Delancey St and Allen St) and I treated her family to a nice late-nite dinner. It was the least I could do for them, I’m so glad that they came up to support her and see her perform. (It’s been four years since they’ve seen her play!)

Howzit! I’m coming to you from NYC where ABC is being featured at the first-ever New York Ukulele Festival. Last night, we played to a packed theater - the Main Stage at the Festival and performed a set of all kinds of music. There were probably a couple hundred people at that show. Overall I think we had a really great performance. We opened up with "Spain," featuring Abe’s uke cadenza and lots of great solos. Then we did some ABC originals - "Cane Road Blues," "Bittersweet Melon Song," some standards - "Days of Wine and Roses" - and some other stuff, like Martin Denny’s "Tiki." It was the debut of my new bass, the Czech-Ease, and I think it was met to great acclaim. Everybody was asking me about it and complimenting me on it! I definitely think I made the right choice in buying it, especially when it came to carrying it on the subway, throwing it in a regular (!) cab, and bringing it in to a tiny Korean restaurant for an after-show dinner. … These are all scenarios that WOULDN’T be possible with a regular upright bass. We played our second set on the Hawaiian stage and did a bunch of local-style Hawaiian jams. Also on that set, I borrowed a BASS UKE from maker Owen Holt, and it did pretty well. A very nice-looking instrument, at the very least!

Tonight, I’m going to see Helen’s Carnegie Hall recital debut with the New York Amadeus Quartet and pianist Chiharu Sai - an all-Mozart program. Tomorrow, we go back to the Uke Festival and perform some more stuff! 

By the way, there’s something wrong with the clock on this blog. So, just subtract 4 hours from the time stated, and you’ll know when I’m posting.

Is there even a timezone 4 hours ahead of Boston? Isn’t that in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean somewhere??