Old Time Workshop

I was lucky enough to attend a workshop for Old Time music today with James Leva (violin), Riley Baugus (banjo), Stephen Wade (banjo), and Danny Knicely (guitar and mandolin).  They are super musicians, cool and open, and took some questions from the audience.  I was even able to ask to what extent there is improvisation in the traditional music...the answer was...it depends, on the musicians, the setting (dance or straight listening), the instrumentation...etc.!  It seems that rhythmic improv is more prevalent, but there are embelishments of most melodies.  James Leva responded that often he is responding to the rest of the band and trying to find the right amount of melody and accompanyment.  Sounds like jazz to me.  I have a couple of flip videos of them that I will post on my Youtube chanel.  Chem 'em out.
(left to right) Leva, Bakugus, Wade, Knicely

Mark Davis, Lesson 19: Mentor

You know, when I got into Jazz there weren’t a lot of kids into it. There were no high school kids into it. Yeah, there was no High School for the Arts program there wasn’t much going on. Now, there are quite a few things going on.
DP So, it’s made some type of resurgence.
MD I think it has. I think Jeff [Hamann] and I were real isolated; there weren’t other kids that were into it.
DP It was hard to find someone to play with.
MD I felt like kind of an oddball.

Mark Davis: The Oddball.

Read more in Milwaukee Jazz Profiles: Lives and Lessons of Musicians from the Cream City (Marquette University Press, 2010)

Steve Einerson, Lesson 30: Balance

From Milwaukee Jazz Profiles: Lives and Lessons of Musicians from the Cream City...Einerson is always striving for balance between writing his own music, being a sideman, leading his own groups, and doing solo gigs.  He also seeks a balance in repertoire—Latin vs. standards vs. bebop vs. fusion music.  He cites Herbie Handcock as an example of someone who can do all of that and retain the integrity of the music.  “Milwaukee has a limited jazz audience, so how do you move people to listen, but still feel comfortable with what you are playing?”...
 Below..Steve during a Paul Silbergleit Quintet performance.
 

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Charles “Chuck” Ledvina, Lesson 4: Bassoon

You are your instrument!  Well, maybe. Chuck does not play bassoon, but he might as well if his bass is broken.  Read about Chuck's encounter with a bar patron in Milwaukee Jazz Profiles from Marquette University Press. Doh!

Old Time Project. First Interview

Burr Datz.

Burr was gracious enough to give me a primmer on Old Time music here in Lexington and give me some names of folks who I should talk to.  He himself has participated in the music scene here as a guitarist since the early 70's and is graduate of Washington and Lee University--where he collaborated with many musicians. Burr gave me many leads as I start out and many names to look up...Odell McGuire, James Leva, The Plank Road String Band, and the list rolled on.  There are also a number of Summer festivals to plan for.  My work is cut out.  He mentioned Mike Seeger as someone who brought action and gravitas to the area as well.  It was a great introduction for a newbie...thanks Burr.

New Project. Kick off...next week!

I've got a new project ready to go next week with my first interview.  My intent is another set of interviews of musicians from around my home town who play Old Time.  What's that?  Well, I'm going to find out, but my initial impression is that it is pre-blue grass folk music.  I want to talk to all levels of musicians from beginners to professionals, and all instrumentalists.  I want to find out about repertoire, instruments, the music, the culture, and of course the people who make it--without them we could put it in a museum under glass.
This project may have a similar trajectory as Milwaukee Jazz Profiles, but I'm guessing it will be pretty different, maybe not; I don't really know what the end result will be. The goal is to publish something...asside from my rantings here.  I will try to blog it and post photos and hopefully video, but the ultimate goal is a publication.
I found out from MJP that my projects are really investigations into myself.  "I'm interested in this, let me see what I can find out."  The fact of it is that I find musicians to be very interesting people...and I want to know why.  I expect that I'll find out a lot about myself on the way.
So here it goes...hip chops!

Berkeley Fudge, Lesson 21: Be

Lester Left Town

What follows is an excerpt of a music lesson that I had with Berkeley Fudge.  He was seated at the piano as we talked over the chord progression to the Wayne Shorter song “Lester Left Town.” This is interesting because of the way Berkeley can reduce a complicated chord progression, distill its essence, and build a roadmap that is understandable, something a novice player needs to learn how to do...read more about Berkeley Fudge in Milwaukee Jazz Profiles from Marquette University Press.

Be well Berk.

Fuzzy image of Berkeley Fudge, it was the my original idea for the Milwaukee Jazz Profiiles cover.