I'm in school now. That's keeping me pretty busy and has reduced the quantity of random occurences that I tend to blog about. I don't have any photos this time either.
So this weekend I had a couple of gigs and then we went to the Silver Spring Jazz Festival on Saturday night. I heard Marcus Johnson who I enjoyed very much in spite of the fact that smooth jazz is not really my thing. But music is music and he put on a great show. Then the Mingus Big Band performed. The playing was fantastic, but they weren't able to do a sound check and it showed. The videography was outstanding. The temperature was pleasant and the full moon was beautiful. All in all it was a very nice evening.
Today we saw the Coen Brothers "Burn After Reading" and we both loved it. It is hilarious and clever and I highly recommend it, although it might not be for everyone. There was a lot of very lewd language, but it was completely appropriate for the characters . Tonight it is humid but there's a nice breeze too. It kind of feels like the air in Hawaii.
And now I have to do a bunch of work for school. See ya next weekend!
11 comments:
So what are you studying in school? Is this a degree program?
If all goes well, I will have an M.M. in jazz studies by the end of the school year. This time I also have a teaching assistantship.
I started this degree several years ago, but it was interrupted by a 4 year long road gig and a fire. Since I'm stuck staying in the area until the house is finished, I figured I might as well finish the degree, especially since it is so nicely financed. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to afford it.
What school? U of MD? Sounds like an impressive credential for a jazz player to have!
I am dying to see the new Coen brothers film--thanks for reminding me, and GOOD LUCK WITH SCHOOL!
Have you seen that crazy lounge / soft jazz band that plays at the Hollywood East in Wheaton on Friday nights?
Barbara - yes it's UMD. It is not really an impressive credential for a jazz musician to have. On the job is the best place to learn. I'm doing it mostly to fill in some holes in my training and because I need STRUCTURE.
Mo - the Coen Brothers rock. Burn After Reading was super silly.
Wheaton - Ha Ha Ha!!! I don't need to see that. Is he still using a drum machine? Snazzy. I actually played a few gigs with him (the piano player)when I first started playing. He had me over to his house for jam sessions when no one else would, so I owe him a debt of gratitude...I guess.
So which part of it isn't impressive? The UM part or the degree part? Either way, I'm massively unimpressive, I guess :)
I love how professionals always pick up on the things that others don't. I'm sure all of the non-musicians had no idea that there was no sound check and didn't notice any difference (this would be me I'm sure).
I can't imagine going back to school...I admire anyone who can go back to all of the tests and papers AND have a real life job. Makes me wonder what I was doing when I should have been studying in college... I certainly wasn't working 8 hour days and taking care of children - yet my time seemed so limited.
Tom Kitty- I think the impressiveness expands geometrically when you get more than one, especially in such close proximity! As you probably know, there are a lot of really excellent players out there who are unimpressed by such things, so I really don't expect this degree to expand my professional horizons as a player. But as an educator, who knows?
Kate - I hear you on the time thing. If I had kids I know I would'nt be doing any of this. Or some of it. And if I'd known that we weren't going to be finished building our house I would have put this degree thing off for a while. But since I'm finally starting to realize that, I might as well get on with things - all except for the travelling, unfortunately.
Awww.... your comment made me purr.
I think a part of grad school that worked/works for me, whether as student or faculty, is, as you mentioned, the structure. Otherwise my freelance life becomes a little too freeform.
Plus it's so nice and finite - you start, you jump through the hoops, you get your piece of paper. Unlike playing, where you practice - and then you practice some more - and then you practice some more - and you're never quite "done". At least, I'm never quite done.
It's certainly a bit easier in the so-called "legit" world, where it's more quantifiable. Either you can play the passage fast enough, or you can't. Either it's in tune, or it's not.
But jazz is so open-ended there's never a sense of completion. At least not for me.
On another topic - or maybe it's the same topic - have you listened to the May 18 CD yet? There are moments - and there are other moments.
Tom Handsome - I listened to the 2nd CD. I laughed and I cried, so to speak, but mostly I laughed. It definitely had its moments. There's a certain song that really ought to be on YouTube - I'm sure you know which one I'm talking about and why. ;) I'm still waiting for the right moment to listen to the rest of it.
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