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Musings-Stan Getz

February 12, 2017 No Comments

“You can read all the textbooks and listen to all the records, but you have to play with musicians that are better than you.” —Stan Getz

This quote reminds me of another quote: “You are the company that you keep.” If you aspire to greater things, have goals you want to accomplish, or are even trying to change your state of mind, surround yourself with like-minded, similarly goal-oriented individuals because you will naturally strive to do and be more. This is a great quote that applies to all aspects of your life and can be applied to music as well. Both quotes have the same underlying theme: challenge yourself. Push yourself outside of your comfort zone.

Studying music theory, listening to tons of music, and practicing for hours on end can help you become a better musician (in part). However, performing with musicians who are better than you forces you to be on top of your game, experiment, and push yourself further than you normally would. Also, seasoned musicians tend to teach you things in musical situations that you wouldn’t necessarily learn or experience on your own or with anyone else. Which, in turn, creates a more comfortable environment allowing you to push yourself even more.

Pushing yourself only produces real results (musical and individual growth) in real-life experiences or real musical situations. Playing with heavy musicians or musicians that are better than you is—in my opinion—the only way you really learn. You will make mistakes and you will be embarrassed beyond belief. I know that sounds unappealing (who in their right mind would willingly put themselves into a situation where they will most likely look like an idiot?), but it’s the best type of learning environment. “You learn on the job.” The next time you have an opportunity to play, you wont make the same mistake because you’ll remember how you felt when you were uncomfortable. When you were outside of your comfort zone. It’s in these moments of being challenged and being pushed beyond our comfort zone that we grow, discovering who we are as musicians and discovering ourselves.

#OnRepeat, Music

#OnRepeat: Adele’s “Chasing Pavements”

February 10, 2017 No Comments

This week, I’ve had Adele’s “Chasing Pavements” #OnRepeat. I’m late, know, I know, but sometimes I come across and rediscover music that other people have long forgotten. To be fair, though, this song really isn’t that old.

For those who still don’t know about her, Adele is a singer-songwriter from Tottenham, London, England. She rose to fame with her debut album, 19, and her following album, 21, gained her several awards, including several Grammys. Her music blends Soul, Blues, R&B, and Pop music, and her voice has stylistic elements of Janis Joplin, Etta James, Lauryn Hill, and Aretha Franklin. Some of her most well-known songs include “Skyfall,” “Rolling in the Deep,” “Hello,” and “Make You Feel My Love.”

The song, “Chasing Pavements,”is about someone who discovers that they’re in love with someone and having an overwhelming need to tell them, but wondering if they should even take the risk. Adele’s voice brings an air of melancholy and almost desperation to the song—which are feelings that sometimes occur when you realize you’re in love. Simultaneously, though, the way in which she slides up to notes and slips into her high voice portrays the dizzying, over-the-moon, and completely vulnerable state people are in when they become enamored with someone. This aspect of her performance technique makes her voice fit this song perfectly. I have always enjoyed Adele’s voice because of her ability to manipulate her vocal timbre, going from delicate and light-sounding, to heavy and gritty. This song exemplifies that unique quality in her voice; not to mention the lyrics and melody make the song too catchy to forget.

Take a listen below:

Is there a singer or group that you can’t stop listening to? Leave a comment below!

Music, musings

Musings-Pat Metheny

February 5, 2017 No Comments

“Listening is the key to everything good in music.” -Pat Metheny

Reading this quote at first, I thought, “Well, duh. Listening is the key to everything good in music because if you don’t listen, you won’t know what to do next (more or less).” This seems so simple, but really, this concept is a lot harder the it sounds.

Active listening is something that I learned over the years from performing with other musicians in smaller groups or combos and larger ensembles. You have to pay attention to what’s being played around you; really listen to what’s going on. Is the energy up in the band? What is the overall feel that the soloist is giving right before you come back in with the bridge or the chorus? Does the piano player want to extend the ending of the song? Trying to listen and pay attention to what’s going on around you in a musical setting and attempting to respond accordingly leads to an interesting result: conversation.

When I witness conversation happening in a musical context, either on or off-stage, it really is one of the most intriguing things to see. It can be almost like standing in a room with other people who are communicating in a different language that you may not be familiar with. You can kind of assume what they’re saying or thinking by different mannerisms–hand gestures, nods, facial expressions, energy, etc.–and then anticipate the next phrase in the conversation. Usually, when I’m up on stage, I think of this interchange as reactions to each other. One musician “says” something, another listens and “says” something back ( a reaction to the first musician). It seems so simple and self-explanatory, but this type of performance is all the more enjoyable for not only the musicians playing, but also the audience. If the musicians are enjoying themselves and really digging into the music they’re making, the audience will pick up on that and enjoy it even more.

This all stems back to listening. Listening is so important in music, especially when creating and playing it. If you’re not listening, you’re not present in that musical situation, and it won’t be the best representation of who you are and what it is that you are trying to say. Listening is essential in discovering and creating your own musical sound.

#OnRepeat, Music

#OnRepeat: Luther Vandross

February 4, 2017 No Comments

This week, I’ve had Luther Vandross’ song, “Never Too Much” #OnRepeat. Lately, I’ve been taking a trip down a musical memory lane, listening to older albums of singers from my childhood like Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton, Brandy, and Mariah Carey, but this song by Mr. Vandross is at the top of that list.

Luther Vandross is a household name for 1980s and 1990s R&B and Pop music. For a good portion of his career, Vandross worked as a backup singer for performers like Chaka Khan, Janet Jackson, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, Donna Summer, and David Bowie. He was then the lead singer of the group, Change, but left to start his solo singing career in 1981. Vandross’ vocal tenor range and his performance style led many to refer to him as “Velvet Voice” and many that I’ve heard in conversation group him in with the low, sultry sounds of Barry White in terms of charisma and musical taste. Some of his most well-known songs are “Endless Love,” “Here and Now,” and “Power of Love.”

“Never Too Much” is a song talking about a person who loves someone so much that they can never get enough of them. Luther Vandross’ vocal range and the way in which he utilizes it brings such an immense amount of joy and excitement to the song. The other aspect of Luther’s voice that I like is that even though his voice sits in the upper part of his range, you can still hear the low undertones of each note that he sings, indicative 0f his bright yet grounded sound. Combine this with the upbeat, playful melody and the Disco feel of the song, and you get an amazing earful of Luther, while dancing in your seat.

Take a listen below:

Are there any singers or groups that you can’t stop listening to? Don’t forget to leave a comment below!

Jazz, Music, musings

Musings- Miles Davis

January 31, 2017 No Comments

“When you hit a wrong note, it’s the next note that makes it good or bad.” -Miles Davis

I came across this quote while scrolling through social media and it made me think about my undergraduate years at UC San Diego, studying and performing music. Sometimes quotes like these make me think of past experiences and other phrases or thoughts attached to those experiences. The phrase that comes to mind when I read this quote was something that my professor and friend, Kamau Kenyatta, has repeatedly said to myself along with other students: “You’re always a half-step away from the right note.”

Sometimes musicians have a tendency to say that the way in which another musician performed a song or solo was wrong. This usually stems from that individual’s personal experiences (how they learned the music they play, what their ideals are, who taught them how to play their instrument/music, etc.) and should be taken with a grain of salt. They expect to hear things like a particular type of orchestration and certain characteristic licks on instruments, and if they don’t hear these things, they consider the music wrong or lacking, forgetting completely that a lot of work goes into creating that piece of music, whether it is aesthetically pleasing to the ear or not.

Having attended an experimental music program for my undergrad degree, I’ve seen music expressed and performed in all types of ways. Self-expression can be pure and real. Therefore it is hard for me to tell a musician that something that they do is wrong or right. I prefer to offer my own advice and opinion in terms of style and technique, but students (and fellow musical colleagues) are free to take or leave what I have to say.

This way of thinking–being a “half-step away from the right note” and the next note you play determining whether the previous one is the “wrong” note–is a great way to to approach playing and performing music. I agree completely with this way of thinking, and by extension, Miles Davis’ quote, because it enables an open, accepting environment for creating and self-expression. This also leads to more experimentation in music, and thus progression. For me, music is very human. When I say this, I mean that humans tend to naturally evolve and progress, and since music is inherently human, so should music. The only way to do this is by continually hitting those supposed “wrong” notes, potentially “messing up” that Jazz or Latin standard, adding different notes or licks than what people might expect. Create. Experiment. Find what works for you and your audience. In the process of trying to find the “right” note, musicians not only discover who they are musically, but who they are as individuals.

#OnRepeat, Jazz, Music

#OnRepeat: Chet Baker’s “My Funny Valentine”

January 27, 2017 No Comments

This week, I’ve had Chet Baker’s version of “My Funny Valentine” #OnRepeat. I started listening to this song again after I had a conversation with a fellow musician about Chet’s musicality, and I just can’t get enough of his version of this song.

Chet Baker is a Jazz trumpeter, flugelhorn player, and vocalist from Yale, Oklahoma. He gained attention by performing with tenor saxophonist Stan Getz, Charlie Parker, and as a member of Gerry Mulligan’s Quartet. Chet Baker has been associated with West Coast Jazz, BeBop, and the Cool Jazz genres, and his versatility on his instrument, along with his unique vocal sound gained him a lot of recognition throughout his career. Some of his most well-known songs are “Chetty’s Lullaby,” “Il Mio Domani (My Tomorrow),” and “Anticipated Blues.” Had it not been for Baker’s drug addiction issues and subsequent overdose, he most likely would have still been creating and re-creating great music.

Although Chet Baker does have an instrumental version of “My Funny Valentine,” I find the vocal version much more interesting because of how he interprets the words and his delivery of the melody. The lyrics are already intimate enough–loving someone despite all of their little quirks and physical flaws–but when Chet starts to sing the words, you feel as though you’re sitting on the floor of a quiet, dark room with only his voice. Chet has an incredible way of expressing vulnerability and depth at the same time with his performance style. “My Funny Valentine” has and always will be a great standard, but Chet’s performance makes his version of this song the first that comes to mind when you think of this title.

Take a listen below:

Are there any versions of a particular song that you can’t get enough of? Let us know in the comments below!

Music, musings

Musings- Billie Holiday

January 22, 2017 No Comments

Vocalist Billie Holiday | p.c.: http://www.hubqueen.com/en/billie-holiday/

“You can’t copy anybody and end with anything. If you copy, it means you’re working without any real feeling. No two people on earth are alike, and it’s got to be that way in music or it isn’t music. ” –Bille Holiday

I came across this quote several months ago, and, even though I’ve heard many variations of it, this particular version really resonates with me because of how it reads like a statement — almost like a fact. Just to be clear, quotes such as these should generally be taken as opinion, even if they are something said by a musician of the caliber of Billie Holiday.

I believe certain aspects of this quote to be true. If you simply sing a pop cover or a Jazz standard like one of those by Whitney Houston or Ella Fitzgerald, you are singing music, but you are just copying what others have done before you. Other than the fact that you picked the song you are performing from hundreds of others, your performance might not be that unique. However, adding your own inflections, melismas, extra words, choosing to change the melody in an interesting way–these are things that make the song and the performance your own.

However, I don’t agree that copying someone else means that you don’t feel the music in some way, and that the results won’t amount to anything. In my experience, I’ve found that the way in which you learn something is through imitation. By listening and trying to copy that one run in a song over and over again, you pick up that singer’s musical phrasing, trying to anticipate what note to start or end on, where to place inflection in phrases, etc. I used to listen to a lot of Etta James’ music, trying to copy her performance style. Eventually, after I would learn a song in the style in which she sang it, I would start messing with the song, finding what was comfortable and what worked for me. After practicing and performing the song in this way, it was no longer just an Etta James’ song. It was my version of an Etta James’ song.

Why do I explain this process to you? Imitation, or copying, is part of the process of learning in music. Seriously. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard horn players go on and on about the number of hours they practiced BeBop lines from well-known BeBop horn players. It’s just something musicians do. Since imitation (or copying) is a step in the learning process, and therefore necessary, I could only agree with Billie Holiday’s quote if she were to say that if the music doesn’t in some form become your own, then it isn’t real music. Having your sound, your own unique voice is what makes music so substantial and memorable to begin with.

If you’re curious about who Billie Holiday was and what her life was like, be sure to check out this great article over at hubqueen.com!

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with this quote? Leave a comment below!

#OnRepeat, Jazz, Music

#OnRepeat: Cyrille Aimée’s “Young at Heart”

January 20, 2017 No Comments

This week, I’ve had Cyrille Aimée’s version of “Young at Heart” #OnRepeat. To be honest, I’ve been revisiting this song frequently over the past three or four months after discovering it on Pandora (a great source for finding new music, by the way), but haven’t been able to get it out of my head for the past week or so.

I’m not too familiar with Cyrille Aimée, but what I have learned so far is that she is a Jazz singer from the city of Samois-Sur-Seine in Fontainebleau, France who is currently based in Brooklyn, New York. Cyrille has won several prominent Jazz competitions over the years, including the Montreux Jazz Festival Competition in 2007 and was a finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition of 2010. Her music blends Jazz, Folk, and French music. Some of her most-well known songs are “It’s A Good Day,” “Smile,” and “Let’s Get Lost.”

“Young at Heart” is a popular standard, lyrics written by Carolyn Leigh and music by Johnny Richards. Frank Sinatra was the first to record and popularize the song in 1953. The song, “Young at Heart,” is one of the few songs whose lyrical themes are timeless and universal–viewing the world with innocence, expecting great things to happen, and having a positive outlook on life can keep you young and happy. The words are simple, yet poignant (if you haven’t already noticed, I dig simplicity and subtlety in music). Cyrille adds her own flare of innocence to the song with her vocal timbre and interpretation of the words. The way she slides up and down in her register between notes and where she chooses to place this in different lyrical phrases adds emphasis to the simplistic nature of the theme and the song itself.

Take a listen below:

Is there any musician or group that you can’t stop listening to? Leave a comment below and let us know!

#OnRepeat, Jazz, Music

#OnRepeat: Gregory Porter’s “But Beautiful”

January 9, 2017 No Comments

This week, I’ve had Gregory Porter’s version of the Jazz standard, “But Beautiful” #OnRepeat. If you’ve read previous posts, you’ll find that a lot of these #OnRepeat posts are about Gregory Porter (for good reason), but I can’t get enough of this song.

For those of you who aren’t familiar, Gregory Porter is a singer, songwriter and actor who won a Grammy in 2014 for Best Jazz Vocal Album with his album Liquid Spirit. Some of his most well known songs are “Be Good,” “Liquid Spirit,” and “Don’t Lose Your Steam.”

The music for the Jazz standard,”But Beautiful” was written by Jimmy Van Heusen and the lyrics by Johnny Burke for the movie, Road to Rio in 1947. The song has been performed by singers like Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, and Barbara Streisand. The song talks about both the good and bad aspects of love; despite all of it, it’s still beautiful. You still take the risk and fall, wanting to be with that other person no matter what. The lyrics are simplistic, yet so poignant, filled with emotion and imagery, which is the perfect type of song for Gregory Porter. Porter’s deep, yet bright vocal timbre and soulful/croon-like performance style adds so much more depth to an already musically and lyrically well-rounded song.

Take a listen below:

Do you have an singer or group that you can’t stop listening to? Leave a comment below!

#OnRepeat, Jazz, Music

#OnRepeat: Lizz Wright’s “Soon As I Get Home”

December 31, 2016 No Comments

This week, I’ve had Lizz Wright’s version of “Soon As I Get Home” #OnRepeat. This is a song that I performed back during my undergrad years and I’m just now starting to listen to it again.

Lizz Wright is a Jazz and Blues singer from Georgia who released her first album, Salt, back in 2003. Her music mixes influences of Jazz, Gospel, Pop, Blues and Folk music. Although her writing and performance style has been compared to Norah Jones, her unique vocal timbre and musical phrasing sets her in a category all her own.

“Soon As I Get Home” is a song from the musical, The Wiz, and is sung by the main character, Dorothy, right before she meets the Scarecrow and heads down the yellow brick road to see the Wizard of Oz. The song lyrics talk about Dorothy’s fear and doubt, being in an unknown land by herself and not knowing what to expect. Lizz Wright’s performance of this song is spot on. Although she perfectly conveys the vulnerability and innocence that is so iconic of Dorothy’s character, Lizz’s deep voice brings out the themes of strength and bravery that are quite often overlooked when listening to this song.

Take a listen below:

Do you guys have any singers or groups that you can’t stop listening to? Leave a comment below!

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