This page was started because a couple of other bass players and I have been communicating what we have and are working on via face book. I also want to document the work that I am putting into learning my instruments better. I am leaving in a month to take a private lesson from the great Gary Peacock in New York and I would like to share my journey up to that point and possibly beyond. I have been working out of the F. Simandl book for months now and it is usually a page here and a page there. To me this is no small feat. I am impressed with my lack of slacking over the last year in playing but most of all in the time I put in to getting to know my instruments better. Any way, I am a self diagnosed ADHD, I need an excuse! Seriously though, I think that I am able to focus and progress because of the help of these people: John Clayton (see side bar for his bass tips… AMAZING) the most important thing that I pulled out of those was to stretch!!!! But as much as that I have been cutting out the many “vices” that I have/had in my life. Thankfully no more smoking cigs and regular boozing; I eat well, thanks to my wonderful girlfriend, support system, and personal chef(see sidebar for her recipies!); Greg, I stretch all day long and am more aware now.
I am seeing the adventure of life regularly the last year and a half and it all came together for me in one week. I owe a lot to many different influences in my life but the day I talked to Gary Peacock was the day that I changed forever. I was feeling like I wasn’t being as active in my life as I should, I was and am tired of talking about things and ready to see things get done! My dear friend and my Mingus and more mentor had moved away to N. Y. years ago to be in a monk of sorts. He went to the same Monastery as Gary and had hooked up with him for some lessons. This popped into my head and I just had to call. I needed to see if it might happen. When I did call ( it took me a few days to get the guts) I was so nervous that I could hardly talk. Gary was very gracious and kind, we talked for a good while and he told me to get hip to Body Consciousness Awareness this would be a huge amazing thing to suggest! What in the world? Like Yoga? Not exactly but I do think that one is not done without the other. That night I ran into a great friend and she suggested I go to Greg Jahn, a mutual friend. Sure enough he was a perfect match and besides becoming closer to a great mentor I found that I had a body and I could get better in tune with it. The shortness of it all sounds cheesy but this has helped my life beyond imagine. So… Next I decide to get the DVD that Gary put out. After a few sessions with that I knew that I needed help to get me to the level of understanding that would help me benefit from our meeting in Nov. I worked in a restaurant named ENZO and the owner’s sister Kathy is an extra extraordinary musician and teacher. I picked her brain and she knew exactly what to help me with. She has been so gracious with her time and talent. I meet with her twice a week for an hour. We cover anything and everything I have a questions with but mostly sight singing and solfege! Because of Kathy I am a much better musician. This has been the most formal training that I have ever had in my life! Probably all added up! So here I am plugging away and I am going to share with you how you might become a great musician without formal training. This is not to say that I wouldn’t love to be submerged in a fine program like The New School, Manhattan school of music, New England Conservatory, or Berklee. For now I just have to keep going on with the help of the amazing musicians that I play with and learn from daily as well as my loving family, friends, and zoo.
