Old School

[Jokeyman123]

A traditional jazz comp I put together-my chops are a little rusty-all tracks played and recorded on PX560, nothing else. Used my hex layer for one track. Not my piano (I wish) it's Duke Ellington's. No quantize, I wanted to keep it loose.

 

Oldschool.mp3

[Grigou]

Bravo !! Wonderful !

The only thing I don't like too much is the hat (?) of the drumkit, witch doesn't sound natural.

[Jokeyman123]

It was tough to get a good drum track using just the keys. I could do better next time If I play my DTX drums into the PX, don't have much room to do that right now. I used the jazz brush kit. the highs are a little harsh but i could have easily altered that with some EQ. I might spend some time altering the drumkits a bit, these are fully editable. Can't do it all at once, time is not on my side!

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[m10538]

That's a good jazz riff! And some nifty noodlin'!👍

[Jokeyman123]

Thanks, I always did like noodles! Surprising how hard it is to record some riffs without an engineer or other musicians to push yer poodles! I'm no Joey DeFrancesco or Jimmy Smith. The organ tone was the rock organ in the p560-sounded nice and gritty but with that kind of attack-not too forgiving of finger-fumbles. And a simple jazz "head". a tribute to the many bebop guys I've heard. Just trying to show what this PX560 can do in the right hands (or in mine!) Sorry, my pun disease kicked in.

 

Last year I attended a concert at Bethel Woods (Woodstock site) and was privileged to see Donald Fagen and Steely Dan on a double bill with....Stevie Winwood. Like being in keyboard heaven...Stevie did a Hammond B-3 solo that blew me away-he had every bit the chops I've ever heard anyone play on the B3. What a musician.  And oh yeah, Donald Fagan on his old Fender Rhodes suitcase piano, whew! keeps me going knowing there are still musicians young and not so young putting out the good vibes.

[m10538]

You should expand on it too, that really is a good riff, 15 minutes later and I'm still humming it. A tune's gotta be pretty good to be hummable!

[Jokeyman123]

I'll be working on some others soon. A good melody, a good riff. alot of that has been lost in the bombast of huge sounds and complex technology (sometimes). I lost some of my chops teaching, trying to get back to technique-my PX keys are helping me do that now after a long hiatus.

 

I've had some good role modelsin the past-Vinny Hill on bebop piano years ago (he's passed) and Thad Jones-I learned a few things from him in theory class years ago. Never forgot him.  Doctor Fornuto-was a memorable jazz player and theory theacher. Mr. Jones brought quite a few of his friends to our school-Dizzy Gillespie up close and personal-what an inspiration to hear him with Thad. And Thad's brother-Elvin did a memorable day with us. I was at William Paterson when they were trying to create the jazz school there. They did.

 

As a kid, I got my primary education drumming (I started life as a jazz/military drummer) with a Hammond player who never became anyone, brother Rich McCrea who was as good or better than all the people he competed with at the time-Jack McDuff, Jimmie McGriff, Jimmie Smith.  I never saw or heard anyone that had 2 hands and 2 feet that could do what he did on that Hammond. I played in clubs I'd be afraid to go near now, actually I was pretty afraid then too! But what an education. I met Zoot Sims, Houston Person and big Joe Williams-the jazz Joe Williams-what a gentleman. I didn't even know who he was-I was in his house! Good thing I was brought up with some respect happening I was only 18 and playing in clubs in Newark after the riots.

 

One thing I remember about Richie-he studied the classics thoroughly (as did Thad-the impressionists in particular) and the Schillinger method. These people took their music v..e..r..y.. seriously! I am still trying to do the same-and to honor what they taught me. I remember one comment from Thad in class about music styles, players...he said..there are only 2 kinds of music...bad and good...but you have to decide which is which! Keeps the field pretty open I'd say!