This is a track I did for Unconscious Logic Summer '08.
Video produced by Ben AHR Harrison!

Hello BML students and teachers,

The wonderful master xylophonist Bernard Woma will be returning to New York City this coming February, with his Saakumu Dance Troupe from Ghana. They will be on tour from February 25-28th. I will be coordinating a BML workshop with him during that time so please check back if you are interested - we will start posting announcements around January.

I highly suggest his school, the Dagara Music Center, in Medie, Ghana; which is having its 10th anniversary this coming May 2010. It is available to students, and according to http://dagaramusic.com/school, the rates (including stay) are $40/day.

Be well-

Brittany A.

CD Reviews: Jesse Elder “The Winding Shell” CD-2009 Off
Posted by: editor on Tuesday, October 06, 2009 - 11:34 AM

Glenn Astarita

Original Posting on eJazz News

Here, forward-thinking pianist Jesse Elder employs tenor sax titan, Gary Thomas along with talented jazz saxophonists Chris Cheek, Logan Richardson and Jeremy Viner. But Elder varies the program and finalizes the album with four piano duets, featuring Aya Nishina. Simply stated, Elder offers a bit of mind candy for the average jazz enthusiast, as the album title does indeed, parallel the content of his multifarious compositions.

Weaving saxes, false endings and Elder’s dynamic reengineering of themes are just a few of the underpinnings that generate gobs of excitement. The band also tosses in a few off-kilter treatments amid bustling rhythmic forays, crisp accents and intermittent treks into the freer realm. Elder possesses a broad musical vernacular, where some of these passages are constructed upon classical frameworks within the comprehensively arranged and largely, winding movements.

The frontline sax section often projects a sense of urgency to complement several melodic intervals. Thomas’ monstrous chops are in full force here, as he morphs a top-down soloing approach with blistering flurries. On “Kiss Rain,” the unit fuses sanguine storylines with whimsical sentiment, sparked by Elder’s huge block chords and melodic overtones. Then they interject a bit of funk via staggered flows and harmonious unison lines during the peppery jaunt titled “All Moments.”

Elder and Nishina interrogate each other while exploring various modes of counterpoint and structure on the four duets simply titled “I – IV.” They improvise through classical, jazz and avant-garde elements while also dishing out some rather haunting propositions. Sure enough, Elder is on track to impart a significant presence within global jazz circles due to this irrefutably, persuasive debut release. – Glenn Astarita

Track listing: Surrender; Solar Plexus; The Thoughtful Nudge; Flight Of The Pelican; Rotating Canvases; Kiss Rain; Red Paint; The Winding Shell; All Moments; I; II; III; IV.

Personnel: Logan Richardson: alto saxophone; Gary Thomas: tenor saxophone; Jesse Elder: piano; Christopher Tordini: bass; Tyshawn Sorey: drums; Chris Cheek: tenor saxophone; Jeremy Viner: tenor saxophone; Aya Nishina: piano.

Here is a video filmed with fellow BML teachers Colin Killalea and Robby Sinclair. It was conceived and wonderfully shot and edited by my brother, Travis Brooks. The music was written by Colin Killalea and performed by Pocketknife.

The most important tool in getting better on any instrument is a good practice schedule. This multi-part article covers the 4 areas that I find to be most important when practicing saxophone:

1. SOUND PRODUCTION
2. FINGER COORDINATION
3. ARTICULATION
4. STYLISTIC APPROACH

Depending on the time I have available to practice, I split these four areas up over as little as 30 minutes or as much as 12 hours. It is important to note that these exercises can be applied to all levels of saxophone ability!

AREA 1 - SOUND PRODUCTION

Part 1a - Embouchure and Long Tones

Sound is the most important area of saxophone. If you have a good sound and can only play three notes, at least people will still want to hear those three notes. As a basic starter to making a sound on the saxophone it is important to point out that the bottom lip covers the bottom teeth and the reed sits on top of the bottom lip. The upper lip does not cover the upper teeth and the teeth directly touch the top of the mouthpiece. The top of the tongue should be touching your top teeth in the back, while the mouthpiece enters your mouth at an angle. Try to place the air into the top of the mouthpiece, do not blow directly into the mouthpiece. After you have made a few sounds it is time to get used to producing the sound.

Saxophonists often talk about "long tones". It isn't a big secret, you just play one note for an extended period of time. Place your favorite metronome at 60 BPM and start with G. (If you are advanced start with the lowest Bb and go to the high F chromatically). To practice the long tone start playing soft and crescendo (get louder) over 4 beats, for the next 4 beats decrescendo (get softer). That is a total of 8 beats. Then add a beat to each side, meaning 5 beats while you crescendo, and 5 beats while you decrescendo for a total of 10 beats. I recommend going at the very least 8 beats on both sides, 16 all together. If you feel you need and can take more go for it.

Be on the lookout for Part 1b and c next week!

Where Everything is Music

Don't worry about saving these songs!
And if one of our instruments breaks,
it doesn't matter.

We have fallen into the place
where everything is music.

The strumming and the flute notes
rise into the atmosphere,
and even if the whole world's harp
should burn up, there will still be
hidden instruments playing.

So the candle flickers and goes out.
We have a piece of flint, and a spark.

This singing art is sea foam.
The graceful movements come from a pearl
somewhere on the ocean floor.

Poems reach up like spindrift and the edge
of driftwood along the beach, wanting!

They derive
from a slow and powerful root
that we can't see.

Stop the words now.
Open the window in the centre of your chest,
and let the spirits fly in and out.

-Rumi

Image © 2004-2008 Lisa Deitrich