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I gotta get me one of those keytars just so I can feel like a rock god.

I do a good amount of Jazz funk now and unfortunately I don't have a synth. I just have EP and Piano really. Last night made me wish I had a synth. He had some cool things programmed on his Korg (Oasis maybe? can't tell much from so far away).

I found that after tons of standards, the crowd goes crazy when we do a couple of tunes in Funk.

Do I need a keytar? Nah...LOL...I'll just sit.

Last night though, Herbie was doing the typical Herbie thing from old. I actually haven't seen him do that. Most of the recent stuff was all that far out conceptions (no form, no rhythm, free). So I'm glad to see the old stuff.

Your were lucky to see Herbie do his "old" stuff. While I understand from his point of view why he does what he's done the past 20 years, the Herbie I love is what he did when he played pure jazz. I have the box set of all his Blue Note stuff, and its incredible. He can still play like that when he chooses to, and you just got to be lucky to be there when he does that.

We have a couple of outdoor dates this summer, and we definitely put in what little funky stuff we have: Watermelon Man, Cold Duck Time, a couple of others.

We've funked up some standards like Blue in Green, Summertime, Autumn Leaves, Mr PC, So What, God Bless the Child...etc. in addition to the regular funk tunes (Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Cold Duck, Mercy Mercy, etc.).

It took a bit of learning to know how to deal with Funk since I've only learned Straight-ahead. But it's part of my formula that seems to get the crowd coming back. Catering to a little bit of this seems to make a big difference. And it also allows me to add some regular straight ahead that normally I would think is too intellectual like Giant Steps and Inner Urge. Contrast works out.

This week, I'm adding two new tunes that I've never played with a band. Nardis and Maiden Voyage. We're playing Nardis at the Bill Evans tempo which is a little fast but we got the hits right in practice. Maiden Voyage sounds different rhythmically when practicing in solo vs. a real band.

For a little comedic relief, we've gone into Mustang Sally and Margaritaville, My Girl, etc. Crowd goes wild when you do something unexpected. But not too much.

If I had a crack horn section, I'd really like to do Roy Hargrove's Strasbourg/St. Denis. Great groove with a boppish head on top. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxeb0cwjE8U

Some recordings from tonight.

Someday My Prince Will Come
https://www.box.com/s/pdrfmsi04rk09xramo0q

Night in Tunisia
https://www.box.com/s/k1lkw2miuk192s399iqg

Beatrice
https://www.box.com/s/q6p104va3drq4o384xp2

I listened to Night in Tunisia. Your solo was really great, it must have been fun to play like that.

Cus, thanks so much.

This is a venue we've only played once before. I was surprised that a huge crowd (over 100) showed up as we started. They showed up only for us. It's certainly humbling.

Now if I can only stop rushing, it would all be good. It's a problem I've had all week.

Cool version of Night in Tunisia. And a hard tempo to play it at!

Thanks Knots. Hope things are going well on your end.

...So Brad Mehldau Trio was supposed to play here tonight. I was looking forward to seeing him play again, especially since he has a new drummer since last time I saw him. However, HE FORGOT HIS PASSPORT and they wouldn't let him across the border today!!!!! So, show was postponed until Sunday, and he's coming solo now. I'm hesitant to go, and so are my friends.

What would you do?

What the Heck---I'm seeing him Saturday in LA, just the day before. So he'll fly out to Canada immediately?

What's with Canada anyway? You now need a passport to go there? I don't need a passport to go to Mexico. Besides, no jazz fans at the border?

While I prefer trio playing as a general matter, Brad Mehldau is one of the great solo piano players around today. I wouldn't hesitate to go.

When you say a new drummer, you last saw him with Jorge Rossey? That was quite some time ago. He's played with Jeff Ballard for years.

Watching Jazz Day LIVE now.

http://live.jazzday.com/

Yes, I guess it was a number of years ago. huh. I only have the albums with Jorge on them, and haven't heard anything that I've liked as much with Jeff Ballard on them (via Youtube, etc).

As for the solo concert coming up, I'm still thinking on it. I tend to get bored easier than most when I hear too much of the same thing. Or maybe I'm one of the few that admits it...

Ya, he's in Seattle today, and tomorrow, and then Cal on Saturday, back here on Sunday.

As for the passport, yes. We've taken a page out of the old paranoia book and now require everyone to have a passport to enter. And no, the border guards probably listen to Metallica or Wayne Newton.

There's an interesting divide on Mehldau and his two drummers. I vastly prefer the sound of the trio with Jeff Ballard, but a lot of people preferred how the trio sounded with Rossey.

I would enjoy listening to Mehldau doing solo piano or trio. I've never seen him live doing solo though. Looking forward to Saturday evening. I did see him with Ballard last year. And then the year before that as well. He's one of my favorites and seeing him and Herbie back to back is just amazing.

I've listened to Mehldau's Live at Marciac, which is a double solo CD. As always, Mehldau has developed a way of playing solo piano that is all his own. I really like it (big surprise), although I tend to prefer piano with at least one other rhythm instrument.

For those into solo piano, I highly recommend Excelsior by Bill Carrothers. If you subscribe to Spotify it's available there. Carrothers is a little know but very creative pianist (a favorite of my teacher). What is extraordinary about Excelsior is that, according to his web site (which I have no reason to doubt) all of the pieces on the CD are spontaneous improvisations. The pieces are generally slow and contemplative with incredibly creative harmonies. These would be great compositions; that they were created spontaneously is all the more amazing.