Penultimate gig with Caterwaul

On October 28th, I played bass with Caterwaul at the Fusion Music Lounge in downtown Saint Paul. I am leaving the band at the end of the year, partly pressure of work, partly hand problems, and partly a desire to do something different. My only remaining commitment is to do another gig in December.

Ideally, I would like to play more guitar, and put together a lineup for a recording next year. I also want to do more composition; I have a lot of pieces that need finishing or arranging. I want to spend the winter resting my hands, polishing my guitar technique, and putting together some new repertoire.

The Jazzkickers play Al Baker's

Today the Jazzkickers played a lunchtime gig at Al Baker's in Eagan, MN, for a Red Hat Society event on behalf of the American Heart Association. I played my Gibson Les Paul Elegant through a Fender Princeton Chorus amp. Numbers included "Take the A Train", "All Blues", "In a Mellow Tone", and "Well You Needn't", all great songs from the American jazz songbook. Everyone was in fine form, with Carmin Pluntz on saxophone, Tim Wick on keyboards, Steve Proper on bass guitar, and Gary Berosik on drums. This is far and away my favorite band to play with, so I hope we get more opportunities to play together in the future.

Stephen Prutsman at the Ordway

Composer and pianist Stephen Prutsman directed a stunning program of mostly jazz-influenced pieces with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra in Saint Paul tonight.

Prutsman's own Jazz Fantasy on the Theme B-A-C-H for piano and strings kicked off the evening, with Stephen on piano and Chris Brown playing bass, sometimes bowing and sometimes plucking walking lines. The four letters in German musical notation translate into Bb-A-C-B, which provides a nice chromatic figure for stepping out. The piano playing was nothing less than inspired and, although the piece is completely written out, the music is derived from improvisations by the composer.

I'm in a huge Prutsman fan, having also seen and heard the premier of "The Grand Excursion" at the Ordway in 2004, and his "Curious Hymns and Cosmic Spaces" earlier this year. In conversations with Stephen, I have since discovered that we share a passion for 1970s British progressive rock! (I'm the biggest Yes fan ever.)

But I digress. The Jazz Fantasy was followed by Darius Milhaud's La Creation du Monde, a cheeky momento of Milhaud's time in New York in the 1920s, featuring saxophone and a jazz drum set as well as the usual percussion. A very entertaining and refreshing piece that hasn't aged much in over 80 years.

The climax of the first half of the concert was Mauric Ravel's Piano Concerto in G, which is one of those spine-tingling pieces of music that are once heard and never forgotten. The central Andante assai has that langorous, inconclusive, suspended quality that makes Ravel's best music so mesmerizing and so emotionally complex. Prutsman and the SPCO players absolutely aced this work.

After the intermission, we came back for Mozart's Quartet in G Minor for Piano, Violin, Viola and Cello, K. 478. This piece was apparently written with amateur musicians in mind, but turned out to be too challenging for both the fingers and the ears of that particular market. Really a delightful piece, though, with a lot of musical ideas being tossed around from instrument to instrument.

After the chamber music, we listened to Butch Thompson play piano rags in the Ordway mezzanine, including works by Fats Waller, Jimmy Yancey and Bix Beiderbecke. Not bad for a night out in the Mid West!

SPCO play Schubert, Mozart & Mendelssohn

Last night, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra gave a splendid concert at the Ordway Theater. Nic McGegan was down to direct the performance, but unfortunately could not make it in from Europe due a flight cancellation. Scott Yoo flew in from New York to take over at very short notice, and did a fabulous job.

The evening began with Schubert's Rondo brillant in B minor, arranged for violin and strings by Dale Barltrop, who also played the lead. His performance was given a standing ovation, both for his playing and the beautiful arrangement. (Schubert originally wrote this piece for violin and piano.)

This was followed by Jonathan Biss playing Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21 in C (K. 467). I have never heard a better rendering of this work, especially the famous Andante, nor have I ever seen anyone put more feeling into his music. After years of being somewhat indifferent to Mozart, I am finally becoming a true fan, thanks to having heard so many fine performances by the SPCO, often in relatively intimate settings.

The program ended with Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 5 in D (Op. 107) a.k.a. the "Reformation". This work is something of a showcase for the brass and winds, as well as featuring some very fine string parts. It's interesting to hear the influence of Bach in the later movements, sometimes so pronounced that one can even recognize small quotations, e.g., I thought I heard the Fugue from the First Violin Sonata at one point.

All in all, an awesome event that was followed by a great party, given for the musicians, board members and staff by the Securian Foundation, who also sponsored the evening's concert.

The Who play Detroit

Last night, I saw the Who play the Palace at Auburn Hills. I was in Row 14 on the main floor, with a great view of Daltrey and Townsend. The rest of the band consisted of rhythm guitar, bass drums and keys. The sound was just right, plenty loud, but not too loud, and the sound balance was good. The Detroit crowd gave them a pretty warm welcome.

They kicked off with "I Can't Explain", and then ran through "Seeker", "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" (extended version with lots of guitar), "Teenage Wasteland", "Behind Blue Eyes", "Who Are You", "You Better Bet", "My Generation" (extended version), "Pinball Wizard", "Won't Get Fooled Again" (extended version), ending with a medley from Tommy as an encore.

There were a number of new songs interspersed, some of which I don't know the names of. Some of them were quite good ("We Got a Hit", "Fragments"), others didn't make much of an impression on me ("Man in a Purple Dress", "Tea and Theatre"). But I'll probably buy the new album, and also the DVD that they are going to bring out of the show.

Townsend played really well, mostly Stratocaster through a stack of 4 Fender VibroKings, although he also used a big Gibson acoustic that looked like a J200. Plenty of dramatic chording and arm windmilling, of course! But he used his big sound tastefully, and was always both rhythmic and in synch with the mood of the song.

The last time I saw the Who was in 1965, at Nottingham's Dungeon Club, which was a favorite Mod hangout of that era. (I saw the Yardbirds with Eric Clapton there the same year.) Keith Moon's drumming simply blew me away; I'd never seen anyone play like that, and I'd already seen good drummers, like Viv Prince of the Pretty Things. I was 16 years old, and I'd never heard any band play that loud before.

On that long ago evening, Townsend totaled a Rickenbacker in a fit of gratuitous violence. He was also very into scraping the strings against the mike stand and other sonic antics that irritated some folks in the crowd. Paper cups and other items were hurled on stage, and Roger nearly came down to the floor to sort a few people out! It was fun, but also a bit disturbing, to tell the truth.

First Caterwaul gig of the season

On September 22nd, Caterwaul played a set at the French Press Jazz Cafe in downtown Saint Paul. All numbers were original compositions by Lisa Meyer and Todd Tanji, with the exception of "Four" by Miles Davis. I played my Parker Fly bass through an Ampeg amp. Barbara Bjork also sang a set, accompanied by Paul Renz (gtr), Lisa Meyer (keys), and Jeff Jones (bass). Songs included "Twisted", "Nature Boy" and "Agua de Beber".

Larry Coryell concert

September 19, Sandy and I went to see Larry Coryell at the Dakota Bar and Grill in downtown Minneapolis with Victor Bailey on bass guitar and Lenny White on drums. This was an awesome show, with Larry playing some very new and radical stuff, often in heavier, rockier style. They did a fabulous version of Led Zep's "Black Dog", featuring a fantastic bass solo by Victor, and also a nice acoustic version of "Black Orpheus". I got Larry to sign my CD in the intermission and managed to find a table so we could stay on for the second show. I feel fortunate to have seen Larry again and also to have seen Larry Carlton earlier in the year. They are both masters of the guitar; no one can play like these guys.

Jazzkickers at Cafe.com

On September 19, the Jazzkickers played two sets at the West Building in Eagan, MN in aid of the Employee Giving Campaign (see photos). I played my Les Paul Elegant through a Fender Princeton Chorus. Songs included "All Blues", "Take the A Train", "Stolen Moments" and many more from the Real Book. Gregory Bannister joined us on sax and clarinet, playing duos with Carmin and adding a whole new dimension to our sound. Many thanks to all who turned out in support!

September 1st gig

Last Friday was September 1st, so I played the "First Friday" gig with the Mike Hachey Band at the University Club of Saint Paul. The core band is Mike Hachey (drums), Ron Peterson (keys), and Bruce Morrow (bass). Guest vocalist was Jessie Shelton, with father Jerry Shelton on trumpet and self sitting in on electric guitar. We played two sets of jazz standards, including "Four", "Summertime", "Wave", "Freddie the Freeloader" and other numbers from the Real Book. I used my Ibanez AF105F through a Carvin tube amp (again). I have at least two other gigs coming up this month: an Employeer Giving Campaign event at West Publishing in Eagan with the Jazzkickers, and a Caterwaul appearance at the French Press Jazz Cafe in Saint Paul on September 22nd.

Chris Isaak in Minneapolis

Went to see Chris Isaak at the Orpheum Theater last night, courtesy of some friends who kindly supplied the tickets. Really a great show, what a fabulous entertainer. Oddly enough, the sound guys didn't do a very good job. The bass guitar and bass drum were way heavy, while the lead guitar could hardly be heard in the first half of the set. The more acoustic part of the evening sounded good, though, and the levels were better when the electric set came back. I can't tell you how many rock/pop concerts I've been to where I thought the sound guys should just have been fired on the spot. There's no excuse for it, given the technology that's available today. Tristan Prettyman opened the show, and clearly had a following in town, although I have to confess that I can hardly bear to listen to girl singer-songwriters these days. The genre seems to be crowded with lesser talents that lack the poetry and musicality of forebears like Joni Mitchell and Shawn Colvin.

August gig

Today was a perfect day. Trap shooting in the morning, a massage in the afternoon, and a guitar gig in the early evening. I did two sets at the University Club of Saint Paul with the Mike Hachey Band, Carmin Pluntz of Beasley's Big Band guesting on alto and tenor saxophone. I played by Ibanez AF105F through a 15w Carvin tube amp: a suitably laid back sound for a small venue. Dennis Spears was in the house, and sang a blues medley with us: "Centerpiece" morphing into "Route 66". Others songs performed by the band included "Footprints", "Nostalgia in Times Square", "All of Me", and similar pieces from the great American songbook. In the later part of the evening, I went to Matty B's in Saint Paul, where Dennis was performing with a guitar, bass, and drums trio. Matty B's is a great place with fine food, good service and a nice bar. This will probably be my only night playing out this month, as I have to go to London next week and New York the next. Not to play guitar, unfortunately, but working for The Man.

Back on the guitar

After months of playing bass in Caterwaul, I have put it down for the summer and picked up the guitar again. On Sunday afternoon, the Jazzkickers had their first rehearsal of the year: a 3-hour marathon in which we reviewed our material for this year's Employee Giving Campaign concerts at work. Right after that, I went downtown to the Jazz Jook Joint Jamm at Sophia's in Minneapolis, sitting in with Dennis Spears and Debbie Duncan to play some blues. This Friday, I'm joining the rhythm section of the Mike Hachey Band at the University Club in Saint Paul; Carmin Pluntz of the Jazzkickers (and Beasley's Big Band) is leading on saxophone. It's good to be playing out on six strings again!

Enigma Variations

Attended a great performance of Elgar's "Enigma Variations" by the Minnesota Symphony conducted by Osmo Vanska on July 14. The "Nimrod" variation must be one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written. Also on the program were Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody" and Stravinsky's "Suite No. 2 for Small Orchestra."

GAS Strikes Again

Back in the late 80s and early 90s, Fender made some truly amazing Strats and Teles. I liked everything about the American Standard of that era: the neck radius (9.5"), the figured maple necks and fingerboards, the hardware, especially the bridge saddles, and the finishes, especially the white, which would typically change over time to a color that could vary anywhere between vanilla ice cream, banana milkshake, and a pale flesh tone. I still have my 1991 Stratocaster from that time, which I only changed by swapping out the pickups for Texas Specials.

However, I was foolish enough to sell my Tele, but last week on eBay I bought its clone, a 1990 white one that had aged to just that banana color and had the classic, slightly figured maple board. Of course, nothing is simple: the neck pickup didn't work, there was some belt buckle worming on the back, and a small ding on the lower edge of the body. But my guitar tech, the redoubtable Dave Rusan of Prince fame, slipped in a new Lindy Fralin pickup, buffed out the back, deglossed the neck, leveled the frets, and polished it to perfection.

Now it's fabulous, with that true Tele KRRRANG on the bridge pickup, and a warmer sound from the neck. Nothing rings or cuts through the mix like a Telecaster. Played through a Fender Princeton Chorus, it can twang, scream or shout on command. Cosmetically, it's almost perfect; I made Dave leave the ding in the body so I wouldn't feel bad next time I drop it after too many Jack Daniels. It's one of those minor blems that's like a beauty spot on a pretty woman; after one minute you think it's cute and after two minutes you don't notice it.

I will probably never play out with this guitar, because I don't play country or rock 'n' roll on stage any more, but it's a treasure nonetheless. Amazingly, these guitars have really kept their value: the Blue Book rates a good one at over $800, which is pretty much what you paid for a new one back in the 90s. I actually don't like the current Strats and Teles; they changed the neck radius for no good reason. My Strat is currently in the shop having a Earvana nut and new string trees installed, but that's a keeper too. Long live Fender guitars!

Last Caterwaul gig of the season

June 4th, I played two bass sets at the Tiburon, one with singer Barbara Bjork and one with Caterwaul. Barbara's numbers included a vocal version of "Footprints" and Bonnie Raitt's "Too Soon to Tell." Dennis Spears was in the house, and joined Barbara for a rousing rendition of "I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water."

The Caterwaul set comprised all original compositions by keyboardist Lisa Meyer and trumpet player Todd Tanji. I played my Parker Fly bass through a Vox combo amp. This was our last gig of the season, but we return to the Tiburon on September 10. Many thanks to all who turned out for this show, especially Dennis, Marlin, Gary, Barb, Andy, Mike, Michelle, Shilad and Katy.

Spring gigs

April 2nd, I played bass with Caterwaul at the Tiburon in downtown Minneapolis. I typically have dinner before the gig, since the Tiburon has a fine menu and a plenty-good-enough wine list but, as it turned out, I ended up grabbing some food just 15 minutes before strapping on my bass, and discovered that 5 glasses of wine on an empty stomach doesn't exactly help you navigate complex bass lines or aid with the improvisional process. Back in my glory days as a player in various rock bands, this level of alcohol intake would have been the model of restraint, but when you factor in advancing age with the increased demands of the jazz idiom, the result is something less than ideal. I got through the set OK, but had a learning experience in the process: I now have to work twice as hard under the influence to achieve about three-quarters of the usual result. Fortunately our drummer had also imbibed, so we were on the same wavelength and played in synch (thanks, Jessie, for keeping me company).

May 7th, I played two sets at the Tiburon, one with singer Barbara Bjork (whose regular bass player has buggered off to live in Rochester, NY), and one with Caterwaul. This was a whole different story than the April gig, thankfully. Having to learn new material at short notice concentrated my mind on the musical task at hand, and introduced me to the novel concept of drinking club soda at a gig. Barbara's numbers included Cole Porter's "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" and Jimmy Van Heusen's "I Thought About You", both fabulous tunes from the Great American Songbook. Robert Tess sat in with us on keyboards, which made the evening just about perfect for me. I played my Parker Fly bass through an Ashdown "Perfect 10" mini-stack.

Handel's "Israel in Egypt"

Attended Thomson West sponsored concert of Handel's oratorio at the Ordway, featuring the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and Vocalessence. Great to hear a 120-strong choir wth the chamber orchestra in this unusual work. Many thanks to all who turned out from Thomson for this event.

March gig

Another gig with Caterwaul at the Tiburon in downtown Minneapolis March 5. Many thanks to all who turned out, and special thanks to Robert Tess, who filled in for Lisa Meyer on keys. I played my Parker Fly bass through an Ampeg amp.

February gig

Played with Caterwaul at the Tiburon in downtown Minneapolis February 12. Almost all of the numbers were band compositions; I think the only jazz standard was "I'll Remember April." Many thanks to all who turned out. Caterwaul is Lisa Meyer (keys), Todd Tanji (trumpet, flugelhorn), Paul Renz (guitar), Jessie Lesmeister (drums), Peter Jackson (bass) and Eric Heegaard (guitar).

SPCO gig at West

On January 27, the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth, I hosted four musicians from the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra at West Publishing's facility in Eagan, MN. They played Franz Schubert's string quartet "Death and the Maiden", and turned in a fabulous performance, with Ruggero Allafrancini and Nina Fan on violin, Sabina Thatcher on viola, and Joshua Koestenbaum on cello. Many thanks to the 150 or so who attended, and special thanks to those who bought tickets for upcoming SPCO events.