PG Music Home Forums General Discussion User Showcase Play Chords #2: CERVEZA!

I suggested in Bye Bye Blackbird that the "locked hands" approach adapted to guitar might possibly help with the "Jazz Problem." If I'm to believe my eyes, 646 people have listened to Blackbird. Maybe it's a fluke, but I'd like to think there's truth in numbers, hence I can tell you once again that you will not hear a single individual guitar note in this tune. Cerveza, as most of you know, means beer in Spanish.

Two points of minor interest: I injured my right thumb and had to play this one with a pick. Ugh! I also used a new instrument, an Ibanez AG95 DBS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEPcZwIT7ZY. Guitar players, you must check out this link to see why I'll never spend big bucks on a guitar again.

This is the first tune on which I play my Campellone fretless bass, and it's one baaad baby. Mark hasn't made basses in years, so this baby is priceless.

RealTracks artists are conguero Craig Scott (Cha Cha Perc^ 01) and drummer Ricky Lawson (JazzFunkSync^ 01).

Señoras y señores, have a Cerveza on me: https://soundcloud.com/aleckrand/cerveza

nice tune.... I like the guitar vid too.

Gracias por la cerveza amigo!! the next time we can drink tequila remembering Wes ;-)

What a coincidence that you play your new Ibanez guitar on this song, just yesterday I send you a private message where I tell you that I am very happy with my cheap Ibanez AS83.

The final of your song is one the best that I can remember, but be carefull if you try to reproduce in a live show, can be dangerous ;-)

Aleck,

A fun listen. Love your "vocal" on this one - and your ending...

Thanks fellas,

I knew you'd get a kick out of my vocal accompaniment and that ending "chord" - which I think is in the key of L, and has never been heard before nor will it be ever again...unless I continue to go heavy on the Cerveza.

Aleck

Rafa,

You picked up Tequila pretty easily, amigo. Yes, we should do that but with some nic Gran Duque d'Alba 18 Year Old XO

I'm laughing up a storm thinking about that live performance with the ending!

And, of course, thank you for all your favorable comments. You're one of those players that were rumored to be out there, and now I know it's not just a rumor.

Aleck

Ya lost me on this one Aleck.

Although I respect the skill it takes to create this, Had I been channel surfing and this song came up, I'd have pushed the button and moved on to the next channel. Just a matter of personal taste.

Hi Aleck,



Guenter

Pat - are you sure this isn't code referring to a certain delicate subject that we've been batting around?

By the way, I liked your smoking analogy, but in the interest of filtering out the health hazard aspect, I think a possibly better analogy would be those cultures whose households prefer that visitors remove their shoes upon entering. In other words, it's all about etiquette.

And for this I finally have no comeback. You can't argue about etiquette. Every culture has its etiquette and this Forum is a little culture (or cult?) in itself.

But as far as "losing" you with this little spoof tune Cerveza!, nah, you're much too savvy. True, it's highly goofy and I don't like the guitar sound with the pick, but we can all use a laugh every so often. But, if I'm wrong on all this, you can't argue with personal taste either. So your comments are appreciated under all circumstances.

Say, how did those gigs go or how are they going? When do we do our thing?

Aleck

I thoroughly enjoyed that.... I believe I'll have one!

Greg

Thanks Greg - Glad you liked it, and remember: Drink Responsibly!

Aleck

no connection to the other topic intended, although I suppose it works in that context too.

This response was based on the assumption (maybe an incorrect one) that your forum interaction is an extension of your musical style. In other words: It seems to me that you are a very experimental musician. You delight in seeing how to bend the rules and still make your contribution fit in a song.

Likewise, in the forum you recognize that the musical culture here is somewhat like an unfamiliar chord pattern, and you are experimenting to see what kind of solos will fit in this "song"

If I am correct in this assumption, then it boils down to your version of what all performing musicians ultimately have to figure out: "what can I play that will go over well with this audience?"

So all of my comments must be understood in that context. As a member of your audience, I have tried to indicate what works for me and what is over my head. It has nothing to do with appraising your work because frankly I am not educated in Jazz enough to offer a credible opinion about performance or technique.

I CAN, however, say what I like. And I like pretty much the same things that Floyd Jane likes (I suspect he's my long lost brother, and we were separated at birth, but that's a whole 'nother story)

I am impressed beyond words with your musical ability. I like the sense of humor you have used to accessorize your songs. I respect and even partly understand what you are doing in your songs.

I think the bottom line is that for me, music is less an intellectual pursuit than it is a pleasant distraction. The more I have to think about why a song is the way it is, the fun begins to erode in exponential proportion.

As a teacher, I would guess that for you music is indeed an intellectual pursuit. I respect that, but I don't identify with it. For me, music appeals far more to my emotion than to my intellect.



in the context of etiquette, my comment to this song must seem impolite. If so, I apologize, for that is certainly not my intent. As stated previously, I'm only tring to let you know what works with this audience of one.



apparently not. ;(



I don't want to leave this discussion with the idea that I don't like your music. Far from it. Here's another comparison:
Imagine being at a party talking to a nuclear physicist. To the extent that he is willing to "dumb down" the conversation, I could probably talk to the guy. If he started talking about his career, I might even be able to appreciate his love of the topic.. but I would be hopelessly lost in any conversation about nuclear physics. Likewise, I appreciate your skill and humor and knowledge of music theory and of music history... But the things that REALLY interest you are over my head.


the gig was a bit disappointing, but I learned some things and I will move forward with a revised goal.


As soon as I have something ready, I'll send it to you. I'm not quite sure how to proceed though....

Hi Pat,

You described me and my approach in almost the exact words I would have used - maybe better. True, I've always liked bending the rules in everything (and I could tell you lots about the trouble it's gotten me into); I am looking for things that will "fly" in this Forum; at the same time I have a great deal of respect for the members who are making musical contributions and feel the etiquette dilemma personally and deeply.

The issue of whether music is an intellectual or emotional or aesthetic experience could form a blockbuster discussion all by itself. But I wouldn't take part, for reasons that follow.

It is moot from my point of view, because everything personal - and I mean every single thing - your thoughts, dreams, regrets, hopes, guitar licks, tickles, itches, pains, plans, etc. - issues from the squishy gray lump sitting inside your skull. Music is brain output of a certain type. Poetry, philosophy, mathematics are brain output. Charles Darwin said that the brain "secretes [these things] like the liver secretes bile."

Both Albert Einstein and Wes Montgomery are called geniuses. Einstein lived in an obscure world of mental objects; Wes was no man of intellect, but he also lived in a world of mental objects - his melodic ideas, which, like a virus, went on to infect thousands of future musicians. I'm one of them.

Now, no one shouts out "yeah!" during a Physics lecture, but they do at a Jazz club. Are the people at the Jazz club agreeing with something when they shout, "yeah!"? Or is it just another word for "good!", in which case, what is it that was good at that particular moment?

I'm not much interested in the question whether music is an intellectual or emotional or aesthetic experience because, to me, all are brain output with complicated cross-talk between the three experiences. Songs make people cry. The equations of modern physics do not. Why? Beats me.

In conclusion Pat, your reflections are always revealing and never insulting. I'll be relying heavily on them when I write up the summary of the "Problem with Jazz" thread.

Aleck

PS I'll send you a PM on how to proceed once you're ready. No rush, obviously.

Aleck and Pat....

Are y'all writin' a song without me????

I may be offended.

floyd

I liked the original version by the Champs better.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdMTl9zHQ9Y

Floyd, my man, we would not want that! I wonder what the three of us could come up with together? The more I think about it, maybe you and Pat could get something started and I'll be a side man, an extra singing voice, possibly suggest some arranging ideas, I can add an instrument that doesn't exist in the RealTracks collection: fretless bass.

You think it's possible?

Aleck

I've never written a song, just tried to imitate other peoples' ideas. When I asked Aleck how to start with a piece of manuscript and end up with something as cool as what he does, he graciously offered to help me develop a song. I'm not exactly sure what that means, but I didn't take it to mean a collaboration as much as a teacher-student exercise. I was kind of thinking he would listen to whatever I sent him, his rule-breaking mojo would kick in and he'd make all kinds of suggestions that I would never have considered in a million years.

Know what might be interesting...? To send the same basic idea to several of the key players in the forum and then see how each of them resolves the song. Tell you what.. whatever I send to Aleck I'll also send to you (and anybody else who wants to put their own spin on it) Then we'll post 'em all in the same thread and marvel at the many ways the same song can be interpreted.

Pat - I think your idea is not just interesting, I think it's sensational. There are BIAB maxi-users - I think Floyd is one, Guenter certainly - and BIAB mini-users like myself (lately I've been using percussion RealTracks only). Everyone who takes a crack at it will come up with something different. It will be really fascinating to hear the end results. Wow!

Let's do it.

Aleck