I'm really bad about taking pictures. Someday I'm going to look back at my life and wish I had more photos of the places I've been. Case in point, I just got some film developed from a roll I've had lying around since Febuary or so. Needless to say the photos don't have a lot of continuity. But I thought I'd share anyway:


We'll start out with the cutest guy in the land--Murphy! 

This is me in Red Square, it was taken before a performance with Tyrell in Moscow. Red friggin' Square ... whoever thought I'd be standing in the middle of that place? 

I posted a while back about having a really great but nerve-racking performance at the International Society of Bassists convention in Michigan. This is the gig where I played with the Butterfat Trio in front of some of the greatest bass players in the world. None of them made me as nervous as these two guys--Hans Sturm and Tom Knific, my bass profs during my college years. I'm really glad I have this picture, makes me feel like I've come a long way. 

And here are the three studs that comprise the Butterfat Trio; Jeff, Lyman, and Rob 

I did a gig a few weeks ago with a good singer friend of mine, I had never met the pianist before but after listening to the way he played and talking to him for a bit we soon discovered that we both dig the same brand of experimental jazz. He very enthusiastically told me about this band Kneebody. The band is made up of a bunch of LA guys, but I'd never heard of them. Oddly enough I was having a meeting a couple of weeks later with some other musicians about the summer improv class I/we are teaching and during the meeting I am introduced to a fellow bassist. After the guy leaves I find out that he is the bassist for Kneebody. So I took this coincidence as a sign that I should check the CD out.

So I go to Amoeba and buy the disc, and the coincidences don't stop ... turns out they recorded a couple of the tracks at f.boo studio, the same place where I recorded MY record. Okay, this was getting eerie. I was anxious to give it a listen after that.

The shit is off the hook. The influences of The Bad Plus and Bloomdaddies are obvious but not overt. They play hard rockin' grooves but are melodic as well, the arrangements are creative, and they are outstanding improvisers. This album is the first release from NY-based trumpeter Dave Douglass's new label. I hope the rest of his releases are this refreshing.
 

The wedding back in Indiana was a lot of fun. I got a chance to see a lot of family the day I got in. The rehearsal dinner and the wedding were both a lot of fun. Carrie was the Matron of Honor and she just sparkled the entire weekend. She was a knockout in her bridesmaid’s dress and gave a terrific toast at the reception. We really did have a great time.

Sunday I got to see my new baby “niece” Chloe. What a beautiful baby. Once again big congrats to Jason and Corrine (http://www.jbdeckard.blogspot.com/)

It is good to be home even if I did have a great time in Indy. Murphy was happy to see us when we picked him up from the kennel. He does really well there but this time he came home smelling like, well, dogs. Go figure.

So it’s back to the grind. My work schedule is full this week as well. All of the gigs are in town. The next Tyrell hit is the second weekend in August when we head to Atlantic City. I’m really looking forward to that. Last year I went to Vegas a total of four times for gigs and just to hang out. I haven’t been once this year. Now, AC is no Vegas by any means but at least being there will help me scratch my casino itch.

I got some new music that I’m really into as well. I’ll tell you about it later.

Peace and chicken grease.

What a week.

San Diego was once again a lot of fun. This time I stayed at a hotel with a bunch of online friends of mine. It was a blast. Comics geekout during the day and partying at night with good people doesn’t get much better than that. The highlight of the trip was the ComiCon Funk Jam on Saturday night. This is where a bunch of artists get together and do live art while being accompanied by DJs and musicians. The whole thing was organized by Jim Mahfood, one of my favorite artists and the guy who’s doing the cover of my record. I bought a helluva lot of great comics and saw some really cool stuff. Can’t wait to do it again next year.

My good friend Brett stayed with me for a few days before and after the Con, and on every one of those days I had a gig. He’s a good guy and was a fun houseguest. I feel exhausted right now. Brett left today while I was at a gig. Tonight I take Carrie to the airport to fly back to Indy. I have another gig tomorrow during the day and I fly out to meet her tomorrow night.

These daytime gigs I’ve been doing are mostly this improv class I’m teaching to middle school kids in downtown LA. It’s been fun so far. I was pretty nervous about teaching a month-long class since I haven’t taught in a really long time. But I think it comes pretty naturally to me so I’ve been enjoying it. In addition to that I’m accompanying another improve class at the Henry Mancini Institute. But I’m only playing bass for that, not teaching.

I have a lot of new music to check, but I haven’t had a free second to yet. I’ll get them on the iPod and listen to it on the plane.

The trip to Indy should be fun. It’s always good to go back home and see my family. Carrie and I are attending a wedding in which she is the Maid of Honor. I think she’s a little nervous about it but I know she’ll be great and look beautiful. Then I come right back to more work.

I got more dates from Tyrell’s tour manager the other day. He’s going to be hitting the road pretty hard at the end of the year, looks like we’re even going to Japan for a week or so in October. That’s pretty exciting; I’ve wanted to go to Japan for a while now.

Busy, busy, busy, busy … I was looking at my schedule the other day and I realized if I didn’t get another call for the rest of the year I’d be totally fine. Seriously, I am that booked up. What a good problem to have.

Well my busy July has started and it’s already a whirlwind like I predicted. I’ve had 5 gigs in the past 4 days and I have 2 more before I leave for San Diego tomorrow evening.

I’m really looking forward to going to San Diego. This is the fourth year in a row I’ve attended ComiCon International and I don’t plan on missing any. It really is nirvana for a geek. Plenty of comics, comic illustrators/writers, toys, video games, discussion panels, weirdoes in costumes, movie previews, etc. to keep a geek such as myself well occupied. I’m meeting up with a bunch of friends of mine and am really excited about the trip. I’ll be there until Sunday night and work picks right up Monday afternoon.

I picked up some new music today, more on that after I’ve had the chance to dig in to it.

And let me just say congratulations to my “brother-with-another-mother” Jason Barnett and his beautiful wife Corinne on the birth of their gorgeous baby girl Chloe Marie. I couldn’t be happier for them. Carrie and I are headed back to Indiana next week for a wedding and will get to see the baby then. And we’re very excited to do say. Jason has set up an adorable blog chronicling the birth of the little one. Check it out at http://www.jbdeckard.blogspot.com/

I’ll be sure to let you all know how the comic book convention goes. Until then, peace and chicken grease …

Ahh, summer … the time of year when folks go outdoors to hear music at various festivals, parks, street fairs, etc. It’s so nice, walking around in the breeze and hearing the tunes.

Well this bass player hates it.

Playing outside is a drag. Almost every experience I’ve had playing outside has been mediocre-terrible. First off, my bass hates it. It’s either too hot or too humid and both of those things create a bad sound, difficulty playing, and intonation problems. The soundman is always terrible. You see when you play at a club or a theater you are usually working with a soundman who works at the venue all of the time. When you play outside the soundman usually comes from some instrument and equipment rental joint and is about 3 months removed from selling strings at Guitar Center and jamming with his sub-par garage band. There are no acoustics outdoors so the speaker mains are too loud and nothing onstage has any resonance. Then you have a crowd of people who have more fun sucking down plastic glasses of wine and slurping Sno Cones than they do watching the music. Eh, you get about 20 ft. or so of fans who are into the performance and enjoying the music. But from 21 ft. and back it’s nothing but folks talking and kids running around.

Needless to say I had a gig with Tyrell tonight that was outdoors. And another one tomorrow that is as well.

Here’s to a mediocre day tomorrow.

We had a really fun July 4th weekend. After a busy week last week I was ready to relax. My last recording session really stressed me out over that time. Then on Saturday I had a recording session for a gospel/Christian record. It was a lot of work since there were no charts (written-out music) and a lot of the music was rubato. I was playing along with vocals and piano which were already recorded. It was tough.

Sunday Carrie and I hung out and had dinner at a really nice place where a friend of mine works. Then I played poker until the weeee hours of the morning. On the Fourth we went to the annual cookout at the Woodman (an apt. building where a lot of my friends live or hang out). It was a blast. I don’t remember too much of it. But I remember enough to know that I had a great time. Murphy went with us as well. He was the life of the party. He was getting so much attention from everyone, he was in heaven.

Last night I had a gig with a Latin Jazz group I used to play with. I love Latin music but rarely get an opportunity to play it. It was a fine gig.

I have the next three days off before my hectic, HECTIC July begins. Gigs with Tyrell, a regular Tuesday night gig, the high school Improv class, and accompanying improve classes at the Mancini Institute and my vacation to San Diego and a trip back to Indianapolis for a wedding… hooo boy …

Well all of the music is finally recorded for my album.

The last session was yesterday. I was really stressed before and during, I didn’t know how the band would sound because I hadn’t played with the drummer or vocalist that much and I wasn’t as confident with the songs. But it went really well and I’m happy with the way everybody played. The drummer Chris was great, he’s a very creative drummer who is really in to world percussion. He brought a very unique voice to the music. And Jess, the vocalist, was fantastic. She has a sexy voice with a beautiful tone that was perfectly captured.

I thought I’d feel relieved when the session was over and I was finally done recording the music. But the fact is now the tracks have to mixed and I have to start on the CD insert design. Those things are really important and could take quite a while to finish. I’m not sure who I’m going to work with for either yet although I have some ideas. I have friends who are willing to help me out mixing and with the design but both are very busy and I’d rather not sit on the stuff for too long. I could go elsewhere but that could get expensive. So no relief for me yet!

I have a really busy July ahead of me, lots of music and an improve class for high schoolers that I’m teaching. I haven’t taught since I was in graduate school, should be interesting.

On a sidenote, I saw War of the Worlds last night. Even though Tom Cruise is a raving lunatic who reaching Michael Jackson-levels of weirdo-ness, it’s a really good movie.