What do you call them... feet?

Here's song no.4 in the collage series. It's a bit of a stab at trying to make dance-able free jazz with some Disney elements. All feedback is welcome.

What do you call them... feet

Also, I think the link will only work for 14 days from now, so get it while the gettin's good!


PS- Yeah, I took it there! ---->

V5

Just wanted to let everyone know that I saw the Vandermark 5 tonight. Ha!

personal issues...

I was wondering if I could seek some council from you guys on an issue I've realized has been somewhat of a problem for many years. Its only recently, with some spiritual "awakenings," have I come to meet it head on:

As you guys probably know, I am scatter-brained, probably ADD (ok, lets be realistic, ADHD) and tend to find myself in the midst of around a dozen different projects, almost exclusively musical in nature. Now, in a lot of ways, I celebrate this part of my personality and M.O. if you will, but as I have been doing a lot more meditating and such, I've come to a serious "question wall."

In many ways, finding a more zen-like state of being seems to be one more relaxed and "slower-paced way." Now, when I reach these states, I definitely get a taste of nirvana, and most assuredly experience bliss. But, my problem is that this is in many ways completely against my nature (fast=paced, all over the place, etc)

So I think I am need of some sort of koan, that perhaps one of you have kept deep in your psyche. How do I accommodate this precarious situation? How can I hold on to the tree-branching style of living while also finding my center?

Granted, I understand this is a personal battle I ultimately have to surmount on my own, but I was curious if you guys have had similar issues. Please feel free to share. This is the internet, for god's sake, and big brother knows all the facts anyway, so why not spout some abstraction for him too!

drumming experiment...

most of you guys know that a) i don't know how to play drums, b) I've always had fun playing drums and c) I want to learn how to play drums. Well, ellen's cousin Rachel and her husband recently acquired Rock Band 2 (i don't really play video games, so its sort o like when your friends have a cool game system and you want to go over to their house and play, haha)

Well, we started hanging out more and thus formed the band "Behold! The Scabbard" which features ellen on vocals (for which she kicks ass) and me on drums. So, after playing this game, I decided to do an experiment: I have probably played real drum set approximately a dozen times in my life, however, I am going to see if I can "learn" to play the drums via Rock Band 2 - now I know some would proclaim an injustice in that surely a stupid video game is absolutely no substitute for the real thing. I couldn't agree more, however,thats not the point. Here are a few arguments for my case.

1) the game is fun as shit - and the 80+ songs are practically all the original recordings (i think)
2) the drum is actually set up rather intelligently with of course a bass pedal for the foot plus 4 drums up high from left: hi-hat, snare, ride/hi tom (depending on song), bass tom. So its pretty logical -
3) when playing on hard and expert levels, they do an amazing job of replicating the actual drum part on the system itself

so, anyway, I might not be able to play this game but once every week or two (if that) so Im dorking out and spending an hour downloading all the songs on the game to listen to and study. yes its highly geeky, but what if somehow, after listening to these songs and playing this game a handful of times, when I sit down to a real drum set, I have new skill sets?!

Wish me luck, ....

p.s. I also think that I've always wanted to be a drummer and this is my silly little way of manifesting that :)

Another!?!?!

Here's the latest installment - the third. I think it's the best yet.

The Third.wav

I'm totally with you Jamison. I love hearing about your latest revelations. It seems like you are constantly having them, you lucky dog! Keep up the good work and keep us updated!

jer to the eremy

pleasant realizations...

... upon discussions with jeremy, i have come to more fully realize my importance as a musician and artist: via many philosophies of Joseph Campbell, I've seen that we have a vital role in helping maintain the ever present "mystery" and help create ever evolving perspectives on our life experiences as humans.... among many other things. I feel like our culture doesn't necessarily remind us of these things, so its important we do so for ourselves

.. . i have been doing a lot more meditating and singing with drones lately, as well as incorporating those into my more frequent yoga routine. I have had some deeply profound experiences which, in all honesty, cannot be done justice with words. suffice it to say, i highly suggest people explore this world more... if you haven't already :)

... I met up with some friends recently who were from out of town. They were into old school country and dancing, so I met them on Broadway, normally a place I avoid like the plague, mainly due to my probably unfairly assessed stereotypes of the kinds of people who hang out there (tourists, rednecks, douchebags, etc) However, the bar we went to had a slammin' band that played everything from texas swing to 50s rock, and many other styles.... really damned well.... and they didnt stop or take breaks... and they were playing for tips (and thus for the love) and there are numerous joints of this nature in Nashville downtown... along with of course a surprisingly varied group of crazy folks which helps the people watching parameter of going out. so.... even though I went to Austin a while back for the first time and said to myself "why cant nashville be more like this place" I am ever so slowly coming to realize the great and unique qualities of nashville. no place is perfect, just like no person is perfect, and coming to know its idiosyncrasies, both inspiring and even annoying, can ultimately be the best path to take

... I've had a number of realizations lately, but I will save them for a time when my hand isn't fucked up from falling down the stairs last night (a near injurious experience, and thus I have a new appreciation for life!.... if living isn't in part the constantly growing love with living, than I don't know what living is about... haha! thanks for being my friends and please feel free to use this blog as a place to smatter your thoughts like neon green spray paint from the vandals fist!

The Follow-Up

Here's a link to the next installment of my DJ career (the follow-up to the Christmas song). It's a love story. xoxo

Love Story.wav