The City Chase

I just thought I'd mention that a good buddy of mine and I have recently joined Toronto's Bell City Chase. Last year was our first time racing in this event and we didn't do too badly. We had high expectations of ourselves, but we fell short of our goals. This year we're planning on a top ten finish. Will, it happen? Who knows. We went in last year running around like chickens with our heads chopped off. We spent a lot of energy on the unimportant stuff and found ourselves out of gas at the end of the race. My calves tightened up early in the race and that slowed us down immensely. It was a disappointment but it was a fun time none the less. Anyway, I'm planning a workout schedule for me to follow so that way I can keep up with my buddy who seems to always be in shape. If you have any tips or insights on training, feel free to e-mail me at www.mfpenafiel@hotmail.com

Pulled it off

Well, with the folk choir, we got through the two arrangements and opened the Rice Cafe last night. It went well and the arrangements that I/we had put together sounded good. The group learned it quickly and worked hard at it. I'm just glad they made it through it and made it sound good. The other performers from the Rice Cafe did a good job as well. If you're looking for more info on the Rice Cafe, please visit www.rice-cafe.com

"It's always a good time when you are performing in front of people and you are comfortable."
-BassBassDude

Afterwards, a late dinner and some karaoke topped off the night with some good old fellowship and merriment. Hard work, in the long run usually pays off. If not, it's good to be around people that can at least laugh about it.


Just on a side note, if you would like to e-mail me you can do that as well. Drop me a line at mfpenafiel@hotmail.com

Learning by rote

Just a quick point. After last night's second practice/dinner, I am reconfirmed in my belief that learning by rote is a powerful way of learning music. Although it can be difficult and frustrating for the most part, it is through this discipline that one can fully internalize a song.

I remember my days in Wibijazzn' when I would learn songs and parts through rote. I remember how painful it felt when I was having a hard time to get it. Eventually after practicing it over and over again, it became second nature to me.

I guess it only makes sense that we learn music similar to how a baby learns how to speak.

The way to a musician's time is through his...

Stomach.

Last night, I was invited over to my buddy's house for dinner. As soon as I sat down to eat, I found out that it was going to be a practice night. It didn't bother me at all. In fact I was howling at how deceptive he was about it all. Either way, it didn't matter whether I knew or not; good thing I didn't have any set plans that night. I can only guess that my friend didn't tell me about the practice because I guess he didn't want me to bring my upright bass over. Either he wanted me to focus more on the vocal arrangements or he's being subtle about how I play my bass. Either way, that's a clever way of getting a practice together.

A little change up...

A little change up...
Originally uploaded by BassBassDude.

Just last night, I had finished an arrangement for the folk group/choir that I'm a part of. I tried to keep it as simple as possible keeping in mind that it had to be learned quickly for this little thing that we're a part of next weekend. It sounds fine, I just hope it works out. Anyway, my buddy came over to take a look at it; he says it sounds okay. On top of that we went over a few things as well. After that, we decided to change things up a bit. For a guitarist, he picked it up well. I'm just happy that he admits that playing the double bass is hard.

Happy New Year

P1000246
Originally uploaded by BassBassDude.

Here's to setting new goals, and to have the courage just to try them, regardless of the circumstances.

Happy New Year

To a year that will be kind and generous to those who need it most.

Lots going down...

To all that are keeping tabs, I've been busy with a couple of projects. Just a couple of arrangements on the go that I needed to finish, so my appologies for not writing. I still have a couple that I need to do as well. I've finally updated my computer and converted to the world of fruits... macintosh apples that is. I have, to this point, found them pretty fun and I hope that it serves my purposes. Playing was not as busy as I thought it would be, but I at least kept my hand dipped in the arranging side of things. Before the new year, I'll have my musical goals and plans for the coming new year. So, raise a glass to the year that had passed and all the successes and learning experiences it had brought us. May it be the springboard to the coming new year that will bring new challanges and renew our spirit of discovery. Cheers.

Gig Recap

On Saturday, I played a private gig with MV. In a nutshell, it went very well. Good sound and energy. Our client seemed very happy with our performance that evening and we were just happy to come out and be a part of the event.
That same night, we shared the gig with a Soca band. I have to say that when you have a big sound, it pays. They were great to watch and listen to. I've always been a big fan of people who hire live musicians for their events. Granted, having a DJ can give a lot of music for a lot less money, but there's a certain energy and connection that good live music can do. I'm not trying to take any credit away from DJ's because there are a lot of them out there that are very good at what they do. I'm just saying that both streams have a lot to offer; it's unfortunate that economics and budgets make hiring live musicians a scarcity in most markets. Whether it be live Soca, Hip-Hop, Jazz, R&B, Folk, Classical, the support for these live performers is not quite the same as it is for those who spin LP's or CD's.
This, of course is just a subjective view in which I'm situated somewhere on the short end of the stick.

Quote of the Day

"I don't believe that life is supposed to make you feel good, or to make you feel miserable either. Life is just supposed to make you feel.
-Gloria Naylor

"The answer to life the universe and everything is ... 42"
-BassBassDude/Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy

Wibi Showcase

I got to spend my evening on Saturday night listening to an a cappella group I used to sing in back in my days at York University. Wibijazz'n, or "Wibi" as it is more commonly referred to as, had their Christmas Concert over the weekend. They did an amazing job. They had great balance and a solid sound and a diverse selection of music ranging from pop to jazz to classical to world to the odd. A fantastic event that I was happy to go to. Earlier that morning, I was toying with the idea of not going; good thing I got out of that funk.

Anyway, I couldn't help but remember all the good times I had singing in Wibi. Whether it be learning a new chart or actually performing on stage, or even just hanging out with the group; every moment was amazing.

After the show, the other Wibi alumnists and I went over to a nearby restaurant and caught up, not knowing that the actual Wibijazz'n group was going to swing by after. It turned into a spontaneous "sing-along" where we all just started singing. It was pretty cool, especially when you haven't done it in a while.

Anyway, to sum up the evening:
"If the Wibi crew had twice as much fun performing as we did enjoy listening, then that means we had half the enjoyment of listening than they did performing."

Something to think about...

Quote of the Day

"I know absolutely nothing. That is why each new day, each new moment, is truly an adventure"
- Ross Fields

"I know absolutely nothing. End Scene"
-BassBassDude

Quote of the Day

"To make a great dream come true, you must first have a great dream."
- Hans Selye

"In order to have a great dream, one must have a good nights sleep"
-BassBassDude

Gig Recap

Well, the gig on Friday night went very well. It's always a challenge when there are only two instruments involved. You really have to lean on each other. Especially when you play for two and a half hours straight. It's not that we didn't have a break, it's just that it's really fun playing and we opted not to stop playing. Granted, my hands were hurting after because I haven't had these epic sessions in a while, but, that's okay; I've gotten really good at dealing with water blisters. Anyway, we challenged ourselves by speeding up the tempo on some tunes, one of which could have been a train wreck, but we pulled out of it fairly unscathed. We also tried a couple of things that we hadn't looked at in ages as well. Being the Christmas season, we sight read a bunch of tunes and played around in different genres. All in all, a good time for both us playing and for those who came out and listened.



visit: www.melodiousvibes.com

Day & Night Tonight

To all that can come out, I'll be playing at the "Day & Night" restaurant on the corner of Brimley & Steeles in Scarborough. It will be piano & bass all night starting at 9pm. Just grab a table, have dinner and relax.

Take care all.

Quote of the Day

Expect the best.
- Joe Batten

Expect the worst.
- BassBassDude (during a time of pessimism)

A Cappella

On Monday November 15 at a club/bistro in Toronto, I got the opprotunity to witness three great a cappella groups. Cadence, Retrocity (both of which hail from Toronto) and a group that I had never heard of from the United States by the name of M-pact. I've been following Cadence and Retrocity for the past few years and have done my very best to come out to as many shows and support them, so I'm very familiar with their performances. Having a chance to listen to M-pact perform was an amazing treat. They were vocally tight and innovative with their arrangements. The biggest thing about this group of 6 young men is that they come at you with some serious fire-power and volume. It's like a huge sound of wall that hits you right in the face and leaves you keeled over by the wayside. Anyway, if you'd to learn more about M-pact, just visit their website at:

www.m-pact.com

Anyway, hopefully they'll be back in Toronto some time in the near future.

Quote of the Week

"In small proportions we just beauties see, and in short measures life may perfect be."
- Ben Jonson

"Just eat smaller portions"
- BassBassDude

Small Combos

One great way of becoming a better player is by actually watching people perform live. Just last weekend I went out and watched the Ron Davis trio play at the Top o' the Senator in Toronto. It was a good time watching these three play. I've always been a fan of trios and small ensembles. Each person has the opprotunity to be expressive and supportive at the same time. The drawback is that you are vulnerable to having the listener catch all your mistakes. As a bass player I've found that with a comping instrument like a guitar or piano, combined with drums, you can sometimes correct yourself within the rhythm section. Eliminate one of those elements and you, as a bass player, are exposed completely. So, in these situations, it's important to have confidence in your playing. I've also found in small combos, a bass player sometimes may be drawn into playing more than "the foundation". By foundation I mean, trying to be a little too expressive and overpowering every body in the rhythm section, let alone the soloist. A bass player should try ti fill in the holes when they come around; either in the soloists phrasing or when the rhythm section needs a bit of a boost. Anyway, when done well, like Friday night at the Top o' the Senator, it can become a great experience for both performer and listener.

Golf Recap

Well, I'd like to call this a first.

I had a tee time booked for this past Saturday, knowing full well that there was a strong chance of rain. Well, I got to the course and because of the mixture of rain and humidity without any wind, the whole course was covered in a thinck blanket of fog.
100 yards was all you could see in front of you. Needless to say, the course was closed until the fog cleared. On top of that, I found out that that was the last weekend that the course would be open. So, I headed over to the driving range and hit a couple of balls. After giving up on that course, I proceeded to head home. On the way, I found another course where the fog seemed to be less thick. I turned in and decided to play there. Things were going great. I was on my own and shooting well and I finished the first nine holes in just over an hour. The back nine was a different story. It slowed down right to a halt and the change in rhythm must have gotten to me. Thus, I played poorly on the back 9. The big rainfall didn't really hit until I was just finishing the 17th. Anyway, the whole day I was fighting my irons and pulling them. Anyway, hopefully, I'll be able to squeeze in a few more rounds before winter hits. I might be forced into playing only pitch-and-putt courses due to my budget.