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Thinking of putting together a funk/contemporary fusion band for a festival next spring. Already have two people willing to do it. Challenge is I'll need at least a 15-piece band. A horn section of two trumpets, two trombones, two alto and two tenor saxes, and maybe a bari to fill out the sound. Plus probably two keyboards and the rest of the rhythm section. I need to gauge people's interest because I'm going to arrange all the music, and possibly write entirely original stuff. It'll be a commitment for everyone, and the music likely won't be the easiest. Been wanting to get booked on this festival for a few years now, and figured leading my own group is the easiest way to do that (rather than maybe getting asked to join some other group).
 
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rm5 said:
Thinking of putting together a funk/contemporary fusion band for a festival next spring. Already have two people willing to do it. Challenge is I'll need at least a 15-piece band. A horn section of two trumpets, two trombones, two alto and two tenor saxes, and maybe a bari to fill out the sound. Plus probably two keyboards and the rest of the rhythm section). I need to gauge people's interest because I'm going to arrange all the music, and possibly write entirely original stuff. It'll be a commitment for everyone, and the music likely won't be the easiest. Been wanting to get booked on this festival for a few years now, and figured leading my own group is the easiest way to do that (rather than maybe getting asked to join some other group).
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Sounds a great idea.

The best of luck with it.
 
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Scepticalscribe said:
Sounds a great idea.

The best of luck with it.
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Thanks! I’ve never been much of a bandleader, always a sideman. I really enjoy playing but haven’t been very interested in putting together something like this because I just haven’t been willing to put in all the time and effort. I figured I’ll need to do something similar (albeit less insane) for my junior and senior degree recitals, so why not do it on a bigger scale. I’ve had a lot of friends play at the festival and I always enjoy attending. Figured now’s my chance to play there if I can.
 
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Yesterday I drove up to John O'Groats from Inverness. Took nearly 3 hours. Stunning scenery. Today I drove from Inverness back to Glasgow via Loch Ness and Glencoe. A glorious sunny day, perfect at 15ºC and breathtaking scenery. So beautiful. Now, a weekend in Glasgow before the drive back home on Monday.
 
AVBeatMan said:
Yesterday I drove up to John O'Groats from Inverness. Took nearly 3 hours. Stunning scenery. Today I drove from Inverness back to Glasgow via Loch Ness and Glencoe. A glorious sunny day, perfect at 15ºC and breathtaking scenery. So beautiful. Now, a weekend in Glasgow before the drive back home on Monday.
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Beautiful part of the world. Went there hiking a few years ago. Ben Nevis. Sunny at the bottom, snow on the top. Fun times.
 
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Apple fanboy said:
Consider me jealous.
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It was sheer bliss; the guy really knew his stuff.
Apple fanboy said:
Hope you’re not working too hard in between and some decent coffee turned up.
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Had some pretty decent coffee earlier today; and yes, while today was busy, tomorrow promises to be incredibly busy, challenging, and stressful (hence the wonderful massage this evening).
 
Was just thinking about how I feel musical time. I think it's mostly in my gut. I like to tap my foot to have an audible reference point, but I don't need to do that. Actually, I've noticed recently that if I don't tap my foot, sometimes I sound better (especially bebop lines). Anyway, an interesting thing I was thinking about.
 
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rm5 said:
Was just thinking about how I feel musical time. I think it's mostly in my gut. I like to tap my foot to have an audible reference point, but I don't need to do that. Actually, I've noticed recently that if I don't tap my foot, sometimes I sound better (especially bebop lines). Anyway, an interesting thing I was thinking about.
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Had a college band director who had me play a passage which he counted off, and he busted out laughing. I played it fine, on the beat as he started me on it, but apparently my foot taps way behind the beat. In retrospect that doesn't make any sense, how can I play on the beat but not tap my foot accurately? 🤔
 
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BotchQue said:
Had a college band director who had me play a passage which he counted off, and he busted out laughing. I played it fine, on the beat as he started me on it, but apparently my foot taps way behind the beat. In retrospect that doesn't make any sense, how can I play on the beat but not tap my foot accurately? 🤔
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My piano professor actually noticed in our last lesson that I was playing on the beat but my foot was way off. He said it gradually drifted off the beat. I must have been too focused on playing to notice. Weird!
 
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rm5 said:
Today is the city's big Oktoberfest event. Walked through it for a couple hours with some friends this morning/afternoon, was a lot of fun! I suspect it will be even more so when I am of drinking age, but I did have a lot of good food!
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I talked with a previous-coworker/friend/etc. today about what life was like after her recent move to Minnesota . . . she replied "I am going to become a trapeze artist!"

"On the way, we attended a local Octoberfest" . . . I shared that it was still September....

rm5 said:
My piano professor actually noticed in our last lesson that I was playing on the beat but my foot was way off. He said it gradually drifted off the beat. I must have been too focused on playing to notice. Weird!
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Synchronicity.
 
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And, on another note.
I've been a good boy, I have. I have really cut down the number of Chinese fountain pens I have been buying (mostly because I bought my grail pen, a Japanese Pilot Custom 823, and it blew my pen budget for the next few years...).
But, now I found that they make inks, as well. And good inks.
Hero, and Jinhao, and Hongdian, and Ostrich, and PenBBS, and Tramol, and Montagut, and, and, and...
It's not fair. It is tempting beyond human resistance.
 
DaveFromCampbelltown said:
And, on another note.
I've been a good boy, I have. I have really cut down the number of Chinese fountain pens I have been buying (mostly because I bought my grail pen, a Japanese Pilot Custom 823, and it blew my pen budget for the next few years...).
But, now I found that they make inks, as well. And good inks.
Hero, and Jinhao, and Hongdian, and Ostrich, and PenBBS, and Tramol, and Montagut, and, and, and...
It's not fair. It is tempting beyond human resistance.
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And, as I was writing, a nice delivery person from AliExpress was dropping a bottle of Hero 232 Blue-Black ink at my doorstep.
I have long been looking for a nice iron-gall based Blue-Black.
I have tried Diamine's Registrar's Ink (gave it away to a Registrar, truly), vintage Mont Blanc Blue-Black (so old it had all precipitated out, but I got a couple of nice bottles), Pelikan 4001 Blue-Black (European version, not the 'safe' American version) and now this one.
It looks to be the best of the lot.
 
For those of you who wear glasses. How the hell do you deal with an eyelash in your eye? Took me a good while earlier.

Work in the morning is on my mind as well as next Wednesday’s work trip to Paris.
 
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