About a year before writing this, I was preparing to move from Ithaca, New York, to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I had spent ten years in Ithaca, built a teaching studio, played hundreds of gigs, formed bands, made records, developed friendships, and gradually become part of the local musical community. Moving meant giving up a […]
Unlocking a New Approach to Time in Jazz For most of my guitar-playing life, rhythm wasn’t my primary focus. Like many guitarists, I was more concerned with technique, theory, and phrasing. But over the years, through both performance experiences and deliberate study, I’ve come to realize that rhythm is at the heart of everything. Whether […]
There is something that has bothered me for years at jazz gigs and jam sessions. Somebody will say, “Let’s play a Latin tune,” and almost immediately we are choosing from the same small group of songs: “Wave,” “Corcovado,” “Triste,” “The Girl from Ipanema,” maybe “Black Orpheus,” “Blue Bossa,” or “Recorda-Me.” You probably know the scene […]
Recently, a friend of mine told me that he had listened to the Sunset Salsa album. He said, “It’s great background music.” I appreciated the compliment. He had taken the time to listen, he enjoyed what he heard, and he was clearly trying to say something positive. At the same time, I have to admit […]
Recently I watched a powerful YouTube video by jazz pianist and educator Noah Kellman called “20 Years of Harsh Jazz Musician Advice In 23 Minutes.” The video resonated with me deeply because it wasn’t really about scales, theory, or virtuosity. It was about the psychology of being a musician. It was about self-doubt, comparison, performance […]
I’ve played music professionally for many years, in just about every kind of setting you can imagine: weddings, restaurants, private parties, corporate events, festivals, clubs, senior communities—you name it. But one of the most unexpectedly fun things I’ve started doing since moving to the Myrtle Beach area is singing telegrams. So far, I’ve done four […]
Since moving to the Myrtle Beach area 10 months ago, I’ve gotten to know quite a bit of the local music scene, but there are still whole parts of the area’s creative community that I’m only beginning to discover. One of those is the visual arts community in downtown Myrtle Beach. Last week I had […]
If you’re planning a wedding, corporate event, private celebration, rehearsal dinner, fundraiser, or other gathering in the Charleston area, there is a relatively new venue in Mount Pleasant that is worth knowing about: Our Place on 17. I recently had the opportunity to experience the venue firsthand when I performed a solo jazz guitar and […]
A few weeks ago, I traveled to Parish Center for the Arts in Westford to take part in a show my sister put together called Short Songs and Tall Tales. I went into it thinking I was just helping out and maybe enjoying a fun night of music and storytelling. I left realizing I had […]
For years, I’ve been on a musical journey that has evolved far beyond mastering chords, scales, technique, or repertoire. Those things still matter enormously to me, and I continue to practice, study, listen, and try to improve as a guitarist. But increasingly, I’ve begun to feel that all of that work is preparation for something […]