Velvet

Sorry, but I gotta make one more point. Music is not a gift, unless working every day for your whole life to achieve what is ultimately unachievable and dying without getting there (I will dispel all arguments that any true musician ever felt like he was done learning music) is a gift. To look at a great musician and say that they are gifted, or worse, born to play, discounts all the work that person did to get where they are. Coltrane practised scales four hours a day, then he practised music. Gifted? Dedicated.

That being said, I think you were actually saying that music is a gift to the world. Okay. But the givers of the gift sacrifice their lives to provide the bounty.

I think music is magic. Real magic. No coincidence that as a child I always confused the words magician and musician. I still wonder why I confused alligator and escalator, but I still don't go near the things.

Boy, does this guy piss me off. What's the problem buddy, having a hard time finding a gig. The world needs less jazz musicians. Right!

"Play and write your own music based on your experience."

"Giants like Coltrane, Mingus, Miles, Ornette, Jaco etc. worked hard to develop their own unique pathway to the divine."

Ok Bob, whattya got to say about, oh I dunno, Jaco covering Charlie Parkers 'Donna Lee' for the first track on his debut album? Or Coltrane doing 'My Favorite Things'? Or what about the fact that the entire bebop movement (Parker, Monk, 'Trane, Miles, etc.) consisted of writing new melodies over old songs and retitling them and calling them their own?

There are no virgin births, everything comes from something. Does Bob have a problem that Mingus was inspired by Bach (and learned lots of his lines), a player he never met, heard live, or came close to, talent wise?

"A person's life is not a flavor to be tried and not a place one can come and go from. Your life is

your music. It can only be lived by the person

living it...Because you like something doesn't make it yours."

then...

"Join an R&B or Gospel group...Join a reggae band with Jamaicans..."

Something seem funny there to you? Oh, I could go on and on, but I'm as two-finger typist.

Although I do agree with this, single point:

"..keep Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, John Coltrane or any other great spirits separate from your names and off your posters and advertisements."

though I bet Bob Moses doesn't hide the fact that he played with Mingus on his press releases.

Giggles, let's jam! Next time you're in town for a show, c'mon over and we'll play jazz. I got all the gear here.

Brad, I think my point is ultimately that it shouldn't come to semantics. You wanna play it, play it. My problem with the guy who wrote the letter is that he says don't steal this, and they didn't steal nothin', while at the same time saying, go learn the music, learn how to play other styles. I say he should shut up and make albums, and let the rest of the world do the same. If I wanna release a Mingus tribute album 'cuz I'm a fan and I like to play his music, then don't buy it, that's all. (Parker playing Cole Porter tunes was a pretty big album) The collective musical world doesn't need a lesson in ethics from anybody, especially a jazz musician.

And, though I'm a huge, and I mean huge fan, Charlie Parker was an asshole who did nothing to help out other musicians. When people wanted to sit in with him he would give the band the secret code to launch into playing changes that were impossible to follow, making the guest look like a fool. Plus he inspired many to take up heroin. And as far as copycats go, I'll say again that Parker's Ornithology is How High the Moon with a different melody, Donna Lee is Just Friends with a different melody, etc etc etc.

Anybody wanna attack me for saying Bird was a dick? C'mon over, we'll put on some records, play some changes and talk.

Yep, he sure did, that Shel is probably one of the biggest freaks who quietly infiltrates the straights. (Don't forget his childrens books, like the Giving Tree).

Here I Go Again was on the setlist of my very first every gig. So was You Give Love A Bad Name, as I recall. (I'm shuddering, I'm really shuddering!)

Interesting...My mom was an Elvis freak (was that why I made the pilgrimage to Graceland this summer?) while my dad listened wxclusively to truck-drivin' music (Betcha didn't even know that was a genre - Teddy Bear, Phantom 409, Hello I'm a Truck etc.etc.etc), so as a kid I got my I-IV-V's well ingrained.

The first album (yes, album) I remember buying was Billy Joel's Glass Houses, which I still think is a pretty good record, but THE album that changed my world: Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show. It's still one of my favorite musical collections. All the lyrics are by Shel Silverstein. Every song is about sex and/or drugs and I knew the album by heart when I was nine (though I had no clue what 'Pennicillin Penny' or 'Acapulco Goldie' were referring to). They even played that year at the Moncton Coliseum but my mom wouldn't let me go. Wonder why not?

Wow, I can't believe I forgot Blow By Blow.

Guess I'll have to leave the Ween behind.

By the way, Mr. Monkey, I'm surprised you're a Steve Miller fan. Jungle Love, indeed.

Okay, kinda bored, thought I'd throw out a topic at y'all.

Here's the scenario: aliens without ears are about to blow up the earth, but you have miraculously been spared. Not only that, they're gonna take you back to their planet! Turns out though that they have no music, so they'll let you bring a discman and five, count 'em, five cd's.

What're you gonna bring?

here's my list:

-Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier by G Gould (Bach was an alien anyway)

-Picture of Nectar

-Charles Mingus Anthology

-Nevermind by Nirvana

-Ween's live one, Painting the Town Brown.

I'd keep on playing music 'til I was broke again. And I'd order a pizza.

Scratch that. If I had a million dollars I'd hire lobbyists to repeal Canada's marijauna laws. THEN I'd keep playing music. Fuck the pizza.

Yeah yeah, it's a bent soprano sax (is that what Clinton had?). I asked him 'cuz I supposed it was a piccolo sax, but it weren't. Every soprano I've seen has been straight, like a big brass clarinet.

And, yeah, make t-shirts boys!

Satan lives in my computer and posts things before I finish. Anyhoo, what I was getting at was this: When are you guys gonna have t-shirts? I wanna shamelessly advertise nero on my chest (but I'm unwilling, at this point, to get a tattoo).

Great set last night guys! Tres rockin', sorry I missed the start of the set.

C'mon! The inventor of cool...Arthur Fonzarelli!

Y'know, even as a little kid I knew that six million dollars was a great deal for all those bionics Steve Austin had. What with inflation being what it is, the only Prosthetic Appendage Advantage© parts I can afford are the belt sander or the Paul Reubens Squish'm Grip.

I'm getting depressed and light-headed.

Y'know, even as a little kid I was aware that six million dollars was a steal for all those bionics that Steve Austin had. The only Prosthetic Appendage Advantage© I can afford now are the belt sander or the Paul Reubens Squish'm Grip.

Yeah, I uh, I mean um, I spilled Hawaiian Punch on my keyboard and every time I type in Stewart Copeland Andy Summers comes up.

Okay, I'm way lame, the Police are my fave rock band and I even own Andy Summers solo albums and I've seen Mr. Sting about seven times (though not on purpose). As a penance for my error, I've cut off my arm.

Anyone got a band-Aid?

That's Mister Sting to you, Gentlemonkey.

I just picked up a guitar magazine with Trey in it. Now, I might be reading a bit between the lines here, but...

Q: How has your playing changed as a result of the Oysterhead experience?

A: I want to leave enough space so you can catch their incredible drumming and bass playing.

Hmmm...is Trey saying he has a problem with Mike and Fishman's playing? I've read a Trey interview before where he said that the band had to learn to play tempo fluxuations because Fishman can't keep the tempo steady. Plus it's weird that Trey got together with Andy Summers, who never heard of either Trey or Les before, and who had never played a song more than four minutes long. (Don't get me wrong, I think Andy rocks)

In this interview, Trey also says, "If I start playing with Phish again, I want to come back with a whole bunch of new ideas, thus making Phish much better."

Cool Trey, when? I think it's time we all stopped holding our breath.

Wow, Roy Wooten only made $300,000 in four years?!? And only $200,000 was (supposed to be) take-home. I'm ready to give up! Me 'n Pablo met this great old blues guitar player in Mississippi who knows the Wootens well, and he says Futureman is the finest guitar player he's heard. Not to mention the greatest drumitar player alive or dead. $50,000 a year (even in US$) ain't enough money for an entertainer of that stauture. I mean, what does the lamest pro athlete bench warmer make in a year?

Whatever, they should shake his hand, send him home and give him a raise.

And, Mr. G. Monkey, if you've ever heard any drums or percussion at all on any Bela Fleck tune, that's the drumitar. They don't have a standard drummer.

If nothing else, hopefully this will get the Flecktones out and touring a lot. An Ottawa show would be nice.

So, how was it? Seems like a weird night for open stage...Who played? Is it a jam or are bands showing up? Ultimately should I go there and play, or is it lame?

You guys have a Boba Fetish.

I could amil you some of Jimmy Hoffa's body parts. I've got lots.

So, um, for the east coast tour, umm, I'm driving, right? So, me in the front, neroboy running shotgun, amps, drums, pedals, guitars, hoes and livestock in the back...

Guess that leaves the band strapped to the roof again. This time keep it quiet up there or there'll be no more hot wax option at the car wash.

Lessee now...

Best jam show this year: Phil Lesh last weekend. Total bonus for being the only high school gym in North America with good sound.

Best nonjam(?) show of the year: Herbie Hancock at Massey Hall. Brian Blade on drums is a joy to behold. He was with Joni Mitchell when she toured with Dylan and Daniel Lanois produced his debut cd. Check him out. Roy Hargrove on trumpet was no slouch either. Honourable mention goes to Ween in Vegas, of course.

Worst jam show this year: JGB @ Babylon. Change the band name, Melvin.

Worst nonjam show this year: John Mellencamp. What the hell was I thinking?

Best shows ever:

Jazz: Bobby McFerrin, Montreal '93

Rock: AC/DC, Montreal '92(?). If you haven't seen them, you don't know...

Country: Lyle Lovett, Ottawa, '96

Jam: (tie) Phish at Finger Lakes (Tweezer show)/The Dead at Buckeye Lake '93

Blues: SRV, Moncton '89

Indescribable Genre: (tie) Bob Wiseman @ Zaphod's '96/Tom Waits, Toronto '99

WORST SHOW EVER (all genres): Edgar Winter, Ottawa '96. Take heed.