Category: Music

Guitar, Wine & Relaxation…a Black Friday Alternative, A San Diego Guitarists Performance Blog

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Once again, I had the pleasure of performing at Orfila Vineyards and Winery in Escondido. This time the day after Thanksgiving.  I really didn’t know what kind of crowd to expect. Would everyone stay home? Be burned out? Turkey hangover? Shopping?

Well, the first sign it was going to be a nice crowd was there was no parking except the overflow. Walking up with my gear, it was packed. That always gets the musician juices flowing. But, it was also nice to see folks using their ‘Black Friday’ to relax. Even better they were supporting some locals over the big box chain stores. Including Orfila, myself and local jewelry maker Katy of KD Custom Jewelry, who’s always a pleasure to work with. Darn Good Food Truck was also there, but, I was so busy I never got a chance to go see what they were all about, sure they were ‘darn good’ though.

With the holiday season upon us, I only have one more scheduled public performance and you guessed it…I will be at Orfila on Dec. 2…3:00 to 5:30 PM. If you haven’t been to Orfila yet it is a must. There is truly something in this valley overlooking the vineyards that always  makes for a great relaxing day. If you are planning any events or weddings definitely take a look here!

Some photos of the day!

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Happy Thanksgiving!

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Thank you all for following my blog! I appreciate all of you who follow and chat about my favorite subject…..MUSIC!

Thank you to all my wedding and performance clients, fellow musicians and students….it is a pleasure to share music with all of you!

Happy Birthday Joe Walsh, 65, Life’s Been Good

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I remember being a little kid listening to Joe Walsh’s, “Life’s Been Good.” It was the coolest song ever at the time. Cool guitar riffs(yes I was hooked on guitar even as a kid) and funny lyrics. I have mentioned before in my blogs that I am not much of lyrics guy, but, c’mon what little kid doesn’t laugh with their friends over lines like, ‘I have a mansion forget the price …Ain’t never been there they tell me it’s nice.’  Actually, the tune has held its own for 34 years now….so it wasn’t just for kids.

I will always think of Joe Walsh, as mentioned above, as a combination of iconic rock guitar riffs and a silly side, including some of his performance faces…he took the ‘guitar face’ to new heights. To me he is the redeeming musician in the Eagles. His stylistic rock licks lifted the Eagles from country band to Rock Supergroup status. His mark is most notably etched on tunes like Life in the Fast Lane, The Long Run, In the City and his shared guitar work on the epic Hotel California solo.

Joe’s been at his career for just under 50 years now. He has achieved legendary success as a member of The James Gang, The Eagles and his solo gig.

Here is to Life ‘Being’ Good for years to come…keep rocking Joe!

Getting Married in Yosemite

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Here is an idea for the couple looking to try something different for their wedding. Could you imagine standing in the middle of the Yosemite Valley to take your vows with El Capitan and Half Dome peaks in the background as your altar?

Living and playing music in Southern California is amazing! I get to play guitar for weddings and events at some of the most beautiful and historic venues in the world regularly. That said, it would be a thrill to play guitar for a wedding in Yosemite!

Better yet, why not at the top of Half Dome itself?

Let me know if you need any help with your wedding music..wherever your venue is being held.

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year…

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Well it’s definitely that time already in the music teaching biz!

If you are like me, you know it is way too early for Christmas music, at least for listening. However, with student performances and CD recording projects coming up SOON it has been my experience that the day after Halloween needs to be the official start of practicing holiday music.

Gotta love the Frank Sinatra Christmas Songbook…has NOTHING to do with him other than the picture on the cover.

 

For those looking for music I strongly recommend the FJH series of Methods and Xmas books. I’ve been using them for 7 plus years now. Their books are a bit more contemporary than the ol’ standards. My students laugh cause I know what page every song is on….they test me but they never trick me.

Tips on practicing for the holidays…

-Don’t bite off more than you can chew! Pick one or two songs with arrangements at your skill level. Learn those and then dive into another. If you start too many at one time you might burn out and lose your steam.

-Practice at least one song you play the notes or tab and a couple with just chords. People love to sing their favorites this time of the year and you can strum away and accompany them.

-Have fun!! Making music with others is a blast. Be confident, but, don’t take it too seriously!

BONUS TIP: Unless you are really comfortable sight-reading make copies of the songs you intend to play and leave the book at home! If you have the book people WILL start to browse and make requests which can be an uncomfortable situation for beginners.

Good luck with the guitar this holiday season!

Related posts:

Guitar for your holiday events

Bing-a-Ling-a-Ling

New Trend in Wedding Videos

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Looks like there is a new trend in wedding videos. Couples are expressing themselves through their favorite music instead of a traditional video of the day and their guests.  Hmmm, one could argue they are just trying to go viral and get some attention, but it seems like a trend that is gaining popularity.

I think it would be a fun change to play a wedding where everything was a bit crazy and different. Although, these days most couples are not throwing their parents weddings and the ‘traditional’ is now less the norm. Most couples enjoy having music and events that are more reflective of who they are than traditional wedding marches, etc.

Let me know if I can help you with your wedding music!

It Was November 4, I Last Held Your Hand

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As a musician, I am not one to pay close attention to lyrics. My brain is much more content following the shapes and construction of the musical patterns, although, I do think really great or really bad lyrics can make or break a song. For some reason, however, the opening lines of Queensryche’s song, “London,” have always stuck in my mind. They are generally benign, but, I never forget them.

“It was November 4, I Last Held Your Hand.”

See nothing special. Maybe it’s the way singer Geoff Tate phrased the words that etched them in my memory. That would make more sense that I picked up on the musical phrasing of the words. Funny thing is other than this line I have NO idea what the song is about!

Anyway, if you are looking for something new to put into your ears I recommend the first four Queensryche albums. The first is actually a self-titled EP followed by “The Warning,” “Rage For Order,” and their watermark, “Operation Mindcrime.” Expect a touch of the theatrical mixed with a heavy metal edge, well written progressive music and my favorite…great guitar playing. All members in the band were musically minded. You will find lots of operatic vocals, thumping but musical bass and drums and crisp creative guitar lines and solos. Some fans are drawn to their lyrics especially the concept album, “Operation Mindcrime.” It’s ironic that my friends used to analyze the lyrics and story behind the album and I barely know what it is about other than the music!

Hope you find something new to listen to in these four titles. If this sounds great but you are looking for something a little less edgy, try their 5th release, “Empire.” Great in its own right but more poppy, overproduced and a little forgettable over the years, their ‘Jump the Shark’ album, although many would disagree.

Enjoy!