Sunday, September 25, 2011
Post-Bop and Avant-Garde Jazz Saxophonist Keith Gamble: Who could ask for more... Keith Gamble performance...
Post-Bop and Avant-Garde Jazz Saxophonist Keith Gamble: Who could ask for more... Keith Gamble performance...: It was a beautiful sunny day in September. The River-Walk way in Downtown Detroit looked pristine and peaceful. A testiment to a first ...
Who could ask for more... Keith Gamble performance for the Wayne County Public Library
It was a beautiful sunny day in September. The River-Walk way in Downtown Detroit looked pristine and peaceful. A testiment to a first step in a city truly intent on making a comeback. This event was a celebration of the Wayne County Public Library. In attendance was a large group of visually impaired individuals and their caretakers. Individuals who understood and appreciated true jazz music. So enthusiatic and spirt filled was the group that others who just happened to be in the area stopped and stood and listened to the creative sounds.
Never have I heard my husband and his group perform better. They played jazz standards and original tunes. During intermission during the two set performance, there was a Jazz interpretation of the "Flintstones Theme". Jazz, a wonderful audience, and a beautiful September Day; who could ask for more...
Never have I heard my husband and his group perform better. They played jazz standards and original tunes. During intermission during the two set performance, there was a Jazz interpretation of the "Flintstones Theme". Jazz, a wonderful audience, and a beautiful September Day; who could ask for more...
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Too change, or not too change; that is the question: Saxophone ligatures.
Hey clarinet and saxophone players, does your mouth piece and ligature make that much of a difference? Yes it does; what you choose as your set-up does make a difference in over-all sound and amplitude. Many of us (if not all of us) has started on a nickel or metal ligature. On my Selmer Mark VII tenor saxophone I play using a metal two screw inverted gold lacquared ligature that works just fine. We do have choices though, and exercising that choice may be a wise decision.
What choices do we have? You can always stick with the nickel or metal two screw ligature, which is the standard ligature that comes with your clarinet or saxophone. Other choices include the Selmer single screw inverted metal ligature, the Harrison or "H" ligature made by Rico, a fabric or leather ligature, or ligature types from other ligature and mouth piece makers. You just have to do your homework when choosing.
If a single reed woodwind player is having intonation and tone quality problems, a new ligature is not going to make a difference, but if intonation, quality and production is not an issue, a new ligature could assist you in producing the sound you are looking for. I have an eight grade saxophone student who has recently been promoted to Level III of the Music Teachers National Association/Metropolitan Detroit Musicians League standards. My student is developing into a fine player; he has a good sound, and plays well in-tune, but I am recommending my student move to a fabric ligature. A fabric ligature produces a subdued sound quality due to producing little or no vibration. My goal for this student is to produce a warmer quality of sound, and the fabric ligature should achieve this without having to go into a new mouth piece.
Sam Sanders, who was an excellent saxophonist, and my jazz/improvisation teacher at Oakland University shared with me in a conversation or lesson, not to get hung-up in purchasing a drawer full of mouth pieces that you will never use (except for the first day you make the purchase). Mouth pieces can be vary expensive, and a waist if you have mouth pieces collecting dust in a drawer. When investing in a mouth piece (or mouth pieces) consider your options, and that option my be not purchasing a new mouth piece, but getting a new ligature.
What choices do we have? You can always stick with the nickel or metal two screw ligature, which is the standard ligature that comes with your clarinet or saxophone. Other choices include the Selmer single screw inverted metal ligature, the Harrison or "H" ligature made by Rico, a fabric or leather ligature, or ligature types from other ligature and mouth piece makers. You just have to do your homework when choosing.
If a single reed woodwind player is having intonation and tone quality problems, a new ligature is not going to make a difference, but if intonation, quality and production is not an issue, a new ligature could assist you in producing the sound you are looking for. I have an eight grade saxophone student who has recently been promoted to Level III of the Music Teachers National Association/Metropolitan Detroit Musicians League standards. My student is developing into a fine player; he has a good sound, and plays well in-tune, but I am recommending my student move to a fabric ligature. A fabric ligature produces a subdued sound quality due to producing little or no vibration. My goal for this student is to produce a warmer quality of sound, and the fabric ligature should achieve this without having to go into a new mouth piece.
Sam Sanders, who was an excellent saxophonist, and my jazz/improvisation teacher at Oakland University shared with me in a conversation or lesson, not to get hung-up in purchasing a drawer full of mouth pieces that you will never use (except for the first day you make the purchase). Mouth pieces can be vary expensive, and a waist if you have mouth pieces collecting dust in a drawer. When investing in a mouth piece (or mouth pieces) consider your options, and that option my be not purchasing a new mouth piece, but getting a new ligature.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Under the Tent and in the Woods: Rivard Plaza and Harper Woods Library performances.
I love living in Detroit during Labor Day holiday, because it is a great opportunity to spend time with family, and attend to Detroit International Jazz Festival. I Had a chance to see some friends in performance at the festival, such trumpeter Rayse Biggs with his group, and other national and international artist such as Curtis Fuller, and a group from Japan called Virtical Engine. Although I was not fortunate enough to grace the stage of the 2011 Detroit International Jazz Festival, I do have two performances scheduled for September I would like you to attend. September 20, 2011, I will perform for seniors for a gathering hosted by the Wayne County Library, and in performance at the Harper Woods Library on the 28th of the month.
Being honest I do not know if my performance under the tent is open to the public, or a private function for seniors sponsored by the Wayne County Public Library, but if you are interested in attending I recommend you call Maria McCarville, Directior of Libraries at (734)727-7310 for details and information. This is going to be a fun performance. Band members and I will an opportunity to fellowship with those in attendance, and enjoy the fine lunch provided by the Wayne County Public Library. After we eat lunch it will be time for us to play. At this time I have not made the set list for this performance as of 09/05/11, but I can tell you I am planning on our jazz quartet to perform mostly jazz standards. This event will begin at 12 noon, under the tent at the Rivard Plaza, on the Detroit River, in Downtown Detroit.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011, at 6:30 I will be appearing in the Community Room of the Harper Woods Public Library, at 19601 Harper Avenue, in Harper Woods, MI. This program is called "A Night of Jazz With Keith Gamble", and will feature post-bop and avant-garde jazz performances, with me talking about the pieces being performed, and entertaining questions on my compositions. Performing with me on the 28th is Mike Evans on piano, Donnie Wilson on bass, and Michael Brown on drums. Our set list is ready for this performance, and we will perform mostly my original works. Audience will have an opportunity to hear three pieces from my 2010 CD recording - Meaning, Truth, and Understanding, three pieces from my 2006 recording with the performance poetry ensemble called Creative Tradition, from the CD - Do I Have To Live Like This?, an avant-garde jazz piece entitled Exalted One, and other piece to round-out our set.
I hope to see you at one, if not both performances. I will have copies of my CDs - Meaning, Truth, and Understanding, and a few of the Creative Tradition recording - Do I Have To Live Like This? While at the performances please sign my mailing list. We`re going to have a lot of fun on the river and in the tent on the 20th, while the 28th promises to be an evening of high energy and artistic creation.
Being honest I do not know if my performance under the tent is open to the public, or a private function for seniors sponsored by the Wayne County Public Library, but if you are interested in attending I recommend you call Maria McCarville, Directior of Libraries at (734)727-7310 for details and information. This is going to be a fun performance. Band members and I will an opportunity to fellowship with those in attendance, and enjoy the fine lunch provided by the Wayne County Public Library. After we eat lunch it will be time for us to play. At this time I have not made the set list for this performance as of 09/05/11, but I can tell you I am planning on our jazz quartet to perform mostly jazz standards. This event will begin at 12 noon, under the tent at the Rivard Plaza, on the Detroit River, in Downtown Detroit.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011, at 6:30 I will be appearing in the Community Room of the Harper Woods Public Library, at 19601 Harper Avenue, in Harper Woods, MI. This program is called "A Night of Jazz With Keith Gamble", and will feature post-bop and avant-garde jazz performances, with me talking about the pieces being performed, and entertaining questions on my compositions. Performing with me on the 28th is Mike Evans on piano, Donnie Wilson on bass, and Michael Brown on drums. Our set list is ready for this performance, and we will perform mostly my original works. Audience will have an opportunity to hear three pieces from my 2010 CD recording - Meaning, Truth, and Understanding, three pieces from my 2006 recording with the performance poetry ensemble called Creative Tradition, from the CD - Do I Have To Live Like This?, an avant-garde jazz piece entitled Exalted One, and other piece to round-out our set.
I hope to see you at one, if not both performances. I will have copies of my CDs - Meaning, Truth, and Understanding, and a few of the Creative Tradition recording - Do I Have To Live Like This? While at the performances please sign my mailing list. We`re going to have a lot of fun on the river and in the tent on the 20th, while the 28th promises to be an evening of high energy and artistic creation.
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