Re: Toy Quota gig, Substation, Seattle Sept 18
Brett Bottomley wrote:
(snip) Great stuff...scofield?
Brett
Hi Brett - very kind words, thanks a million! I haven't been on this forum for a while so I need to catch up with the links here and see what's up, and follow some threads!
Been in Seattle 23 years, before that in Rhode Island for many years. I attended the earlier Stick seminars in Vancouver and Seattle (and while in RI a Guitar Summer Workshop with Frank Joliffe ~1991?) and over the years show up every once in a while to a Vancouver seminar - so I've met quite a few Stick folks and some great instructors along the ways from those get-togethers.
I contribute here every once in a while and used to more regularly for the Stickwire or Sticknews forum(s).
I've utilized a lot of Roland and Boss gear with the grand Stick over the years, with the dual GK pickups and I'm really happy with my current rig, although transporting it is a bit cumbersome. I play keyboards as well and have utilized MIDI Stick but not for this CD. There's a lot to deal with, with that whole MIDI enchilada.
Right now I'm feeling quite fortunate to have been able to pull this CD together with Kevin, and hopefully we'll score some gigs soon. We've actually played together for a long time over the years and started playing again about a year ago after a 5 year hiatus, just jamming.
Hey - if there's other Stick players in the Seattle/Portland/Vancouver area maybe we can do some focused shows?
I also have tried a lot of various alternate tunings out for the grand and currently am trying to squeeze in some time for a matched reciprocal with the lowest 3 bass strings raised an octave. It's really great for finger picking and jazz closed voicings - I think you'd dig it (from what little I know of your jazz directions).
And I have a half fretless NS/Stick that gets as much love as I can give it. It is tuned in melody 4ths and bass 5ths and it really forced me to learn how to play a lot of open voicings and inversions inside 4 strings of the melody - which translates to any Stick. Plus the fretless sound through either the EMC's or the GK's is just awesome - an acoustic upright bass VBass patch is just great, as is any fat filtered synth patch.
Yeah I dig Scofield and Charlie Hunter and Jeff Beck and Billy Cobham and Pete Townsend and plenty of keyboardists, drummers, sax players - and a lot of local to Seattle players as well. It's all good if it inspires. Live is best. thanks again Brett - cheers, -Brian