I've been busy
I'm playing now with Myrna Cabello http://www.myrnarocks.com.
The band has been doing well. In October we had a two night show at The Long Center in Austin. Then we played Antone's, the world famous blues club. Pinetop Perkins was in the audience. I felt very comfortable on stage there. It felt like where I belong.
Last year at this time, Myrna was finishing her debut CD and she got some great players to be on it. My favorite was Jerry Martini, "Papa J" who played with Sly and the Family Stone. I got to meet him in the studio, and he is a very nice guy. I was surprised when he agreed to come back out from California to play at our CD release gig at the Long Center in May of 2009.
So we got to hang out with him for a couple of days. I hit him up for as much information as I could about how I could become a better saxophone player. The most important advice he gave me was about the mouthpiece I needed. I was playing a Berg Larson, 90/2. That means it had a gap between the reed and the metal, of 90 thousandths of an inch and the bore was a size two, which is pretty big. Jerry said I needed a wider gap to be able to hit the higher notes easier, and a smaller bore to get a brighter pitch.
I bought the new mouthpiece as soon as I could. It took me about three weeks to get used to it, then at the first rehearsal after I had been working on it, the band noticed a definite improvement. I can really hit those high notes better, meaning under pressure, and I've never had such a great tone.
Everyone should always keep learning. I feel like I have finally had the pleasure of getting a true mentor, and I'll always be grateful for the help Papa J gave me in getting the right mouthpiece for the kind of playing that I want to do.
The band has been doing well. In October we had a two night show at The Long Center in Austin. Then we played Antone's, the world famous blues club. Pinetop Perkins was in the audience. I felt very comfortable on stage there. It felt like where I belong.
Last year at this time, Myrna was finishing her debut CD and she got some great players to be on it. My favorite was Jerry Martini, "Papa J" who played with Sly and the Family Stone. I got to meet him in the studio, and he is a very nice guy. I was surprised when he agreed to come back out from California to play at our CD release gig at the Long Center in May of 2009.
So we got to hang out with him for a couple of days. I hit him up for as much information as I could about how I could become a better saxophone player. The most important advice he gave me was about the mouthpiece I needed. I was playing a Berg Larson, 90/2. That means it had a gap between the reed and the metal, of 90 thousandths of an inch and the bore was a size two, which is pretty big. Jerry said I needed a wider gap to be able to hit the higher notes easier, and a smaller bore to get a brighter pitch.
I bought the new mouthpiece as soon as I could. It took me about three weeks to get used to it, then at the first rehearsal after I had been working on it, the band noticed a definite improvement. I can really hit those high notes better, meaning under pressure, and I've never had such a great tone.
Everyone should always keep learning. I feel like I have finally had the pleasure of getting a true mentor, and I'll always be grateful for the help Papa J gave me in getting the right mouthpiece for the kind of playing that I want to do.
posted by Will Alkin at 2:00 PM
0 comments
