I chose Garage band for iPad because I needed to knock up a rough demo of a tune I was writing, and the musician I was witing it for was not so confident with his sight reading that he could read it off the page at a recording session. He is a great jazz musician though, so I knew that if he just heard the melody and had a rough idea of the harmony we would be away.

To my surprise Garage Band for iPad turns out to be a great notepad tool for composition. There are a number of different sounds supplied with the basic download, and you can record tracks by playing on a virtual keyboard, or a virtual fretboard. There’s even a fret-less bass fretboard for jazzier bass lines. The virtual keyboard even has touch sensitivity. There are also ‘intelligent’ instruments that improvise (very well) in a number of different styles according to the criterion the user specifies. You can also record via in built or plug in mics.

The one thing I couldn’t find that would have been useful was the ability to export as music score.

http://www.apple.com/ipad/from-the-app-store/apps-by-apple/garageband.html

1. kind of Blue – Miles Davis -1959

This work broke with the conventions of the time, but has become a rule book in itself, many great players including John mcLaughlin claim they learnt about improvisation by studying this album.

2. Live at the Royal Festival Hall – John McLaughlin Trio – 1989

Truly awesome trio with Trilok Gurtu on percussion and Kai Eckhardt on bass.

3. I Took up the Runes – Jan Garberek – 1990

This used to make me cry when I turned it up real loud and blotted out the rest of the world. I believe it had a similar effect on my neighbours at the time, but for slightly different reasons.

4. Mingus Ah Um – Charles Mingus – 1959

Simply a classic, a beautiful mix of Hard Bop and Gospel music, this work is truly inspired, and you can often hear where the inspiration was coming from.

5. Ugetsu – Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers – 1963

The name came from the Jazz Messengers tours in Japan, for many the striking feature of this album is that it is led by a drummer, and there is not one drum solo on it. I love the line up and the compositions. Also, you can never beat a good live album.

6. Making Music – Zakir Hussain – 1986

Surprisingly this did not meet with overwhelming approval from critics at the time of it’s release. I regard it as some of the best music I’ve ever heard and I really need to replace the copy that I have just realised is missing from my CD shelf.

7. Tales of Gil Scott Heron - Gil Scott Heron and his Amnesia Express – 1990

I went to see Gil perform several times in the early 90′s. When he turned up, he, and the band featured on this recording could not be beaten for quality music entertainment. RIP.

8. Oregon in Moscow – Oregon and the Moscow Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra – 2000

Oregon are known for fusing classical music and instrumentation with jazz improvisation. This project though was bordering on the ridiculous. Here they manage to make a symphony orchestra function as a fifth member of their jazz combo.

9. I sing the body electric – Weather Report – 1972

Weather report was a leading force in fusion for 16 years, they recorded countless classic jazz albums. This one is my favourite of theirs.

10. Irresistible forces – Jack DeJohnette Special Edition – 1987

Another album that I used to annoy my flat mates with. At the time I simply had not heard anything like it. As I recall it unites rhythmic power with melodic beauty. It also seem to be  missing, this time from my vinyl collection. Somebody call the Jazz Police!

Jazz in the Grammys 2012

If anyone knows a manager, or a good article on time management, please let me know.

Well, no one is sure! One likely source is the slang Jasm meaning energetic and full of spirit. I think I’ll try and remember that on the next gig.

 This is a great resource for anyone playing or wanting to play gypsy jazz standards. Each tune has the melody in guitar tab and suggested Gypsy Jazz Chord voicings.

I notice that he now has a new book out where the reader can learn how he approached writing new Gypsy Jazz tunes, I suspect it’s well worth the read.

http://www.TuneWritingSecrets.com/

Jazz CD Store

I do not seek to cast blame, and cannot criticise the program makers, but it is a natural and  necessary quality of these programs that they keep the song structures short. I find it is a new experience for me as a jazz musician to complain about this, as I am an advocate of shorter arrangements  in almost all the jazz that I am involved in making, but in these programs the songs are reduced to the level of adverts for the singers. My hope is that this does not filter through into pop music in general as I think it may damage the art of popular song-writing.

My on-line Jazz shop will re-open as soon as I have got to grips with the workings of PayPal. (previously an area of the internet marked only with the words ‘here be dragon’s’ in my map of the internet). I was thinking of sprucing up Peter Williams Jazz Boutique as well, new wallpaper, maybe sell coffee and cakes and put out a few tables and chairs.

I’ll let you know as soon as the doors open again!

Of course, I needed the practice, but he had a valid point, and now I’d like to extend that theory… when listening to a band, it’s the blend of the personalities on the stage or the recording that defines the performance.

That’s why I’m so happy to be playing with The Paul Harrison band, my own quartet 2econd Nature, and most recently, a fantastic Gypsy Quartet that I am trying to get on the road- Baltic Love Affair.