Recent music #2

I’ve had this idea…

that I should start some sort of label and call it RECENT MUSIC. I bought a Zoom H6 recorder and started capturing my gigs, hoping to find some magic in the everyday comings and goings of a gigging musician. Now’s the time to start sharing stuff!

For you, my lovely followers on my email list, I’ll be sharing select tracks from recent gigs. RECENT MUSIC if you will. All of this is in hopes of finding something worth committing to tape (figuratively but maybe actually!) in the near to probably distant future. Hopefully, this can be a way for us to interact about the music I’m making and a way for me to get it out to you. This will not be an archive (for now) so with each new edition, the older stuff will disappear.

If you enjoy what you’re hearing and want to hear more, encourage others to subscribe to my email list. If you want to hear this stuff on record in the future, consider buying some of my older music or donating to the cause via my PayPal page. Both are linked below.

Thanks, Mike

I’m realizing that the 2nd iteration of something is a lot harder than the first. Despite these challenges, I am thrilled to say that I am keeping up with RECENT MUSIC and am excited to share with you the 2nd look into what I’ve been up to.

While I was considering what to share this month, my mind quickly drifted toward my work as a solo guitarist. Though I’ve never done a true “official” recording of my work as a solo guitarist it is an essential part of my musical identity and my livelihood at this point. A few years ago I figured out that I did as many solo gigs as I did “other” gigs in a single year. That’s a lot of time alone with your instrument!

The few selections I have for you this month are from a recent gig at Cellar Beast Winehouse in Andreas, PA. The Witherbees were the first-ever musical act at the winery way back in the summer of 2021. Starting in the winter of 2022, I’ve been playing at their tasting room just about every month. Though I might call myself an artist, a large majority of my gigs are played in loud rooms filled with conversation. Does this change the quality of the music? I’m not always so sure. Sometimes, I need to remind myself that I say something special when I pick up a guitar, regardless of where it is.

“Island Blues” is a Charles Lloyd blues I first learned through one of my musical heroes, Julian Lage. This a tune I’ve been using to start gigs for about 3 years now. It’s a great way to test the room, feel out the sound, and see where the band is at. In this particular rendition, you can hear me feeling out the room and easing into the afternoon.

“I Should Care” is a song I’ve always appreciated and has recently become a steady part of my repertoire. I love Jim Hall’s solo recording and always think of it when approaching this tune.

“Benny’s Bugle” is one of my go-to teacher tunes. In my first listen, I passively heard it in a Charlie Christian box set when I was in college. Later, I became low-key obsessed with it after hearing Bill Frisell’s version on his album Beautiful Dreamers. I only really play it on solo gigs since I got tired of the questioning looks I would get when I called it on a trio gig. When I do play it solo, I have a little form worked out with my loop pedal. This recording is a pretty good example of the routine I go through on this tune. I loop the changes, play the tune, improvise, play a riff from the Benny Goodman recording, and then stack choruses that are reminiscent of an early jazz or swing band soloing together. I’m usually afraid this comes off like a gimmick but I’m certain there’s some artistry in there too.