Another Hit With Vic Juris

[Joe G]

Wish I was there, too! Especially if the weather's as nice there as it is here.

[Joe G]

How did it go, Randy? Did you attend (or participate) in his workshop?

[randissimo]

How did it go, Randy? Did you attend (or participate) in his workshop?

The workshop and concert went very well!

At 1:30 pm, the 3 of us listened to and critiqued several small guitar based ensembles until 3:30. Vic is not only a great guitarist and musician, but a great clinician as well.. He articulated his suggestions and criticisms with the kind of knowledge and authority that come from many years of experience. One of his points after listening to all the ensembles, was that though technically they all played nice solos, some were trying too hard to play chromatically and modally hip, and were missing other important elements; to go ahead and stretch and get creative with the form, but play tones in the lines and phrases that frame the chords and form of the tune, occasionally imply or quote the melody of the tune being played, and encouraged them to tell a story when they solo. One guitar student in particular had great solo chops, but seldom played chords while he was soloing. Vic told him that his solo was technically interesting, but was like listening to a piano player who had his left hand in his lap, soloing with just his right hand. That in a guitar trio, because there is no other instrument playing chords, he should think more like a piano player and integrate the chords more in his solos and had him for one chorus, solo for 4 bars, play the chords for 4 bars, then for the next chorus, solo for 2 bars, then play chords for 2 bars. Another criticism Vic had was there often wasn't much thought given to intros and endings.

After the ensemble workshop was over, Vic got all the guitar players together in a big circle of chairs and worked with them for another hour or so. At the same time I did a one hour clinic with a percussion class. Later, we had a 30 minute rehearsal at 5:30, After that, I took a nice bike ride around the campus and Green Lake, then went to the cafeteria for dinner and an hour of quiet time before the concert.

The concert hit at 8:30 and was a gas! The students loved it! Jack Dryden is a great acoustic bass player and his natural forte is the kind of guitar player Vic is. They played together like old friends. And I even got to play a tune on the harmonica! So I played 'Runnin' At The Mouth' .. There was a very talented student drummer there I called up to play with us and he swung his ass off!

That gig was BIG FUN !!!

Edited April 17, 2006 by randissimo

[randissimo]

How did it go, Randy? Did you attend (or participate) in his workshop?

The workshop and concert went very well!

At 1:30 pm, the 3 of us listened to and critiqued several small guitar based ensembles until 3:30. Vic is not only a great guitarist and musician, but a great clinician as well.. He articulated his suggestions and criticisms with the kind of knowledge and authority that come from many years of experience. One of his points after listening to all the ensembles, was that though technically they all played nice solos, some were trying too hard to play chromatically and modally hip, and were missing other important elements; to go ahead and stretch and get creative with the form, but play tones in the lines and phrases that frame the chords and form of the tune, occasionally imply or quote the melody of the tune being played, and encouraged them to tell a story when they solo. One guitar student in particular had great solo chops, but seldom played chords while he was soloing. Vic told him that his solo was technically interesting, but was like listening to a piano player who had his left hand in his lap, soloing with just his right hand. That in a guitar trio, because there is no other instrument playing chords, he should think more like a piano player and integrate the chords more in his solos and had him for one chorus, solo for 4 bars, play the chords for 4 bars, then for the next chorus, solo for 2 bars, then play chords for 2 bars. Another criticism Vic had was there often wasn't much thought given to intros and endings.

After the ensemble workshop was over, Vic got all the guitar players together in a big circle of chairs and worked with them for another hour or so. At the same time I did a one hour clinic with a percussion class. Later, we had a 30 minute rehearsal at 5:30, After that, I took a nice bike ride around the campus and Green Lake, then went to the cafeteria for dinner and an hour of quiet time before the concert.

The concert hit at 8:30 and was a gas! The students loved it! Jack Dryden is a great acoustic bass player and his natural forte is the kind of guitar player Vic is. They played together like old friends. And I even got to play a tune on the harmonica! So I played 'Runnin' At The Mouth' .. There was a very talented student drummer there I called up to play with us and he swung his ass off!

That gig was BIG FUN !!!

Vic is truly one of the jazz world's finest guitar players.

[disaac]

Vic plays in Dave Liebman's current working quartet with my buddy Marko (Marcinko) who currently occupies the drum chair along with Tony Marino on bass. For any of you who live in the NYC/NJ/central PA area and who haven't had the opportunity to hear this band, by all means track them down -- they are currently performing in the area but I don't know exactly where they are right now. I suspect Dave has the dates posted on his website.

[randissimo]

Vic plays in Dave Liebman's current working quartet with my buddy Marko (Marcinko) who currently occupies the drum chair along with Tony Marino on bass. For any of you who live in the NYC/NJ/central PA area and who haven't had the opportunity to hear this band, by all means track them down -- they are currently performing in the area but I don't know exactly where they are right now. I suspect Dave has the dates posted on his website.

Marco is a fine drummer! I heard him with Liebman's quartet a few years ago..

[disaac]

Vic plays in Dave Liebman's current working quartet with my buddy Marko (Marcinko) who currently occupies the drum chair along with Tony Marino on bass. For any of you who live in the NYC/NJ/central PA area and who haven't had the opportunity to hear this band, by all means track them down -- they are currently performing in the area but I don't know exactly where they are right now. I suspect Dave has the dates posted on his website.

Marco is a fine drummer! I heard him with Liebman's quartet a few years ago..

Randy,

I'll pass along your kind words, Randy -- he really is a monster; he plays in numerous bands in the central PA area (Scranton/Wilkes Barre) area including a rock band called Mere Mortals. He is also on the teaching faculty at PSU. This version of Liebman's quartet has been a work in progress for a few years now and they seem to be more empathic each time I hear them.

[randissimo]

Vic plays in Dave Liebman's current working quartet with my buddy Marko (Marcinko) who currently occupies the drum chair along with Tony Marino on bass. For any of you who live in the NYC/NJ/central PA area and who haven't had the opportunity to hear this band, by all means track them down -- they are currently performing in the area but I don't know exactly where they are right now. I suspect Dave has the dates posted on his website.

Marco is a fine drummer! I heard him with Liebman's quartet a few years ago..

Randy,

I'll pass along your kind words, Randy -- he really is a monster; he plays in numerous bands in the central PA area (Scranton/Wilkes Barre) area including a rock band called Mere Mortals. He is also on the teaching faculty at PSU. This version of Liebman's quartet has been a work in progress for a few years now and they seem to be more empathic each time I hear them.

Vic told me they may tour sometime in the fall. I am going to look into possible venues for them around west Michigan.. And please do give Marco my best regards. We all had dinner after a fall concert in Holland, Mi. They really sounded great, and I was admittedly skeptical before the show because I have been a longtime fan of Jamey Haddad and his creative contribution to Liebman's music. Marco didn't disappoint me..