Jacob at 17 months

Some fun things that Jacob is up to now, and some words that he is starting to use:
"Uh-oh"
Every time he sees someone close to the stove, oven or fridge he says "ot, ot." So he has learned temperature, but he uses the word "hot" to describe hot or cold. He does the same thing in the bath. Its a riot! And he blows on his food, but he does it using an "F" instead of a full-on, cheeks-puffed blow.

He yells out for people, when he wants them. But he pretty much uses the same word for everyone. Sounds like "Ahn" or sometimes "Ahnnie" if he is looking for Melanie.

Autumn Leaves from Brion's Grille, 9-18-09

Here is a video from our show this past Friday night. We had a lot of fun!

Facebook interface, Four by Miles Davis

Here is Triple Double Jazz Band playing Miles Davis' "Four."

Triple Double Jazz Band at Extra Virgin - A Success!

Saturday night The Triple Double Jazz Band played a gig at Extra Virgin restaurant in Shirlington, VA. Great restaurant, the food was really good. They like the band so much that they asked us to play the entire night. We were slotted for 7:30 to 9:30. We worked out a deal for us to stay the extra time, and we will be playing there again as the manager and owner really liked what they heard. I was thrilled to say the least. Thanks much to all who have helped us get this far, and thanks to Michelle for hanging in there with me for a much longer night than we originally thought! Below is a video of one of the tunes we played, one of my favorites, Miles Davis' "Four." Enjoy.




And another video from the same night. This is "Autumn Leaves" by Johnny Mercer, whose grave site I have seen in person. Creepy, I know.

Here are 2 videos from Jimmy's on Monday night. The first song is a great standard, a true classic by Miles Davis called "Four." This song is on most jazz musician's list of top songs to learn and play at gigs. The second song is "Cherokee," an even older standard from way back to the 1930's. I wonder if any of today's music will still be played by musicians 70 years from now. Enjoy. Also, I finally am figuring out how to use Windows Movie Maker program, so I added title and credits.

August 3, 2009 at Jimmy's Old Town Tavern

Here is a video of The Triple Double Jazz Band playing an old standard, "Cherokee." Enjoy! We had a great time playing again at Jimmy's. He is a great guy. And he makes a mean cheeseburger!

June 20 Party, After Hours Band

Here is a clip from a party I played at on June 20. Notice the pool in the video. It is the shape of a guitar! I love it!

Playing With The Big Kids

So this weekend I had a special treat. I managed to book a jazz brunch gig at a private party and invited my friends Paul and Jamie to play with me. They are old friends and we used to all play in a band called Glass and Apples that featured Jamie's original compositions. Its been years since we all played together, so this one was really special.

These guys are pro jazz musicians, so in this clip and during the brunch I was just trying to hold my own without causing the whole train to wreck. It worked out well, with some bail-out help from Paul!

Thanks guys!

The Latest On Jacob

This kid is so much fun! Lately he has been waving to everyone and everything. Waves bye and hi to everyone we see, strangers, fire hydrants, dogs, miniature trains. I know people tend to get enamored with their kids, but its not just me! Everyone says how cute he is. We just love him. I am feeling very blessed right now, not just for having him, but for having my whole family. Good times, for sure!

First Real Jazz Gig

So last night I played my first "jazz gig" in that it was a live performance of only jazz, not affiliated with any wedding or other event, and it was at a "club." That is, if Jimmy's Old Town Tavern, a fun softball hangout, counts as a "club". Anyway, We had a quartet that included Ed Gallagher on guitar, Joey Whitney on sax, both of whom I met at Tom's during a jazz jam that he hosted. Yesterday we were able to add a different Tom on drums. So we played, having only played together maybe 4 times or so, as part of a bigger group. And Tom was brand new to us, having played a gig with the other 2 guys the previous night. I had never met Tom before yesterday. We captured some video of the show which I will post once I am done editing it into separate sections.

The fun part was when Dan, the booking manager from Icehouse Cafe directly across the street, heard us playing and came to listen. He liked us so much he asked us to submit a demo so that we could play at his club. I was totally floored and flattered. Demo? We barely know each other's names, and don't even really have a name. I came up with Triple Double Jazz Band because we had to have a name of some sort. Better than "Spaghetti Fusion," which is what I came up with last time anyone asked me to name a band. After the gig I thought, "well, its a good gig if one of the only jazz clubs in Norhern Virgina thinks so much of your group that they want you to play there."

Thanks for all of your contributions to me being able to even attempt jazz in a public setting. Nice part was that prior to playing I was not nervous at all. Probably because the guys I played with were all very accomplished jazz players. My job was to not take away from anything they were doing. Manged to do that for the most part, save Up Jumped Spring. But when I got lost, Ed generously and smartly decided it was time to let me solo my way out of my own confusion. And it worked! Thanks Ed!

The Latest Band

My latest musical endeavor. These guys play jazz standards. They are Fender Telecaster, lap steel guitar, drums and bass. Nice guys, fun tunes. I'll post when we get a gig.

New Jacob Video

Here is a video of Jacob at 1 year. Enjoy!

First wedding of the summer for AHB

Hey everyone,
Just a quick vid of a wedding I played over the weekend. Featuring my jazz bass strung with flatwounds for the first time, and the first show in 20 years that did not have a single Hartke cabinet in my rig. Different sound, but from this video you can't tell too much. The 1st vid has a string "pop" at :16 that sounds so 70's it made me want to hug myself. Oh, that sound I have been looking for for so long, thank you, thank you!
:-)
All videos here are less than a minute. Welcome to "Short Attention Span Theater"

Happy summer everyone!

Review of Bruce at Verizon, May 18, 2009

I thought I would send out a review of the Bruce show I went to. Keep in mind that I E-Bayed my extra tickets so that the gratuitous price of the ticket would fit in our family budget. Luckily Bruce is so popular. Michelle and I went for free.

We sat on the side of the stage, in section 226. Mid-level. Not nose bleed, but not up-close.

First things first: thank goodness he didn't make us endure Born In The USA. Although he left off Thunder Road and some other fan favorites, he made up for it by playing Hava Nagila. I am not making that up. It was one of many fan requests that he took from the audience via posters fans had made and passed up to him if the poster caught his eye. And no, "Freebird" didn't make it.

Overall it was a very impressive show. Dude can command a stage, that is for sure. Although it was more "guitar symphony" than it was "art," he accomplished his stated goal :"to build a house right here tonight." He is a true rock star, the look, the presence. Reminded me a bit of Elvis in the sense that he is more showman than pure singer, but he can deliver a song, that is for sure. And for a 59 year old man and his equally long-in-the-tooth band, they played one heck of a 2 hour and 45 minute show. He and the band left every ounce of energy they had right up there on that stage.

And there was Garry Tallent, up there with his Specter short scale bass, with Max Weinberg holding down the rhythm.

Clarence was the only downer. He clearly is not long for this world, but somehow the man still manages to play his sax in not quite the same way he used to, but "close enough for rock and roll." He was literally helped off the stage like a wounded combat soldier. And he made good use of the 2 chairs that were on stage for his specific benefit.

Oh, and the venue offered $8 Bodingtons. I had one for me and one for Paul Minor.

Sign of the times: during one song I turned to Michelle and asked, "Isn't this song in a commercial?" First time that ever happened at a concert I went to.

Peace,
Al

Encouragement

So a good friend has recently encouraged me to write a blog. So I'll have to get off my arse and start typing. Stay tuned...