I haven’t had the focus to write anything meaningful, lately. I’m working on getting two different jobs right now (well, one or the other). I’m not going to go into any details with that until the time is right. I am into my third week teaching bass at the Governor’s School Jazz Band and having a good time with it, but it’s not a terrible amount of hours and I need something else to do to pay the bills. I’m looking into seeing if I can get more hours by tutoring some of the kids who need help with music theory.
These kids are un-freaking-believable musicians! It is a privilege to be in the room with some of them, even though many of them aren’t even old enough to drive yet. I’ve found myself repeatedly wishing I hadn’t been such a sissy in high school and had grown the balls required to audition and join the program, I think high school would have been different for me if I had. I don’t even remember what I was doing from 1PM to 4PM when I was their age, but I sure as hell wasn’t playing Manteca and a reading down Quincy Jones charts!!! I’m kind of remorseful every time I go in.
I dig the attitude these kids have. It’s not the “I’m better than you” attitude I expected. These students have a burning desire to prove themselves. It’s something I needed to be reminded of.
Despite the being broke problem, I am happier with this situation than I was before I quit teaching at you-know-where. I’m not making a ton of money, and probably won’t ever in my life, but I am living with my dignity and my integrity intact. If I have to get a goofy day job to make ends meet, I am ok with that because I am doing what I love on my own terms.
I’m announcing in advance that my New Year’s Resolution for 2006 is to write and record an album. I’m doing my best to start writing it now. Get some sketches of tunes and then start getting musicians together after Christmas
i have a contact in the hampton roads area…actually a few of them that have quality studios either at home or in a small space. they are relatively affordable and could be a good option to get this first album out.
man, it does my ears good to hear you are doing better and feeling better about music and the future of the “kids” you are impacting each day! rock on, bro.
drew.
I know people with studios as well. I’m more worried about getting some material together, and finding players. The first phase is going to be writing at home with the Zoom 16 track for awhile and making more garbage to post on this site!
i’t’s good to hear that you are happy doing what you love doing now, moreso than you-know-where. if you are unhappy doing what you love, then eventually over time it will turn into something that you don’t love, and you don’t want that to happen.
I think “Shart on Your Titi” should be track #4. You don’t want to start off with that…it might be a little bit too heavy for our audience.