"Sweet" Sue Terry
"Sweet" Sue Terry
"Sweet" Sue Terry: GUESTBOOK
ashley seward
August 27, 2007
Good to see you at the "Cow----also the food was Good!! as you said. "Keep Milking" Ashley
Fran McIntyre
August 27, 2007
Sue,
Music is so you, and you are promoting "Women in Jazz". Thank You for participating in my CD release party for "Lucky in Love".
The way you "WOW" the crowd and swing, put smiles on the faces of young and old alike. It's a pleasure knowing you all these years and being associates at Local 802.
MUCH SUCCESS ALWAYS!!!
Fran McIntyre ;)
Brian Axelrod
August 27, 2007
Hey Sue, I doubt if you remember me, that cute chubby bari sax player you gigged with a couple of times a few years back with the Nelson Riddle band. I just wanted to say I'm so happy for your continued success in the music business. I'm so happy for you and seeing how you have grown and blossomed musically I can't wait to get a chance to come and hear you in person or gig with you in a section again.
Best Wishes
Brian Axelrod
Bill
August 27, 2007
You are the greatest.
See you
BOB HARRIGAN
August 27, 2007
Your website/excellent
I am the music advisor/artist liaison:
JAZZ FESTIVALS/FLORIDA
GIGS/FL
COUS
August 27, 2007
YOU'RE THE GREATEST
COUS
Deb Lake
August 21, 2007
Hi Sue, you know I need little prompting in the spiel department! Here's something to make us all feel a little better about... well, about something, I'm sure.
My mom got involved with some little charity. She was supposed to contact a certain number of people for a donation. She hates to bother people, so instead she wrote out checks to the organization herself, and signed the checks -- her checks -- with the names of her friends. "There, I'll just sign this from Helen and Bob Snickerdoodle, and they'll never know..." I couldn't believe she did that. The really scary part is that the bank never even checked the signatures! I would blame this on all the medication she takes, but this is the same woman who smashed into the garage while washing the car, when she was thirty-something and supposedly sane. "Hey, why is my bike in the tree?!!"
Cheers!
Deb
Liz Koemets
August 6, 2007
Dear Sue Terry,
Thank you so much for Inspiration, both from listening to your music and meeting you. It was incredibly uplifting, and something that I will always remember and look back to where any art is concerned, but as for music, it made me appreciate the saxophone more than I ever could have thought. Just thinking back on it, there seems too much to say, except it tends to be as atmospheric as music is and too ethereal to catch in words so--Thank You, and thank you also for the CDs and the notes you wrote on them--it meant, and still means, a lot to me.
Sincerely,
Liz
KC Seamayer
August 1, 2007
Girl.... you ROCK... you're smokin'!!!
It's fantastic knowing about other great
chick musicians...I'm a singer from the "old school" of Ella and the likes... of the big band swingin' era.. love and sing all GREAT music... standards.. some good jazz... blues.. anything that ROCKS THE SOUL!!! I can rock the simplest of songs... like "You are My Sunshine"...
swingin'...jamin'...
scattin'...doin' the personal touch to all...
Maybe I'll catch up with you on one of my trips to NY! Actually going the end of this month.. to Long Island.. but will be in the City a day or two...
Best to you...
Great music.. I hope you'll stay in touch.
Kay (KC) seamayer
www.kayseamayer.com
www.letfreedomringpubishing.com - let me know if you're ever in the Dallas area..
Deb
July 26, 2007
Hi Sue, yes, please, feel free to correct my spelling, grammar, punctuation, plot points and whatnots! Thank you mucho!
Enjoyed Gary Soucie's stories, and speaking of Clark... I was at the Columbus Jazz & Rib fest over the weekend. Heard some great music, Jay Rodriguez and Groove, T.S. Monk with a ten piece BB, Airto/Flora, and James Moody, which was an absolute delight. At James' show I was sitting next to a woman who I could tell was a long time JM fan. At one point, when James started dancing, I leaned over and asked casually if that was Clark Terry up there. She responded in the negative. I slipped the question in a few more times, at opportune moments, and eventually she caught on the I was having some fun. Towards the end of the show James told a cute little, mildy-offcolorish joke, and she turned to me and said, "You know, I believe that IS Clark Terry!" And we had a good laugh!
Ciao mucha!
Deb
Gary Soucie
July 25, 2007
Hi, Sue!
Sure do remember those great gigs. I still recall the first time you played with Ron [Odrich]and either he or you called as the first tune Fats Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz," and the two of you played like old bandmates, even doing simultaneous improvisation. Absolutely mind-blowing. I tried, but failed,to get to NYC for your last gig with Ron (at least the last one I knew about). Was Bob still playing drums? Last time I heard them (6-7 years ago), Bob was 76 years old. And now I've entered that decade, still wondering whether maturity or senility will arrive first.
Did I ever tell that one day Ron said to me that the two guests he most enjoyed playing with were you and Clark Terry? Then he said, "Maybe I should only invite people named Terry."
Yes, I plan soon to download "Bandleader 101." As soon as I can be certain my CENSORED HP computer is functioning properly. (The HP I bought was such a lemon, they swapped it out for a new one, which also turned out to be a lemon. I had to send that one in for major repairs--new motherboard, HDD, card reader, etc.), and I'm still having problems.) I still have a cassette of that session you gave me. When I guest-DJed on Gwen Redding's jazz show in DC, I played one of the tracks with Clark (much to Gwen's chagrin, as modern DJ's hate tape and except for the party, hiphop, disco, and jungle DJs don't much like LPs either). Anyway, a friend of Clark's who was listening to the show called Clark to tell him about it and Clark phoned the show from New York to chat. He was very complimentary about your playing and that session. The only trouble was, I was not used to the 5-second delay between the phone and the playback in the studio and sounded like a retard during our conversation.
More anecdotes from that show. First, Gwen was amazed that I started an afternoon show so far out, with Mingus's "Pithecanthropus Erectus" (with Jackie Mac and J.R. Monterose). But apparently I played a lot of stuff that rang bells, because we got a lot of pat-on-the-back phone calls. Of all things, considering this was a show from the University of DC, with a largely black student body and audience, the 2 tracks I played from "Hoagy Sings Carmichael" (the Pacific Jazz date with a mostly modernist band and Johnny Mandel charts) got the most buzz. And we had a quiz, with a pair of tickets to some gig for the listener who could identify the male singer (it was Dexter Gordon on a Steeplechase date with Karen Krog, and nobody got it right, most hazarding that it was Joe Williams--on a bad day). The afternoon was a lot of fun, and Gwen suggested I come in and learn to use the equipment so I could sub, but I never got around to it. Beginning and end of my DJ career.
On that note....
Love ya,
Gary
LARRY GEIGER
July 11, 2007
Sue. Your dedication and contribution to this art of jazz music is
inspiring, you forge ahead, even when you are pulling material from the
past! Bandleader 101 is a beautiful testament to you and your collaborative
friendships. I love it, I smile the whole way through.
Gene Morvay
July 9, 2007
Hi Sue, Your web-site is beautiful. Gil called me after 40 years. I used to work with him in the club date field with Hal Silvers an a few other clubdaters. I am now semi retired in Safety Harbor Fl. still playing drums and teaching. Gil told mre to look up your website. We did a lot of jobs together and I was happy to hear he is doing well. I will stay in touch with Gil and I want to wish you the best in what you are doing for Jazz. GENE
Glenna Powrie
July 9, 2007
Yo Girlfriend! You're asking about me on the net. I've tried to respond to no avail. I got a DVD for you of 'Psyche Pursued'. Happy to see your doin' well!!
PEACE
Glenna
Deb Lake
July 8, 2007
Sue, just picked up your debut recordings (Bandleader 101.) These are totally out! I can't believe you engineered these from a DAT from the early 90's. I've been working on an audio analysis software project for the past few years and my ears have become highly sensitive to sonic quality (proper amplitudes, tonal clarity and separation, etc.) These recordings are of the highest sonic quality. And great tunes, too! You're amazing girl!
Deb
Evan Sarzin
July 4, 2007
Sue,
Your band is great. I loved the way Saul and Marcus play together, so fluid and light-footed! And you're sounding great! Hope to see you at the Burnin' Cow soon.
Evan
Ryan Janus
June 6, 2007
Hi, Ms. Terry. My name is Ryan Janus, and I'm a saxophonist in Colorado. I found
you from a link one of my students gave me, saxtipspodcast.com, and followed a link
from an interview here. Bravo to how you think as a professional musician! I
really think you speak the truth when it comes to your "death of professional
musicians" articles. Currently I work for "the man." Uncle Sam, that is. I play
lead alto in the US Air Force Academy Band (confusingly, NOT made up of Academy
students but all seasoned pros - half of us have masters' degrees, and a few even
have docorates) for their concert band, jazz band and marching band (on piccolo -
woo-hoo!). Now that I have a steady gig, I love being able to say "no" or even
"hell no" to gigs I don't think are worth it. Playing enough is no longer an issue
to me. I get to play, gig and record with world-class players every day. It's just
fun to hear the great sounds that come out - it even makes concert band fun! I'm
not saying that to brag - just that the military life, such as it is, affords me the
opportunity you talked about to keep my chops fresh by playing all the time. If
anything, injuries resulting from over-playing are more common here than atrophy.
At the end of "death of musicians, pt. 2" you asked for comments. Here's my two
cents' worth. I really think it's all Sputnik's fault. By that I mean that, during
the early cold war years, we got really scared that the Soviets had a spaceship
orbiting the Earth and we didn't. So we cut back on not just music, but all
humanities like art, drama and the "soft sciences" - anything that wasn't math or
science. I verified this with my grandfather, who remembers all Chicago schools
REQUIRING students to belong to band, orchestra or choir through the 8th grade. Now
I love math, and was even a math major in college. But not at the expense of also
learning about things like art and music that make our world beautiful. This trend
in education was supposed to end as soon as we got an edge over the Soviets, but it
never did. So now we have not one but two generations of people who have no
training in how to perform good music and how to tell good music from bad. I'm no
longer a full-time teacher (before the Air Force I used to teach at a college), but
we REALLY need great teachers to turn this around. Every year that goes by, it
becomes harder and harder to attract people to quality music. You're right - people
can't tell the difference, or maybe don't care. If you've been eating nothing but
crap your whole life, you'll never know what you're missing by way of gourmet food.
Or what's even scarier is this: if you and everyone around you have been eating crap
you're whole life, your taste buds will become desensitized to it, or you may even
PREFER crap to a nice filet minon.
Whatever you think about what we're doing in Iraq, the smartest thing I heard about
our war on terrorism is that the best way to make America safe is to get a hold of
the younger generation and let them know that Americans aren't all that bad. I've
personally seen Saudi children being taught from the age of four to hate Americans
on principle, so no one can tell me that this is media hype. If we can get a hold
of the younger generation and teach them to appreciate quality music, the
professional music industry will have a fighting chance. Otherwise, the downward
slope we're on now will continue until it's impossible for musicians to make a
living.
That's my two cents' worth. Keep doing what you're doing by not settling and
telling other pros to not settle. It's a great thing.
Ryan Janus
Larry G
June 5, 2007
Hi Sue
There is at least another word in German which has trouble being defined in English. It is "Gemütlichkeit". Look it up. Thats where the musicians and artists are....
Hope all is well. Keep up the good work
Marshall McDonald
May 12, 2007
Sue,
Your site is great, lots of good stuff! Enjoyed all of those photos from the past!
Keep on swingin'!
Jerry Cole
March 19, 2007
Hi Sue!
Just checking in! You site's looking good!!!
I turn 50 next Sunday! (Blah!)
:-)
Eugene Camtera
March 15, 2007
Love the blog! I laughed out loud while reading your notes to Richard the alto convert about the history of tempered tuning. You have a real knack for writing - keep up the good work!
Ashley
March 15, 2007
Hey Sue- Just got a new one by Wayne Escoffery on Tenor with Joe Locke--The real thing- The Maria Schnieder show in Troy was great--Steve Wilson on alto Best to you Ashley
Deb
February 19, 2007
P.S. You've got some fun gigs coming up -- Debbie Sledge (Sister Sledge - "We Are Family") with Jazzberry Jam at The Cotton Club! That's wild - I'll be there!
Deb
Deb
February 18, 2007
Re: "Well if you still want to be the "Friend" of such an obviously arrogant, conceited, elitist bitch, try me!" I'm in.
I hate that mySpace site. I don't know about your page, but here are some alternative site titles for the rest of it:
myPoorlyDesignedSpace.com
myFrigginWasteOfTimeAndSpace.com
myFakeFriend'sFakeFaceSpace.com
myBigFatUglyAnimatedGifOfACatPlayingAGuitarSpace.com
myThanksForTheAddThanksForTheAddThanksForTheAddSpace.com
Love the new look of your real space though!
Deb
Susan
February 15, 2007
Love the addition of the music to the home page!
Liz
January 19, 2007
Wow - I am so honored to be referred to in your Blog! (re: Is God Interested? Jan. 11th) I think you hit the nail on your head with your very neat resolution of an age-old debate. Praying to God or whomever we choose enables us to focus our thought and feeling energy into a desire for a long enough period of time that we stir up and attract the like energies of the universe to us, eventually causing our prayers to be answered.
I would like to add some further speculation to this. I believe most children, regardless of culture or country, come into this world knowing this, and often forget it as they "mature." For example, children the world over, when wanting something, close their eyes wishing with all their might, at least somewhat expecting that when they open their eyes, their wish will be there right in front of them. This makes me wonder if perhaps they still remember a time not so long ago for them when they could do such things so easily and effortlessly, and it's perhaps that they have not had much practice living in their human body so they have not mastered the technique on this physical plane yet. But they know it should be so. Perhaps if a child was encouraged to continue this behavior so that they wouldn't lose this part of them as they got older, by the time they were a young adult, they'd have objects dropping out of the sky! (Hopefully which such power, they would also learn how to park them responsibly. ;)
Liz
P.S. - I am also honored to be the first one to post in your guestbook for 2007. :)
P.P.S - Yeah... I snorted out loud at the Max Planck joke.
labor Robert
January 16, 2007
I am a painter who trying to play sax(alto) and your 2 books, i have sold, teach me a lot about sound and practice. I am seeking for your music samples in the web to listen more.May you advice me, and will you visit my site(visual art) http://artlabor-robert.com
thank you
labor
Deb
December 23, 2006
Hey Sue, the Diva cd arrived today. ;-) On first hearing I thought, oh-no... I don't think I can do this. I said I could probably pick out some specific players, but this group is playing so cohesively, it's like one big, bright green Jazz machine! But then the second time thru, the sax players, as well as Ingrid's trumpet, suddenly seemed very clear to me (with the exception of one tricky tune.) That's you on "My Favorite Things" -- I knew for sure that was you between the 2:00 - 2:20 marker. And that's you on "Something's Coming", I knew that one for sure between 3:10 and 3:30. "Three Sisters and A Cousin" is the tricky tune. It sounds like the saxes are trading off here and there and that would seem appropriate for the title. And now I'm looking at the liner notes and I see that they have you, Virginia Mayhew and Carol Chaikin all listed on alto and Claire Daly on bari. Rather questioning the liners on this because I kind of think I hear tenor and even soprano, but... if it is three altos... at the very beginning of the tune, it sounds like you play 1-2 bars each... Claire starts it off, and then it's really hard to tell... but, I think the order is... Ginny, Carol, you? Also, "80 Chestnut Street" -- I was sure that was Ginny on tenor, but the liner says Ginny's playing flute and Laura's on tenor. I don't think I've ever heard Ginny play flute before. Or maybe I have. Okay, well, if I flubbed up those last two it's because you're all just too "one"derful. Everyone on this cd is just amazing. Michael Abene, turns out I've been hearing his arrangements for years (GRP stuff) and Tommy Newsom's arr. of "Ding, Dong the Witch Is Dead" has to be the high water mark for that tune - ever! This cd is truly a masterpiece!
Enjoy the rest of your gift wrapping!
Deb
Deb
December 17, 2006
Re: Bend Over Productions... a half an hour... I would ask you to save me a seat, but it doesn't sound like there'll be time to sit down... yikes...
I just ordered the Diva "Something's Coming" cd. You played some tracks from that in the interview with Bob Bernotas a few months back and that stuff was killin'. Another friend mentioned John La Barbera recently and reminded me that I wanted to find that CD. I also picked up 2 of John's cd's (emusic.com!) -- he is beyond words as a composer/arranger/musician. Thanks for the ears up on him. As soon as I get the Diva cd I'm gonna see if I can pick out your parts/solos, without cheating. I'm actually fairly confident that I can do it. In fact, I think I'll be able to pick out most of the horn players by ear. This should be interesting! ;-)
Happiest of All Mucha!
Deb
Randy Murphy
December 11, 2006
Hi Sue. Nice post about the shakuhachi, I've always been interested in Japanese instruments from my years of attending the Sakura Matsuri at Bklyn. Botanical Garden. I especially like the shakuhachi and shamisen.
I picked up a CD of Marco Leinhard at a taiko perfromance last month. He had a beautiful sound.
Another Japanese instrument you might like is the fue. It's a seven hole bamboo flute.
You might want to check out http://www.shakuhachi.com if you decide to get a bamboo shakuhachi. They also have a shakuhachi headjoint for the flute.
That would be perfect if do another Blue.Seum with Tim.
Mark
November 8, 2006
Hey Sue. Thanks for checking out our cd - we certainly haven't had much exposure at all, and I'm glad to hear the opinion of someone who I respect very much as a musician. And I apologize again for the terrible sound quality.
I realized I gave you no means by which to potentially contact me, so I suppose if nothing else I will now drop in the link to my band's page, and consequently exact some shameless self-promotion.
www.myspace.com/SCAAtheband
Thanks again - and by the way, Gilly's Caper is amazing.
Deb
November 7, 2006
Interesting posting of Nov. 7th... If you really wanna know who's pulling the puppet strings, you have to march more toward the wooden soldiers; boys aged 6 to 16. Advertising. Remember the obnoxious, "Duuudde, you're gettin' a Dell!" commercial. That was one of the most successful ad campaigns in history because it spoke very directly to the people with the all the purchasing power. Pre-1975, advertising was geared toward women. Women were available to see/hear it: women were home and could watch TV, listen to the radio, read a magazine. If you think back to those 40's, 50' and 60's ads, the design, the graphics, all looked very 'round' and feminine. The products were all of very feminie design too; most everything had soft rounded edges; cars, coffee pots, toasters. Everything was designed, by design, to be attractive to women. In the late 70's, as women entered the workforce, advertising, in general, lost it's audience and refocused to target young males. (Young girls tend to have more household responsibilies and therefore less leisure time to soak up the ad space than boys.) For the past 25 years, the free world has pretty much based its large-scale manufacturing and advertising concepts around the whims of 6 year old boys. The music industry was/is no exception. Think back to the last big female-oriented commercial offering in music... disco. Since then it's been hair, metal, grunge, acid, rock, rap, hip-hop, trip-hop... boy-stuff.
If you'd like I can airbrush some Ninento characters into your CD cover art... say, some Grand Theft Auto cars in the framed photo... a reflection of Super Mario in your horn...
Ciao,
Deb
P.S.: There's a funny scene in the movie "Scrooged" where the ceo of a large television broadcasting station says, "Market reports show that more and more pets are starting to watch TV. How about a detective show, like Kojak, except instead of sucking on a lollipop, he could dangle string..." Somehow I almost feel safer with pets running the show.
Larry
November 1, 2006
Hey Sue. Hope all is well! once more, with feeling, reminds of my first music teacher on violin, Mrs. Sokolofski. Only I couldnt' do the feeling part cause it was a freakin violin! Glad i switched to clarinet.
Stay well and keep the feeling going on.
Dan Fine
October 20, 2006
enjoyed your workshop at the Learnintg Corridor and despite being the oldest student there, got some practicing tips. About to go to Amazaon to buy your book and a cd.
Deb
September 15, 2006
I like those tales from the road, Sue. Even the less than !!! ones. There's a great photographer named David LaChapelle. He's on the road a lot, so he decided to decorate his apartment to look exactly like a Ramada/Best Western/Sheraton. Complete with bolted-down TV. Now he feels at home no matter where he is. Smart guy. I think...
Ciao,
Deb
Arnie Krakowsky
September 7, 2006
Hi Sue,Tim just gave me The Blue.seum
Project....Your sound Blows me away!!!!
I love it.
Best
Arnie Krakowsky
Gandalfe
September 6, 2006
Web casts sound great. There is also YouTube.com. Bill Gates is reported to have said in a recent spiel that at any given time YouTube.com takes up 20% of all Web traffic! Have you dropped a video on YouTube yet? (No affiliation btw.)
katy walker
September 6, 2006
I am doing a report on you for my sax claas!
katy
jose luis from buenos aires, program of radio la guagua
July 29, 2006
dear sue,please could you send me yours cds"the troubadors" and" gillys caper", for diffussion in my program of radio www.laguagua.com.ar in www.radiopalermo.com.ar(on line 99.5). thank you. jose luis ajzenmesser
Susan
July 16, 2006
In your BLOG you mention being able to 'be' a musician and being able to immerse yourself in the study of a profound and exciting art form referring to that of a jazz musician. I feel a need to point out to you that you might consider that you don't have the typical experience. Having spoken to you myself and having heard others speak about you, as common as praise about your level of musical expertise are comments about your intellectual absorbtion of technique, history,theory,etc. I submit that your version of immersion and study are very different from the average musician. When your intellectual capacity and drive equals your talent and artistic senses and abilities, you achieve a level other musicians can strive for but some can never achieve.
Ronnie H
July 14, 2006
Hi sue i too am a singer songwriter but if i,d only knew what i was getting myself into. will i think i would had maybe thought about it a little more. but now being a musician is the only life for me and it,s a hard life that everyone thinks is so easy
Deb
July 1, 2006
Hi Sue, I like the new colors on the site, sort of a mint julep-ee/blue raspberry Italian ice thing, very refreshing.
Regarding the "Everything... Ask" book project, you asked whether or not it should include personal stories. I guess that depends on the overall tone of the book: text-bookie or personal account. Hmmm... well, to me, Jazz is a very personal medium. I think that's one of the things that sets it apart from other genres of music. And I enjoy hearing all the people, places and things stories. So my vote would be yes, but if you decide to go the text-bookie route then that's cool too.
Anyway, here's a question: Are there tunes that just can't be "jazzed?"
Lately I've been giving the definition of Jazz as, "Music as interpreted by a Jazz musician." Aside from smacking of that wise old "a one - a two - a three licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop" owl type answer, it also rather suggests that any tune, in the right hands, can be jazzed. But I'm not really sure about that, and thus I ask.
Thanks,
Deb
Fred Mirer
June 16, 2006
Hi Sue,
You're easier to find than I am.
so how about the details on that fine tai chi sword that you got from raven.
Fred
Geoff
June 14, 2006
Sweet Sue,
What an awful year you've been having...but what a good poet and general commentator on life you are!
Do you know old W Whitman's ''Crossing Brooklyn Ferry"? Apart from its still valid NYC references (so I think, anyway), his direct addressing of the ''reader'' has always shot straight through to my inner being -- much in the same way your poetry does, particularly your latest one.
I've managed to pick up (thru the good ol' Net) these over the last couple of months:
Blue Serum Project (you KNOW what I mean!)
Troubadours (still available from CAP)
Picture This (Woodbridge)
I guess you can tell that I'm trying to amass as complete a collection of your recorded work as possible! (Am I right to see Blue Serum as a companion disc to Pink Slim Worm, by the way? I love them both!)
And earlier, you recommended Jacky's Bag and It's About Time, for the best of your prof and mentor -- they're great and I enjoy them over and over!
By the way, I was very keen to hear ''Mrs Martin'' after you mentioned how much she meant to you as a reader and writer: I wasn't diappointed -- that track is my favourite on Troubadours (but then, I've always been a sucker for the sheerly beautiful ballad that comes along, now and then!).
You mentioned on the radio that you fully intend to carry on the singing part of your career -- you must, MuSt, MUST do so, Sue! (I hope you won't be offended if I ask if you are familiar with Judy Holiday's record, Trouble Is A Man -- dating back to the late 50s? She wasn't a singer, really, more of a cinematic comedienne, but this record (perhaps her only one?) shows a voice strangely like your own...
Well, the last little ''packet'' of stuff I want to send to you is a bit from Alan Alda's (???!!!) Epilogue to "Classic Feynman" -- edited by Ralph Leighton and published earlier this year by WW Norton:
Singing is the music nature makes when it dances the dance of life. Your're the universe announcing itself to itself: you open your mouth, and a little muscle in the back of your throat makes a corner of nature vibrate. You're one part of the forest saying, "This is what I think I know," while another part of the forest says, "Yeah? Well this is what I think I know!" Your chirpings are the harmony of knowledge...So, sing. Sing out. Sing! Out!
Love, Geoff
Paula Lillie
June 4, 2006
Hello Sue,
My Tai Chi sister! It was wonderful meeting you this month & I am looking forward to hearing your gift.
Paula
Bob Bernotas
May 22, 2006
Sue,
Thanks so much for co-hostng "Just Jazz" with me Sunday night. You were a real pro, fascinating and fun -- and every minute was a total blast. Needless to say, you're welcomed back anytime!
Stay cool,
Bob Bernotas
"Just Jazz" www.wnti.org
Geoff Dunbar
May 21, 2006
Hey, Sue!
Just wanna be the first to tell you what good listening (again), you -- and Gil -- came up with, radiowise! We both enjoyed your stories, the music, and your host, as the early winter afternoon waned outside our windows, down here in Port Chalmers.
Love, Geoff XXOXXX
Deb
May 21, 2006
Sue on WNTI
If you're using a Mac with OS 10 and you're having trouble catching Sue's broadcast tonight (5/21) using iTunes, do the following:
Download RealPlayer (http://www.real.com/player/?src=realplayer) or open the application if you already have it.
Launch RealPlayer. Select "Open Location..." from the "File" menu. Copy in the following url:
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wnti/ppr/wnti.pls
Hit the "Open" button. Voilà!
Deb
May 15, 2006
Re: Hair: Well, I thought I was gonna to make it all the way thru a whinisically-titled Sweet Sue posting without laughing out loud, but there it was in the very last sentence... an image of you in the back of a cab, frantically scribbling some changes on the palm of your hand and humming out a few lines, "Hey, cabbie, what do you think of this? Try it in 6/8? Really? Hey, not bad, thanks cabbie!"
Have fun on the shoot!
Deb
P.S.: Hope that new doo is drip-dry. It's a mess out there today.
Dr. A. Aulakh
May 13, 2006
I need to self-learn Tenor Sax (If an honest teacher is out there, let me know). There is so much I will be able to express thru playing my Sax. Do not have a Sax yet. Will buy an old one (New are way too expensive). By qualifications I am a professor, by profession I am a long-haul truck driver (What kind of a mix is this!!). I reside in Everett, WA. I hope Sue Terry will personally write me, at least.
clark gayton
May 8, 2006
Hi Sue!
Haven't seen you in way too long.
Miss you lots.
On the road now, but will be back soon |I hope.
Clark
Randolph Murphy
May 8, 2006
Dear Sue:
I loved the Blue.Seum Project CD. You and Tim really showed what two creative musicians who love playing can really do.
I liked the concept of using a place that displays works of art as inspiration to create your own work of art.
No sheet music, no rehersal, and no hesitation, you grabbed your instruments and a non-stop flow of creativity ensued.
And I'm definitely sure that feeling Tim's creative energy inspired you even further.
This album was a total pleasure to listen to. I listened to it a few times already, I only had it for a week.
The first time I heard you live was at the Cornelia Street Cafe with Michael Rabinowitz. I think you played two encores that night. The next day, I ordered "Pink Slimy Worm", and enjoyed it since.
Keep pouring your heart and soul into your instruments, your music is definitely must listen to material.
Sincerely,
Randolph Murphy
Jack Andreu
May 4, 2006
The way you play inpire me to learn and have fun with the sax. God bless you. You are the equivalent of Arturo Sandoval on Sax I mean with this out of this world.
Semper fi, Jack
Patty Kurlychek
April 28, 2006
Hey Sue--
Remember me? I finally got with it and can use e-mail on the computer! Doug Maine let me know about your site. You look so beautiful--still the same. Hope you come to Maine soon! XO, Patty
Larry
April 27, 2006
Thanks Sue
If I could speak for all of we(us?) readers of your (insert your favorite description of Sue's writing here), I would have everyone say that you make us laugh, in a witty sort of way, and we all thank you for it.
It never ceases to brighten up my day!
Stay cool.
DL
April 16, 2006
Great stories, thanks! You have inspired me to pick up the axe again -- the 6-stringed model. (If my typing is a little worse than usual it's because my left hand is the size of a giant cartoon balloon hand. ;-) I also picked up a concert/clinic video of Joe Pass at the Musician's Clinic in LA, from 1994. I watched that video and then a video of Dizzy in Montreal, circa 1981 (funk-disco-Jazz??), with Ed Cherry on guitar. It's a real bizarre experience to watch those two events back-to-back. Both players with super-human abilities. Joe working the chords and staying very true to the melody and Eddie running what seem to me to be very modal lines. This makes me wonder where we're at today with regards to chord based vs. harmonic based approaches, especially compositionally. On one hand I still hear people asking, "What are the changes?", yet overall the impro sounds looser, more harmonic based. (To clarify, I mean within the context of what we would consider mainstream/modern/blues or bop-flavored Jazz.) Appreciate your thoughts.
Also, I just discovered that "Pink Slimy Worm" is available on iTunes and am downloading it right now!
Deb
DL
April 13, 2006
Hey Sue, Happy Pastel-Colored Peep Season
Amusing story: my neice joined choir this year (11 years old) and is just starting to learn about music. I was talking to her about music and Jazz. I played a few Jazz tunes for her and found the lead sheet to one of the tunes online to show her. She looked at the single sheet of paper for awhile, turned it over, looked around and said, "Where's the rest of it?" In about a ba-zillion hours of practice!
Looking at the lead sheet for that tune, it looked like it had a particularly wicked A part, sort of "Dakar-ish". Both beautiful tunes and it never ceases to amaze me where you guys can go from a handful of notes. Wondering, what's the most challenging tune you've ever had to improvise over? In your professional career. The most fun, the least fun?
Thanks!
Deb
Geoff Dunbar
April 8, 2006
Sweet Sue --
Thanks so much for sharing your feelings and thoughts about Jackie McLean with us!
So few of the professors who ''profess'' or lecturers who ''lecture'' are real teachers. Throughout my formal learning life up to gaining an M.A. I must have have at least 100 individuals talking at me from in front of a classroom, yet of all these only ONE was a true teacher.
So, both of us have been inordinately blessed and have been amazingly lucky too, at having been offered so much by our two teachers!
Sue, is there any particular album, you might recommend to someone such as me who really isn't familiar with Jackie's music?
Even if I never knew him as a teacher, perhaps I can get to experience him as a performer...
Have you thought of coming up with some sort of musical tribute to your true teacher, perhaps something like a Ballad for Jackie Mac? Or maybe your real tribute will continue to be ALL the music that you continue to send out into the world?
Hang in there, Sweet Sue, and be happy in the thought that someone is thinking of you and your teacher all the way around (and under) the world, in New Zealand!
Geoff
PS I've been having my comments bounced back by some outfit called ''SORB'' -- hope this gets through! GD
Larry
April 4, 2006
Just received the Gilly's Caper CD from CD Baby. Not only are those people nice, (we love you Larry? in an email thanking me?), but they ship fast.
I REALLY like it. Love the singing tunes, you do a great job singing as well. Not that I was shocked, but in a way, I was. The title track really swings, Sue. Great Job. I love it.
Also, thinking about you these days, and wish you the strength to get through Friday with a smile and a memory.
david fawer
March 28, 2006
Sue,
having just perused your site for the first time, i am blown away by your writing - the elegance, ease and sharpness of wit... your cup runneth over with talents. it's a privilege to know you.
take care,
david
Larry
March 26, 2006
SO NICE to spend some time with you this weekend. You are one of kind. Gracious, spiritual, and just plain cool. I felt cooler just sitting near you. HA. And thanks for the metronome. I'm playin with it now....
BTW, I am not sure which sound I like the most from you that I heard this weekend, but I think maybe the gritty, soulful, clarinet growowowowling trips it for now..........
DL
March 21, 2006
Sue ;-) !!! Hey, sorry to miss your gig -- not in town at the moment -- and probably a good thing because I'm beginning to think we could be a little bit "scathingly" dangerous together! Are you a Mary Tyler Moore fan? You mentioned "The Honeymooners". I only know one line from that show:
Norton: Hey Ralph, do you mind if I smoke?
Ralph: I don't care if you burn.
But MTM, now that show I know -- from "You've got spunk... I HATE spunk!" to the "Eveything Goes Wrong for Mary" episode where her gala-event dress comes back from the cleaners with a huge stain on the bottom of it and the dry cleaner guy says: "Perspiration will sometimes cause that."
I haven't watched much television in the last 20 years. And now I realize that it's because I'm still getting plenty of entertainment value out of the 60's & 70's stuff. However, one of the more recent shows that I would hip you to (if nec) is the BBC series "French & Saunders." (Available on DVD/VHS.) Bristish comedy team of Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders (of Ab Fab fame.) Outrageous stuff, in a "sweet raggedy oat thing" kinda way!
Nite,
Deb
Steve Levine
March 20, 2006
Hey, Sue,
We met at Don and Eileens on a soggy night this summer. Nice to find your site, and will check out your music.
Best,
Steve Levine
DL
March 19, 2006
Okay, here's mine, before I forget it. Not exactly a haiku or even a poem, but it does rhyme, here and there.
Who can turn the world on with her sax.
Who can take a nothing tune and suddenly make it swing as hard as Max.
Well it's you Sue and you should know it.
With each note and every little solo you show it.
Jazz is all around
No need for fake books.
Whether it's Rose Hall
or some club in Red Hook
Sue's got the answer to the call.
Bum-baa-ba-baa-ba-
(And then I think it resolves to C7.)
Cheers, Deb
Geoff Dunbar
March 17, 2006
No, no -- NOT ''just one more''! Pullease!!! Keep 'em coming -- your music and your words go together, Sweet Sue, and I can't have one without the other...if you know what I mean.
At this point, our St Paddy's Day has come and gone (with the flying of the Erin Go Bragh flag at our house, as usual), but I think right now it's 3 am SPD your time, and you're in bed dreaming visions of green sugar plums, etc. Right?
I'm wondering if you have a St Paddy's gig on, this year, and if so, where and with whom?
I'm pretty sure ''Terry'' is a good Irish name -- do you know of the great actress Ellen Terry (Shakespearean interpreter, turn of 20th century)? How about Gen. Alfred Terry, Civil War warrior? Terry also means something to me, in that it was the name of one of my mother's favourite English professors at NYU (early 1940's).
So, any connections there?
Did you hear anything about the Christie's auction of the contents of the Plaza on the 15th? You could have had the baby grand from the Oak Room for a mere $42,000 or, Eloise's slippers for $4,800 (were you an Eloise fan as a kid?).
Anyway, nostalgic and old romantic me was sad to hear the hotel in its original version has gone under; my mother took me in for a drink (coke, I think) in one of the bars, the day before we left Manhattan for the wilds of Idaho -- I think the Plaza had pleasant memories of more than one ''assignation'' in my mother's carefree single days. Anyway, I could later enjoy the various films set in the Plaza all the more, for actually having spent an hour or so therein!
Anyway, Sweet Sue, please keep dose pomes flowing in -- I've been enjoying them much more than you know...
Geoff
Simone "4MuLA" Giuliani
March 16, 2006
Ciao Sue! Hope to see you soon around the dojo and also make some music together (not at the dojo but in a studio). You rock!
Geoff Dunbar
March 14, 2006
On Sweet Sue's Poetry --
Sue
If this is gettin'
Out of hand
Let it get!
Geoff
Liz C.
March 13, 2006
Thanks for sharing your poetry, Sue! (re: OK, POETRY LOVERS, March 12 2006) It's refreshing to see that there are still poets in the world, and quite decent ones, at that. :)
Once upon a time, in darker days long past, I also wrote poetry. A confidant of mine, one of the few who even knew about my poetry, after reading some of them exclaimed, "My God - you could be the daughter of Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath!" Ignoring the gender-bender-ness of that statement she made, as I said... darker days, long past.
Today, when I think about poetry, every so often my brain goes to Haiku. And this is a problem, because thinking of Haiku is like eating potato chips. Especially bad Haiku. I don't know what it is about it. Maybe the simplicity... the 5-7-5-ness of it. It's kinda catchy. Uh, oh... here we go...
It's kinda catchy
Counting syllables game
And I need not rhyme.
Yep - bloody awful! And what's even worse is, once your brain makes one slight slip into that mode, it starts seeing Haiku in everything around you. Nothing is safe... the phone on your desk, the computer monitor, your unread mail...
The usual clutter
Ignored, untouched for weeks
Dust bunnies abound!
So yes, even Haiku can become confessional. But it doesn't make it any less horrific. Actually, it probably makes it even more so. I mean, there's no redeeming quality to this stuff. At least traditional Haiku takes the mundane things of the everyday and shapes it into something beautiful. But I think the Japanese of a while back had an easier time of things, since the mundane often started out as something beautiful. Today, a traditional Haiku like this:
abundant sunshine
and these january trees
basking in its warmth
(Abundant Sunshine, by Richard Terrify)
would, at best, get mangled into this:
abundant T.V. rays
pasty faces blankly stare
so fascinated.
So I suppose that's why the Haiku of today is doomed. Gone are the gardens, the ponds, the wildlife. Gone are all of the beautiful things which were once so commonplace in day-to-day life. Even gone are our seasons, as in NY we experience weather 15 degrees warmer than it should be at this time of year and set record highs. But somehow, not gone is my brain's ability to throw out more of these...
Potato chip Haiku
Stop the madness already -
Serenity NOW!
See what I mean?
I'd better sign off now... before it's Too Late.
Liz
Geoff Dunbar
March 10, 2006
What a fine, fine poet you really are, Sweet Sue (re Saving the Best for Last)! Why haveyou been hding your light under the proverbial bushel? And where can I find more? Geoff PS As soon as Carola relinquishes control of your CD, I'll pop the phones on and make a few notes for a review!
DL
March 4, 2006
Wow, I'm flattered, Sue and you are quite welcome.
Which is more real -- a dream or a memory? Hmmm, good question. Not sure, but it is interesting to note that memories sometimes fade while dreams or fantasies seem to persist.
WIll touch base with you via email soon. ~Deb
DL
March 4, 2006
The photos are cool, Sue! (Maybe it's girl thing, but I knew exactly what time periods we were dealing with by the hairstyles, wardrobe and fashion eyewear!)
The new projects sound cool, too. Did you know that you can sell digital downloads (music, videos, pdf's) directly from your site? All you need is a PayPal account and a little bit of code to direct the post-transaction download. Not terribly difficult. Also, when you were talking about music and Objects de Art I thought about this publishing system that Apple's iPhoto offers. Pushbutton technology that creates custom oversized hardbound books using your photos/text. Add some handwritten notes here and there (notate a piece of a tune, etc.), bind-in some discs. Personalized, limited edition retrospectives, or whatever, nicely presented. I mentioned the Apple service, but there are probably many companies out there providing this type of print-on-demand service. (BTW, that blog entry also inspired, "MP3 Earrings, no headphones nec!" ;- ) ~Deb
Geoff Dunbar
March 2, 2006
Hey, Sue! Fantastic photos!!! (Only mising dates, so's one could track your career a bit easier....) Well, tell us more about ''The Blue Serum Project'' live album release -- THIS month? Where to obtain? Geoff
Roscoe Wolvington
February 23, 2006
After my PAIR of silver Selmer clarinets sat on a closet shelf for more than 60 years I had the B flat reconditioned and am trying to play agan. My daughter in Northport, NY sent me "Step One" and I'm having a geat time! (At age 87!)
Mike Hotter
February 22, 2006
got to review a shwo of yours a few years ago - stumbled onto your website, pleased to see you still working at you your art- if ever palying in upstate NY soon, please let me know! Mike Hotter.
BOB HARRIGAN
February 22, 2006
Your website,excellant!I am the music advisor/artist liaison:Jazz Festivals/Florida.
DL
February 19, 2006
R-Bar, host of the 2006 Naked Jazz Olympics -- don't miss the extra-challenging vibist event! Yeah... I guess I was a little too cryptic. Think baked beans, sort of sounds like stigmata-bar. Deliberately vague because I generally don't like to poo-poo any venue that hosts Jazz, regardless of how loosely they interpret the word sometimes. Business is business and they gotta do what they gotta do, I understand, but sometimes it's a bit of a comical stetch. ;-)
Have a fun one!
Deb
DL
February 18, 2006
Wow, very sorry to hear about Ray. I heard him give an interview on WBGO during IAJE and he was, for me, one of the highlights with his great sense of humor. I actually think WBGO posted those interviews on their site. I'll have to go have another hear. Yes, he will be missed mucho.
And on the subject of humor... did you catch the R-Bar's HUGE Jazz Festival? Amazing, so much Jazz talent in one spot... Judy Collins (always loved her rendition of "Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do" ), Betty "Straight Eights Is Enough" Buckley, and Bo Diddley... I'm speechless...
Deb
P.S. Happy Belated Valentine's Day!
DL
February 4, 2006
Thanks Sue. It's good to know that a lot of these happening are being documented in some fashion. Yes, I do dig Hilton and your upcoming recording with him is very exciting! (And I'm going to resist the urge to ask a bazillion questions about the materiaI, or at least for the moment. ;-) I guess I had never checked out the full of extent of your discography. I'm downloading the Clifford Jordan recordings from emusic right now. Bobby Sanabria's Dream Band is also in queue. BTW, I hope emusic is giving artists/indie labels a fair shake because I've been singing their praises for some time now. It's the best music download service for Jazz that I've found. Of course, not having the liners is really starting to be a drag. I downloaded some stuff awhile ago from a group called "Batidos" that I really like (Latin-tinged groove Jazz) and listen to all the time and I just discovered that Jay Rodriguez was a big part of that project!!! Definitely need to do something about the info-gap on digital downloads.
Sue, you're amazing -- hope you have a great, fun day. ;-) D
DL
February 3, 2006
I worked with a woman some years ago who was obsessed with THEM; especially the marketing THEMS. She used to keep this notebook. Every time she filled out personal info that she thought might end up in the hands of a direct marketer she would use a different middle name or initial. Then she'd mark that name and source in her notebook. That way she could track who was selling her name to whom, or her somewhat bogus name, I guess. I appreciated the cleverness, but to me it seemed an enormous effort just to rebuff a 50 cent Mr. Bubble coupon. I hate to think how she's dealing with email spam. Probably catatonic somewhere.
Anyhoo, question: do you record your gigs? I heard a Hilton tune today, a Monk tribute, great horn part, and thought, "I bet Sue burned on that tune if she played it on one of those Mr. Ruiz gigs." Then, of course, I wondered if someone had recorded those gigs. What's the word on musicians bootlegging their gigs these days. Is it cope only if it's your gig? Do the venues considered the gig "theirs" somehow? And/or how do musicians feel about someone in the group recording the gig? In thinking about it for just a few minutes, I can see how the issues start adding up quickly, but with all the technology we have, it seems a shame to not document as much as possible.
Deb
DY
February 1, 2006
THEY are a result of the taking of the public commons. When I buy a beer or loaf of bread from the corner store I buy it from Gary, he knows what I eat and that's OK. But if I buy from the Megamart with the new self checkout line or the internet it’s THEY.
It’s hard to be a professional musician, a chef or an owner of the corner store. Like Sue said, you’ve got to get out there and look and act and be that person. If your not willing to do that your neighbors won’t give the extra penny or nickel or dime. It goes to THEM. We lose the corner store. We lose the person in the booth or at the register that might notice whether your having a good day or bad day. We lose the merchant that supports the league team or jazz band and who’s kid sits next to yours in the neighborhood school. We lose the chance to have a talented musician for a neighbor.
It’s interesting that the penny that very few adults would stoop to pick up has value when it’s time to buy an apple or an iPod. “I’ll buy it on the internet and save!” (50 cents). How have we allowed that to happen?
By the way Gary closed his store last week and life is noticeably lonelier.
Gandalfe
January 29, 2006
It seems to be a tough business for a woman. Everytime I hear you on the radio I think, "Good for you!" This from a wannabe sax player who hasn't put in the time. Thank you for this site and a little more insight into the life of a jazz musician.
William
January 26, 2006
Hi Sue,
I've recently found out that you did some cuts with Jack Woodbridge. I know his CD is due out in a couple of weeks an I can't wait to hear what you an him sound like. You guys should do a double show in the city somewhere.
Didier Garcia
January 17, 2006
Sue. It was a pleasure meeting you yesterday at the party! Take care and do stay in touch. If you ever need any kind of design work send me an email!
Gene Solon
January 2, 2006
Sue,
Great talking with you tonight. I've checked out a few parts of your site. Like one of your solos there's too much to absorb in one quick take.
Reading the blog brings back so many memories. You mentioned Eddie Locke playing in the Coleman Hawkins band. I first heard that band in Hartford at the Heublein Hotel which was gone by the time you came to Hartt. It was opposite Bushnell Park where the Bushnell Towers buildings are and where the small club/restaurant was where Teddy Wilson played once a week in the months before he passed. But to get back to the band, it was not only Locke and Hawkins, but Roy Eldridge and Major Holley. Can't recall who was on piano. It was also the first time that I heard anyone play flugelhorn. Roy had brought one back from France, and was the first one in Jazz to play one. He told me some years later that as soon as other guys started to use it he stopped.
Well, I guess I should stop. I think I've gone past even three choruses.
Great site. I'll be a constant visitor.
Liz C.
January 2, 2006
Happy Hollandaise!
At least, that's what the TV networks would have you think we should offer one another this season with the plethora of cooking shows on.
Spending this weekend curled up in front of the TV getting over whatever illness I shared with you and everyone else down at the school on Thursday night (I *really* hope no one got sick!), I watched Lydia toss things into pasta I never would have dreamed of (prosciutto???), Rachel Ray fix up enough 30-minute meals for the rest of the month, and Emeril make this wonderful looking dairy-free chocolate sorbet, only to wonder what was wrong with it at the end when he just presented it without tasting it! Also, I found out that Paula loves both her children and being generous with the rum in her pina coladas (reminded me of Julia Child! :), Michael Chiarello's guests will happily eat a seafood boil off of Italian newspapers that Michael saved up *all year* and not once seem to be bothered by the unsanitary-ness of it all, and yes, indeed, Christina Cooks! In fact, Christina cooked on WLIW *ALL* of New Year's day, but somehow, I don't think I saw a single recipe that had neither red onions nor chili flakes in it. I guess the humble potato as a staple wasn't good enough for her.
Speaking of Christina, sometime in the middle of the 5th or 6th show of hers I watched in a row, it dawned on me that she seemed rather familiar. Well, no, not because I was starting to experience deja vu by this point, but rather because I knew I had seen her name somewhere else prior to this day. So I checked the website of the cruise that Bill and I are going on, and sure enough, Christina is one of the presenters! The synchronicity of this cruise is getting worse. Or maybe it's better. Or maybe... I don't know... it's just weirder!
So anyway, this is just my way of writing a brief note to wish you and Gil a Happy New Year! :) Welcome to 2006 - methinks she's gonna be a doosie! :)
Liz
DY
January 2, 2006
Waiters should be able to remember my order long enough to get it to the kitchen and back.
You're brilliant. L
DY
DL
January 1, 2006
Happy NY, and once again thank you for sharing. I believe that you and Mr. E are correct, and what one might theoretically call a C-mystic chord has already been defined, and quite appropriately, as the condition known as B(flat)7thAugmented4th fingers. (Ouch!) And of course the great thing about theory is that it's great in theory and... well, that's about it. But I would like to see your notebooks sometime, in fact I would pay huge gobs of money just to see what you may have doodled in the margins!
And hello to Sandra and Jon. I'm sorry, I didn't notice your posting last time, but thank you for your comments on that book. Agree that it would be nice to have a book covering, and I'll borrow a bit of your phrase, "jazz from the inside out." BTW, I know you'll find this hard to believe, but I did gravitate directly to those Bill Crow books! On the way from Amazon -- along with the Ellington memoirs (used cuz it was OS.)
Again Happy 2006. I think it's going to be a good year for jazz. I wrote a small piece of Mac software (a widget) about 6 months back that aggregates music news from approx. 300 sources and have thus been exposed to a major blast of topical music info. Out West, Yoshi's is opening a second venue, the Kimball folks are opening a new large venue in Berekley, very large in fact, 600-900 seats. East, Dizzy's and JALC seem to be forging ahead despite some initial concerns. Boston appears to be pulling out of it's funk with station WGBH reporting the highest online traffic numbers for jazz radio. The digital/online music revolution continues to explode, and finally in some very positive directions. Some of the most exciting online ops on the horizon are the music recommendation tools and services, such as Pandora and the Music Genome Project. These services allow people to cut through the clutter and find more of the music that they like. The rate at which people have taken to these services is extremely encouraging since it proves that people *are* willing to look beyond the stuff dished out by the majors. The online markets in Asia will be flourishing soon. Advancements in language translation and global payment systems will allow small labels and indie's to deal more directly in those markets. There's so much going on/changing/rearranging in the music industry; overwhelming to say the least, but from what I see, most of it is very good news for good music (aka Jazz.)
Sue, thanks again for all the great things that pour forth from your being -- very much appreciated!
Deb
DL
December 30, 2005
Wow Sue, the new CD is awesome -- the tunes, the concept, the players, the playing! Vincent Ector -- haven't heard much of his stuff, but I love the harmonic, painterly drummers and he has certainly mastered that art.
I have another musical question for you, if you don't mind. I recently had to come up with an algorithm to construct chords (for a piece of software.) I gleaned the following "rules of construction" just from observation. Can you tell me if my logic is solid here? (Sometimes logic drawn from simple observation tends to break down somewhere along the line -- exceptions.)
// -- >> Basic Chord Constructs
//
' A major chord always has 4 semi tones between the tonic and mediant (I and III)
' A minor chord always has 3 semi tones between the tonic and mediant (I and III)
' A major chord always has 3 semi tones between the mediant and dominant (III and V)
' A minor chord always has 4 semi tones between the tonic and mediant (III and V)
//
// -- >> Variants
//
' An augmented chord always has +1 semi tone on the dominant (V)
' A diminished chord always decreases III and V by 1 semi tone and adds VI which is 2 semi tones above the new dominant (V)
' A major 6th chord always adds the VI and is 1 semi tone above the dominant V
' A regular 7th chord always adds VI (2 semi tones above V) to the major chord form
' A major 7th chord always adds a VI (3 semi tones above V) to the major chord form
// -- >> 11, 13,etc. yet to be quantified
//
If this logic is correct, our major chords follow the form: root + 4 semi-tones + 3 semi-tones. Our minor chords follow: root + 3 semi-tones + 4 semi-tones. Do we use other "basic" forms to construct chords, such as root + 5 semi-tones + 5 semi-tones. If not, why do we only use those two basic forms? I did a scant bit of research awhile back and happened on Scriabin's "mystic chord." The first thing I noticed about that chord is that each note is 5 semi-times apart, and that's actually what prompted me to wonder if r + 5 + 5, or r + 3 + 5, etc. were acknowledged forms. I hope my wording (and logic) isn't too confusing (or totally off base!) and if this is too heady for a blog then please feel free to point me the direction of a book or online document.
Thank you mucho!
Deb
Sandra
December 25, 2005
Hi Sue and Happy Holidays!
What a wonderful website you have. My husband and I are thoroughly addicted to your blog and your guests! That's an interesting observation that Deb makes about solos. As a non-musician, I never really thought about how everything works together from the inside out. I have a book called The Complete Idiot's Guide To Jazz. It covers a lot of ground, some terminology, history, various styles, instruments, players. A good overview and quick reference. Funny thing though, the word solo is not listed in the index nor in the glossary of jazz terminology. There's a short chapter about the first (or accepted as the first) soloists, but it's about the players and not what a solo actually is. I think it would interesting to read a book about how everything really works or comes together. The best that books like this one can offer seems to be: Some jazz is written down... some completely spontaneous... It's up to the performer to take these hints and make jazz out of them. (pgs. 45, 46) A little on the cryptic side I guess!
Thanks for your insights, both wise and witty, and of course for the wonderful music!
Sandra and Jon
DL
December 23, 2005
Thanks again mucho Sue. Those sound like good reads. I've had Duke's autobio on my list for way too long.
Re: "that woman" - when I was thinking about that jazz satire the other day she was the first person/charcter that came to mind, "Well, there's one part that's written itself." ;-)
Possible answers to the Lou-Sue riddle. And keep in mind that this is coming from someone whose last compositional attempt resulted in 5 lovely instr. parts, all for French Horn as it turns out.
"How do you get from B(flat) to E(flat)?"
A.) Practice?
B.) One half of a 12-step plan?
C.) The Beatles?
D.) Any way you dang well please?
E.) I know one thing for sure, 2 days ago you couldn't get there by taking the A Train!
Have a Happy!
Deb
DL
December 22, 2005
Wow, all these years of listening to jazz, reading about it, even having the good fortune of knowing some very cool players, and I never knew exactly what a solo was/is. Thanks Sue! What books/videos about jazz do you, or Scooby, or Tim, etc., personally like/recommend? Historical, bios, theory, whatever -- the stuff you like. I have a few books/vids, but would like to pick up some more. I rented the Ken Burns series a few years ago. Naturally Blockbuster didn't have it so I had to sign up for NetFlix, but I was glad I went thru the hassle of the rent thing as opposed to buying it because overall I found the flick to be oddly depressing and gloomy. The accompanying book, on the other hand, is beautiful. I also have "Madame Jazz" by Leslie Gourse with Sweet Sue looking very cool on the cover! Thanks in advance for the recs! -Deb
Scooby
December 22, 2005
Sue said, " I think players should take full responsibility for all the sounds they're putting out into the universe!" That reminds me of a master class that bassist Doug Weiss gave many years ago. At the beginning he had us sit quietly for awhile. He then mentioned how beautiful silence is and that if we chose to disturb that silence by playing a solo it had better be worth it!
DL
December 21, 2005
T'is true Sweet Sue, holiday shopping abounds in Brooklyn. Bagels, Brooklyn Beer, live fluke from the Bay, articles of clothing emblazoned with the word "Brooklyn" -- something for everyone on your list. And of course the little ones always love to find fresh Fratelli fettucini noodles in their stockings on Christmas morn.
Better go, just got email from Kylie Menka. Seems she has challenged me to some sort of "spelldown refract."
Oh, my music question: how do you know when someone is done with their solo? Are you counting pre-allotted bars/beats or is there some signal passed? I was listening to some big band stuff the other day, Frank Foster I believe. The drummer took what seemed to be an extended solo (encouraged by the audience, live thang) and yet the whole band came back in in perfect unison. Now I'm listening more for those solo-comebacks -- I'm amazed at how perfect they are across the Jazz spectrum and curious as to how that whole thing works.
Thanks! Ciao -Deb
Ed Fitzgerald
December 20, 2005
Sue: I'm not coming for my lesson tonight(12/20) due to the strike. I'm afraid I'll get caught in traffic, particularly on the Jackie Robinson. I'll miss 12/27(we'll be in Canada) but will see you 1/3/06. My horn travels,so I'll be prepared.
Liz C.
December 19, 2005
Sue,
Thanks so much for solving the mystery of the Spam! To think that all these years, I was certain that they were actually subliminal messages to get me to buy more Haagen-Dazs.
However, with this new realization comes new responsibility. Do we turn OFF our Spam filters, and harvest as much as the stuff as we possibly can before forwarding it all to the CIA, the FBI, or the Whitehouse? Or do we form an underground group of vigilantes who fight the terrorists by responding to the Spam with False information?
I also realize now that *I* am the one responsible for my waist size. I have no one else to blame anymore! I need to find someone to sue to pay for the many years of therapy it will undoubtedy take for me to recover from this...
So much to think about...
Liz
Deb
December 13, 2005
Happy Holidays, or as the girls in Bay Ridge say, "Check out my new pawlishes with Santer Claus decals." (Not typos.)
Are we officially playing blog-back in the guestbook area, cool. I can never think of those ear flap hats without first thinking of Ignatious J. Reilly, followed by that delightful tune from the movie "This Is Spinal Tap", "Big Bottom, Big Bottom. Talk about mud flaps, my gal's got 'em." You know, I wonder what a movie spoof of the Jazz industry would be? Has one been done? Could be a great boost for visibility; nothing us humans love more than sex, scandal and spoofiness. Someone recently suggested to pianist Bill Carrothers (an extremely funny Jazz Cat, and pretty hip player too), anyway someone suggested to him that he should propose a TV reality show about Jazz musicians. He said, "Oh, sure, we can call it, 'Glass Eye for the Poor Guy' or 'My Big Fat, Obnoxious Club Owner.'" He had a whole slew of them, very funny guy. In fact, if he could afford to make even less money... ! Well, I came in here with a thoroughly thought-provoking musical question in mind, but too late to switch gears now, another time. Have fun!
Deb
P.S.: Working title, how about a weird cross between the Ken Burns thing, "Kentucky Fried Movie" and "This Is Spinal Tap", called: "This is Ken's Burnt Jazz Movie." Okay, keep thinking...
Geoff Dunbar
December 13, 2005
So you think this is some kind of South Seas balmy paradise, down here, Sweet Sue?
Well, if you're ever in a position to fly down the Pacific way (to escape the frost on the Big Apple), either choose a spot closer to California (Tahiti, perhaps, or the Cook Islands), or keep flying over Aotearoa (NZ) to Australia's east coast. Port Chalmers is down on the 45 degree south parallel, and the whole country is further south than most of Oz, which means its closer to Antarctica, and colder -- since the prevailing winds are ''Southerlies'', bringing that brisk cold air up here!
Generally, the best we can do in Summer is a high of 80 or so (usually in the mid 70s), while winter lows are sometimes in the mid 20s. You can up these figures by a factor of 10 in the northernmost part of the country (closest to the Equator), but that about it!
Now, Sydney....aaahhhh -- get one of your wealthy patrons to shout you a trip over there this winter, Sweet Sue! You won't regret it (unless those pesky race riots are still happening). The nicest, warmest (mostly of the comfortable 80s lower 90s sort), most equable climate you can imagine -- the best climate, by far, of any Australian city!!!
Re hat with ear flaps: My wife Carola owns and wears (not all at once) at least FOUR:
a bright orangey-red one advertising "Tui''
beer, a plaid ''Mambo'' hat, an American one advertising a ski-field (I think) called ''The Bump'', and a plain sheepskin cap with flaps. Now she wouldn't have need of ANY of these in a South acific paradise, would she?
I hope you're coping with what looks to be a cold, snowy winter in NYC, Sweet Sue (altho I rember that visually, at least, New York looks its best under a light coat of snow -- agreed?).
I was thinking of my old library school days when you had your litle sojourn in Eau Claire, Sue -- I attended the University of Minnesota, in the dim, dark, frozen (in winter) past. I used to cross the Mississippi River at least twice a day, over a footbridge that linked the two parts of the Minneapolis campus! I really enjoyed my three years there, among the German-Scandinavian-Polish natives (see the movie ''Fargo'' for only slightly exaggerated depiction!), but in the end I knew the winters would get me if I didn't get out.
And look how far away I've gone!
David Springer
December 12, 2005
Hi just landed on your website some great music.
Deb
November 23, 2005
Re: Fun WIth Computers. If you liked playing with the synthetic voices, then you are really gonna dig this: http://kaelabs.com/support.htm Synthetic voices singing. It's equal parts funny and mind blowing.
Happy T... !
Deb
P.S. - I used the word cripe the other day and thought of you. I'm pretty sure I made it up, equal parts crap and cripe. Feel free, it's a great holiday BQE traffic word.
Bruce Hering, Eau Claire Memorial
November 13, 2005
Well, with comments from my students such as "this was the best jazz clinic we've ever had" and comments from the audience members such as " this was the most fun I've had at a concert in years", I would have to conclude your visit to Eau Claire was a SMASHING success, Sue. On behalf of all my students, and a very appreciative audience, thanks so much for bringing your world-class talent, your infectious positve nature, and your intuitive educational skills to us in Wisconsin. We hope to see you again, soon!
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