In the late 1970's these two guys helped me on my early jazz journey. First in Toronto with Sonny Stitt, in a bar, on a break, at the piano. And then shortly there after in Boston with Dino. I was thinking about them today.

What did I learn?
1. Jazz is not back ground music.
2. Skill counts.
3. Intensity is imperative.
4. This jazz thing is going to take awhile. 

In response to a question I was recently asked by a colleague looking for more students, here goes. 
​

1. Play the long game. Quick bucks are hard to come by honestly. Build relationships that have the potential to last. How? “By giving more than you expect to receive”.  And, knowing who your ideal Customer/Client is. See Jim Rohn
2. Have a competitive advantage in an area that matters to your clients. If you don’t have one don’t compete. See Business 101
3. Be reliable. The word will get out.
4. Bring your “A” game everyday to the market. Develop the skills and processes to streamline your work so that it’s possible to play your “A” game everyday. Discombobulated, disorganized, flying by the seat of your pants execution won’t cut it in the competitive world of 2021.  
5. Network daily. “The hour of power”: research, call, create, follow up! One-hour daily minimum. See Tom Ferry.
6. Hunt whales, not minnows. A bucket full of minnows is just a bucket of minnows.
7. Innovate and market, in other words, keep trying new ideas and put them out there, tell the world and see what sticks. The business of business is to create a customer. See Peter Drucker.
8. Fish where the fish are. This should be self explanatory.
9. Present yourself appropriately in public and online. How we present ourselves tells the world how we expect to be treated. See GQ
10. Have a story to tell. Nobody likes boring.

Lovely drum, crappy heads. So... I put an Evans Genera dry head on it. 

poof, 1979 is back. 


​David

Submissions from around the world. Hear it all at Bandcamp release on Attenuation Circuit, "A Cry, Uttered At One End Of The Room". 

I'm on a list. Now I wait and dream.

• Jamming
• Travel
• Socializing
• Seeing students

And, breathing normally. 

Up this week:

• Piano lesson, I'm preparing Mozart
• Two drum lessons
• Teaching
• Playing piano/violin duets with my wife

Pino Palladino + Blake Miles: Herbie Hancock's Headhunter period revisited. Why, haven't we already made that record? 

Reminds me of the old adage Artists create and musicians recreate. That being said they do it well. 

​David

DW Design series black nickel over brass snare drum review. 

Tune it high
Tune it low
Swap out the heads, I've put ambassadors on it at one point, though they currently have the stock heads on them. 

Use sticks, wands, brushes,  or brooms, this instrument is nuanced and colorful when asked, it will sing when you want, cracks when required.

​David 

Yep, another one. 

I had no idea Tama made such wonderful instruments. ETA July. Backordered!

​David