LIFELINES

….of Jazz

In my own small history book, …is written the tiny notice; I talked with Ulf Wakenius for a few minutes in the phone about twentyfive years ago. The purpose was to check up why he didn´t join the suggested meeting for a interview in Gothenburg, at the locally well known cafe´ ”Brautigam” (I think this is the right spelling, BUT it can be Brudgums… or Bratwurst n´ Gum…or something else. You never know about the comical talents of the people in that town).
Ulf Wakenius said he had forgot the whole thing (been playing in a park). I then had heard Ulf Wakenius live a couple of times in guitarduo constellations, all of them impressive. In this particular record the artistry of ulf wakenius (Dragon Records 2002), the famous jazzpianoplayer Oscar Peterson mentions backcover; ”Tune for tune, I could only marvel at not only his musical dexterity, but more importantly to me, his deep roots into the true lifeline of jazz – the Blues.”
Just some years ago I heard Ulf on TV, in the Oscar Peterson group. I thought this was jazz guitar at it´s best – and it happens today.
On this record (picture) Ulf Wakenius morely does the soloperformance. Already in the opening number Have you met miss Jones?,... I immediately recongnized somebrazilpower…..as I said earlier….

-------------------------------------------
….or Classical

Gunnar Spjuth introduced classical guitar for me over thirty years ago. Looking in the mirror it was perfect. We were in the same age, the pieces of the puzzle over periods of guitar history were not delivered from above, from the ordentlicher highschuule-profezzor.
These recordings were done 1986 but digitally remastered in 2001.
Borrowed the CD from Hylte Folkbibliotek. Enjoyed the music right off, no thoughts about technical.
I always thought spanish pianopeices by Albenis and Granados were technically most comfortable for guitar duo…., but with a player like this,... why bother with social troubles....

Classical sologuitar, still in lead...... Details, all the work.

BRAZILPOWER

" The Five Preludes of 1940. which vary in character, key, tempo and mode of playing, also show that the composer had not forgotten what he had learnt from the guitar-playing popular musicans" ( From the backcover of the LP "Julian Bream plays Villa-Lobos" - picture is part of the frontcover. It was realeased on RCA, recorded in England, I think in the early seventies. Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) is one of the world wide known composers of Brazilian music, and Julian Bream; one of the great inspired recording artist´s and messengers of our time in the field of classical guitar.
I have always felt that the recorded documents are of significant importance. More from the cover of this particular LP, about the composer Villa-Lobos; "Born in 1887 in Rio de Janeiro, he was only twelve years when he started playing in coffe-houses and, out of opposition to an academic type of tuition, gained his training on autodidactic basis. His actual "teachers" came from the ranks of popular musicians, who taught him guitar improvisations, melody and modulation of the "choro", a genre played in the open air by an instrumental ensemble". (Unfortunately I don´t have the name of the artist who did the frontcover picture, but I think it was extraordinary for the time, in the idiom of classical guitar. The text backside was written by Uwe Kraemer, in german, but also translated to english/ french.)
In my mind Brazil is one of the great music countries, and specially of course from the guitarists point of view. There is "everything"; the lyrical (some portugese...), black music (rhythm....),developed extended harmony, loved by jazz musicians. The three classical elements; "melody, rhythm and harmony". At least from geographical distance (I´ve never been outside Europe), it seems that all elements live happily together. The ethnic music is very vital, and influental, world known by it´s rhythmical chemistry. We even talk about brazilian footballplayers as artists of "samba-football".
Writer, guitarist and arrangeur Brian Hodel in an old article (Guitar - magazine, I think it was published in the late seventies) : "No account of Brazilian guitar music can omit Joao Gilberto. Though primarily a singer, it is his batida de samba (literally: "drumming on the guitar") which most Brazilian musicians consider the essence of the bossa-nova. Though many guitarists were working in the same direction, it was Joao with the 1958 succes of "Bim Bam" and "Desafinado" (A.C.Jobim), who popularized the style, and, along with Jobim, became the centre of a group of musicians inhabiting Rio´s Zona Sul who developed the bossa-nova into a definite form. (The Zona Sul is the southern part of Rio that includes the famed beach sections of Copacabana, Leblon and Ipanema.) Though the bossa-nova was never popular success in Brazil, it became so throughout most of the rest of the world beginning in the mid 60s. Why did the batida de vioalao revolutionize Brazilian guitar playing? As Baden Powell explains it: "Prior to this style of playing, samba was played with the entire right hand strumming up and down so that the guitarist had very little freedom to add a melody to the chords or a separate bass part. But the batida de violao allowed the guitarist to play like the classical performer with the right hand in position where it could function in more complex manner".
Fortunately I had the opportunity to experience Baden Powell in concert in Helsinki about thirty years ago. The headline in the newspaper the day after reported; "Happy Guitar (-ism or -playing; in finnish: "Onnellista Kitarointia") I agree, it was soft, cool, lyrical, rhythmical......, with amazing contact with the instrument and through that, with the audience. He didn´t talk too much, no jokes between the pieces..., he felt serious all the way. It was a full time solo performance, no group around him, which would make it easier to find the platforms of polyrhytmical grooves, when it´s needed. I´ll never know how much of his performance was improvised. (Good improvisers may sound like they play composed music all the way).

When studying the written music, for example arrangements of brazilian standards, it is important to remember; ..."what is written is not the whole truth". You must learn fundaments of the written idea properly,.. but then comes the question of of accents, understanding of the idiom, what freedom is possible to take and so on, like the more tutorial approach to jazz. You normally can´t play jazz themes like military music from southern Germany, and more less improvise over it that way, like Bobby the Robot (or "Raw Bath", from one Spike Jones record, it has nothing to do with my article)
Much of the modernism in the brazilian guitar, includes, beside the rhythmical essence, "mystical" chords ...., it´s part of it. Anyway, with some experience and finger playing conditions, it´s not so difficult "sound brazilian". It´s maybe compareable to, "it´s not diccult to sound "spanish". But then, from there, from the first humbug level........ Not so many decades ago it was not easy to find out, for example in northern Europe, how the stories go on. Thanks to the records of course, but also to the tutorial books, made by "insiders", much information is available.
In the case of studying brazilian guitar music, I occasionally some years ago found Nelson Faria´s book in music school library. It was very satisfying to read, and get some witness, and listening (CD included) to the small differencies involved in brazilian popular traditions. In Europe everything seemed to be just bossa-nova or samba...., sometimes even without that difference, "play some latin you idiot" (scene in restaurant ). For example; Nelson Faria gives examples of subivisions in the samba; Samba enredo, Samba cancao, Samba de breque, Partido alto, Batucada, Samba Funk. The Bossa Nova is of course something else. Beside that we have the Choro (many pieces are found in the older tradition and composition, sometimes also known by strictly classical guitarists). We also have other stylings as; Frevo and Baiao.
Nelson Faria also gives lot of names in selected discography and lists of important names in the different styles. One of the great brazilian guitar personalities mentioned is Laurindo (de) Almeida, highly important for the brazilian guitar links towards U.S. (since 1947). By occasion I happened to hear Laurindo Almeida with other (very) established musicians from the Los Angeles area, in 1970ies. This was in Malmoe (for swedish beer drinking readers; it´s in the same direction as your feet, if you lay down on the asphalt with your head in the direction of the north-pole). The performance was in a way, from the public point of view, very undramatic. My picture was that Laurindo Almeida&Co was meant to perform in Copenhagen, but by some positive reason also did it, with not flashingly much advertisement, in an small simple restaurant (with red-white chequered cloths and squeeking chairs) nearby.
I think that the written commercially available arrangements or compositions of Brazilian, at least influenced, have been important for the knowledge of Brazilian guitar over the world, not just the sounding records. In the european music and it´s educational traditions, the analyze, at least the possibility to do it, is often proof for establishment. It´s another story that classical music tradition (basically european) often offers more analyze than playing....
But the developed truth is, that brazilian guitar music have it all; rhythm..., harmony...., melody..... , in exciting combinations, on many levels. Music history is not only written in Europe. To understand polyrhythmic music, you must understand something (at least influences) of black music, if you understand less of this; you are more for the traditional european polyphonic room. I have nothing against it, but the polyrhythmic room gives one more dimension and greater freedom in voicing. It is also a matter of perspective, for example; are you playing in a group or not?

Carlos Barbosa Lima; " Jazz is the United State´s greatest contribution to the world music, a high mark in 20th century cultural life. Its African heritage has contributed significantly to its shape. The same heritage can be found in Caribbean and Brazilian music. The guitar is a part of many jazz ensembles and constantly featured as a solo instrument. The plectrum style was first developed for jazz and is still predominant, but since the 50´s, the more polyphonic "fingerstyle" has been widely absorbed into jazz an d other styles of American music, following the tradition established much earlier in Brazil. Inventive, artistic styles exist either way, with plectrum or fingers, so why not integrate all these styles at some point? " (from backcover, "MUSIC OF THE AMERICAS", Guitar Solo Publications/San Fransisco)


There are many reasons,.... later on,...to continue..... with..... BRAZILPOWER 2 !!!

AUGUST´s SHORT-CUT TICKET

Before I go blogging to Brazil…( hard times to get floating luggage on airplanes in Europe, ...by the way, anyway,... do it my way, ...this road is rocky but it want be rocky long, ... take me on a slow boat to China); it´s suitable to take up the question of style.

One common question, among young git-players; “what style should I prefer to get the opportunity to buy Pink Red Cadillac for Christmas”? The pro´s steady answer is, "try Bank Robbery." Use loose hair, masque and white gloves (from the bilberrypickin session).

But watch out, that can be the expensive method. As bars of fact show, it could be more expensive than the actual price at your favorite salesman in the backyard alley. The alternative way, choosing style, is to be natural. Show me one cat who need tattoos. Show me one cat who needs cowboy-hat, they already have nice hair-cut,... I mean hair-cat. They are already beautifully dressed up without shopping, ...have wonderful individual patterns, like finger prints (as Ginger, picture) and sleep when they want. ( And in no uncomfortable black rubber reptile dress!)

The key word is now PATTERN. Music is full of patterns, which leads in to styling. Each country or region have their patterns, in ethnic music it´s much about rhythm and accent in accompaniment. For example Brazil, motley as jungle.

picture from pingpad.blogspot.com

WHY NOT BLUE BERRY ?

I was surprised when the great book told me;… Bilberry! (”bil” is also the swedish word for ”car”).
We know also Chuck Berry and Halle Berry. And Blackberry; had for a while an role the psychic action, in my mind, last night, in the movie “Good Girl” (with Jennifer Aniston, among others), damped “drama-comedy”.

Room for good acting, about undercover tensions. Like fish in the water, but locked in. It could have been elsewhere than Texas. Maybe not…., I´m not sure it was, maybe it happened nearby. But there is something with Texas.

I´m gonna pick some blue bilberrys this year. How do guitarplayers do it without destroying themselves? The secret is the freestroke and the use of the thumb and the indexfinger. You can do sweeping arpeggios in the bush using white gloves. When they turned blue (or bloody red!) everybody knows that you´ve been working (surprise!). If you walk around with those gloves in Texas, the local sherif surely, wants to check the trunk of your car. Escape! Over the borderline! To Mexico! But that´s another story - anyway, I´m on my way to South America in this blog, even If you don´t believe it.......next stop BRAZIL !!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0279113/

http://www2.foxsearchlight.com/thegoodgirl/

http://www.texasguitarshows.com/

http://www.texasguitarfestival.com/

THINGS AIN´T WHAT THEY USED TO BE

…..I mean the weather.

For many days it´s been hot. It can be “normal”, temporary….or not. Over +30 celsius in these parts, where we have no wild cactus or rattle snakes. Maybe we have some day, soon…, and it would generate new businessmarkets, happy jokes and guaranteed long-summer-partytime f x in this little town.

But, hows it gonna be f x in Africa, somewhere in the borderlines of the equator? Already there are growing problems with dryness, … and who really cares. I´m sure, not too many,… ;and at least not for the moment among the people in electric paradise just one hundered meters from where I´m sitting now. There´s music&festivalarrangements in the park, thundering sounds and screams.

It´s not directly for the Rain Gods, … but maybe a little bit for drinking, I don´t mean just alcohol, I mean anything waterlike, ….. gold in the desert. In the right time, at the right place, ...one glass of water is probably the best demand in the world, it´s higher than the bumping headphones on your head when you are jumping around in the front of your heartshaped mirror.

As a bloomer of fact; Sahara desert is north of the equator.

(Picture; From front cover of "John Fahey visits W
ashington, D.C. - Takoma Records 1979)

BEFORE TOURING in a TEAM

Is everything in the bag?

This pic (and the astonishingly fantastic story) from mid-eighties show how complicated it can be,... me on the left and the multi-man, mr Fiffy Leif Icebring on the right.

Observe three cans of pea-soup in front of the map, an good idea from the military service, their thursday battles. (On the left also the Zoegas-Coffe, loved by swedish southerners.) On this special occasion the coconuts unfortunately were forgotten outside picture.The Ibanez-electric, this was the copy with specially nice soft-jazzy-funky qualities, which was later unfortunately sold to the Colombian, who gave me an offer. The Roland Cube is still in use, one kick and it work. In the middle there is an arabic lute, owned by my busyness companion, Ud (which mean “out” in danish), I´m not sure of the english spelling. And mine, the Ovation-guitar behind the lute has been more in the pawn shop, than home.

One late night in wintertime we had to borrow a car for the exclusive gig next day, in the great town Falkenberg.(It was an arrangement for Kids, sponsored by CitizenSchool). It was a yellow Vauxhall (it´s true, they were still seen in Halmstad then, like Cuba). We got in the car, after the cleaning off the windscreens, free from ice and snow. The key now did not fit, to start the engine. After checked up the problem with the owner of the car, one of mr Fiffy Leif Icebrings three brothers, Lars, we understood; it was the wrong car! Amazingly there was another yellow Vauxhall on the parking lot!

This time we got away (it is still magic how we got in the first car with the key…, maybe snappy fingers…), but, ….we soon found out, ....there was not enough gasoline,... we hade the stop already merely, just dangerously,... far out ...of hometown. From there no one could hear us scream !
It was minus 15 at least and sky was full of stars. We had to pick out so much luggage from the car as possible, and walk through the woods. Lucky for us, it was not too.... many kilometers, just good for the focus for the next day.

This will learn you; before touring in a team; take only the most important with you, Coconuts, the Pea-Soup and maybe pack (500 grams) of Coffe,... it´s about survival, in the desert, you don´t know when you meet civilisation again.
Instruments? Too much trouble. The audience won´t hardly see or hear the diffrence, you can whistle and jump around naked for an hour and get paid, and they will bemore happy than ever!
Good laughs lenghthens any life, it´s good news, even for your competitors.

Mr Fiffys Touring Equipment of Today: http://www.allistrio.com/

BEFORE STARTING UP the NEW BAND

….and before summervacations, some of the usual small tips; if you and your howlin friends are going to set up an orchestra-band-musicalprojectwiththeathre-globalmusicaidteam for the world…..or something else, what in the other end, maybe also, .....Í said maybe, gives you money in the pocket so you can go on eating big hamburgers saturdayafternoons.

First of all, to play together with instruments is one dimension of it, OK, it is good if you at least have seen your instrument before the first rehearsal - but there is another dimension,... talking without instruments, as a mother of fact, most people talk without musical instruments. They walk in the streets. Buy ice-cream. Nod to people who say something philosophycally interesting,.... and get angry if it´s a mess insulting comments.

Learn to talk. Less barking. You must have a plan, it´s about the culture in your band, the band is the miniature society – if you still are up to dogfighting, that´s it. If you can´t talk, have a pencil so you can write down your messages.

JULY´s SHORT-CUT TICKET

Among others, the number of musically related blogs and websites is increasing all the time. As usual I have 000000000,1 % review of all what´s happening. Why don´t check up this one? With highest possible silence Alex(andra) gave me the adress; http://www.myspace.com/queenofhardrock

MORE DOLLS....from SPACE ?

Found more Starz…., with bass-guitars, heart-shaped and star-shaped.
(Tip: Small guitars allows easy-action when youre band jumping around on stage like a swarm of locusts)

Who are they? Where do they come from? Unmistakeably they have shoes of good quality on their…, suitable for normal weather, …..and big cat-like eyes….Aliens? With those eyes they may see the big human world very well.

But…. I´m wondering about the lips,….in most of the cases they don´t look natural, not really…. Hopefully they are not of the exploding kind. I think these girls,... they enjoy restaurants, but don´t enjoy eating alone.

Positive; They don´t have lazer-guns. I think they are more friendly than unkind. That´s always a good start in any society.

(Bratz,,,send me a couple of dollars for ice-cream)

Explosives:
http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/halsa/story/0,2789,848813,00.html

DOLLS ENGAGE

Today
The examination committee for radio and television in Sweden sentenced; at daytime sent (reprised) programme,(the cultureoriented magazine; “Kobra”), where Barbiedolls had sexactivties. ---------------------------------------------------
One of my personal questions, since earlier;... I wonder how many young swedish women, ...up to the age of 55, ...have played with Barbiedolls,… these hard, long-legged, symmetrical plastic creatures, always ready for job, in almost every branch.

But, newcomers are coming to take the position of modern dolly fashion?,… like Bratz Rock Angels? Because of the guitars….I want to….hmm, interesting model. Only four strings (Bass) but six tuning-knobs. ...But they are a little bit nice I must say,....what are they performing?,.......the song goes….:

Beep Beep Mm Beep Beep, Yeh! ....Baby, you can drive my car. .....Yes, I´m gonna be star. .......Baby, you can drive my car, .....and maybe I love you, .....


(Lennon&McCartney 1965)

Europeans: Learn to behave !

Sensationally I found the Swedish Childrens Christmas song; Tre pepparkaksgubbar, among other things on

http://www.thepancakes.com/

the pancakes在國際綜藝合家歡 [我個名叫麥兜兜 古典音樂小計劃]在這個演出裡, 麥兜和他的朋友, 香港小交響樂團和班戟會教你在古典音樂會裡應該注意甚麼和怎樣享受整個過程. 這不是一堂嚴肅的課, 反而很有趣.我不會在這演出玩奏音樂. 我會跟你們說話, 我也希望到時你們會回答我啦!門票現已有售. 詳情

Do it right now you polar zoombies - learn the ligthness of the far east.

New Facts in the Terry Dene case

In a stagnant case like this, I had to contact Newlanders Detective Bureau, their marshalls nearly solved the Lars Danielsson case (the swedish citizen who was invisible during christmas, he could have been Santa Claus?)
I got the hot tip from the bureau;.... "check Internet".

My theory, which I had been waiting for to be confirmed by specialists from US, was that Terry Dene was lately been seen in Roswell - as a hamburgersaleman! But, the most wildest theory which came up in my mind, that he was the tiny guitar salesman in the amazing story of Little Red Riding Hood; http://drivemyguitar.blogspot.com/2005_11_01_drivemyguitar_archive.html

bio
Terry Dene (born Terence Williams) was one of the most promising rock & rollers of pre-Beatles England. With a recording contract with Decca UK and a regular spot on BBC TV's first pop television show, Six 5 Special, Dene seemed to be on the verge of stardom. His first three singles reached the British Top 20.

Dene's potential for success was severely damaged, however, by a series of self-imposed mishaps. Arrested for public drunkenness and vandalism in 1958, Dene was cited by the British media as an example of the "evil" of rock & roll. His mental health was considered to have plummeted after being drafted into the British national service. Discharged on psychological grounds after two months, he found his career in ruins.

Although he appeared in a film, The Golden Disc, and joined Larry Parnes' stable of stars, he was unable to recapture the momentum and faded from the pop scene. Turning to religion, Dene became a street-singing Evangelist, recording three albums of gospel music. He spent the early '70s residing in Sweden. Dene has unsuccessfully attempted several comebacks.

In 1974, he released a book and album, I Thought Terry Dene Was Dead, and began to perform with a rock band, the Dene Aces, featuring Brian Gregg, composer of classic rock tune "Shakin' All Over," in the 1980s. He released an album, Real Terry Dene, in 1997. A native of London, Dene was heavily influenced by the early recordings of Elvis Presley and Gene Vincent. Performing at 2 T's Coffee Bar, the London club that helped to launch the careers of Tommy Steele, Cliff Richard, and Adam Faith, he caught the attention of British record producer Jack Good, who helped him to obtain a contract with Decca UK.

Although he wrote very few songs, Dene was a master interpreter, scoring with covers of Marty Robbins' "A White Sport Coat (And a Pink Carnation)" and "The Stairway of Love" and Sal Mineo's "Start Movin'." Dene was briefly married to British songstress Edna Savage.

~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide

X:files WHAT HAPPENED TO TERRY DENE ?

Nearly fifty years ago something happened. . . .

His first record “A White Sports Coat and a Pink Carnation” sold 50 000 copies in two weeks. He got contract with Decca - paid with 2 500 swedish crowns every week. His movie debut, “The Golden Disc”, was ready for distribution outside UK. Yes, he was the englisman who was said to compete Elvis Presley and Tommy Steele.


If you know something – even the wildest theory – give me a comment or the mail with information ; bonnajazz@spray.se

WHAT´s SO WRONG WITH THE CASSETTE-PLAYERS?

During my lifetime I´ve seen them come and go. I think there is more than 600 cassettes in my collection, once carefully collected, most of them own recordings from different sources. Nowdays, the new machines, mostly have the cassette player, but the line in/line out function is rare, and the cheap built-in microphones…., you don´t find any.

All this was still common in the 1980:ies. The cheap microphonefunction was useful for me in everyday life and I don´t know how many times I did copies between different machines, with the fully normal line in/line out function. It was almost standard on tape recorders since the beginning. New techniques, new fashions…. It´s about money too, absolutely.

In ancient times humanity liked to use things that worked well in daily life, it was often wisdom from the generation before….

MIDSUMMER IN SWEDEN

Recitation;

Midsummer ! The engaged time of the frogs! Ring.Ring. Bell Ring.


Single String Guitar Solo.

02220222020320.....30003000303202

(Pfft! Pfft! Opening of the LOKA)

If you still, after midnight, are able to spell”SHE SELLS SEA-SHELLS ON THE SEA SHORE. AND THE SHELLS SHE SELLS ARE SEA-SHELLS I AM SURE.” right in the face of the host - properly, you may drive your Bike from the Camp.

Waiting for the midsummer-Party...., with giant Loka Pet-Bottle in your hands.,,,,,looking over the blue lake in the afternoon sun,......you listen to this......:
http://www.lokasbubblare.se/?song=688

JUNE´s SHORT-CUT TICKET

Today about How To Keep Your Phans Away. Yeeeaazh (my scottish accent), I use professional No-Key-Aaa rubber for the soft defense. Picture from last summer.


"Wearing bizarre costumes and pretending to be serious about their clothes and musical performance instead of honestly admitting that the costumes are part of the show . This admission would be the honest thing to do , and then the performers could be viewed and heard from the proper frame of reference - as entertainment, not music" Barney Kessel in Guitar Player august 1978

CHINA CALLING

http://www.ibiblio.org/chinese-music/

http://www.sister.co.jp/hang_on_the_box/index_e.html

WAITING FOR THE SUNRISE






meanwhile : Check Up This Link-Site

http://www.burkar.nu/mu/mu-lankar.html

MAY´s Short-Cut Ticket

Yeah, today it´s short time, but it can be long time if you look at following link site to guitar tablatures,....good luck,... , remember it´s internet. Monsters eat you up.


http://www.gitarrforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=89

Show me if you found something interesting, like an cat in the backyard, I´ll give you my doom.

SONG CONTEST ?

I would rather say; ”ACT CONTEST”, about the Eurovision Song Contest last night.

Winners were, (almost all Europeans know something about it) , the monster- zoombie- group, .... Lordi, .... from Finland.

Counting points there were no question about it. But,.... I wonder (just a little bit, for maximum two minutes), if they had been the winners in “normal” costumes.
No, I don’t think so. Maybe in swim-suits? That tune, “Hard Rock Hallelujah”, could been kinky in tiny sportswear with a leadsinger (white) who truly love beer more than gymnastics?
I don’t know, of course.



http://www.musicbay.se/jukebox/bmg/lordi_fi