The Hidden Jazz of Groups

I wore two hats today at a presentation by two of my friends, Dan Rubright and Leslie Peters. I was already planning to attend the “The Hidden Jazz of Groups” presented in the Cortex District of St. Louis. Dan asked me whether I could also shoot some photos of the presentation, which sounded like fun.

Dan and Leslie, who are married to each other, have combined their skillsets into a way that celebrates both individual differences and the magic of collaboration. Dan, who is both an exquisite musician and an educator, began the session by giving his insight into the process of creating jazz, and then moved on to discuss the wide variety of creating and combining sounds to create music. Leslie, an author and speaker on group dynamics, then joined in. It was a smart and unintimidating way to broach the topic of efficient group dynamics. These are a few of my photos from the presentation.

If you click on the video, you'll hear Dan’s impromptu performance of some of his music. His style is truly his own. I’m always delighted by the amount of music he can coax out of a single guitar.

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The Many Benefits of Playing Music

My parents offered me the chance to take guitar lessons when I was 7, and I agreed to do that, so now, decades later, I'm doing what many guitar players are doing: Playing self-learned keyboards! Truly, I am grateful to my parents for digging deep to buy me a guitar and provide me with lessons. I'm still playing lots of music--it is a wonderful way to spend time on planet Earth. Here's one my most recent compositions, which I call "Striding."



As much as a digital studio (Logic Pro) provides endless enjoyment, I also still love playing the guitar, absolutely love it. And I love my guitars. If the house ever caught fire, I'd work hard to save them. There is a lot to love about music, especially if you end up hitting a high enough level of competence that you are comfortable sharing your music with others in your community. I was lucky in that regard. In my late teens, I was co-band leader for a 7-piece jazz rock band that played throughout St. Louis. I treasure those days.

But now I learn that there are many other benefits to playing music that are backed by science. "Music Lessons Were the Best Thing Your Parents Ever Did for You, According to Science" lists 13 of them, along with links to the science. Check out this article for explanations and links to the science. This is an impressive list:

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“Stride” – Musical Offering

Yesterday I composed this tune using Logic Pro X, digital audio workstation for the Mac. I call this tune "Striding." I like how it came out, especially the expressive trumpet sound Logic offers onboard (it comes in at 1:05). I didn't know this sound existed until yesterday. FYI, all of these sounds come with Logic and were played with a keyboard controller, with the exception of my real life wooden Fender Jazz bass guitar. Those of us who were making digital music 35 years ago are in heaven with these modern digital tools.

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The Dialogue Continues . . .

Today I decided to play the album Chicago V while working.  That album includes a two-part song called "Dialogue."  I remember this song well, including all the lyrics.  That's because I sing one of the lead voices of this song (along with Charles Glenn) with a band I formed with Charles Glenn back in the late 1970's. We were an 7-piece jazz-rock band that performed many types of music, including the music of Chicago, including "Dialogue."

"Ego" in 1975.: Tom O'Brien (bass), Tom Atkinson (woodwinds), Erich Vieth (guitar), Mike L'Ecuyer (keyboards), Sharon Schutte (vocalist), Charles Glenn (percussion and vocalist), Mark Harmon (trumpet), Ron Weaver (trumpet) and Mike Harty (trombone).

---- As I heard this tune today, it very much brought me back to the happy times of playing with such an extraordinary group of good friends.  It also struck me how little things have changed.  It also haunts me that the vocal part of the song that I sang in our performances (sung by Terri Kath on the album) is an extraordinary challenge.  I very much meant those opening words as an 18-year old young man and they resonate with me today. 

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Charles Glenn Continues to Earn the Spotlight

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently featured this article on Charles Glenn, best known these days for singing the national anthem a cappella at Blues games. He has a strong clear voice even now, in his early 60's. I applaud his successes for many reasons. He is genuinely an upbeat generous man, a dedicated dad with a wonderful sense of humor and unrelenting creativity. Back in the 1970s, when we were mere teenagers, Charles and I were co-leaders of the 8-piece St. Louis jazz-rock band "Ego." I was the guitarist and Charles was lead singer (of course), which he excelled at while playing a full set of drums. I'm really proud of what we accomplished. And I continue to celebrate Charles Glenn's many successes. [caption id="attachment_28180" align="aligncenter" width="602"] Ego, Circa 1974[/caption]

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