| Hi All, checking in after 3 long days of music arranging in the studio. It turns out that next month is a busy one with a lot of different music projects. Each of them requires a new body of music and I’ve been doing the R&D work to ensure that when it comes time for the downbeat that we achieve proper liftoff.
Looking to liftoff with a new group of mine involving the great Gilbert Castellanos on trumpet. I’m a big fan of his and I’m stoked to play some upcoming shows together. The band will have 2 horns and I’ve been in the studio navigating where each player will sonically travel. Look to my gig calendar for the specifics on these concerts. Next month I’m also playing 2 shows with the Imamyar Hasanov Ensemble and the challenge here is how to fit our jazz angle into the wild music expression that they operate from. I start with learning their songs and then I plug in the jazz blender and see what happens. Ethnic smoothie concoction!  Chartology — the muso’s navigational guide to the great beyond! For this week I’m into the idea of easing into the Roxy tomorrow night for some solo guitar music. I’ll play tomorrow night and then the following week and after that I’ll be absent from the Roxy for most of February as I’ve got a bunch of other gigs lined up. So if you’re thinking that solo guitar is what you’re needing, come and see me soon.
Last up for this week we’re playing the Vibe Summit at Dizzy’s on Sunday night. It’s a concert that features three local vibraphonists—Anthony Smith, Tim McMahon, and Pat Burke along with Rob Thorsen on bass, Duncan Moore on drums and me on guitar. Last month I recorded some music with Anthony and I really dig the way vibes and guitar blend together. There’s a magic sonic pairing that happens and I’m thrilled to be part of this show to explore it further. See you there!  Anthony Smith on the vibes. Thanks for tuning in, Peter |
“The Concealed Tear” One of the songs that I’m including in the set list for the upcoming Bop Moderno shows is my tune “The Concealed Tear” from the Soliloquy recording. I’ve been listening to the tune lately and I’m transported back to 1997 when I wrote it in my L.A. apartment. The night before I had played a gig with pianist Billy Childs and his way of balancing semi-dissonant chords with straight up beautiful melodies wore off on me. Another influence for this tune was the great Weather Report ballad “A Remark You Made” with Jaco playing the melody on the bass. For my tune I’ve got Kevin Hennessy supplying beautiful melody moments and supreme low end. It’s a nice track! Check it out here…