jazz guitarist and composer

Today we rehearsed for tomorrow. Pianist Danny Green has lined us up to play a concert at the Balboa Park Museum of Art’s Sculpture Garden. Big fun, it sounded good and the music is tricky but the guys are devouring the details. See you there I hope!

Today at SpragueLand with the detail devour-ers. Peter, Julien and Danny. Justin had to bolt right from the rehearsal, sorry he didn’t get in the picture.

This is weird—on Friday morning at 7am Kevyn and I are playing a live internet concert. We’ve never done this before but I think there’s some truth the idea. Someday we may all be doing more of this and I’m stoked to give it a first time whirl.

Here’s how the technology works for a show like this:

We play at SpragueLand into great mics and gear, send the output signal to another computer that is connected to the internet, the video and audio feed go out to the digital unknown and you watch, listen, comment, ask questions, make requests, donate loving financial tips if so inspired, and all of this taking place at a ridiculous hour of the day in your own home. The reason for the early time is that we’re trying to appeal to Kevyn’s Philippine fans.

Check out the below vid for a little taste of what’s coming. Oh yeah, if you want to tune in you should buy a ticket and the ticket cost is whatever you want to pay. You can’t beat that! (Well maybe you can! You could sleep right on through it and we won’t blame you in the least).

Leonard is in the house and that house will be Ki’s Restaurant on Friday night. Dig it!

Peter and Leonard singing for their supper!

If the idea of Kevyn and me in the early morning isn’t working with your flow, how about this—Peter and Kevyn live at the Roxy on Saturday night. Let it loose, it’s summer and downtown Encinitas is on fire!

Maestro Benedetti has invited me to play a show with him at the La Jolla Arts Festival on Sunday late morning. Last week the two of us took in some classic teeny bad surf in Cardiff and then eased on over to Ki’s for a killer tofu scrambler. It was a great day then and I see another great Fred hang sesh coming on Sunday in La Jolla. Hope to see you there!

Peter and Fred dancing on the double necks!

There it is and see on the next one, Peter

Today I’ve been following one of my heroes of music, Joni Mitchell, after a friend hipped me to this interview. Everything that Joni talks about— her art, her music, writing lyrics, etc., I’m convinced that she’s a supreme bright woman and when she talks it all comes out as if it was yet another brilliant song. The only mini drag on this moment is that the interview fellow Jian Ghomeshi, who has a great voice and asks good questions, keeps on filling the bandwidth with his own voice and doesn’t let Joni finish her ideas. Rule one I think if you’re an interviewer is to prompt the stage and then get out of the way. It’s also a good rule for basic living too, listen more.

Jian’s super cool and smart but dude, let Joni finish her thoughts.

The fellow that publishes my Chick Corea Solos book sent me this link and it’s a really quick funny take on how men and women differ when dealing with a problem. I’m laughing and my wife Stef dug it too!

It’s Not About the Nail!

The banjo is finally on my knee! It took a while to pull all of the deets together but I’ve finally finished recording my tweaked romp through Louisiana and I’m calling it “The Susan Variations.” It’s 101 ways to play “Oh, Susanna” and survive to tell the tale.

Go here to watch and listen.

If you have an interest in bringing some of this insanity into your own home via your own guitar you might first acquire the sheet music by clicking here. Then go to these videos where I demonstrate how I came up with the arrangement along with other fine details. It was a hoot to pull together and I’m stoked to share it.

For this week I’m heading over to the Roxy on Thursday night for my ongoing good time of solo guitar music, friends, big helpings of healthy food, and the enlightened bohemia of downtown Encinitas. See ya there at 7pm.

That’s the word for now and many thanks for reading, Peter

• Learning to properly reconcile SpragueLand’s balance sheets with the guidance of Quickbooks guru Mary.
• Massaging out the last kinks for the upcoming “Susan Variations” vids; one highlighting the performance and one explaining how I came up with the weirdness. Coming to you soon!
• In the studio recording a new Peter Jorgensen tune with Leonard on the vocal mic.
• Out to dinner to Native Foods with Stef, Kylie and a few of her friends. Super fun and killin’ organic eats! Try the vegan nachos!
• Wrapping up a recording project with guitarist Tony Taravella and his all-star back up band with Tripp, Duncan, Mike Wofford and Bob Magnusson.
• Interesting meeting with Jim Gilliam and Chris Montgomery about a possible future Encinitas Jazz Festival. We’re taking over the world, one small town at a time! Hah!
• A full on flowing solo concert at the Vista Library plus a special berry cobbler gift from 2 gifted epicurean Ramona fans.
• Gathering print media positive reviews and most recently, the Mikan/Brian Levy/Peter show got the attention of Sire Robert Bush. He reports, “a knockout concert of modern jazz at its finest, dispelling the notion that a rhythm section is absolutely necessary for potent music making.” To take in the complete account click here.
• Attending a concert with Roni Ben Hur and his group. Super cool music and Duduka on drums totally floored me. What a beautiful groove that fellow lays down. Also ran into Mundell Lowe and Oscar Castro Neves at the concert and we’re organizing a concert for us to all play together.
• Had a fun walk in east Encinitas with Ky and Stef and little Rocky boy was on it too. We carried him for part of it ‘cuz he’s got a small stride and it’s just not fair.
• High tech gear hang with David and I exploring his guitar synth, making me drool with future possibilities. He also showed me X-rays of when his hand fell off his, well, hand, and the resultant metal plate and screws that keep things in one place. Talk about hanging on by a thread…
• Two big days in the studio tracking for vocalist/pianist Matt Falker’s new CD project. He had a stellar band with Roger on bass and Sammy K on drums. Cool music indeed!
• Squeaking in little daily interludes of biking to the beach and either surfing, doing yoga, or swimming to keep the sanity and the sky in my head. It’s working I think!
• Mixing sax man Steve Feierabend’s new jazz project which was tracked up in SF. It’s sounding good complete with Steve’s original compositions too!

Our east Encinitas walk with Kylie and Stef carrying the little Rocky Boy. He did most of the walk on his own 2 legs but then started to wear down.

And tonight I forgo the beloved reoccurring Roxy gig and instead make the drive to the RB Inn to share the sound and to bolster the bank account.

I’ve got some cool stuff coming up down the way including a wacky 7am bright and early internet concert with Kevyn. But for this week, I’ll see you at the Sunday solo guitar brunch at the Craftsman in Encinitas. I played this gig a few weeks back and had a great time and turnout. Folks liked the food too so maybe we’ll see you there…

summer on good people, Peter