Last night we (Tightrope Blues Band) got to play our first gig out in a bit and I was completely overjoyed and humbled by both the number of people who came out to see us start to finish.
It was really a wonderful time for us…. yes I’ll speak for the other guys as I’m sure they felt the same way.
This project was first talked about 3 years ago and only until a little less than a year ago we started to put it together.
Music is one of the only things on planet earth that has always spoken to me very deeply and the experience of playing music is really one of the places where I’m most at home in life.
There’s really something about closing my eyes (for pretty much an entire 3-4 hours gig) and forgetting where I am, just moving rhythmically around the kit with and to the sounds that I hear from the other musicians. This trio format playing texas style blues…. infused with some funk and occasional reggae beats really lends itself well to closing my eyes…. it’s a great format to jam, to step in, step out of the rhythms… created tensions…. lay back…. lay into it… You can take it everywhere!
I also like doing things slightly differently on occasion. Last night I played with some old Pro-Mark sticks that were like new but slightly warped. I thought “this will make me more on edge”… and it certainly did. However, by times I realized certain simple things became so much more difficult because the sticks were trying to turn in my hands to where they curve downwards…. which lessen their reaction from the drum head. (fun fun)
When I felt those sticks lacking in response…. I just started thinking … “Yeah, I should just practice more”… it’s something I love after all…
We’re currently planning to begin demoing and recording soon in Danny Mac’s new studio space. I can’t wait.
The musical projects I’m currently involved in are pretty much where I want to be. The only thing missing would be playing in a small jazz quartet or something… future project!
Please check us out on our Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/tightropebluesband/