More Updates

The last few months have been very exciting times for me. Lots of exciting things have been happening and developing since my last post.

Firstly, I finished a crazy semester of school that came down to the very last day. The last few weeks of school this semester were some of the hardest and most demanding of my life. I definitely learned a bit about time management and how to study or one of my teachers would put it "work smart". Balancing this semester with working at my job was incredibly difficult, but it also made it so I had to be even more focused on my work when it came time to do it.

I also had the privilege of studying with one of my favorite guitar players at school this semester. Being in a position to learn from who has so much knowledge and passion for the guitar was amazing. Some of the the things he said will always stick with me as inspiration for putting in all the long hours of practice.

Since my last post I've also joined a band. I answered a flyer that i saw up on the wall at school for a "Bassist Wanted" and after reading the requirements i knew i had to do it. The band is called Mondo Gecko. A band specializing in improvisation, experimenting with live music, extended jamming, and playing many different styles. Even though i study guitar at school, i knew that playing bass in a band of this style could be a possiblility. I got a bass for my 13th birthday and it remained my main instrument until i was about 19 when i started taking guitar more seriously. Here is a link to the flyer

http://mondogecko.com/the-quest-for-a-bass-player-is-on/

Reading this flyer I had flashbacks of so many memories from my time playing bass. Sitting in front of the TV playing to Phish's "Live in Vegas" DVD for hours on end when i was 16, staying up all night long to learn the bass line to Phish's "You Enjoy Myself", and listening to the Grateful Dead's "All Downhill from Here" Alpine Valley show trying to imitate Phil Lesh as much as possible, getting hyped up for a gig at Lincoln Sudbury high school cafeteria to play "Weekapaug Groove", and so many more.

I knew that if i could have read that flyer when i was in high school that i would have done anything for a chance at that position in the flyer. But I would not have been ready for it then. Its pretty crazy how these things come back. I'm at Berklee now, studying electric guitar and thinking that the whole Phish/jam band/bass chapter of my life is near closing, and an opportunity like this comes along. Well, after the "audition" practice session i attended i knew that Mondo Gecko was the right choice.

Since being in the band, I've had the opportunity to play a lot of really fun gigs, and had some intense jamming in band practice. I'm more busy than I've ever been with music. Right now i have gigs booked up as far as next February. I've also been welcomed in the Mondo Gecko family and i've met some great people that have been very encouraging and welcoming to me.

All that being said, I'm still very interested in the electric guitar and by no means putting it on the back burner. I will finish school as a guitarist and continue to try to improve and move towards my goals with guitar playing.

Visit the website for more details on our touring. And also an interview with me that was put up recently.

MondoGecko.com

Interview

http://mondogecko.com/mondo-gecko-welcomes-bassist-matt-drummey/

to top it all off, check out this video of a great guitar player! Derek Trucks

Great Player #2 etc.

Robben Ford is one of my current favorite players. He's able to blend elements of jazz and blues in a very smooth way. Adding in jazz runs without taking the listener out of the blues feel. His phrasing and note choice while soloing is spectacular. One thing i really enjoy about Robben Ford's playing is his ability to play interesting chord voicings and rhythmic parts while comping. This is something that you don't hear with too many blues guitarists, and is a result of Ford's interest in jazz. I'm not sure why this guy isn't more popular among guitarists. Here's some video evidence...

I love how he transitions from the fingerstyle to the pick. I think being able to play without the pick is very important.

In this second video Robben demonstrates a great use of one of my favorite techniques, the volume swell. It is not a difficult technique to use, but it can really spice up your sound when soloing or rhythm. I prefer to do this with my pinky on the volume knob when playing my strat. But i do have a volume pedal that makes it easier for me to pull this off when playing chords. maybe i'll post a video showing that technique.

In other news, i've been experimenting with a new technique for writing and i'm really close to getting some stuff out there. More to follow on that subject.

Thanks for reading,

-MD

Great Player

I'm going to show a few videos of one of my favorite musicians. Cameroon born bassist Richard Bona. With his playing he brings back the sounds of Jaco Pastorius, funky, jazzy and everything in between. Bona is a very talented composer, improviser, and multi-instrumentalist. Performing as a solo artist and sideman with the Pat Metheny group, and other groups, he's found a way to take the electric bass to new heights.

Richard Bona is seen here playing "Bright size life" with Pat Metheny and Antonio Sanchez. Note how Bona pays tribute to Pastorius with his playing, but puts his own melodic touch on the phrases.

Here's an improvisation with Bobby Mcferrin. Extremely creative playing.

Another bit that shows his ability to be musical without playing bass. Looping vocals and percussion to get a one-man-band effect. Amazing.

Shout out to a teacher i had for lessons a few semesters ago, Sheryl Bailey who takes the guitar solo on this video. She's a great player.

Great Performance

Since i just figured out how to put a video on here, i'll be putting up some of my favorite videos.

This great performance from the Crossroads 2007 guitar festival. Featuring Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Derek Trucks, Steve Jordan, and more.

New Post

Long time since my last post. I've been getting pretty busy with school and work lately. So, since my last post i've gotten some more music gear, a few gigs, a lot of practice, and tons of great new music.

Some good CD's i've gotten since my last post, in no particular order.

1. Keith Jarrett- "Shostakovich-24 Preludes & Fugues"

I actually just picked this up today. With this recording Jarrett shows that he is more than capable of playing in a more traditional solo piano style, and not just the great jazz playing he is so well known for. Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) was a composer who paid tribute to Bach with these 24 preludes & fugues. Studying counterpoint and conducting at school has given me a new interest in more traditional music and classical styles. Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSbX6o3Z6xs&feature=related

2. Allan Holdsworth-"Against The Clock"

This is Holdsworth's greatest album. Featuring some of my favorites. Especially the first track, called "Tokyo Dream". Apparently this song was only released in Japan, i could find it anywhere here. I just watched this youtube video of a performance of it so many times. So i was excited to finally get a copy of this tune and try to learn it. It has a great melodic solo, where his tone is almost perfect. Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9xOomYyLI8

3. George Harrison-"Concert for Bangladesh"

Featuring an all-star cast of musicians; George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Bob Dylan, Ravi Shankar, and Ringo Starr played an incredible charity concert at Madison Square Garden in 1971. The highlight of this great concert is the performance of "That's the Way God Planned It" where Billy Preston shines. Here's a link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYxzPdv67yA

4. Phish- "Live Phish 20: 12/29/1994 Providence Civic Center"

What would any list of mine be without Phish? This show represents Phish at a time when their improvisation could take them anywhere on any night. The fall of '94 is where they really hit their creative peak in my opinion. This show features an absolutely epic second set version of "David Bowie" that clocks in at 35:41. Listening to this jam in its entirety was one of the most powerful Phish experiences for me in a long time. Especially from around 25 minutes on, where it takes an extremely psychedelic turn.

More to follow...

-MD