Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.
~Abraham Lincoln
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There’s a reason jazz musicians (and other musicians, and actors, chefs, etc.) move to NY City, Chicago, or other large metropolitan areas. They are places, as Russell Malone says in this short vid, where there are more opportunities to get your behind kicked. And when you’re learning and striving to get better, that’s exactly what you need.
Want to learn more about the best ways to practice? Get an e-mail with a discount code when The Practice of Practice is published (June, 2014). To learn more about the book, check out a sample from The Practice of Practice.
For the past week I’ve been wrestling with the “Where” section of this book I’m working on, The Practice of Practice. I’ve got great information from professional musicians, from published research and other writings, and from my own experience, but the challenge is putting it all into words that make sense and are enjoyable (and informative!) to read. Then along comes Russell Malone. He succinctly talks about one of the great reasons why Where you practice can give you that extra push.
But Where is also a Who. It’s people. Musicians, concert-goers, open-mic emcees. It’s a scene. Of course, who you’re around is tied up in where you find yourself. You don’t have to move to NY City to find musicians and situations who will help you figure stuff out or play with you. I found musicians and situations that pushed me way beyond what I thought I was capable of in Alaska and on a semi-remote surf beach outside Todos Santos in Baja, Mexico. If I could find them there, I bet you could find something wherever you might find yourself.
You don’t have to travel to find the kind of push you need. A good push may be no farther than your collection of recordings, a YouTube video, or at the local open mic….
This quick interview with jazz guitarist Russell Malone is from a series of interviews I just discovered from the good folks at iRock Jazz (http://irockjazz.com/archives/category/interviews). Looks like some good stuff!
Have fun, and good luck with your practice.
Want to learn more about the best ways to practice? Get an e-mail with a discount code when The Practice of Practice is published (June, 2014). To learn more about the book, check out a sample from The Practice of Practice.
The Practice of Practice 