Sunday Evening.

Whoops, sorry, it's Monday evening!

I've been a bit slack on the music practice over the last couple of days. Well, I have been busy with various things. Today, for instance, I attended a very long funeral for an old friend of Shelley's (at 94 she was older than The Curmudgeon). We got there almost an hour early and then the funeral lasted for two hours. Then Shelley wanted to pop into the Brooklyn library and a library in Ngaio to pick up a couple of books. Busy alright.

Brooklyn Library

Although my practice hours have taken a dive, I have been working on something very interesting for my violin (and bass).

I've worked out a ten step programme for covering ten important things that a jazz improviser should practise. These ten things are not about other very important things like time, intonation, rhythm, listening and phrasing. They're really about scales and cover good things to understand for playing over major, minor, dominant 7th., augmented and diminished chords. Things that will make you sound good and make good note choices. They'll also help you to REALLY get to know your fingerboard. 

Okay, okay, I can hear TC starting to complain, so I'll leave it there for today.

Only two days before my Italian friend arrives to stay. We pick him up on Thursday afternoon and he's here for a couple of weeks. It'll be a busy, but fun. He's really looking forward to my Wellington tour. I told him how much Peter enjoys my tours.

"Yes, they're a lot of fun, and interesting!"

Well, there you go. I'll sign off now.

Ciao tutti.