I have just sent my deposit for a week`s summer(?)school next Easter,the tutor being Danny Thomson(Pentangle,Sandy Denny,John Martyn,Fairport Convention,Richard Thomson etc,etc.),which i am very much looking forward to.However,not having attended an event of this nature i don`t really know what to expect.Any thoughts,ideas or suggestions,stuff to read up on or practise ?
I've been to Jazz Summer School at the University of Glamorgan, for the last 4 years running; but I suppose this is a bit different - the one I go to , doesn't really have any instrumental tuition and is just about playing together with others in small and large ensembles. I can't imagine what a whole week of bass tuition would be like - haven't seen this one advertised anywhere either - but is does sound like hard work! But I'm sure it will be enjoyable as well. I usually start to go through Mark Levine's "Jazz Theory Book" - which might help - I know that Danny Thompson has done some Jazz in small groups before - although he is more famous for his Folk and sessions with big-name acts like "Everything But the Girl". If you have a teacher - presumably it would be like an extended session with him/her and may be worth discussing?
Hello again Bruce,the course is actually a Bluegrass workshop type thing with classes for guitar,dobro,mandolin,fiddle and banjo as well as bass.Yes it does sound like hard work and the course is appropriately named `Sorefingers Summer School` if you want to check it out on the web. The classes consist of about 4 or so hours a day tuition,then scratch bands are put together for impromptu concerts at the school and local pubs which sounds good to me ! Personally i consider it worth the money if i just sit and watch Danny Thompson all week,but i am sure one can`t fail to learn something. I am still searching for a teacher,no luck so far.Are you still looking to get a bass sometime in the future? I`d hate to see you give up on it. I will look for the book you mentioned,i do have the Mingus book and cd set which i haven`t had a real chance to study yet,i think if one can get an understanding of jazz,that knowledge is useful in almost any situation.
Well - while Bluegrass isn't really my kind of thing(which is probably why I missed seeing ads for this) I can see how this would be good fun if you get to play with other people - especially in pubs! If it is going to be a lot about perfomance, then I wouldn't worry and just enjoy it! I always find that playing with other people is inspiring and motivating - I wouldn't worry about reading up a lot although it might be worth picking a tune you like and getting parts copied out for it for other people - chords ect. In these things there are usually opportunities for input and it's always better if you have something prepared for these occasions as it always sound a bit lame if you get asked what you would like to do and you just say ...errr don't know! Just an idea anyway...
