JSQ @ Lucid

Played with Jacob Stickney last night at Lucid, pretty fun gig. Jacob's music is all original, and has a lot of really interesting harmonic movements, which makes it really fun to play for me.

Jeremy Jones was playing drums last night, I have not heard him play outside of "The Hang" so I was really blown away by his playing. What a killin drummer!

Checked out the Greek festival today, traditional greek bands were playing. Super interesting, beautiful music. A majority of the stuff we heard was fairly slow though, I was waiting for them to bust into some sort of up-tempo, happier sounding songs, but it did not happen... something I think would be worth exploring though, listening to Greek folk music.

Cheers,

Mack

"R"Oktoberfest!

Played Oktoberfest this weekend, had a blast! Really fun, people were really drunk and there were a few girls that were so wasted and out of hand we had security come over and tell them to shut their traps or leave! Hahaha, being harrased by a bunch of super drunk 26yr olds. (Play something good! Play something we can dance too!) What, Rod Stewart DO YOU THINK IM SEXY did not cover those two requirements? Hah! I just regret that with 70 breweries having attended, when we got done playing they started shutting everything down.

I have been feeling really great about my playing lately, I have been able to practice and play a bunch of gigs so I feel that I am getting back into a good groove. Also, checked out some tracks me, Brad Gibson and Devin Lowe did in the studio and they sound great.

I have been working out of and really studying the Charlie Parker Omnibook (book full of Charlie Parker tunes and solo's) I have made it through the first few songs in the book, really learning them. They were mostly tunes that I already knew, so I was mostly spending time ripping licks and learning the solo's. Now I am on to Dewey Square - I love this tune, I am working on figuring out the whole tune in drop 2 voicings [for the piano nerds out there!]


Now, to continue down the ever long list of things that need to get done!

I am listening to some tracks of the secret DMQ band for Halloween --- this is gonna be great, really really epic.

Cheers,

Mack

a typical week of gigs - busy lately.

Last weeks gigs - yes I make a living playing music, but it is a lot of hard work.

Sunday/Monday - Orcas Island, Private party, over night.

Tuesday - Teach in Port Orchard

Wednesday - Tulalip Casino with DMQ

Thursday - Nothing! Went to my best friend Derek's police academy graduation. I can not believe he is a real cop now. Since we were little kids I knew along with everyone else he was gonna be a cop so it was like a important life moment to watch him graduate from the police academy.

Friday - Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival w/ May Palmer, Queen of Ivory Soul! Awesome gig, fun band, nasty RnB!

Saturday - DMQ played a private gig in Winthrop Washington. Woke up to hot air balloons, wanted to go on one sooo bad!

Sunday - Had to get up early to get back to the west side of the state to play a solo piano private party.

Monday - Teach at FMS.

Each gig averages four hours long, with another two to eight hours in prep/travel time! I am tired, and super excited to go to Hawaii in a little over a month!

Cheers,

Mack

Tonight at the Tractor Tavern

Just wanted to make a special note that tonight at the Tractor Tavern, my cover band I play in, "The Dudley Manlove Quartet" is going to be rockin the house with all sorts of 60's, 70's and 80's covers!

We really want to have a great show, and a great crowd, so come out and party and dance with us! Buy your tickets ahead of time and they are only $8.00, or $10.00 at the door! Show starts at 9:30

Hopefully we will see you there, here is a fan video from one of our shows last year - look how much fun they are having! That can be you!

Here is the Tractor's website