What is that paparazzo doing to that “poor innocent guitar”, as Laurie likes to say? Listen to the The Capsaicin Club for clues.
Stay tuned for the video.
This week’s improvisation is called Saturday’s Improv (not a very creative title I know). I find playing lead guitar solo improvisations are very difficult. Coming up with fresh melodies is most frustrating. So I’ve started laying down base tracks: percussion, rhythm guitar and bass, and them playing improv solos all the way through the song, and taking them however they come out. I laid down all the tracks and the solo work today between watering, doing chores around the house, and taking a couple of walks in the bosque. There are two different guitar solo improvs that are very raw as the song goes back and forth between modes. I’m having lots of fun, and thought I might as well share the fun. I’ve include photos of Loki, Spunk and Marble, a photo of pear blossoms, and a photo of my darkroom/music studio showing the 10 tracks that make up Saturday’s Improve on the computer screen.
What to do on a cloudy, wet, windy, cold spring day? Work on music in my cosy darkroom/music studio, go for a walk out to the river in the rain, capture the above photo, and finish an improv for this post. I created “In a Vacuum Improv” by playing the rhythm guitar and a bass line over a recording I made of a vacuum pump the Iceman used to suck moisture out of the refrigeration system when he repaired our floral refrigerator. The pump made such interesting sounds and rhythms, I simply had to record it. I added a couple of percussion tracks, and played the lead guitar to finish it out. I say it’s an Improve, because I only played the lead guitar once through.
Oriented strand board (OSB) is made using heat-cured adhesives to press together irregular shaped wood strands, oriented in crisscrossed layers into sheets of engineered boards. While OSB is used heavily in building construction as an alternative to plywood, it works well for most woodworking projects that require sheets of wood. OSB is not as pretty as plywood (plywood is made from sheets of veneer glued and hot pressed together in cross laminated layers), however, OSB has the advantage of being very consistent with little or no gaps or voids in the finished sheets of engineered wood (plywood often has gaps, voids and soft spots).
Not many people would consider OSB a suitable material for a guitar; however, Jimmy Smith of the StratAcademy thought otherwise. Jimmy built a Stratocaster style electric guitar that is 100% OSB except for the hardware, e.g., tension rod in the neck (used to adjust the neck), frets, bridge, nut, string guides, machine heads, pickups, volume and tone controls, switch, jack, strap buttons, and strings. Jimmy’s OSB Strat is beautiful and it sounds great.
Jimmy said that he’s not the first luthier to build a guitar using OSB, but in videos he had seen of OSB guitars, the builders did not play them, so he had no idea of how they sounded or played. Since Jimmy didn’t want people having to ask “Well? What does it sound like? How does it play?”, he made a video of himself playing his OSB Strat; therefore, not only do you get to see my photos of it, you can watch the video to hear how it sounds and see how it plays.
Today’s video is original music I wrote using a prayer by fellow blogger Michelle Marie for the lyrics. On December 7, 2018, Michelle Marie posted Still… Small… Voice on Tell Me About It at https://tellmeaboutit.co/2018/12/07/still-small-voice/, and I had a feeling there was an issue with her daughter, Alex, who has serious health problems. I commented that her prayer was beautiful, but sad, and asked how Alex was. Michelle Marie responded that she had been very sick and in ICU the week before. Michelle Marie mentioned that Alex just wants to lead a normal life. I could certainly relate to that having had a lot of health issues myself over the years. I didn’t realize the gravity of the situation until Michelle Marie emailed me with details. Alex almost died.
After getting the full story, I was inspired to write a song using Michelle Marie’s prayer for the lyrics. I was trying to imagine what is was like for Alex to be in ICU clinging to life, and started working on creating an etherial lullaby. I finished recording the song on December 15, 2018, and sent it to Michelle Marie. When I learned that she plays piano, I transcribed a short version of the flamenco guitar into piano and sent her the sheet music. She sent me images to use in a video, but I had to think for a long time how to do a video to go with the music. I finally came up with what I believe is a suitable video. Here’s my version of Michelle Marie’s Still… Small… Voice.
The StratAcademy started out as GRS Music Studios on Corrales Road in 2009, where Jimmy and Lisa did recording, Jimmy repaired guitars, they gave music lessons, and Jimmy held seminars on how to build guitars. Then they moved to another location on Corrales Road until that property was put up for sale. They were in a residential area on the westside of Corrales for a couple of years, where they changed the name from GRS Music Studios to the StratAcademy. When the current location at 4627 Corrales Road became available in the summer of 2017, Jimmy and Lisa set up shop and added a small retail outlet.
In the current location they have the retail store, Jimmy’s repair shop and a studio for lessons in the main building. Behind the retail/shop/studio is another shop where Jimmy builds guitars and holds seminars on building guitars.
Jimmy and Lisa work as team on music lessons. Besides helping Jimmy run the business, Lisa plays either bass or keyboard along with the students once they learn their parts in a song. Then they all play together in a mock band so the students can experience what it’s like to play with other people in a band-like setting. Creating a band-like setting is a value added service that really benefits their students, and other musicians their students might play with in the future.
Lisa has been playing various instruments including viola, violin, guitar, bass and keyboard for the past 15 years. Jimmy and Lisa are a fantastic team, but Lisa prefers to be “the back-up, support person who stays out of the spotlight…” She says “Jimmy is really the face of the business, which suits me just fine!”
While I had noticed GRS Studios in its first two locations, I did not pay attention to it as I drove back and forth through Corrales because I didn’t need guitar repair. I never noticed their sign while driving on Loma Larga Road. Jimmy said it was strange operating a business in the middle of a residential area in those days. After Grandma’s Music and Sound, the only viable music store on the westside, closed on July 31, 2017, the StratAcademy started carrying guitars, amplifiers and accessories (mostly Fender) when they moved to their current location. I was curious to stop in after their new sign went up on Corrales Road, but I never seemed to have the time.
After I got the Gibson Les Paul last August, I needed a guitar strap for it. I wanted a wide strap so the weight of the Les Paul would not cut into my shoulder. I looked on-line, but didn’t find any straps that appealed to me at a reasonable price. I stopped in at the StratAcademy to see if they had guitar straps. They had a good selection of guitar straps, which included a nice, wide, black strap like I was looking for at a reasonable price. About a month later, I needed a specific type of 9 volt power supply for a guitar pedal I have that sucks the life out of batteries like a power hungry vampire. All the extra power supplies I have are 6 or 12 volts. I ran up to the StratAcademy to see if, by chance, they had the type of 9 volt power supply I needed. Wow! They actually had one, and I went home, power supply in hand, a happy man.
Okay, I thought to my self, the StratAcademy is turning out to be the kind of brick and mortar I love. Although small, they so far have had just what I needed when I needed it. Jimmy and Lisa are friendly and personable, and provide excellent customer service. The StratAcademy is only a five minute drive from our house. Not only are they convenient, their prices are close to Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo (yes photo stores sell musical instruments at discount prices) and eBay; therefore, I haven’t had to say “I’ll think about it” and walk out empty handed because their prices are too high.
So far the StratAcademy has been a one stop shop for me. Besides the strap and power supply described above, I have acquired various goodies over the past several months including: a Squire Bass by Fender, a small amplifier that I use in the darkroom for practice and recording (the guitar amp I’ve had for years is too large and heavy for use in the darkroom), wall mounted guitar hangers (I now have guitars hanging on the walls in my darkroom), patch cables, guitar strings, a gig bag, guitar picks and drumsticks.
Another advantage to buying guitars and basses from the StratAcademy is that Jimmy sets them up very nicely before he puts them in the show room; therefore, even though they generally sell the lower priced Fender line, instruments purchased from the StratAcademy play really well.
Lastly, it’s really nice to live in our paradise along the river, away from the city, and have a music store that has most everything I need only five minutes down the road.
http://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2017/11/bite-em-on-the-old-shin-bone
Note: You might want to click on the link and watch and listen to the parody music video before liking this post.
This little dog at the top of our road was barking at me and spinning in circles when I passed by on my way to the Corrales 4th of July Parade. Photos of the parade can be seen at http://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2016/7/2016-corrales-4th-of-july-parade
Sara Baras didn’t leave much of an impression in the fourth flamenco show. Belen Maya was much more interesting, but singer El Chocolate made the show in the 5th and last flamenco show we saw during our first three months in Madrid.
April 18, 1996
Flamenco
The fifth show included Chocolate and had a more modern dancer, Belen Maya, who was much more interesting that Sara Baras, but had too few moves and became quickly boring. Chocalate was excellent, but the guitarist who accompanied him and the other featured singer was totally boring. The other featured singer is not worth mentioning, as he did nothing extraordinary. What was extraordinary is that Fosforito and the young guitarist sitting in for Enrique del Malchor were special guests again. They seemed to have worked things out, because they were both great. A total change from Tuesday night. The guitarist had toned down his playing a bit, smoothed it out, and set himself to accompanying the cante. I hope he realizes that, his attention to the cante, and playing a slight more reserved, and in a more tastful manner, brought it home to the audience what a fine guitarist he is. It could be that the first guitaist was so boring that the new sound, lightning fast scales, and quick changes seemed fresh and fun in compairosn, where as Tuesday, he seemed busy and overpowering after Paco Cepero masterful playing. On Tuesday, Fosforito and his guitarist got a cool reception from the audience; but this night, they excited the audience, bringing gritos and applause for the great playing and emotionally, heart rendered words pouring forth from Fosforito’s pained, squinting face.
For the next several posts of Letters from Madrid…, I’m going to turn from music for a little bit and get into my observations and reactions to museums, architecture and planning, parks and open space, public restrooms, driving and tourists during our first three months in Madrid!
Videos
CHOCOLATE-JUAN HABICHUELA-FANDANGOS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_9Z2OAVaO0
Mayte Martín & Belén Maya during IV Dutch Flamenco Biennale – Amsterdam, 1 February 2013 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1Yv9CBch5U
FOSFORITO Alegrías de Cádiz – Tesoros del Flamenco 1990 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSpZjAzVqC0
The third flamenco show we saw ended with guitarist Moraito Chico dancing a sassy bularias as everyone left the stage. The fourth flamenco show ended with polite applause for the dancer and the house lights coming on the user her group off the stage.
18 April 1996
Flamenco
The fourth flamenco concert was Rancapino and Chaqueton accompanied by Paco Cepero. I think I now understand the difference between being in compas and having a mastery of compas. Paco Cepero was delightful in accompaniment of Rancapino and Chaqueton. He proved to be a masterful accompanist, who left large spaces for the singer, brilliantly followed their cante, and filled the voids between versus with astonishing acts of rhythm with such mastery of the compas that he many times set the crowd roaring with gritos and applause, and delightful looks of approvals from the singer. He was not in the least a flashy player as we generally know them. He only had occasional burst of lightning picado, and his aso pura (a thumb technique) seemed slow by most standards, but his thumb work was very strong and accurate. His flashiness was in the compas. He was so comfortable with it, and so accurate about it, that he made the guitar sing like I have never heard. His accompaniment was soft, and airy during the cante, leaving ample space for the singer to impress upon the audience the full intention of his art in expressions, emotions, and vocal achievement. In some instances Paco would tastefully play the cante along with the singer emphasizing the intricacies and complexities of the compas so masterfully he about brought the house down. There was no better rhythm for Paco to show his superior sense of compas than bularias. He would leave so much space, play so many complex rastiados, and supported the singer so beautifully that his masterful jesting had everyone on the edge of their seats, bringing roars of approval and amazement from the audience, and even slight looks of approving astonishment from the singer. Everybody was amazed by the performance. Both singers were excellent; however, I liked Rancapino best of the two.
Fosforito and the young guitarist, who sat in instead of Enrique del Malchor, were quite a contrast to the masterful playing and great compass of that previously mentioned. The guitarist was an excellent player, very fast and modern. He was not as good an accompanist that night, however. There was a constant tension between the guitarist and singer, the compas was often funny, but not really off, between them, and the guitaist was always busy and overpowering of the singer. The many long, lightning speed scales, and modern chords did not seem to belong as part of the accompaniment, and were really more distracting and overpowering than complinentary to the cante. I could have done without both of them that night.
Sara Baras danced a lame Alegrias. She did not have one interesting move, her hands were ugly, she looked down most of the time, her neck was lost in her raised shoulders, she did all her taconeo with very bent knees, which she insisted on showing us, as she spent more time pulling her “butt hugging” dress up over her butt, exposing her overly bent knees, than she did dancing. I really could of done without her. I saw several members of the audience get up and walk out with disgusted looks on their faces during her performance. The audience was cold to her (refreshing to be among people who know a bad dance when they see it) and luckily she did no more. At the end of her dance, there was a polite applause from the audience, and then the house lights were brought up before the group had left the stage.
Next the fifth and final flamenco show I described in the April 18th letter
Videos:
Actuación Paco Cepero y Rancapino Chico en los Claustros de Santo Domingo Jerez https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYT9wdTmX9U
CHIQUETETE – TE QUIERO NIÑA ( AL TOQUE PACO CEPERO ).wmv https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir-M2L56CWQ
Fosforito – Cantiñas y Soleá https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yav46gr7mm0
Alegria, Sara Baras Flamenco Flamenco https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNcKVJsUkUI
Off Center & Not Even 