Old Town School – On The Road

Dispatches from the road from our wayfaring travelers.

Back Home

It’s been a week now since I left Banff, and two days since I’ve been home in Chicago. In between I jumped back into the rock world, playing 3 shows with Joe Lally in Toronto, Ottowa and Montreal. Then 2 days off and home.

It’s been a hard adjustment, and from all the emails from the other participants I feel that I’m late in coming to that reality. I’m missing being around the intense atmosphere – being surrounded by music 24/7 and being surrounded by musicians all day and night. Now it’s time to take what I experienced and bring it to my life.

First it’s the issue of money – inescapable. Catching up and trying to get ahead. Something I didn’t have to think about too much for 3 weeks. But now it’s front and center.

And then it’s where do I go from here with my music. How do I even get started? Maybe that’s just it – to start. I have very concrete ideas from working with Hank Roberts – and so much other information from everybody else. Almost too much to process. One thing I have decided is that I would like to bring other people into my music – to write for more than just my cello.

And I need to focus on my new record – which means lots of time on the computer booking shows, contacting people and getting some momentum going.

This will be my last post on the Old Town Site, but I will continue to post on my website If you’ve been following this, I hope you’ll keep in touch – read my blog and comment.

One thing I have learned is that the most important thing about making music is the people you play with and play for. I hope to achieve that here at home and to stay connected with you all through the process.

Filed under: Banff International Workshop 2009,Notes from Alison by Alison | June 14, 2009 | Comments (1)

Hank Roberts

Hank Roberts is here this week. A more amazing, open, giving musician I have yet to meet. And he’s a cellist so I feel a special connection. I am the only cellist among the participants here at Banff so I feel like I have found a long-lost family member. I’ve never really felt this way before – maybe it’s also being a rock girl around all the jazz musicians – but it sure is great to see him play his instrument and know that only a cello could make those amazing sounds.

He started the class by confessing that he was slightly inimidated by the level of musicianship here – even though he has been playing for more that 40 years and has a strong jazz background.

He talked to us about how we use our bodies when we play – how to breathe and connect to the large muscles in our back and legs to help us make music. About finding and communicating from your center. Playing what you know and not trying to compete or impress – to play from inside yourself and let that be enough.

It was powerful for all of us to hear him talk after 3 incredibly intense weeks where I think we had all been going through our private changes – feeling challenged, intimitated, uplifted, inspired, discouraged – often all in the span of 12 hours. It was incredibly moving to see and hear this accomplished musician present himself in such a vulnerable way.

Then he played for us – some arrangements of Native American tunes he had been given as well as original music he had composed. The last piece he played, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room. It was that powerful and I’ll never forget it.

To give you an idea of his spirit, I’ve been hoping I could have some time with him – to play him some pieces of mine and just talk to him about being a cellist and a writer. But the faculty’s time is so hard to come by and I hate to impose. I had decided it was okay if it didn’t happen. Then yesterday evening, when I was feeling ready to go home – that I had experience my fill – I passed him by and he called out to me. He said “I think we should get together, us being the only cellists here?”

So tomorrow at five, with one day before I leave, my cello and Hank’s cello are going to have a conversation. I can’t wait to hear what they say…

Filed under: Banff International Workshop 2009,Canada,Notes from Alison by Alison | June 4, 2009 | Comments (2)

Clarence Penn on being a complete musician

Clarence Penn was here almost 2 weeks ago, but I’ve been going back through my notes and wanted to share some of his thoughts with you. His master class was “All About the ME: Managing my Musicianship and Economizing my Time”

1. Play clear ideas.
It’s not a contest to see who can play the most complicated stuff. Learn the music and discuss it (i.e., what can make it better?)

2. Engage. Ask people what they like to hear in a player – be open to sugestions.

3. Be in the now. If you make a mistake at a gig or session, move on, let it go – don’t let anything take you out of the moment.

4. History. Do research on your music and your instrument. Knowledge is power.

5. Helpers. Use tools to help you learn – software, recording equipment, cd players.

Other points he mentioned that I’ll pass on:

Be open to talking to people whether you think you might have something in common or not; Don’t try to sell yourself – people will hear about you if you work hard and have something to give; Be on time! ;Learn the music – internalize it; Offer non-ego base creative suggestions at the appropriate moment;
Body language and attitude is important; Develop Patience; Be inspired from within before looking elsewhere; seek knowledge from your peers and friends.

Remember – a genius is the one most like his/herself!

Filed under: Banff International Workshop 2009,Canada,Notes from Alison by Alison | June 4, 2009 | Comments (0)

Ideas on Improvising

Here are some interesting takes on improvising, and by extension, writing, that I’ve jotted down from various master classes:

Ben Street - find the people you want to work with and make music with. Accept the level that you’re at.

Angelica Sanchez - Sometimes it’s okay to step on someone’s toes when you’re improvising – just come in and make a statement. Don’t listen to yourself – listen to the group.

Jerry Granelli - If you wonder why you’re playing in an improvistional setting – stop – listen instead of playing.

Dave Douglas - Don’t back away from making a statement. Let it be there. Don’t be afraid of silence. Silence is part of sound. It’s not about technique, but about intention and clarity.

Filed under: Banff International Workshop 2009,Canada,Notes from Alison,Uncategorized by Alison | June 3, 2009 | Comments (1)

Clarity and Intention

…the two themes that have come up here over and over – in talks about soloing and writing – about playing in a band and backing up a musician.

To think simply – and leave space. When you step up to take a solo or when you set out to write an idea. Strip away the excess and get to the germ of what you want to express.

And don’t be afraid to make a musical statement and leave it at that. Maybe it’s a wrong note – let it be. Have the courage to say something and let it stand on it’s own.

Phrases – strong clear phrases that can be just one note. As long as your intention is clear and you have conviction. You don’t need to have all the technique in the world, just a connection with what you want to say and your instrument.

Filed under: Banff International Workshop 2009,Canada,Notes from Alison by Alison | June 2, 2009 | Comments (0)

Waiting for a melody to bite

This past week some of the participants have been meeting with Dave to work on writing. It’s been really interesting to hear what people have come up with and also, of course to hear Dave’s insight into the process.

He has given us the task of writing a piece one page long, three voices, no chord symbols. (For those of us who don’t write down ideas but record them, this is a challenge). Having these parameters makes you focus on the essense of the ideas you want to get across – to present them in a concise way.

One of the pieces I performed at Telejazz on Thursday night was Dogstar, a Dave Douglas piece from the album Moonshine. This piece is one page long, just 2 parts, but very effective and really sets a mood.

Supposedly Bill Frisell said something interesting about composing – that the melodies and ideas are like fish in an ocean. They are ought there to be caught. You just have to be patient. And Gerry Granelli, the drummer who just left last night said after one improvisation session – “the music is already written, you just have to hear it.”

So it’s Sunday, the next get-together us writers is tomorrow morning and I’m hoping to finish an idea I have. It’s very simple, but I’d like to develop it more and I’m having trouble coming up with a melody. So we’ll see – I have a bit more time, my cello, a practice room and a fishing pole….

Filed under: Banff International Workshop 2009,Canada,Notes from Alison by Alison | May 31, 2009 | Comments (1)

In the Recording Studio with Joe Furla and Dave Douglas

Yesterday we were honored to have Joe Furla give us a talk in the recording studios here. Joe Furla and Dave Douglas have worked together on 10 albums, apart from which Joe has worked with bands from all genres for decades.

He set up a session and let us all watch as the interns set up mics and got sounds. After some trial and error on their part he stepped in and set things up as he would in his studio.

The most interesting part of the discussion involved the relationship between the musician and the engineer, hopefully based on mutual respect and good communication. Dave especially had some good advice:

Talk to the engineer before the session – discuss what you have in mind in general and specific terms so they know what to expect.

Often the engineer needs you/the group to play as their getting sounds. Use that as an opportunity to warm up on a tune. Then, when you start recording, choose another tune that will be fresh.

Never stop in the middle of a take, no matter how bad you think it is – it’s easy to lose perspective when you record and perform, so don’t judge in the moment.

It’s often helpful to comment on how you feel about your sound after you’ve had a chance to play for a bit. Don’t feel you have to chime in right away. Many things are being set up in the beginning that will affect the final product – give the engineer some time.

Pay attention at sessions and ask questions so you can have more knowledge the next time you record. And treat each experience differently – be open to creating something new each record you make.

By the way check out the Greenleaf Banff Blog and a picture of me and some musicians at the Telejazz concert. More about this later!

Alison

Filed under: Banff International Workshop 2009,Canada,Notes from Alison by Alison | May 30, 2009 | Comments (0)

Banff

I am here in Banff at the International Workshop for Jazz and Creative Music. I’ve been here for a week and it feels like 5 years, I’ve learned so much about being a musician and about myself. The session is 3 weeks long and we’re into the 2nd, with a new set of faculty to work with. Dave Douglas, the head of the program, is with us for all three. He is posting about the workshop on his blog, which I seriously suggest you check out.

The program definitely is heavy into the jazz world, but in a very open, interested, creative way. Everyone is encouraged to write and play with their own voice, coming from their own place. This has been a challenge for me as a “rock” musican, but a challenge in the best way.

Last night I performed here at a Club at the Banff Centre (an amazing site in the middle of the Canadian Rockies) with musicians from Norway, Switzerland, Belgium, Vancouver, Ireland and Los Angeles – all playing pieces we had written. I got to hear one of my pieces played by Tenor Sax, Clarinet, Violin, Bass, Drums and Piano. Amazing.

More later – there is so much to relate about this wonderful experience.

Filed under: Banff International Workshop 2009,Notes from Alison,Uncategorized by Alison | May 27, 2009 | Comments (2)