(x+1)2 – x2 = x + (x+1)
Why? The thing is, in my twilight state, the only way I could verify was to test it through the longest sequence of numbers I could. After a few minutes, I decided that this was getting ridiculous and got out of bed. When I looked at my clock, I realized that 90 minutes had actually passed.
Very strange way to begin the day.
Weather-wise, kind of got my wish, I guess. It is cool and overcast out this morning. So if I go out for a walk or bicycle it will be because I need the exercise, or I need a break, and not the feeling of “gotta go right now” because I don’t want to squander weather that is going to become rare in short order. Lesson schedule doesn’t kick in until mid afternoon, so I have some time to put in some work.
Opened with about an hour of exercises with the metronome. On to vocals for Wang Dang Doodle with basic guitar accompaniment. Vocal phrasing becoming more natural and generally freer, but I just wince when I hear the rhythm of my vocals get hijacked by the guitar. Daily practice. It also occurred to me that I should begin with the third verse, since it is the one I am most likely to blank on.
Now on to working through the list.
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Through the “Current” repertoire. I don’t think I need to dwell a lot on those pieces. I know how they go, I’m comfortable with the lyrics, and I have a pretty good sense of the arrangements I want. On a day like today when getting going is tough, it’s a useful way to begin. In my comfort zone, and gets the juices moving. But since my singing and playing in the apartment/office are of necessity restricted in volume and enthusiasm, they don’t generally sound that great, and I run the risk of becoming disillusioned with pieces that I know work just fine in actual playing situations. Skipped to the “In Process” list, which is were I should probably be putting my focus right now.
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Now we’re having some fun. Into the “In Process” list, and a couple of tunes that I’ve been flirting with for some time. The first is a Hooker tune called Big Legs, Tight Skirt, and it is kind of the answer to a long-standing dilemma. I love getting that Hooker boogie beat going. The problem is that if you are not careful you end up reflecting more ZZ Top, or George Thorogood, or even Canned Heat, JLH. This is a lesser know piece and it kind of suits me (it’s also my ringtone). I just need to play it enough that I can go from zero to full boogie on beat one. Right now it still takes me a while to get into the groove. It is not a heavy Boogie Chillun/La Grange/One Bourbon feel. It has a walking bass swing groove with a boogie top. Typically, I come in a little tentative, then when I start to find the feel I get too heavy and lose the subtly, and then finally settle in. Need to be able to skip steps 1 and 2.
The other piece is a long time project that I think I’m ready to go for. In the 60’s, blues based rock bands had a standard guitar-feature jam tune called Cat’s Squirrel, that of course we all picked up and it became a staple at our jam sessions. The first Cream and Jethro Tull both albums feature really stellar renditions. I’m not much interested in instrumental pieces anymore. For me this is a vocal-based genre in which the guitar acts as accompaniment and second voice. A couple of years ago I found myself wondering where the piece came from in the first place. The Tull album had it listed as “Trad, arranged by Abrahams”. I don’t remember how the Cream album attributed it, but they were typically pretty good about giving credit where credit is due. My cd copy of “Fresh Cream” says it was written by someone named Isaiah Ross, and in the time since I first began researching song origins 45 years ago, this thing called The Internet was invented. So a year or so ago I started looking.
Didn’t take much time to figure out that Isaiah Ross recorded on Sun Records in 1953 under the name Doctor Ross. He was a one-man band, stomping on a bass drum and hi-hat while strumming guitar, playing harmonica, and singing. Found the original recording of Cat Squirrel (no possessive “Cat’s” on the original). I went on to find a remake he did on another label with a band, in 1961. Kind of suspect that’s the one that caught Eric and Mick’s ears. The difference is that it’s an actual song, and not just this cool 2-chord riff with meandering guitar solo. The 2-chord riff is just the instrumental refrain between verses. That got me kind of pumped.
I’ve been playing with an interpretation that kind of nods to both of Doctor Ross’ recordings, ignores the later jam band versions, but kind of fits my style very nicely. After working with it for some time this afternoon, I observed that what I was playing had just a hint of Bo Diddley beat to it. This tickled me even more. Like Hooker, Bo Diddley is a hard guy to cover without falling into stereotype. A bazillion Who Do You Love or Can’t Tell a Book covers, not to mention all of the derivative Hand Jive’s and Not Fade Away's, cast a long shadow, and finding a way to incorporate that feel without going down that path really rather appeals to me.
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On to paying work. First new-school-year-related "oops, I forgot my lesson" of the season. I'll be holding my breath a little at lesson times all week. Waiting for another school-aged student as I type. Then the parade of adults begins. Last lesson ends at 9pm, and I’ll probably want some dinner after that, so likely no more of this work until tomorrow.
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