New Video I recorded of some friends

here's a clip from a show I recorded last thursday at Paddy Doherty's in the Bronx of some friends of mine . This is about half the orchestra from NYC Swing which is one of the best bands out there in my area.


This is their version of What is HIP . Hope you like it !



www.drumminfool.com/recent/whatiship1-21-11.wmv



Peace, TED

Heavy and super tight. Great capture, Ted.

Thanks Keith !



Peace, TED

I was living less than one mile from this location at the time.

Great clip. I saw that band one time, opening up for Santana at the Academy of Music here in NYC. pretty hip show !!


thanks for that .


Peace, TED

They did a good job. The song was played a little too fast for my taste
but they did a good job.... The 1st sax solo was smokin! Didn't care
for the vocalist all that much, too much screaming. Bass player was rollin
though I didn't care that much for his solo.. Maybe if he hadn't scatted
along with what he was playing.

Song was played well, just too fast in my opinion and it really sped up
toward the end. A tad too long also.

Opening guitar line was somewhat stiff also.

Ted E. Bear wrote:
here's a clip from a show I recorded last thursday at Paddy Doherty's in the Bronx of some friends of mine . This is about half the orchestra from NYC Swing which is one of the best bands out there in my area.
This is their version of What is HIP . Hope you like it !
www.drumminfool.com/recent/whatiship1-21-11.wmv
Peace, TED

I LIKES DAT! Off the hook in my book. I wish they gave the drummer a solo along with everyone else who are incredible players of the groove.

Interestingly enough, I was speaking with Norbert Sloley just a few days ago by phone. We were talking about how music morphs from one expression to another in the very same tune... polyrhythms and melodic lines that cross bar lines. It takes more than confidence to play these combinations: it takes knowing the groove and never losing track of where we are in the process.

Just so long as we don't lose our footing, we'll get back on that ONE everytime - regardless of the instrument being played.

... that's what's HIP to me! Thanks Ted - excellent stuff. I really enjoyed listening to it.

Ah my apple won't open the video...?

Wonder why the vocalist doesn't face the audience.

Thanks Cuz John ! I didn't see your post because I had put this up months ago , though you had replied to it recently . Glad you enjoyed it !

Niki , I don't know why you couldn't open the video. It's a wmv file which should open with anything. I'm sorry you can't see it !


Don - the vocalist does face the audience in the song - the audience is to the right. I chose this angle to shoot because it was the only one I could use to capture the whole band with one camera on a tripod and still not block the audience view of the band. You also felt the song was too long - well this song, like a lot of their songs always vary in length. It depends how many solos they feel like playing and that is based on the audience. You notice the singer giving signals with his hands or with his voice. The band also takes cues from the music director, guitarist Tim curtin . When they play parties or weddings, they normally go from one song into the next as he calls them out or signals the key. Thats the way they roll .

Got it, Ted. It just seemed like he was facing the horn players a lot.
So the audience was looking at his profile much of the time. Also, what
I think makes the tune drag out to me is the back to back sax solos which
was immediately followed by a bass solo that I'm sorry to say just didn't quite
work in my opinion, not with the scatting anyway.

right but please understand your also looking at one song - out of context. It was the last song of the set, which is a mostly vocal set , so I think they were just letting the band stretch out a bit.

Big Boz is a phenomenal bassist. I don't think the scatting was planned - I think the songer just stuck the microphone in his face and said go ! LOL


I really wish I could post more of the two shows I recorded so you could get a better idea of the band overall but they have asked me not to put it up anywhere and I have to respect their wishes.


Peace, TED

Ted, they're not bad by any means...

Some of these groups be trippin... They play cover tunes
and they don't want any exposure... I don't get it!!??
What's to steal? Or do they just lack confidence in their
own ability as a band:?:

Has nothing to do with that. They are one of the top corporate/wedding bands in New York . these bar gigs were done in the winter during their off peak time, just to stay working.

They don't want vids out which dont' project their normal image. You can see that image here:


www.nycswing.com and click on NYC Swing in hight quality under videos. this video is a little old as two of the members are no longer with them. The drummer, who is a co-owner suffered a stroke two years ago . And the skinny male singer was dismissed for non-professional conduct.


Peace, TED

D. Slam wrote:Ted, they're not bad by any means...

Some of these groups be trippin... They play cover tunes
and they don't want any exposure... I don't get it!!??
What's to steal? Or do they just lack confidence in their
own ability as a band:?:

Nephew... As Ted posted after the above quote, it doesn't have anything to do with that stage presence as posted via You Tube or a Master Control Director for a television station networked around the globe. It has to do with the "moment" in time when those on stage are already there: in front of the audience pouring their hearts out for the audience.


Sure, I know that there are moments when a performer excels and seeks his or own personal desire. Yet the collaboration is what we do as a UNIT on stage and playing the music, rather than simply being alone by ourselves. There is only ONE being without Skin who was able to do this: satan/Lucifer/the son of the morning - or mourning. He fell from that posture and through our willingness to be tempted, we gave into (as HUMAN KIND - male and female) to give that curse upon the results.

If anyone claims to be religious, then understand that RELIGION divides people much like a wedge or the pressure of water upon a dam poorly constucted. I'm more into relationship. I couldn't do a "dam" thing unless I understood that I'm only a thread in a Greater Fabric.

I do not mean to argue here... just presenting the truth from how over the decades I've been brought to understand it. I love you guys. Yet I find it curious that some very fine female drummers don't contribute here...

... it might be because we're not providing the atmosphere for more estrogen and less testosterone.

I loved the tune Cousin Ted as tendered. Let's balance the enzymes with prestosterone! Forgive the spelling of that enzyme.

Besides DSlam, if you looked as wonderful as A is, I'd be taking the Stray-Hound bus out to where you are! Love ya Don; no Greyhound here. Just being real in the manner that we often kid with each other. Yet we're also serious at times and those are precious times indeed.

They don't want vids out which dont' project their normal image.

"Normal image" As in their peformance setting, or level of performance?!

We all have our days... Some good some not so good. I've been around
long enough to understand that these guys are very good players. They
just have some edges that need smoothing out.

Ted, I'm really picky and I'm somewhat of a hardass when it comes to players
and bands. But understand, I'm just as hard on myself, harder actually. I'll
be honest, There are players that will not work with me, not because I'm a
jerk but because I push for a high musical standard. Don't waste my time with
coming in and doing just enough to get by. I'll rehearse for hours on end to get.
it right, A band work ethic that's band pretty much lost over the years.

When you step out, be ready to BRING IT! Be it some corporate engagement
or someones backyard house party. You never know who's gonna be in your
neighborhood.

I'll give you all I have, and I expect the same from my peers. If you're not
willing to give me the same, then "hasta la vista, baby!"

D. Slam wrote:Ted, they're not bad by any means...
Some of these groups be trippin... They play cover tunes
and they don't want any exposure... I don't get it!!??
What's to steal? Or do they just lack confidence in their
own ability as a band:?:

Thats a good question Neph. D!

I asked the same question with the Guild of Sound here in Atlanta. I mean every (EVERY) member of the group was an accomplished musician. Yet we all had day jobs focusing our endeavors on the "sure" and not the "speculative."

This may (or may not) apply, but the breakdown of The Guild from 2003 until 2007 was as follows. The point is to highlight the "sure," and not the "speculative:"

• 
  1.Geoff McBride - lead vocals; formerly with Arista Records; now another contract in TN;
  2. Mark Copeland - lead guitar; vocals and anesthegiolist;
  3. Steve Freeman - lead guitar; Director and instructor for Camp Jams/USA - youth oriented;
  4. David Scott - keyboards; working heavily with local gigs and churches in ATL;
  5. Rudy Vaugh Brannon - sax/woodwinds - now an artist in his own right having won the Hard Rock Battle of the bands and opened for Dave Matthews Band and Bruce Springsteen in London/England;
  6. Don Klayman - bass guitar - computer programmer and solution provider for medical firms;
  7. John Sussewell - drums/percussion - electrical engineer; minister of the Gospel; former Federal agent (DHS/FEMA) and catalyst for positive confluences;

Sadly, the Guild of Sound is past now; yet I'll share that whenever we got together, it was all about the MUSIC. No one sought to "stand out" as if anyone's role was the primary one. Our work ethic was honed out of desire and folks appreciated the fruit of our labor because of it. We're not together today because somehow music was not as important as what is really in our core - as a UNIT. Hence the "Guild:"

Guild/noun: an organization of persons with related interests, goals, etc., especially one formed for mutual aid or protection.

There were never any squabbles about how we should do what we did; it was always about families and taking care of first things first. That tune "Conception" was written by Steve Freeman and performed during a benefit concert in Atlanta for a recovering cancer patient (January 16, 2006) in remission.

http://www.johnsussewell.com/Conception-GuildofSound-ATL-GA.mp3

Those who are blessed to play music only for a living are TRULY blessed in my view. Yet many don't have that privilege these days (daze). Most have to work for someone else for a living. [something I'm still dealing with these daze - simply because too many want to kill dreams and I'm about LIFE beyond familial or familiar borders!]. Yet again, many aren't blessed with the "support" mechanisms willing to be leveraged toward a common good - and that competitively [and I don't get paid for my service/ministry when asked to pastor simply to collect tithes and offerings.]

True confidence and courage is to recognize when we're Blessed, rather than fall back into the doldrums of self - imposed separatist movements; and not recognize what others are seeking to produce when their fruit is taken for granted.

I'm sorry if I come across "preaching" most times. I don't mean to be on a soap-box. It's just that Music is me and I'm entwined in the threads of this tapestry toward a composition (and not rug to be walked on). In my view, music brings out very sensitive emotions among those motivated (and skilled) to play it properly. It only takes the first impression to understand the opinions. It takes a careful listen and review to understand the causes and effects.

Selah (consider this) everyone. As DSlam also says, make sure you bring your best to the forefront - I take that as being Prepared for any contingency and the people you will meet along the way.

Didn't care for the screaming, either, but I thought this was pretty cool. I wish the vocalist kept the mic out of the bassist's face. He seems like a terrific player. Would love to hear him really stretch out. Everybody was good. The drummer kept things tight. Hot stuff.