Carroll's 55th Street
Carroll's 55th Street
03 Greatest Story Ever Told.mp3
Back from the intensity of the previous jam at the City Winery, this week found Deadstein as a quaint quintet. In the middle of the the High Holy Days we were also celebrating Lee and Scott's pending birthday's. As is our tradition, for the birthday boys they received the gift of selecting songs for the night. I received the gift of not selecting songs for the night and Kevin got the gift of the liturgically based songs coupled with many GarBand songs I personally wouldn't select in the same night so not to offend Kevin. Kevin was a good sport and we played the full serving of the drummers' birthday show.
I don't know if it was intentional or not, but Lee selected the Promised Land to open which set us on the course and the challenge for the drummers to find religiously-themed songs. It wasn't too difficult to begin with, but it only lasted half the night. It was a good effort and a worthwhile theme, for G-d's sake.
As this was a quintet, Rich and are were the only harmonizing instruments, besides Kevin acting as such, which left me with much responsibility to sing most of the songs, plays leads and conduct. A tall order and it took the best of me for a bit. My vocals and reading of the music was dyslectic way too often which screwed up my guitar continuity but this was also predicated on the fact I was playing in a much more free manner trying not to force the rhythm too hard. In the end, my problems of focus and precision were counter balanced by more nice moments, so all-in-all, I think I am please with our performance considering some of the songs and the ensemble we had in the room.
I missed the Promised Land on Video as I didn't hit the record button, but caught it and everything else on audio and video and all that looked and sounded good. With few instruments, it was easy to hear everything in its own space. There's so much more to say but little time to say it and it's all about the music which is hopefully readily available for when you want to give it a listen.
Happy holidaze, happy drumdaze. How about Deadstein in now Great For Days? Freak Out!