Sunday Meeting at Thacher

3/23/14
Victor, Dev, Chris, Rick, Brad, Scott

Beginning with a revisit of Dev's circulating in semiquavers to a metronome exercise.  Several observations are made regarding the knowing of where a person's note is placed on the grid.  Not all are certain of this and a comment is made that "if you don't know where to place your note, we'll never be able to accomplish the exercise."

On to several pieces we've been working on to ready them for performance in a few weeks.  Bach's Prelude and Fugue from WTC, Overworld and Morning Has Broken getting equal time.  With MHB a suggestion to try it as fast as we can without showing our mistakes in our facial expressions is given and attempted.  Several comments made about the quality the song has when played that fast, in spite of the many wrong notes.

Mid-week Meeting at RM's

3/20/14
Dev, Chris, Rick, Brad

Configured in a tight circle we begin with a circulation and an improv.  The prevailing comment afterwards was in the form of a question: "Why can't we do that each time we improv?"  Suspecting that the tight seating arrangement is a factor we spread ourselves out in the largest arc we can fit into the room and begin again.  The overall consensus is that this was not as good but perhaps partly because we were trying to recreate something that was good rather than seeing what is available.

Reseated we begin work on the Fugue and others in preparation for the performances a few weeks ahead.  Dev teaches Rick the bass line to 49 Notes and this gets several run throughs as does Blockhead and Morning Has Broken.  The Prelude is passed over until next time.

Sunday Meeting at Thacher

3/16/14
Victor, Dev, Chris, Rick, Brad

We begin by playing an exercise of Dev's to circulate along to a metronome playing ever finely subdivided groupings of notes (whole, half, quarter, eights, etc).  This proves difficult for the team and several approches are tried and re-tried.  Improv.

We then move into sharing our observations, noticing and comments on the experience of performing and also the listen back to the recording of the Cafe 939 gig.  General comments are made before moving into detailed comments on each aspect/piece performed.  One personal situation between two of the members that some believe is affecting the group is brought to the forefront and addressed, even if only in general terms.  After much discussion, a closing circulation and improv.

Warm-up Gig at Cafe 939

3/9/14
Victor, Dev, Chris, Rick, Brad, Scott

Arrival and set-up of the performance space at Cafe 939 by 19:05.  After setting up, getting aquainted with the space, wrestling with the lights and soundchecking we are ready to begin.  3 people, all friends of a few members of the team, are in attendance.  A 35 minute performance is given followed by an un-fisting.  A comment is made since there never was a proper fisting before the show that perhaps we should un-fist twice.  Post performance chatting and listening back on the luxurious Cafe 939 sound system before restoring the space and departing into the night.

Sunday Meeting at RM's

3/2/14
Dev, Rick, Chris, Brad, Scott

Dev presents an account of his time on the recent course as well as the second secondary as taught by RF in Mexico.  Continued working on pieces for performance.  The Fugue up to bar 14 proves beyond the team at this time.  Most other pieces are given run throughs including Flying Home.  Comments are that the pieces seem to sound much better than they had in the recent past.  Eye of the Needle has a few mistakes that the team acknowledges that we should be past.  Commitments are made to rectify these and this along with the improvements of Flying home seems to add encouragement to the team.