Planetguy wrote:DP...i have a good buddy of mine that i used to play music with back when we both still lived in NYC. he's been down in Tampa for some time and i think maybe you and he might hit it off.
Desi is a fine musician, all around good guy, teaches physics at Hillsborough Community College, and plays tenor, keys, and gtr.
when i was down there visiting last yr we had a cpl of fun rehearsel studio jams w a happening drummer pal of his. (i'll look to see if i can find a tune or two to post)
desi's into all the "good stuff" and has played in afro cuban, jazz, and afro pop bands in the Tampa area.
I'd offer condolences for your stay in Tampa, but since it was temporary... At least we have some decent weather. And from what I've been told, we once had the greatest concentration, per capita, of nudie bars in the country. Guess it's good to be known for
something...
If this fellow likes to play the same off-the-wall, jazz-oriented stuff you like (the "good stuff"? I really love that genre--ha!), I can see the value in that. It's always seemed odd that in a place nicknamed "little NYC," jazz has such a bad name. Ironic that he's @ HCC; I taught there for a year or so before moving over to USF. I'll get w/ you offline and we'll talk.
Dayne, online is about all I can do w/ anyone who isn't local. I recall you once mentioned you were hoping to find folks who would be willing to move up there, etc., but not working for me. I own property down here, and if I ever do sell, it'll be to go back overseas...and stay. If property values return to where they were pre-subprime, I'm off to Guangzhou, S'pore or some other foreign locale. Last time I was in G'zhou, the gf took me to this big hotel that had a piano bar (Steinway Grand) that opened into a massive lobby. I couldn't resist and did a 2-hr. set--it's not every day I get to play a Steinway. I drew quite a crowd (guess it's not every day some Anglo drops in and plays jazz)...and didn't get arrested. Not sure it would turn out that way here in Tampa.
Really, I'm nonplussed about the $$ aspect. I'll prob. get hammered for saying it (esp. given the thread re: making $$ in the music biz), but it just isn't that important to me. Back in the day I had to play 4-5 gigs/wk. to make rent and survive, and it took all the fun right outta it. These days it isn't an issue; I often tell folks I'll play for free, but if I gotta haul in my own stuff, they need to pay for cartage, load-in/out, set up, etc. I'm more about the music than the $$. And as I noted before, I do work mostly from charts/scores/lead sheets; guys might not like the minutiae, but it's part of the gig if you wanna work w/ trained musicians. Such is life.
He had one track on his player, a blazing rendition of the main riff from Bob Seger's Strut. I declined. 