Really excited about that! Worth mentioning is the fact that Fat Time was Miles’s nickname for Mike. He loved Stern’s timing and groove-plus he was kinda chubby at the time. So, the title is actually a tribute- he’d done again in Bitches Brew with ‘John Mclaughlin’.
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I’m not sure I knew that! That’s awesome, and the nickname is totally appropriate.
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Interesting point about not letting a lack of technique get in the way of music - I certainly got by for years with no picking chops but basically happy because I could put together a decent melody on the fly with a mish mash of picking, hammers and pulls etc.
I would say it’s taken about a year since I got the pickslanting primer for me to be able to incorporate enough of the stuff I’ve learned from CtC in such a way that it doesn’t feel like I have to break the flow and go “and now, a pause while we reconfigure ourselves for… !!DESCENDING SIXES!!”
Another thing you mention is the freedom afforded a soloist when you’re playing over a static harmony, but I think it’s worth remembering this is one of those power/responsibility scenarios where you as a soloist have to know enough to impart a feeling of harmonic movement or the whole thing ends up sounding like it’s ground to a halt.
Looking forward to seeing the Stern interview for sure.
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Can’t wait, Troy.
I am really interested in applying CTC to improv-based music like jazz.
I would also love to see your team tackle the newer crop of jazz guitar virtuosos who bring a lot of new technical advancement and influences to the table. Jonathan Kreisberg is a great example.
Thanks again.
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Honestly if you’re thinking about picking mechanics, I don’t know that there is “technical advancement” happening, per se. When you see what Mike is able to do with “boring” downward pickslanting and one or two additional movements, it really drives home the point that a pickslant plus a little legato can almost accomplish anything. For improvisational playing the real money is made in the vocabulary building, and the fretboard mapping system you use to do that.
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…in fact, sneak attack, the interview has been up on the site since yesterday. If you’ve got your subscription, dive in. We’re just polishing up the tab and analysis chapters…
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Agreed. I am all about Stern!
Thanks.
Thanks Troy! Enjoying the chat with him so far.
I was watching the interview great stuff! Thanks god the frying has stopped though 
Apart from that, I love the relaxed mood of the interview. And the musical content of course.
Looking forward to the lesson 
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I wasn’t sure what to do about the frying because it encompasses a chunk of time. Ultimately left it in because it’s kind of charming and fits the whole “Sunday at Mike’s House” vibe. As a couple they’re really endearing.
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So many great things about this interview! Loved the discussion about phrasing, use of mechanics and theory. All very enlightening. And I agree with the statement, I thought the frying was great fun, there was a very relaxed atmosphere the whole thing. Mike seems like such a nice guy.
For anyone it may interest, Mike’s Truefire course (with Bill Evans) is great for more of this kind of thing. Lots of sax licks to get your picks in to, certainly worth checking out.
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Yeah! The interview is amazing! Love the casual vibe and all the Leni stuff. And there’s a wealth of great info. I dig the fact that, while his knowledge is vast, he really is about the vibe and line and the groove. And, such great concepts he talks about…triad pairings, cells, intervallic stuff-and those non tertial triads seem to be a hint to set theory stuff(he studied with Banacos and Goodrick, so this shouldn’t be a surprise). The way he nails all those intervallic lines is inspiring, as is the way he comes in and out of them. Good stuff!!!
People seem to forget that, during the 80’s and 90’s, along with Sco and Metheny, Stern redefined what modern jazz guitar was about. And, having a rockier outlook, he became the entry point to jazz for many rockers. Also, he seems to be a great, warm guy. I’ve met him a couple of times and he was very kind and generous with his time. Once, I snuck in during soundcheck and he was warming up, doing some wild intervallic lines at frightening speed…
And, I have a couple of tapes from the 55 Bar gig, one dating from the late 80’s. That stuff is scary!!! They said he had Chops of Doom for a reason.
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Word. It has been on my list for a century to incorporate some of this stuff and I just haven’t gotten around to it. So finally getting back to this interview I will admit was also partly for selfish reasons!
I tried one of the symmetrical diminished patterns yesterday - the ascending one. Nuts. Nobody plays fingerings like that.
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When he first played that, I actually exclaimed out loud and had to rewind it! A very cool line. I remember a few years ago you were planning to meet up with Pat Martino, but Brendan told me schedules never managed to align. Since we’re on the jazzier side of things, do you think you’ll have make another attempt at that? It’d be interesting to see how his approach is different (or similar!) to Mike’s.
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This is definitely the first code interview that’s made me hungry.
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Man that organ style thing at 37:30 is just killer.
Semi off topic: can anybody recognise what pick Troy is using in the lesson? Looks comfy and I like the attack!
Looks a bit like a White Tortex Jazz III XL 1.50mm.
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Normal-size Dunlop Jazz III (i.e. not XL) Tortex, 1 millimeter.
I don’t even know how I ended up using them, we must have just had a pack of these hanging around. They’re fine, but they wear out pretty quickly and once the point disappears it’s time to throw it out. The reds and blacks last longer.
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Is it me or are the white Tortex’s made a little different than the other colors? I picked up some packs of different colors and the tip is sharper on the whites than the blacks and yellows. The black ones have a dusty feel to them.
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