The podcast is back after a one year hiatus, and it's all thanks to my recent uncoupling from social media. I've quieted the noise, brought my focus to where it needs to spend more time, and as a result have more time to be creative and produce these episodes for you. Aside from explaining a bit of my social media journey, I get into some new music, new pedals, and stereo imaging with my bass rig as I prepare to go to the studio in Spain next month and record my new trio.

As mentioned in the show, you can join my new Telegram Channel to be a part of the conversation algorithm-free: https://t.me/janekgwizdala

I'm working on ways to stay sharp at home while we don't have the option to be out playing gigs. Stamina will be a key element to the success of gigs once they return, and I have a couple of ideas towards the end of this episode that might help you. 

Getting stage-ready for gigs again is going to take some time. But it's something I think we should be thinking about now, even though gigs might be 6-9 months away at least. I'm working with a drum loop and trying to dial in my time, and also working on articulation of solo pieces and making a melody sing. 

Happy New Year! We're kicking off 2021 with some positive takes on the learning process, and what I think are the two most important things in my daily routine. I'm also giving you guys a quick listen to the new sounds of the current pedalboard setup which includes a new pedal this week: The Hungry Robot Moby Dick V2. 

I don't normally take more than a day off at a time, but with the holiday season in full flow here, it ended up being 4 whole days this year!

I finally find a route back into working on music in this episode, and end up creating some really fun frameworks for practicing chords and melody reharmonizations.

I was trying to figure out what to play in today's episode, when I realized pressing record and documenting the process of where to start would be far more valuable than a preconceived idea. 

It's so important not to let the nuance in your phrasing, your time, your sound, and your note choice get lost with technique. Technique typically overshadows subtlety, and we have to police ourselves on that as we develop our learning process. 

There's no substitute for limiting your technical ability when it comes to composition. Being a a very average piano player, I can't get lost in licks and technical ability when it comes to writing, and am really forced to stay within the melody, the harmony, and the form of a song. 

I'm getting into Bach's Violin Sonata No. 3 for my sight reading practice today, as well as taking some oboe technique phrases from Georges Gillet. 

Sunday mid afternoon practice session, the new live album from 2011, and some thoughts about being a band leader, and what might be next.