What a wild week it’s been so far!. On Sunday evening I had the chance to see one of my musical heroes - Mike Landau- and it was such an inspiring night of music. He was playing with the Steve Gadd Band, and I got to sit right next to the stage. I was again reminded of the power of live music and the effect people being in the room together to witness it all unfolding.
Sunday was strange, though, because while I got to see one of my heroes, a dearly loved basketball hero also unexpectedly and tragically passed away earlier in that same day. I know I’ve mentioned in the past that I am not much of a sports guy, but no one could deny the legendary player that Kobe Bryant was. I know many, many people are completely gutted by the loss. Very few people get to a place in their career - as a basketball player, musician, woodworker, chef, accountant - to be a legend. And in moments like this I always find myself considering - what set them apart?
Often I come back to the commitment to craft, discipline in the face of adversity or complacency and a desire to never stop growing and learning. These are all elements of the human experience that seem to set the greats, like Kobe and Mike Landau, a notch above the crowd.
In the spirit of learning new things, I have been spending a lot of time with the Chase Bliss Blooper Pedal, and I created a video for you to share my initial experience and thoughts about this very deep piece of gear. You'll also get some philosophy on the practice of looping in general, and 3 tips (who doesn't love TIPS) that will help you when you are learning any new musical device or technique. Check it out below and let me know what YOU think or what questions you have about it!
Let’s keep our heroes in mind this week and work hard to put some of their example into practice - consistency, exploration and dedication to a craft that we love. That’s where the magic happens.
Take good care,
Dan
PS - I’d love for you to join us for my workshop with Adam Levy on March 8th, but if your Sunday is full, grab a ticket for our show the night before at Storyville Coffee on March 7th!