Artwork of Reggae founder Matt Jenson is on tour all through Europe with GROUNDATION, July and August, 2022. In assist of the band’s tenth album launch, ONE ROCK. LISTEN TO IT HERE!
Extra Groundation tour data:
http://www.groundation.com/dwell
I’m going to publish updates on the tour on this one weblog publish however you may see LOTS of images and movies on my itsmattjenson INSTAGRAM and my private FACEBOOK PAGE.
July 15: I’m sitting on the bus, in my sleeping start, writing. I’m 6’4″ and consider it or not, I really match, and might sleep. We arrived in Paris on the eighth and did 5 days of rehearsals, HARD rehearsals. It’s one factor to report an album and QUITE one other to organize the music for dwell efficiency. Beforehand within the band there was one other keyboard participant who was enjoying largely rhythm piano/E.piano and I used to be left enjoying the organ (and the band carries a REAL Hammond B3 and leslie – what a pleasure!) and a few e.piano and synth components. Now I’m the one keyzie so it’s lots of work. And the MOST essential factor is conserving the exhausting core chop and bubble going always! It’s exhausting to place into phrases how essential it’s for this to be in place. Ya can’t miss a beat and gotta be completely LOCKED with bassie and drummie. Examine the teachings on reggae piano and organ enjoying!
ORGAN points: One thing is improper with our Hammond organ. The output stage is kind of low. I’ve put in a request for assist with the Berklee School organ tech. Hoping we will repair this. These are vintage devices, regardless that the Groundation B3 has been ‘chopped’ and modernized, it’s nonetheless made up of tubes, resistors, lead wheels and all types of 1940-60’s supplies, vulnerable to breaking down. And challenge with the bubble on a REAL B3: you assume it’d be the very best sound ever as a result of it was just about invented on the organ, however there’s one thing concerning the tone of that energy of the tone whenever you’re enjoying particularly the lo tone bubble sound that isn’t sturdy sufficient. The hello tone bubble cuts via a bit higher. On this state of affairs it’s actually on the sound engineer(s) to see if they will increase like loopy the 100kHZ vary. To be trustworthy, it’s higher to make use of a digital keyboard comparable to a Nord for the bubble. You’ve far more management over the sound and might actually dial it in so it has the required energy.
Final evening was our first present going down in Antwerp, Belgium, an attractive spot known as Olt Riverenhof. It went properly, very properly, to the purpose that on the finish we did one encore and the viewers was screaming for extra, I imply they wouldn’t cease (!) however the stage supervisor didn’t allow us to do a 2nd encore. That first present of tour is at all times nerve racking….particularly after not enjoying for over 2 years! Now we’ll be extra relaxed…and this model of the band is TRULY OFF THE HOOK, so as soon as we get just a few present in, we’re going to begin hitting that OTHER stage of musical transcendence that may solely be achieved whenever you rehearse THAT a lot and play THAT a lot. Yea!
July 17:
Final evening we performed a small competition situated in a area in Wasertudingen, GERMANY. This was our first GREAT sounding present. To be frank, the sound on stage for the primary two reveals was robust, particularly the second. When you may’t actually hear the whole lot correctly it’s actual robust. The groove felt completely unsteady, like each step you are taking you’re unsure your foot goes to land in the best spot as a result of the earth beneath you is at all times barely transferring. It actually places a musician in a foul temper. However that is to be anticipated: at the same time as properly rehearsed as we’re and the excessive stage musicians that all of us are, it takes a while for the whole touring organism, together with the highway staff, the 2 sound engineers to get in sync. We obtained it final evening. For me, it restored my LOVE of music and performing. THAT, is a good feeling. The competition itself was a brilliant consciousness elevating vibe with all types of sustainable issues and messages all over the place. Some unimaginable merchandising (I obtained a hell of a pleasant couple of very distinctive hats!) and the band earlier than us was enjoying kick ass reggae, ska, with very artistic preparations, then all of a sudden broke right into a Bavarian waltz and the whole viewers grabbed the particular person subsequent to them and…waltzed! Lovely!
July 19:
We performed Milan, Italy final evening. Rattling…it’s HOT. Sure, local weather change type heatwave hitting most of Europe, this information making the entrance web page of the New York Instances. The present was an out door venue known as Circolo Magnolia and it was simply us (not a competition with numerous bands) so we obtained a REAL sound examine in. That is so important. Marlene, our monitor engineer spent a while dialing within the EQ on the Hammond organ to get the very best sounding bubble tone doable. Even with that effort, it’s nonetheless robust to dial it in however we obtained it a lot better. For future excursions I could carry a digital keyboard for bubble sounds and nonetheless have the B3 to play solos and pads – rattling…it’s such a deal with to play the REAL THING! All of us love digital. A lot may be carried out…however an actual B3 and Leslie can’t be matched. A Hammond organ really has a contact to the important thing mattress. It’s simply barely weighted and up to now I’ve NEVER discovered a digital Hammond organ clone to have an motion that precisely represents the true factor….though that new Hammond digital (I feel it’s the XK-5) they are saying has a greater key mattress. For me, this distinction in really feel (and properly, it’s not simply the important thing mattress really feel solely, however the really feel of EVERYTHING on the organ) evokes me approach approach approach far more than the digital keyboards!!
On the Artwork of Reggae PIANO COURSE 2, I speak concerning the rhythmic energy that’s wanted to play the piano chop proper. I’m the one keyboard participant on this tour whereas that final ones, pre pandemic, there was a second keyzie who performed the piano chop largely. I’m having to cowl far more than I did earlier than and that piano chop is absolutely the most essential factor. I can’t emphasize sufficient how TUFF it must be. Each one within the band notices if a chop or two isn’t slamming you within the chest at exactly the best time. When it’s proper you nearly don’t hear it however FEEL IT. AND I’ll let you know, my finger ideas are a bit sore! The character of the preparations requires me to bubble with the left hand and chop with the best on some tunes, then to play the other on others. There are even some tunes the place I swap palms a lot of instances throughout the tune. I’m going to make up a Apply Routine Play Alongside video with an train the place it’s a must to swap palms each 4 or 8 bars so you may get actually good at it, not lacking a beat or dropping the facility of the piano (or e.piano) chop ever.
The DOUBLE OCTAVE SPLIT factor: sure, examine the one shot lesson on this. Whenever you’re the one keyzie and also you’re having to bubble and play lead traces, one technique to make a very sturdy chop is to program your keyboard with two pianos (or e.pianos) layered however an octave aside. It makes it sound such as you’re enjoying a two handed chop however with one hand. Sadly the Nord I’m utilizing is damaged and gained’t permit me to deliver the second layer up an ocatve!
Right here’s my keyboard arrange: Nord Stage EX, 88 key (weighted contact – I can chop a lot better with weighted contact and play piano and e. piano solos with extra inspiration), the Hammond B3 (the Leslie will not be within the image) and a Line 6 DL4 MK II – the brand new model of the traditional DL4, it’s a lot lighter and has all types of latest sounds. Frankly, I like all the unique sounds higher. That’s a hell of an incredible pedal. A easy arrange for some DEEP MUSIC.
JULY 23:
HAMMOND ORGAN BUBBLE BREAKTHROUGH!
Final evening we performed the attractive city of Vence, France (close to Good) – the Competition Nuits Du Sud. It’s a 7 day competition arrange within the city’s quaint major sq. with many eating places and cafe’s throughout and a medium sized court docket yard. There have been solely two bands so we obtained a REAL sound examine.
The weak spot of the Hammond organ bubble (as talked about earlier on this weblog) was high dialogue within the tour bus lounge. Harrison and I even mentioned the potential of ditching the B3 on future excursions in favor of utilizing a digital keyboard. That PAINS me (and him)!
Through the examine, as we have been enjoying, I observed that the bubble was coming in very sturdy at moments, then very weak: then it hit me like a ton of bricks – DISABLE THE LOW ROTOR!!
In case you take a look at the organ course 1, lesson 2 you may see how the audio system spin and there’s the ‘horn’ on the highest which carries the excessive pitch sounds after which there’s a ‘rotor’ on the underside which carries the low pitched sounds. The superb impact that all of us love is created by the sound being present out of just one facet of the horn and on just one facet of the rotor: the rotor is scooped out on one facet the place the sound comes via and the opposite facet blocks off the sound. SO, for a bit of greater than 1/2 the time the sound is blocked from the supply that’s choosing up the sound your ears, or a microphone. By disabling the spinning movement of the rotor and setting it so the scooped out facet faces immediately into the microphone will preserve the sound output fully constant. Take word, the bubble is usually a low tone sound. You by no means wish to sacrifice the horn from spinning but when it’s a must to you may sacrifice the rotor from spinning – that is commonplace information for us Leslie speaker freaks.
I obtained out a screw driver, pulled off the center panel and disconnected the low rotor from the motor that causes it to spin. Then I discovered the scooped out part and confronted it immediately into the microphone, taping it down so I wouldn’t drift out of place.
HOLY SHIT, IT WORKED! Each the monitor and home engineer mentioned they observed an enormous distinction and for me I may get the bubble SOUND constant. Everybody within the band mentioned it was a lot better! It’s exhausting to clarify how PSYCHED I’m for this. This simply underlies how darn essential the bubble is in reggae music. (Sure, there’s some reggae that doesn’t have the bubble however most of Groundation music does.) With out the bubble it’s like making an attempt to stroll with one leg. It’s an fascinating phenomenon: the bubble is definitely FELT greater than it’s HEARD and naturally as a keyboard participant I really feel and listen to it however everybody was critically feeling it final evening and on account of this in addition to now having performed about 5 reveals, we’re beginning to get to that HIGHER PLACE with the music.
And I’ve to say, the audiences have been so essential. Such enthusiasm and pure vitality being thrown again at us at each flip. It’s what we dwell for!
AUGUST 1: Subsequent stage grooving and correct approach
I’m scripting this from my bunk aboard the tour bus having departed from Herzburg, Germany the place we performed the historic Herzburg fest (began in 1968 I consider) to Dortmund the place we have now a a lot wanted day and evening off. Now we have now a fairly good stream occurring – play a present, get on the bus at about 3am and sleep via the evening, get up in a brand new metropolis, do some sight seeing, examine right into a resort, do our sound examine, eat, play the subsequent present…repeat. It’s not exactly this fashion each time however fairly shut. Even with this stream, it will get intense. Final evening after the present, I used to be significantly exhausted, all of us have been however simultaneiously impressed.
Regardless of being away from residence for therefore lengthy and experiencing frustrations, lonliness, exhaustion, tons of ready round, and many others. whenever you play this a lot collectively, after the music will get memorized and properly, deeply embedded into the molecules of your physique, the music begins to creep into that OTHER PLACE, a better place that’s hardly ever achievable. When that type of VIBRATION opens up, it’s what many people dwell for as musicians.
Final evening our bass participant, Isiah Palmer (AKA ‘Onie”), who’s at all times instantly to my proper on stage was in a very energetic temper – dancing, skipping, smiling, rocking as he performed. I observed that I used to be doing the identical, everybody was doing the identical. Isiah and I have been speaking about it at breakfast this am and he was exclaiming, passionately that THIS IS WHAT THIS MUSIC IS ABOUT – it’s a sense and a deep groove and never about enjoying notes proper, tempos proper, preparations proper and all of that!! In fact all of that stuff must be performed proper however what he was saying is that there’s a fully ecstatic LOCK that takes place that simply takes over your total physique, thoughts and soul. It’s a bit paradoxical as a result of to explain it I’ve to say that it’s concurrently LOOSE and TIGHT. Get it? The groove will get so rattling FAT you could loosen up and free stream via it, altering little issues right here and there, reacting to the group groove course, reacting to a solo, reacting to a vocal line, and stay as locked within the pocket as doable. I hope anybody who’s studying this has an opportunity to expertise this and if you already know precisely what I’m speaking about, I hope you proceed to make this occur in your musical life!
Method: As I’ve talked about earlier on this weblog, as a result of there’s not a second keyboard participant I’m having to maintain the chop rhythm going HARD all through each tune. My proper hand/wrist particularly, is getting wailed on, dangerously, to the purpose the place I few reveals in the past I began worrying that I is likely to be actually hurting it. As a result of the chop must be so sturdy the pure tendency is to lock your wrist so you may play every assault as strongly as doable. It’s type of like punching a wall really. BUT, I’ve a historical past with a foul behavior of locking my wrist and have needed to do some fairly severe re-working of my approach to unlock it.
On a little bit of a facet word, I’m utilizing a weighted contact keyboard and lots of reggae gamers don’t use weighted contact. Why? Primarily as a result of I can dig into the groove extra having the resistance of a weighted contact. Additionally for solos, I really feel far more capable of categorical every word, with velocity adjustments, and many others. However enjoying with the weighted contact can induce, no less than for me, a bent to lock wrist and hit TOO exhausting.
I needed to remind myself to loosen up, massively, and begin partaking my wrist which in tern engages my shoulder and elbow and even the knuckles. MUCH MUCH higher! And truly, far more correct. I’ll most likely do a one shot video on this for Artwork of Reggae sooner or later. It may be utilized to non weighted contact keyboards as properly.
Right here’s a pair stage pictures on the Herzburg fest.
AUGUST 10:
Right here is an edited electronic mail I despatched to my colleagues and buddies at Berklee School of Music. It provides an excellent abstract of issues at this level. We’ve had the previous few days off, another than anticipated as a result of our London present was canceled. It’s been nice to get some relaxation and train – that’s proper getting train (and for me which means getting my coronary heart charge up and sweating!) is important – operating, pushups, sit ups, and many others.
“Greetings my high-quality feathered fellow piano school (and some others from completely different departments)!
From the city of Clermont Ferrand, France.
A lot of you could know that I’m on a tour with the jazzed out reggae band from San Fran, Groundation. 5 weeks in Europe. I made a decision to do that tour and two extra within the Fall (I’m taking the semester off,) as a result of I helped write, prepare and report the band’s new album, ONE ROCK. I assumed I’d offer you a ditty on how issues are going.
The band is QUITE standard in Europe so our reveals, that are largely out door festivals, are largely filled with viewers members singing almost all the lyrics, together with usually instances, lyrics from the brand new album which was solely launched in Might. We’re touring in an enormous ol’ tour bus with a trailer which carries amongst different items of equip, a B3 and Leslie – what a pleasure to play the true factor. And I’m at all times thanking the crew for carrying it on and off stage. (I’m additionally utilizing a Nord Stage 3, 88.) We’ve our personal FOH and monitor engineers so the sound is nearly at all times stellar. I do in reality match within the (bus) bunks, simply barely, and might sleep fairly properly. Single resort rooms alongside the best way are a lot wanted. It’s fairly superb to speak to followers after reveals and understand how passionately they’re into the music.
Yup, it’s HOT, local weather change heatwave type however one way or the other it’s been manageable. Air conditioned buss is residence, however usually within the evenings issues quiet down sufficient.
The music is kind of distinctive: Not like many reggae bands this one is about each enjoying the ROOTS of the type deeply but additionally with epic jam/solo sections. Some tunes are in odd time signatures and lots of have unusual kinds with 5 bar phrases, an additional beat thrown in right here and there, and one with a loopy 6 towards 4 factor (that’s NOT Afro-Cuban). You gotta be in your toes.
One of many nice issues about enjoying a lot is that the music can attain that OTHER, HIGHER place – you already know, the place you’re not desirous about the kinds, the little melody traces it’s a must to get, and many others. I at all times put in a bit of prayer of types earlier than we play, or earlier than one in all my solos comes up, wanting as much as the heavens and saying ‘play me.’ At this level in my profession and as an individual (not so younger any extra) I attempt to get out of the best way and let one thing else take over- if you already know what I imply 🙂 I grew up doing fairly excessive stage staff sports activities and this expertise is analogous: there’s lots of stress and assist out of your ’staff’ mates to do the best possible you may each evening, so that everybody else can do their greatest as properly. Thankfully all of us get alongside fairly properly.
From a keyboard approach perspective, I’ve REALLY needed to remind myself to NOT lock my wrist, particularly the best one. Largely what I’m doing is ‘chopping’ HARD with proper hand, whereas ‘effervescent’ with left on the organ. At instances it’s like punching a wall time and again. If I don’t preserve free and type every assault from my shoulder and interact each joint to the finger ideas, I’ll get so tight after which overlook about making an attempt to play a pleasant articulate solo whether or not or not it’s a completely rocked out John Lord kinda factor or a extra delicate Herbie kinda factor.
Then again, highway life, residing out of a swimsuit case, having to endure some 16 hour bus rides (!) for five weeks is…fairly tough at instances, however I really feel fairly lucky to have this chance and I do know I’ll by no means do that a lot touring once more, so I’m savoring every second. “
This afternoon we had a band assembly the place all of us expressed what was going properly and what was not going properly on the tour. Initially, I’ve to say that most likely not many touring bands can or do, do that. However luckily all of us get alongside properly and assist one another. Everybody feels very lucky for the chance to play such artistic music at such a excessive stage! And everybody appreciates that we maintain one another to a excessive commonplace. It’s such staff work. And all of us recognize that having 17 folks on a tour bus with typically 16hr drives, that all of us are nonetheless getting alongside properly!
4 extra reveals to go and now that we’re such a high-quality tuned machine, they need to be nice. Regardless of some tuff highway circumstances right here and there, we have now at all times come collectively as a musical unit and DELIVERED the sounds on the very best stage. I anticipate the identical!
Right here’s an image of an unimaginable mid-evil home within the small city of Treignac, France the place the trombone participant and I frolicked at on one in all our days off. Wonderful!
