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Topic: Steelonious |
Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 10 May 2018 6:44 am |
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Just listening to this again in the car this morning after not hearing it for many months. It reminded me: Mike Neer's CD is a brilliant piece of work both in the playing and especially, in the arranging.
Mike proved that Monk's music is adaptable across a wider number of genres than I ever thought possible, yet the melodies and rhythms of his tunes remain just as strong. In terms of steel guitar content, Mike's blocking, phrasing, soloing and tone are endlessly instructive and there's a slyness about how he seems to get more out of the instrument than sometimes seems possible. Matt King's keyboard work on the disc is equally impressive for its depth and how it compliments the steel.
If you haven't heard it, listen. If you haven't bought it, get it.
https://mikeneer.bandcamp.com/releases
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Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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Gary Leggett
From:
Space Coast, FL
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Posted 10 May 2018 11:12 am
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| I agree completely in what you said. I listen to the live versions for perspective also. I agree on the keyboard player too, definitely top shelf playing. |
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David Knutson
From:
Cowichan Valley, Canada
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Posted 10 May 2018 1:31 pm
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Plus one for all of that, Andy.
Also, Mike's treatments of the tunes on Steelonious has got me listening to Monk himself with a whole new ear. And I've already stolen - I mean borrowed - Mike's version of "I Mean You" for my little swing trio. 
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David K |
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Mikhail Bobrov
From:
Russia
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Posted 11 May 2018 2:32 am Re: Steelonious
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| Andy Volk wrote: |
If you haven't heard it, listen. If you haven't bought it, get it.
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David Matzenik
From:
Cairns, on the Coral Sea
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Posted 11 May 2018 3:55 am
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Yep, I listen to Steelonius in the car. Top stuff, and destined to be a classic.
And for all player levels, Mike's tetra chord studies need a plug too. Be warned. It kicks ass.
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Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother. |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 11 May 2018 5:13 am
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Thanks so much! Hey, this was posted 2 years ago to the day that we recorded Steelonious. Two days of recording sessions. Man, I want to make another record!
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 14 May 2018 4:06 am
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If you've spent a lot of time listening to recordings by Jerry Byrd and Speedy West et al., where the steel guitar was the featured instrument, you start to understand the level of craft and polish needed to to make a record that you can be proud of. They set the bar incredibly high.
If anybody wants to ask any questions about the record or playing or gear, I'd be happy to talk about it.
You never really think about what the shelf-life of a recording is until you put one out. I hope people are inclined to want to hear this one down the road. I think the fact that the program is all Monk compositions will always interest someone.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Gary Leggett
From:
Space Coast, FL
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Posted 14 May 2018 10:42 am
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Mike I have some questions. In Bye-Ya, you think a C6/A7 tuning can get most of what you're doing? I can get the intro chords sounding right so I'm thinking it is a go.
in Straight no Chaser, you did the studio version and live version in A sounds like. In your Bebop book it's in Bb like Monk's version I assume. Wondering why you changed it to A. |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 15 May 2018 4:19 am
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| Gary Leggett wrote: |
| In Bye-Ya, you think a C6/A7 tuning can get most of what you're doing? |
I think you could get by with it, but the 9th chords in bars 6 and 7 are slants that use strings 2, 4 and 6 (which I have tuned to C), so that might be a problem.
| Gary Leggett wrote: |
| in Straight no Chaser, you did the studio version and live version in A sounds like. In your Bebop book it's in Bb like Monk's version I assume. Wondering why you changed it to A. |
It's way sexier the way I play it in A with the open strings. It kind of came together out of the blue, I just started playing around with it.
The Bebop book was written as an eye opener on how to be able to play fast chromatic type lines in C6 tuning. It was less a primer on actual jazz playing than a different kind of approach to the neck. Using Bebop heads was really the only way to demonstrate it. It's how I learned what I call "small ball†or “inside gameâ€.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Gary Leggett
From:
Space Coast, FL
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Posted 15 May 2018 6:34 am
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I got it to work last night. The chords pretty much follows the real book I have except for few dominant subs.
Fun jamming with your track, when I slow it down a bit, the first part feel reminds me of Up from the Skies by Hendrix. I guess there's a jazz style that has that feel but I don't know the name of it.
As far as the riff in the intro and the first part of your lead I listened to, that's where the jumping around starts for me on a 6 string so that's a work in progress.
Thanks! |
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Mark Helm
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 16 May 2018 1:58 pm Speaking of Monk....
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Mikiya Matsuda did a KILLER arrangement of "Monks Dream." I listen to it so much, I need to try to learn it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIsVALJmEN8
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Remington Steelmaster S8 w/ custom Steeltronics pickup. Vox MV-50 amplifier + an 1940's Oahu cab w/ 8" American Vintage speaker. J. Mascis Fender Squire Jazzmaster, Hofner Club bass, Ibanez AVN4-VMS Artwood Vintage Series Concert Size Acoustic Guitar. 1920s/30s Supertone Hawaiian-themed parlor guitar. Silvertone parlor guitar. |
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Russ Tkac
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Posted 29 Mar 2019 7:13 am
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| Just got the CD. Great work Mike. Very enjoyable! |
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