[timboniface]

In the hope you're not all getting bored of these! Another one in the series of lockdown home recordings, here's a recording of 'Under A Blanket of Blue' - a beautiful ballad worth checking out if you't know it - on my Conn 6M viii with a Florida Link STM 7*. A new mpc-horn combination for me, that I'm enjoying very much indeed - it really does seem to open up the expressiveness of the alto unlike other combinations I've used before.

All good wishes,
Tim

 

[rhysonsax]

Another lovely performance. And I'm really impressed by the tasteful piano too - glad you have included video of that.

Rhys

 

[14470]

A wonderful listen indeed!

 

[dexdex]

Nice playing, on a rather uncommon setup. On top of the playing, the production is excellent, rendering all the details of your performance. Is the piano you too ?

 

[timboniface]

Nice playing, on a rather uncommon setup. On top of the playing, the production is excellent, rendering all the details of your performance. Is the piano you too ?

Thank you - I'm glad you appreciate the production too; yes the piano is me.
It is a rather uncommon setup isn't it. I was borrowing the mouthpiece and the first few times it was so different to what I usually play that I couldn't get anything really wholesome out of it, and then after a bit more it suddenly sprang into life. it now seems to draw all the best thing out of that horn. Just goes to show how unhelpful a first play on a mouthpiece can be!

 

[Kenneth]

That was absolutely wonderful, thanks much for sharing.

Kenneth

 

[dexdex]

Thank you - I'm glad you appreciate the production too; yes the piano is me.
It is a rather uncommon setup isn't it. I was borrowing the mouthpiece and the first few times it was so different to what I usually play that I couldn't get anything really wholesome out of it, and then after a bit more it suddenly sprang into life. it now seems to draw all the best thing out of that horn. Just goes to show how unhelpful a first play on a mouthpiece can be!

Something else is noteworthy: alto, and even more "vintage" horns, can be quite challenging in terms of intonation. You seem totally at home and in command. The close-up video and audio pickup won't let you hide, it says quite a bit about your top playing skills. Dunno how you consider Phil Woods, but watching it again, I checked some small "woodish" turns or winks. Funny, as his setup defined the typical post-bop standard, quite different from yours. Anyway, thanks again for sharing, this is very inspiring.

 

[pontius]

Another great alto performance Tim. Thanks!

 

[LiAm84]

Great sound. Metal Otto Links on alto are not so common but I've heard a few players who sound really fantastic on that set-up. Check out Ian Hendrickson-Smith (also on a Conn 6m

), and also a fatastic Dutch alto player Benjamin Herman (

).

 

[pontius]

For some reason the Tone Edge doesn't get talked about much on alto either, but I think they sound great.

 

[A Greene]

Beautiful. I do like those Conn 6m altos. Although I imagine that you would sound amazing on anything.

 

[timboniface]

Something else is noteworthy: alto, and even more "vintage" horns, can be quite challenging in terms of intonation. You seem totally at home and in command. The close-up video and audio pickup won't let you hide, it says quite a bit about your top playing skills. Dunno how you consider Phil Woods, but watching it again, I checked some small "woodish" turns or winks. Funny, as his setup defined the typical post-bop standard, quite different from yours. Anyway, thanks again for sharing, this is very inspiring.

Again, thank you - your compliments are really encouraging. I'll admit that it took a little while to really get this mouthpiece to tune well, so I'm particularly glad you picked up on that!
Yes I enjoy Phil Woods playing v much indeed (some especially lovely early work on Benny Carter 'Further Revolutions' that I recall). The two alto players I intentionally listen to most of all are probably Sonny Stitt and Jesse Davis (both of whom have a sound that I love), but I'm glad you picked up something 'Woodish'. I wonder if you meant the fourths patterns that creep in? I remember loving something like that he did years ago. Maybe that's where the idea that rose to the surface in that improv came from... I'll guess we'll never know!
Anyway, cheers. I'm hoping to do more. I'd love to do some up-tempo stuff too but I can't get hold of a bass at the moment to produce a really decent backing track, and I'm trying to make all of these from scratch. We'll see - watch this space!

 

[timboniface]

Beautiful. I do like those Conn 6m altos. Although I imagine that you would sound amazing on anything.

Very kind - thank you. Now considering the next video on a watering can...

 

[timboniface]

For some reason the Tone Edge doesn't get talked about much on alto either, but I think they sound great.

I haven't tried one but I'd like to!

 

[timboniface]

Great sound. Metal Otto Links on alto are not so common but I've heard a few players who sound really fantastic on that set-up. Check out Ian Hendrickson-Smith (also on a Conn 6m

), and also a fatastic Dutch alto player Benjamin Herman (

).

Both really nice - thanks for the links!

 

[timboniface]

That was absolutely wonderful, thanks much for sharing.

Kenneth

Thanks Kenneth. Appreciated. More to come when I get the time!