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Alone and Forsaken

PostPosted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 7:08 pm
by keener

Re: Alone and Forsaken

PostPosted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 7:18 pm
by Roger Pratt
Really nice tune Bruce....I like it!

Re: Alone and Forsaken

PostPosted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 8:04 pm
by RonBloor
Great picking Bruce... as always.. Thanks.

Re: Alone and Forsaken

PostPosted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 4:31 pm
by RandeDager
Bruce, I saw that you posted this recently but was too busy at the time to watch it, but I did save it in my "Bruce Keener file" of downloaded videos via RealPlayer, as I've told you before that I do. I just watched it and it was very pretty. I remember listening to this on one of Chet's records in the 60's and it brought tears to my eyes the way it's put together. Of course, I don't want to neglect commenting on your playing of this song. You did a very nice job. It may be an illusion, but I carefully watch the degree of your "fluidity" and physical execution of your songs and you appear to be getting smoother in recent videos than you were in your earlier ones. That happens to most everyone who puts in the time. I believe you've been practicing a lot over this past year. It shows. What goes on in your head is a gift and is a separate issue from your practicing. You can take long layoffs and still have all of that going on but smoothness and good technique come from practice.

I'm too ignorant to know that this was a Hank Williams song so I'm glad you mentioned that. I've never been a "traditional" listener of any genre of music. I'm rarely able to listen to a single category of music for any appreciable length of time. I've also not spent much time listening to vocalists unless I find it interesting to focus on what's going on behind them. So Hank Williams has never been a focus of my listening pleasure, though I've known who he was most of my life.

I'll even expand further on how "weird" I am. In the early 90's I went with a friend of mine to a Mel Torme concert. Prior to his coming out on stage his pianist came out and played a couple of instrumentals. He was a relatively unknown jazz pianist by the name of John Coliani. I was totally blown away by his smoothness, technique, and harmony! When Mel Torme finally came out I was so engrossed in his pianist that my focus ended up being on the piano that evening. During intermission my friend and I found a couple of empty seats on the piano side of the stage and gave up out nice central view of Mel Torme. I spent the last half of that concert watching that pianist's hands and listening to his harmonies. I was probably one of the few who wasn't laughing at Mel Torme's jokes because I wasn't hearing them.

I wanted to finish by saying that even though I can't listen very long to any particular category of music, I find that I CAN listen a particular artist for a long time as long as there is some degree of variance. That's why I never got tired of listening to Chet. He covered so much territory that I was never bored.

Sorry, this was all way off topic for my original intention for this post, but I really liked your song choice hear and how you played it......lol.

Re: Alone and Forsaken

PostPosted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 5:21 pm
by keener
Roger, Ron, and Rande: thank you guys. I appreciate it very much.

Rande: I love a variety of music, from Chet and Jerry to Vince Gill, Norah Jones, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, and so on. While I got a bit "hung up" on Chet and Jerry, I do not even own all of their material, and there is probably a fair amount of it that I've never heard (mostly stuff from the late '80's onward). Every once in a while, someone will post a video or audio of Chet or Jerry doing something and I'll say "whoa, where did that come from?" Another illustration: Norah Jones' "Don't Know Why" is my very favorite song ... I bought the CD just to have it, but have only listened to one other of her recordings.

Hank Williams was one of my heroes growing up. And, of course anytime Chet did one of Hank's tunes, I loved, loved, loved it. Even though I haven't heard Chet's recording of Alone and Forsaken in many years, I could still recall his arpeggios, and the beautiful chord changes, and tried to work out a rendition that fit what was in my memory. (I can't recall if he played any thumbstyle on it, but I wanted to add a little bit in anyway.)

I have been playing more of late ... not every day, but almost every week, and sometimes most days in a week, at least for an hour or so. So that was very perceptive of you.

I was very frustrated in recording Alone and Forsaken: while shaping my nails, the file cut into the skin on my middle finger, and it was really difficult to do the tune. But, I wanted to record it because I'm likely to be unavailable for a while. Anyway, I can confirm Parkening's wisdom of "don't shape your nails within two days of a performance."

Thanks again, guys. My best wishes to you all.
Bruce

Re: Alone and Forsaken

PostPosted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 7:31 pm
by Billy Anderson
Very good, Bruce. This is a HW tune I have never heard before so thanks for the introduction. KOPAP. Billy