For the 2nd time since I have been going to Atlanta to see a client, my great friend and "zone" bud Chas met my son and I at a restaurant on the intestate on our way back to Lexington last Friday.

The internet is GREAT. I wouldn't have a friendship with you folks but for the Synthzone.

But, sitting together in person, even if it was only for a 1/2 hour is fabulous. Internet contact only is like looking at the world in black and white...you miss all the wonderful mid-tones.

Chas is undoubtedly one of the most talented musicians here...in the top three for sure. And he is the one I'd like most to play with.

We're sort of joined at the hip in the areas of music, politics...almost everything.

His has been a life of accomplishment: far more skills achieved than most.

And he is one of the kindest, most giving people I have ever known. He says lunch was cheap and he picked it up so I would get the next, more expensive one. Lunch was NOT cheap. Calamari, and two entrees for my son and I . He only had a coffee...a $40.00 plus coffee.

He is shouldering more than most of us right now, but still worried about his friends, dedicated to the Habitat project in New Orleans for displaced musicians, works for military related 501(c)'s and I'm sure is the greatest grandpa and father ever.

He was totally courteous and polite to my sometimes arrogant son (wonder where he gets that?), and Logan wants to visit Chas at home for a longer time next trip...maybe play a few turnes.


I do, too.

Russ

(Hey, Chas. Call about that Cannon XL-1. You would have a ball with it, and it's no longer viable for us...You are welcome to it).

Chas, lets get a song list....4 tunes or so to work on. We'll be down early in January. Logan wants to play bass on several if we will let him. One tune, possibly. I really like left-handed keyboard for several of the songs I'd like to do.

I vote for Worksong (key of G), possibly Misty, up, and a Stevie Wonder...Isn't She Lovely and/or All in Love is Fair. If time is a factor, I could lay down guitar rhythm to a drum track, the, track my lead lines, and you could add walking bass, comps and your solos when you feel like it. Of course, we could do What are You Doing The Rest of Your Life, if you'd like. I also have been doing Pieces of Dreams by the same writer. Great piece of music, but not as moving for me.

Let me know.


What Fun!


Russ

Congratulations you two for such a great way to start the holidays out! Glad to hear your meeting in Atlanta was such a festive and fun one! I know you are right - nothing like a "real life handshake" to amplify a friendship. And congrats to both of you for your continuing public service work and Mega Kudos to Chas for the work he is doing to help the folks in N.O. - several of the Katrina refugees have settled here and they sure "jazzed up" the music scene!

Can't wait to hear your collaboration effort! Happy holidays guys!

I hope this jam includes Pictures and videos for us Russ?

Tried to get Chas' photo in Atlanta. I'm so much prettier than he is he refused.


Imagine that?

Russ (Don't hate me because I'm gorgeous) Lay

As most of you longtimers know, Russ is a pretty nice guy as well. And his son, Logan, is NOT arrogant, he's just smarter and better looking than Russ, is all. Luckily, I know all the tunes you listed except 'What Are You Doing...' which happens to be my favorite but also the only one you can't 'fake'. To play it correctly and tastefully, as you did in that video, takes some serious practice. The chord changes are exquisite. I gave my grandson the only (combo) amp capable of accepting bass guitar (BTW, I have a beautiful vintage one in the studio) but my Traynor K4 might work - never tried it. Could always use one of the Ev's; it's got a 15" and handles the deepest organ bass easily. We'll figure it out. Also, if we do Misty, it has to be in Eb. I saw that Yamaha (Genos) demonstrator do it in F and I wanted to smack him . Sorry I missed your call but I sent you an email about the camera - READ YOUR EMAIL!! . Oh, and Donny, on the pics and videos; don't hold your breath, man. Well maybe of Russ and Logan in my studio.

Russ, catch you later.

chas

No problem Chas with your anonymity..
At least I have pictures of Russ..

The only other key I would play it in is D# ...

Seriously, it has to be Eb ... I can't sing the song - well, first of all because I cant sing the song - but also because it has to be in Eb and that is not my key for that song ...

Chas, I'll send you the changes to What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life...not bad.

Let's do what's fun. I will bring a bass amp...we have lots of small recording amps...and a guitar and Hendrickson amp.

And I DID read the email. Probably about two hours after you posted it.

SO THERE!


Russ

Durn vocalist, there's just no pleasing them.



chas

As long as I work as a soloist - I'm never in the "wrong" key (if there even IS such a thing)

Well, I'm just sort of kidding, but if you, like most of us ol' farts, grew up (musically) without a transpose key, you tended to learn all the songs in the 'original' key. If you were/are a great player (I'm not), it wasn't a big problem but for most of us, if a vocalist (or E-playing guitar player) wanted to play the tune in a different key, we were, at the least, annoyed . Of course things were equally bad for those keyboard players who played everything in C (and literally WILLED the transpose button into existence ).

chas

LOL - I hear ya, Chas, but I believe that the "right" key is the one in which the lead (vocalist/melodist/whatever) can do it! I can't put a transpose on my throat, either!

Speaking of transpose - I don't see it as the devil, or a cheat - try playing the blues in E vs F .... you'd miss all those slide ups from the flat third to the third etc. It's really just a tool for facilitation, just like a capo on guitar. Sure, you can play without one, but you can't play "everything" the same. Sometimes you need those open strings for hammer-ons and pull-offs.

Who cares key of C rules!

Not criticizing but I don't see how a musician can think like that. Even allowing for what Dave is saying (which I happen to agree with), I would think a musician would want the ABILITY to play in all keys. What if you played a horn (sax, trumpet, flute, whatever) or ANYthing other than a guitar w/capo or electronic keyboard with transpose button. Truth is, if you're playing with other players and you can only play in C, you're forcing THEM to transpose. But, to each his own.

chas

Never used a transpose button in my life. Nothing wrong with them, it's just not what I do.


R.

I can play in any key but choose not to as a singer first I can't think of my fingers so key of C is best with transpose too..

FWIW, and I don't know how this works, but I'm happy in the keys of C, D, E, F, G, and A. Okay, all bar one of them contains #'s and b's, so I'm playing other than all white keys. However, if someone calls for a tune in C#, Eb, F#, Bb, or even B, I'm diving for the transpose button. I ain't above that.

Donny, just curious. When you start the process of learning a new song, do you first transpose the written score (sheet/fake book/whatever) before physically playing it? What is your process? Just interested in what other people do.

chas

Of course this only applies if playing by ear but, for me, it's not so much the key as it is the passing chords, transitions, etc. I DO have favorite keys for soloing though; Bb, Eb, F. I also like f#, probably stemming from playing boogie-woogie as an 8 yr. old (all black keys) .

chas

I'll use the transpose button if I have to, and unless it's an instrumental, it's in whatever key I sing it in ...

I frequently use the transpose button, but only to transpose the original chords to a chord my vocals can comfortably handle and keep the song in my vocal range. Consequently, when the song is heard by my audiences, particularly Misty, this is what they hear. There is no way in the world I could sing this in Bbm7, which is the chord the Ella Fitzgerald performed it in. Unfortunately, the pasting of the chords here in plain text eliminated the correct spacing for the chords over the words.

The rendition done by Erroll Garner was done in CMaj7, which I found easier to play.

[Verse 1]

Amaj7 Em7 A7 Dmaj7

Look at me, I'm as helpless as a kitten up a tree;

Dm7 G7

And I feel like I'm clingin' to a cloud,

Amaj7 F#m7

I can' t understand

Bm7 E7 C#m7 F#7 Bm7 E7

I get misty, just holding your hand.





[Verse 2]

Amaj7

Walk my way,

Em7 A7 Dmaj7

And a thousand violins begin to play,

Dm7 G7

Or it might be the sound of your hello,

Amaj7 F#m7

That music I hear,

Bm7 E7 A6

I get misty, the moment you're near.





[Bridge]

Em7 A7b9

Can't you see that you're leading me on?

Dmaj7

And it's just what I want you to do,

D#m7 G#7

Don't you notice how hopelessly I'm lost

B7 C#m7b5 F#7b9 Bm7 E7

That's why I'm following you.





[Verse 3]

Amaj7

On my own,

Em7 A7 Dmaj7

When I wander through this wonderland alone,

Dm7 G7

Never knowing my right foot from my left

Amaj7 F#m7

My hat from my glove

Bm7 E7 Amaj7

I'm too misty, and too much in love.

Bm7 E7

Too misty,

Amaj7

And too much in love...

Gary

Usally I listen to the song and try to play it... I have that ability to do it most times with no music at all..
If I get stuck I'll look at a chart to see what I missed but st and then I hit transpose ay it in C.. learn the lyrics and I'll add my little chord changes and off I go..

Funny how things stick in your memory...MANY years ago, 1965, I bought a Lowery organ and started playing with a band. I didn't know enough to realize I should have bought a B3. They needed an organ player and the local store only sold Lowerys.
I could play trumpet, bass, guitar and drums, but was just learning organ. Anyway I pretty quickly learned to play right hand in C, F and G, then a little in D, but I really had never tried any other keys. The band did a lot of songs in E, and expected me to solo some, so I would use the little pitch bend tab next to the volume pedal and hold it in while playing in F. It bent the note exactly a half step! The first transpose button!
Now, I can play in any key, but as mentioned, many licks work better in certain keys so I sometimes transpose so that I can sing in comfortable keys while playing in comfortable keys. It's just another tool.
I would break a blood vessel trying to sing Misty in Eb. I do it in C. Sue me.
Remember Alfalfa trying to hit those high notes in the Little Rascals. No, not the YOUNG Rascals.

Playing chords in all keys is easy with guitar. Guitar melody solos fall better in some keys.

In my pro keyboard days, I played songs in their original keys; transposing for a singer was not a problem. The first twenty years we never used a music on stage.

In the past three years I got lazy; it was easier playing everything in C. There is an up-side to playing everything in C, chord progressions, fill inns, and chord substitutions become second-nature, you do them without thought. In short you play the songs better in C.

I have a new friend, he plays all songs in F# ????? Must like the black keys. Bottom line; his playing is far above average, He Is Good.

Just saying, John C.
PS, are there any guitar players here who would like written melody for guitar?
Many years ago at my daughter’s wedding, the ceremony stopped so that I could play their favorite song: “What are You Doing the Rest of Your Life”, no backing, just guitar playing melody chords.

Guitar capo is what I see a lot = transpose button

Certain fingerpicking styles require the use of open strings to play effectively, and a capo facilitates that.

... fun fact - B major scale is SO much more finger friendly than C major.
Your hand just floats along the keys.

... fun fact - B major scale is SO much more finger friendly than C Fun fact B major. Your hand just floats along the keys.

Dave, maybe for you.

And yes, I see the value of a capo for open string guitar playing. But there are many that use it to transpose. Another thought: I have a friend, on in years, who tunes his guitar ½ a tone lower. Then he puts the capo on the first fret. The fingering becomes easier.

John C.

Chas, I tried to sing Misty in Eb and absolutely no way I could get remotely close to that chord, especially with no wind in my lousy lungs. However, I was able to do it in CMaj7 transposed down 3 half-steps. I had to crank up the mic input volume a bit to compensate for the lack of O2, but after listening to the finished product, I think I need to get back on the exercise program to improve what little vocal ability I have remaining. Here's what came out of the S-950 tonight: Misty

Chas, don't put out a contract on me - please!

Gary

Gary, first of all, NICE JOB. Secondly, the whole Eb thing was sort of a joke (poking fun at Yamaha) because Eb IS the original key, but everyone is right; keys don't mean squat to a vocalist. A vocalist sings where it's comfortable, key be damned. It's up to the musician to accommodate the vocalist - no if, ands, or buts. Errol Garner, the composer, wrote it in Eb, Groove Holmes, who had a minor 'cross the tracks' hit with it and all jazz organists, including Joey D, since then usually do some minor variation of his (Groove's) take on it. Too lazy to look it up but check out Groove's version on YouTube (Richard 'Groove' Holmes). That's pretty much the way I do it (and the way most people expect it in jazz clubs). I think Johnny Mathis probably had the biggest hit of it and probably the version most suitable for a retirement-age audience. Glad to see more 'Zoners' airing out these 'oldies-but-goodies'. BTW, keep a bed open for me as I might be moving in with you until after the Superbowl (unless the Ravens do a total collapse) . I don't eat much.

chas

If not pics or video, maybe just a recording? Sure we’ d all happily settle for that. Love that song.

Ooh!Ooh! Ooh! You forgot Ray Stephens , was his a one chord country version. Haha
Only kidding.

I loved Johnny Mathis version, wow I was retired at 7. Haha
Actually love Mathis songs in general.

NO! Like it, or not ... That banjo rocks!

Whoops, spelt his name incorrectly. ( fixed).
We used to love listening to him, his comedy songs were a hoot, and his version of Misty was brilliant too.

Chas, I'll start clearing out my son's old bedroom. Should have it ready in a couple weeks.

Gary

Yep, I'm an ear player and luckily, on gigs, we're totally vocals. So I 'fit' the keys to our vocal ranges. I will do an instrumental or two if necessary, nothing overly convoluted as I do have the ability to play them on the fly and will choose the keys of C or G for them.

When I'm at home I like to play more complicated, for me anyway, instrumentals like Alfie and My One and Only Love - whatever pops into my noggin.