Guitar Talk # 07: Coffee and Guitar

Years and years ago in a Galaxy far away… I used to work at a café. I liked coffee but I wasn’t that big of a fan to be honest. But then, smelling that freshly brewed “magic juice” every single morning did something to me and I found myself infatuated beyond belief.

Maybe I am exaggerating a bit but you get the point. Too much of everything can be harmful but I’ve never felt anything bad as long as I’ve kept it at a cup or two a day.

Playing guitar is a physical thing, though. Sometimes you are just too mellow, too sleepy, especially in the morning you just can’t get your body happening. That’s where coffee comes in for many people.

I practice guitar in the morning, before leaving home, for about an hour. I’m also into intermittent fasting, meaning I eat my first meal of the day at around 11 p.m. So, what that means is I don’t eat breakfast, just drink a cup of black coffee. It’s become a nice ritual. Coffee wakes me up and guitar playing gets me energized and inspired, especially if my fingers are in good shape and I come up with cool motifs and melodies.

I also play in the evenings. If I happen to have had more than 2 cups of coffee during the day and I’m drinking my 3rd one while I’m playing, my fingers get somewhat fidgety and stiff at the same time; very difficult to control. It’s a cumbersome situation sometimes, because I may have had an idea in my head during the day when I didn’t have my guitar with me and now I do have it but I just can’t transfer the idea through my fingers.

Coffee is cool, though.
Take care.

Guitar Talk # 04: Russell Malone’s Triple Play

Russell Malone is one of my favorite guitarists of all time. I discovered him through earlier Diana Krall albums and Benny Green’s “Bluebird “album (2004). But he also worked with legends like Jimmy Smith, Ron Carter, Marsalis brothers.

His first trio recording was “Triple Play” album (2010). In the booklet of the CD, he says he stayed away from recording as a trio for some time because he hadn’t felt ready yet. That, to me, has been such an inspiring bit. He is an experienced, brilliant musician yet he didn’t just go into the studio and come up with something. He waited for the right moment, out of respect to what he does. Such humbleness from a musician at his level is wonderful.

On the other hand, though, if that’s the standard to be recognized and it sets the boundaries, what chance do the rest of us, who have never worked with the likes of Ron Carter, have in a musical universe, for crying out loud? 

Just kidding.
Do what you love, give it your best shot. What else is there?