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james's avatar

yeah vinnie! improv in a fine balance of structure and being in the moment with feeling.. i love bacharach.. a brilliant sonngwriter of inspired molody and harmony… ivan lins and jobim, as well as joyce moreno are all in a similiar realm of compositional appeal, although they all have portuguese lyrics instead..check out tutty morenos drumming for more inspired bossa and brasilian drumming.. milton banana is great! have a wnderful run!

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Vinnie Sperrazza's avatar

Thanks James! Ivan Lins, great call!

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clarke kelly's avatar

Unamplified bass & piano- I wish more clubs did this, but they are recording & streaming

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Richard Kamins's avatar

You're right, Vinnie, when you write "How did music this technically and emotionally complex become so popular?" When Burt Bacharach really came into his own as a composer in the late 1950s-early 60s, most it not all of his songs were written for Black artists with primarily Black audiences. This audience was much more sophisticated a group of listeners and had no issues with the composer's rhythms as long it did not detract from the story the lyrics were telling. The teenage audience wanted more basic rhythms –– Bacharach's music for Herb Alpert, B.J. Thomas, and a few others, while big hits, were much "simpler.

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Vinnie Sperrazza's avatar

Thanks for the insight Richard!

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DJpeterDE's avatar

I saw "The Look of Love" tonight (last show in Philly), you were great! Light and propulsive, and one (in particular) HUGE fill like a bookshelf collapsing, it captured the focus but didn't STEAL focus: it was dramatically apt.

Loved Ethan's left hand for "Walk On By" and the subtle friction between the different grooves: eight to the bar in the piano, laidback cross-stick on the snare. So hip!

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Vinnie Sperrazza's avatar

Next time come say hi!! Thanks for the kind words— I must say, the band, dancers, and Mr. Morris were very happy with the shows this weekend…glad you enjoye!!!

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DJpeterDE's avatar

I was about to but... at the end of the show the band gathered and I didn't want to interrupt your circle.

Just posted this:

https://x.com/DJpeterDE/status/1797335950688731511

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Vinnie Sperrazza's avatar

Beautiful writing! Much appreciated….

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Tom Moon's avatar

Yeah! Great piece! I imagine it would be quite the challenge to handle the expectations of dancers waiting for cues while also evoking that sometimes stretchy sometimes exact Milton Banana pulse.

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Vinnie Sperrazza's avatar

Thank you Tom! Love Echo Locator, nice to hear from you. Well, the dancers are great no matter what I do, but yes, it's a tricky balancing act for sure. Thanks again for reading!

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Shaggy Snodgrass's avatar

Thanks for this. It's important people know that sometimes even top-level players have to live with and even struggle with a piece of music for a while, until they land upon the right approach to interpret that piece for the purpose before them.

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Vinnie Sperrazza's avatar

My thoughts exactly-- better to get it all out there, all my heroes have been candid with me, trying to pay it forward. Thanks for reading!

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Victor Sanchez's avatar

I'll be in the balcony Wednesday night.

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Vinnie Sperrazza's avatar

Come say hi at the pit Victor!

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Victor Sanchez's avatar

I'll try but if I remember correctly you can't access the Balcony via the Orchestra seats limiting my ability to say "hi.' I think access to the Balcony is via elevators in the lobby.

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Victor Sanchez's avatar

First thing, the sound in the Balcony was great. It was something I worried about but your drums and the rest of the band sounded great.

I never heard a link between "Raindrops..." and "Singing in the Rain" but I heard it last night. It was a wonderful evening, perfect for my heartbroken mood at the moment. I might go back on Sunday because I enjoyed the music that much.

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Vinnie Sperrazza's avatar

Thanks Victor! Our last show is Saturday…if you come again you must say hello..glad to be of service 🙏

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Victor Sanchez's avatar

Damn, I am the House Manager at The Maysles Documentary Center and we have screenings tonight through Sunday afternoon...thought I could make it Sunday night. Well, come by for a film sometime, maysles.org

If you have ideas about film and music maybe together we could do a Screening Series at the cinema.

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Rob Ewing's avatar

I hear the sidewinder beat as coming out of New Orleans street beat type grooves. But these things are all intertwined.

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Vinnie Sperrazza's avatar

Good point. It’s all intertwined and blended..

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Rob Ewing's avatar

When I was at Berklee back in the 90s I got to take a drum history class from Joe Hunt who you may know played on a lot of the Getz Gilberto stuff (after that first album). Always liked his approach and a sweet guy.

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Richard Williams's avatar

Lovely piece, Vinnie. Nice to see the mention of the great Gary Chester. Here's something I wrote about him a few years ago:

https://thebluemoment.com/2014/02/24/give-the-session-drummer-some/

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Vinnie Sperrazza's avatar

Beautiful essay Richard! I will be constructing a playlist of those tunes. The world would be a tiny bit better with all that info out there!!

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