Rehearsal time was spent going over the form of our pieces and working on difficult passages mostly. Don unleashed his metronome app on us, over a loudspeaker, to force us to play together and stop rushing the tempo. It worked. Jim's piece is so solid that he added a little part to add some interest in the chorus section. The faculty are always trying to out-do each other.
My elective today was, "tune up your engine room," which exposed us to each instrument and it's part of a rhythm section. They call it the engine room because, like a steamboat, the engine room is responsible for making everything go.
Alan & Jim break down the engine room for us
Alan and Jim showed and played us each of the parts for cowbells, shaker, iron (a car brake drum to you non- Trini's), scratcher, congas, and trap set. I got to play the traps while everyone else rotated on each of the instruments as we played to a soca beat. Today I learned that the word soca comes from the words, soul & calypso. I had a blast with this!
I nearly forgot, but we now have a complete chart for Ray's piece, and I think it's gonna sound ok! I was pretty worried about that one.
Tonight's concert featured the student group, Rocky Mountain Steel Band and a part faculty part advanced student band, featuring Ray. It was a real treat to hear a master like Ray play a ballad on the pan.
I need to go practice some more... It's beginning to sink in that tomorrow is our last day.
Location:S High St,Denver,United States
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