Enough time has gone by for this instrument to begin being accepted and to get calls for. I’ve played the Chapman Stick and NS/Stick on a variety of different situations. From Frankie Avalon, Raquel Welch, Dukes of Hazard tv episode, Progbands, Dwight Yoakum country, Blue Note club dates, small club dates, weddings… even where I was the “minister” playing Stick as the couple walks up to the alter – I then say lovely words ending with “I now pronounce you…” and then picking up the Stick again to (as we say in the entertainment biz) “Play ’em off” as they walk away a married couple. Movies, Jazz festivals ohhh the list goes on.

What is interesting for me is how it becomes positioned. By that I mean, generally my experience is I am covering the bass role most definitely. From there I add chord comping, guitar parts, midi keyboards. If I’m solo, I’ll even sing.

Lately I have come across a new position!! Take the Blue Note house band gig. They already have incredible players on keyboard, guitar, bass, drums. You ask yourself… hmmm where do I fit in. Lol, If you’re like me you immediately answer yourself, “musically I always have something to say!” So you find an alternate part on a frequency in the song that is open. Great example: At the Blue Note Tony Saunders is an amazing bassist. When he takes a melodic solo… the bottom drops out. I then jump in. When he’s finished maybe the keyboardist solos or the guitarist, I jump in with chords or rhythmic lead lines. It’s INCREDIBLE. If it were baseball I’d be the relief pitcher, catcher, runner LOL. Thank goodness it’s not baseball (too much my running for me).

Last night David Aguilar (of Big Brother And The Holding Company – Janis Joplin band) comes up on stage. He sings and plays guitar so now we have two guitars, drums, bass, keyboards…. I then thought “What we don’t have is “Slide guitar” so I pull out my trusty carabiner that I use as a slide on the NS/Stick, kick on the distortion on my MacRack and vuwalla I found a part, got a solo out of it too. Here’s something funny too. I needed a chart, so Greg the keyboardist airdropped it to my MacRack and I read it off my screen. Now how fun is all that.

Tomorrow’s gig at Kennedy’s Indian Curry House & Irish Pub in San Francisco I’m told is a Jazz Festival. I’ll take pictures of what I eat! as well as “Find my parts in the band”.

Ahhh looks like I wrote a novel, thanks for reading on.

Stay well my friends and family,

/Don