Tag Archives: music

Monkey THIS Up

Posted on August 31, 2018 by JMN

A Florida white man running for office against a black man has said voters shouldn’t “monkey this up.” I’ve been listening nonstop to Wayne Shorter for three days. Mr. Shorter doesn’t monkey up the music scene. He towers among his … Continue reading →

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Good Pipes, Bad Vibes

Posted on August 28, 2018 by JMN

I experience a jolt of sad satisfaction in catching myself being two-faced about something. I’ve listened to many of the classic crooners at one time, but not much to Frank Sinatra now. I think it’s because I stumble a bit … Continue reading →

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Ear Fatigue Syndrome and Recovery

Posted on August 25, 2018 by JMN

The wireless speakers strewn about The Shed burble from their niches most of the day. Some days I think I’ve divined the secret of much jazz that I listen to: Play only the notes that are not hummable. I say … Continue reading →

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Personal Goal

Posted on August 20, 2018 by JMN

When I was a student of literature I recall being influenced by a school of critical theory (Rene Wellek?) that said an author’s biography was irrelevant to a consideration of his or her text. Once it was loosed from the … Continue reading →

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Thank you, and “I Could Eat Your Words”

Posted on July 28, 2018 by JMN

Check out this video on YouTube: Thank you to my precious, patient readers who spend a moment of their invaluable time to look my way here on EthidalDative. I can only strive to repay the compliment. And although I try … Continue reading →

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Los Meros Meros

Posted on July 27, 2018 by JMN

Check out this video on YouTube: I love this video. It makes me grin and tap my foot. Current Stats for Future Reference (2018) Decline in city’s median age last 7 years: 36.4 to 35.8. Hispanic population of county: 47% … Continue reading →

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Listening to…

Posted on May 8, 2018 by JMN

Kizzy Crawford and Gwilym Simcock, “Birdsong” (album). The songs are in English and Welsh. (Copyright 2018 James Mansfield Nichols. All rights reserved.)

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Minor Pentatonic Scale (1) [7-6-2012]

Posted on May 2, 2018 by JMN

(a) I’ve adapted the above “box pattern” graphics from “Fretboard Knowledge for the Contemporary Guitarist,” Vivian Clement (Alfred Publishing Co., 2003), p. 11. I’ve put note names where the book’s originals have black dots. I do so fully realizing that … Continue reading →

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Listening to…

Posted on April 25, 2018 by JMN

Patricia Barber. I hear a lot of her music on my streaming sources. This amazing artist is prolific, and sings unfailingly fresh-sounding covers of standards, like the one I just heard: “Bye-Bye Blackbird.” Her vocals and arrangements and accompaniment are … Continue reading →

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Why Learn the Fretboard? (6-23-2012)

Posted on April 22, 2018 by JMN

I learned touch typing in high school and have used it intensively all my life. My dream is to enable my fingers to find the notes they need on the fretboard as automatically and unconsciously as they find the letters … Continue reading →

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