6 Comments

I love this so much! The "Ask me how I know" moment got a chuckle out of me. I love following your journey, Julian and just got the idea today that I would love to write together one day! Sending that out into the stratosphere. Blessings and love my old friend!

Expand full comment
author

Much love Jessy. Great to hear from you. I'm glad to make you laugh out loud haha. Yes let's connect some time and rap music etc!

Expand full comment
Oct 28, 2023Liked by Julian Davis Reid

Hard to beat a Sax as a solo instrument. You know the guitar "Fuzz" boxes of the '60's ( like what Jimi Hendrix used ), they were made to emulate the Sax of the '50's ! Anyway, Julian, piano can be great as a solo instrument, if you get out of the habit of using your left hand as an "accompaniment" and instead use it as an integral part of soloing. I suggest listening to Rod Argent of "Argent" from the '70's and, earlier, in the '60's, the "Zombies." PS I enjoyed the tune you shared, quite a bit! Though, I prefer songs with words, to tell something about the Lord.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks for engaging, Don. Yes I love piano as a solo instrument. "Solo Monk" is incredible, as is McCoy Tyner. I draw a lot from that for my own solo playing. And thanks for the recs - I'll check them out.

Yes about the Lord, and I love praising God all kinds of sounds, just like in Psalm 150.

Expand full comment

What even is a piano? LOL love this question so much. Did you know I "play" the piano? Quotation marks because that means I took lessons from 4 - 16 and then stopped lessons. Maybe I play on average (old hymns and from a book on classics), 1-2 a week. I always wished I had learned jazz and improv and just listening but I never developed that ear/skill. Is it too late, I wonder? Or is it something more innate? We have a piano, and it's old, and it was free, and it was given to us by a church, and I love it.

Love all this, Julian! Love connecting here. Thank you for being so welcoming. <3

Expand full comment

Mihee! Thank you for even considering learning some more. It’s never too late. Listening is half the battle. The more you listen to the greats play, the more yo I’ll hear your own voice emerge. (I think this is the same with listing to scripture for the faith of our ancestors and thereby discerning our own.)

Expand full comment