Saturday, June 11, 2011

June 11, 2011 - Hal Smith

My Influences


Hal Smith
Drums, history, and pure awesome

I have a friend,
His name is Hal.
He's one serious hell of a pal.

As a musicianer, I feel it's important to quickly find some connection, a common language, that can be used to deliver music and its spirit to others. Ensemble!
Sometimes it takes a little while to get to know another musicianer; shyness, external situations, etc. might slow the process. Sometimes it never happens.
Hal Smith would be one of the very best illustrations of a musicianer effortlessly falling into spirit and step with his peers. I've seen him lock-in to many different bands, each having its own sound and feel; each airtight and seamless, no doubt due to the effortless mastery of a certain impeccable drummer and his glad willingness to produce heartfelt music.

The first music I shared with Hal felt as if he and I had been playing together since we were in grade school together. Since he and I did not both attend Audubon Elementary School, the experience must depict Hal's innate ability to find some connection, a common language, that can be used to deliver music and its spirit to others.
Hal is a true ensemble player!

Off the stage, Hal has been a highly supportive friend and guide. He's quick with a joke or a clever diversion to avoid negativity.
His friendship, the same as his musicianship, is airtight and seamless. Again, ensemble!

A great many thanks, Hal! Your inspiration, friendship, musicianing, and newspaper wielding are nothing short of the very best anyone could desire. I look forward to much more of it!


Check out Hal Smith in cyberspace:
http://www.halsmithmusic.com/


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"Let us become inspired by inherent beauty, and not impassioned by manufactured hate."
~ Nima Shirali

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About Me

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Austin, Texas, United States
Music has been, at the very least, a truly notable part of most of my life. It was guitar in the late '80s through the '90s, playing the punk rock and death metal until the uilleann pipes came along to show me Irish music. Somewhere in the midst of the pipering madness, I decided to pick up a string bass. Next thing I knew, I was in Austin, TX studying traditional jazz and playing string bass full-time. Music has been good to me and continues to show me the good things in life. With this blog, I hope to share some of those good things (more than likely, I'll probably share some rants, too). I hope you get something from it, even if it's just a good laugh (with me or at me: your choice).