Sippin' at Bells by Miles Davis - concertina and guitar

[SimonThoumire]

Here's a wee video I made yesterday with fab guitar player Kevin MacKenzie. It's a Miles Davis tune called Sippin' at Bells. If you want to try it here is the sheet music. I've never been very confident at taking a jazz solo but I go for it here with my eyes shut!! This video is an edit of my latest vlog where me and Kev reminisce about the good old days. Watch the whole thing here.

 

 

 

[maccannic]

I'm reminded of an Ian Dury song: 'There ain't 'alf been some clever bastards'.

[Randy Stein]

Pretty awesome, Simon

[Gregor Markič]

Bravo! No way I could ever play this on my anglo. This is only possible on a duet.

Edited May 19, 2021 by Gregor Markič

[juris]

Hello Gregor, Definitely impossible on the Anglo-German system concertina. Simon is using an English (or Wheatstone) system concertina held in an unconventional manner. Probably playable on a duet, but depending on the overlap between the two hands, could be confined to the right hand alone. I don't play duet, but have one at home. 

 

Congratulations Simon, Do you think your rather (clears throat) eccentric method of holding the concertina gives you any advantage in playing chromatic passages? I see there are many passages where you can consider enharmonic equivalents but not necessarily in a consistent fashion. I have to admit that what with my antiquated computer system and two strong hearing aids, I don't hear much off the internet and I also never listen to jazz. But I'm very interested in all attempts to push the concertina into foreign idioms. Keep up the great work! 

 

All the best, Juris

[David Barnert]

7 hours ago, juris said:

Probably playable on a duet, but depending on the overlap between the two hands, could be confined to the right hand alone.

 

That’s the problem. You can’t play linear tunes as fast on a duet because one hand has to play all (or almost all) the notes.