"Giant Steps" Sol Hoopii style

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 12 Aug 2012 9:21 pm

When I was running today, I couldn't get the idea of Giant Steps played by Sol Hoopii out of my head (must have been the hot sun). Anyway, I had a little time tonight to speare so I decided to give it a shot. Pretty rough but I think there are some fun ideas there. Haven't played this way in a long time.

I used Sol's C#min7 tuning and my Electar Model M with an Aiello pickup.

So, in the spirit of fun, I hope you like it.

http://soundcloud.com/ionahoopii/giant- ... opii-style

Steve Cunningham · Post by **Steve Cunningham** » 12 Aug 2012 10:13 pm

Very cool Mike...great sounding steel too.
I really liked the improv, kind of a Sol/Bob Dunn/Flavor Flav kinda thing.

Marino Galli · Post by **Marino Galli** » 12 Aug 2012 11:45 pm

Hi Mike,
I also like your " Giant Steps " version a la "Sol Hoopi"!
Continues in this direction, Mike :- we will follow you!

Jerry Gleason · Post by **Jerry Gleason** » 13 Aug 2012 2:22 am

That was a fun ride through an alternate universe... I know it's supposed to be tongue in cheek, but it makes perfect sense in that style. I love it!

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 13 Aug 2012 3:04 am

That put a big smile on my face, Mike. Good way to start a Monday morning back to a pile of work. I love the concept.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 13 Aug 2012 3:04 am

oops - double

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 13 Aug 2012 3:04 am

oops. Triple!

Tony Lombardo · Post by **Tony Lombardo** » 13 Aug 2012 3:28 am

That should be on a CD, just like that.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 13 Aug 2012 4:48 am

Thanks, guys.

Andy: thank you, thank you, thank you.

This is really just a joke--to me the punchline is the Hawaiian turnarounds.

Anyway, when I was playing guitar and gigging very regularly, some guys I worked with would shout out the name of a player (Allan Holdsworth, Jerry Garcia, Angus Young, etc.) and I would always do my best to capture their essence. It was always great fun and it always triggered my imagination as to what those players would have played at that moment. This is just another example of it--fun, but much more fun to create your own style.

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 13 Aug 2012 6:16 am

That was refreshing......and well played......

I love when styles & genres are mixed (when done well)........this concept reminded me of Joe Craven's 2004 CD "Django Latino".........

Bill Wynne · Post by **Bill Wynne** » 13 Aug 2012 6:34 am

That was crazy cool, Mike.

It reminds me of when I hear songs done in the style of Django Reinhardt that weren't written until he died. It is the strange rift in the space-time continuum.

Oh, and I'll take more where that came from, please.

Mitch Druckman · Post by **Mitch Druckman** » 13 Aug 2012 6:52 am

I would love to hear it but the link you posted is not working.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 13 Aug 2012 7:03 am

The Soundcloud site may have experienced a temporary hiccup, but it seems to working now.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 13 Aug 2012 7:38 am

Weird enough for pro work! I noticed "ionahoopii" has a few other oddities - if you can get the right chicks in the right grass skirts, you could make a heck of a YouTube vid!

Larry Chung · Post by **Larry Chung** » 13 Aug 2012 8:23 am

That was most enjoyable. Thanks, Mike, sounds great!

L. Bogue Sandberg · Post by **L. Bogue Sandberg** » 13 Aug 2012 9:18 am

Playing that good is NOT a joke! Sol is up there beaming, I'm sure.

Bogue

Jim Newberry · Post by **Jim Newberry** » 13 Aug 2012 9:24 am

Like it, Dr. Mike!

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 13 Aug 2012 9:38 am

Y'know Mike, I really enjoy most everything you play, (from jazz to the Ho'opi'i 1920's)...but man, if I could come anywhere close to your old tricone playing I'd be happier than a little boy in an ice cream eating contest ! You do a fine job to make Sol smile and proud !

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 13 Aug 2012 9:55 am

Soundcloud won't work if you're using AOL.......

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 13 Aug 2012 12:10 pm

What a cool idea. I was not familiar enough with Giant Steps to know how well you covered the tune, but your playing sounds good to me.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 13 Aug 2012 2:00 pm

Off topic, I know, but one giant step deserves another ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV4Iwh6Kl1c

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 13 Aug 2012 3:08 pm

Okay, so this is Sol Hoopii style played by Mike Neer. Have you ever asked yourself whether Sol Hoopii could have played in Mike Neer style ?
Don't downgrade yourself, Mike. You're just as good as he was.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 13 Aug 2012 5:56 pm

Hah! That's fun! Thanks for posting that, Mike.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 13 Aug 2012 6:16 pm

Alan, Sol Hoopii was the pioneer and the instrument's first superstar. Every steel guitarist owes him a debt of gratitude.

I appreciate the kind words, but there aren't enough years left in my lifetime to get to his level.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 14 Aug 2012 3:06 am

Joke or not, I dug it. What's next? How about Lady Bird in the style of Speedy West or Dick McIntire?