The Steel Guitar Forum

I was playing around with Body and Soul for the last 2 evenings and this is what I recorded this evening.

I played this with my thumb pick and fingers, going for a real easy kind of sound. The improv is just something simple and melodic.

Guitar is my Clinesmith and the tuning is C6/A7.

Hope you enjoy.

http://soundcloud.com/ionahoopii/body-and-soul

Wow Mike, that's gorgeous! My favorite of yours to date, and I like everything you've done. I don't hear the steel guitar, I hear the music... I mean that as a high compliment. Great improv section, nothing but taste.

No fingerpicks, who'da thunk
it?

Nice jazz tone, Mike. Great voicings. I like your backing tracks, too.

WOW!!!

wonderful!!!

i think you could fool a lot of guitarist on some of the single line work, not realizing that was a steel - that tone fits your style well.
great arrangement. this is the kind of stuff i like to listen to late night to unwind.

Jerome Hawkes wrote:i think you could fool a lot of guitarist on some of the single line work, not realizing that was a steel - that tone fits your style well.
great arrangement. this is the kind of stuff i like to listen to late night to unwind.

I work hard at trying to find a balance between my guitar playing sensibilities and the steel. I want to have chops, but I don't want to lose what's best about the steel. I very rarely ever play guitar anymore--that's one way to do it!

Thanks, everyone!

Nice! great job, Mike.

Incredible! This is why I chose to play lap steel, because it can be used in many context and styles.

I would like to know where you got your backing track? Could you share it with us? I have a small project in which we will play jazz standards and I will be on lap steel, it would help me get in the mood...

Dan Simard wrote:Incredible! This is why I chose to play lap steel, because it can be used in many context and styles.

I would like to know where you got your backing track? Could you share it with us? I have a small project in which we will play jazz standards and I will be on lap steel, it would help me get in the mood...

I have some Jamey Aebersold Play-A-Longs and this was one of them. I just remove the piano track by deleting that channel. Normally, I would record my own rhythm track using my bass and my drum loop library, but this saved me some time.

Mike, that was beautiful - both in concept and execution. You thought like a sax player in the improv section which unfolded very naturally and organically from the head.

A new level of expression you have found.
- Yoda

Very nice.

Lovely, Mike. Sweet.

Beautifully done Mike. And one of my favorite tunes. Hard to play well at that slow tempo, but that's the speed at which most jazz players do it.

In Stardust Melodies, a book which explores the story behind the creation of several classic melodies, the composer was asked if he knew he was creating a classic. He was writing it for a Broadway play. His response was: "All I knew was that it had to be done by Tuesday." Also, as I recall he wrote the bridge to be used in some other tune years earlier, but it was rejected.

Again, great job. Thanks for posting. Keep 'em coming.

All the best,

Bob

Thanks for listening, Andy, Bob, Jim, John.

It is a great song. So many wonderful versions recorded through the years--you can't argue with Coleman Hawkins' version, but John Coltrane's version is one of my favorites, though he changed the harmony considerably and picked up the tempo.

I have a lot of reharm ideas, but my rhythm section (Aebersold) wasn't having it.

Mike Neer wrote: I have a lot of reharm ideas, but my rhythm section (Aebersold) wasn't having it.

That's why they invented Band in a Box. (But you knew that... )

I really enjoyed hear this tune, and so well executed. Great job Mike.

Beautifully done, Mike.

I could listen to a whole album of this. And it motivates me to Spotify these standards.

Many thanks for listening.

I'm sure I'll be playing this one differently in a few weeks--at least I hope to make it evolve.

Great playing MIke. I bet you could really swing this one if you wanted to. It sure sounds like you have the chops. Again, super playing. Larry

gave me visions of Julie London

thnx

Stephen Watson wrote:gave me visions of Julie London

Anything that gives me visions of Julie London is a good thing in my book!

Yo Jim,

Ditto on Julie London!

Best,

Bob

Julie London With Body and Soul




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