Glen Rose's Great New Bossa Nova Video

Kimosabe

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Glen,

I sat down with your new video last night and really gave it a go. I'm about 30 min. into it but worked with it for about three hours. I love it and appreciate all the subtle intelligence that went into it and the great pacing that makes it easy to follow. I think the beach location and the changing of locations adds nice variety. I like how you stop and talk like a real lesson, and the information gives answers to real questions I have, such as how one simplifies the rhythm while singing, how one adds dimension by muting the strings, and when and where one might mute the strings. I like how you broke the pattern into two parts, easier to learn and understand. I also really enjoyed your emphasis about foot tapping. I have good friends who have played cellos in famous symphony orchestras and chamber groups. They sneered when I asked them if they tapped. I like to move a lot when I play. It makes it fun. I think in some African languages the word for singing and dancing is the same.

It's also great how what you do is tied to your book. Perfect. The reason I spent three hours with a half an hour of your over an hour video is that I stopped it and danced around the room playing the rhythmic pattern with the chord progressions of various songs in your Bossa Nova book. It was fun. I thought I was Tom Jobim sitting in the shade of Sugar Loaf Mountain in Rio. The rhythm puts you there and it's so jazzy. You know some Blue Grass players make fun of hippy chords. I think that starts with anything other than a major. These are definitely hippy chords. Frank Sinatra on the beach.

It's great Glen. You strike again. I've learned so much from you. Adding jazz to a person's life is no small thing. Your product is very reasonably priced. It takes work but the work is fun. You break it down into pieces that are learnable. I think this rhythm video really brings your method together. Perhaps you can do something comparable for other rhythms.

And, if I have your permission I'd like to post this review on the Ukulele Underground Talk forum and help other would be jazz uke players get access to your great way to learn.

I told Dirk Wormhoudt about you because his strings and instruments bring out the subtle possibilites of the uke, how it can be made to sound more jazzy. I can't wait to try the rhythm on my baritone with Cuatro tuning, the low one and four strings. That will sound rich and nice. I really dig these classical metal strings that Dirk makes. I have them on my Kanilea koa tenor. They ring out and bring real sustain to the uke, and they're very easy on the fingers, low g. But then I was also cranking out the Copacabana chacha on my lute-like Ohana Vita uke, high g.

You've done a lot of great work on this Glen. Can't wait to get more into the video and learn more. It's helping my song writing. I was improvising jazz progressions up and down the neck, scatting and it was all staying in that bossa nova groove. Tall, and tan, and young and lovely, the meaning of existence oh my love. Yeah.

More, more------------------------------------------------Kim Jorgensen, aka kimosabe, Sir Reginald Farnsworth,
Elvis Farnsworth
Re: Bossa Nova review THANKS
Dear Reg,
Your revue really means a lot to me. I always fret a little when creating something new. I lose perspective . Your words are a great comfort to me.


Please by all means post on Uke Underground. All the products Wont be up on the site for a few days yet as I'm in motion tomorrow leaving this paradise island on a bus for the coast of Cambodia. My wifi connect may be problematic there too so I have to figure how to get connected. Part of the adventure.


I am so delighted to hear you were dancing around , locked into the groove. Perfect! Just as it should be. You can Bossa absolutly any chord changes or any tune. I practice a lot in a Bossa groove when doing repetitions trying to learn new skills or tunes. Just keeps me going .


The foot taping is a huge factor in getting rhythm grooves of any kind. It's not stressed enough to people learning . It's really not easy for uninitiated tappers. I was one as I grew up on classical, non foot taping reality!


Salute'
Glen

Sent from my iPod
 
I don't know if a sound sample is on the way or not, but kimo had sent me a sample earlier with his Baritone in Cuatro tuning.

I've always been a big fan of this music (going to catch Esperanza Spalding at the New Orleans Jazz Fest next week), and as lovely as kimo's Baritone sounded, I was really blown away with the rhytyms he was playing. Back when I had time to play, I tried to get some of this stuff down and was never close to getting it that nice.

I'm going to finally take up playing again this year (on hiatus since Katrina), and I've made up my mind that the Glen Rose Method will transition me back in. Either kimo is a natural (could be), or Mr. Rose is a wonderful teacher (I hope).
 
Glen's a great teacher. I've learned so much and I practice.
 
Thanks for the review of Glen's new video instructions. I'm a big fan of his and really enjoy his down to earth teaching approach. He has opened up the vast potential of the baritone ukulele for me and has made me a convert.
 
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