Re: What Is Hip?

[George Hagilaris <yiorgos@infomatch.com>]

Hi,

Personally, I think it's all good, if done from the heart.  Playing busy,
when appropriate, playing simply, playing up front, just supporting,
concentrating on the notes, concentrating on the sound, playing loud, soft,
fast, slow, R&B, jazzy, rock, whatever.

As long as it's done with heart and soul and you respect the other musicians
you're playing with, that's all that counts as far as I'm concerned.  It 
inevitably shows in the music.  *That* is "hip" to me.

Funny, I don't think any one has mentioned the actual lyrics of the T.O.P.
tune "What is Hip" which I think makes a good point.  "Hip" is not about
our subjective tastes, or what's "in".  It's about being real, true to 
yourself.

The band I'm playing Hammond in is trying to combine quite a lot of 
different influences that each of us bring into the group.  We've got
funk, jazz, R&B, reggae, latin and several different ethnic music 
influences.  It's quite a weird combination but it feels right to us,
and that's all we're concerned about.  I don't know if it will be 
successful but that's secondary (as far as this particular band is 
concerned).

Happy playing,
Yiorgos