Jeff Hartman

Yogi Berra Explains Jazz

February 27, 2005
jshartman

INTERVIEWER: What do you expect is in store for the future of jazz guitar?

YOGI: I’m thinkin’ there’ll be a group of guys who’ve never met talkin’ about it all the time.

INTERVIEWER: Can you explain what Jazz is?

YOGI: I can’t, but I will. 90% of all jazz is half improvisation. The other half is the part people play while others are playing something they never played with anyone who played that part. So, if you play the wrong part, it’s right. If you play the right part, it might be right if you play it wrong enough. But if you play it too right, it’s wrong.

INTERVIEWER: I don’t understand.

YOGI: Anyone who understands jazz knows that you can’t understand it. It’s too complicated. That’s what’s so simple about it.

INTERVIEWER: Do you understand it?

YOGI: No. That’s why I can explain it. If I understood it, I wouldn’t know how to explain anything about it.

INTERVIEWER: Are there any great jazz players alive today?

YOGI: No. All the great jazz players alive today are dead. Except for the ones that are still alive. But so many of them are dead, that the ones that are still alive are dying to be like the ones that are dead. Some would kill for it.

INTERVIEWER: What is syncopation?

YOGI: That’s when the note that you should hear now happens either before or after you hear it. In jazz, you don’t hear notes when they happen because that would be some other type of music. Other types of music can be jazz, but only if they’re the same as something different from those other kinds.

INTERVIEWER: Now I really don’t understand.

YOGI: That’s because I haven’t taught you enough for you to not understand jazz that well.

Happy New Year!

December 27, 2004
jshartman

The year is coming to an end once again. 2004 was a good year for me and the boys. In January, Tony and I had the pleasure of appearing on “Words & Music,” a television show on Channel 19 WEBB TV broadcast from the campus of Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, NC. Later that month the four of us had the good fortune of appearing at Massanutten Ski Resort in Virginia with our families in tow.

We made several promotional appearances throughout the year on 1290 WHKY Talk Radio’s First Talk w/Hal Row out of Hickory, NC, Real Radio 104.1 FM Clear Channel Radio’s Melissa Foxx Show out of Orlando, FL, WSGE 91.7 FM out of Dallas, NC, 103 FM WCIR Morning Hookup w/B-Rez & Tasha & Cheap Thrills Records out of Beckley, WV.

The Weeklys and several other music-related magazines printed nice articles in support of the band and live music in general. Our CD’s are now regularly carried by several on- and off-line stores including CDX Mixed Media, Awarestore & Sunshine Daydreams and are nearly sold out. Our albums caught a nice review by “Left off the Dial” out of Arlington, VA.

We were able to host two fundraisers for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in Hickory and Charlotte, NC and one for International Dental Volunteers in Charlotte.

In March we threw together a concert at The CoMMA in Morganton. It’s a space I’ve played as an actor, but never as a musician. It was a lot of fun and I was blessed with a performance by my family for my birthday during intermission. The boys chipped in and sent me to see Prince, too! We captured a great performance at The CoMMA on DVD & CD.

For the first time, the band traveled from North Carolina to Jersey and back down to Florida and everywhere in between. Thanks to APCA, we were able to hit the college scene a little harder from South Carolina to Miami. We were fortunate enough to return to Disney World twice. Over the summer we hosted an open jam night at The Store in the UNCC area. We met some very talented musicians.

We had the pleasure and honor of appearing with Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre and Arrested Development at The Neighborhood Theatre’s NODA Fest. We performed with an array of local talent including Driftwood Project, Sol Funky, Simplified, Jared & Co., Buddaheads, Mieka Pauley, Mood Cultivation Project, None the Wiser, Contagious, Black Market Radio, Lauren & Company, Spookie Daly Pride, Abe Reid & The Spike Drivers, Bellyfull, David Childers & The Modern Don Juans, Laughingravy, Gigi Dover, Blue Merle, Mar & Dave Matthews Cover Band.

We hit more festivals than we ever have before including the Greater Hickory Smoke BBQ Festival in Hickory, NC, The Neighborhood Theatre’s NODA Fest in Charlotte, NC, Festival in the Park in Roanoke, VA, Hickory Alive in Hickory, McHale’s T-Box Festival in Fort Mill, SC, Summer Jam UNCC in Charlotte, Hannah Flanagan’s Apple Fest in Hendersonville, NC and Apocalypse Cow Party in Richmond, VA.

We didn’t host as many special guests this year, but as always it was a pleasure getting together with percussionists Rick Cline & Phill Kirby when we could.

In August, we rolled into the studio to track our latest studio album. We’re about to wrap up editing and finish tracking some odds and ends.

2005 will prove to be another prosperous year. We’re looking to release our second studio album in the Spring accompanied by another memorable CD release Gala. We’ll be hitting the college scene even harder and heading west. You’ll witness the birth of a new website, you’ll hear another album’s worth of new original material and you’ll find Jif on keys more often than not. In any case, none of this would be possible without the love and support of family, friends & fans. I’m very grateful for the fine unit of musicians I get to take the stage with every night and work with behind the scenes. It’s a collective I’m proud to be a part of. Thank you and God bless.

It’s a boy!

November 16, 2004
jshartman

It’s a boy … and … it’s a boy!

It’s twins!

Attached is the ultrasound. “A” and “B” indicate their heads.

Announcement

August 29, 2004
jshartman

We wanted to wait until our first successful doctor’s visit to make the announcement. I guess we’re superstitious. Although someone couldn’t keep a secret! She knows who she is! : )

So here it is.

Carol Anne and I are happy to announce that we’re going to be parents again! Our baby’s due on April 3rd.

We’re very excited and we’ll keep you posted. Timmy won’t stop talking about it. We’re a little freaked out though because Timmy keeps referring to the baby as his “baby sisters.” Plural!

Special thanks to all of those who have helped us get Carol Anne through her morning sickness. Especially Hope.

Women and Children Behaving Badly

July 26, 2004
jshartman

On Monday, July 26 at 10 am, Timothy Craig Hartman was arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced by a daddy judge and jury to 30 minutes on “the chair” with no toys for vandalizing the living room couch and himself with Daddy’s permanent magic markers unbeknownst to Daddy. According to my sources, the two female suspects responsible for corrupting my child in every possible way regarding making a mess and misbehaving are still at large. Attached are the most recent photos authorities have of these two scoundrels.

On a personal note, I would like to apologize to my parents for anything I vandalized as a child and for any misbehavior in general. Karma stinks.

Let’s Talk About Sex

May 3, 2004
jshartman

Not really. But now that I’ve got your attention, let’s talk about local music venues.

In my experience, folks aren’t likely to pay a $5 cover charge at a local bar for most local music acts, thus leaving the bar empty at the end of the night, thus discouraging bar owners to support live music. We often encourage such venues to avoid charging a cover and pay their bands a flat fee or, at the very least, a guaranteed minimum. You’ll find most bar patrons will end up spending an average of $50 or more on alcohol by the end of the night.

“Tremendous markup on alcohol,” an instructing chef said at a Charlotte culinary school. “Sometimes in the hundreds and hundreds percent markup.”

Let’s do some math.

Recently we performed at a similar, aforementioned venue. Approximately 30 people refused to pay a cover charge and enter the bar. That’s $150. Based on a $50 average liquor sales per person statistic and a 200 percent liquor markup average according to Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc., you’re talking thousands of dollars in missed profit and revenue even after paying your band a flat fee. Other benefits include the increased exposure your bands get. Naturally, if the band’s good, you’re more likely to increase repeat business as a result.

Most folks who approach a bar at 10 pm and are faced with a $5 decision, aren’t going to think about any of this and make the right decision. In the end, it’s all a game that local bar owners have to be willing to play. Make the right decision for them. Game over.

Now, let’s talk about time. I’ve been on a crusade for some time now to convince music venues to start their music earlier. We don’t begin until 10 pm. Often later. I surveyed 100 people on our mailing list. Average age, 27.

87 percent of those I surveyed are in bed by 10:30 pm at the latest, Monday through Thursday. Biggest reason, “work.”

92 percent are in bed by midnight on Fridays. Biggest reason, “Saturday plans.”

89 percent are in bed by 11 pm on Saturdays. Biggest reason, “church” and “other family-oriented activities.”

96 percent said they would see us perform more often if we performed earlier. The other 4 percent said they would see us perform more often if they didn’t have to travel more that 20 minutes.

85 percent said they preferred going to see a movie vs. live music. When asked why, most said they could get off work, go out to eat, catch a 7:30 movie, spend time with their family or significant other and still be in bed at a reasonable hour.

There’s a reason most concerts begin at 7:30 or 8 pm. Would you be more likely to go see Fleetwood Mac in concert on a Tuesday night if they started at 7 pm or 11 pm?

The more thought and effort we put into improving and supporting live music at every level, the more likely we’re to see results. Only you can support live music.

Timmy Story

March 9, 2004
jshartman

Carol Anne’s son, Timmy, with an emphasis on “Carol Anne’s,” woke up at 8 am (which is early for him at home). Upon entering his room, I saw a ghost. Turns out that ghost was only Timmy covered from head to toe with baby powder. His “Herbie car” and several other items were also disguised as ghosts. It took me 45 minutes to clean the entire mess up. He’s Carol Anne’s kid with an emphasis on “mess.”