tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13630144.post866242852279831412..comments2023-12-04T09:29:06.375-08:00Comments on Casa Valdez Studios: The Matt Otto interviewDavid Carlos Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338319345488366328noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13630144.post-76547860663759594852008-03-02T19:56:00.000-08:002008-03-02T19:56:00.000-08:00Great interview... plenty of inspiration and insig...Great interview... plenty of inspiration and insight for a saxophone student, really makes me aware just how much dedication and drive is needed to play at ever increasing levels.<BR/><BR/>Constantly amazed at the journey of being able to improvise, and this interview really helped in lots of ways. I looked at Matt's web site and had downloaded from Jazz-o-matic some time ago Matt Otto lessons, thanks for the interview and your blog it... really keeps me focused, practicing and recharged.<BR/><BR/>NamasteKokopellihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07173646392856047386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13630144.post-23950338410386414152008-02-28T07:40:00.000-08:002008-02-28T07:40:00.000-08:00Matt Otto IS a bad dude ... his commitment to soun...Matt Otto IS a bad dude ... his commitment to sound and clearly hearing the lines he plays is inspiring! I have never heard him live, but even his few recordings speak volumes about his practice routine. FYI- there are some really great exercises on his website. His long tone/listening/relaxation exercise is amazing. I have been doing it myself for 3 days, and just last night on a gig I found myself already breathing better and generally more aware and in control . I became aware of Matt about 5 years ago when I first met George Garzone. I told him I was from California ... he said he was going to move to California, build a "compound", and start a saxophone cult with himself, Matt Otto, Kenny Brooks, and all the other monster sax players from California. That would be one bad cult!David Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18172164710925268832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13630144.post-39923158749049118622008-02-24T20:04:00.000-08:002008-02-24T20:04:00.000-08:00Even Coltrane said that one of his greatest wishes...Even Coltrane said that one of his greatest wishes was to be able to enjoy what he was working on from an audience perspective, and not from the self-critique required to get there.MonksDreamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01925609181536862036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13630144.post-66900799710298572262008-02-23T19:35:00.001-08:002008-02-23T19:35:00.001-08:00It is totally normal to be a harsh critic of your ...It is totally normal to be a harsh critic of your own playing. All you have to do is listen to a little bit of Otto's playing to realize that he is a very bad man. It's good for the rest of us to realize that even the baddest of asses are pretty hard on themselves. I guess if you're not super critical of your own playing then at some point you're likely to stop practicing and become satisfied with your music making abilities.David Carlos Valdezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02338319345488366328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13630144.post-13817022993104328842008-02-23T17:12:00.000-08:002008-02-23T17:12:00.000-08:00Great interview. I appreciate his honest self-appr...Great interview. I appreciate his honest self-appraisal, though I suspect that like many of us he is his own worst critic. I find I am always walking the line about not revealing too much of my musical incompetence in my own blog, because it can come back to bite you, especially if folks you have to work with read it. I didn't use to be paranoid, but the longer I work in music the more I realize interpersonal/competitive politics are unavoidable even if I no longer inhabit a cubicle. Damn, I said too much.Me Mehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03065973224789847682noreply@blogger.com