Cameron Mizell

This week’s Woodshed Wednesday we’re going to look at a few ways to get more mileage out of some chords you already know by using them in different situations. We call this “chord alchemy” because it’s a little like chemistry. Just like a science experiment, we keep one variable constant, change another, and produce different results.

This past spring and summer, most of the music I’ve been listening to has been music I had to learn for a gig. That’s all fine and part of the job, but it’s also important to listen to music that inspires me creatively. Here are three guitar albums that have been in heavy rotation whenever I have the chance to choose my own music.

One of the most popular posts on my site has to do with building my pedalboard in January 2010. Well, every few months I end up buying a new pedal, trying out different sounds for different gigs, swapping out this pedal for that one, and my pedalboard has undergone some changes. Here’s the current setup.

The next trio gig is right around the corner! I’m excited to play back home in Brooklyn after spending some time on the road with these guys in July. We’ll be performing the music if Tributary again in it’s entirety, probably for the last time.

Friday night, Little Grey Girlfriend concludes our July tour in NYC’s National Underground. They have music on both floors, you’ll find us downstairs at 9:30.

Upcoming tour dates with Little Grey Girlfriend.

Hot weather has settled on NYC the last few weeks and it feels (and smells) like summer in the city. My brother was just in town for a visit and we spent a lot of time outside, which included a Memorial Day cook out on our tiny grill. We had a great time, but now it’s back to work.

The last several weeks have been wonderfully busy with a wide variety of work. I performed or recorded with virtually every band I work with regularly, done some writing with new collaborators, and more. I had opportunities to play guitar, mandolin, bass, and harmonica. I feel truly blessed to be playing so much music with so many talented people. Equipped with my iPhone, I’ve been snapping pictures along the way. Here are some of the shots from the last few weeks.

Years ago, I wrote a piece called “File Under Jazz” and explained how jazz is today less a genre and more a process. As my career has progressed, and as I’ve played a wider variety of music in a professional setting, I’ve experienced this process more profoundly. While jazz gigs make up a smaller percentage of my performances, everything I play is informed by jazz.

April started out on a sad note for my wife and I as we lost Dolce, our first cat. In music, dolce means to sing or play sweetly, and she truly was the sweetest pet I’ve known! In honor of Dolce, I’ve made “Ghost Town,” the ballad off Tributary, available as a free download. Simply [...]