Style File: Bergorf Goodman's Holiday Gifts for Your Groom

One for you.... okay, one for me too. Two for you, oh well, hey, why not... two for me. And this for me. And this for you, no me.
And so the holiday shopping season begins.

With amazing holiday catalogs squeezing their way into the city-dweller's mailbox so early in the season, it's hard not to be just a {teeny} bit selfish. Case in point? The oh-my-god-its-absolutely-amazing Bergdorf Goodman holiday catalog. I received a press copy a few weeks ago and couldn't edit all the goodness down to one streamlined {or bridal-specific} story, so I opted for a big "oh, the hell with it," and decided to do a little mini-series of Merci's favorite items. Just to show that we're not too selfish, we'll start with the guys....
From killer cuff links to sultry scents, bold bathing suits to barware worthy of a Mad Men mixer, the buyers at The Men's Store at Bergdorf Goodman have got your man covered this holiday season.
Our stylists' tip? Don't just think about X-Mas. The holidays are a great time to knock out your groom's gift, too. Chances are the pickings won't be so fruitful {or creative} come June, so the holidays are the best time to buy and stash for your hubby-to-be!

1. Black woven silk ties with silver thread by Charvet; 2. Sterling silver and hand painted enamel "Winking Owl" cuff links by Jan Leslie; 3. Colonia Essenza for men Eau de Cologne spray by Aqua di Parma; 4. {our favorite} 18-karat gold cuff links with ruby eyes by Deakin and Francis; 5. Multicolor nylon "VIP" swimsuit with embroidery by Vilebrequin; 6. Crystal decanters and silverplated funnel by William Yeoward; 7. Automatic watch with black dial on black crocodile strap by Nixon; 8. Crocodile grooming case in gray or black by Santiago Gonzalez; 9. Limited Edition Tuscan Leather Collection by Tom Ford. All items available for the Holiday 2010 season by contacting Bergdorf Goodman at 212 339 3311.

... Read more at http://www.mercinewyork.blogspot.com

Related Site

-Wedding Magnets

-Wedding Website

Related Videos :below I show related videos and not so related to this article.

Title: How To Download and Transfer MIDI & Style Files

This video will guide you through the process of downloading and transferring files to your keyboard.

Title: Bluesette - Latin Style - Tutorial

Midi file of my piano playing on this video along with a notation file and the Backing Track file are all available on my website at http://www.Lot2learn.com

I had just finished listening to a great Latin-style version of Bluesette by the great Toots Thielman here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85c6siV5Z94 so I decided I would try a version in 4/4 time with a Latin groove as well.

I have added some annotations but I will try to explain more here in the description.
First, I have been asked to try and "slow-down" my playing to make it easier to learn. Unfortunately, when I improvise all of this I do so in real-time and to try and slow it down, well...it just wouldn't come out the same at all.

Here are some basic rules to follow: Know the song and the melody well enough that you can wander away from it and come back to it at will. Having said that, I actually make a mistake during my solo and play over the wrong chords. However, I do so quickly and without stumbling. I "go with the flow" and calmly bring myself back to the right place and if I didn't point it out, it might go by unnoticed - except for those keen observers out there - you know who you are ;-).

I play mostly chord tones, arpeggiating a minor 9 chord for the minor 7th chords and I approach the C-7 from 1/2 step above playing a Db-9. I also throw in a few 4ths and pentatonic type lines that are usually based on any pentatonic scale that contains chord tones of the II-V progression for the particular measure within the song.

I use patterns, but try to stay away from playing anything that resembles a scale. I will use scales, ie. diminished, but use neighboring notes. I also use "enclosures" when outlining arpeggiated chord tones.

BTW - one of my favorite parts of this video is the rhythmic chording starting at about the 3:35 mark and then the right hand lines that come a little after that - it's like saving the best for last. ;-)

Tech Notes:
Roland FP-4 using internal sound bank. MIDI keys by PGMusic PowerTracks Pro software and captured with BB Flashback Pro software from Blueberry Software. Rebdered using Adobe Premier elements and Serif MoviePlus X3. Backing Track created using Band-in-a-box software.

Thanks for Listening!